US145719A - Improvement in triple-cylinder engines - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

P. BROTHERHOOD.- Triple-Cylinder Engines. No. 145,719. Patented D e. 23,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEroE,

PETER BROTHERHOOD, OF NOTTING-HILL, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRIPLE-CYLINDER ENGINES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. l45,719,dated December 23, 1873; application led October 20. 1873.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, PETER BROTHERHOOD, of l5, Elgin Road, Notting-Hill, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented an Improved Triple-Cylinder Engine or Pump; and do hereby decla-re that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvement, by which my invention may be distinguished from others of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentthat is to say:

This invention relates to an improved construction of triple engines, to be worked by steam or fluid pressure, for the purpose of obtaining motive power, engines of similar construction being applicable, when worked by power, as pumps for exhausting or forcing fluids. The accompanying drawings show the manner inwhich these engines are constructed.

Figure l represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a transverse section, of an engine of the improved construction, adapted for being worked by steam, or by air, or other fluid, under pressure; and Fig. 3 represents a section of the rotary slide-valve, which will be hereafter described.

The engine consists of three cylinders, A1 A2 A3, cast in one, with or having their open ends attached to a `central chamber, B, and having their vouter ends closed by covers. The axes of the three cylinders are on one plane, and arranged at equal angles to each other. Each cylinder is fitted with a piston, C1 C2 O3, which is -Inade of considerable depth, so as to serve as a guide as well as piston, and which may be provided with packing of any known kind-such assplit rings-as indicated at c. From the three pistons three connecting-rods, D1 D2 D3, extend to one crank, E, on a shaft, F, which passes through one side of the 'central chamber B. One of the connecting-rods, D1, embraces the middle of the crank-pin E. The others, D2 and D3, are each forked, so as to embrace it at two parts on each side of the middle. On the side of the chamber B oppoposite to that through which the shaft F passes is fitted the rotary slide G, which is a the admission of steam or lluid, and a cavity, g1, formed in it for emission. Each of the cylinders A1 A2 A3 has, along its side, a passage, c1 a2 a3, opening at the outer end into the cylinder, and, at the innerend, terminating in a port covered by the slide G. The slide has two projecting ears, h1 and h2, against either of which a pin, c, projecting from the crank, can bear, according as the shaft is intended to rotate in the one direction or the other. A pipe, K, supplies the central chamber B with the steam or other working-fluid; and another pipe, L, serves for discharge of waste steam or lluid after having done its work, the latter pipe communicating with the cavity g1 in the slide G. The slide G is fixed on a spindle, M, which passes through a stuffing-box, and is provided with a hand-wheel, m, whereby the slide G can be turned by hand for the purpose of reversing the direction of rotation.

The action of the engine is as follows: Steam being admitted, by the pipe K, to the chamber B, presses equally on the three pistons, G1 C2 C, but one of these', C1, is equally pressed, on its outer side, by steam passing from the central chamber B through the passage g in the slide G, and the port a1, while the other two pistons, O2 and O3, are relieved from pressure on their outer sides, there being a free escape for steam by their ports c2 and a3 and the cavity g1 of the slide to the outlet-pipe L. The excess of pressure on the two pistons last named, acting through their connectingrods, D2 and D3, on the crank E, imparts rotary motion to the shaft F. As the crank and shaft revolve, the slide G is carried round in the same direction by the pin e against its ear h1, and the passage and cavity ofthe slide are thus brought, successively, into communication with the several ports c1 c2 c3, so that steam is successively admitted to and discharged from the three cylinders in such order as to give continuous rotary movement to the crank and shaft with nearly uniform power. WVith the slide set asin Figs. 1 and 2, the

site direction. The fluid within the chamberone direction, and in the same posit-ion, rela.

tively, to the crank.

lt may be readily understood that, instead of steam, other fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, is applicable for driving the engine. Also, it will be readily seen that rotary movement being imparted to the shaft F, the engine will act as a pump for exhausting or forcing fluids. Vhen it is used for pumping water or other incompressible fluid, the passages in the slide G have to be made so as to give no lap over the ports.

