Improvements in or connected with Machinery for Compressing and Exhausting Air or other Elastic Fluids.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machinery for Compressing
and Exhausting Air or other Elastic Fluids.
We, ISAAC SHONE and EDWIN AULT, Civil Engineers, of 16, Great George
Street, Westminster, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
This invention has reference to machinery for compressing and exhausting air,
or other elastic fluids, and has mainly for its object to provide improvements
whereby compressing or exhausting engines shall be so arranged that the
compressing or exhausting cylinders and the driving or motor cylinders work in
such a manner that the stresses and resistances in the two, correspond with each
other; and it has further for its object to generally improve the working of the
engines. It has also for its object to provide an improved mode of and means for
governing such engines; and further, to provide an improved construction of
valves of compressing or exhausting engines, and parts connected with, or
operating in connection with them.
According to this invention, we cause the resistance in the compressing or
exhausting cylinder to equalize and correspond with the force acting within
the motor cylinder at each part of the stroke of the engine, and we do this by
arranging the cylinders in such a manner that their centre lines form two sides of
a triangle, the cylinders being at the base of the triangle, and the centre of the
crank shaft at the apex of the same. The connecting rods of the two cylinders
may work on the same crank. In such a case, this construction will provide an
engine wherein one crank is made equivalent to two cranks removed from one
another by an angle equal to the angle at the apex of the triangle. This angle
will vary according to the pressure it is desired to compress air to, and to other
conditions of the application of the invention.
To regulate or govern the quantity of air compressed during any unit of time,
we cause the pressure of air, when above the required pressure, to act upon a
piston connected with a governor and to close the throttle or other controlling
valve of the steam engine.
In one arrangement this piston may be a weighted one, that is, heavy, and work
in a vertical cylinder under the governor in such a manner that when compressed
air is admitted under the piston, the sleeve or other part of the governor is lifted,
and the throttle or other valve of the engine closed; and this is done independently
of the speed at which the governor is moving.
We may also use, in connection with the above, an air regulating valve, and
cause it to act in such a manner that no compressed air is admitted to the cylinder
above mentioned when or before the maximum pressure, to which it is desired to
compress the air, is reached. The excess of pressure then actuates the governor
and reduces the speed of the engine. A suitable kind of valve for this purpose
may consist of a valve loaded by a spring or weight.
In cases, such for instance as when the quantity of compressed air required
varies considerably, we cause the compressed air when above the required
pressure to keep open the inlet valves of the compressing cylinders, and so let out
in the compressing strokes, a portion of the air which has been drawn in, and this
action will continue until the pressure of the air in the receiver or main reaches the
standard pressure. The means according to this invention for effecting this action,
consists in employing an air cylinder or vessel on or connected with the
compressing cylinders, and providing therein a spring loaded piston, or its
equivalent, one side of said piston being connected with the cylinder of the

page_text: governor above referred to and so adapted that when the governor is actuated and
the throttle or, other valve of the engine closed, compressed air is admitted to the
cylinders of or connected with the compressing cylinders, and the piston or its
equivalent therein actuates a lever or other device which is connected with the
inlet valve and prevents it closing. When the pressure has fallen to the standard,
the compressed air enclosed in the cylinders connected with the air compressing
cylinder is allowed to escape through suitable openings, and air is again compressed
in the ordinary way.
The inlet valves of the compressing cylinders are of the type which are worked
by the friction of the piston rod or other moving part in the cylinder (namely,
such as those known as Sturgeon's "high-speed inlet valves), and are provided
with a large area or opening by constructing the internal valve disc with a number
of annular or equivalent openings, the cylinder being provided with similar
openings opposite the solid parts of the valve disc, so that they are closed when
the valve is on its seat. By this construction, the area or valve opening is
increased, and the lift of the valve may thereby be diminished, thus gaining greater
useful volume in the compressing cylinder, and diminishing the degree of beat of
the valve upon its seat.
The compressing cylinders may be arranged so that cool air from outside the
building may be drawn into them, or they may be employed to create partial
vacuum; or, again they may be connected with one or more similar cylinders of
suitable size for the purpose of compressing air to high pressures to two or more
stages.
It is to be understood that we may employ the improvements connected with
compressing or exhausting air and other clastic fluids herein described, separately,
as well as in any combination, and also that the invention is not limited to the
particular construction of the parts specified, as these may be varied or modified
and their equivalents used without departing from the main features or spirit of
the invention.
Dated this 5th day of June 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machinery for Compressing
and Exhausting Air or other Elastic Fluids.
