US819002A - Automatic exhaust. - Google Patents

Description

No. 819,002. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906. W. COOPER.

AUTOMATIC EXHAUST.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.23. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

W. COOPER.

AUTOMATIC EXHAUST.

APELIGATION FILED ocmnaa. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

km M INVENTOR 8,00%; Wag

PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

, w. COOPER. AUTOMATIG EXHAUST.

APPLIUATIOH FILED OCT. 23. 1905.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR Mm (2 w ax WITNESSES M '2 IINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC EXHAUST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed October 23,1905. Serial No. 283,940.

To all whom it Duty concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Denver, in the county of Denver and Stte of Colorado, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Automatic Exhausts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to engines or other mechanism driven by steam or other power under pressure and, generally speaking, provides means whereby the power may be readily and instantaneously exhausted from the mechanism. I effect this by providing automatic exhaust means which effectually empties all power from the engine upon the closing of the valve in the power-line, and thus enables a practically instantaneous stoppage of the mechanism upon the application of the braking device.

It is well known that in the case of powerdriven devices, such as a steam-engine, where the power is under pressure the mere closing of the valve in the power-line does not relieve the head of steam or other power from the mechanism, which will thus continue to operate until the expansive force of the power contained in the mechanism is exhausted. Thus in the case of a steam-engine the pistons will continue to reciprocate until the head of steam in the steam chests and cylinders becomes dead, so that closing the valve and applying the brake at best only effects a gradual cessation of reciprocation. Under ordinary circumstances this fact may not be of great importance; but where an emergency stop is necessitated, as in case of loss of control over hoisting mechanism, a single revolution of the engine may cause an overwind, dashing the bucket and its contents up into the sheave to instant destruction and loss of life and property. By providing means for completely exhausting the power contained in the engine at the moment the supply-valve is closed and the brake applied I am enabled to prevent such an accident by stopping the winding mechanism almost in an instant.

I have shown in the drawings in connection with hoisting mechanism automatic means whereby the overwind of the bucket serves to instantly operate the exhaust mechanism in addition to closing a controller-valve, thus bringing the hoisting mechanism to an immediate stop. I do not, however, limit myself to use in connection with hoisting mec anism; but my invention may be used, as above stated, with any power-driven mecl1anism where a quick stop may be advantageous.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general side elevation of my invention applied to mine hoisting mechanism, showing in vertical section the mine-shaft and automatic actuating mechanism located above the same. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation showing the hoisting mechanism, exhaust devices, and controllervalve, the valve being shown in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a somewhat less enlarged detail of the hoisting mechanism as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the invention as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the controller-valve along the line V V in Fig. 6, the valve being shown in this case in its open position. Fig. 6 is a section of the valve along the line VI VI in Fig. 5, but showing the valve closed. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the valve, showing in dotted lines the valve open. Fig. 8 is a partial detail showing a modification of the exhaust devices which are shown in Fig. 2.

The following is a detail description of the constructions shown in the drawings.

For the sake of illustration I have shown a hoisting-engine of a well-known type, consisting of a bed 1, cable-drum 2, mounted on shaft 3, which shaft is operatively connected to the source of power by means of gear 4, mounted thereon and intermeshing with gear 5, mounted on power-shaft 6, also journaled in the engine-bed.

7 7 are crank-disks on the outer ends of shaft 6, which are fitted with connecting rods 8 S in the usual manner, said connecting-rods having the usual connection with the pistons of cylinders 9 9.

10 10 are the steam-chests, through which power is admitted in the usual manner to said cylinders.

11 is the main steam-line of pipe, leading steam from the boilers (not shown) and provided with branches 12 12, leading to the steam-chests.

13 is a throttle-valve of any known type.

14 is the cable running from drum 1 over sheave 15, mounted in the gallows-frame (not shown) and said cable suspending by its free end the bucket or other receptacle 16, which is intended for use in mine-shaft 17.

18 18 are doors which may be used to close the mouth of shaft 17 when desired.

19 is the casing of a controller-valve interposed in steam-line 1 1 and provided with the usual inlet and outlet ports and 21 leading, respectively, from the boiler end of the line and to the engine end thereof. 22 is a third port through one side of the casing half way between ports 20 and 21 and preferably of smaller capacity than the same.

23 is a plug of the uusal hollow type adapt-- ed to fit into casing 19 in the usual manner and to be secured therein, as by nut 24 and washer 25. 20 and 21 are ports in the walls of said plug adapted to register, respectively, with ports 20 and 21 of the casing when the plug is in the open position shown in Fig. 5.

26 is a groove or cut-away portion on the face of plug 23 which when said plug is in place forms a passage from the interior of the casing to the outer air. Opposite said groove 26 is a port 27, cut through the outer wall of plug 23 and of similar capacity, preferably, as port 22. v

The parts of the valve being assembled as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, it is evident that when said valve is in its open position, as shown in Fig. 5, the ports 20 and 21 of the plug register with ports 20 and 21 of the casing, thus permitting steam to pass uninterruptedly through the steam-line 11 from the boilers to the engine, the port 27 being closed by the adjacent wall of the casing and the groove 26 registering with the port 22 in the casing. If, however, the plug 23 be rotated a quarter-turn to the position shown in Fig. 6, passage of steam through the length of line 1 1 is interrupted. The groove 26 registers with port 20 of the casing, thus allowing escape of steam from the boiler end of the line 11, thereby preventing a rupture of the said steam-line by the sudden rise in pressure attending the closing of the valve. The port 27 in the plug registers with port 21 of the casing, while the port 21 in the plug will register with port 22 of the casing, thus forming an eflectual exhaust for the boiler end of the steam-line 11 when the controller-valve is closed. The stem of plug 23 is preferably squared to engage the recessed end of rockshaft 28, which is journaled, as shown at 29, to some stationary means, such as the framework of the engine-room. (Not shown.)

30 30 are petcocks or other exhaust devices adapted to exhaust cylinders 9 9,'whose stems are provided with rigidly-attached levers 31 31, which are pivoted to the connecting-rods 32.

33 is a rock-shaft journaled in the engineframe or to the floor of the engine-room and fitted at its extremities with integral or rigid cranks 34 34, which are pivotally attached to the reciprocating connecting-rods 32 32.

35 is a foot lever or tread rigidly attached to rock-shaft 33, by means of which the engineer can at will open the petcocks 30 30 and drain the cylinders. I

36 is an arm rigid with shaft 28 and pivoted at its outer end to connecting-rod 37, whose lower end is forked and slotted, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

38 is an arm rigid with shaft 33 and provided with wrist-pin 39, which engages the slots on the lower extremity of rod 37.

It is evident that when rock-shaft 28 is rotated a quarter-turn, raising arm 36, the rock-shaft 33 would also be turned a quarterturn, opening the pet-cocks 30 30, and thus exhausting the steam in the cylinders. The slotted end of rod 37, however, permits the cocks 30 30 to be opened by means of foottread 35 without disturbing the rod 37.

4O 40 are exhaustcocks communicating with steam-chests 1O 10 and arranged, preferably, as shown in Fig. 2.

41 is a rock-shaft having hollow key ends to engage the stems of cocks 40 40.

42 is an arm rigidly secured on shaft 41 and having its extremity pivoted to connectingrod 43, whose upper extremity is pivoted to arm 44, rigidly attached to rock-shaft 28.

It is evident that the same quarter-turn. of rock-shaft 28 which, as before explained, serves to open the cylinder-cocks 3O 30 also opens the petcocks 4O 40 of the steam-chests 10 10.

The various parts heretofore described are so assembled that if the controller-valve be open, a quarter-turn of the rock-shaft 28 will close said valve and exhaust the steam-pressure in the engine end of the line 11 and at the same time open the cocks 30 30 of the cylinders and the cooks 40 40 of the steamchests, thus thoroughly exhausting the head of steam contained in the engine. Any suitable brake mechanism (not shown) may be provided to overcome the momentum of the engine, my invention being intended to release all power from the mechanism at the moment of applying the brake or whenever desirable.

