US403714A - Robert t - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. T. ABELL.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 403,714. Patented May 21 1889.

w INVENTOR.

WITNESSES 7h)? ATTORZVEY NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT T. ABELL, OF CLEVELAND, OlllO, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO lVESLEY ROYCE AND J OIIN H. FRANCIS, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,714, dated May 21, 1889.

Application filed November 26, 1888. Serial No. 291,834. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT T. ABELL, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and isometric view in detail corresponding in scale with Fig. 1.

The steanrcylinder consists of outer and inner concentric rims, respectively, A and A, and head A integral with these rims, and a removable head, 13, each head having a central hub projecting outward, and in the bore of these hubs are j ournaled, respectively, rockshafts C C. These shafts, at the inner ends thereof, either abut or come in close proximity to each other. On the inner ends of these shafts are mounted, respectively, disks 0 C, each disk, on the inner face thereof, having latorally-projecting lugs c c, the lugs of the two disks interlocking, but having play enough between them circumferentially to accommodate the reverse oscillations of the two shafts. Each lug c is recessed on the face thereof in a radial direction to receive a radial arm, 0, the arrangement being such that the two sets of arms all operate in the same or central plane of the cylinder. These arms extend through and operate in slots (4 of the inner rim, A. The outer ends of these arms are slightly conical and fit in corresponding seats in the respective pistons D D, the outer ends of each arm being screw-threaded and provided with nut c to hold the piston firmly to its seat on the arm, the pistons on the outer periphery thereof having recesses that admit the nuts below the surface of the pistons. It will be observed that two pistons, D, are attached to the same set of arms and are located diametrically opposite each other, while the pistons D are mounted on the other set of arms and are located in the same relative position to each other, and consequently the two pistons of a set balance each other perfectly.

The pistons of small engines may be solid; but for larger engines they should be cored or chambered to lighten them, the ends of the pistons being all that necessarily lit the cylinder, and any suitable packing maybe used to secure tight joints with the cylinder at the ends of the pistons.

Shafts 0, outside their journal-bearings, are provided with rock-arms E, and these arms are connected by pitmen cwith cranks F, the latter being mounted on the respective ends of shaft F and extending in opposite directions from the shaft. This shaft is provided with a fly-wheel and with a band-wheel, or whatever may be necessary to transmit the power of the engine. The cylinder is provided with the same number of cylindrical steam-chambers a as there are pistons-in the present instance four these steam-chambers being located, respectively, opposite the points of the main cylinder where opposing piston ends nearest approach each other, as shown, with ports a? connecting each steam-chamber with the main cylinder, each steam-chamber, of course, having induction and ed uction pipes a and a". Each steam-chamber is provided with an oscillating valve, G, of ordinary construction, one such valve being shown at 'the top in Fig. 1. As heretofore, the one trunnion of each oscillating valve extends through a suitable stulling-box in the removable head of the steam-chamber, such trunnion having attached an arm,g, and each arm gbeing connected by a link, g, with a disk, ll, the latter being mounted loose on the shaft 0, that projects from this side of the engine. Disk 11 is connected by eccentric-rods h with eccentric h, the latter being mounted on shaft F. The valves are given the necessary lead to cushion the opposing ends of the pistons as they come in close proximity to each other, and the valves have suitable lap, more or less, according as it is desired to use steam more or less cxpansively. lVhile two opposite valves-for instance, the valves at top and bottomare admitting steam the valves located on the side are exhausting steam, and vice versa, all of which will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art. As the axes of the steam-chambers are parallel with the axis of the main cylinder, these chambers need not be separated but a short distance from the bore of the main cylinder, by reason of which the ports, although of ample width and extending the full length of the cylinder, may be so short in a radial direction that it requires but little steam to fill the port, and consequently the waste steam from such cause may be reduced to a minimum. The perfect balance attained with this engine adapts it to high speed without tendency to shake or vibrate. The engine may be arranged to have the valves on the quarters, instead of at top, bottom, and sides, if so preferred.

WVith this variety of engine four pistons are preferable to two, for the reason that two pistons would not balance each other, except by means of the connection with the crankshaft. The engine may be constructed with six, eight, or more pistons, if for any reason it were found advantageous to do so.

lVhat I claim is 1. The combination, with a steam-cylinder.

heads secured against the outer edges of the rims, of segmental pistons arranged in series, the pistons of one series operating between the pistons of the other series, each series of pistons being mounted on a rock-shaft independent of the rock-shaft of the other series, but having a common axial line, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a steam-cylinder composed of two concentric circular rimsand heads secured against the outer edges of the rims, of segmental pistons located between the rims and arranged in series, the pistons of one series operating between the pistons of the other series, rock-shafts, arms passing through the inner rim and connecting the pistons and rock-shafts, and a rock-arm mounted on each rock-shaft, the said rock-arms being connected by pitmen with a crank-shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a steam-cylinder and segmental operating-pistons arranged in two series and operating in said cylinder, of

ROBERT T. ABELL.

Witnesses: V

CHAS. H. DORER, ALBERT E. LYNCH.

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