US405104A - Locomotive or other engine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) ZSheets-Sheet 1.. J. LEWIS.

LOGOMOTIVE 0E OTHER. ENGINE. No. 405,104. PatentedJune 11, 1889.

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J'. LEWIS.

LoGoMoTIVE 0R OTHER ENGINE.

No. 405,104. Patented June 11, 1889.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOSEPH LEIVIS, OF SOUTH EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

y LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 405,104, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed January 30, 1888. Serial No. 262,350. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LEWIS, acitizen of Great Britain, residing in South Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a .new and useful Improvement in Locomotive or other Engines, of which the following is a specification.

It is a fact well known to skilled engineers and locomotive-builders that the most approved locomotive now in use, notwithstanding it embodies the best results of over two generations of invention and experience, is nevertheless far from perfect, because some of the features used in it cause internal strains and jars, which not only damage and shorten the life of the engine itself, but aect the tracks, bridges, duc., unfavorably, and form a source of constant danger to both life and property.

The first, and as I deem it the most serious, evil in the prevailing style of locomotive is found in the fact that it is impossible to properly balance the reciprocating parts, thereby necessitating the placing of an excess of balance-weight upon the driving-wheels to obtain steady motion. This excess weight strikes a blow upon the rails at each revolution of the wheels, which has been estimated to be equal to six tons, and when it is brought to mind that this blow is repeated as often as two hundred and forty times a minute in the case of an express train traveling fty miles an hour, it will be seen that the excess weight must constitute a prime factor in the injury and destruction of rails, bridges, dac. Another very serious objection pertains more specially to the slide-valves. These valves require a large amount of power to start them in each movement. l/Vith the average valve a pull of some two thousand pounds is required for this purpose, and as each valve makes two movements to every revolution of the drive-wheels, it follows that a very small fraction of time is consumed by the individual movements. Especially is this the case with fast trains, some nine hundred and sixty movements of the valves per minute being requisite with the locomotive running at fifty miles per hour. This pulling or starting force of some two thousand pounds, exerted as it is instantaneously and so quickly repeated,

1 causes a hammer-like action, jarring the engine like so many blows and straining the parts, and is also a source of great danger, causing frequent accidents and delays by breaking vital parts of the machinery.

The object of this' invention is to remove all these destructive reciprocating parts of the valve-gear as usually constructed and to introduce a new type of locomotive, whereby the reciprocating parts of pistons and connecting-rods to the cranks can be more perfectly balanced and the balance-weight on the drive-wheels be reduced, and I believe my invention will permit a large increase in the average speed-say from fifty to eighty or even more miles per hour--without any danger of pounding the engine to pieces, as in the prevailin g style of construction. The immediate effect of a more perfectbalancing of the working parts and the removal of the reciprocating valves will be an increased longevity of the whole system, and therefore a large reduction in the whole expense of operating and keeping up the railroads.

To obviate the objections to which slidevalves have always been subject, and which have been known to me 'for some time, I have heretofore devised the forms of revolving elastic balanced valve shown inPatent No. 365,136, granted to me June 2l, 1887. These valves offer peculiar advantages for locomotives, and especially for compounding them in a simple and effective manner, lthough non elastic valves of the kind shown in patent to me, No. 365,135, may also be adapted to the same use withbeneiit.

In all the forms of the new locomotive illustrated Vby me herein I have placed the cylinders inside the frame as preferable to the outside location, for the following reasons: First, because the cylinders are thereby brought close to the central valve, and consequently the steam-passages are very short and much waste of steam is avoided; second, the cranks are so near the center of the track that the usual sidewise oscillations caused by them are much reduced, the wear and tear is lessened, and there is less liability of jumping the track, and, third, less surface is presented for atmospheric resistance and cooling-a very important consideration at high speeds.

