US242446A - Direct-acting engine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. P. GOODWIN. Direct Acting Engine. No. 242,446. v Patented June 7,1881.

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. P. GOODWIN. Direct Acting Engine.

Patented June 7,1881.

N. PEIERS. Phulo-Lilhographur. Washington. D. (L

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a.

W. F. GOODWIN.

Direct Acting Engine). N0. 242,446. Patented June 7,1881.

WEZ/zew/ea; JiwewZom n. PETERS, Pmlo-Liihogmpmr. wane-m n. c.

(N0 Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. I". GOODWIN. Direct Acting Engine. No, 242,446. Patented fune 7,1881;

N. FEIERS. mmmmn w, Waahingtun. n c

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NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

lV ILLIAM F. GOUDVV IN, OF STELTON, NEW JERSEY.

DIRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,446, dated June 7, 1881. Application filed December 18, 1880. (No model.) Patented in England November 5,1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FARR Goon- WIN, of the town of Stelton, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, for economizing the steam or other expansive force employed with or suited to the engine; and the following is a full, clear, and comprehensive description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying five sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 isalongitudinal side elevation, and Fig. 2 a like vertical section, of an engine embodying my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are inside and outside elevations of the cylinderheads. Figs. 5, (3, and 7 are detailviews showin g the construction and arrangemei'ltof valve. Figs. 8 and 9 show, respectively, a longitudinal side elevation and alike section of asli ghtl y modified construction of cylinder-heads.

In the above figures of drawings like letters of reference are employed to indicate like parts wherever such may occur.

I will first describe the objects and nature of my invention, and then its mode of construction and operation.

From the beginning of the use of steam as a motive-power in the steam-engine one of the most important problems has been to find the most economical means of its employment, and great progress has been made toward the solution of this problem in the construction of the cylinder of the modern steam-engine by locating the valves near the ends thereof, in order to decrease the superfluous space in the passage between the valve and piston-space.

The object of my invention is to make an enginc in which simplicity, durability, {111(1131101 ough economy are combined in its construction and operation as a whole, as well as in its details, for all sizes of engines and for all purposes t'or which engines of this class are made or may hereafter be made and adapted for use; and to that end the nature of my invention consists, first, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the mechanism of an engine and its valves, wherein the valves are situated in the heads of the cylinder in such a manner that there remains the least possible distance between the "alve or valves and the piston-space, and the little distance remaining through the necessary thickness of the metal is filled at each end of the stroke by ridges formed on each end of the piston in a manner that conforms to the ports for accomplishing the first objects of my invention; second, in the two modified forms of engines embodying the sameprinciple; third, in the peculiar mechanism by which the valves are adjusted and operated; fourth, in the peculiar means employed for oiling the pistons of engines and for testing the tightness of the packing; and, lastly, inthe combination ofthe elements above set forth, whereby the objects of my invention are accomplished, and in their details of construction and arrangement, all as hereinafter fully described.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, A represents the cylindcrproper, provided with the induction ports and passages l and the eduction ports and passages P for the steam, and having the cylinderA, allcast in one piece.

H and H are the cylinder-heads, in which are formed four valve-casings, O, for the reception of the oscillating valves, which are arranged, in this instance, in pairs in each cylinder-head, H Hthat is to say, each of said heads has an induction-valve, V, and an eduction-valve, V, as shown, and arranged to open and close the induction-ports P and the eduction-ports P Said ports P P are formed in each head H H, and each of said heads, with their valve casings and ports, are also cast of one piece, the head 11 having also a stutfingbox, H through which passes the piston-rod R, carrying a piston of novel construction.

The piston R consists of a disk, 4*, havinga sleeve or tubular bearing, r, for the end of the piston-rod, ot' a follower disk, 1*, an intermediate face-ring, M, and ot' packing-rings m. The disk r and the follower or disk r are provided with ridges R adapted to enter or project intoand fill up the ports P P in each head, so as to completely avoid all superfluous space between the valve and the piston-space. By this means I effect a great economy in the steam employed, since no waste can take place by reason of any steam-space between the valve and piston, as is the case in all engines as now constructed where the valves are located more or less remote from said piston-space.

