US729268A - Compensating steam-engine and pressure-accumulator therefor. - Google Patents

Description

No. 729,268. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

W. 0. BROWN.

GOMPENSATING STEAM ENGINE AND PRESSURE AGCUMULATOR THEREFOR APPLICATION runn un. a1, 1902.

Z Y Jnverg'io'r PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

- W. 0. BROWN. OMPENSATING STEAM ENGINE AND PRESSURE AGCUMULATOR THEREFOR. E

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 31, 1902.

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PATENTED'MAY 26, 1903.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1902.

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UNITED STATES i atented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM 0. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HENRY R. VVOR'IHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMPENSATING STEAM-ENGINE AND PRESSURE-'ACCUMULATQR THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,268, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed March 31.1902.

To all whont it may concern:

- struction for high-duty duplex steam pumping-engines of that class in which the steam is cut off from the steam-cylinders early in the stroke, so as to use the steam expansively, and compensating cylinders are'employed in which the compensating pistons are subjected to pressure controlled by an accumulator and actto resist the movement of the pistons and store up pressure during the first part of the stroke and to aid the pistons during the latter part of the stroke when the steam is cut 0E, thus 'equalizingthe powerot' the en gine throughout the stroke.

The accumulator. construction of the present invention avoids the use of the air systems previously employed and the air-pump necessary formaintaining the air in such systems against leakage and may-readily be adjusted' to secure the desired compensatingcylinder action for the distribution of the steam-pressure, and init the pressure in the compensating cylinders is directly dependent upon the force-main and immediately relieved in case of a sudden reduction of pres- In the drawings which show the invention s mi No. 100.678. (No model.)

as applied in its preferred form in connection with a well-known form of compound duplex direct-acting pumping-engines, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3is a detail central vertical section of the accumulator. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to said drawings, AB and C D are respectively the high-pressure cylinders and-the low-pressure cylinders on opposite sides of the engine, E the induction-pipe for the high-pressure cylinders, F the exhaustpipe to receiver G, H the induction-pipe for the low-pressure cylinders, and I the lowpressure exhaust-pipe.

The pistons of the high-pressure cylinders on opposite sides of the engine are connected by piston-rods ed to cross-heads J, with which are connected the pistons of swinging compensating cylinders K, and to the crossheads J are connected byside rods 6 the lowpressure steam-pistons. Thecompensating cylinders K are connected by pipe L with the accumulator construction presently to be described. At the pump end the opposite sides are marked M N, and O is the suction-main and 'P the force-main,.the plunger-s fg at the outer ends of the pump-cylinders being shown as actuated by the cross-heads Q, connected by side rods to the cross-head J.

The construction so faras above described is well known, and itrwill be understood that my accumulator construction is equally applicableto other types of high-duty compensating pumping-engines.

The steam-valve movement by which the admission, cut-off, and exhaust of the steam is controlled may be of any suitable form; but I. have shown a construction embodying certain features which form the subject-matter of another application, in which valve movement the admissionrand cut-off valves at the top of the cylinders have the usual crank-arms 10, which are connected by two links 11 to a primary rocker 't' and by'a link 12, jointed to the links 11 at their'point of connection to a secondary rocker is, these links 12 being preferably made adjustable in length, for which purpose turnbuckles 3 are shown. The primary rockers 7; of the highpressure cylinders are connected by links 13 with the valve movement and by links 14 with the rockers i of the low-pressure cylinders. The links 13 are connected to crankarms 15 on crossover-shafts 16 and the admission-levers 17 on rock-shafts 16 on the opposite sides of the engine are connected to Y cross-heads J by links 18, all as usual in valve movements of duplex engines. The secondary rockers 71' of the high-pressure cylinders have crank-arms 19, which are connected by links 20 to the cut-off levers of the valve movement, and the rockers k of the high-pressure cylinders are connected by links 21 to the rockers 76 of the low-pressure cylinders. The cut-off levers 22 on each side of the engine are actuated from the cross-heads J of their own side through links 23. The exhaust-valves are shown as actuated from the primary rockers't' through links 24, connected to crank-arms 25 on the valve-stems.

