Improvements in Multiple-expansion Steam Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Multiple-expansion Steam Engines.
We, PETER FERGUSON and WILLIAM YOUNG FLEMING both of Phoenix Engine
Works, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Engineers and Shipbuilders, 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 is a further development of the improvements in multiple expansion
steam engines described in the Specifications of Patents granted to us and numbered
2605 of 1887 and 13843 of 1889 and it consists mainly of modifications adapting such
engines for land purposes and novel arrangements of the cylinders, cranks and con-
nections in engines for both land and marine purposes.
In the accompanying drawings
gear.
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 an end elevation of an inverted quadruple expansion
or quadruple cylinder compound engine for land purposes fitted with Corliss valve
Cylinders 1 and 2 are connected to the crank A and cylinders 3 and 4 to crank B by
triangular shaped or like connecting rods in the manner described in the Specifi-
cation first referred to. The cranks A and B may be set at 180° or other angle with
each other. Power may be transmitted by a rope pulley C placed between the cranks
or at either end of the crank shaft as may be convenient or belting or spur gearing
may be employed. The Corliss valve gear which in this example replaces the piston
valve arrangement of the engines described in the Specifications above referred to, is
diagramatically represented as is also the connections to the crank shaft.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a plan and end elevation of an inverted quadruple
expansion engine with loose jointed triangular connecting rods made up of links A, B
and C. Cylinder 1 is connected to the half crank E by the link A. Cylinder 3 is
connected to the half crank F by the link B. The half cranks E and F are coupled
together by a hunting link K and may be set at 160° or any other angle with each
other. The links A and B are coupled at their top ends by the link C which is
attached at its centre to a guide lever D which may be used to drive pumps placed on
the rear of the condenser in the usual manner. Cylinders 2 and 4 are connected in
like manner to cranks G and H, crank G being at 180° with crank E and crank H
at 180° with crank F.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a plan and end elevation of an engine somewhat
similar to that shewn in Figures 3 and 4 lut having the cranks E and F and cranks G
and H separate and having intermediate bearings for the shaft instead of being
connected by the hunting links. The cylinders may be arranged zig-zag as shewn,
each cylinder being in line with its respective crank, or the cylinders 1 and 3 and
cylinders 2 and 4 may be directly in line as in Figure 3. The method of connecting
cylinders 1 and 3 to their respective cranks and guide lever is shown in Figures 5*
and 6, cylinders 2 and 4 being similarly connected.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a plan and end elevation of an inverted quadruple
expansion engine in which the various pistons are connected to triangular T shaped
or similar connecting rods by links A, A, working in hollow tubes or trunks B B
instead of by piston rod and short links as in other arrangements. The piston rods
and guides for piston rod ends are thus dispensed with no other guide being required
except guide levers C. The diameters of the trunks may be so proportioned that
quadruple expansion may be obtained with two cylinders by first admitting steam
below and then above the piston in cylinder 1-2 and in like manner in cylinder 3-4
see Figure 9. In this way eight divisions for expansion may be obtained in an
engine with four cylinders connected to two cranks.
Figure 10 is a side elevation and Figure 11 an end
quadruple expansion paddle engine in which cylinders
elevation of a diagonal
and 3 are connected to

page_text: crank A and cylinders 2 and 4 to crank B by triangular T shaped or like connecting
rods.
Figures 12 and 13 are like views of a diagonal quadruple expansion engine in
which the piston rod and short link and guides are replaced by a long link (and
hollow tube or trunk D in a similar manner to that shewn in the inverted engine
Figures 7, 8 and 9.
Figure 14 is a plan of a quintuple expansion engine or engine having five divisions
of expansion with cylinders 1 and 3 connected by a triangular T shaped or like
connecting rod to the crank A and cylinders 2 and 4 in like manner connected to the
crank B cylinder 5 being connected direct to crank C. Cranks A, B and C may be
set at 90°, 150° or 180° or any intermediate angle with each other.
Figure 15 represents a quadruple expansion three crank engine with six cylinders,
one high pressure, one 1st intermediate, two 2nd intermediate and two lo pressure
cylinders. The cylinders 1, 2 and 2, 3 and 4, 4 being connected to cranks A, B and C
respectively by triangular Ṭ shaped or similar connecting rods.
Figure 16 represents a six cylinder quintuple expansion three crank engine with
two low pressure cylinders and Figure 17 a six cylinder sextuple expansion three
crank engine all the cylinders in both engines being connected to their respective
cranks by triangular T shaped or like connecting rods.
Figure 18 is a sextuple expansion four crank engine with cylinders 1 and 3
connected to the crank A and cylinders 2 and 4 to the crank B by triangular
Tshaped or like connecting rods and cylinders 5 and 6 connected direct to cranks C
and D. Cranks A and B are set at 180°, cranks B and C at 90° and cranks (and D
at 180° with each other.
Figure 19 is a four crank eight cylinder sextuple expansion engine with one high
pressure, one 2nd intermediate, one 3rd intermediate, one 4th intermediate, two
5th intermediate and two low pressure cylinders all coupled as indicated in plan to
their respective cranks by triangular T shaped or like connecting rods.
Figure 20 is a four crank eight cylinder octuple expansion engine with the
cylinders on opposite sides of the crank shaft all connected to their respective cranks
by triangular shaped or similar connecting rods, angles of cranks being similar to
those in Figures 18 and 19.
In any of these arrangements a third cylinder may be connected to each crank by
connecting it by links and piston rod or by long link and trunk to the centre of the
top bar of triangular T shaped or like connecting rod on the crosshead used for the
guide lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our suid inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The several arrangements of multiple expansion steam engines herein before
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated thin Ninth due of Nonhon 1900
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER.
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.