AN IMPROVED VALVE GEAR FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND STEAM PUMPS, WHICH VALVE GEAR IS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR WORKING STEAM STEERING GEAR
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, of Liverpool, in.
the County of Lancaster; formerly of Unna, in Westphalia, in the
Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of AN
IMPROVED VALVE GEAR FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND
STEAM PUMPS, WHICH VALVE GEAR IS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR WORKING
STEAM STEERING GEAR."
Sealed the 21st December 1874, and dated the 6th July 1874.*.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustav Albrecht
Carl Bremme at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 6th July 1874.
I, GUSTAV ALBRECHT CARL BREMME, of Liverpool; in the County of
Lancaster, formerly of Unna, in Westphalia, in the Empire of Germany,
Civil Enginer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for.
"AN IMPROVED VALVE GEAR FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND
STEAM PUMPS, WHICH VALVE GEAR IS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR WORKING STEAM
STEERING GEAR," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new gear or motion for working the slide
and other descriptions of valves of steam and other motive power engines.

page_text: and steam pumps, and is also particularly adapted for working steam
steering gear, and consists in actuating the valve spindle or rod by means
of a lever, which is attached at one end to the valve spindle by means of
a link or its equivalent, and at the other end to the piston rod of the
engine by means of a link, stud, or their equivalent. The lever is 5
pivoted at a point near its attachment to the valve spindle to a sliding
rod, lever, or their equivalent, which has a fixed travel and is actuated
by an eccentric, cam, or their equivalent, or by an auxilliary steam
cylinder, or by hand. The arrangement is that the travel of the afore-
said sliding rod, lever, or their equivalent, opens the steam port whereby 1
the piston is set in motion, and that the travel of the piston tends to
close the steam port, and actually closes the steam port when the afore-
said slide rod, lever, or their equivalent, ceases to move.
The action of the gear consists in changing the fulcrum of the lever,
namely, that when the piston rod is actuating the valve the fulcrum of
the lever is between the valve spindle and the piston rod, and when the
valve is actuated by the aforesaid eccentric, cam, or their equivalent, the
point of attachment to the piston rod becomes the fulcrum of the
lever.
A modification of this Invention consists in pivoting the lever on the
surface and near the edge of a loose disc, or its equivalent, carried by a
suitable strap and bracket, and in proximity to the valve spindle. The
lever works and has its stroke across the face of the disc, its stroke being.
adjusted by two stops on the face of the disc and at the side opposite the
pivot or natural fulcrum of the lever. The other end of the lever
projects beyond the disc, and is worked by a link or stud attached to the
piston rod of the engine or otherwise. The link connecting the lever
with the valve spindle or rod is between the pivot or natural fulcrum of
the lever and the centre of the disc. At the commencement of the stroke
the lever is of the second order; its action is to move the valve spindle
in the same direction with the piston rod, and opens thereby the steam
port, and it continues to do this until it comes in contact with a stop on
the face of the disc, when its nature is changed and it becomes a lever
of the first order, and which causes the valve to move in the opposite
direction and to close the steam port. The same double action takes
place on the reverse stroke of the piston.
The arrangement of valve gear mentioned in the first part of this
Specification is particularly adapted to steam steering gear, as the:

