IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DISTRIBUTING VALVES FOR STEAM- ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DISTRIBUTING VALVES FOR STEAM-
ENGINES." A communication from abroad by Napoléon Conti, of Paris,
France. Financial Receiver.
Sealed the 6th June 1879, and dated the 24th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIS-
TRIBUTING VALVES FOR STEAM-ENGINES.' [A communication from abroad by
Napoléon Conti, of Paris, France, Financial Receiver.]
"
This Invention relates to improved valve apparatus for distributing steam to the
cylinders of steam-engines, and consists chiefly in the employment of two cylinders
having a continuous rotary movement, and which are controlled by the driving
shaft of the engine, the said cylinders regulating the admission of the steam to and
its exhaust from each side of the main cylinder.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I provide a valve-box in which the
said two cylinders or circular valves work, the said valve-box being fixed to the
main cylinder. One of these circular or cylindrical valves is employed for the
admission of steam to one end of the other of the main cylinder through one or the
other of two rectangular openings provided in the said valve for the purpose. The
other cylindrical valve is employed for the exhaust. These two valves are made
hollow to permit the entering and exhausting steam to circulate therein. They
are closed at one end by a bottom, and are at the other end provided with covers
which have apertures through them following the axis of the valves, these apertures
serving as conductors for the steam. The openings provided in the walls of the
said cylindrical-valves are suitably arranged so that the different phases of

page_text: admission, expansion, and exhaust will occur at the right moment. The said
cylindrical valves have a continuous rotary movement, and in order to effect this
movement, one of these valves is operated from the engine, two pinions being
provided outside the valve box, and which unite the two valves. A lateral
lubricator is provided for the purpose of lubricating the exterior surface of the said
valves where the covers are situated. These cylindrical valves fulfil the functions
of cocks, and adapt themselves to all the combinations required for expansion,
compression, and exhaust. The steam is not obstructed in passing through the
orifices; the latter open widely in a manner which is almost instantaneous; the
working of the said valves is exceedingly easy and gentle, and they are in perfect
equilibrium in all their parts. There are no injurious spaces, the admission valve
forming only a continuation of the steam pipe, the steam at once reaches the orifice
which gives it access to the piston.
By the use of the said Invention a moderate or rapid speed may be ensured, and
the reversal of the direction of the steam is readily effected when it is desired to
reverse the motion. To effect this purpose, it is only necessary to divide the valve
rod or stem, and to unite the two parts by means of a coupling box, whose central
portion revolves in the branches of a fork, and whose other two portions are pro-
vided with sliding pieces. The one nearest to the valve should be straight, and
that nearest to the shaft should be of helicoidal form, so that by the movement of
the said fork, the cylindrical valves may be displaced for about the sixth part of
the circumference of the circle.
Variable expansion may be obtained by arranging within the admission valve a
second-valve-which-constantly_closes the orifices. The openings of the said second
valve will be uncovered by means of a cam which is actuated at each revolution of
the valve rod or stem. A butterfly valve regulates the expansion.
Instead of making the said valves cylindrical, they may be made of somewhat
conical form.
The said valve apparatus may be combined at will with variable expansion gear
by hand or by the regulator, and with an apparatus for reversing the direction of
motion under the conditions above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
June 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIS-
TRIBUTING VALVES FOR STEAM-ENGINES." A communication from abroad by
Napoléon Conti, of Paris, France, Financial Receiver.
This Invention relates to improved valve apparatus for distributing steam in
steam-engines, and consists chiefly in the employment of two cylinders which have
a continuous rotary movement, and are controlled by the driving shaft of the
engine for regulating the admission of the steam to and its exhaust from each end
of the main cylinder.
This Invention may be applied with great facility and very inexpensively to
existing steam engines.
The said Invention obviates the necessity for the well known Stephenson link-
motion for the reversing of the engine which is effected with great facility and
instantaneously. The construction of this improved slide valve is effected solely by
the use of turned parts or pieces, and therefore with great economy in the cost of
the work.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which―
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine provided with my improved apparatus.
The remaining figures are hereinafter described.
According to the said Invention, I employ two hollow cylinders A, B, turning in
properly bored holes. These two cylinders which form rotating slide valves, are
geared together by two pinions P, P¹, each having the same number of teeth. One
of these cylinders is governed by a rod T which receives its movement from the
shaft O as follows, that is to say:-The rod T carries a pinion p¹ with a number of
teeth equal to the pinion p keyed upon the horizontal shaft O. In this manner
the said rod, and consequently the cylinders which it controls, make the same
number of revolutions as the said shaft.
The two cylinder-valves A and B have each two apertures o diametrically
opposite each other, and against each of the two ports L and L' of the cylinder.
The said apertures are proportioned to the power of the engine; they are in
communication with the main cylinder by means of a steam chest which is divided
into two parts.
The steam enters the hollow turning valve A at the extremity opposite to the
aforesaid shaft, this vapour expands in one of the ports of the steam chest, and
when this turning cylinder A has made a half revolution, the steam passes by the
other port of the said chest. The second cylinder valve B which has also two
apertures, moves in the same manner as the valve A, both being governed by
pinions of the same diameter; but the apertures being arranged in different
relative positions in the two valves as shewn, they are presented successively in the
part of the steam chest opposite to that where the admission takes place; in this
manner the regulation is effected with perfect regularity.
Part of this Invention is shewn drawn to an enlarged scale in vertical section in
Figure 2, in transverse section in Figure 3, and in horizontal section in Figure 4.
The steam cylinder H has at its side a chest I in which works the two circular
valves; the valve A serves for the admission of the steam by one or other of the
two rectangular apertures with which it is perforated to the one or other of the
ends of the cylinder H; the second valve B serves for the exhaust of the steam.
These two valves are made hollow to permit the entering and exbausting steam
to circulate therein. They are closed at one end, as shewn at M, at the other
end near the covers M2, have apertures through them in line with the axis of the
valve, these apertures serving as passages for the steam. The ports provided in
the walls of the said admission and exhaust valves, are suitably arranged so that