Instead of a disk, 0", and a follower, r, two followers or disks may be employed, said followers being thenarran ged upon opposite sides of the bearing 0" for the piston-rod, as shown in Fig. 9.

In order to automatically oil the periphery of the piston and the interior periphery of the cylinder, I providethe piston-rod with an oilpassage, 0, that communicates at one end, by means of a tube, 0, with a peripheral groove, m, in the face-ring M of the piston R, and at the other end with the oil'passage 0 in the stem of an oil-cup, O, that is located on the outside end of said rod R, at a point above the plane of motion of the periphery of the piston B, so that the oil is continually fed to the interior face of the cylinder through the piston-rod, as plainly shown.

The object of providing thepiston with packing-rings on each side of the central grooved ring or flange, M, is to avoid the waste of oil and to better conduct the latter to the periphcry of the cylinder. This construction of antomatic oil-feed from without the cylinder to the interior periphery of the piston-space has the further advantage of enabling the attendant to test the packing of the piston, as it is evident that if the packing is not steam-tight the steam will pass into the oil-passage 0 0, thence in to the oil-cup, so that in this manner it may be ascertained at any time whether the piston is working steam-tight or not.

As above stated, each cylinder-head is provided with two valve casings or seats, 0, for the oscillating valves V or V, which are provided at each end with an extended bearing, V, in which is formed an annular groove, V for the reception of a packing that will retain the oil from the oil cups 0 Figs. 3 and 4.

g, Figs. 5 and 7, is the valve-rod, which passes through a stufling-box or plug, 0, and carries at one end an operating-crank, D, the valves being fitted to the casings by means of screwplugs, as shown.

The object of extending the hearings of the valves is to obtain greater wearin gsurfacc, and the object of packing them oil-tight, or nearly so, is to keep them constau tly lubricated without waste of oil, as a sufiicient quantity of the latter will pass through the packing and end bearin gs to hearings on each side of the ports, and to the valve-seats.

The valves are kept steam-tight by the constant pressure of live steam upon their backs, said live steam being conducted to the backs of the exhaust-valves by the passage H As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the induction and eduction valves are operated independent 1 y, the former being controlled by anysuitable variable cut-off, while the latter are controlled by an independent operating mechanism of peculiar construction, that will be more fully described hereinafter. The arrows, Fig. 2, show the ingress and egress of the steam, the valves in said figure being shown in their relative positions to that of the piston, which positions will be reversed when said piston has reached a like position in a reversed direction, as will be easily understood.

The construction of engine above described is best suited for stationary engines of great power; but for marine and locomotive engines the. construction shown by Figs. 8 and 9 is best suited, which is in every respect the same as that already described, except that only one valve, V, is employed in each of the cylinder heads, H H, the one valve in each head serving the double purpose of both the induction and eduction valves. The bridge of the valve moves over the port, thus permitting the steam to enter through one side and escape through the other.

The rod D connects the valves with the reversing-link L, connected to the cam by rods l l. The valves maybe operated by the novel cut-ofl' mechanism above referred to and described hereinafter.

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the cylinder A and its heads H H, in respect to the situa tion of the induction-port, which latter is in this case situated on. the same side of the cylinder as the exhaustport and on the outside of the latter, and the corresponding ports in the cylinder-heads II II are formed around the outside of the valve-cases U, and enter the latter to the valve-chambers upon the same side of the valve as those shown in Figs. 2 and 9. This modification is useful where a condenser is formed in the lied-plate, or in small engines in which the cylinder is cast to the bed-plate; but it is obvious that the object of the invention and principles thereof are identically the same as those of the other figures above referred to.

