IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPING ENGINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We SAMUEL GRAHAM BROWNE and WILLIAM BOBY, Engineers, both of 11 Queen
Victoria Street, London, E.C. do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPING ENGINES to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the general arrangement & parts of steam pumping
Engines. These engines are of the usual Direct acting type, the main valve being
reciprocated by a piston moved by steam in a suitable supplemental cylinder,
admitted through supplemental ports, and controlled by a supplemental valve,
suitable exhaust ports being provided. The main ports enter the cylinders at some
little distance from their ends, & are covered by the pistons in their traverse. The
supplemental valve is actuated through suitable connections, by a rod, or rods,
passing at the most convenient angle (suitably packed) into the steam & water
cylinders, or in compounded engines, between & into the high and low pressure
cylinders; these rods are moved by the respective traverses of the pistons, through
the intervention of suitable levers. These levers are hung either in the cylinders,
or in the cylinder covers, and are of the most suitable form to offer the best rolling
surface to the piston on one side and the rod on the other in order to produce a
rapid traverse of the valve when the piston is just completing its stroke, the rod
coming in contact with the levers at the shortest practicable distance from the
centres on which they are hung, with the object of decreasing its traverse, as
compared with that of the piston. The rod, or rods, may however be placed outside
the cylinders, and moved by spindles (passing through glands) attached to the
levers. In compounded engines a similar rod may be used for cushioning purposes
in the low pressure cylinder, the rod returning to the centre of its traverse when
the levers are cleared by the pistons. The rod actuating a valve admitting steam
into the cylinder ends. By preference we make the rod in two parts fitted into a
suitable connecting piece, say by right and lefthanded threads and back nuts, so
that their respective lengths can be regulated, and the valve gear adjusted without
disturbing the cylinders. For facility in manufacture, we prefer to fit up this gear
in the connecting yokes. We place passages outside the cylinders, and use valves
with two faces acting alternately on the inlets from the driving end of the cylinders,
and on those from the main ports. By these means steam is admitted behind the
main piston on the reversal of the main valve to start the piston on its return
stroke. In simple engines, for facility of manufacture we may connect the
cushioning passages to the supplemental ports (driving the supplemental piston)
instead of the main ports, suitable valves opening outwards, being provided.
Dated this Twenty fourth day of December 1884

page_text: We SAMUEL GRAHAM BROWNE and WILLIAM BOBY, Engineers, both of 11 Queen
Victoria Street, London, E.C. do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. STEAM PUMPING ENGINES" and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our Invention relates to the General arrangements and parts of Steam Pumping
engines.
These Engines are of the usual Direct Acting type, the main valve being
reciprocated by a piston moved by steam in a suitable supplemental cylinder,
admitted through supplemental ports and controlled by a supplemental valve,
suitable exhaust ports being provided. The main ports enter the cylinders at some
distance from their ends and are covered by the Pistons in their traverse: We
place passages outside the cylinders and use double acting or ball valves acting
alternately on inlets from the driving ends of the cylinders, and those from the
main ports or port faces; by this means steam is admitted from the driving ends of
the cylinders behind the pistons to the then exhaust. sides to cushion. On the
reversal of the main valves steam is admitted to start the Pistons on their return
strokes, the double acting valves cutting off the communication with the then
exhaust sides..
The supplemental valve is actuated through suitable connections by a rod or rods
passing at the most convenient angle, (suitably packed) into the steam and water
cylinders, or in Compounded Engines between and into the High and Low-pressure
cylinders. This rod is moved by the respective traverses of the pistons through
the intervention of suitable levers. These levers are hung either in the cylinders
or cylinder covers, and are of the most suitable form to offer the best rolling surface
to the pistons on one side, and the rod on the others, in order to produce a rapid
traverse of the supplemental valve, when the pistons are just completing their
strokes, the rod coming in contact with the levers at the shortest practicable
distance from the centres on which they are hung, with the object of decreasing
the traverse as compared with that of the pistons.
The rod or rods may be placed outside the cylinders and moved by spindles
(passing through glands) attached to the levers.
In Compounded Engines a similar rod may be used for cushioning purposes, the
rod returning to the centre of its traverse, when cleared by the pistons, by means
of springs. This rod actuating a valve admitting steam into the respective ends of
the low-pressure cylinder for cushioning.
By preference the rod in two parts fitted into a suitable connecting piece, say by
right and left handed threads and backnuts, or a suitable equivalent, so that their
respective lengths can be regulated and the valve gear adjusted without disturbing
the cylinders. For facility in manufacture we prefer to fit up this gear in the
⚫ connecting yokes.”
Figure 1. shews general arrangement of Simple engines.
Figure 2 arrangement of Compounded Engines.
Figure 3 supplemental cushioning arrangement.

page_text: Figure 1. The main Valve 1 is reciprocated by the supplemental piston 2,
working the cylinder 3, the reciprocation at the desired time by the supplemental
valve 4, actuated through a connecting rod 5, lever 6 & rods 7.7. Such rods being
moved in either direction by levers 8, 8, coming in contact with the pistons 9. 9.
The respective lengths of the rods 7. 7 can be adjusted as compared with the
centre of the connecting piece 14 for regulating the valve gear or making com-
pensation for wear.
The piston 9 covers the main ports 10, 10, before completing its stroke, and at,
or about the same time uncovers the inlets 11.11. admitting steam from the driving
end behind it on the then exhaust sides.
On the reversal of the main valve, live steam is admitted through the passage 11,
closing the double acting or ball valves 12, 12, preventing the return of steam to
the then exhaust sides of engine, & starting the piston on its return strokes.
Figure 2. In Compounded engines, the arrangements of ports & passages will be
similar to the above. The rods 7. 7. working between the high and low-pressure
cylinders, one supplemental piston working the main valves of both cylinders. In
compounded engines where the expansion approaches atmospheric line a supple-
mental cushioning arrangement may be used as shewn on Figure 3. The pistons
moving Roda 15. 15 and Valve 16, admitting steam to the respective ends of the
low-pressure cylinder through the ports 17, 17, so long as they are in contact, the
rods being returned to the centre of their traverse by the springs 18, 18, cutting off
steam on the valve becoming central.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. A direct acting Pumping Engine combined and arranged substantially as
herein described and shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
2. In direct acting Pumping Engines, the arrangement of valve gear by which
the traverse of the supplemental valve can be regulated without disturbing the
Engine covers, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in Figures 1 and 2
of the drawings.
3. In a direct acting Pumping Engine the combination of the Cushioning and
reversing passages 11, 11, with the valves 12 12, substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
4th In a direct acting Pumping Engine the supplemental valve 16 in combination
with the actuating valve gear substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this twenty third day of September 1885.
For the Applicants,
W. E. GEDGE,
Agent.