US1648024A - Means fob controlling the opesatiqst of boosteb motors ob attxiliaby - Google Patents

Description

"Nov. 8, 1927; 1,648,024

R. J. M CARTY, JR MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF BOOSTER MOTORS OR AUXILIARY PROPULSION UNITS- Filed Feb, 21, 1924 BY KWW ATTOR EY Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED ItlGHARID J. MoCARTY JR OF ALBANY, I' IEW' YORK, AS$TG1IOR, MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 BETHLEHEIJI STEEL CUMEANY, A COEZEORATIfiN OF EENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF BOOSTER IJIOTORS 0R AUXILIARY EROPULSION UNITS.

Application filed February 21, 1924.

This invention relates to an improved means for controlling the operation ofbooster motors or auxiliary propulsion units and is primarily designed for the purpose of automatically governing the supply of steam or other energizing medium to the booster motor cylinders and effecting a proper entrainment of the driving shaft of the motor with the axle to be driven thereby.

In an application filed by John A. Mc- Grew and James T. Loree on December 15th, 1921 Serial No. 522 525, there is described and claimed such an automatic control means for vehicle propulsion units or locomotive boosters wherein a pressure actuated piston valve is directly interposed in the steam supply line leading to the booster cylinders, said valve piston being op-eratively connected to a movable entraining near where y. under the initial pressure influence ot the steam. said valve piston is moved to effect an initial slow speed operation of the booster motor so that the entrainino; gear" is positively rotated by the driving shatt at approximately the speed of rotation ot the gear on the truck axle as thecntraininpg gear is moved into enmeshed relation with the gear on said axle. When tull entrainment of the gears takes place, said valve piston is in such a position as to permit of the free passage of steam in maximum volume to the booster cylinders so that the booster is operated at high speed. This specific single automatic valve control for the booster motor is also fully described and specifically claimed in Patent No. 1.4473552. granted to the said John A. McGrew and James T. Loree on March 6th, 1923.

It is the primary object and purpose of the present invention to provide another automatic control means for such booster motors whereby the same initial idling operation ofthe booster during the entraining action be secured, the said means being also actuated solely by the pressure influence of the steam supplied to the booster motor cylinders. In the present instance, however, I provide separate means for operating the cntraining year and for controlling the supply oi motive fluid. to the booster cylinders in lieu of the single automatic control valve as shown insaid patent above reterred to. Further, in the present instance. the cylinder with the piston operating therein connected Serial No. 694,187.

to the entraining gear is not located directly in the steam supply line but is spaced there from and has a branch pipe connection with the steam supply pipe. Therefore, it will be appreciated that it is not necessary to locate the booster steam supply pipe conti p uous to the entraining gear, but said pipe might be arranged in any other convenient location so that there will be ample clearance space above the ties or the other parts oi the road bed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a very simple means whereby the quantity of steam initially admitted to the booster motors maybe varied and the idling speed of the booster regulated accordingly. f

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved control means tor booster motors and in the form. construction and relative arrangement oi the several parts thereof will be hereinafter more fully described illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequent.

ly incorporated in the subi'oined claims.

In the drawing" whereinI have illustrated more or less diagrammatically. one practical embodiment 'ot the present improvements and in which similar reference characters oesionate corresponding parts throughout tle several views: c

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating; the several elements of the automatic control means in their normal relative positions and with the booster disentrained from the axle it is to drive; and

Figure 2 is similar view showing the parts ot the control means after they have operated to first entrain the booster driving shaft with the truck axle and then supply steam in maximum volume to the booster motor cylinders.

lhc automatic motor control mechanism which I shall presently describe in detail. was primarily designed for the purpose of automatically ettectino: an operative connect on or entrainment of a booster motor drivino; shaft with one of the truck axles constituting" a load bearing or sustainingaxle for the tender of a locomotive. However, in so far as my present improvement/s are concerned, the booster motor may he used for positively driving one of the axles of the pilot or trailer truck of the locomotive or the truck axle of any one of the train carriages, the purpose being to provide means for increasing tractive power and aiding the main engine of the locomotive in the propr sion of the train at low speeds, as in stir g from a t rminal or upon controlling grades.