Fig. 11 represents a three-motion cam, X, made in three different circles, each of the three divisions or segments of which circles being concentric with the axis of the revolving shaft Q, upon which the cam is mounted, and the smaller and larger circles being connected by bridges, which inclinefrom the larger to the smaller circles, thus forming the continuous track with theeccentric bridges or cam inclination, which serve to change the rollers from one circle to the other, thus shifting the arms X, to which the said rollers are attached, and thereby con'nnunicating the necessary motions through the rods D and links 1) to the valve. The rollers .13 00 being attached to the middle of the arm X, which is pivoted by one end to a stationary pin, m or to any suitable standard, and by the other-the swinging end-to the rod which operates the valve at the opposite end of the cylinder, Fig. ].l,re1 rescnted as open to admit steam to the piston-space. \Vhen the said rollers change from the smaller circle, I), to the larger circle, I), at the bridge B, the position of the valve will be reversed, and the bridge of the valve will cross over to the other side of the portand discharge steam from the piston-space until the rollers reach the bridge B, which conducts them to the middle circle or track If, thus shifting the valve to the middle of its motiona position in ICC which .the valve-bridge covers the port-and remains in that position until the rollers have again reached the bridge 13, which latter conducts them again to the smaller circle, b, and again opens the port.

Both valves being operated by the samccam, but by a similar but independent device, the same description serves for both arms and their valves.

The peculiar apparatus shown in this figure is designed especially for a cut-off motion, such as used on marine-engines, and to operate together with a common eccentric motion, or with the two-motion cam, Figs. 12 and 13, of similar construction, but having two tracks instead of three, as in the first cam described, which two-motion cam I will now describe, referring to said Figs. 12 and 13, the former of which represents a side view of said two-motion cam Y, constructed with two circular tracks only, the larger and the smaller circles being used to open and close the exhaust-ports. Vhen used in connection with the four-valve engine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and when used in connection with the twow'alve engine shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, it serves as a reversingcam, opening wide the ports at each end of the stroke of the piston and holding them in that position while the piston travels the length of its piston-space. Hence, when the above-described cams are bolted together, as shown in Fig. 13, and connected to a link or links, as shown in Fig. 10, the two-track cam serves as a backing-cam; but when disconnected from the links of the three-motion cam and connected directly with the rod D or valve-crank, as shown in Fig. 1, it serves for both backing and going-ahead motions in like manner to the common eccentric, except in respect to its quicker motions in moving the valves in less time as compared with the speed of the piston.

Fig. 13 represents a front view of both the above-described cams joined together, showing the positions of the arms and rollers. In order to enable others to make such cams, I have shown the geometrical lines, by which rule the cams are laid out for the patterns. This kind of cam, is designed to take the place of the yoke-cam, and to serve as two cams for operating the two valves, one of which is at each end ofthe cylinder, as by the independent arms and rollers the rim of the cam,passing between them alternately, makes an independent mo tion for each valve at the proper time, and leaving the other valve at rest in its proper position, when used in the manner shown in Fig. 12.

The advantages of this novel mechanism are 111 its simplicity, requiring only the one cam to produce the two motions for the two separate valves, while in the ordinary mechanism for the same purpose two outside cams are employed within yokes, which latter connect with the 'alves by means of rods, rock-shaft, and levers.

It is obvious to those who are acquainted with the mechanism of the puppet-valve engine that the. one cam is simpler than two, and that the two rollers bearing arms are simpler than yokes, rock-shaft, and levers, or the compound valves and two rock-shafts, where the levers are dispensed with; and in this new mechanism the common link is used for reversin g or changing motion from the cutoff mechanism to that of the full stroke operated by the two-motion cam, which latter requires but one arm. The pivotal arms serve the double purpose of transmitting and multiplying motion, the swinging end moving double the distance moved by the rollers, which are pivoted at the middle of the arm. Hence the cam-inclinations are not necessarilysteep, as the length of motion is provided through the length of the swinging end of the arm as relates to that part of the latter between the points of power and its fulcrum, thus performing the same function as the arms of the ordinary rockshaft. 1

The rollers working astride of the cam-flange are easily kept tight upon the latter by making the arms forked or open in the middle and joined at each end with sufficient spring to hold the-rollers tight upon the surfaces of the cam-track.

Adjusting-screws can be employed to close the fork of the arms, if necessary, to provide for wear.

There can be but little or no noise in its op eration, becausa the rollers are always tight upon the flange, and no loose motion is permitted.