In the application of my device to automatic use with hoisting mechanism I prefer to use the following automatic actuating mechanism: 45 45 are a pair of doors or swinging members hinged or pivoted to a portion of the gallows-frame 46 by means of rods 47 47, rigid with said doors and journaled in lugs 48 48, attached to the gallowsframe. The said doors extend over the path of the bucket 1 6 andiare cut away at their abutting edges, as at 49, to admit of the passage of the cable 14. Said doors are preferably arranged to shut in the inclined position shown, so that they will be thrown through an arc of ninety degrees by the upward passage of the bucket therethrough. Adjacent extremities of the rods 47 47 extend beyond the gallows-frame and arevprovided with rigidly-attachedsegmental gears 50 50, which intermesh and render the movement of the doors uniform. 51 is an arm rigidly attached to the end of one of the rods, 47 and pivoted at its outer end to connecting-rod 52, which at its other end is pivoted to the upper end of lever 53, which is intermediately provided with slot 54, which engages wrist-Din 55, which is fixed to stationarysupport 56. The lower end of lever 53 is pivoted to the end of arm 57, rigidly attached to rock-shaft 28. It is evident, the parts being properly assem bled, the thrusting aside of doors 45 by the passage of bucket 16 from their inclined to their vertical position through an arc of ninety degrees will cause the rock-shaft 28 by means of the intermediate actuating mech anism to rotate a quarter-turn, thus closing the controller valve and exhausting the steam contained in the boiler end of the steam-line and also in the steam chests and cylinders. 59 are spring-catches of any convenient design attached to the gallowsl'rame and adapted to engage the doors 45 45 when they are thrown back to hold them rigidly in their open position until it is desired to release them.

The doors 45 45 are located at such a height above the shattanouth that the bucket when under proper control and in ordinary use does not engage them; but in case of loss of control of the winding mechanism, thus endangering an overwind or drawing of the bucket up into the sheave, the bucket would be drawn up into engagement with the doors, and thus by opening them automatically cut oil and exhaust the power from the mechanism and enable the brakes to bring the engine to an instant stop.

If desired, instead of the cocks 40 40, connected with the steam-chests 1O 10, I may substitute exhaust valves or cocks 40 40 in the branch steam-lines 12 12, as shown in Fig. 8. I may connect said cocks together by any convenient means, such as rock-shaft +11, which is provided with rigid arm 42, which in turn is operatively connected with rock-shaft 28 by means of connecting-rod 43 and rigid arm 14%, similarly to the arrangement described in connection with the cooks 40 it), as shown in Fig. 2. By this means the exhaust is el'l'ected in the branch steam-lines instead of the steam-chests. IVhen applying my invention to mechanism already in r l l l stalled, I find this a cheap and easy adaptation, as it does not require tapping apertures 1n the steam-chests. If desired, I may substitute an ordinary throttle-valve for the form of four-way valve shown and rely on my petcocks to exhaust the steam-line and engine. I may use either or both the petcocks exhausting the cylinders and chests, as desired, or may rely entirely on the four-way valve for exhaust purposes, but I prefer the combination of devices described as capable of more reliable results.

It is apparent from the above that I am thus able to effect a practically instantaneous stoppage of a powerdriven mechanism and have thus accomplished a substantial ad.- vance in the art.

Although for the sake of clearness I have described with minuteness the application of my invention to practical use, which is illustrated in the drawings, I do not wish to limit myself to the construction shown,- but I claim, broadly 1. In power-driven mechanism, means for shutting off power from said mechanism, means for exhausting the power contained therein and automatic mechanism for oper ating both of said means when control is lost over said power-driven mechanism.

2. In steam-engines, means for exhausting the power contained in said engine and automatic means for operating said exhaust means when control is lost over said engine.

3. In hoists, hoisting mechanism, a hoisting-receptacle operated by said hoisting mechanism, means for exhausting the power contained in said hoisting mechanism and means whereby the ascension of said rccep tacle to a given point operates said exhaust means.

4. In hoists, hoisting mechanism, a hoisting-receptacle operated by said hoisting mechanism, means for shutting oil the supply of power to said hoisting mechanism, means for exhausting the power contained in said mechanism and means whereby the ascension of said receptacle to a given point op erates both said shutting-oil and said exhaust means.

Signed at Georgetown this ber, 1905.

3d day of Octo- WILLIAM COOPER.

IVitnesses:

J. A. N OONE, FRANK H. REGENNITTER.

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