US710512A

US710512A - Device for overcoming dead-centers.

Info

Publication number: US710512A
Application number: US7354201A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clifton Reeves
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-08-28
Filing date: 1901-08-28
Publication date: 1902-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1919-10-07

Description

Patented Oct. 7, I902,

C. REEVES.

DEVICE FOR DVEBDDIMNG DEAD CENTERS.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1901.1

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Invent/ 027 CLIFTON REEVES,

Vlfitnasses:

Patented Oct; 7, I902.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Ineren to); CLIFT 01V REEVES,

fiyfiis Jttorzzey,

C. REEVES.

DEVICE FOR OVERCDM ING DEAD CENTERS (Applicatipn filed Aug. 28, 1901.)

lo Moder.)

Witnesses:-

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

CLIFTON REEVES, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR OVERCOMING DEAD-CENTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.' 710,512, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed August 28,1901- berial l lo, 73,542. (Ndmodcl) To all 1071/0171, zlt may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFTON REEVES, a citizen of theUnited States, residing in Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Moving Cranks off Dead-Centers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for overcomingdead-centers; and it has for its object the provision of means for actuating the part of an engine or other machine which in its path of movement has a dead-center and for moving said part past its dead-center in either direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for moving a crank past its deadcenter, whereby the crank-shaft and parts connected thereto will not be strained or injured.

A further object is to provide means for overcoming dead-centers which may be applied to machines without materially altering the structure of the same; and a further object of the invention is to provide a device for overcoming dead-centers wherein two movable cooperative parts are effective, respectively, to engage the part which is on its dead-center and operate the same and to reinforce said engaging part on its working stroke and also divide the power supplied, and thereby permit one part to determine which stroke shall be the working stroke of the other.

In carrying out my invention I provide some suitable means -for engaging a part of the machine, which, if desired, may be the flywheel when it is desired to overcome the deadcenter and which means comprises a shoe or: other device adapted to engage the periphery of the fly-wheel, if it is the fly-wheel upon which it is desired to operate, and means 00- operating with such engaging means to press it into intimate engagement with the part upon which it is to operate at its strokes in either directionthat is,-if the member is reciprocating in a vertical direction and it is desired to start the machine by raising that side of the part to which the device is applied then the cooperative means will be efifective upon the upward stroke of said means and will be retracted therefrom on its downward stroke, thus determining which stroke or movement shall be the working stroke. The device is so organized that, if desired, it may not only move the part off the dead-center, but it may continue operating and oscillate the part step by step to a complete revolution or any part thereof. It is generally expedient to employ the same motive power for reciprocating the member and for operating the cooperating means. To prevent undue strain andtwisting of the crank-shaft, bearings, and connections, the working parts of the device may be reinforced when in such working position by a member embracing such crank-shaft. In applying the device to steam-engines of course the most convenient motive power to apply to the device would be steam, in which instance the cylinder, which would preferably be a double-acting cylinder, would be in communication through suitable ports with the cylinder efiective upon the cooperating means, so that upon either the upward or the downward stroke of the piston operating the engaging means steam would be admitted to the cylinder of the cooperating means, and when such formercylinder was exhausting the latter cylinder would also be exhausting.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification I have shown one form of my invention, which may be the preferred form, if desired, as applied to a marine engine, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a marine engine, showing the fiy-wheel with a form of my device appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthc same, showing the operative device in cross-section and the rest of the engine and parts in detail. Fig. 3 is a side view looking from the right hand in Fig.

'1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of the cylinder, showing a form of Valve connection; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section throughthe center of the shaft of the fly-wheel andthe shaft of the cooperative means.

Similar characters designate like parts in the various figures.

Mounted upon a suitable bed is the framework 6 of an engine, in Which is journaled a crank-shaft 7, having a crank 8, on which are a pitman 9 and a fly-wheel 10. Secured to the frame by any suitable means (here shown as bolts) is a standard 11, supporting the actuating means for the engaging member, designated in a general way by A, (here shown as a doubleacting cylinder 12,) in which is mounted a suitable piston 13, having a pistonrod 14,elfective to operate the engaging means, (designated in a general way by 13,) which in the present instance comprises a metal or other suitable shoe 15, connected by any suitable means (here shown as adj Listing-nuts 15 15 and set-nuts 15 15") to said piston-rod. The upper end of the piston-rod and the piston are shown as being traversed by an opening in which is mounted a rod 16, which car ries a suitable slide-valve 17 in the steamchest 18. Secured to the top of the steamchest is a cap 19, having an opening concentric with the opening in the piston and piston-rod and adapted to form the upper bearing for said slide-valve rod. The length of said rod is so adjusted that when the piston nearly reaches the end of its backward stroke a plate 19, secured to said piston-rod and having an opening somewhat smaller than the opening in the piston-rod, will engage a head 20 on the lower end of said slide-valve rod and shift such slide-valve. Upon the upward stroke of said piston the end of said slidevalve rod will be engaged by the lower end of the opening in the piston-rod shortly before the piston has completed its upward stroke and will slide the valve, causing the other ports to open. Steam may be admitted through a suitable supply-pipe 21 into the steam-chest and be exhausted by a suitable opening 22. The upper and lower ends of the cylinder are supplied by steam from the steam-chest through

passages

23, 24, respectively. Theengagingmeansorshoenormally hangs just out of engagement with the flywheel and is adapted to be pressed against the same by some suitable cooperative means,

(designated in a general way by 0,) which is actuated by some suitable means, (designated in a general way by D,) which means in the presentinstance are respectively shown as a roller 25 and a piston-rod 26, carrying the roller and operated by a piston 27, located in a steam-cylinder 28, to which steam may be admitted through a suitable pipe 29, the supply of which is controlled by some suitable means, (designated in ageneral way by A',) here shown as a valve 30 having passage-ways 23 24 leading to the steam-passages 23 24, respectively, and upon the turning of which valve in either direction, as by a valve-rod 31, connected to a post 32 on an arm 33, projecting from the valve, the opposite end of the valve-rod may be connected with a hand-lever 34. The steam will be admitted to said cylinder 28 when it is admitted to one or the other side of the piston 13 and will be exhausted when the steam is being exhausted from such side. This latter cylinder may be mounted on any suitable bed. For supporting said roller and taking the thrust of the same and preventing rotation of the shaft some suitable means connected with the crank-shaft may be employed-such as an arm 35, loosely mounted on the crankshaft and securely connected to one of the heads, as 36, of the cylinder 28. For the purpose of returning the roller out of contact with the engaging means a suitable spring 37 may be seated in a cavity 38 in said arm and adapted to bear against a hub on said roller and force the same out of contact with the engaging member. The roller is shown as mounted upon a shaft 39, upon which it is journaled, the shaft at its opposite end being so journaled in a suitable bearing in the framework of the machine to have lateral motion. The valve-rod 31 is shown as provided with a screw-threaded end 40, on which are nuts 41 41 and set-nuts 42 42, permitting such valve-rod to slide through a hole in the arm of the valve a predetermined and adjustable distance, so as to admit of a certain amount of motion of the valve-rod before the valve is operated.

The operation of the device is as follows: Supposing the engine to be on a dead-center, as shown in Fig. 2, it being desired to rotate the shaft from right to left the valve will be shifted into the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the steam in entering at the lower side of the piston 13 will also enter at the rear of the piston 27. The piston 13 in rising will of course carry with it the shoe 15, and just as it commences to rise the piston 27 will force the roller against the shoe, forcing the same into'intimate contact with the fiy-wheel, when upon further ascent of the piston 13 the wheel will be rotated slightly. Upon the slide-valve in the steam-chest being slid by the movement of the piston to its other position steam will exhaust from under the piston 13 and will also exhaust from behind the piston 27 and steam will be admitted'above the piston 13; but owing to the position of the valve 30 and steam-passages no steam will be entered behind the piston 27, and the spring having forced the roller away from the shoe said shoe on its downward stroke will run free of the fly-wheel. One or more reciprocations of the shoe may be had, and the fiy-wheel may be oscillated as far as the exigencies of each particular case may require. If it-is desired to rotate the part in the opposite direction, by turning valve 30.into'the position shown in Fig. 1 cylinder 28 will take and exhaust with the upper cylinder and the shoe will be effective on its downward stroke.

Although I have shown myinvention as applied to a marine engine and operated by steam, yet the same may be applied to any machinery which is liable to get on a deadcenter and may be operated by any suitable motive power, and although I have shown the two pistons operated by steam derived from the same source and divided between them, yet any other suitable means of causing said two members to cooperate upon the working stroke of one of them may be employed.

Having described my invention, 1 claim 1. A device for overcoming dead-centers comprising an engaging member and a member effective to reinforce the same on its working stroke, and means for actuating said members.

2. A device for overcoming dead-centers comprising a reciprocative engaging member and a member effective to reinforce the same on its working stroke, and means for actuating said members.

3. A device for overcoming dead-centers comprising an engaging member, a rotative member effective to reinforce the same on its working stroke, and means for actuating said members.

4. A device for overcoming dead-centers com prising a reciprocative engaging member and a rotative member effective to reinforce the same on its Working stroke, and means for actuating said members.

5. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank, and a member effective to reinforce the contacting member at its working stroke.

6. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a reciprocative member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same and change the position of the crank, and a member effective to reinforce the reciprocative member at its working stroke in one direction.

7. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank, and a rotative member effective to reinforce the contacting member at its strokes in one direction.

8. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a reciprocative member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank, and a rotative member effective to reinforce the reciprocative member at its strokes in one direction.

9. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of a reciprocative member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank, and a rotative member effective to reinforce the reciprocative member at its Working stroke in either direction.

10. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of a reciprocative member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank; a rotative member effective to reinforce the re ciprocative member at its strokes in one direction; and means for actuating said members.

11. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of a reciprocative member adapted to contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank; a member operated by the same source of power and effective to reinforce the reciprocative member at its working stroke in one direction; and means for actuating said members.

12. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of power-operated means embodying a reciprocative member adapted to contact with the wheel and efiective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank, and a rotative member operated by the same source of power and effective to reinforce the reciprocative member at its strokes in one direction.

13. The combination with acrank, of means embodying a reciprocative member adapted to operate upon and effective to change the position of said crank, and means effective to determine in which direction of movement the working stroke of said member shall occur and to reinforce such stroke.

14:. The combination with a shaft having a a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a reciprocative memberfor engaging the wheel and effective to rotate the same and change the position of the crank, and means effective to determine in which direction of movement said member shall engage the wheel and to reinforce the member in such movement. I

15. In a device for overcoming dead-centers, the combination with a double-acting fluid-expansion cylinder; a piston mounted therein and effective to shift a slide-valve; fluid-channels controlled by said slide-valve; a piston-rod carried by said piston; means mounted thereon effective to change the position of the crank; a single-acting cylinder having a piston carrying a piston-rod and a roller for reinforcing'said means; a Valve communicating with the fluid-passages and effective to cause said last-mentioned cylinder to be exhausted and be supplied simultaneously with one side of said double-acting cylinder.

16. In a device for overcoming dead-centers, the combination with a shaft having a crank, a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a shoe adapted to contact said wheel and effective to change the position of the crank, reinforcing means for the shoe; and an arm loosely mounted on said shaft and supporting said reinforcing means.

17. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a Wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a member adapted to intermittently contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same step by step to change the position of the crank.

18. The combination with a shaft having a crank and a wheel mounted on the shaft, of means embodying a reciprocative member adapted to intermittently contact with the wheel and effective to rotate the same to change the position of the crank step by step.

19. The combination with a movable part having in its path of movementa dead-center, of a member operative upon said part for overcoming such dead-center; a member effective to reinforce said member in its working stroke; and means for actuating said members.

20. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movement a dead-center, of a reciprocative member operative upon said part for overcoming said dead-center; a member effective to reinforce said reciprocative member in its working stroke; and separate means for actuating said members.

21. The combination with a movable part having in its path of movement a dead-center, of a member operative upon said part and eflective to overcome said dead-center; a rotative member efiective to reinforce said member, and means for actuating said members.

22. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movement a dead-center, of a reciprocative member operative upon said part and effective to overcome said deadcenter; a rotative member efiective to reinforce said reciprocative member; and means for actuating said members.

23. In a device for overcoming dead-centers, comprising an engaging member and a member effective to reinforce said engaging member on its working stroke; means for operating said members respectively; means for supplying power to said operating means; and means for controlling such supply of power to one of the operating means and actuated by the other for determining the working strokes of both.

2st. In a device for overcoming dead-centers, comprising an engaging member and a member effective to reinforce said engaging member on its working stroke; means for operating said members respectively; means for supplying power to said operating means; means for controlling such supply of power to one of the operating means and actuated by the other for determining the working strokes of both; and means for changing the working stroke of one member relative to the other.

25. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movement a dead-center, of means for intermittently engaging said part, and automatic means intermittently acting upon and coacting with said means for moving said part off its dead-center.

26. The combination with a movable part having in its path of movement a dead-center, of piston-actuated means for intermittently engaging said part, and automatic means in termittently acting upon and coacting with said piston-actuated means for moving said part off its dead-center.

27. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movementa dead-center, of means for engaging said part for moving the same 0% its dead-center, and piston-actuated means coacting therewith.

28. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movement a dead-center, of piston-actuated means for engaging said part for moving the same off its dead-center; and cooperative piston-actuated means acting therewith.

29. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movementa dead-center; power-actuated means for engaging said part for moving the same oif its dead-center; and cooperative means actuated by the same power acting therewith.

30. The combination with a movable part havingin its path of movementa dead-center, of pressure-actuated means for engaging said part for moving the same off its dead-center, and cooperative pressure actuated means acting therewith.

CLIFTON REEVES. \Vitnesses:

FRED. J. Donn, JOHN O. SEIFERT.