Improvements in Locomotive Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1898--Accepted, 8th Oct., 1898
Improvements in Locomotive Engines.
I, JOHN AUDLEY FREDERICK ASPINALL, of Horwich, in the County of Lan-
caster, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, to be as follows:-
The valves of the ordinary locomotive worked by what is known as 'Joys
valve motion," or by the ordinary "link" or equivalent motion, do not give so
free an exhaust as desired when working expansively and at great speed, as the
exhaust steam does not get away freely and this retards and reduces the power
of the engine.
The object of my invention is to give such an outlet for exhaust steam from
the cylinders as will be constant in itself and supplementary to the variable
exhaust outlet allowed by the ordinary valves.
In carrying out my invention, the ordinary slide or piston or cylindrical slide
valves are used, which both admit steam to and exhaust it from the cylinders
actuated by what is known as "Joys valve motion" by preference, or by ordinary
valve link motion.
l'assages for exhaust steam are arranged in connection with and on the
underside of each cylinder by preference, which passages each lead to ports
controlled by piston or cylindrical valves by preference, though other slide valves
may be used.
These exhaust valves for each cylinder are each actuated by a separate ex-
centric, which excentric can partly rotate on the crank shaft until it comes against
a stop, and when against such stop it is in its right position for actuating the
valves for forward or backward motion as the case may be.
This stop may be formed by a segmental slot in the excentric and a key fixed
on the crank shaft.
Or there may be projections from the excentric which will come against one
of the crank arms in one position for forward motion, and against the other
side of the crank arms for the other position for backward motion.
The excentrics act upon the above named supplementary exhaust valves
through rods and levers.
With the above described combination of valves, the steam on reversing
the engine would pass through the cylinders when first admitted. directly to
the chimney through the exhaust pipes, until the driving wheels had made
about half a revolution as on reversing the direction of the engine, the excentrics
would remain stationary and inactive during the time the crank axle was thus
rotating, during which time the steam would pass through the cylinders as above
explained.
In order to prevent this passage of the steam, a stop valve is introduced in
the passage (common to both cylinders) from the ports of the supplementary
exhaust valves to the exhaust pipe, this stop valve may be a sliding gridiron or
cylindrical many ported valve.

page_text: This valve is shut when the reversing lever is in either of its extreme positions.
The stop valve is actuated by a rod jointed with an arm on the reversing shaft
so that while the reversing lever is in either of its extreme positions the stop
valve is shut but immediately the reversing lever begins to move from either
extreme position 'towards the mid position, the stop valve is open more or less
and remains open in every position of the 'reversing lever between its two ex-
treme positions.
This valve only is of use when the reversing lever is in either of the two
extreme positions, and until the excentrics have taken up their proper position
for the direction in which the engine has commenced to travel.
Dated this Seventeenth day of December 1897
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.
Improvements in Locomotive Engines.
I, JOIN AUDLEY FREDERICK ASPINALL, of Horwich, in the County of Lan-
caster, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway,
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:-
-
The valves of the ordinary locomotive worked by what is known as "Joys
valve motion," or by the ordinary "link or equivalent motion, do not give so
free an exhaust as desired when working expansively and at great speed, as the
exhaust steam does not get away freely and this retards and reduces the power
of the engine.
The object of my invention is to give such an outlet for exhaust steam from
the cylinders as will be constant in itself and supplementary to the variable
exhaust outlet allowed by the ordinary valves.
In carrying out my invention, the ordinary slide or piston or cylindrical slide
valves are used, which both admit steam to and exhaust it from the cylinders
actuated by what is 'known as Joys valve motion" by preference, or by ordinary
valve link motion.
Passages for exhaust steam are arranged in connection with and on the
underside of each cylinder by preference, which passages each lead to ports
controlled by piston or cylindrical valves by preference, though other slide valves
may be used.
These exhaust valves for each cylinder are each actuated by a separate ex-
centric, which excentric can partly rotate on the crank shaft until it comes against
a stop, and when against such stop it is in its right position for actuating the
valves for forward or backward motion as the case may be.