IOO

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of my improved compound locomotive. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, also partly in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the revolving valve and its casing, taken upon the line 3 3 of Fig. l, which is a transverse section of the valve and its surrounding envelope. Fig. 5 is a section of the elongated skew-gear on the valve-stem. Fig. G is a detail of the crankshaft, partly in section. Fig. 7 shows the uni-` versal joint-plate for end of valve-stem.

In the engine shown at Figs. 1 and 2 there are four parallel cylinders-two hi gli-pressure and two low-pressure. The former a-re shown at A A and the latterat B B. These cylinders are nested together around the single rotary elastic balanced valve shown at C, which valve controls the steam for operating all the four cylinders. In this construction cylinders t\\\e1,1ty-two inches in diameter can be employed inside the frame on the ordinary four foot four and a half inch gage without crowding, owing to the small amount of machinery required as compared with the usual construction. The valve C receivesits supply of steam through the pipe I), the same being delivered at the annular space 2O in the middle of the valve.

I have spoken of the valve in the singular number; but it is in reality a multiple valve, embracing four heads, each having cheeks expansible under the steam-pressure, as in, my said patent. Thus a a represent the members or cheeks of one valve or head, b l) those of another, c c those of a third, and d cl those of a fourth. All these heads are united together, so as to rotate as a unit, and they substantially agree in construction with that disclosed in my patent, the cheeks being elastically held together. They have a common central chamber or passage C', are inclosed in the envelope E, and provided with a hollow spindle F at one end and a spindle G at the other end, connecting them to the actuating device for rotating them.

The steam admitted to the space 20 follows the direction of the arrows through head a and passages 21 2l to the high-pressure cylinders, forcing the pistons A thereof in the direction of the arrows in Fig. At the same time the exhaust from the other side of the piston takes place through passages 22 and head I) into the central bore C of the valve C, and thence following the arrows through head c and steam-passages 23 to the large expansioncylinders B, forcing the pistons B thereof in the direction indicated in said Fig. 3, being in the same direction as the pistons in cylinder A. The exhaust escapes from the other side of pistons B through passages 24 and the head (l into the space II, formed in the valvechamber cover, thence out by the annular passage 7L, ruiming around the valve-envelope, the blast-pipe J, and the smoke-stack.

The passages 21 and 22 are similar, each acting alternately as feed and exhaust passages, and the same is true of passages and 24. Duplicate spaces II are also formed in the other valve-chamber cover.

I do not deem it necessary to describe the valve-heads with great particularity, as their construction can, in the main, be gathered from my patent, No. 365,136; but it will be noticed that they are united in such relation to each other that the steam-ports of headsIa and c stand at right angles to the same ports of heads b and cl, and also that the exhaustports likewise stand at right angles to each other. The shells or frames of all the heads are cast in one piece 17. The clamp-bolts and springs whereby the cheeks are elastically united are shown at f and j", respectively, in Fig. 4.

The valve-envelope E is of peculiar construction. It is shown as provided with outside ribs 19, bot-h longitudinal and transverse, wliieli,wl1en the en velope is placed in the bore or chamber 1S, act as partitions to form steampassages exterior to the valve proper. Thus, as shown at Fig. 4, the passages 21, 22, 23, and 24 are all shown as lying between such ribs. The chamber 1S is bored out as a steam-cylinder is bored, and the valve-envelope is fitted therein by turning down the outer edges 0r faces of the ribs. This construction makes the cylinder-casting easier to mold, insures clean passages, and admits easy adjustment of the steam ports before the envelope driven to place. The envelope can also be replaced by a new one with little labor. The valve, in effect, is a steam-jacketed one, by reason of the construction of the envelope and the surrounding steam -passages My valves permit the cut-off to be made at any part of the stroke, and also permit the eifecting of preadmission or compression by adjusting the width of the port-openings. Such conditions, however important they may be in connection with the usual slide-valve, are not important in the case of revolving valves, because the motion of such valves is more perfect than the variable motion received by the slidevalves from eccentrics. By the revolving Valve the admission of steam to the cylinders is precisely in proportion to the ever-varying requirements of the cranks at every portion of a revolution, and therefore I prefer to adjust the ports of the valves of my new engine so that admission commences when the crank passes the dead-point, and so the cnt-ott occurs at three-quarters of the stroke;` also so the exhaust-ports shall be slightly open at the end of the stroke to allow water of condensation to escape. Slight changes of adj ustment of the valves can be made when the engine is in motion, as hereinafter stated, and what is commonly known as lost motion 7 in slide-valve gear (but what I prefer to call lost position in the case of the rotary valve, due to the wear of the skew-gear wheels) can be taken up by the reversing-lever while the IOO IIO

