US463198A - Electric stop mechanism - Google Patents

Description

(No Modl.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

L. MELLETT. ELECTRIC STOP MECHANISM.

No. 463,198. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

3 Sheets8heet 2. L. MELL'ETT.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. MELLET T. ELECTRIC STOP MEGHANISM. No. 468,198. Patented Nov. 17,1891

Wm- ESEEE. I E T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL MELLETT, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC STOP MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,198, dated November 17, 1891.

Application filed March 21 1890. Serial No. 344,789. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEMUEL MELLETT, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in EngineStopping Apparatus, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of apparatus employed to effect, electrically and instantaneously, the shutting off of the steam from an engine by means of levers, press-buttons, or like devices located in remote parts of the works and connecting-wires completing an electric circuit and leading thence to the engine in order to stop its action immediately when required.

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon that setforth in my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed January 22, 1889, Serial No. 297,146, in respect to the combination of devices employed in shutting off the steam, and also as to a means for starting and stopping the engine repeatedly Without disturbing the electrical cut-01f apparatus, which is at all times ready for operation, though actually needed but rarely. r

My invention also provides a mechanical, electrical, or steam-actuated brake applied by the same means to the fly-wheel simultaneously with the shutting off of the steam from the cylinder. duces by more than one-half the time heretofore required to actually stop all movement of the engine, shafting, and machinery, and thus tends in a marked degree to the saving of life'and limb in case of accident. It is obvious that this simultaneous action of the cutoff and the brake, effected from a remote point through the connecting-wires, is-11ot dependent upon the specific form of apparatus employed for either purpose. Hence I do not limit mygeneral claim to the particular de- Vicesherein shown and described.

The drawings represent suitable apparatus for the most speedy stopping of the engine under both branches of mypresent invention, and illustrate the simultaneous action of the brake and steam cut-oft devices.

Figure 1 shows in elevation and partial sec= tion an enlarged releasing device with the This latter improvement re-- two positions of the parts indicated in full and dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing one form of brake apparatus. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the same, and Fig. 4 a general View of an engine furnished with my apparatus for cutting off the steam and applying the brake. Fig. 5 is a detail. Fig. 6 illustrates the actuation of the cut-01f direct from the governor.

According to my present invention, a weight is released and caused to cut off the steam and to apply a brake to the face of the flywheel whenever the electrical circuit is completed by touching a press-button in any part of building.

A represents a suitable case located in any convenient part of the engine-room and inclosing the weight-releasing mechanism.

B B are magnets, C the vibrating armature, and D D the conducting-wires connecting with the battery and extending through the building and furnished at intervals with push-buttons E or thg like, whereby the electric circuit may be instantaneously closed when required.

F represents a horizontal lever pivoted at f and having a limited movement controlled by aguide and stop Gr. An adjustable weight H maybe applied to this lever-,if desired. At or near its pivoted end the lever has a rigid upright arm F, to which is pivoted a latch I, arranged to engage beneath a collar or projection K on a vertically-movable hollow stem L, through which passes the cord M. The stem L is prolonged downwardly below the case A and furnished with a loading or weight N, formed, preferably, of a series of rings slipped one below another on said stem until the desired amount of weight is obtained, the several sections or rings being supported and connect-ed to said stem by means of the annular nut O, screwed thereon. Thus the weight N and the stem L, with its collar K and nut O, are upheld by the engagement of the latch I under said collar. Suitable guides are furnished forv the vertical movement of said parts.

Fig. 1 represents in section a tube 1?, in which the upper end of the stem L moves, with a slot through which the latch I reaches to support the collar K. The stem is also guided at a lower point by the walls of the opening, where it passes through the bottom of the case A, and the body of the weight N has a tubular guide Q.

R represents a pivoted and spring-pressed brake, the shoe of which is arranged to bear against the face of the fly-wheel when required to check and speedily stop its rotation.

The brake is held at a short distance from the face of the wheel by means of a latch S, pivoted to the rigid upright arm of a tripping-lever T, upon the outer end of which the weight N strikes to Withdraw the latch S, when such weight is dropped by withdrawal of the other latch I from position beneath the collar K. The free end of the lever F has a delicate support readily tripped by a single vibration of the armature O, as will be seen from Fig. 1. The armature is attracted to the magnets B when the circuit is closed, and this depresses the long arm of a lever U, pivoted at u, and held up, as shown, by a spring V, against the tip of an adj Listing-screw o. The opposite end of the lever U engages detachably with an angular catch W, pivoted at the junction of its arms and furnished with a terminal mouth 10, which receives a stud or pin projecting laterally from the end of the lever F. When the armature is depressed, it releases the lever F by causing the lever U to be disengaged from the catch W, which turns on its pivot, and the parts assume the position indicated by dotted lines, thus dropping the weight N and operating the brake and the steam-cut-oif devices. The cord or wire M, which passes through the hollow stem L, by which the weight N is suspended, runs from the case A over a grooved wheel m and down to the throttle-valve or steam-cut-off valve of the engine, about as indicated in'Fig. 4:. For convenient application to these outoffs without altering the engine, I provide a pulley X, splitin halves, adapted to be brought together laterally and secured rigidly upon the stem of the throttle-valve. The cord M is passed several times around this pulley, and when the weight N is dropped electrically, as herein described, the pull upon the cord M revolves the pulley X and closes the throttlevalve, to the stem of which said pulley is fixed. I sometimes connect the end of the cord M to a lever normally controlled by the governor and actuating a steam cut-off, as in Fig. 6, such lever in the case of accident being actuated by said cord and the weight and releasing mechanism described.

The ordinary stopping and starting of the engine need not disturb my attachments at all, they being held in reserve and always ready 'in an emergency. The cord M, which passes around the pulley X on the throttlevalve stem, has at its opposite end a small Weight Y, sufiicient simply to keep said cord drawn fairly taut. When the engineer opens or closes said valve, the cord, drawn by the small weight Y, runs freely through the hollow stem L of the main weight N without tripping the lever F and latch I, which support weight, and Without striking the lever T or latch S, which controls the brake. A liftingline Z is connected to lever F for the purpose of conveniently restoring it to position afterit has been tripped and without opening the case A. The tip of the angular catch W is beveled somewhat, to readily pass under the raised beak of the releasing-lever U.

I claim as my invention' 1. In an engine-stopping apparatus, the combination of a brake for the fiy-wheel and a cut-off for the steam-supply, with means for actuating both devices simultaneously from a remote point through an electric circuit, sub stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an engine-stopping apparatus, the lever F F and tripping devices actuated by closing the electric circuit, in combination with abrake for the fly-wheel, a Weight N, having a hollow stem normally supported by said lever, a cord or wire M, passing freely through I said weight and stem, connected at one end with the engine-valve and furnished at its opposite end wit-h a light Weight Y, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 11th day of March, A. D. 1890.

LEMUEL MELLETT.

IVitnesses:

A. II. SPENCER, JAMES P. PRINCE.

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