US705692A - Compound locomotive-engine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 705,692. Patented July 29, I902.

C.'M. MUCHNIC. CD'MPOUND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1901.)

3 Sheath-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 705,692. Patented July 29, I902. C. M. MUCHNIC. COMPOUND LDCOMOTIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1901.]

3 Sheets-$heet 2.

INVENTO No. 705,692. Patented July 29, I902.

' C. M. MUCHNIC.

COMPOUND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE (Application filed Mar. 29, 1901.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A V/EZ Z 4444 'III WITNE8SES INVE4NTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- CHARLES M. MUCl-INIO, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA COM POUND LOCOMOTlVE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,692, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed March 29,1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. Moonmc, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compound Locomotive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of myinvention are to eliminate IO objectionable features from existing fourcylinder twocrank compound locomotives, such as excessive bending load on the pistonrods, which tends to tip the cross-head; to dispense with excessive counterbalance and reciprocating weights, which when at high. speed are a decided detriment to the permanent road and cause what is'conimonly termed the hammer blow, to provide a more properly balanced and uniformly rotative no mechanism and effect a saving of the road,

and machinery and insure comfort to passengers; to accomplish the above conditions with 'the utmost simplicity of parts and with theleast possible deviation from the existing standard of American locomotive construction, so that the transformation of -a singleacting outside-connected locomotive-engine of any class or service to a compound can be very easily efiected; to provide, as in a singo gle-acting outside-connected engine, but one valve-motion for each side of thelocomotiveengine actuating one valve, and to provide an improved valvewhich can also be applied to compound locomotives and also to marine and stationary compound engines "where similar conditions exist.

The invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and to scope of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, .n in connection with the accompanying vi'ngs, forming part-hereof, and in which- Figure- 1 isa diagrammatic side ,view of a men ts. i Fig. 2 is asection'al plan view drawn to an enlarged scaleand illustrating the forward portion of the locomotive shown in Fig.1 and also illustrating the arrangem'entof cylinders and the respective'position of high and low pressure pistons, with theirconnections to the internal and ekternal cranks. Fig; 3 is locomotive-engine embodying my i'm-prove r.

Serial No. 53 A49. (No model.)

. (j a sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale and taken on the line 1 2 3 of Fig. -7 and showing the single piston-valve, cylinders, pistons, &c. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4. 5 of Fig. 7, showing the'valve-bushing, the intercepting-valve, and its communication with the high-pressure exhaust. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 7 of Fig. 7 and showing the device for admitting live steam from the boiler into the low-pressure steam-inlet ports when the engine starts from a period of rest or when working all cyl-' inders single expansion. Fig. dis a sectional view taken on the line 8 9 of Fig. 4 and show in the communication of the interceptingva lve with the low-pressure steam-inlet ports. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 12' 13 of Fig. 4 and showing the lefthand cylinder-casting, and Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 10 11 of Fig. 4.- and showing the -right-hand cylinder-casting.

A in Figs. 1 and 2 is the body of the locomotive; B, the cylinder-casting; C, the longitudinal side frames; D, the high-pressure cylinder; E, the low-pressure cylinder; H H, the driving-wheels; G, the crankeddrivingaxle; I, the outside crank; J, the inside crank; K, the inside connecting-rod; L, the

outside connecting-rod; M, the low-pressure piston-rod; N, the high-pressure piston:rod;

O, the high-pressure piston; P, the low-pres sure piston, and Q the valve-rod.

The cylinder-casting 13, reference being made particularly to Figs. '7 and 8, comprises one high-pressure cylinder E, one low-pressure cylinder D, a valve-chamber V, an intercepting-valve chamber U,-steam induction and eduction ports for both, high and low pressure cylinders a be (1, Figs. 3 and 4., highpressure exhaus'tpassagesand chamber Z Z Z, low-pressure admission-passages T T, main'live-st'am passage R, which communicates in the usual waywith the dome of the boiler, and final exhaust-passage S, which communicates in the usual way with the ex haust-pipe in the smoke-box. It will be noticed from Figs. Tand 8 that the cylindercas'tings B,- or what are'technically'termed the cylinder-saddles, are to he bolted together,

fined to-the'frarnes C, and attached to the forward axle.

usual cylinder-saddles of the modern locomotive. loan therefore remove the two saddies withfliheir high-pressure outside cylinders of the usual locomotive and substitute in their place myimproved compound cylinder-saddles. As said before, the high-pressure cylinder E, low-pressure cylinder D, valve chamber V, and intercepting valve chamberU are cast in one piece with the saddle, and the whole forms the cylindercasting B. The high-pressure cylinder E is shown as cast in the portion of cylinder-saddle extending inside the side frames, and the low-pressure cylinder l) is cast outside the side frames; but this arrangement may be reversed, if found desirable. Both cylinders are shown to be in the same horizontal plane; but the interior cylinders may be made slightly inclined to the horizontal plane or somewhat above the horizontal axis of the outside cylinders when it is desired to have the inside connecting-rods K, Fig. 2, clear a The valve-chamber V is cast as near the cylinders as practicable and may be lined with a cast-iron bushing Y, having 1 slotted openings dressed accurately to the required sizes. The valve F, Fig. 3,is of the closed-piston type and receives its motion from a link and rock-shaft in the usual way. A valve-rod Q passes through the valve F and 1S guided in the stuffing-boxes of valve-chamber covers 1 and m. The rear end of Q is prolonged to make connections with Q and rock-shaft. The valve is provided'with castron packing-rings n to make a steam-tight oint between the valve and the bushing,- so as not to allow the escape of steam from one portion of the valve to the other. This compound valve is both of the internal and external admission for high and low pressure cylinders, respectively. Of course the order.

may be reversed, if desired. The lntercepting valve U, Figs. 4, 6, and 7',

is a plain cast-iron cylinder open .atone end.

It has three openings out out-two at the ends, e andf, and one, equidistant from c andf and diametrically opposite them. These openlugs are so arranged that either the openings 6 andfor g can'be' in communication with T and T or g B, respectively, and cannot be all open simultaneously. The interceptingvalve U. is provided at the blind end with a rod 1', which passes througha stufiing gland or box 8. r is to be connected with a combination of levers and rods extending into the cab for turning the intercepting valve U when changing the engine from simple working into compound, and vice versa. This valve can be worked by automatic devices, if desired.

The working of the compound system will be readily understood from reference to Fig. 3. The closed-piston valve F, which has moved from its central position toward the left, has uncovered the high-pressure induction-port a, through which live steam from the boiler, coming by way of the main live-steam pasbe noticed in Fig. 3 that the displacement of the valve to the left has uncovered simultaneously with the high-pressure induction-port it also the low-pressure induction-port 0, through which the steam contained in the intercepting-valve U penetrates into the lowpressure cylinder E. In other words, the highpressure exhaust-steam goes directly into the low-pressure cylinder E, and there the steam forces the piston P forward, or in the opposite direction of the high-pressure piston 0. At this movement the volumeof steam contained irom the previous backward stroke between the front cylinder' eover'k and piston P is forced through the port (1 into the final exhaust-passage R (seealso Fig. 7 and thence into the smoke-stack. It can be now readily understood that the valve F on its retiirn or backward stroke will uncover the ports I) and d, the high and low pressure induction-ports, respectively, and the steam from the highpressure cylinder will" exhaust through port a and exhaust-passage Z and will pass, as before, into the intercepting-valve U, thence through the intercepting-valve opening 6 and low-pressure steam-admission passage T. The

"stack-that is, the cycle performance of the steam from passages E to R will be the same as in the previous case, but reversed in order. When the locomotive is required to start a heavy train or to pull it over sections of road with steep short grades or when the usual hauling capacity of the locomotives fails to haul the train over the difficult section of the road cr'to sustain the desired speed, all four cylinders can then be made to work single expansion, thus almost doubling the tractive power of the locomotive-engine. This condition I bring about in the following manner, reference being had particularly to Figs. 4, 5, 6, and '7: The intercepting-valve Uis given a half-turn,, which cuts off all communication between intercepting-valve U and low-pressure admission-passages T and T'-in other 7 words, betweenihe high and low pressure cylinders--but by the same movement of the intercepting-valve U a'communication is established between the final exhaust-passage R and the intercepting-valve U through the openingsg in the intercepting-valve and G in the cylinder-casting B, which then are in alinement with each other. In other words,

inder E thus exhausts directly intothe smohestack without passing through thelmwprcssure cylinder D, live steam from the boileris admitted directly into the low-pressure admission-passages T and T through pipes X and W, Fig. 5. The admission of steam into pipe X, which is connected to the dome of the boiler or to the steam-pipe bringing steam to passage S, is under full control of the locomotive-engineer in the cab, and this may be done by the manipulation of asimple valve or three way cock. Since the pistons of each high and low pressure cylinder on each side of the 10- comotive actuate an interior and exterior crank, respectively, and are so arranged as to produce movements of the pistons in opposite directions, they practically balance each other, together with the horizontally-moving masses they operate upon.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that modifications may I a made indetails without departing from the spirit thereof. Hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove set forth,

and illustrated in the accom ings; but,

Having thus described the nature and objects of'the-i'nvention, what I claim as new,

panying drawand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a compound locomotive-engine the combination of 'high and low pressure cylinders, a single valve-chamber common to both cylinders, a single steam-distribution valve common to both cylinders and which always prevents the passage directly through itself of steam from the high to the low pressure cylinder, an intercepting-valve chamber, a steaminlet to the valve chamber, a steamexhaust from the valve-chamber, passages from the valve-chamber to the high-pressure cylinder and to the intercepting-valve chamber and to the low pressure cylinder and to exhaust whereby a path is established for steam to pass to the high-press u re cylinder and thence to the intercepting-valve chamber by way of the valve-chamber, and an intercepting'valve for passing steam received from the highpressure cylinder directly to exhaust or lowpressure cylinder by way of the valve-chem her so that the engine can run either single or compound, substantially as described.

2. In a compound locomotiveengiue the combination of high and lowpressure cylinders,a single valve-chamber common to both cylinders, a single steam-distribution valve common to both cylinders and which always prevents the passage directly through itself of steam from the'high to the low pressure cylinder, an intercepting-valve chamber, a steaminlet to the valve-chamber, a steam-exhaust from the valve-chamber,'passages from the I inder by Way of the valve-chamber, and means valve-chamber to the high-pressure cylinder and toihe interceptin$valve chamber and to the low-pressure cylinder and to exhaust, whereby a path is established for steam to pass to the high-prcssu re cylinder and thence to the intercepting-valve chamber by way of the valve-chamber, an intercepting-valve for passing steam received from the high-pres sure cylinder toexhaust or low-pressure cylfor introducing live steam to low-pressure cylinder by wayof its ports in the distributionvalveto run both cylinders single expansion, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the described cylinder structure comprising high and low pressure cylinders, and steam-passages and admission-passages-and a main exhaust,a steamvalve, an intercepting-valve consisting of a cylinder open at one end and having three openings cut on its circular surface and so arranged with respect to the steam=passages in the cylinder structure that by a trim of said intercepting-valve the high-pressure exhaust will either communicatewit-h the admissionpassages of low-pressure cylinder or with the main exhaust-passage from low-pressure cylinder to stack, thus enabling the engineer to change the working of the engine from compound into single expansion, and vice versa, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a cylinder structure for compound locomotive-engines, of passages T T for admitting steam from the distribution-valve to the low-pressure cylinder and a passage WV communicating with both passages T and '1 and whereby live steam is introduced into those passages, high and low pressure cylinders, a steam-distribution valve common to both cylinders and having its lowpressure-cylinder ports communicating with the passages T T, a distribution-valve hav ing provisions for always preventing direct communication through it between the two cylinders, and a steam-pipe X, substantially as described.

5. The combination in a compound locomotive, of a high-pressure cylinder, a low-pressure cylinder, a single steam. distribution valve common to both cylinders and having provisions for the"'independent admission and exhaust to both cylinders and having provisions for always preventing direct communication through it between the two cylinders, an intercepting-valve for directing exhauststeam from the high-pressure cylinder directly to the admission portions of said dis tribution-valve that 'appertain to the lowpressure cylinder or directly to the exhaust provisions of said distribution-valve, and a steam-supply to the admission portions of said distribution valve that appertain "to the low-pressure cylinder, substantially as described.

G. Thecombination with a compound locomotive having high and low pressure ,cylin ders and their complemental single steam-dis- & v 705,692-

tribution valve having provisions for always preventingdirect communication through it between the two cylinders, of'an interceptingvalve and its connections for receiving the exhaust from the high-pressurecylinder by :way of the distribution-valve and passing it directly to the main exhaust or directly to the parts of said distribution-valve that appertain to the low-pressure cylinder, whereby the engine may berun either single or com pound, substantially as described. 7. The combination with a compound locomotive having high and low pressn re cylinders and the single steam-distribution valve common to both'and having provisions for always prev ntin ectcommunication through it between the two cylinders, of a steam-admission pipe X and proper connections tothe boiler for admitting steam to the parts of thedistribution-valve which appertain to the low-pressure cylinder, and. means for causing exhaust direct from the high-pressure cylinder, whereby the low-pressure cylinder can be run with live steam, substan tially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CHAS. M. MUCI-INIC.

In presence of W. J. JACKSON, K. M. GILLIGAN.

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