IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING AIR OR OTHER GASEOUS FLUIDS, AND ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING THE SAME.
Year: 1878

page_text: <
LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sturgeon, of Newlay Grove, Horsforth, near Leeds,
in the County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING AIR OR OTHER GASEOUS FLUIDS, AND ALSO
FOR EXHAUSTING THE SAME.'
"3
Sealed the 15th October 1878, and dated the 18th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sturgeon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1878.
THOMAS STURGEON, of Newlay Grove, Horsforth, near Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING AIR OR
OTHER GASEOUS FLUIDS, AND ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING THE SAME."
My Invention consists mainly in an improved means of actuating the inlet valves
of air or gas compressing or exhausting engines, so as to ensure certainty of action.
in the opening and closing of the said valves, no matter at what speed the engines
may be running, together with an improved arrangement of the parts of the cylinders
and pistons used in connection with the improved arrangement of valves. For this
purpose I place the seat of the inlet valve or valves in the piston of the air com-.
pressing or exhausting cylinder, and apply the inlet valves thereto, so as to move to
and fro therewith in such a manner that the valve may remain stationary while the
piston is moved away from it to the extent of opening allowed, thereby opening the
valve at the commencement of the backward or admission stroke, and in like manner
closing it at the commencement of the forward or discharging stroke; or I so arrange
the piston and inlet valve that the piston remains stationary while the valve is
moved away from or up to its seating therein. In the former case the piston rod or
connecting rod is directly attached to the piston, the valve being loose and free to
move independently to and from its seat therein, but is sufficiently retarded in such
independent movement by its own inertia and the momentum imparted to it, or by
friction, if requisite, to allow the movement of the piston, which effects the opening

page_text: or closing of the valve to take place first, the valve then in its open or closed posi-
tion accompanying the piston through the remainder of the stroke.
In the latter case the piston containing the valve seat is loose and free to move
to and from the valve, the valve being attached directly to the piston rod or con-
necting rod, which imparts its motion directly thereto, while the piston remains
stationary at the commencement of cach stroke until the valve is brought up to its
seat or to the stop which limits its travel, after which the piston is pushed by the
valve to the end of its stroke. Thus it will be seen that the essential feature of my
Invention consists in either moving the valve up to its seat in the piston, or the
piston containing the valve seat up to the valve by positive movement directly
imparted from the gear of the driving engine or power which propels the piston or
pistons of the compressing or exhausting cylinders.
In further carrying out my Invention I employ two single-acting compressing or
exhausting cylinders fixed with their axes in one straight line, so that their two
pistons may be fixed on the one piston rod, and I use this arrangement of cylinders
and pistons in conjunction with my improved arrangements of valves.
When two cylinders are used, as above described, the arrangements may be varied
as follows: The pistons may be connected together on one piston rod, and the two
valves may also be connected together, but there must be just sufficient difference
between the distance of the seats apart and the distance of the valves apart as to
allow for the necessary lift of the valves. In this case the seat of the one valve
acts as a stop to regulate the lift of the other valve.
In this arrangement the driving motion might be applied either to the valves and
thence to the pistons, or to the pistons and thence to the valves; or two independent
valves may be used, furnished with the necessary guides and stops for determining
the lift of the valves, and causing them to follow the motion of the pistons. In this
case the driving motion should be applied to the pistons. Or two independent
pistons might be used, the valves being connected together, in which case the driving
motion should be applied to the valves. Or the piston of the one cylinder may be
connected to the valve of the other, and vice versa, in which case the driving motion
may be applied to either one or other valve or piston, as may be found most conve-
nient. Or in place of two pistons a double-ended ram may be used in conjunction
with my improved valve arrangements, the cylinders in this case being open at one
end, and fixed with their open ends towards each other.
The ram should be made hollow and have an opening or openings in the side,
through which the air is admitted, and the driving motion may be applied to the
ram and thence to the valves, or to the valves and thence to the ram, the valves
and seats being arranged accordingly on the inner or outer surface of the ends of
the ram.
My improved arrangement of valves may also be applied to a hollow double-
acting piston working in a cylinder closed at both ends, the air or gas being admitted
to the interior of the piston, where the inlet valves are situated through a hollow
piston rod, or through tubes passing through the end covers, or through an opening
in the side of the cylinder, the hollow piston being in this case made wide enough
to allow of its full travel without over-running the opening in the side; this arrange-
ment is specially suitable for exhausting.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Sturgeon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
January 1879.
THOMAS STURGEON, of Newlay Grove, Horsforth, near Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING AIR OR
OTHER GASEOUS FLUIDS, AND ALSO FOR EXHAUSTING THE SAME.'
