US1553022A - Multicylinder compound engine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. s. 1925. 1,553,o22

' 'C. BEN SON MULTICY LNDER COMPOUN D ENGI N E Sept. 8, 1925.-

4. Sheets-Sheat 2 Filed Aug. 28. 1922 C. BENSON MULTICYLINDBR coMPouND ENGINE Sept 8. 19254 Filed- Aug. 28. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet, 3

Sept. 8, 1925 I 1 553 022 C. BENSON MULTICYLINDEH COMPOUND ENGINE Filed Aug. 28, 1,922 4 Sheets-$heet 4 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES CARL BENSON, OF GARY, INDIANA.

MULTICYLINDER COMPOUND ENGINE.

Application filed August 28, 1922. Serial No. 584,'795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAnL BENsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gary, in the county of Lal-re and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful mprovenents in Multicylinder Compound Engines` of which the following is a specification.

The present invention re lates to inprove ments in multi-cylinder engines and in particular to the compound type embodying high and low pressure cylinders, adapted more especially to be operated by means of steam.

The prinary object of my invention is to provide a simple form of engine of this class designed more particularly for adaptation to the field of autonobile Construction and these improvements are characterized as to novelty by the provision of a special piston arrangement and drving connection, together with an effective valve mechanism whereby a most efi'icient power plant is pro` duced for the purpose indicated.

W'ith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of the parte as will more fully appear as the description proceecls, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through an engine Construction enbodying my improvements, showing one of the pistons at the beginning of its power stroke.

Figure 2 is a View similar to that of Figure 1 with the pistons at an intermediate position and the distribution valve rotated to a position at substantially right angles to that clisclosed in Figure l.

Fgure 3 is a sectional View on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken about on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the valve mechanism on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. .i

Figure 6 is a detail view of the rotating valve member, partly in section se as to show the steam passages and eXhaust pas- ;sage thereof.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the valve member shown in Figure 6 looking at the same at right angles to the position shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional View through the valve member of Fgure 6.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective View of the slide or reversing valve.

Figur-e 10 is a sectional View through the end of the valve chest with the valve member removed and showing more clearly the arrangement of the steam and eXhaust passages.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view through a piston unit.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all of the views of the drawings, by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the cylincler casting or block which may have any desired number of cylinders, but as here shown, is provided with a series of such cylinders arranged in a circle, each cylinder unit consisting of a high pressure cylinder 2 and a low pressure cylinder 3. To this end there is formed in the cylinder casting a central skirt or sleeve Q of relatively small diameter forming the high pressure cylinder in which is mounted the high pressure piston 4. By reference more particularly to Figure 11, the peculiar piston construction will be clearly understood. The high pressure piston 4 is surrounded by a low pressure piston 5, each of these being formed with opposing, elongated extensions t', 5', having angular eXt-remities 4", 5", through which bolts 6 are passed to connect the two pistons into a single unit. It will be noted that a narrow space 7 is left by this Construction or arrangement so as to receive the cylinder skirt Q The movement of the piston unit is transmitted by means of a common connecting rod 8 to what I will term` for the purpose of this description a rocker member 9 of cup-like form, the spindle 10 of which is mounted on a center common to the series of pistons. This spindle, or crank pin, more Strictly speaking, is connected by an angle hearing plate 11 with a crank disk 12 Secured to a driving shaft 18 projecting through a crank case 14. The connection at each end of the connecting rod 8 is a universal joint connection and it will be apparent that in ;the rotation of the rocker member 9 its spindle describes a conical circuit with the crank and shaft and it is understood, ot course, that the pistons take steam successively, making a continuous pressure on the circuit of the crank.

Secured to the head of the cylinder easting is a valve chest in which is mounted a rotary alve member 16, shown more clearly in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, and motion is transmitted to this member by means of the connection of its stem 17 with a crank plate 13 to which the inner end of the spindle 10 is Secured. The extremity of the stem 17 is journaled in a supporting yoke 19 having opposite trunnions 20 bearing in a ring 21, also having opposite trunnions 2 hearing in the rim ot the rocker member 9, which thereby is adequa'tely supported to receive the power stresses imparted to it by the pistons.