engine is running, and so secure the best position for smooth action.

Thevalve C revolves in stuffing-boxes at each end, whereby its weight is supported. The end of its spindle G is united to the valve-shaft L bya globe-joint g, in which one ofthe parts is provided with stubs z', provided with friction-rollers, insuring rotation by the spindle and valve with the shaft, whatever the position of the latter. The latter bears an elongated skew-gear M, and is actuated by a skew-gear N, mounted on thc. crank-shaft O and meshing with the gear M. The gear M has freedom to slide on its shaft L; but it is keyed to the shaft so it cannot rotate without turning the latter, (see the groove 2G, in which the key slides, and the key 26%) and consequently, if said gear'be moved in either direction, the partial revolution received by it in that way is communicated to the shaft, and through the latter to valve G. It will thus be seen that if this gear M is placed under control of the engineer he can, by sliding it one way or the other, change the lead of the valve and reverse the engine in a manner corresponding to the change and reversal effected by the links of the slide-valve gear. To thus bring the sliding gear into the control of the engineer, a suitable groove is formed in one end thereof, and a clip m is fitted therein, furnished with studs on each side, to which the connectinglevers 25 are jointed, the latter being also jointed to the pivoted lever 27, from which a connection 28 extends to the cab. Frictionroller 29, moving in slot 30, may be employed on the clip m to prevent its rotation with wheel M.

lVhen the wheel M is half-way over the center of the crank-axle, as shown, the engine stops, because the steam-pressure is equal on both sides of the pistons, and to start it is only necessary to move said wheel f to that side of the axle-center which will result in its rotation in the proper direction to throw the steam to that side of the pistons necessary to obtain the start desired. So, too, in reversing, the wheel M needs only to be shifted to change the lead of the ports. l/Vhere the cylinders are inside the frame, some such construction as that just described is probably..

preferable; but if the cylinders were outside, affording more room, the gear-wheel N might be made to slide instead of the wheel M.

To hold the skew-gears in proper mesh at all times and under all conditions of motion and vibration, the end of the shaft L is supported by brackets 3l, cast with or otherwise affixed to the axle-boxes of the drivin g-wheels, and a swivel-bar 32, journaled at its ends in said brackets, and with an opening 33 to receive the end of said shaft. The swivel-bar is provided with globular bearings at its ends to accommodate the unequal vertical vibrations of the axle-boxes on the springs.

The skew-gear IWI, which requires to be of some length, I prefer to make in sections 34,

as particularly illustrated at Fig. 5. These sections are easily molded and cast in steel, and, being put upon a steel sleeve 35 and secured by a long key at 36 and screwed together by the nut 37, they form a durable skew-gear capable of easy repair. f

I have shown at Fig.l 6 the construction of the drive-wheel axle. In this axle the matter oi' strengthis of importance, and I have devised a method of putting on the skew-gear N which enables the manufacture of the axle and cranks in asolid integral piece. end the axle is provided with a collar 3S between the cranks, and the skew teeth are formed upon a separate ring 39, such ring being of sufficient diameter to enable it to be slipped along the axle and around one of the cranks to said collar. To fasten it iii place, it needs only to be heated before being slipped upon the collar,when it will fix itself by shrinkage. This construction permits the renewal of the gear when worn, and when castin steel it is very durable and inexpensive.