My said Invention consists mainly in an improved means of actuating the inlet
valves of air or gas compressing or exhausting engines, so as to ensure certainty of
action in the opening and closing of the said valves, no matter at what speed the
engine may be running, together with an improved arrangement of the parts of
the cylinders and pistons used in connection with the improved arrangement of
inlet valves. For this purpose I place the seat of the inlet valve or valves in the.
piston of the air compressing or exhausting cylinder and apply the inlet valves
thereto, so as to move to and fro therewith, in such a manner that the valve may
remain stationary while the piston is moved away from it to the extent of opening.
allowed, thereby opening the valve at the commencement of the backward or
admission stroke, and in like manner closing it at the commencement of the forward
or discharging stroke. In this case the piston rod or connecting rod is directly
attached to the piston, the valve being loose and free to move independently to and
from its seat therein; but is sufficiently retarded in such independent movement
by its own inertia, the pressure of air against its surface, and the momentum
previously imparted to it to allow the movement of the piston which effects the
opening or closing of the valve to take place first, the valve then in its open or.
closed position accompanying the piston through the remainder of the stroke."
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section of an air com-
pressor on this principle. A is the cylinder, in which works the piston B, to which,
the connecting rod C is attached; the motion being imparted by the revolving
shaft D carrying the disc E and crank pin F; G is the inlet valve, which is
supported in its place and guided by the pins H, H, which pass through the holes
IIII, seen in the enlarged end view of the piston, Figure 2. The valve G is also
supported by the central pin R. These holes pass throught he ribs which connect the.
outer ring J of the piston to the central boss K. The valve seats are formed by.
the two concentric rings of brass or gun metal, shewn by the dotted lines L, L.,
The edges of these rings are turned up to one surface after being fixed in their
places, and the surface of the piston and ribs is below the surface of the edges of
the rings; thus the seating of a large annular valve is formed. The air is admitted
through the spaces M, M, M, between the ribs.
The valve G, Figure I., is faced with one sheet of india-rubber or other suitable
material;
N is the delivery valve, guided and supported by the socket O. The
spring P serves to keep the delivery valve up to its scat before the pressure of air
rises sufficiently for that purpose. The nuts Q, Q, act as stops to regulate the
amount of opening allowed to the valve.
Again, I so arrange the piston and inlet valve that the piston remains stationary
while the valve is moved away from or up to its seating therein. In this case the
piston containing the valve seat is loose and free to move to and from the valve, the
valve being attached directly to the piston rod or connecting rod, which imparts its
motion directly thereto, while the piston remains stationary at the commencement
of eacli stroke until the valve is brought up to its seat or to a stop, which limits its
travel, after which the piston is pushed by the valve to the end of its stroke.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a machine constructed according to this
description A being the piston; B, the valve; C, the stop or nut which regulates
the amount of opening allowed to the valve. The delivery valve D is of the same
construction as already described. It will thus be seen that the essential feature"
in my Invention consists in either moving the valve up to its seat in the piston or
:

page_text: the piston containing the valve seat up to the valve, by positive movement directly
imparted from the gear of the driving engine or power which propels the piston or
pistons of the compressing or exhausting cylinders.
In further carrying out my Invention I employ two single-acting compressing
or exhausting cylinders fixed with their axis in one straight line, so that their two
pistons may be fixed on the one piston rod; and I use this arrangement of cylinders
and pistons in conjunction with my improved arrangements of valves.
When two cylinders are used, as above described, the arrangements may be varied
as follows:-The pistons may be connected together on one piston rod, and the two
valves may also be connected together; but there must be just sufficient difference
between the distance of the seats apart and the distance of the valves apart as to
allow for the necessary lift of the valves. In this case the seat of one valve acts as
a stop to regulate the lift of the other valve.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a machine constructed in this manner. A, A,
are the two pistons working in the cylinders B, B, and connected together by the
piston rod C, C, which passes through the tube D, D, which connects the two
valves E, E, together, the distance of the valves apart being a little short of the
valve seats F, F, in the pistons. These pistons are made hollow, and are connected
to the central bosses G, G, by the ribs H, H. The valve faces are made by the
india-rubber rings I, I, which are secured in their places by the rings and bolts J, J.
The piston rod C, C, passes through and is connected to the central bosses of the
pistons, and motion is imparted thereto by means of the driving shaft, crank, and
connecting rod. The tube connecting the valves passes through the glands or
stuffing boxes K, K, in the hollow ends L, L. One of these hollow ends is shewn
in section, and the other in outside view. These hollow ends also contain the
delivery valves, one of which is shewn at M.