Reverting to the Construction of the valve member 16, reference to Figure 8 will disclose the tormation of separate outer, arcuate passages or channels 23 for supplying steam to the low pressure cylindersand separate inner channels 24: tor supplying steam to the high pressure cylinders.` Each of these channels is provided with an inlet port, designated 23 and 24', respectively, and the tormer are designed to register with the high pressure cylinder ports 23 while the latter are arranged to register with the low pressure cylinder ports 24:?, in the cycle of operation of the engine.

Mounted upon the rotating valve member 16 is a `coacting slide valve 25 which is formed with a low pressure steam passage26 "and 'an exhaust passage 2?, this valve tunetioning as a reversing'valve in the operation or the engine.` Sliding movement is impartedcto" this slide valve by means of a reve rsing lever '28 which is connected to a thrustcollar 29 mounted on the stem extension 30 of the valve member 16, the collar 29 having an 'arm' 3l connected by a link 32 to a bell' crank 33, the free end of which engages in the recess or notch 34 containing a spring 35, so coacting with the bell crank as to hold the valve member in its operated position.

Speaking with reference to the operation ot the slide valve 25 and the position thereof shown in Figure 2, it will be noted that the passage 26 establishes communication through the rotating valve between the high pressure cylinder at one side and the low pressure cylinder at the opposite side, while the passage 27 receives the exhaust from the low pressure cylinder and passes it to an eXhaust passage 36 formed in the upper end of the Valve stem 17, this last mentioned passage opening laterally of the stem into an annular passage 37 surrounding the stem 'from which the exhaust passes through a passage .or passages 38 to the atmosphere.

lVhile the operation of the engine will probably be apparent from the foregoing description, it will be advantageous to briefiy refer to the same at this point.

In the intermediate position occupied by the pistons in Figure 2, steam is entering the valve chamber 15 by means of a conduit 39 from which it passes through the outer steam port 23' into the high pressure passage 23" and to the' high pressure cylinder 2.

The opposite cylinder is moving inwardly on its exhaust stroke and the steam from the high pressure cylinder 2, as shown by the arrows, enters the opposite passage 23 passing through the outer channel 23 registering therewith into the passage 26 of the slide valve, which passes the steam into the inner low pressure channel 24 to the low pressure cylinder of the opposite cylinder unit. The low pressure cylinder, as shown by the arrows, is exhausting through the valve passages 27, 36, 37 and out to atmosphere by the passage or passages 38. The impetus of the driving piston in this cycle efiects a rocking ot the member 9 and imparts a rotary motion to the crank disk 12, this rotation in turn shitting the valve so that the next cylinder becomes' similarly operative, resulting in a continuous pressure being cxerted upon the rocking beam as it moves through its conical circuit above referred to.

In order to equalize the pressure of the steam in the valve chest on the valve, I preterably provide a piston 30 o-n the end of the stem 30 which operates in the cylinder head 30, the interior of which may be filled with grease or oil.

The high pressure cylinder in this con: struction is provided With a water outletO and the low pressure cylinder with a corresponding outlet 4:1. I preferably form the cranl case 14 with a depression 14-' :for oil which is splashed by the operation of the pistons and by the rotation of the crauk disk upon the moving parts to provide for effective lubrication of the same. `An oil drain 14 is provided, as customary.

I desire it to be understood that as regards details of Construction, changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a multi-cylinder engine. a pluralitv of cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and pistons theretore connected for joint operation, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected, a driving shaft, a` crank connection between said rocker member and the shatt, a valve chest, and valve means therein operated from the crank connection and adapted to establish communication between the valve chest and the high pressure cylinder of one cylinder unit and between the high pressure cylinder of a second unit and the low pressure cylinder of the first unit mentioned whereby the connected pistons are subjected to high and low fluid pressures.