The pressure in the compensating cylinders is controlled and made directly dependent upon the force-main, so as to secure uniform pressure throughout the stroke and at the same time make the compensating-cylinder pressure dependent upon the force-pressure and relieve it immediately upon a fall of pressure in the force-main by the following construction: The supply-pipe L for the compeusating cylinders connects with the forcemain P and with chamber 26 of the accumulator below the accumulator-piston 27, which is carried by a cylinder R, which moves up and down with the accumulator-piston 27 upon vertical guide-rods 28. This cylinder Roont-ains a central cylindrical chamber 29 and an annular chamber 30, surronndingit. In the cylindrical chamber 29 is a stationary piston 31, carried by rod 32, connected to cross-head 33, carried by the guide-rods 28. This cylinder 29 is provided with air or other expansible fluid, so that as the cylinder R moves up and down with piston 27 the air is compressed on one or the other side of the piston 31 and pipe 34, connecting, the opposite ends of the cylinder and controlled by a cock 8, is provided, by which the expansible fluid in cylinder 29 may be passed from one end of the cylinder to the other, so as to regulate as desired the pressure on opposite sides of the piston 31. The outer chamber of the cylinderR is preferably supplied with liquid, which is used as an adjustable accumulator-weight and may form the only weight of the accumulator, but is preferably used onlyas a weight additional to the weights S, which are commonly employed in weighted accumulators, these weights being shown as carried by rodsupports 35,dependingfrom cylinder R. The liquid-cylinder 30 is shown as provided with an inlet 36, by which liquid may be admitted from the supply-pipe 37, and with the cock 38, through which water may be drawn off from the cylinder 30, and thus the accumulator-weight be readily adjusted by adding or drawing 0E liquid, as desired. While liquid is preferably used in the cylinder R, other materials that will flow readily may be used, such as sand or shot; but liquid is much the most convenient and efficient for adjustment of theweight.

Between the compensating cylinders and the force-main'P a check-valve m is provided opening toward the force-main. This checkvalve will be normally closed as the pressure in the main P normally exceeds somewhat the pressure-in the compensating cylinders and pipe L, so that there will be no flow of water from the main into the system through this valve; but if the pressure in the main is suddenly reduced the check-valve m will open and at once correspondingly reduce the pressure in the compensating cylinder.

The compensating system as thus far described is complete in itself, and any suitable provision may be made for adding to or removing liquid from the accumulator system; but I may add to this system the devices shown by which the amount of the liquid in the accu mulatorsystem is automatically regulated by drawing liquid from the force-main when the liquid in the compensating system falls too low and drawing off to waste liquid from the system in case of excess. In the construction shown a pipe 39 from the force-main or from the pipe L between the check-valve m and the force-main connects through a chamber 40 with a pipe 41, which is connected to the pipe L between the check-valve m and the compensating cylinders. The chamber 40 has a partition between the two pipes 39 41, provided with a port controlled by a valve 6, opening toward the force-main, so as to be uniformly closed by the excess of forcepressure above the accumulatorpressure. The stem of this valve 6 is connected to a lever 42, and the accumulator-weight S carries an adjustable abutment 43, shown as formed by a screw and set-nut, which engage the lever 42 if the accumulator-weight S falls too low, and thus forces the valve 6 downward against the pressure in pipe 39 and force-main and opens the port, so as to connect the two pipes 39 41, and thus admit liquid from the force-main to the accumulator system. For withdrawing liquid from the accumulator system in case of excess a pipe 44 connects the pipe L in the accumulator system to a waste-pipe 45 through a chamber 46, similar to the chamber 40 and provided with a partition having a port controlled by a valve 7, opening toward the accumulator system, so as to be normally closed by the pressure in the system, the stem of this valve 7 being connected to a lever 47, which is actuated by an adjustable abutment 48 on the weight S in case the weight S rises too high on account of excess of liquid in the accumulator system, thus connecting the pipes 44 45 and withdrawing liquid from the accumulator system until the weight S is lowered to its normal height.

