US151057A - Improvement in the methods of expanding steam-cylinder packing-rings - Google Patents

Description

1. 1. ROBERTS. Methods of Expanding Steam-Cylinder Packing-'Bngs. N0.l5l,057 Patented May19,1874.

WWA/5655: wwf/v TOR UNITED STATES ATEN'I LFFIGE.

JAMES J. ROBERTS, OF GEDDES, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO CHARLES S. PHARIS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHODS 0F EXPANDING STEAM-CYLINDER PACKING-RINGS.

Specification forming part of' Letters Patent No. 151,057, dated May 19, 1874 application filed March 7, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. ROBERTS, of Geddes, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement for expanding the Packin g-Rings of a Cylinder, and for centering the piston within the cylinder, of which the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a statement sufficient to enable any one skilled in the art to make and use my invention.

The object of this invention is to expand Vthe packing-rings in a cylinder, and at the same time to adjust the piston in the center of the cylinder, without necessitating` a removal either of cylinder-head or follower, thereby saving a large amount of time and labor, which is very essential on railroad-locomotives, and avoiding also the danger of breaking the follower-bolts, which are generally difficult to remove and to renew. This invention consists, first, in attaching a small plate upon the hub of the piston, on the outside of the follower, so as to contain and hold in place the set-screws, which are a part of andwhich operate the ordinary wedges used for the purpose of centering a piston in a cylinder, and also for expanding its packingrings, and by a removal of which plate all of the wedges are also removed with it, one of 'the objects of the plate being to accomplish a quick removal of the wedges; second, arranging the wedges within the hub near the center of the piston, so that they may be accessible for adjustment or removal without first taking off the cylinder-head or the follower of the piston.

In the drawing, Figure I is an end view of a piston containing my invention. Fig. II is a longitudinal section of a cylinder, showing my improvement. Fig. III is an end view of a piston with the follower removed, so as to show the slots for the wedges and their connection with the set-springs. Fig. IV is an isometric view of one of the wedges anda screw for setting it 5 and Fig. V is a view of the wedges, and of the plate for holding them, detached from their proper place.

A represents the follower of a piston, and B a cap or cover, which may be fastened to lic inwardly. Bearing upon the surface of each one of the wedges are spurs l, that are joined to set-springs k k, which bear upon a large portion of the inner surface of the packing-rings f f of the piston. The wedges are operated by set-screws c c, extending through a wedge-plate, l), that is fastened by a single nut, d, to the hub of the piston, but outside of the follower, andl entirely independent of it. To overcome the necessity of removing the follower and cylinder-head, so as to adjust the piston, or expand the packing-rings, a hole is made in the center of the cylinderhead large enough to admit the small wedgeplate to which all the wedges are secured. The greatest wear of the piston is on the bottom of the cylinder 5 therefore three or more wedges are employed, so that the piston. may.

first be raised, and then centered in the cylinder by using the hole in the cylinder-head as a guide without first having to establish a circular line around its center. ledges applied at a distance from the piston-hub do not accomplish the object here sought, because they are placed too far from the center of the piston to make them accessible, without first aremoval of the whole cylinder-head. In this invention the wedges are placed within the hub, thus bringing them all within a small compass; and they are all arranged upon a small plate, so that to operate the wedges, it is only necessary to have a small aperture iu the cylinder-head, which may be covered by alittle screw-cap. Then, too, the attachment of the wedge-plate to the piston-hub is by a single nut, which admits of a ready detachment of the plate, whereby all the wedges may be withdrawn at once.

It is evident that this invention may be applied to the smallest cylinder. The invention also admits the use of more than one followerbolt, thus insuring a greater security of parts, and a more certain movement of the piston upon a true line within the cylinder, over the use of a single follower-bolt.

I claiml. The combination7 with a piston-head, of a wedge-platawhich iS attached to the pistonhub independently of the follower, so that all can be removed without taking off the whole cylinder-head.

In testimony whereof I have Signed my name and aflixed my seal7 in the presence of two at testing witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this V13th day of February, 187 4.

JAMES JOSHUA ROBERTS. [n s] Witnesses CHRISTIAN HOLMSTRUP, WM. BRADLEY.

Images