This stop may be formed by a segmental slot in the excentric and a key fixed
on the crank shaft.
Or there may be projections from the excentric which will come against one
of the crank arms in one position for forward motion, and against the other
side of the crank arms for the other position for backward motion.
The excentrics act upon the above named supplementary exhaust valves
through rods and levers.
With the above described combination of valves, the steam on reversing
the engine would pass through the cylinders when first admitted, directly to
the chimney through the exhaust pipes, until the driving wheels had made
about half a revolution as on reversing 'the direction of the engine, the excentrics

page_text: would remain stationary and inactive during the time the crank axle was thus
rotating, during which time the steam woull pass through the cylinders as above
explained.
In order to prevent this passage of the steam, a stop valve is introduced in
the passage (common to both cylinders) from the ports of the supplementary
exhaust valves to the exhaust pipe, this stop valve may be a sliding gridiron or
cylindrical many ported valve.
This valve is shut when the reversing lever is in either of its extreme positions.
The stop valve is actuated by a rod jointed with an arm on the reversing shaft
so that while the reversing lever is in either of its extreme positions the stop
valve is shut but immediately the reversing lever begins to move from either
extreme position towards the mid position, the stop valve is open more or less
and remains open in every position of the reversing lever between its two
extreme positions.
This valve only is of use when the reversing lever is in either of the two
extreme positions, and until the excentrics have taken up their proper position
for the direction in which the engine has commenced to travel.
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional elevation of the two cylinders of a locomotive show-
ing the ordinary slide valves in position, circular chambers for the supplementary
cylindrical exhaust valves (which are preferred) and the valve (in this case a
gridiron V slide valve) for closing the outlet from the supplementary exhaust
valve to the chimney, the section being on the line A-B Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation in section, the section being in a vertical
plane on say the line C-D-E-F Fig. 1, or partly through the longitudinal
axis of one cylinder and entirely through its supplementary exhaust valve cham-
ber showing the valves therein in section.
Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section through the gridiron valve chamber with the
casing of the valve seating shown in elevation. Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the
gridiron valve detached, and Fig. 5, is a cross section thereof through one of
its ports. The two cylinders a, are formed in one casting as usual. a, are
the ordinary exhaust cavities for the ordinary slide valve b, a², the ordinary
steam ports and passages.
a, are cylindrical chambers for the supplementary exhaust valves (piston
valves by preference) each of which chambers a³, communicates with its
cylinder a, at each end by passages a, indicated in Fig. 1, by dotted lines a'.
The chambers a³, are bored out for their piston valves at each end. These valves
are formed at one end by a cylinder e, which fits the bore, and at one end has
a pin, to which the end of the connecting rod e, for giving the sliding to and
fro movement from the excentric, is jointed. The cylinder c, is reduced in
diameter where the cylindrical packing ring, comes, which is made in the
usual manner, thicker on one side than at the opposite diametrical side, and it is
slit to expand by its elasticity into the bore so as to fit steam tight therein.
This elastic packing ring e, comes against a shoulder on the cylinder c, at
one end, and against a loose disc, at the other end.
The inner discs e, for both valves are kept at the required distance apart by a
tube, extending between them, and the two valves are held against the ends
of the tube, and so as to move together by a bolte, pushed in from one end,
the head, of this bolt coming into a recess in the cylinder c, while the other
end of the bolt passes through holes in the axis of the disc e separating piece
inder the packing ring., and cylinder c, and is secured by lock nuts c
At each end of the cylinder a, there are cylinders e, secured thereto by bolts
or screws and flanges or ears, which cylinders, are extensions of the bore for
he valves to work in. These cylinders e, at the upper sides have holes into
which nozzles eb, are screwed for coupling up pipes for conveying lubricant to
he valves.
The cylinder cª, at one end has a cap cº, to close its end against dirt and dust,

page_text: which may be secured upon the end of the cylinder cª, by a clip. This cap
has vent holes drilled in it not shown in drawing.
