US533159A

US533159A - Steam-engine

Info

Publication number: US533159A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1912-01-29

Description

QNo Model.) V. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' M. C. BULLOCK.

STEAM ENGINE.

190.553,159. Patented JmL 29, 1895.

LIU

K om 0 LM LN UE DDM .M CT IS M {No Model.)

Patented Jan. 29, 1895.

flu/@M1074 7am* fil-fwn@ J MILAN o. BULLocK,or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 533,159, dated January 29, 1895. Application tiled November 20,1893. Serial No. 491,472. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, MILAN C. BULLOOK, ct' Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Enginesg and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

the same embracing vertically arranged single` acting cylinders and receivers between the same supported on a common base, two piston rods extending through the several cylinders and receivers and carrying the pistons which operate within the cylinders, and a single crank shaft provided with two cranks on which the piston rods severally act, the pistons being movedin one direction only by the steam pressure within the cylinders, as in other single acting engines, and the return stroke of each piston rod being accomplished by the action of the crank shaft. The features of construction constituting my invention may, however, be applied to single as well as multiple expansion engines and to engines having more than two sets of cylinders.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a triple expansion engine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken axially through both cylinders. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken through both cylinders on the lines 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a similar sectional plan view taken on the lines 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section of the upper cylinder of the engine. Fig. 6 is a detailplan section of the uppermost piston, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail section ot' the exhaust valve ring shown in Fig. 6. Fig. S is a detail section of the plate which covers the exhaust valve ring. Fig. 9 is a detail section through the upper end of the piston rod, taken on line 9"-9 of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a detail side elevation ot' the connections between the valve actuating rod and parts within the steam chest. Fig. 11 is a similar view of the parts within one of the receivers. Fig. 12 is a side view ofthe sleeve by which the exhaust valve rod is operated. Fig. 13 is a section of the same taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12. Fig. 14E is a side view ot' the upper end of the valve-rod. Fig. 15 is a plan section thereof taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a detail section of the connections for operating the valves, taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 2.

As shown in said drawings, A indicates a hollow casting forming the baseof the engine and upon which the several cylinders and certain of the operative parts are mounted. Within the said base casting at the lower part thereof is mounted ahorizontal crank shaft B having two cranks B B.

C C indicate two upright cylinders afixed to the top of the base casting A and provided below their upperends with integral partitions or diaphragms C C which constitute the heads of the cylinders proper. Said cylinders C C are open at their lower ends and communicate with the interior of the hollow base casting A, which latter is provided with openings in its top while preferably somewhat larger than the interior diameter of the cylinders C C, through which openings said cylinders communicate with the interior of the base casting. Said base casting is provided below its top wall with a horizontal partition or diaphragm A which forms with the upper part or' said base casting a receiver or exhaust passage for steam escaping from the cylinders C C, said receiver being provided with an exit pipe A2 through which exhaust steam is discharged from the engine. Said cylinders C C in their parts below the horizontal partitions or diaphragms O C thereof constitute the low pressure cylinders of the engine.

D VD are other cylinders which are smaller in diameter than the cylinders C C and are affixed to the upper ends of the latter. Said cylinders D D are provided below their upper ends with horizontal partitions or diaphragims D D forming the cylinder heads. The parts of said cylinders below the said diaphragme IOO form the intermediate cylinders ofthe engine. Said cylinders D D are open at their lower ends and communicate with the upper parts of the cylinders C C.

E E indicate a third pair of cylinders, smaller in diameter than the cylinders D D and attached to the upper ends of the latter. Said cylinders E E are provided below their upper ends with horizontal partitions or diaphragms E E constituting the heads of said cylinders. The cylinders'E E are open at their lower ends and communicate with the upper ends of the cylinders D D, the parts of said cylinders E E below the diaphragms constituting the high pressure cylinders of the engine.

The upper ends of the high pressure cylinders E E are closed by means of castings or heads F F which form, with the upper parts of said cylinders above the diaphragms E E thereof, steam chestsor chambers FF. Steam is supplied to said steam chests by means of a horizontal steam supply pipe F2 which communicates with a horizontal pipe F3 connecting the castings F F with each other.