page_text: eccentrics, cams, or their equivalent, by means of the aforesaid slide rod,
lever, or their equivalent, actuate the valves of the steam cylinders, and
may be worked by the shaft on which is mounted the steering wheel,
and so immediate controul of the steering gear is, obtained, and the,
motion of the shaft on which the steering wheel is mounted is closely
imitated by the crank shaft, revolution for revolution.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lotters Patent,
filed by the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme in the Great Seal:
Patent Office on the 5th January 1875.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAV
ALBRECHT CARL BREMME, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,.
formerly of Unna, in Westphalia, in the Empire of Germany, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her;
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme,
Her special licence that I, the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from.
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEED VALVE GEAR
FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND STEAM PUMPS, WHICH VALVE,
GEAR IS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR WORKING STEAM STEERING GEAR," upon the.
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme,.
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing, under my,.
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme..
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Gustav Albrecht. Carl Bremme,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what
mánner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This Invention relates to a new gear or motion for working the slide i
and other descriptions of valves of steam and other motive-power engines
and steam pumps, and is also particularly adapted for working steam
steering gear, and consists in actuating the valve spindle or rod by
means of a lever which is attached at one end to the valve spindle by
means of a link or its equivalent; and at the other end to the piston rod
of the engine by means of a link, stud, or their equivalent. The lever is
pivoted at a point near its attachment to the valve spindle to a sliding
rod, levér, or their equivalent, which has a fixed travel, and is actuated
by an eccentric, cam; or their equivalent, or by an auxilliary steam
cylinder, or by hand. The arrangement is that the travel of the afore-
said sliding rod, lever, or their equivalent, opens the steam pòrt, whereby-
the piston is set in motion, and the travel of the piston tends to close the
steam port, and actually closes the steam port when the aforesaid slide.
rod, lever, or their equivalent, ceases to movė.
The action of the gear consists in changing the fulcrum of the lever,
namely, that when the piston rod is actuating the valve the fulcrum of
the lever is between the valve spindle and the piston rod, and when the
valve is actuated by the aforesaid eccentric, cam, or their equivalent, the
point of attachment to the piston rod becomes the fulcrum of the lever.
A modification of this Invention consists in pivoting the lever on the
surface and near the edge of a loose disc, or its equivalent, carried by a
suitable strap and bracket, and in proximity to the valve spindle. The
lever works and has its stroke across the face of the disc, its stroke being
adjusted by two stops on the face of the disc and at the side opposite the
pivot or natural fulcrum of the lever. The other end of the lever
projects beyond the disc, and is worked by a link or stud attached to the
piston rod of the engine or otherwise. The link connecting the lever.
with the valve spindle or rod is between the pivot or natural fulcrum of
the lever and the centre of the disc. At the commencement of the
stroke the lever is of the second order; its action is to move the valve.
spindle in the same direction with the piston rod, and opens thereby the
steam port, and it continues to do this until it comes in contact with a

page_text: stop on the face of the disc, when its nature is changed and it becomes a
lever of the first order, and which causes the valve to move in the
opposite direction, and to close the steam port. The same double action
takes place on the reverse stroke of the piston.
The arrangement of valve gear mentioned in the first part of this
Specification, is particularly adapted to steam steering gear, as the
eccentrics, cams, or their equivalent, by means of the aforesaid slide rod,
lever, or their equivalent, actuate the valves of the steam cylinders, and
may be worked by the shaft on which is mounted the steering wheel, and
so immediate control of the steering gear is obtained, and the motion of
the shaft on which the steering wheel is mounted is closely imitated by
the crank shaft, revolution for revolution.
The beforegoing being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried into practical effect, and for that purpose I have here-
unto attached two Sheets of Drawings marked with letters and figures
of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation.
Like letters and figures marked on the various views denote similar
parts:-
:
Figure 1, Sheet 1, illustrates the valve gear or motion according to
this Invention by diagram.
Figure 2, Sheet 1, is a sectional elevation of a portion of a steam
pump or direct acting steam engine, with valve gear according to this
Invention; Figure 3, Sheet 1, is a plan of same; Figure 4, Sheet 1, is a
cross section through A, B, Figure 2.
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 1, show a modification of my Invention applied
to a steam pumping engine.
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1, illustrate my Invention applied to a horizontal
winch, which may be used as a steering gear.
Figure 9, Sheet 1, illustrates a perspective view of a steering gear with
valve motion according to my Invention.
Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, Sheet 2, illustrate my Invention as
applied to a steam steering gear for double ended boats, or vessels that
have rudders at both ends.
Referring to Figure 1, Sheet 1; a represents the steam ports of a
cylinder; a the exhaust of same; b, slide valve; b', slide valve spindle.

