Improvements in Fluid Pressure Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fluid Pressure Engines.
We, GEORGE DE CAMP, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
3881, Washington Boulevard, St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, Electrician,
and EDWARD BENJAMIN ROTH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at 2329, Rutger Street, St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, Manufacturer, 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:-
Our invention relates to that class of engines in which there are two cylinders
working at right-angles to each other to impart a uniform rotary motion to the
crank shaft.
One object of our invention is to so construct an engine of the type mentioned
that it can be reversed. Another object of our invention is to so construct the
engine that it will have no dead centers and hence can be started from any
position. Another object of our invention is to construct the engine so that it
will exhaust more perfectly and hence economize the use of steam.
Our invention consists in supplying the engine with stationary valve stems
having suitable inlet and outlet ports communicating with the cylinders. Our
invention also consists in providing the ports between the stationary valve stems
and the cylinders with suitable controlling valves automatically operated by the
movement of the engine. Our invention also consists in various other novel
features and details of construction, all of which are described in the following
specification and pointed out in the claims affixed thereto.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of engine made in,
accordance with our invention, Fig. 1 is a vertical central section on the line 1-1
of Fig. 5. Tig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figs. 1 and 5. Fig. 3
is a view of a detail. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is
a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 7. Fig. 6 is a front elevation
of the cylinders, and Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 1, but showing the casing
only.
Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views of the draw-
ings. 10 is a suitable casing which is preferably secured to, a base 11 and is
provided with a removable front plate 12, (Figs. 2 and 5). Projecting through
opposite sides of the casing 10 are stationary pistons 13 and 14 upon which slide
cylinders 15 and 16. At right-angles to the cylinders 15 and 16 and preferably
formed integral therewith is a cylinder 17, in which works a piston 18. Passing
through the piston 18 is a wrist-pin 10 which is secured to a disc 20 upon the
main shaft 21 of the engine. Closing the top of the cylinder 17 is a slide valve 23,
which works on a valve stem 24. Closing the lower end of the cylinder 17 is a
slide valve 25 working on a valve stem 26, similar to the valve steni 24. In the
valve stem 24 are formed passages 27 and 28 and in the stem 26 are formed
similar passages 29 and 30. The passages 27 and 28 are separated by a solid;

page_text: part 28 and the passages 29 and 30 by a similar part 30°. The passages 27
and 28 are provided with ports 31 and 32 which communicate with the upper
end of the cylinder 17 through a port 33 and the passages 29 and 30 are pro-
vided with ports 34 and 35 which communicate with the lower end of said
cylinder through a port 36. Formed on the cylinder 17 are valve cases 37 and 38
in which work valves 39 and 40. In the valve case 37 are ports 41 and 42.
The port 41 communicates, by way of the openings 32, with the passage 28 of
the valve stem 24. The passage A2 communicates, by way of longitudinal pass-
ages 43 (Figs. 2 and 5) and the openings 31, with the passage 27 in the opposite
end of the valve stem 24. In the valve 39 are ports 44 and 45, by means of
which the passages 41 and 42 are alternately connected with a passage 46 leading
to the cylinder 16. In the valve cases 38 are passages 47 and 48. The passage 47
communicates, through the ports 34, with the passage 29 of the valve stem 26.
The passage 48 communicates, by way of longitudinal passages 49 (Fig. 2) and
the ports 35, with the passage 30 in the opposite end of the valve stem 26. The
longitudinal passages 49 are similar to the passages 43 above referred to. In
the valve 40 are formed ports 40 and 40 which alternately connect the pass-
ages 47 and 48 with a passage 40° leading to the cylinder 15. Loosely mounted
on the wrist-pin 19 is a collar 50, (Figs. 2 and 6) provided with arms 53, one
of which is pivoted to the operating lever 51 of the valve 39, and the other end
of which is pivoted to the operating lever 52 of the valve 40, so that the motion
of the wrist-pin 19 will automatically operate the valves 39 and 40.
Formed in the casing 10 is a passage 54 which communicates at one end by
means of a port 55 and a chamber 56 with the passage 27 of the valve stem 24
and at the other end by means of a port 57 and a chamber 58 with the passage 30
of the valve stem 26. The chambers 56 and 58 are formed by means of cap
pieces 59 and 60 which are bolted to the casing 10. In the casing 10 is also
formed a passage 61 which communicates by way of a port 62 and a chamber 63
with the passage 28 of the valve stem 24. Also formed in the casing: 10 is a
passage 64 which communicates by way of a port 65 and chamber 66 with the
passage 29 of the valve stem 26. The chambers 63 and 66-are formed by means
of cap pieces 67 and 68, similar to the cap pieces 59 and 60, which are bolted to
the casing 10. The passage 54 communicates by means of a port 70 with a
valve 71 and the passages 61 and 64 also communicate with the said valve by
means of ports 72 and 73 respectively. Steam enters the steam chambers 74 of
the valve 71 through the inlet pipe 75 (Fig. 4) and is exhausted from the said
valve through a passage 76 and an exhaust pipe 77. 78 is a handle by means
of which the valve 71 is operated. The ports 72 and 73 are connected by means
of an annular passage 79 in the valve 71.
The operation of our engine is as follows. Supposing the parts to be in the
position shown in Fig. 1, if the handle 78 be moved to the rear to connect
the steam chamber 74 with the passage 70 and the passages 72 and 73 with the
exhaust chamber 76, steam will then be admitted through the passage 54 to the
passage 27 of the valve stem 24 and the passage 30 of the valve stem 26, while
the passages 28 and 29 at the opposite ends of said valve stems will be connected
through the passages 61 and 64 respectively with the ports 72 and 73 and thence
with the exhaust chamber 76. It will be seen from this that steam will bo
admitted through the ports 42, 45 and 46 to the cylinder 16. This will drive the
cylinder toward the left. As soon as the cylinder begins to move toward the
left, the port 33 will communicate with the port 31 in the valve stem 24. and
admit steam into the upper end of the cylinder 17. This will drive the piston 18
downward and assist in revolving the wrist-pin 19. As soon as a quarter of a
revolution has been made and the cylinders are in the extreme position on the
left, the valves 39 and 40 will be turned in such a position that the passages 46
and 40° will both be closed. A slight further movement will move the said
valves 39 and 40 in such a position as to allow steam to enter the cylinder 15
through the passages 48 and 49 and ports 40° and 40° at the same time steam