These delivery valves may be made of india-rubber strengthened by rings of
metal bolted on both sides, the metal rings being put on in segments so as to allow
of sufficient flexibility for opening and closing the valve. N, N, are the discharge
branches which are connected together by the bridge pipe O, O.
This arrangement might also be varied so that the driving motion may be applied
direct to the valves, in which case the valves and pistons would be such as shewn in
Figure 3, the valves being connected together by a rod, and the pistons by the tube;
or the two pistons might be independent of each other, the amount of lift of the
valves being regulated by stops on the rod which connects the two valves together,
or conversely, the pistons might be connected and the valves loose on the rod; or
two independent valves, such as shewn in Figure 1, might be used, each trunk in this
case being made so long that when it is pushed in to the cylinder as far as it will
go there will still be a certain length projecting outside the open end of the cylinder,
and on these projecting parts lugs are formed by means of which the pistons are
connected together by side rods passing along the outsides of the cylinders. In this
case no central piston rod is required, and therefore delivery valves like that shewn
in Figure 1 may be used. Or in place of two pistons a double-ended ram may be
used in conjunction with my improved valve arrangements, the cylinder in this case
being open at one end and fixed with their open ends towards each other, as shewn
in longitudinal section in Figure 5 and in plan in Figure 6. The ram A is made
hollow, and is provided with the openings B, B, through which the air is admitted.
The driving motion is transmitted to the ram from the revolving crank C through
the forked connecting rod D. The brackets E, E, support and guide the rod F to
which the inlet valves are attached. G, G, are the delivery valves. This plan with
the double-ended ram may also be so arranged that the driving motion may be
applied direct to the valves, in which case the valves should be arranged on the
inner sides of the ends of the ram, the valves being somewhat similar to that shewn
in Figure 3. The ends of the ram in this case should be made separate and fixed on
after the valves are put in their places. The rod to which the valves are fixed may
be carried through a gland in the hollow cover, the delivery valves being arranged
as shewn in Figure 4, and the driving motion may be applied to this rod.

page_text: My improved arrangements of valves may also be applied to a hollow double-
acting piston working in a cylinder closed at both ends, the air or gas being
adınitted to the interior of the piston where the inlet valves are situated through
a hollow piston rod, or througli tubes passing through the end covers, or through
an opening in the side of the cylinder, the hollow piston being in this case made
wide enough to allow of the full travel without over-running the opening in the
side. This arrangement is specially suitable for exhausting.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 7 the air is admitted through the hollow piston
rod A, A, which has openings B, B, communicating with the interior of the hollow
piston C. The valve seats D, D, are fixed in the piston, and the piston is fixed on
the hollow rod. E, E, are two inlet valves which are furnished with the long
bosses F, F, running loosely on the piston rod. These two valves are connected
together by the rods G, G; or the piston may be loose within the cylinder, and the
inlet valves situated inside the piston and connected to the hollow piston rod.
When this arrangement is to be used as an air compressor the end of the hollow
piston is simply left open, as shewn at the end H, but if it is to be used as an
exhauster the hollow piston rod should pass through a gland in the chamber con-
taining the gas to be exhausted or in the end of a pipe communicating with this
chamber, as shewn at the end I. K, K, are the hollow covers of the cylinder
containing the glands and delivery valves.
In Figure 8 the air is admitted into the interior of the long hollow piston A, A,
through an opening B in the cylinder, the hollow piston being long enough in this
case to prevent it over-running this opening, and being furnished with the long
opening C, C, through-which the air enters after being admitted at B. E, E, are
the inlet valves furnished with the long bosses F, F, riding loosely on the piston
rod G to which the piston is fixed; H, H, are the rods connecting the two inlet
valves together. The recesses I, I, should be formed in the cylinder covers cor-
responding in shape to the bosses F, F, so that the valves may run close up to the
inside of the cylinder covers. K is the pipe leading from the chamber to be
exhausted. When the apparatus is used for compressing air only this pipe would
not of course be required.
The arrangements shewn in Figures 7 and 8 are the most suitable for exhausting,
and when used for exhausting only they may be furnished with delivery valves of
the common flap form, as shewn at L, L, Figure 8; when used for compressing they
should be furnished with hollow covers as shewn at M, M, Figure containing
delivery valves as shewn at N, N.
In all cases the compressing cylinders are surrounded by a water jacket in the
usual manner for the purpose of cooling.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Sturgeon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
THOMAS (L.S.) STURGEON.