page_text: the different phases of admission, expansion, and exhaust will occur at the proper
times. The said valves have as aforesaid a continuous rotary movement, and in
order to effect this movement, one of these valves is operated from the engine, the
two pinions P, P¹, which are geared together being arranged outside the chest I. A
lubricator N is provided for lubricating the exterior surface of the said valves where
the covers M are situated.
These cylindrical valves fulfil the functions of cocks, and adapt themselves to all
the combinations required for expansion, compression, and exhaust. The steam is
not throttled in passing through the apertures or ports, which open widely and
almost instantaneously; the working of the said valves is exceedingly easy and
gentle, and they are in perfect equilibrium in all their parts. There is no waste of
space, the admission valve forming only a continuation of the steam pipe, the steam
at once reaches the aperture which gives it access to the piston.
By the use of the said Invention, either a moderate or rapid speed may be
ensured, and the direction of the steam is readily changed when desired to reverse
the engine. To provide for this reversing I divide the valve rod or stem, and unite
the two parts by means of a coupling box, whose central portion revolves in the
branches of a fork, and whose other two portions are provided with sliding pieces.
The one nearest to the valve should be straight, and that nearest to the shaft should
be of helicoidal form, so that by the movement of the said fork the cylindrical
valves may be displaced or adjusted circularly about one sixth part of their circum-
ference.
Means for obtaining variable expansion may be provided by arranging within
the admission valve_a_second_valve which constantly_closes_the_aforesaid apertures.
The apertures in the said second valve will be uncovered by means of a cam which
is actuated at each revolution of the valve rod or stem. A butterfly valve regulates
the expansion.
Instead of making the aforesaid valves cylindrical, they may be made slightly
conical or taper. The said improved distributing apparatus is provided with very
simple expansion-gear which operates in a very regular manner, the cylindrical
distributor A contains a second cylinder C¹ (Figure 5) introduced with slight
friction. This cylinder C which is also hollow, is attached to a rod a which projects
outwardly, and is held in position by a spring r tending to constantly force it into
the position corresponding to the closing of the inlet; the said rod a is also pro-
vided with a projection or tappet b. The cylinder C has two openings c on each
side, that is to say, four in all; these openings are not in front of those of the outer
cylinder A, but are brought to this position by a tappet cam D placed upon the
operating rod T; this cam D is designed to act upon the tappet 6 in such a manner
as to cause the cylinder C to turn in the cylinder A; it is formed with a projection
and with an inclined face to vary the duration of the admission.
The position of the said cam is varied by means of a screw threaded pin or rod f,
and the nut e. The cam D produces the movement in one direction, and the cam D¹
produces the movement in the opposite direction. In all cases the spring r brings
back the rod a when the cam D ceases to act upon the tappet b.
By causing the governor to act upon the cam D, the distribution can be con-
trolled by the governor.
The mechanism for changing the direction of the movement is as follows, that is
to say- -The rod T is divided near the pinion p¹ in such a manner as to form two
parts T1, T2, placed end to end with regard to each other; each of these parts is
provided with lugs or ears g to receive links h; when these links are disconnected,
the part T is free. By means of a hand lever L³ of the bar F and a forked lever
L³, the engine driver or attendant can adjust the sliding collar or coupling G which
forms a screw nut; it follows that the part T' which is then independent of the
pinion that controls it, turns and changes the relative position of the cylindrical
valves A and B; and the direction of the stroke is thus reversed.
The valves A and B, instead of being arranged to permit the admission and
exhaust of the steam from their interior, may be so arranged as to permit the

page_text: admission and exhaust of the steam from the side. This arrangement is shown in
transverse section in Figure 6, and in horizontal section in Figure 7.
In this case,
the rotating valves, instead of being open at one extremity are closed at each end,
and the admission chest I, like the exhaust chest, is provided with ports in
connection with the cylinder ports; the steam then passes completely through the
cylindrical valve..
This arrangement enables the admission valve to be applied close to the cylinder
ports, and thus ensures absolute tightness, preventing any escape of steam.
The said improved valves, expansion gear, and the arrangements for effecting the
change in the direction of movement, may be applied either separately or together
to all kinds of steam engines, to those at presènt in use as well as to new ones as
desired.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim as the peculiar features of the above described improvements relating
to the distribution and variable expansion of steam,-
First. The arrangement in the steam-chest of a steam engine of two hollow
cylindrical valves which operate with a continuous rotary movement, one for the
exhaust and the other either with or without the interior hollow cylinder for the
admission of the steam, and either with or without expansion gear, the said valves
being provided with suitably arranged apertures as above set forth, and as shewn
in the accompanying Drawing.
Second. The improved expansion-gear which is controllable by hand or by the
governor as above described."
Third. The apparatus by which the motion may be reversed as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (LS)
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)