The parts of the cylinders D D above the diaphragms D D constitute steam chambers or receivers between the high pressure and intermediate cylinders, while the parts of the cylinders C C above the diaphragms C C thereof similarly constitute steam chambers or receivers between the intermediate and low pressure cylinders.

Within the several cylinders C, D and E are located pistons C2 D2 E2 which are secured to piston rods G G passing through the several cylinder heads or diaphragms, which latter are provided with glands or packings c d e to make tight joints around the piston rods. The said piston rods are herein shown as made in several separate parts or sections G G2 G3 G4 of which the lowermost and uppermost parts, G and G4, are attached to the lower and upper pistons, while the intermediate parts G2 and G3 connect the pistons with cach other. The said piston rods are made hollow or tubular and within the same are located valve rods H H which are adapted to turn within the piston rods and which serve to actuate the exhaust valves on the several pistons. Steam is supplied to the several cylinders from the steam chest and receivers through steam admission valves in the several cylinder heads or diaphragms C D E so that steam passes to the upper ends of the several cylinders directly through the cylinder heads.

Within the base casting A are two upright air cylinders l I arranged in alignment with the steam cylinders. lVithin said air cylinders are located pistons J J to which the lower sections G G of the piston rods are attached. Said air cylinders are open at their lower and closed at their upper ends, the piston rods passing through packing boxes or glandsc'z' in the closed upper end walls l I of said air cylinders. Each of the pistons J J is connected with the adjacent crank B of the shaft by a connecting rod J engaged, at its upper end with a transverse bearing pin j secured in the piston J. The air cylinders and pistons thus constructed serve to guide the lower end of the piston rod and also to retard the movement of the piston rods and connected parts during their up stroke for maintaining the connecting rods and crank-pin bearings in compression at all times during the operation of the engine. The air cylinders I I are provided with air inlet openings i2 2 to afford access of air to the cylinders at each down stroke of the pistons.

The pistons of the several cylinders are actuated by steam acting in the upper ends of the cylinders only while the exhaust steam from each cylinder in the upward stroke of the piston therein passes from the upper end of the cylinder through the exhaust valves in the piston to the steam space or receiver in the upper part of the larger cylinder below it. Each cylinder being in communication at its lowerend with the upper compartment of the adjacent larger cylinder, exhaust steam entering the upper parts of the cylinders C and D in the upward stroke of the several pistons will be free to enter the lower parts of the cylinders D and E so that the upper chambers of the cylinders C and D, together with the lower parts of the cylinders D and E below the pistons in the latter, in effect constitute the receivers between the cylinders.

The several steam inlet ports and valves as well as the exhaust ports and valves being alike in the several cylinders a description of the valve mechanism for one cylinderwill serve for all, and the valve ports and parts of the valve mechanism of all the cylinders, are for convenience lettered inthe same manner in the drawings.

Referring rst to the steam admission valves of the engine, the diaphragm or partition forming the head of cach cylinder is provided with an annular valve seat K which surrounds the gland or packing box therein and in which is formed a series of ports or openings 7c 7c la IOO IIC

which extend through said diaphragm or par- Y tition into the cylinder below it and are arranged at equal distances apart around the cylinder head. On the said valve seat K rests a valve ring L which is provided with a plurality of ports Z Z corresponding in number and angular arrangement with the ports 7c 7c 7c of the cylinder head. Sai'd annular valve ring preferably lits at its inner and outer margins against cylindric bearing surfaces ck2formed at the inner and outer margins of the valve seat K to more effectively prevent the escape of steam past the margins of the valve ring while enabling the same to rise in case of eX- cessive back pressure produced by water in the cylinder or otherwise.