Steam or Huid-pressure engines constructed as above described are especially applicable for driving quickly-moving machines directly without the intervention of straps or gearing for multiplying speed, as they can be driven at a'high velocity with a power nearly uniform throughout each revolution, and without any fly-wheel. Also, as the fluid pressure 1s always maintained on the inner sides of the pistons, the connecting-rods are always 1n tension, and thus there is no shake in the eyes by which they are jointed to the crank and the several pistons. Engines of similar construction, somewhat modified in detail, may also be employed for giving slow rotary movement with great pressure. Fig. 4L represents a horizontal and Fig. 5 a vertical section of a modified form of the engine applied to work a capstan by hydraulic pressure. ln this case the three cylinders Al A2 A3 may be lined with brass or gun-metal, and the pistons C1 C2 C3 packed with cup leathers. The shaft F is steadied in a long bearing, N, and ha-s the capstan-head O fixed to its upper end, the bodyr of the capstan being steadied by working on the elongated bearing N. rlhe central chamber B may be in this case nearly iilled with oil, which serves to lubricatc the crank E and connecting-rods l)l D2 D3, as well as a plate, l?, whereby the slide is worked. It will be seen that the connecting-rods are not jointed to the pistons, but merely rounded at the ends to work in hollows in the pistons. At their other ends they are hollowcd so as to form segments butting against the crankpin, and to prevent them from separating they are embraced by two rings, el d. The slide (5r is placed outside the chamber D within a casing or jacket, Q, and covers ports communicating by passages (one of them is shown at c in Fig. 5) with the outer ends of the cylinders, respectively. Theinterior of the jacket Q is supplied with water from a high cistern or accumulator, or with other liquid, under pressure, by a pipe, K, and the water or liquid,

lwhich revolves with the crank.

after having done its work, is discharged by a pipe, L. rlhe slide Gr has a spindle with a square or polygonal end, or with a round end, fitted with a key or feather into the plate P, In the slide are formed passages opening successively communication from the jacket Q and from the central discharge-pipe L to the several cylinders, so that each piston in succession is pressed inward, and continuous rotary motion `is thereby imparted to the crank. It will be seen that the connecting-rods are in this case always under compression, and therefore they require no jointing to the pistons or crankpin, itV being only necessary that they should butt against them. Also, as the capacity of the central chamber undergoes little variation, while the pistons successively advance and recede, it may be almost entirely filled with oil or other lubricating liquid, a small airspace being left in its upper part to allow for slight variations in capacity. The slide G, being pressed on by the fluid in the jacket Q, works without leakage against the facing in which the ports are formed. Vhen very high pressure is applied, such as would render the working-friction of the slide too great, this friction may be reduced by inverting the supply and dischz rge of Huid, so as to admit the fluid by the central pipe L, and to discharge it into the jacket Q, and thence by the pipe K, the passages in the slide being arranged to suit this direction of ow. By this modification the pressure on the slide is only that due to the area exposed at the end of its spindle. rlhis construction of the engine may also be worked by steam or other iiuids instead of by water-pressure, in which case ordinary packing is employed for the pistons in place of the cup leathers.

Having thus described the nature of this invention, and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim- 1. The combination of the cylinders A, central chamber B, pistons C, crank E, and valve G, controllingthe passages a, substantially as described.

2. The several pistons C and their connecting-rods D, having each an independent connection with the crank-shaft, in 'combination with the chamber B, a steam supply-pipe, for keeping lthe inner sides of the pistons under pressure,suliistantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. rlhe rotary slide G, having` the projecting cars h1 h2, and spindle m, in combination with the crank-pin c arranged between the two, and having a bearing against either at pleasure, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 1st day of September, 1873.l

PETER BROTHERHOOD.

Xl'itnesses (J1-ms. D. ABEL, JNO. P. M. MILLARD.

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