At the lower side of the valve chamber a³, under each valve there is a hole a³,
communicating with a passage leading to the passage at, and to an outlet aº,
in which a pipe may be screwed to convey away condensed steam from the supple-
imentary exhaust valve chamber c, and the cylinders a. There is also a small
passage e, formed between the two chambers, having an outlet or outlets at e¹,
for condensed steam which is or are constantly open.
The supplementary exhaust valves are worked as before stated each by a
separate excentric which is so arranged as not to rotate during half a revolution
of the crank axle when the engine is reversed, this being effected by hook stops
by preference from the excentric, one of which comes against one side of the
crank arm at the first half revolution of the crank after it has been reversed,
and then the excentric is rotated with the crank shaft until again reversed when
it stands again until the other hook stop coming against the crank arm on its
other side becomes the driver for that direction of rotation.
The ports a, from the chambers a³, of the supplementary exhaust valves each
communicate with a separate passage a8, (see Fig. 1) which leads to a V grid-
iron valve d, in a passage a³, common to the supplementary exhaust valves for
both cylinders, and this passage by a cross passage a, communicates with the
exhaust cavities a¹, of the ordinary slide valves of both cylinders. The cham-
ber ab, for the gridiron valve d, is bored out to receive a casing d¹, cylindrical
✓ on its exterior flanges (see Figs. 1 and 3) and this casing d, is formed with
ports 2, (four are shown) and seatings for a V gridiron valve d, which has
also ports in it to correspond to those in the seating casing . The ends of the
casing, are flanged and circular, and between the two ends there are circular
ribs or segments, on the exterior of the casing to fit the bored out chamber ab,
so that when the casing is inserted in its chamber from one end it can be secured
firmly therein by a cap 4, secured at one end by ears or flanges and bolts or set
screws to the end of the cylinder.
When the gridiron V valve d, is placed in position it is held from lifting
from its facings by the rush of the exhaust steam by bars (³, extending across
the seating which are secured to its edges by set screws.
The gridiron valve d, can be placed in position and secured from lifting
before the casing , is placed in its chamber ab, from one end.
The valve, has a downward hook like projection d, from one end, which will
engage with an upright hook projection on the end of the rod which is to
actuate it, which rod passes through. a hole or gland, for it in the cap d*,
which is secured to the end of the cylinder.
The gridiron valve d, is closed at each end, and its ports are not so wide
as those in the seating and the bar or space between the ports in the valve will
cover the ports in the seating with a little "lap" on each side.
The rod for actuating the valve d, is jointed to an arm secured on the reversing
lever shaft, or a shaft connected therewith, which arm is of such length that
when the reversing shaft is oscillated either way to the full extent the V valve d,
will receive such extent of movement as to cause the bars between its ports
to cover the ports in the seating , so that when the reversing lever is moved
from either extreme, the ports will begin to open after the valve has moved to
an extent equal to the "lap on the valve, and the exhaust outlet from the
supplementary exhaust valves will thus remain closed as long as the reversing
lever is in its extreme position, but after the first half revolution of the crank
shaft after reversing, the reversing lever may be moved towards the middle
position when the V grid valve d, will open and allow the exhaust steam passing
the supplementary exhaust valves to go to the blast pipe of the engine.
, is a screw plug for closing the hole used for supporting the core when
casting and when boring out the chamber ab,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In fluid motor engines the combination of supplementary exhaust valves
with ordinary slide valves having exhaust ports substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination of supplementary exhaust valves exhausting through
passages communicating with the exhaust cavity of the exhaust port of ordinary
slide valves substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination of supplementary exhaust valves exhausting through a
passage into the cavity of the exhaust port of an ordinary slide valve, and a valve
which is closed when the engine is reversed substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of locomotive engines with supple-
mentary exhaust valves each worked by a single excentric, ordinary slide valves
worked by an ordinary link or equivalent motion, and a valve which can be
opened and closed by the reversing lever substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 9th day of August 1898.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.