Devices are herein shown by means of which oscillatory motion is communicated to the several valve rings from a reciprocating part exterior to the cylinder, as follows: The valve ring L is provided at its inner margin with an upwardly extending cylindric flange Ll of the rod M slides in a guide aperture m in the cylinder wall while the opposite end of the rod is attached to a piston m which slides in a horizontal cylinder M which is formed on or attached to the exterior wall of the cylinder and opens at its inner end into the receiver or exhaust steam space. The piston m is adapted to slide within the cylinder M Vso as to permit endwise recprocatory motion of the rod M and said piston is provided with a suitable packing to prevent the escape of steam past the piston. The purpose of said piston is to secure endwise movement of the valve rod M in one direction by pressure of steam on its inner end or surface, the movement of the rod in the opposite direction being produced by the valve-actuating devices, as hereinafter described. The rod M is connected with the valve ring L by means of a link m2 which is pivoted at its opposite ends to the rod and to an arm Z2 on the flange L.

As herein shown, the valve rods M M of the opposite cylinders of the engine, or those which are side by side, are arranged in alignment with each other and connected at their adjacent ends by means of a rod M2 forming in effect an extension of the rod M. The end of the rod M nearest the exterior valve-actuating devices is extended through the head of the cylinder M', in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. Means illustrated for actuating the rods M will be hereinafter described in connection with the parts employed to operate the exhaust valves.

As hereinbefore stated, the exhaust steam fromthe upper ends of the cylinder escapes therefrom through exhaust valves carried by the pistons themselves, which are closed except when opened for the passage of exhauststeam. Exhaust ports or passages, indicated by 'n n in the drawings, are arranged in an annular valve seat N at equal distances apart around the piston, said ports being separated from each other by spaces somewhat greater in length circumferentially than the ports themselves.

O is an annular valve plate or ring which rests on the valve seat N and is provided with apertures 0 o corresponding in angular distance apart with the apertures 'n n. The pistonsand exhaustvalve plates areherein shown as provided with ports corresponding in number with those of the similar steam admission valve on the cylinder head so that both steam inlet and exhaust valves will have the same extent of oscillatory movement. Means for connecting the said valve plate O with the valve rod or stem H within the hollow piston rod are herein shown as follows: Attached to the said valve stem where it passes through the piston and at a point opposite the valve plate is a ring or'collar H which is provided with radial arms hh, which latter extend outwardly through suitable horizontal slots or openings formed in the body of the piston and engaged at their outer ends with apertures 02 02 which are formed in a downwardly extending flange o on the inner marginof the Valve plate.

Inasmuch as the valve rod or stem H is located within and moves longitudinally with the piston rod, devices for turning or giving oscillatory movement to said valve rod must obviously be connected with the same by means of a part adapted to permit free endwise reciprocation of the' said valve rod with the piston rod while maintaining constantly such engagement as is necessary for turning or giving oscillatory movement to said valve rod. The devices herein shown as employed f for this purpose are located within the steam chest at the top of the engine and are adapted to engage with the upper end of the valve rod which extends past the uppermost piston into the part of the hollow piston rod above the same. For giving oscillatory motion to the valve stem I employ a sleeve or tube P which is adapted to enter within the upper end of the hollow piston rod and has vertically sliding but non-rotative connection with the valve rod H, said tube being mounted to freely oscillate but being restrained from endwise movement, thereby affording a means of communicating constant oscillatory movement to the valve rod notwithstanding the up-anddown or reciprocatory movement of said valve rod with the piston rod. Said tubeP is shown as fitting closely within the upper end of the tubular piston rod and as filling the space between the same and the valve rod, which at this point is made smaller in diameter than the bore of the piston rod, this construction being used for compactness of construction and in order to preserve the same external diameter throughout the entire length of the piston rod.

For securing sliding engagement of the tube P with the valve rod said tube is provided with interior longitudinal grooves p which are engaged by correspondingly shaped longitudinal ribs 71.2 on` the valve rod (Figs. i) and l2 to l5). Said tube P is preferably supported or held from endwise movement by being hung by a pivotal bearing at its upper end from the top wall of the steam chest. A pivotal support of the said tube is herein shown as formed by a pivot bolt Q which is secured in the top wall or head of the steam chest and passes through a central bearing aperture in the closed upper end of said tube, said bolt having a nut or shoulder q at its lower end to support the sleeve. Anti-friction bearing rings q g' are shown as placed between the nut or head q and the tube to lessen friction in the turning of the latter.

