US368762A

US368762A - gardner

Info

Publication number: US368762A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1904-08-23

Description

(No Model.)

2 Sheets- Sheet 1l E. A. GARDNER.

STEAM ENGINE.

N0.368,.762. Patente u .23,1887.

WLM/noces It PETERS, PhuwLnhogmpher, Washington. n. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. A. GARDNER.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 368,762. Patented Aug. 23, 1887.

A *il A N, Pneusv Pww-Lluwgmplwr, wasmngnon. D, c.

' NITE STATES PATENT PIECE@ FREDERICK A. GARDNER, OF CATSKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO F. A. GARDNER du CO., OE SAME PLAGE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 368,762, dated August 23, 1887.

Applicaiion filed J'uy 1, 1886.. Serial No. 206,876. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. GARD- NER, of Catskill, in the county of Greene and State of New York, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Steam Engines, of which the following isa description and specification.

The object of my invention is to provide for a cheap and effective construction of the valve and valve-chest portions, and also the cylinder portion of an engine, in which the power is applied to the crankshaft to revolve the latter and without any dead-points, and whose working-parts, instead of being exposed, are all inelosed and protected by its case from the accumulations of dust and dirt.

In adapting my invention to practice, I use two or more cylinders placed preferably side by side, or with their axes in the same vertical line; and the first part of my invention relates' particularly to theconstruction of the pistoucylinder, which consists of a sleeve perforated at its inner end for the passage of steam therethrough, and fixed firmly in a cavity made in the casting with a cap rmly secured in and closing the outer end of the sleeve, and a cylindrical tube iirmly secured in the inner end ofthe sleeve with an annular steam-space between the sleeve'and that part of the cylinder which is secured therein, so that steam may enter the annular steam-space surrounding the outer end of the cylinder throughthe sleeve, and only enter the cylinder at its outer end to force the piston inward; and it also consists of a perforated valve-case adapted to receive the larger end of the valve and fitted to a tapered hole in a valve-chest having annular ports surrounding the valveease, a hollow cap adapted to receive the outer small end of the valve and secured rrnly in the valvechest and against the outer end of the valvecase, and a tubular valve whose inner end is of largest diameter and which is adapted to slide to and fro in the valve-ease and hollow cap,with a connectingrod for connecting the valve with the operating-eccentric on a shaft, this construction being eifectivc in securing the valve-case irrnly in position, and also in preventing wear and lost motion between the valve and its connections with the shaft, and also in giving easy access to the valve and its case whenever it is desirable to remove them for any purpose; and Iwill now proceed to describe my improvement, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l 'is a vertical longitudinal section of the engine at the axis of the line of cylinders, with the middle portion of the crankshaft and cranks in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same at line A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section at line B of Fig. 2, with the ease of the engine shown in. plan, above the cylinder, atA one end.

In the drawings, 2 represents the casting or frame of the engine, which is practically a closed box or case, within the upper part of which are the cylinders 3 and the valves 6.

A series of holes of suitable size are made in the upper part of the casing 2, and a screwthread, l0, is made around on the interior surface of these holes at the upper part, and a cylindrical ring, 13, having a corresponding screw-thread around the exterior, at the upper end, is screwed firmly into each. hole in the casing 2, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. I make an annular internal flange or collar at the lower end of each ring 13, and an annular external flange or collar on each cylinder at 9, with a screw-thread made on the inner surface of the collar on the ring 13, and a corresponding screw-thread made on each cylinder 3 just below the collar 9, by means of which each cylinder is screwed down to a seat in its ring 13, and a head or cap, 16, is screwed iirrnly into the top of each ring 13. A hole is made in the upper part of the casting or casing 2 opposite each cylinder, and the lower part of this hole is made tapered, being smallest at the lower end, and a correspondingly-tapered valve-case, 5, having perforations or holes 26 around in its lower por tion, and also perforations or openings 28 all around in its upper part, is tted into this tapered hole in the casting, the inner diameter of this valve-case 5 being the same its entire length.