page_text: will be exhausted from the cylinder 16 through the ports 46 and the passages 41
and 44. As soon as a half revolution has been completed and the piston 18 is
in its lowest position, the position of the valves 39 and 40 will be reversed,
valve 39 being in the position of valve 40 in the drawings and vice versa, steam
will enter the lower end of the cylinder 17 through the port 36, at the same time
the steam in the upper end will be exhausted through the port 33 into the pass-
age 28 of the valve stem 24. When a revolution has been completed the valves 39
and 40 will be again reversed so as to supply steam to the cylinder 16 and to
exhaust it from the cylinder 15. If the handle 78 of the valve 71 is moved in
the opposite direction so as to supply steam to the passages 61 and 64 and
exhaust through passage 54, the direction in which the engine runs will be
reversed.
It will be seen from the above that our engine can be readily reversed without
any of the mechanism which is necessary in an ordinary engine. It is also
evident that our engine contains no dead centers, as at least one cylinder is
always in an operative position.
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. In an engine, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder and connected to the
wrist-pin of the engine, a second cylinder at right angles to said first cylinder, a
slide valve carried by said first-named cylinder and provided with ports communi-
cating with both said cylinders, and an automatically operated valve in the
passage between said slide valve and said second cylinder.
2. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at.
right angles with said first-named cylinders, two valve stems provided with ports,
and valves sliding on said valve stems and provided with ports communicating
with said cylinders.
3. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles to said single-acting cylinders, two valve stems provided with suitable
ports, two valves sliding on said valve stems and each provided with poris
communicating with said double-acting cylinder and one of said single-acting
cylinders.
4. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, suitable valve stems provided with ports, valves carried by said
double-acting cylinder and sliding on said valve stem, and ports in each of said
valves communicating with said double-acting cylinder and one of said single-
acting cylinders.
5. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, suitable sliding valves for admitting steam to said cylinders,
suitable valves in the passages leading from said slide valves to said single-
acting cylinders, and means for operating said latter-named valves by the move-
ment of the engine.
6. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, valve stems provided with ports, valves sliding on said valvo
stems and communicating with said cylinders, and means for supplying steam
to one end of each of said valve stems and exhausting it from the other.
7. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, valve stems provided with ports, valves sliding on said valve
stems and communicating with said cylinders, means for supplying steam to ono
end of each of said valve stems and exhausting it from the other, and means for
reversing the supply of steam to said valve stems.
8. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, valve stems provided with ports, valves sliding on said stems and
communicating with suid cylinders, means for supplying steam to one end of

page_text: cach of said valve stems and exhausting it from the other, valves in the passages
from suid first-named valves to said cylinder, and means for operating said valves.
9. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, valve stems provided with ports, valves sliding on said stems
and communicating with said cylinders, means for supplying steam to one end
of each of said valve stems and exhausting it from the other, valves in the pass-
ages from.said first-named valves to said single-acting cylinder, means for opera-
ting said valves, and means for reversing the supply of steam to said valve stems.
10. In an engine, two single-acting cylinders, a double-acting cylinder at right
angles thereto, two slide valves each communicating with said double-acting
cylinders and one of said single-acting cylinders, valves in the passages between
said slide valves and said single-acting cylinders, and operating connections
between said second valves and the wrist-pin of the engine,
Dated this 4th day of July 1899.
For the Applicants,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent...