US576433A - Steam-engine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

I 3 Sheets-Shpet 1. H. L. DIOKSON.

STEAM ENGINE. v

Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

WITNESSES. I i E m/ VEA/TOR ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) a SheetsSh eet 2.

H. L. DIGKSON.

STEAM ENGINE.

. Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

ATTORNEY.

3 sheets- -sheet 3;

.N O S K 0 T D L H STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

' W/T/VESSES: 7

X2. JAW'MQQ/ I ATTORNEY.

UNrrn STATES PATENT @rricn.

HENRY L. DIOKSON, OF GREENVILLE, TEXAS.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,433, dated February 2, 1897.

Application filed July 14, 1896, Serial No. 599,100. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. DIOKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Hunt and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of'the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates particularly to valveoperating devices, the general object being to provide improved means whereby steam is used economically under. varying conditions of speed and load. To this end steam is cut off in the earlier or later part of the stroke, according to the conditionsof the work, the regulation being by means of a governor, by the engineer, or by both.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partial side elevation, partly in section, through the axis of the steam-cylinder of a stationary engine, showing my novel devices in operative position. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the rear side of the cylinder, showing the valve-operating devices located thereon. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the devices adapted to locomotive construction. Fig. 5 shows in plan certain links and connected devices shown in plan in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 2, A is an ordinary steamcylinder, 13 a piston working therein, and C the usual crank-shaft driven by the piston in the ordinary manner, the piston being shown as having just reached the end of its stroke, and the corresponding position of the crank being indicated by the dotted lines at D. Above the cylinder are rotary balanced livesteam valves E E, without novelty, opening and closing inlet-ports F F, and below the cylinder are like valves governing exhaust-ports G G. The valve stems or journals project through the face of the steamchest and bear, respectively, cam-like heads H H, lying between centrally-fixed curved springs I I, which normally hold them against rotation and in exact position. Each stem or journal further bears a rigid trip-arm H.

Below the upper pair of these arms, or the arms operating the inlet-valves, are reciproeating bars J, sliding in any suitable Ways and bearing oppositely-turned lugs J J, respectively, each adapted to catch the corresponding arm H when'moving in one direction and swing it with its valve until the point of the lug passes beyond the circular path of the arms end. The arm being thus released the springs I instantly return the cam-head to its initial position, in which it is stopped very accurately by a small projection H which meets the end of the upper spring. Yet as the spring is curved it yields very slightly when its end is struck by the projection, and hence the jar of a hammer-blow is avoided. Evidently the angle through Which each arm is swung or the time during which it is held out of its normal position depends upon the depth of its engagement by the corresponding lug, and this engagement is varied by means of two eccentrics J 2 J upon which the bars are supported. The eccentrics are operated by a bar .1 centrally pivoted at J, and also pivotally connected at J to-each eccentric. The eccentrics normally have the point of greatest eccentricity in contact with the bars J, and as the pivots J 5 are equidistant from J and also from the axis of their eccentrics, rocking the bar J g (by de vices to be described) rotates the eccentric equally in the same direction and lowers the bars J, while keeping them parallel to their original position, and thus lessens equally the times that the two valves are held out of their normal positions by the engagement of the lugs J with the arms 11.

The operation of the exhaust-valves by lugs K upon a single bar K is strictly analogous, except that no provision is made for varying the extent of engagement of the lugs K with the trip-arms of the valves. The bar K is reciprooated by common eccentric L upon the crank-shaft 0 through ordinary connec tions. The bars J are reciprocated by a similar eccentric M, eccentric-rod M, and rods M The rods M are not connected directly to the eccentric-rod M, but are pivoted, re-

spectively, to links N N, whose lower ends are held by pivots N N fixed to the frame or a suitable support. The links lie upon opposite sides of the eccentric-rod and are provided with curved slots adapted to receive a pin 0, fixed in the end of the eccentric-rod. The ends of the pin lie in longitudinal slots in the ends of arms P, respectively, which swing upon the crank-shaft. These arms are swung by means of a bell-crank lever P and link P the lever being locked in the desired position by the usual quadrant P or ratchet and pawl. The pin is shown as near its highest point, and from the construction and the illustrated position of these links, neither of which is at its limit of travel, it is evident that by depressing the arms P one of the links will be swung toward the crank-shaft and the other in the opposite direction, and thus the lugs J J will be caused to approach each other. in their new positions they release the arms II, respectively, earlier in the stroke. It is also obvious that as the pin is carried downward the links must swing through increased angular space, for the variation of the pins distance from the axis of the crankshaft is constant, being twice the eccentricity. It follows that as the pin is depressed the bars J move through greater distance, though always in the same time, and hence that the valves are operated more suddenly, although with no more frequency.