page_text: I will presume that the valve spindle 6' works between fixed guides on
the dotted lines as indicated; 62 is the point of attachment for the lever b³;
the lever b' is attached at c to the rod c¹, worked by the eccentric or
crank c². The lever is attached at d to the piston rod of the engine or
the crank d by means of a connecting rod. Assuming the crank or
eccentric c² and the crank d¹ are parallel, and remain parallel during the
stroke, the valve 6 remains stationary on the centre; but when the crank
or eccentric c² is in advance of the crank d¹, the proper motion is given
to the valve; as will be understood by any person acquainted with the
working of slide valves upon studying the diagram.
Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 1, and to the diagram Figure
1, Sheet 1, the application of my Invention will be understood as applied
to a steam pumping or direct acting engine, only in this case the crank
or eccentric c² is dispensed with, and in lieu thereof I use the lever c².
L
Referring to Figure 3, Sheet 1, it will be seen that the lever is
actuated by the small steam eylinder.c³, the ends of which cylinder com-
municate with the top and bottom of the main cylinder by means of
suitable ports c¹.
The action of the arrangement shown at Figures 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 1,
is,—upon. moving the lever c² the valve is opened and the steam
admitted into one end of the main cylinder A, which steam also enters
the corresponding end of the cylinder c³ which actuates the lever c³ and
thus fully opens the valve b, as will be understood. The piston rod of
the cylinder A in its travel actuates the lever 63 and shuts the valve, and
by means of the tappets c³ slightly opens the valve 6 for the reverse
stroke. The steam also again enters the other end of the small cylinder c³
and the action is repeated, as will be understood.
Apparatus constructed on the principle, as shown at Figures 2, 3,
and 4, are applicable to be used as steam pumping engines or direct
acting engines for puddling iron and. steel, for starting gears for marine
engines, and various other like purposes.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 1, which illustrate a modification
of my Invention, it will be seen that the lever b³ is pivoted on the
surface and near the edge of a loose disc e carried by a strap and
bracket e¹. The lever 6³ works and has its stroke across the face of the
disc e, its stroke being adjusted by two stops e² on the face of the disc

page_text: '
and at the side opposite the pivot or natural fulcrum of the lever. The
other end of the lever projects beyond the disc, as at d, and is worked by
a link d² attached to the piston rod of the engine or otherwise, as will
be understood upon reference. The link f connecting the lever with the
5 valve spindle is between the pivot or natural fulcrum of the lever 6³ in
the centre of the disc e. At the commencement of the stroke the
lever is of the second order, and its action is to move the valve
spindle 6 in the same direction with the piston rod and open thereby
the steam port. This action is continued until the lever 6³ comes in
> contact with the stop e² on the face of the disc, when the nature of the
lever b³ is changed and it becomes a lever of the first order, which causes
the valve to move in the opposite direction and to close the steam port.
The same double action takes place on the reverse stroke of the piston.
Referring to Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1, which show my Invention
applied to a steam winch or steering gear, the eccentrics c² are mounted
on the hand shaft g, on which may be mounted the handle or steering
wheel. The eccentrics c³ are so placed on the hand shaft g that the
motion of the hand shaft is closely imitated by the winding barrel k,
which derives its motion from the crank shaft 1, as will be understood
upon reference.
Referring to Figure 9, Sheet 1, it will be seen that the apparatus
illustrated represents a steam steering gear worked as described in the
explanation given in Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 1, but differing in detail of
valve motion by the addition of the lever c.
Referring to Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, Sheet 2, which are shown
broken off for convenience sake, as will be. understood, Figure 10 is a
portion of a front view of an apparatus constructed according to my
Invention applied as a steam steering gear for double-ended boats or
vessels that have rudders at both ends; Figure 11 is a sectional side
view of the apparatus; Figure 12 is a back view of the apparatus ;
Figure 13 is a sectional plan through the line C, D, Figure 12; Figure 14
is an elevation of hand or wheel shaft.
Upon reference it will be seen that the apparatus consists of the
cylinders A, A, the connecting rods of which take on to the crank B
and work the crank shaft B. The crank shaft B actuates the winding
shaft D by means of the pinion E and the wheel F. The chain
wheels D1, D2, operate the chains leading to the rudders at the respective

