US1547637A - Locomotive - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1925.

A. W. BRUCE LOCOMOT IVE Filed March 28, 1924 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @mu Y m l m .El

July 28,1925.

A. W. BRUCE LOCOMOTIYE Filed March 28 1924- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented july 28, i925.

narran stares ALFRED W. BRUCE, 0F NE'W YORK, N. Y.

LOCOMOTIVE.

Application filed March 28, 1924.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, ALFRED W. BRUCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident or New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Locomotives, of which improvement the following is a speci` licaticn.

My invention relates, generally, to locomotives of the three cylinder type, and, particularly to the means for actuating the distribution valve of the middle cylinder, in a locomotive of such type. The object of my invention is to provide means for the actuation of said valve, which will enable all of the recognized advantages of TWals` chaerts valve gear of the ordinary type, to be fully attained, in a construction which will avoid interference with the crank axle; locate all elements of the driving mechanism in the same central plane; be applicable in any of the various wheel arrangements of present standard practice; and ensure a positive and similar distribution of steam in all of the three cylinders of the locomotive.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

ln the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side view, in elevation, of a portion of a three cylinder locomotive, illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section on the line II-H of Fig. 8; and, Fig. 3, a plan view of the frame and valve gears.

In the practice of my invention, referring descriptively to the speciic embodiment thereof which is herein exemplified, as applied in a three cylinder locomotive, having a middle cylinder, l, and two side cylinders, la and lb, the valve stems, 2a and 2b, of the distribution valves of the side cylinders, ld and lb, (which valves are ynot illustrated as they are of the ordinary type, and are not, in and of themselves, claimed as of my invention), are actuated by Walschaerts valve gears of standard construction, each comprising a return crank, 3, fix-ed in one of the driving wheels of the main axle, 8, eccentric rod, 4f, pivoted swinging link, 5, radius bar, 6, and lap and lead lever, 7.

The valve stem, 2, of the distribution valve of the middle cylinder, is actuated by a lValschaer-ts valve gear of modified form, which comprises a return crank, 3, fixed on Serial No. 702,558.

mitted from the return crank, link, 5, 'through the intermediation of a rock shaft, 9, which is journalled on theV frame, l0, of the locomotive, and carries a downwardly projecting arm, 9a, on its outer end, and an arm 9b, projecting, in opposite direction, from its inner end. llChe arm, 9b, is coupled to the link, 5a, by a supplemental eccentric rod, 4:, which is connected to the top of the link, 5a, thereby entirely clearing the crank arms, 8C, of the crank axle, 8, and where, as in the instance illustrated, the valve gear of the middle cylinder is disposed in the longitudinal central plane thereof, the lap and lead lever, 7a, is bifurcated, or formed with two parallel members, 7b, at and extending upwardly from its lower end, thereby permitting its symmetrical attachment to opposite sides of the cross head, ll, of the middle cylinder.

The valve gears of all the three cylinders are controlled by a single reversing mechanism, comprising a reach rod, l2, which may be actuated either by a manually operated reverse lever, or by a reversing motor of any suitable and preferred known construction, which does not, in and of itself, form part of my present invention, and is not, therefore, herein illustrated. The reach rod, l2, is coupled to an upwardly extending arm, 13a, on a reverse shaft, 13, which is journalled in bearings on the frame, l0, and carries arms, 13b, which are coupled to the radius bars of the valve gears of the three cylinders.

It will be seen that the valve actuating mechanism above described is of an extremely simple type, and is capable of application symmetrically to the distribution valve stems of the three cylinders, under the control of a single reversing mechanism, and without interference with the crank arms and connections of the middle cylinder. The positive and similar distribution of steam in all the cylinders is likewise ensured.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. ln a locomotive, the combination `of a distribution valve stem; a return crank, fixed on a driving wheel crank pin; a rock shaft, journalled on the locomotive frame, and having oppositely extending arms; an

eccentric rod, coupling the return crank to the lower arm of said shaft; a pivoted swinging link; a supplemental eccentric rod, coupling the upper arm of said rock shaft to said link; and a radius bar; coupled to the distribution valve stem and adjustable in said link.

2. In a locomotive, the combination of three cylinders; a crank axle rotated by the piston of the middle cylinder; a distribution valve stein, for said cylinder; a return crank; fixed on a crank pin rotated by a driving axle in rear of the crank axle; a rock shaft; journalled on the locomotive frame, and having oppositely extending arms; an eccentric rod; coupling the return crank to the lower arm of said shaft; a pivoted swinging link; a supplemental eccentric rod, extending above the crank arms of the crank axle; and coupling the upper arm of the rock shaft to the top of said link; and a radius bar, coupled to the distribution valve stem and adjustable in said link.

3. In a locomotive, the combination of three cylinders; independent stems for the distribution valves of said cylinders; a crank axle, rotated by the piston of the middle cylinder; a ret-urn crank pin, fixed on a crank pin rotated by a driving axle in rear of the crank axle; a rock shaft, journalled on the locomotive frame and having oppositely extending arms; an eccentric rod coupling the return crank to the lower arm of said shaft; a pivoted swinging` link; a supplemental eccentric rod extending above the crank arms of the crank axle and coupling the upper arm of the rock shaft to the top of said link; a radius bar coupled to the distribution valve stem of the middle cylinder; valve gears; independently actuating the distribution valve stems of the side cylinders; and a reversing mechanism; controlling the valve gears of all three cylinders.

ALFRED W. BRUCE. Witnesses:

FRED A. 1WADSWORTH; CONGER MUNsoN.

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