Improvements in Steam Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left. 11th May, 1889-Accepted, 22nd June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Engines.
I, EYRE BLAND EDWARDS, of Fordham in the County of Cambridge, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention refers to means whereby a direct action is obtained between the
piston rod and the crank, the connecting rod being thereby dispensed with, the
reciprocating motion of the piston is thus converted directly into rotary motion;
similar means are, or may be, applied for operating the slide valve.
According to my invention I fit on the main driving shaft of the engine two
discs connected together by a pin set eccentrically to the main shaft. This pin
travels between vertical bars the ends of said bars being held by two plates the latter
bearing or working on the peripheries of the aforesaid discs; one of the said vertical
bars is fixed between the two plates, and to it the piston rod of the engine is fixed.
The other vertical bar is made wedge shape and held up and adjusted to its work
by a cotter passing through both of the plates. The cotter and wedge shaped piece
may be further secured by bolts or other suitable means. There should be lubricators
in the upper plate.
The slide valves are operated by substantially similar means, that is, the slide
valve rod is fixed or secured to a vertical bar equivalent to the fixed bar to which the
piston rod is fixed and the frame is similar, being composed of two bars and two
plates embracing two discs keyed on to the main shaft with the exception that the
shaft is not divided but passes directly through the two discs between which there is
provided a slotted disc or eccentric through one slot of which the shaft loosely passes
and this slot may be conveniently made of an elongated elliptical shape. Sliding on
a feather on the main shaft there is a disc carrying a tongue, such tongue extending
through both of the before mentioned fixed discs as well as through a second slot in
the slotted disc or eccentric. The tongue projects from the face of the sliding disc
in an oblique direction or the tongue may be curved in such manner as to have a
cam like action on the said slotted disc or eccentric so as to produce such a movement
of the eccentric as to change the motion of the slide valve sufficiently to reverse or
stop the engine or for regulating the speed thereof as may be required, and by this
means I am able to work the valve with one eccentric and at the same time I dispense
with the ordinary link motion.
Engines constructed according to my invention are particularly applicable to
traction engines and for agricultural work generally, as I am thereby enabled to
place the cylinder at or about the centre of the boiler instead of at one end as is
now generally the case on account of the connecting rod.
I 1000
Dated this 10th August 1888.
E. B. EDWARDS.
By Brewer & Son,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Engines.
I, EYRE BLAND EDWARDS, of Fordham, in the County of Cambridge, Engineer,
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 :-
My invention refers to means whereby a direct action is obtained between the
piston rod and the crank or main shaft (the connecting rod being thereby dispensed

page_text: with) the reciprocating motion of the piston is thus converted directly into rotary
motion; similar means are or may be applied for operating the slide valve.
According to my invention I fit on the main driving shaft of the engine two discs
connected together by a pin set eccentrically to the main shaft. This pin travels
between vertical bars the ends of said bars being held by two plates the latter bearing
or working on the peripheries of the aforesaid discs; one of the said vertical bars is
fixed between the two plates, and to it the piston rod of the engine is fixed. The
other vertical bar is made wedge shape and held up and adjusted to its work by a
cotter passing through both of the plates. The cotter and wedge shaped piece may
be further secured by bolts or other suitable means.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I will now further
describe same by reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shews in side elevation an engine constructed according to my invention
(or so much of same as is necessary for the purposes of this description), and
Figure 2 is an end elevation of same shewing the main shaft of the machine.
Figure 3 shews in elevation and drawn to an increased scale, a portion of the main
shaft detached, fitted with the fixed discs and their connecting pin, and Figure 4 is
a transverse section on the line y of Figure 3.
Figure 5 shews in side elevation, and Figure 6 in end elevation, details of the
frame composed of the vertical bars and plates.
Figure 7 is a side elevation, and Figure 8 a vertical longitudinal sectional view,
shewing the arrangement of device constructed according to my invention, for
actuating the slide valve. Figure 9 is a partial plan view of same, and Figure 10
shews the eccentric disc detached.
A A are the two discs keyed or otherwise secured to the main driving shaft B of
the engine, which is there divided and does not continue between the faces of the said
two discs. C is the pin set in and between the discs A A eccentrically with the
main shaft D D¹ are the vertical bars between which the pin C works, E E¹ are the
two plates between which the bars D D₁ are held and the said plates E E¹ are of such
a width that they have bearing or work on the peripheries of the aforesaid discs; one
of the vertical bars, that marked D for example, is fixed between the plates E E¹,
as best seen at Figures 5 and 6, and to this the piston rod F is fixed as shewn
at Figure 1 and the details of this attachment may be carried out in any approved
manner.
The bar D¹ Figures 5 and 6 is preferably sloped on its outer edge as shewn and is
held up to its work and adjusted by means of the cotter G; the bar D¹ is further
held in its place by bolt ends movable in guide slots formed in the plates E E¹ and
securable by nuts, and the taper cotter G is also shewn provided with a set
screw for holding the cotter in place. H are lubricators provided for lubricating
the plates where they bear on the discs and also for the path of the travel of the
pin C.
The slide valves are or may be according to my invention, operated by substantially,
similar means such for example as is shewn at Figures 7 to 10 inclusive, where the
slide valve rod is fixed or secured to a vertical bar Dequivalent to the fixed bar D to
which the piston rod is fixed, and the frame is similar, being composed of two
bars D D and two plates E E¹ embracing two discs A keyed on to the main shaft B
with the exception that the shaft B is not divided but passes directly through the two
discs A between which there is provided a slotted disc or eccentric C' through one
slot B' of which the shaft B loosely passes, and this slot B¹ may be conveniently made
of an elongated elliptical shape. Sliding on a feather B2 on the main shaft, see
Figure 9,.there is a disc L carrying a tongue, such tongue M shewn at Figure 9
extending by slots A' Figure 7 through both of the before mentioned fixed discs A
as well as through a second slot in the slotted disc or eccentric C¹ Figures 8
and 10. The tongue M projects from the face of the sliding disc L in an oblique
direction as shewn, or the tongue may be curved in such manner as to have a cam
like action on the said slotted disc or eccentric C₁ so as to produce such a movement
of the eccentric as to change the motion of the slide valve sufficiently to reverse or

page_text: stop the engine or for regulating the speed thereof as may be required which may
be accomplished by means of a suitable lever such as shewn at Figure 1 and marked N,
and by this means I am able to work the valve with one eccentric, and at the same
time I dispense with the ordinary link motion.
Engines constructed according to my invention are particularly applicable to
traction engines and for agricultural work generally, as I am thereby enabled to
place the cylinder at or about the centre of the boiler instead of at one end as is
now generally the case on account of, the connecting rod.
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 :-
-
1st. In steam engines, the combination with the piston rod F and main shaft B, of
the discs A A, pin and frame composed of bars DD' and E E' whereby a direct
action is obtained between the piston rod and the main shaft, as set forth.
2nd. In steam engines the combination with the slide valve rod and main shaft B,
of the discs A A, eccentric disc C₁ and frame D D' E E¹ as set forth.
3rd. In steam engines, the combination with the slide valve rod and main shaft B
of the discs A A, the frame D D' E E¹, eccentric disc C¹ having slots B¹ and C³, the
tongue M, disc L, whereby change of motion of the slide valve may be obtained for
reversing or stopping the engine or for regulating the speed thereof as set forth.
4th. In steam engines, the general construction, arrangement and combination of
parts composing my improved means for obtaining a direct action between the
piston rod and crank or main shaft or between the valve rod and the main
shaft all substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
TAL
M1000
Dated this 11th day of May
1000
E. B. EDWARDS.
By Brewer & Son,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.