A steam-chamber, 27, is made the whole length of the steam-valve chest, and extends around the perforations or ports 28 in each valve-case 5, so that steam admitted into this chamber l27 may pass in through the ports 28 IOO in each and all the cases 5. A hollow cap, 4, closed at its upper end and of uniform inside diameter, is screwed into the hole made in the upper part of the casting, opposite each cylinder, and down firmly upon the top of the tapered valve-case 5, fixing the latter firmly in place in its seat, and the inside diameter of this hollow cap 4 is a little less than the inside diameter' of the valve-case 5 below it, as will clearly be seen in Fig. 2. A chamber, 12, is made all around in the casting below the charnber 27 and communicates, through the perforations or ports 23, made through the lower portion of the ring 13, with the port or steam- Space 18, extending around the top of the cylinder and above the piston opposite each valve, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and a chamber, 25, made in the casting lpartially around the ring 13 and opposite the perforations or ports 23, serves as a reservoir, into which any condensation within the steam-space 18 may collect, and be drawn thence by the valve 37 through the passage38, valve-chamber, and passage 39 into the exhaust-space below the cylinders.

The valve 6 is cylindrical in its general form,

4 with an annular projection, 8, at its upper part, made of a diameter to approximately fit the bore of the hollow cap 4, and this projection 8 may have an annular groove'therein to contain a spring packing-ring, 29, or any other desirable and suitable packing which shall cause the upper part of the valve 6 to t the bore of the hollow cap 4 properly and prevent live steam from passing up into the upper part of the hollow cap 4, and the lower part of the valve 6 is provided with a similar flange or annular projection, 8, larger in outside diameter than the upper one, to iit approximately the larger bore of the valve-case 5, and also similarly grooved to receive a suitable packing, 29, to lit snugly the bore of the valve-case 5. As thu'sconstructed, the valve is smaller in outside diameter in its middle portion than at the end portions, forming an annular movable chamber, 43, around the valve. I make this valve 6 tubular, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, so that should there be any accidental leakage of live steam past the upper packing of the valve and into the space in the hollow-cap 4, above the valve, it may readily find its way into the 'exhaust-space below the valve. By this tubular construction of the valve, steam is free to pass entirely through the valve, and thereby prevent any undue or excessive pressure endwise upon the valve, which might otherwise result from a leakage of live steam past the outermost packing of the valve and accumulating in the chamber within the cap at the outer end .of the valve.

Each piston 17 is grooved around its upper end to receive a spring packing-ring or any other suitable packing, and I make a boss, 19, on the lower side of the piston-head, with a screw-thread around its exterior and a recess in its lower side to receive a portion of a ball,

20, 'into which is screwed the connecting-rod 21, and a cap, 22, recessed to receive the lower portion of the ball 20, is screwed onto the boss below or outside the ball, which secures the rod 2l to the piston by a ball-and-socket joint. rlhe crank-shaft 31 extends through the case 2, and the cranks 30, (to which the connecting-rods 21 are connected by any wellknown means,) are arranged on the shaft at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees to each other when three eylindersare used.

A toothed or gear wheel, 32, shown in Fig. 1 and also in dotted lines in Fig. 2,is keyed to the driving or crank shaft, and a similar toothed wheel (whose teeth engage with those of the wheel on the driving-shaft) is keyed to the eccentric shaft 34, which is` arranged to revolve in suitable bearings and within the case, so that the eccentric shaft is made to revolve at the same speed and therefore always with the same relative position to the crankshaft.

There are three eccentrics, 33, one for each crank and piston, and they are secured to the eccentric shaft atan angle of one hundredA and twenty degrees to cach other and corresponding to the relative positions of the cranks with each other on the crank-shaft; and each valve 6 is connected with its eccentric by any ordinary arrangement of eccentric rod and band, 35.

A steam-inlet is made at any convenient point to-admit live steam into the chamber 27, and an orifice is made at any convenient point in the ease 2 below the valve to conduct away the exhaust-steam, both having suitable pipes connected therewith.