In the accompanying drawing 1 have illustrated only so much of the booster motor and the truck with which it is associated, as will enable the nature of my improvements to be clearly understood. Accordingly, I have shown merely the spaced truck axles 5 and 6 upon the opposite ends of which the weight supporting wheels 7 and 8 respectively, engaged upon the track rails, are secured in any approved manner. The booster motor includes cylinders of suitable. dimensions, one of which is indicated at 9, the pistons operating within said cylinders having suitable driving connections (not shown) with a drive shaft 10. Preferably. 1 mount or arrange this booster or propulsion unit between and upon the spaced axles 5 and 6 in the manner shown in the patent granted to John is. lilcGrew ann James T. lhoree on April 11. 1929,, no. 1,412,250.

The drive shaft 10 is arranged contiguous to and in parallel relation with the truck axle 6 but normally has no driving connection therewith. For the purpose of entraining said driving shaft with the axle 6 to ii'npart a positive driving impulse to the latter, any suitable type of disengageable gearing might be employed. However, l have herein shown a conventional type of such gearing consisting of a gear element 11 fixed upon the driving shaft 10 and a gear element 12 lined upon the axle 6. An idler gear 13 is in constant mesh with driving gear 11 and is mounted for planetary movement as well as axial rotation in one fork of an angular rocker member 14 which is mounted for oscillating movement upon the drive shaft 10.

Steam is supplied to the booster motor cylinders through the pipe 15 which is preferably connected to the superheated steam supply pipes exteriorly of the locomotive boiler which supply the main engine cylinders with superheated steam. A cylinder 16 is suitably mounted and arranged in spaced relation to the steam supply pipe 15 and at one of its ends is connected to said supply pipe by means of the branch pipe 17. A piston 18 reciprocates in this cylinder and has a rod 19 operatively connected to the other arm of: the rocker member 14. The piston 18 is urged in one direction in said cylinder to its normal position by means of a suitable spring 20.

The steam supply pipe 15 is connected to one side of a second cylinder 21 intermediate the ends thereof, said cylinder being located between the cylinder 16 and the motor neas ae cylinders 9. Said cylinders are connected to the cylinder 21 through the mcdiun'i of the pipe 22, the point of connection of said pipe to the cylinder 21 being longitudinally spaced from the point of connection of the supply pipe 15 to said cylinder. The pipe 22 also connected with the cylinder 21 by means of a by-pass connection 23, in which there is preferably arranged aremovable oriliced plug The diameter of the orifice deteru'iines the volume of steam passing from the cylinder 21 through the by-pass connection and hence through pipe to the booster cylinders. it will, however, be understood that by providing interchan eable plugs hav ing orifices diflerent di cters, an initial idling operation of the motor at various speeds may be obtained.

Tn the cylinder 21 a balanced piston having spaced heads and 26 respectively, is arranged, said heads bein connected by the rod or stem 27 which. e ,euds through one end of the cylinder 21. and is operatively connected to one end of a lever .28 which is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends as at 29 upon a suitable supporting bracket. The other end of this lever is operatively con nected to the end of rod 19 of the piston 18 which operates in the c inder 16, the arm of rocker member 14: beii 5 connected to said rod at a point intermediwe of its ends, as clearly shown in the drawi .g ii. coil spring 29 surrounds the lower end ot the rod 27 below the piston head and bears against the lower end wall of the cylinder 21. This spring, however, is not essential and may be dispensed with, if desired.

I also preferably provide a circulation bypass connection 30 between the lower end of cylinder 16 and said supply pipe 15 at a point intermediate the branch connection 17 and the cylinder 21. This by-pass 30 insures the continuous circulation of live steam through the cylinder 1; so that a steady and continuous pressure will be exerted against the piston 18.