An anti-friction bearing is also shown as provided between the top wall of the steam chest IOO 4 scarsa and the bearing end of the tube P, 'the same consisting of two rings q2 q2 and anti-friction rollers Q3, such anti-friction bearing obviously taking the upward thrust which may be produced during the up-stroke of the piston by friction al engagement of the tube'P with the valve stem. A similar antifriction roller bearing may be employed to take the downward thrust and weight of the tube P in place of the plates or washers shown in the drawings. To avoid possibility of escape of steam around the bolt Q, which is shown as passing through the wall of the steam chest, a screwcap Q may be applied over the end of the bolt, as clearly shown in the drawings, Fig. 6.

To now describe the devices shown in the drawings fortransmitting motion from the exterior of the steam chest to the tube P by which oscillatory motion is given to the exhaust valves in the pistons, these parts are constructed as' follows; R is a horizontal rod which passes through both steam chests and the connecting pipe between them at one side of the oscillating tube referred to and which is supported at its ends in the walls of the steam chest. One end of the rod is supported in a guide aperture r while the opposite end is provided with a piston o" sliding in a small cylinder R which is attached to or formed on the wallof the steam chest and opens at its inner end into the said steam chest. The purpose of said cylinder R and piston fr is to move the rod Rin one direction, the rod being moved in the opposite direction by the valveactuating devices hereinbefore described. For transmitting oscillatory motion to the tubes P from said rod R the tubes are provided with radial arms p 19 and the outer ends of said arms are connected with the rod by links or short connecting rods r2 r2 pivoted to the arms and to the rod, in the manner illustrated. The said rod M is extended at its ends nearest the valve-actuating devices through the wall of the steam chest, in the manner illustrated. f

As a means of giving motion to the actuating rods M- of the several steam admission valves, devices are provided as follows-z A rock shaft S is arranged vertically at one side of the engine, the same being mounted in brackets attached to the engine base and cylinders. Said rock shaft is provided with rigid arms ses which are connected with the ends of the several rods M M M which extend outside of the cylinders by means of pivoted connecting rods s s s. A second vertical rock shaft S is provided for actuating the exhaust valves, said second rock shaft being conveniently located within the rock shaft S which is made of tubular form to receive it. The said rock shaft S is provided at its upper end with a rigid `arm s2 which is connected with the end of the valve rod R which extends outside ofthe adjacent steam chest by means of a pivoted connecting rod or link s3.

For transmitting motion from the main crank shaft B to the rock shafts S and S two oblique disks or face cams T and T are mounted on the said crank shaft outside of the base of the machine, the cam T being employed to actuate the rock shaft S and through it the steam admission valves, while the cam T operates the exhaust valves through the medium of the rock shaft S". Said cam plate T is adapted to turn on the crank shaft and is controlled by an automatic governing device so that it forms part of an automatic cutoff mechanism for controlling the steam admission valves. The cam plate T, on the contrary, is affixed to and turns with the shaft, the same being used to actuate the exhaust valves only. For transmitting motion from the cams T and T to the said shaftsSand S' intermediate parts are employed embracing two rock shafts U U, one of which, U, is tubular and is mounted on a bracket attached to the base casting of the engine, while the other, U', is mounted and turns within said tubular shaft U. Said rock shafts U and U are arranged vertically, and attached to the upper end of the shaft U is a rigid arm u which is connected by means of a connecting rod u with a rigid arm 35 on the rock shaft S. Similarly on the upper end of the rock shaft U is secured a rigid arm u2 which is connected by a connecting rod with the rigid arm S5 on the rock shaft S. Attached to the lower end of the rock shaft U is a rigid arm "w3 the free end of which rests on or bears against the face cam T, which latter thereby transmits motion through said rock shafts U and S to the several steam admission valves. Similarly the rock shaft U bears at its lower end a rigid arm a4 which engages the cam T so that the latter transmits motion through said rock s'haftsU and S to the exhaust valves.

The face cams T and T constructed as described are obviously adapted to move the valves in one direction only and motion of the valves in the opposite direction is secured by means of the pistons m and r on the rods M and R which have been hereinbefore described, pressure of steam on the said pistons obviously maintaining the arms us and a4 constantly in contact with the cam surfaces of said cams.

The cam T which, as before described, is adapted to be turned or partially rotated on the shaft, is controlled in its movements and its position is determined by means of a governing device, herein shown as having the form of a fly-wheel governor, applied to the fly-wheel 0r belt pulley B2 of the engine. Said cam T is attached to or formed on a sleeve T2 which is mounted on the shaft B adjacent to the pulley B2 and is provided with a rigidly attached radial arm t. Pivotally mounted on one side ofthe pulley B2 isa lever V which carries at one end a weight V and is connected at its opposite end by means of a rod fu with the arm t of the cam sleeve. A spring V2 att-ached to the wheel rim is connected with the weighted end of the lever V by means of a strap or cord o and thereby holds the weight normally at the inward limit of its movement, the parts being so adjusted that when the weight isdrawn inwardly by the spring the cam will be shifted so as to move the Valves into a position to give a maximum admission of steam to the cylinders. As the speed of the engine increases the centrifugal action of the Weight will move the lever V in opposition to the action of the spring and said lever, by pressing on the arm t, will turn the cam and thereby change its relation to the shaft so as to cutoff the steam supply at such point in the stroke as is determined by the speed of the engine.

The valve actuating device illustrated is only one of a number of devices which may be used for this purpose in connection with the features of construction shown in the main working parts of the engine, such device being herein illustrated merely as one convenient and practical way of giving motion to the valves.

In the operation of the engine illustrated it is obvious that the several steam admission and exhaust valves of the three connected cylinders C, D and E will be moved at the same time to admit steam to the several cylinders and to permit the escape of steam therefrom to the receivers. It follows that when steam at boiler pressure is acting on the high pressure cylinder steam previously exhausted from the high pressure and intermediate cylinders will be acting on the pistons of the intermediate and low pressure cylinders. Similarly when exhaust steam is escaping from the high pressure cylinder to the receiver below it steam will be similarly escaping from the intermediate and low pressure cylinders to the receiver and the exhaust passages in the base of the engine. Inasmuch as the steam inlet ports lead directly through the cylinder heads or partitions and the exhaust ports lead directly through the pistons, steam will pass from the steam chest and receivers to the adjacent cylinders and from the cylinders to the receivers by the shortest possible paths and without passing through any extended or restricted steam passages. It will also be noted that both the steam inlet and exhaust ports may, by the construction described, be made of ample size to give the utmost freedom 'of delivery and thus prevent possibility of Wire drawing of the steam as it enters the cylinders or of back pressure in the cylinders when the steam is being exhausted therefrom during the back stroke of the pistons. Furthermore, the steam passes from the steam chests and receivers to the cylinders Without coming into contact with steam passages through which exhaust steam has previously passed, so that loss by condensation from the cause mentioned is greatly lessened.

The construction described has, on the whole, the important advantage that the steam passes by a direct path or in a straight line from the top to the bottom of the engine, or, in other words, from the steam chest to the exhaust of the low pressure cylinder Without passing through any narrow or tortuous passages or suffering any deflection from its direct course. The steam, furthermore,takes the shortest possible path `and passes in all cases through passages of a minimum length because the distance traversed in passing from the steam chest or receiver to the cylinders and from the cylinders to the receiver is only equal to the thickness of the diaphragme or partitions separating the several compartments.

The advantages derived by the construction illustrated will be better understood by cons'ideration of the fact that the steam in passing through the several cylinders and :receivers is bodily moved only at the time it enters the several cylinders, itbeing obvious that during the up-stroke of the pistons transference of steam from the cylinders to the receivers is actually accomplished notby movement of the steam but by the rising of the open or apertured pistons through the steam in the cylinders; the steam which was above the pistons at the beginning of the up-strolie being below the same at the termination thereof. The steam is thus retained in a prac- Itically solid body during its passage through the engine so that not only is loss of pressure by Wire drawing and friction largely prevented but the cooling and condensation of the steam which must necessarily result from its passage through small and tortuous passages is largely avoided.

It Will be noted that the several steam admission valves in the engine illustrated are controlled by a single automatic governing device, said engine in this respect being similar to that shown and described in the prior application forpatent, Serial No. 488,557, filed in the United States Patent Office October 1S,

The main features of construction herein described may obviously be applied to a simple as well as a compound steam engine, but inasmuch as the construction illustrated forms an important improvement in multiple expansion engines and has its principal advantage when applied to such engines, it is herein claimed also in connection with such multiple expansion engines'.

I claim as my invention* l. The combination, with a single acting cylinder, and an adjacentisteam chest or receiver separated from the cylinder by a cylinder head or diaphragm provided with ports affording direct communication between the receiver and the cylinder, of a valve controlling said ports, a piston in the cylinder provided with ports extending directly through the piston, and a valve on the piston controlling said ports, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with high and low pressure cylinders and an intermediate receiver in open communication with the high pressure cylinder and separated from the low pressure cylinder by a cylinder head or dia- IOO IIO

phragm provided with a steam admission valve, of pistons in the cylinders provided with exhaust valves, and a piston rod to which both pistons are attached, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a cylinder and an adjacent steam chest or receiver separated from the cylinder by a cylinder head or diaphragm provided With a steam admission valve, a piston in the cylinder provided with an exhaust valve, a piston rod attached to the piston, a valve rod for actuating the exhaust Valve extending through and adapted to turn in the piston rod, and means for actuating said valve rod comprising a part having longitudinally sliding but nonrotating connection with the said valve rod, substantially as described.

4. The combination With a cylinder and an adjacent steam chest or receiver separated from the cylinder by a cylinder head or diaphragm provided with a steam admission valve, a piston in the cylinder provided with an exhaust valve, a piston rod attached to the piston, means operated from the crank shaft of the engine and connected with the steam admission valve for actuating the same, and means also operated by the crank shaft of the engine and extending through the piston rod for actuating said exhaust valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a cylinder and an adjacent steam chest or receiver separated from the cylinder by a cylinder head or diaphragm provided with a steam admission valve, a piston in the cylinder provided with an exhaust valve, a piston rod attached t0 the piston, means operated from the crank shaft of the engine and connected with the steam admission valve foractuating the same, and means also operated by the crank shaft of the engine and extending through the piston rod for actuating the exhaust valve, said means for actuating the steam admission valve embracing an automatic governing device, substantially as described.

G. The combination With high and lowr pressure cylinders and an intermediate receiver separated from the low pressure cylinder by a partition or diaphragm provided With a steam admission valve, ot' pistons in said cylinders provided with exhaust valves, a piston rod carrying said pistons, said piston rod extending through the said partition or diaphragm, means for' actuating said steam admission valves and means extending through the piston rod for actuating said exhaust valves, substantially as described.

7. The combination with high and low pressure cylinders, and asteam chest and intermediate receiver separated from the high and low pressure cylinders by partitions or diaphragms provided with steam admission valves, of pistons in said cylinders provided With exhaust valves, a piston rod carrying said pistons and extending through both of said partitions or diaphragms, means for actuating said steam admission valves, and means for actuating the exhaust valves, embracing a valve rod extendingl through the piston rod, and a part having longitudinally sliding but non-rotative connection with the said valverod, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a cylinder and an adjacent steam chest or receiver separated from the cylinder by a cylinder head or diaphragm provided with an nnlarly arranged steam inlet ports, a piston in the cylinder provided With a plurality of annularly arranged exhaust ports, annular valves operating in connection With said steam inlet and exhaust ports, and means for actuating said exhaust valves, embracing a valve rod extending through and adapted to turn in the pis ton-rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aliix my signature in presence of tWo witnesses.

MILAN C. BULLOCK.

Vitnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, TAYLOR E. BROWN.