The bar J is automatically swung upon its central pivot by means of an ordinary governor Q, which as the speed increases pushes the bars outer end downward, and by lessening the engagement of the trip-arms, in the manner already described, lessens, independently of the links N N, the time that the inlet-valves are held open.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the devices as applied in alocomotive, the governor being of course omitted. The crank-shaft, the steam-cylinder, the eccentric L, and the connections operatin g the exhaust-valves are unchanged, but the eccentric M is replaced by the ordinary eccentrics and link construction R R R R R R in themselves operating in the usual manner. Instead, however, of the ordinary direct connection of the link devices with the inlet-valves, a rod S extends onward from the linkpin and bears near its end a pin O,'working in the slots of links N N pivoted and operating as before described, and connected by rods M to the valve-operating bars J, respectively. The rods M are shown as connected to their links N N far below the upper ends of the latter, so that the possible throw of the bars'J may be short when the novel devices are added to an old engine. Where the engine is wholly new, the eccentrics are made with less throw, so that this expedient is not needed. The pin 0 is raised and lowered by a simple bell-crank T and link T. In this case no provision is made for lowering the bars J, but otherwise the parts upon the steam-cylinders and steam-chests are the same as in the form first described.

It is apparent that with eitherengine steam can be admitted during almost the whole time of the pistons advance or during practically any fraction of that time, or, in other words, that steam may be used expansively to any degree that the work may at the moment warrant, that the cut-off is instantaneous, and that the exhaust-valves are operated independently of changes in operation of the inlet-valves and are always fully opened at the end of the stroke and for an interval. long enough for complete escape of steam.

That I claim is 1. The combination with the eccentric-rod bearing the link-pin, of the independentlypivoted slotted links engaged by the pin, the rods connecting the links respectively to devices controlling the engine-valves, and means for varying the distance of said pin from the link-pivots.

2. The combination with the steam-chest and the rotary valves leading therefrom, of springs arranged to resist rotary movement of the valves, trip-arms projecting from the valvestems, bars arranged to reciprocate alongside the trip-arms and provided with lugs for engaging the latter, and means for controlling the extent of such engagement.

3. The combination with a steam-cylinder having separate inlet-valves, of separate sliding bars each provided with devices to engage, open and release the corresponding valve, an eccentric, a rod reciprocated by the eccentric and connected to both bars to slide them simultaneously, and means for at will varying the distances of the two bars from the eccentric.

at. The combination with the cylinder having separate inlet-valves, of distinct reciprocating bars bearing devices arranged to engage, open and release the corresponding valves as the bars move forward and back, an eccentric-rod connected to'the bars to reciprocate them simultaneously, and means for at will varying the relative distances of the bars from the eccentric and the distance through which the latter moves them.

5. The combination with a steam-cylinder having distinct inlet-valves, of bars mounted to reciprocate together alongside said cylinder, one of said bars being provided with devices to engage, open and release one valve as the bars move forward, and the other with devices to actuate the remaining valve in like manner as the bars return, and means for at will varying the distance between the devices operating the two valves, respectively.

6. The combination with the valve-stems provided with the cam-like heads and the trip-arms, of the springs embracing said heads and offering yielding resistance to their ranged to rock said lever upon its central 1o rotary movement, and devices arranged to pivot as the speed of the governor varies. engage the trip-arms at suitable intervals and In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature compel such movement. in presence of two Witnesses.

7. The combination with the reciprocating T T bars having the Valve-operating projections, HENRX DIOKSOL' of the eccentrics supporting said bars, the centrally-pivoted lever having its arms pivoted to the eccentrics, and a governor ar- Witnesses:

HUGH M. STERLING, WALLACE GREENE.

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