In the operation of the device above described, assuming that the parts are in the normal position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, when the main throttle valve is opened to supply steam to the main engine cylinders, steam also passes through pipe 15 and into the upper end. portion of the eylinder 21, from which it passes in small volume through the orificed plug l and by-pass 23 to the pipe 22 and thence to the motor cylinders. By thus initially admitting a small quantity of steam to the cylinders 9, the booster motor is idly operated at low speed, thus imparting slow rotation to the driving shaft 10 and gear 11 thereon whereby the power transmitting gear 13 is also rotated upon its axis, at approximately the speed of rotation of the fixed gear 12 on the axle 6. The cumulative pressure influence of the steam which builds up in the upper portion of cylinder 21, pipe 15and the branch connection 17'to the cylinder 16, during thls idling operation of the motor acts against the piston 1.8 in said cylinder 1-6, moving the same against the pressure of spring 20 whereby the member 14 is rocked to impart a planetary movement to the idler gear 13, while it is being rotated upon its axis, and thus effecting a proper and full meshing engagement of this rotating idler gear with the rotating gear 12 on the axle 6 so that the gear 13 thus becomes a positive power transmitting element imparting a driving impulse to said axle. The cumulative steam pressure thus also operates at the same time through the lever connection 28 with the upper end of the piston rod 27 to force the piston in cylinder 21 downwardly to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing in which the pipes 15 and 22 are placed in direct open communication with each other through said cylinder so that a full or maximum quantity of steam will then be supplied through the pipes 15 and 22 to the motor cylinders 9. Thus, it is apparent that as soon as a full intermeshing engagement or entrainment of the idler gear 13 with the axle gear 12 is obtained, the booster motor will be operated at full power, thereby positively driving axle 6 and producing a tractive effort upon the rails in proportion to the power output of said motor. Such additional tractive eliiort is a distinct supplement and aid to the main locomotive engine to accelerate movement of the train from ter minals or on grades, it being understood that at comparatively low speeds there is a considerable surplus potential steam energy in the locomotive boiler which is not consumed in driving the main engine.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my present improvements will be clearly and fully understood. It willbe seen that I have succeeded in providing means whereby the steam pressure actuated piston for the booster entraining gear may be arranged comparatively remote from the steam supply pipe 15 for the motor cylinders, while at the same time a proper initial idling operation of the motor during the entraining operation with a subsequent full speed operation thereof is secured, whereby the possibility of stripping or mutilating the teeth of the entraining gears is obviated. -While Ihave illustrated and described one adaptation of my invention which I believe to be entirely practical, it is nevertheless to be understood that the device might also be exemplified in other alternative structures and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, proportion ment movable to and from an entrained posi tion, a steam supply pipe for the booster m0- tor cylinders, a cylinder in communication with the supply pipe, a steam pressure actuated piston in said cylinder operatively connected with said power transmitting element, and means arranged between said cylinder and the booster motor cylinders to initially supply steam in small quantity to said cylinders and efliect an idling operation of the motor during the entraining action and to thereafter supply steam in greater quantity to the booster cylinders to effect a full power operation of the booster, said means including a movable piston, and an operative connection between said pistons whereby they are simultaneously actuated by the cumulative pressure influence of the steam during the idling operation of the inotor.

2. In combination with a booster motor, means for entraining said booster motor with said axle including a power transmitting element movable to and from an entrained position, a steam supply pipe for the booster motor cylinders, a cylinder in communication with the supply pipe, a steam pressure actuated piston in said cylinder operatively connected with said power transmitting element, and means arranged between said cylinder and the booster motor cylinders to initially supply steam in small quantity to said cylinders and effect an idling operation of the motor during the entraining action and to thereafter supply steam in greater quantity to the booster cylinders to effect a full power operation of the booster, said means including a movable piston, an operative connection between said pistons whereby they are simultaneously actuated by the cumulative pressure influence of the steam during the idling operation of the motor, and means whereby the idling speed of the booster motor may be variably regulated.

3. In combination with a booster motor, means for entraining said booster motor with said axle including a power transmitting element movable to and from an entrained position, a steam supply pipe for the booster motor cylinders, a cylinder in communication with the supply pipe, a steam pressure actuated piston in said cylinder operatively connected with said power transmitting element, and means arranged between said cylinder and the booster motor cylinders to initially supply steam in small quantity to said cylinders: and effect an eaaoee idling" operation of the motor during the enrespective ends to said pistons whereby the training action and to thereafter supply latter are simultaneously actuated by the steam in greater quantity to the booster cylcumulative pressure influence of the steam 10 inders to effect a full power operation of the during the idling operation of the motor.

5 booster, said means including a movable In testimony that I claim the foregoing as piston, and a lever fulcrumed intermediate my invention, 1 have signed my name hereto. of its ends and operatively connected at its RICHARD J. MGCARTY, JR.

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