We, ISAAC SHONE and EDWIN AULT, Civil Engineers, of 16, Great George
Street, Westminster, in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to machinery for compressing and exhausting air,
or other clastic fluids and has mainly for its object to provide improvements
whereby compressing or exhausting engines shall be so arranged that the
compressing or exhausting cylinders and the driving or motor cylinders work in
such a manner that the stresses and resistances in the two, correspond with each
other, and it has further for its object to generally improve the working of the
engines. It has also for its object to provide an improved mode of and means for
governing such engines; and further, to provide an improved construction of
valves of compressing or exhausting engines, and parts connected with, or
operating in connection with them.
According to this invention, we cause the resistance in the compressing or
exhausting cylinder to equalize and correspond with the force acting within the
motor cylinder at each part of the stroke of the engine, and we do this by
arranging the cylinders in such a manner that their centre lines form two sides of a

page_text: triangle, the cylinders being at the base of the triangle, and the centre of the
crank shaft at the apex of the same. The connecting rods of the two cylinders
may work on the same crank. In such a case, this construction will provide an
engine wherein one crank is made equivalent to two cranks removed from one
another by an angle equal to the angle at the apex of the triangle. This angle
will vary according to the pressure it is desired to compress air to, and to other
conditions of the application of the invention.
To regulate or govern the quantity: of air compressed during any unit of time,
we cause the pressure of air, when above the required pressure, to act upon a
piston connected with a governor and to close the throttle or other controlling
valve of the steam engine.
In one arrangement this piston may be a weighted one, that is, heavy, and work
in a vertical cylinder under the governor in such a manner that when compressed
air is admitted under the piston, the sleeve or other part of the governor is lifted,
and the throttle or other valve of the engine closed; and this is done independently
of the speed at which the governor is moving.
We may also use, in connection with the above, an air regulating valve, and
cause it to act in such a manner that no compressed air is admitted to the cylinder
above mentioned when or before the maximum pressure, to which it is desired to
compress the air, is reached. The excess of pressure then actuates the governor
aud reduces the speed of the engine. A suitable kind of valve for this purpose
may consist of a valve loaded by a spring or weight.
In some cases, such for instance as when the quantity of compressed air required
varies considerably, we cause the compressed air when above the required pressure
to keep open the inlet valves of the compressing cylinders, and so let out in the
compressing strokes, a portion of the air which has been drawn in, and this action
will continue until the pressure of the air in the receiver or main reaches the
standard pressure. The ineans according to this invention for effecting this action,
consists in employing an air cylinder or vessel on or connected with the
compressing cylinders, and providing therein a spring loaded piston, or its
equivalent, one side of said piston being connected with the cylinder of the
governor above referred to and so adapted that when the governor is actuated and
the throttle or other valve of the engine closed, compressed air is admitted to the
cylinders of or connected with the compressing cylinders, and the piston or its
equivalent therein actuates a lever or other device which is connected with the
inlet valve and prevents it closing. When the pressure has fallen to the standard,
the compressed air enclosed in the cylinders connected with the air compressing
cylinder is allowed to escape through suitable openings, and air is again compressed
in the ordinary way.
The inlet valves of the compressing cylinders are of the type which are worked
by the friction of the piston rod or other moving part in the cylinder (namely,
such as those known as Sturgeon's high speed inlet valves), and are provided with
large area or opening by constructing the internal valve disc with a number of
annular or equivalent openings, the cylinder being provided with similar openings
opposite the solid parts of the valve disc, so that they are closed when the valve
s on its seat. By this construction, the area of valve opening is increased, and the
ift of the valve may thereby be diminished, thus gaining greater useful volume
n the compressing cylinder, and diminishing the degree of beat of the valve upon
ts seat.
The compressing cylinders may be arranged so that cool air from outside the
building may be drawn into them, or they may be employed to create partial
acuum; or, again they may be connected with one or more similar cylinders of
uitable size for the purpose of compressing air to high pressure to two or more
tages.
In order that this invention may be fully and clearly understood, we have hereto
nnexed nine sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, and which we will now
escribe. The drawings shew several modifications of the invention, but in all the

page_text: same letters and figures of reference occurring in the description are used to denote
the same or equivalent parts.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Figure 2 is an outside end
view illustrating our low lift inlet valve and governing device connected
therewith.
Figure 1 is a view shewing the governing arrangement.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan, and Figure 4 is an end view shewing a modification
of inlet valve and means of governing same.
Figure 5 is a plan partly in section, and Figure 6 an end view of a further
modification or means of working and governing the inlet valve.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, Figure 8 a cross section on the line X X
Figure 7, and Figure 9 a cross section at the line Y Y Figure 7, of an air delivery
valve constructed according to this invention.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 11 a back view, shewing a modifi-
cation of the valve illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9.
Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of the relative arrangement of steam and air
compressing cylinders according to this invention.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in the first instance, a designates generally the air
inlet valve;
bis the air inlet passage; care the annular ribs forming the seat of
the valve a; and d are the annular spaces in the valve a constituting the air
passages through the valve. e is the piston, is the cylinder, is the cylinder
fining, and is the cylinder cover. are the delivery valves, and the air outlet
passage. ijk designate generally the governing devices.
The valve a, it will be seen by the drawings, consists of a series of annular rings
of metal connected together by radial bars, and a series of annular air passages d,
whilst the stem a¹ of the valve is also annular and works in connection with the
piston rode of the piston e, that is, the friction between the rod and the valve stem
when the piston moves to and fro causes the opening and closing of the valve a.
On the outer end of the stem a', the stuffing box a is provided and moves with the
valve. The lift of the valve is controlled or regulated by the distance between the
inner face of the flange of the stuffing box a², and the face of the valve, this distance
being more or less greater than the distance between the outside of the cover ***
and the face of the valve seat c, and as this distance is smaller so is the time taken
to close the valve smaller and its action quicker. The result of which is that the
efficiency of the compressor is increased.
The governing device consisting of the parts i, j and k, comprise a cylinder i¹
having a heavy piston 2 working in connection with the sleeve of an ordinary
governor which controls the throttle or other steam controlling valve of the steam
engine through the lever ; a spring weighted valve j, the spring of which is
adjustable by the screw down spindle and communicating by pipe with the
compressed air receiver, conduit, or the like; and the device consisting of a
cylinder 1, a piston 2, connecting rod 3, stop lever 4, and spring 5, the cylinder 1
being secured to the cylinder cover f2. 6 is a pipe by which air is conveyed from
the cylinder to the cylinder 1, and 7 is a leak-off device.
The action of these governing devices is that when air under a certain pressure
is supplied to the cylinder, the piston is lifted, and in consequence, through the
lever which bears on the underside of the sleeve ³, said sleeve is lifted and the
ordinary governor connected with the throttle valve is actuated and the steam
supply closed independently of the action of the governor itself. The action of the
spring-loaded auxiliary regulating air valve j is that no air is admitted to the
cylinder unless the pressure in the pipe in communication with the compressed
air reservoir or conduit, is equal to, or greater than the maximum pressure to which
it is desired to compress the air. Thus, if this device be used in combination with
the cylinder, no air will be admitted to ¹, and its piston will not be lifted until
the said maximum pressure has been reached.
As regards the governing device k, this device is more particularly useful when

page_text: the quantity of compressed air required is very variable, and in such cases we
reduce the quantity of air delivered by fixing a small air cylinder 1 on each cover
of the compressing cylinders. The action of this device is, that when compressed
air is supplied to the cylinder i, it is also supplied to the cylinders 1 through the
pipe 6, and the pressure under the piston 2 lifts it and so brings the stop lever 4
into the position represented in dotted lines, and its free end prevents the outward
movement of the flange of the stuffing box a², and so the valve a from coming up
on its seat c. Thus, in the compressing stroke of the piston e, the air which has
been drawn into the cylinder of the compressor, or some of it, is free to pass back
through the valve a into the supply passage b, and therefore the delivery valves g
are not lifted, and no air passes saine as under normal conditions in the compressing
stroke.
The delivery valve shewn in Figure 1 consists of a disc g¹ having a stem g
working in the guides g. A number of these delivery valves are disposed in the
cover in the manner represented in Figure 2.
In the modification shewn in Figures 3 and 4, the air valve is of the same type
as that shewn in Figure 1, that is of the disc type, and its stem a¹ also surrounds
the piston rod el at one end of the cylinder, but in lieu of lifting off its sent, by the
direct tractional-friction due to the piston-rod's contact with and motion through
it, it is worked through the crank shaft eccentric rod 1, lever l', bell crank levers F,
and bars, the bell cranks being connected together by the rod . The valves a
are connected to the rods through an extended part of the flange of the stuffing
box a² at the front end of the cylinder, and at the back end, to the extended flange
of the box a screwed on the stem a' of the valve a (as shewn in Figure 4). The
action in this case is that through the eccentric and levers and rods just specified,
the valves a receiving a reciprocating motion.
To alternately make communication between the compressing cylinder and the
air inlet passage thereof, and then close such communication, the cover and the
valves a are provided with apertures as shewn which coincide with each other when
air is being admitted, whilst when it is being compressed, the solid portions of the
valve become moved over the apertures of the cover and the valve becomes closed.