page_text: ends of the vessel, as will be understood. The chain wheels D¹, D',.run
loose on the shaft D, but can be brought into gear by a suitable clutch G.
On the shaft D there is also mounted a chain wheel D³ for working a
messenger for lifting anchor or other purposes. On the crank shaft B
there is mounted a loose eccentric H with a stop. This eccentric is
fitted with two straps H¹, H³, connected to the valve motion of the
respective cylinders A. The eccentric has keyed on to it a toothed
wheel K, which takes into and is operated by a toothed wheel J on the
hand shaft I. Upon this hand shaft is mounted the operating handle or
steering wheel L. The eccentric H operates the sliding spindles M, to
which is attached a lever N by an adjusting nut. The lever N operates
the valve spindle O, as will be seen upon reference. The end of the
lever N passes through the cross head, as shown at P, and is actuated
thereby, as will be understood upon reference to the small letters which
correspond with the gear and diagram as described in the first part of
this Specification..
It will be seen upon reference that the apparatus as shown from
Figures 10 to 14, Sheet 2, is capable of being used as a hand-steering
gear by disconnecting the hand shaft I from the toothed wheel J which
operates the eccentric H, and bringing the wheel R on the hand shaft I
into gear with the wheel S on the crank shaft B and attached to the
pinion E.
The apparatus may be worked by using the lever T which works in the
quadrant T. The lever T has its fulcrum by preference on the crank
shaft B by being attached to the hangers U. On the crank shaft there
is keyed a toothed wheel V, which gears into the hanging pinions W
and X. The pinion X gears into the toothed wheel Y on the hand
shaft.I.
It will be seen upon reference that by operating the lever T rotary
motion is imparted to the toothed wheel Y, and the hand shaft I
and the eccentric H receives thereby the required (angular) advance
mentioned in the explanation of the diagram Figure 1, Sheet 1. It is
arranged that when the lever T is in the central position on the
quadrant T, the eccentrics are parallel with the cranks and the engine
stopped. Thus by operating the lever T the action of the apparatus can
be reversed, but immediately the lever T is released it is brought back
to the central position by the action of the engine, in consequence of

page_text: which the eccentric loses its (angular) advance, and the engine stops of
its own accord.
The lever T may be connected by a system of rods and levers to
handles worked in any position on the vessel; for instance, the lever may
be connected to handles on the port and starboard side of the vessel,
under control of the captain himself as will be understood.
ין - - - -
In the arrangement shown the lever T is particularly used when the
rudder chains are thrown out of gear altogether, and the apparatus is
required for working the messenger wheel D³ for any desired purpose.
Although the apparatus is shown in the Drawings as applied to a
double-ended boat or a vessel having rudders at both ends, it will be
understood that the same may be modified to suit a vessel steering at
one end only.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and shown how the same may be put
into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to any particular dimensions or relative proportions of the various
parts as the same may be considerably altered without deviating from
my Invention, nor do I confine myself to any particular style or class or
pattern of steam or other motive-power engine, and I would have it under-
stood that my Invention is applicable to motive-power engines, when the
motive power is obtained from an expansive agent or gas, or other than
steam, or by hydraulic power, and I would have it understood that I
disclaim all other valve gears now. in use, and I also disclaim the use of
my Invention to steam hammers which might be classed as steam
engines, but what I claim as my Invention and secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The improved valve gear for steam and other motive-power
engines and steam pumps, which valve gear is particularly applicable
for working steam steering gear, substantially as shown and described in
the before-going Specification, and illustrated by the diagram at
Figure 1, and substantially as shown applied in Figures 2 to 14 inclusive
of the accompanying Drawings, and described in the before-going
Specification.
Secondly. The particular application of the valve gear constructed
according to this Invention to steam steering gear in combination with

page_text: apparatus substantially as shown and described at Figures 10 to 14,.
Sheet 2, inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five..
GUSTAV ALBRECHT CARL (L.s.) BREMME.