US447671A

US447671A - eickershqff

Info

Publication number: US447671A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1908-03-03

Description

(No Model.)

J. H. EIOKERSHOPF. COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE.

N0. 447,671. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

JOHN H. EIOKERSl-IOFF, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRIUMPH COMPOUND ENGINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COMPOUND STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 447,671, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed October 3,1889. Serial No.325,896. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. EICKERSHOFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cin-. cinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Compound Steam-Engines,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to duplex or two-cylinder compound steam-engines, and maybe regarded as an improvementupon that for which Letters Patent No. 339,280 were issued to me April 6, 1886, its object being to produce in economical and compact form a compounding single-acting engine of two cylinders, in which the steam, after being utilized at boiler pressure against a given piston area, is further employed directly and without the intervention of a receiver against an increased piston area.

To this end my invention consists in the engine constructed and arranged as hereinafter more fully set forth, embodying, substantially, a crank-case; two steam-cylinders, each of two diameters in successive axial por-' tions, mounted thereon; duplex pistons for the cylinders, consisting of a piston-head for each larger or low-pressure cylinder extended as an axial plunger into the smaller or highpressure cylinder; a crank-shaft having drivin g-cranks set at opposite radii and contained in the crank-case; pitman connections between the plunger-pistons and the cranks, respectively, and two independent distribution-valvesto wit: one induction and one eduction valve-for both cylinders, moved by the shaft connections over suitable ports, and

having, in addition to their independent functions of governing the induction and final eduction of steam, a third function by their combined actionviz., that of governing the transfer or expansion from the smaller to the larger piston areas.

Mechanism embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-= Figure 1 is a vertical section of a preferred form of my invention through the common axial plane of the cylinders passing centrally through the valve-chests and valves, showing the crank-shaft connections and valve-moving mechanism in elevation; Figs. 2 and 3, detail plan views of the faces of the induction-valve and seat of the eduction-valve and seat.

The general type of engines to which my invention is applied, as illustrated herein, is that in which the cylinders are mounted vertically above and open into a crank-case through which the crank-shaft passes, horizontally journaled in the end walls and in which the cranks operate.

Constructive details are not material to my present invention, except as specifically de scribed.

The two cylinders A B, Fig. 1, are provided withintegral axial extensions A B of enlarged diameter, these extensions opening into the crank-case G below, to which they are bolted. Each cylinder, with its fittings, is a duplicate of the other, and is closed above by a suitable head and provided in its larger extcn- 7o sion with a piston C or D, extended by a closefitting trunk or hollow plunger C or D into the smaller extension. The cylinders and their axial extensions being truly bored from a common center alignment and the pistons and their extensions being truly turned in like manner, each piston, with its extension, forms a cross-head of extended longitudinal bearing for the pitman connection, which is pivoted within and coupled to the crank F in thecrank-case below. I provide one or more packing-rings upon each piston and also upon each extension, so that the pistons and their extensions may operate steam-tight in the cylinders and extensions, respectively. The crankshaft H extends through the case G, having a bearing in each end wall, and is preferably provided with a bearing H at the center between the cranks F. Between the two cylinders and occupying the space between their 0 high-pressure ends, and above the shoulders formed by their enlargements, are placed the steam-chests and valve-seats, consisting of a live-steam chest I near the top of the cylinders A B, having a flat circular bottom seat I and an exhaust-steam chest J, rising above the shoulders of the enlarged cylinders A B, having also a flat circular bottom seat J. The induction-valve seat 1 (shown in Fig. 2) has two sets of ports 1' 'i and a" i in concen- IOO trio series, each two opposite ports of a series being equidistant from and diametrically opposite the center. The outer ports riflead directly into the respective cvlinders A 13, while the inner ports 1' 1 lead by independent crossed passages on y downward outside of the exhaust-chamber .l into the enlarged cylinders A" 3'.

The induction-valve M contains at one side of the center, registering with the outer ports 17 of its seat, a steam-admission aperture in, passing entirely through and prolonged circumferentially to extend the flow of steam in proper relation to the stroke of the piston as the valve-rotates upon its seat. At the op posite side of the center is a cavity m at the under side of the valve, wide enough radially to bridge two radiallyadjacent ports t' and 1?, thereby placing the eylinderA or B in com- 111tl11l01tl0l1,b the passage 00 or y, as the case may be, with the relatively opposite cylinder A or 3.

The .eduction-valve seat J contains two openingsjj, diametrically opposite, entering the large cylinders A 3' directly, and the eduction-valve N contains but one opening 7s, which registers alternately with the portsjj, opening the large cylinders A B alternately to the exhaust-chamber J, whence the steam passes freely outward.

The valves M and N are carried upon a central spindle P, having bevel-gear connections with the main shaft H, as shown. The spindle 1 extends upward through a suitable aperture in the valve-chest casing and the seats, and is provided with suitable stufling-boxes and packings where required. I prefer to attach both valves to the spindle with a slotand-feather connection, permitting them a slight vertical play thereon without interfering with their rotation. The eduction-valve may also be held to its seat by a coiled spring 8, as shown.