The operation of this accumulator convases struction will be readily understood without extended description, the action of the accumulator-piston 27, in connection with the pistons of the compensating cylinders K, supplied with fluid under accumulator-pressure through the pipe L, being the same as in other compensating cylinders and accumulator constructions now well known. The accumulator-pressure may readily and conveniently be adjusted to the point desired by adding liquid to or removingit from the cylinder 30, so that a very accurate and convenient means of adjusting the accumulatorpressure is thus provided. The movement of the cylinder R upon the stationary piston 31 in cylinder 29 acts to aid in starting the accumulatonpiston 27 by the expansion of the elastic fluid in cylinder 29 and to cushion the accumulator piston in its movement. The pressure below the piston 31 may be so adjusted relatively to the pressure above the piston 31 as to serve as a balancing pressure and will totally or partially avoid the variation in pressure in the compensating cylinder that otherwise would result from starting and stopping the accumulatorweight. It will be understood, however,that this elastic-fluid cylinder is not absolutely essential and that instead of using astationary piston and movable cylinder the piston may be movable and the cylinder stationary.

The connection of the pipe L to. the forcemain, with the valve m between the two, so

that the liquid in pipe L flows directly to the force-main in case of fall" in force-pressure, forms a most efficient safety device by which the pressure in the compensating cylinders is immediately relieved upon reduction of forcemain pressure. This avoids the delay in relieving the pressure in the compensating cyl-' inders, which necessarily exists in systems employing expansible fluid between the forcemain and the compensating cylindersf It will be understood that the device for controlling the amount of liquid in the pipe L and accumulator-chamber 26, consisting of the pipes 39 44 and their controlling devices, need not be employed, although they are preferably used for automatic control of the accumulator system. If these are omitted, any suitable form of safety-valve may be placed upon the compensating system, so as to avoid the accumulator-piston rising too high.

The invention provides a very simple and efficient compensating accumulator construction for securing a uniform pressure through the stroke by the steam controlled by the valve movement in which the compensating pressure may readily be adjusted with great accuracy, pulsations or shocks in the system are avoided, and the compensating pressure is relieved without the delay incident to an expansible fluid-accumulator system in case of fall of pressure in the force-main. This accumulator construction, however, is of value for other uses than controlling the compensating pressure in steam engines and forms in itself a part of the present invention.

It will'be understood that modifications may be made in the accumulator construction shown without departing from the invention and that I am not to be limited to the exact construction or arrangement of devices illustrated.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main andcompensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator for controlling the pressure in the compensating cylinders having its piston-chamber connected with the compensating cylinders and with the force-main of the engine, and a check-valve opening toward the force-main between the accumulator and the forcemain, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and coin pensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator for controlling the pressure in the compensating cylinders having a weighted piston and having its piston-chamber connected with the compensating cylinders and with the force-main of the engine, and an expansible-fluid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator for controlling the pressure in the compensating cylinders having a weighted piston and havingits piston-chamber connected with the compensating cylinders and with the force-main of the engine, a check-valve opening toward the force-main between the accumulator and the force-main, and an expansible-fluid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, substantially as described. I

4. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accum ulator-chamberconnected to the compensating cylinders and force-main, an accumulator-piston in said chamber, and a receptacle for flowing nonexpansible material carried by said piston, whereby the accumulator-pressure may be varied by varying the amount of material in the receptacle, substantially as described.

