Improvements in Valve and Reversing Gear for Rotary Steam Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valve and Reversing Gear for Rotary Steam
Engines.
1 WILLIAM SPOONER, 34 St. Luke's Street, Hull, Fitter, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improved valve and reversing gear consists of the following parts: To a
foundation or bed plate a broad bearing bracket is bolted provided with a stuffing
box on each side. One stuffing box receives the end of a steam inlet pipe provided
with a stop valve, the end of the pipe forms a mitre joint with one end of a steam
supply pipe, surrounded by a larger pipe through which the exhaust steam escapes.
The steam and exhaust pipes revolve in a second stuffing box. Between the stuffing
boxes the bearing bracket is hollow to allow of the escape of the exhaust steam.
The other end of the steam supply pipe is secured at a right angle to the side
of a cylinder provided with a way at each end through which steam is alternately
admitted and exhausted.
Each end of the cylinder is closed by a lid provided with a stuffing box at its
centre, through which a rod passes carrying a piston at the centre of its length.
The other end of the exhaust pipe forms a piston carrying a solid flange, and
a flange in two parts secured to it by screws, between the flanges the piston
carries two rings, one for the live steam and the other for the exhaust, the rings
are kept apart by a third ring on the steam supply pipe. The whole of the
rings are kept in position by feathers or stops.
Each ring has a piece cut out of it to form passages for the steam, each side
being provided with a brass tongue piece.
The piston and rings are enclosed in a double-flanged case bolted clear of the
steam ways to the side of the cylinder before named and revolve with it.
Outside the flanged case is a ring bolted to one flange and turned true to
revolve in a bearing carried by a bracket bolted to the foundation or bed
plate.
Clear of the cylinder is a fly wheel with a bracket cast on its rim to carry a
bearing for a gudgeon to run in, the gudgeon is bored out taper and fastened on
one end of the piston rod, the fly wheel is secured on the end of a shaft
revolving in bearings in the usual way.
The reversing is effected by the following means; clear of the bearing at the
piston end of the exhaust pipe a ring in two parts is secured on the exhaust pipe
having teeth on its circumference engaging with the links of a chain connected at
its ends to a double quadrant rocking on an axle carried by a bracket secured to
the foundation or bed plate, either or each quadrant is provided with a hand lever,
either quadrant is slotted and clamped to the bracket by a hand screw when
adjusted.
Dated this Sixth day of April 1894.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.

page_text: Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of my improvements applied to a rotary
steam engine without the reversing quadrants and chains.
Figure 2 shows a plan of the same with portion of a ring 18 and bearing 19
removed.
Figure 3 a side view of the reversing quadrants and
Figures 4 to 8 show end and side views of parts severally referred to hereafter.
The corresponding parts in each figure are indicated by the same numbers where
necessary.
The improved valve and reversing gear consists of the following parts. To a
foundation or bed plate 1 a broad bearing bracket 2 is bolted provided with a
stuffing box on each side.
One stuffing box 3 receives one end of a steam inlet pipe 4 provided with a stop
valve where required. The end of the pipe forms a mitre joint with one end of a
steam supply pipe 5 surrounded by a larger pipe 6 through which the exhaust steam
escapes. The steam and exhaust pipes partly revolve in a second stuffing box 7
when reversed. Between the stuffing boxes the bearing bracket is hollow at 8 to
allow of the escape of the exhaust steam.
The other end of the steam supply pipe is secured at a right angle to the side of
a rotary engine cylinder 9 provided with a way at each end through which steam is
alternately admitted and exhausted.
Each end of the cylinder is closed by a lid provided with a stuffing box at its
centre, through which a rod 10 passes carrying a piston 11 at the centre of its
length.
The right end of the exhaust pipe forms a piston 12 carrying a flange 124 and a
flange 13 secured to it, the flange 13 is shown in side view at Figure 4.
Between the flanges the piston carries two rings, 14 and 15, the ring 14 shown in
end view at Figure 5 and in side view at Figure 6 is for the live steam to pass
through, and the ring 15 shown in end view at Figure 7 and in side view at Figure 8
is for the exhaust steam to pass through, the rings are kept apart by a third
ring 16 on the steam supply pipe 5 and the piston 12. Both rings are kept in
relative position by stops, a stop stud 13 on the flange 13 engages with a recess 14ª
cut in the ring 14, and a stop stud on the ring 16 engages with a recess 15^ cut in
the ring 15.
Each ring has a piece cut out of its side to form a passage for the steam and
is cut through on the opposite side at an angle, the cuts being covered interiorily
by brass tongue pieces 14B and 15³.
The piston and rings are enclosed in a flanged case 17 bolted clear of the steam
ways to the side of the cylinder 9 before named, and having passages formed
internally communicating between the passages in the cylinder and parts cut out
on the internal circumference of the case in line with those in the rings, so the
outer parts revolving with the case and cylinder make communication between
the sides of the cylinder and pipes as required.
Outside of the flanged case is a ring 18 bolted to one flange of the case 17 and

page_text: turned true to revolve in a bearing 19 carried by a bracket 20 bolted to the
foundation or bed plate 1.
Clear of the cylinder is a fly wheel with a bracket 21 cast on its rim to carry a
bearing for a gudgeon to run in, the gudgeon is bored out taper and fastened on one
end of the piston rod, the fly wheel is secured on the end of a shaft revolving in
bearings in the usual way.
"
The reversing is effected by the following means, clear of the bearing at the piston
end of the exhaust pipe a ring 22 is secured on the exhaust pipe having teeth on its
circumference engaging with the links of a chain 23 "shown only at Figure 3
connected at its ends to a double quadrant 24 rocking on an axle carried by a
bracket 25 secured to the foundation or bed plate, the upper quadrant is provided
with a hand lever for adjustment and the lower quadrant is slotted and clamped to
the bracket by a hand screw 26 when adjusted.
I do not claim for the portions of rotary steam engine shown and described as
the improved valve and reversing gear is applicable to a variety of rotary
engines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The construction and employment of valve and reversing gear shown at Figures 1
to 8 and numbered 1 to 26 except the parts numbered 9, 10, 11, and 21 substan-
tially as described for the purpose specified and illustrated in the drawings
annexed.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of December 1894.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.