The operation is as follows: Steam from the generator is admitted to the chamber 1, whence by the rotation of the valve M upon the seat I it is admitted alternately to the cylinders A and B. The valve having, for example, admitted steam to the cylinder A, the piston C is forced downward. The valve continuing its action, the same content of steam is at the conclusion of the downward stroke of piston C allowed to expand over through the bridge-cavity m of the valve M, through ports i t" and passage 9; into the cylinder B, and exert its force according to excess of areas upon the piston D, forcing it downward. The same action takes place from the opposite cylinder 13 to the cylinder A through the passage Thus each piston alternately is pressed downward by the direct action of live steam upon the closed end of its plunger-extension, and also by the expansive action of steam upon the annular area of its larger piston around the plunger from the adjacent high-pressure cylinder during the return-stroke of the opposite piston, upon which it has in the first instance acted directly. The motive force of the engine is thus exerted in alternate downward strokes upon the opposite cranks, the engine being thus single-acting.

Certain structural advantages are to be noted, viz: The valve-chests, seats, and ports are conveniently arranged between the two smaller cylinders, where not only is space economized and the entire cylinder structure brought conveniently within the limits of a single casting, but where also the steam valve and ports are adjacent to the induction-ports of the cylinder, thereby avoiding loss in connectingpassages, and where also the expansion-passages are throughout adjacent to the high-press u re cylinders, thus conserving heat and consequent power. Likewise the exhaust-valve being immediately adjacent to the final exhaust-port, there is no loss in passages in expanding.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a compound engine, the combination of a crank-case, a main shaft journaled in and through the same having oppositely-set cranks, two single-acting steam-cylinders, each of two different diameters, mounted upon and opening into the crank-case attheir larger ends, a hollow trunk piston fitting conformably in each cylinder, pitmen pivoted within the pistons and coupling thence directly to the crank-wrists, one distribution-valve governing the initial induction of steam to the smaller or high-pressure ends and its expansion over to the larger or low-pressure ends of the cylinders, and one eduction-valve governing the final eduction of steam from the larger or low-pressure ends of the cylinders, substantially as set forth.

2. In a compound engine, the combination of a crank-case, a main shaft journaled in and through the same, having oppositely-set cranks, two single-acting steam-cylinders, each of two different diameters, mounted upon and opening into the crank-ease at their larger ends, a hollow trunk-piston fitting conformably in each cylinder, pitmen pivoted within the pistons and coupling thence directly to the crank-wrists, one distribution-valve governing the initial induction of steam to the smaller or high-pressure ends and its expansion over to the larger or 1ow-pressure ends of the cylinders, one eduction-valve govern ing the final cduction of steam from the larger or low-pressure ends of the cylinders, and a single driving connection operating both valves simultaneously from the main shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In a compound engine, the combination of a crank-case, a main shaft journaled in and through the same, having oppositely-set cranks, two single acting steam cylinders, each of two different diameters, mounted upon an d openinginto the crank-case at their larger ends, a hollow trunk-piston fitting conformably in each cylinder, pitmen pivoted Within the pistons and coupling thence directly to the crank-wrists, an d two rotating disk-valves controlling the distribution of steam to, between, and from all' the cylinders, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a compound engine of the character described, of the crank-case, the two differential cylinders vertically mounted thereon side by side at their larger ends, valve-chambers arranged in vertical succession wholly above the corresponding shoulders of the larger cylinders and having horizontal seats, two rotary disk-valves controlling the ports of said seats, and a vertical shaft having rotating connections with the main shaft, passing centrally through said valve chests and seats, and coupled to both valves, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a two-cylinder engine of the character described, of the two parallel cylinders, each of differential diameters, placed side by side, the steam-chests and valt e-seats placed above the shoulders of the larger cylinders and occupying the space otfset by the reduced diameter of the high-press- -ure extensions, and a vertical shaft passing centrally through said steam-chests and carrying the rotary valves for controlling the steam induction and eduction, said shaft rotated by suitable connections with the crankshaft, substantially as described.

6. In a compound two-cylinder engine of the character described,in combination with the two cylinders, each of differential diameters, placed side by side, of the inductionvalve seat arranged t-rans\ 'ersely to the axis of the cylinders immediately at the inductionports of the high-pressure cylinders, and the eduction-valve seat arranged in like relation to the eduction-ports and formed by and upon the shoulders of the expansion-cylinders, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a two-cylinder engine of the character described, of the two parallel cylinders, each of differential diameters, placed side by side, the exhaust-chamber placed between said smaller cylinders with the valve-seat at the bottom formed by the shoulders of the cylinders and connecting the same, the induction-chamber and Valve-seat arranged above the exhaust-chamber in the said space adjacent to the inlet-ports of the cylinders, passages leading from the induction-valve seat around the exhaust-chamber to the larger cylinders, and induction and eduction valves, and d riving connections, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence "of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. EICKERSHOFF.

\Vitnesses:

L. M. HosEA, ELLA HOSEA.