The delivery valves y in this instance are arranged in the same manner as those set
forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
The modification shewn in Figures 5 and 6 concerns solely the means of con-
veying notion to the air inlet valve of the kind set forth with reference to
Figures 3 and 4. The modification consists in employing a rotating counter-
shaft i worked from the crank shaft of the engine, and on which eccentrics 12
are fixed, and which are connected to the valve stems in the manner set forth with
reference to Figures 3 and 4, by the rods 1. The other eccentrics and eccentric
rods shewn may be adapted to work the valves of other compressing cylinders
lying parallel with the one shewn, so that one counter shaft may be adapted to
work the valves of several cylinders.
Referring now to the delivery valve shewn in Figures 7, 8, and 9, it will be seen
it is of the annular type shewn in Figure 1; that is to say, it consists of a series
of annular bars having annular spaces between them through which the air passes
as well as round the edge of the outer one, whilst the seat 9 also consists of a
corresponding number of annular bars and air spaces. The valve is guided at the
bottom by the spindle g³, and pressure is exerted upon it to keep it on its seat
through the spring go, the tension of which is adjustable through the screw plug
accessible from outside. This valve g can be withdrawn from the cover f by simply
taking off the nuts g', and removing the cap g.
This construction of valve constitutes a low lift one, the annular openings
increasing the length of the delivery opening so much as to render the degree of
lift very small to give a large area of opening.
The modification of annular low-lift delivery valve shewn in Figures 10 and 11,
consists in carrying up the guide and spindle 3 of the valve and fitting over it a
cap g, which is pressed down into the metal of the diaphragm between the air and

page_text: water spaces of the cover f³, and makes joint therewith, this being done by
screwing down the nut go on the spindle g. In this case, the adjustment of the
spring is effected through the screw plug g; a cotter " sliding within a slot in
the spindle 3, and on which the screw plug bears; and a washer y¹² on which y¹¹
bears, and which presses upon the upper part of the spring.
11
This arrangement of valve may be made without an adjustable spring, by dispensing
with the screw plug 9, and the cotter 9" and fixing the washer 9 on the spindle g
The diagrammatic view of the arrangement of air compressor cylinder, and
steam cylinder o, shewn in Figure 12, is designed to equalize the resistance in the
compressing cylinder and to make it correspond as far as possible at each point of
the stroke to the driving force in the steam cylinder. It will be seen the two con-
necting rods of the two cylinders are connected to and work on the same crank
which renders the arrangement equivalent to two cranks removed from one another
by an angle equal to the angle at the apex of the triangle formed by the two
cylinders and the base of the machine.
pressure
The most suitable angle at the apex of the triangle depends upon the
to which it is desired to compress air in the compressing cylinder. For instance,
for low pressures up to 30 pounds per square inch, an angle of about 60 degrees is
sufficient for higher pressures the angle should be increased up to the maximum
of 90 degrees, above which it is not advantageous to go.
Two or more sets of compressing engines arranged as just described may be
arranged to work on a common crank shaft with two or more cranks set at suitable
angles to one another, so that the steam cylinders of such engines may lead one
another, as in compound engines, and others.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The construction of inlet valve of air compressors substantially as herein
described, with reference to Figure 1, whereby an increase of area of valve and a
decrease of lift is effected; arranged and operating in the manner specified.
2. The construction of air delivery valves of air compressors with annular air
openings and bars substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings
hereto annexed.
3. The herein described mode of governing air compressors, consisting in
employing in connection with an ordinary steam governor, a supplemental governing
device actuated by the pressure of air compressed by the machine, said device
being adapted to act upon the steam engine governor, whereby the steam supply
valve is closed when the pressure of air becomes too great, the action of said ordinary
steam engine governor being independent of the air actuated governing device; for
the purposes set forth.
4. An air governor in which the pressure of compressed air serves to actuate it, and
having combined with it a weighted or loaded valve by which the admission to said
governor takes place only when the maximum pressure to which it is desired to
compress the air has been reached; substantially as described.
5. The combination with the air inlet valve or valves of air compressors of a
governor, consisting of a cylinder and piston or its equivalent, the pressure of com-
pressed air produced by the compressor being adapted to actuate said piston and
through suitable means to keep the air inlet valve open when the pressure of com-
pressed air has reached the required point; substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
6. In air compressing machinery, the combination of governing devices i, j, k, set
forth with reference to the drawings, for the purposes specified.
7. In air compressing machinery, the arrangement of motor and compressing
cylinders, substantially as herein set forth, wherein the driving force in the motor
cylinder, and the resistance of the compression cylinder correspond at different
points of the stroke, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. The air inlet valve constructed and adapted to operate as set forth with
reference to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.
9. The improved parts of air compressors constructed as set forth with reference
to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
10. The air delivery valve of air compressors constructed and operating as set
forth with reference to Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings.
11. The air delivery valve of air compressors constructed and operating as set
forth with reference to Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings.
Dated this 4th day of March 1892.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Agents.