US1227715A - Compressed air-engine. - Google Patents

Description

A. B. WEBB.

COMPRESSED AiR ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. 1915.

1,22'7,71 5 Patented May 29, 1917.

8. 91 JNLSJM AARON B. WEBB, OF STREATOE, ILLINOIS.

COlvIPBESSED-AIE ENGINE.

Application filed October 13, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON B. WEBB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Streator, in the county of La Salle, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Compressed-Air Engine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a compressed air engine, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction where by compressed air can be utilized to advantage as an expansive medium for the driving of an engine.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a compressed air engine which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which has a positive valve control, which is economical and efiective in operation, and which has few and simple parts such as are not liable to get out of reair.

VVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a compressed air engine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fi 1.

iorrespondin-g and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, the numerals 1 designate a series of upright cylinders which are arranged in a row and project upwardly from a crank case 2, the lower ends of the cylinders being open and communicating with the crank case, while the upper ends thereof are closed by the removable cylinder heads 3. Each of the cylinder heads 3 is provided with an inlet opening which is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented llilay "7.

Serial No. 55,724.

in communication with an inlet pipe 4-, and also with an outlet opening which is in communication with an exhaust pipe 5. The several inlet pipes 4 are extended laterally so as to project from one side of the respec tive cylinders, the ends of the inlet pipes communicating with a common compressed air supply pipe which leads from a suitable source of compressed air such as the tank 7.

A. throttle valve 8 is applied to the com pressed air supply pipe 6 for use in starting and stopping the engine, said valve controlling the fiow of compressed air througi the supply pipe 6 from the tank 7. The tank is shown as provided with a conventional pressure gage 9, and also with a safety valve 10 which will release the pressure should it reach a dangerous point. Any suitable means such as the pump 11 may be provided for forcing compressed air into the tank 7.

The crank case 2 extends horizontally along the lower ends of the cylinders 1 and provides a support for the latter. Extending, through the crank case 2 is a crank shaft 12 which is ournaled within suitable bearings 13 at the ends of the crank case, and also within intermediate bearings 14: carried by standards 15 projecting into the crank case from the bottom thereof. One end of the crank shaft 12 may be provided with the usual fly wheel 16, and power may be taken from the crank shaft for performing any usual work. The crank portions 12 of the crank shaft are connected by the piston rods 17 to pistons 18 which are mounted within the various cylinders 1 to reciprocate up and down therein in the usual manner.

The inlet pipe 4: of each of the cylinders is provided with a valve casing 19 within which a vertically movable slide valve 20 is mounted, the movements of the valve serving to open or close communication be tween the inlet pipe and the supply pipe 6. In a similar manner, each of the exhaust pipes 5 is provided with a valve casing 21 within which a vertically movable slide valve 22 is mounted, the movements of the valve serving to open and close the exhaust pipe. In the operation of the engine the valves 20 and 22 of each of the cylinders are alternately opened and closed, said valves being so timed that compressed air from the inlet pipe 4: will enter the cylinder and force the piston downwardly therein, while upon the return movement of the piston the valve 20 of the inlet pipe will be closed and the valve 22 of the exhaust pipe opened.

Extending downwardly from each of the slide valves 20 and entering the crank case 2 is a valve rod 23, and a similar valve rod 24 is connected to each of the valves 22, said valve rods 23 and 24 passing through guides 25 projecting from the cylinders, and being surrounded by coil springs 26 which are interposed between the said guides 25 and shoulders 27, said springs normally serving to move the valve rods and to hold the valves in a closed position. The lower ends of the valve rods 23 and 24: have pin and slot connections 28 with the ends of the respective valve levers 29 and 30, said valve levers extending under the crank shaft 12 and having their opposite ends pivotally connected to arms 31 projecting from the intermediate bearings 14 of the crank shaft. The crank shaft is provided with a pair of cams 32 and 33 for each set of the valve levers 29 and 30, said cams being offset from the crank shaft in opposite directions and being provided with the respective annular grooves 52 and 33 which receive the valve levers and prevent the valve levers from becoming laterally disengaged from the cams. Owing to the fact that the cams 82 and 33 are offset in opposite directions from the crank shaft, the inlet valves 20 and outlet valves 22 will be alternately opened and closed, and the valve mechanism is so timed that the inlet valve will be open and the exhaust valve closed during the downward movement of the piston, while the position of the valves will be reversed during the upward movement of the piston.

The power strokes of the several pistons operate in a regular sequence and the crank portions 12 of the crank shaft are arranged at angles to each other, so that there is never a dead center and the engine can be started from any position. The valve levers 29 and 30 are provided with the respective extensions 29 and 30 for cooperation with stops 3% projecting from the interior of the crank case to limit the swinging movements of the valve levers and prevent the valves from being moved too far in either direction.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character described, the combination with a compressed air engine comprising a cylinder, a piston within the cylinder, a crank shaft, a piston rod connecting the piston to the crank shaft, a crank case inclosing the crank shaft and provided at the sides thereof with inwardly extending stops, inlet and exhaust valves for the cylinder, of arms projecting into the crank case, a pair of transversely extending valve levers pivoted at one end upon the said arms and arranged to have their swinging movements limited by engagement with the before mentioned stops projecting from the crank case, valve rods connecting the swinging ends of the respective valve levers with the inlet and exhaust valves, springs acting upon the valve rods to normally hold the valves in a closed position, and oppositely ofi'set cams applied to the crank shaft and provided with annular grooves to receive the valve levers and prevent lateral movement thereof. the said cams oscillating the valve levers to alternately open the inlet and exhaust valves at the proper intervals of time.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AARON B. WEBB.

Witnesses:

Ross C. ARTHUR, FRED C. ARTHUR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

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