Suppose the piston 17 in one cylinder and its corresponding'valve, 6, to be in the position shown in Fig. 2: lf live steam be admitted into the chamber 27, it will pass through the ports 28 into the chambered portion 43 of the valve 6, and the lower flange or projection, 8, on the valve being the largest, the preponderance of steam -pressure will be downward against the valve to always hold the eccentric against the shaft. As soon as the upper edge of the lower flange, 8, in the downward movement of the valve passes below the upper edge of the lower ports, 26, in the valve-case 5, the steam will pass down through these ports 26 into the port 12, and thence through the ports 23 into the steamspace 18, around the upper end of the cylinder and above the piston, which will be forced down thereby, to apply power in revolving the crank-shaft and completing the downward stroke of the piston. As soon as the lower edge of the lower iiange, 8, of the valve 6 passes above the lower edge of the ports 26 in the upward movement of the valve the exhaust-steam from the space above the piston 17 is free to pass out through the ports 23, 12, and 26 into the exhaust-space below the valve, whence it is conducted off through the exhaust-pipe.

IIO

Each cylinder-piston and its valve operates in precisely the same manner, but all in rapid succession, when the engine is in operation.

It will be seen that live-steam pressure is only applied to the upper side of the piston, while the other side is only exposed to the exhaust-steam inthe exhaust-space, and that the pistons exert their power against the crankshaft in rapid succession, and only in one direction to revolve the shaft either way/,whether in one direction or the other, the pressure against the crank-shaft during the opposite or upward movement of the piston being simply the weight of the latter and its rod.

The pressure of the valves against the eccentric-shaft and the pressure of the pistons against the crankshafts are both. always in the same direction, and consequently there is little or no noise in the running of the engine, and the wear of both shafts is reduced to a minimum.

If steam should condense in the steam-space 18 around the cylinder, the condensation will collect in the space 25, and by turning the valve 37 away from its seat the water will run down through the passages 38 and 39 into the exhaust-space below and be drawn off by a suitable cock placed for that purpose.

Supports 45 may be cast with the frame or casing 2 to give a firm bearing to the crankshaft 31 near the cranks, and stufng-boxes 46 arranged in each end ofthe casing and around the crank-shaft to prevent the leakage of exhaust-steam through the case and around the shaft.

Any well-known automatic oilin g apparatus may be attached to the working parts within the casing in the exhaust-space for the proper lubrication of the working parts therein.

It will be seen that when the engine is in operation the upper steam-chamber, 27, always contains live steam and the exhauststcam always passes out through the chamber 12 below, and thence into the steam-space below the valve, and that by making the Valve with its inner end of largest diameter and the valve-ease and its hollow cap together of corresponding form, the latter of smaller inside diameter to fit the outer and smaller end of the valve, the valve always remains under a pressure of live steam in the same direction. This is a very important 'feature in causing a reduetionpf wear and noise in the running of an engine. It will be perceived that to cast the main casting2 the sleeve or ring 13, closed at its outer end, and the tube 3, open at both ends, all in one piece, and with the steamspace 18 around the upper end of the cylinder-tube'17 and above the open end of thelatter, would be very expensive, and would be attendedwith many difculties; and I consider this construction an important feature of l my invention in a saving of labor and expense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isn 1. The eombination,in an engine, of a valvechest provided with a taperedhole and annular steam spaces or ports surrounding and communicating therewith, a perforated tapered valve-case fitted into saidA tapered hole, a hollow valve-cap adapted to receive the small outer end of the valve, and secured rmly in the valve-chest and against the outer end of the valve-case, and a cylindrical tubular slide-valve whose inner and larger end is adapted to slide in the valve-case and whose outer small end is adapted and fitted to move in the hollow valve-cap, and a connecting-rod for connecting the valve with the operatingeccentric on the eccentric-shaft, substantially as described.

2'. The combination7 in an engine, of the perforated cylinder-sleeve 13, closedat its outer end and secured rmly in the casting, and the cylinder 3, open at both ends and secured in the inner end of the sleeve, with anl annular steam -space ex tending around between the sleeve and that portion of the cylinderl inelosed within the sleeve, substantially as described.

FREDERICK A. GARDNER. Witnesses:

HENRY D. SHoRns, FRED W, PALMATIER.