The cams are secured to each other by means of bolts, (not shown,) and operate together as one piece, turning with the crank-shaft Q, to which the hub y of the cam Y is a tached by means of a spirally toothed or threaded clutch, Z, which latter is mounted loosely upon the said shaft and permitted to slide lengthwise thereof, but is secured from turning upon said shaft by a feather or key fitted into a groove in the said shaft and into a corresponding groove in the said clutch.

S is a yoke fitted into the annular groove in the clutch Z, and is pivoted to a lever, S, one end of which latter is pivoted to a fixed stud upon the bed-plate, and the other end is moved back and forth in the rack or toothed segment S The hub of the cam is fitted loosely upon the shaft between collars, which prevent its moving lengthwise of the shaft, but permits the cam to turn, and the shaft, as the spiral clutch is moved to and from the cam-hub by the lever 3. Hence it is obvious that by movin g the top ot'the saidlever the clutch is moved, causing the cams to slightly turn upon the shaft, and thus affording a ready means of adjusting the lead of the valves for any desired speed, for the purpose ot'cushioningthe momentum ofthereciprocating bodies atfast speed and removing t heeushion therefrom atslow speeda very important desideratum in moving engines wherein various speeds are attained as the adjustment can be effected whilethe englue is running at its highest speed-a thing which, to my knowledge, has heretofore never been done; but for the reason that a suitable device for the purpose required invention the principle of the screw embodied therein renders it possible to effect the desired result with a mechanism which insures strength, durability, and efliciency at the same time.

The several figures of the drawings are sufficiently simple, plain, and distinct to be thoroughly comprehended by ordinary engineers, and engines constructed from the drawings alone, without adding adescription, would operate. I will therefore point out the peculiarities of the new mechanism as they occur in the several figures ot' the drawings.

Fig. 1, Sheet 1, represents a view of a fourvalve engine, designed for heavy stationary work, in which economy of steam is attained by working itexpansively; hencethe arrangement of the induction-valves V to work independently of each other, and also of the discharge-valves V, in a manner that will admit of the advantage of a variable cut-ofi apparatus for operating the valves.

A novel valve-motion for operating the exhaust-valves is shown in Figs. 10 and 11, which attaches to the comiecting'rod D, as the cam eccentricities indicate.

I claim as my invention- 1. The cylinder A herein described, provided with ports P I adapted to receive the cylinder-heads II I1, in which latter valves constructed in the manner specified are located, substantially as shown and described.

2. The heads H H, combined with the cylinderA in such manner that the ports of the cylinder A and those in the heads H H will join correspondingly, and thus form continuous passages for the steam both to and from the valves, all constructed substantially as shown and described.

3. The journal-bearings V formed on the ends of the valves V and V,-for affording with two bridges, m w, to serve as cut-off and cushion valves, in combination with the threemotion cam X and eccentric,all arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with the engine, constructed as described, the flanged th rec-motion cam X with its rollers I1 and arms 3 constructed to operate the cut-off valves independently or together, substantially in the manner shown and described.

6. The combination, in an engine constructed substantially as described, of the cams X and Y with the connecting-rods D D and links L L, arranged to operate together, substan' tially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

7. The ridges R R formed on the ends of piston It to correspond with the ports in the cylinder-heads H H and protrude into and partly close said ports at each end of the stroke of the piston, to prevent waste of steam, substantially as shown and described.

8. In an engine constructed as described, the piston R and piston-rod R,provided with passages 0 0 and annular groove 121, through which oil is admitted from the outside to the peripheral surface of the piston, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In an engine constructed as described, the piston R, having metallic packingrings upon each side of an oil-supplying groove,m, for preventing the oil from wasting, and affording a ready means of testing the tightness of the piston-packing, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the cylinderAand its ports P P, of the heads 11 H, provided with cases 0 U, having valve-seats and ports for the reversible valves V and V, all constrncted and arranged as shown, and for the purpose described.

11. In an engine constructed as described, the device Z y, in combination with the valveoperatiug mechanism for adjusting the valves and giving them more or less lead, as desired, all arranged substantially as shown and specified.

WM. FARR eoonwm.

Witnesses: I

HENRY ()RTH, WM. A. McELwEE.

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