The pistons of cylinders A and B at each side of the engine move together as one in the same direction, their rods being connected by a cross-head J, sliding on parallelbars j. The connecting rods or pitmen K are jointed to the cross-heads centrally between said bars, and are fitted to the cranks 40 of the drivingwheel axle in the usual way.

It will be noticed that I have provided a valved steam-pipe 42 at the front, connecting the boiler with the central chamber or passage C of valve C, from which chamber steam is admitted directly to the low-pressure cylinders, thus converting the latter temporarily into high-pressure cylinders. My purpose in this is to avail myself of the increased power thus afforded in starting the engine, more especially when a heavy train is attached. The valve 43, regulating this pipe, may be kept open for depot work, shunting, dzc., and only closed when the train is fairly started, and it is operable from the cab by the levers 44, 45, 46, and 47. The value of some such arrangement as this in compound engines will be obvious when it is reiiected that the small cylinders are not assisted by the large ones until a start has been made, because the latter are operated by exhaust-steam from the former, and that the former may .not be powerful enough for all occasions.

Although the mechanisms herein described are particularly adapted to locomotives, it is obvious that they may be applied to other engines and motors with like good effect.

In the drawings, P represents the frame of the locomotive wherever it appears.

I am aware that it is not new to combine a rotary valve with two or more high-pressure cylinders, and do not claim any such construction, broadly.

I am also aware that it has been usual to connect the low-pressure cylinders of compound engines directly with the boilers, so those cylinders can be operated with highpressure steam; but in all such cases the To this IOO IIO

high-pressure and low-pressure cylinders have been provided with separate valves instead of employing a single valve to control all the cylinders, whether they be used as a com pound engine or the low-pressure cylinders be converted into high-pressu re ones.

I claiml. The compound locomotive or other engine consisting of two high-pressure and two low-pressure cylinders arranged side by side and parallel with each other, the piston of each of the higlrpressure cylinders being connected by a cross-head with the piston of one of the low-pressure cylinders, so the two move together, and a rotary valve supplying steam to both ends of all said cylinders, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the two high and two low pressure cylinders, of the valve eonsisting of tour heads or sets of ports and having a supply chamber or passage 20 and a eentral bore, the two eentral heads reeeivin g steam at passage 20 and controlling the highpressure Cylinders, and the two end heads reeeiving exhaustfsteain from the high-p1 essure cylinders through the eentral bore and oontrolling the low-pressure cylinders, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the parallel high and low pressure cylinders of a Compound engine, of a rotary multiple valve having passages 2], 22, 23, and 24, a eentral bore, and a feed-passage 20, substantially as set forth.

The combination, with the cylinders of a compound engine, of a rotary multiple valve having passages 2l, 22, 23, and 24, a

eentral bore, a feed-passage 20, and a final discharge II, substantially as set forth.

5. The Combination, with the cylinders of a Compound engine, of a rotary multiple valve feeding and exhausting from both sides of the eyliiider-pistons, said valve having a eentral bore or Chamber into whieh the highpressure ports of thel valve exhaust and from which the low-pressure ports feed, substantially as set forth.

6. In a locomotive or other compound engine having a rotary valve for Controlling all the Cylinders, the eombin ation, with said val ve and the low-pressure cylinders, of a steamsupply duet connected to said valve and supplying said low-pressure cylinders with live steam when desired, substantially as specified.

7. In a locomotive or other Compound engine having a rotary valve Controlling the Cylinders and provided with a eentral chamber or bore, the Combination, with said valve and the low-pressure Cylinder or cylinders, ot' a steam-supply pipe admitting live steam to said eentral chamber of the valve when desired, substantially as set forth.

S. In a locomotive having a rotating valve driven from the axle, the Combination, with such valve, of the bar supporting the valveshat't, and the brackets supporting the bar, said bar having globular bearings in the brackets, substantially as speeied.

JOSEPH LENVIS.

YVitnesses:

II. M. MUNDAY, EDW. S. EvAR'rs.

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