-5. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator-chamber connected to the compensating cylinders and force-main, an accumulator-piston in said chamber, a receptacle for flowing'non-expansible material carried by saidpiston, whereby the accumulator-pressure may be varied by varying the amount of material in the receptacle, and an expansible-fluid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a pu mping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator-chamber connected to the compensating cylinders and force main, an accumulator piston in said chamber, a liquid-receptacle carried by said piston whereby the accum nlator-pressure may be varied by varying the amount of liquid in the receptacle, an expansible-fiuid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, and valve-controlled connection between the opposite ends of the expansible-fluid cylinder for varying the pressure on opposite sides of the piston therein, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator-chamber connected to the compensating cylinders and force-main, a weighted accumulator-piston in said chamber, an expansiblefluid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, and valve-controlled connections between the opposite ends of the expansible-fluid cylinder for'varying the pressure on opposite sides of the piston therein, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator-chamber connected to the compensating cylinders and force-main, a check-valve opening toward the force-main between the accumulator-chamber and force-main,a pipe connecting the accumulator system with the force-main, and a valve normally closing said pipe but opened by the accumulator-piston to admit liquid from the force-main to the accumulator system when the accumulator-piston falls too low, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator-chamber connected to the compensating cylinders and force-main, a check-valve opening toward the force-main between the accumulator-chamber and force-main, a waste-outlet for the accumulator system, and a valve normally closing said waste-outlet but actuated by the accumulator-piston to open said waste-outlet and permit the discharge of liquid from the system when the accumulatorpiston rises too high, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a pumping-engine and its main and compensating cylinders and their pistons, of an accumulator-chamber connected to the compensating cylinders and force-main, acheck-valve opening toward the force-main between the accumulator-chamber and force-main, supply connections between the force-main and the compensating system and a waste-outlet for the compensating system, valves normally closing said pipe connections and waste-outlet, and means for actuating said valves to open the supply connections or waste-outlet for the supply or discharge of liquid to or from the compensating system when the accumulator-piston falls too low or rises too high, substantially as described.

11. The combination with an accumulatorchamber and piston, of a receptacle carried by the piston, and flowing non-expansible material in said receptacle for weighting the piston, substantially as described.

12. The combination with an accumulatorchamber and accumulator-piston weighted to secure substantially the required accumulator-pressure, of an expansible-fluid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, substantially as described.

13. The combination with an accumulatorchamber and weighted accumulator-piston therein, of an expansible-fiuid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the piston, and valve-controlled connections between the opposite ends of the cylinder for varying the pressure on opposite sides of the piston therein, substantially as described.

14. The combination with an accumulator cylinder and piston, of a receptacle carried by the piston, flowing non-expansible material in said receptacle for weighting the piston, and an expansible-fluid cylinder and piston therein, one of said members being carried by the accumulator-piston, substantially as described.

15. The combination with an accumulator chamber and piston, of liquid-receptacle R carried by the accumulator-piston, expansible-fluid cylinder 29 in and moving with said receptacle, and stationary piston 31 in said cXpansible-fluid cylinder, substantially as described.

16. The combination with the accumulator chamber 26 and piston 27, of weights S carried by the piston, cylindrical liquid-chamber R for adjustably weighting the piston, and expansible-fiuid cylinder 29 and piston 31 therein, one of said members being carried by the accum ulator-piston, substantially as described.

17. The combination with an accumulator, of a pipe connecting the accumulator system with a fluid-supply having a pressure greater than that of the system, a valve normally closing said pipe and means for opening said valve by the accumulator-piston to admit fluid to the system when the piston falls too low, substantially as described.

18. The combination with an accumulator, of a waste-outlet from the system, a valve normally closing said outlet, and means for opening said valve by the accumulator-piston for the discharge of fluid from the system when the piston rises too high, substantially as described.

19. The combination with an accumulator, of a supply connection and a waste-outlet for the accumulator system,valves normally closing said supply connection and waste-outlet,

and means for actuating said valves to open my hand in the presence of two subscribing the supply connections or waste-outlet for witnesses. the supply or discharge of liquid to or from the accumulator system when the accumuv WILLIAM BROWN 5 lator-piston falls too low or rises too high, Witnesses:

substantially as described. T. F. KEHOE,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set C. J. SAWYER.

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