In a multi-cylinder compound engine, a plurality of cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and pistons therefor connected for joint operation, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected, a driving sllavit, a crank connection between said rocker member and the shat't, a valve chest, and rotatable valve means in said chest tor directing the steam to each cylinder unit successively, said means having ducts establishing communication between the valve chest and the high pressure cylinder of one unit and separate means for simultaneously establishing communication between the high pressure cylinder of another unit and the low pressure cylinder of the first mentioned unit whereby the connected pistons are subjected to high and low'fluid pressures.

In a multi-cylinder compound engine, a plurality of cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and pistons therefor connected 'or joint operation, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected, a driving shaft, a crank connection between said rocker member and the shacft, a valve chest, and valve means in said chest comprising a rotatable Valve .member having ducts for establishing communication with the high pressure cylinder oi' each. unit in succession and a separate duet sinultaneously coacting with the low pressure c 'linder, said means including a member having a duet adapted to register with the last mentioned duct to establish communication between the high pressure cylinder of another unit and the low pressure. cylinder of the, first mentioned unit.

4-. In a. multi-cylindcr compound engine, a phn'ality of cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and pistons therefor connected for joint operation, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected, a driving shaft, a crank connection between said rocker member and the shaft, a Valve chest, and valve means in said chest comprising a rotatable valve member operated from the crank connection aforesaid and having a duct establishing communication between the chest and the cylinder units in succession and a separate valve member operated with the first mentioned member having a coacting duct to establish communication between the cylinder units as an incident to the operation .of the first mentoned a v member whereby the connectedpstons are subjected to high and low fluid pressures.

5. In a multi-cylinder compound engine, a plurality ot cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pres sure cylinder and pistons therefor connected for joint operation, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected, a driving shatt, a crank connection between said rocker member and the shatt, a valve chest, and valve means in said chest comprising a rotatable valve member having ducts adapted to register with the respective cylinder ports and a second valve member slidably mounted on the first valve member and having coacting ducts communicating with the cyiinder units and disposed to feed the exhaust from the high pressure cylinder of one unit into the low pressure cylinder of another unit.

6. In a multi-cylinder compound engine, a plurality of cylinder units arranged about a common center, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and a -piston unit in each connected for joint operation, a rocl er member to which said piston units are connected, a driving shaft, a crank connection between the rocker member and the shaft, a valve chest, valve means thei-ein including a rotatable valve member having a Sharit ar'anged centrally of the cylinder units operated from the crank connection atoresaid and a slidable valve member mounted on the rotatable valve member :tor rotation therewith, and means for shifting said slidable valve member relative to the rotatable valve member.

7. In a multi-cylinder compound engine, a plurality of cylinder units arranged about a common center, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and a pisten unit in each connected for joint operation a rocker member to which said piston units are connected, a driving shaft, a crank connection between said rocker member and the shaft, a valve chest,

valve means therein including a rotatable valve member having a stem operatively connected with the crank connection aforesaid, said stem having fol-med thei-ein an ex haust passage, said rotatable member having high and low pressure steam passages therethrough to communicate with each unit, and shiftable reversing means coacting with the rotatable member and having ducts therein adapted to coact with the passages of the rotatable member to establish communication between the cylinder units and exhaust passage aforesaid.

8. In a multi-cylinder engine, a plurality of cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cylinder and a low pressure cylinder and pistons theretor connected for joint operation, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected, a driving shaft, a

spindle on which said rocker member is mounted, e crank disk upon the driving shefi', to which said spindle is eccentrically connected at one end, a yoke member to which the other end is universaliy connected, and valve means for the cylinders including independently operable superposed valve members, one of which is provided with an Operating shat connected with the spindle aforesaid.

9. In n multi-cyiinder compound engine, a plu-rality of cylinder units, each comprising a high pressure cyiinder and a low pressure cylinder and pistons therefor, a rocker member to which said pistons are connected a driving shni't with which said rocke' member is operatively connected, e valve chest, and valve means therein comprising a rotatab-le valve member having ports to introduce high and low pressure fluidto each unit and a coacting siidable vaive member, said slidable valve member being rotata-ble with and shiftable with respect to the rotatable valve member to efiect reverse movement.

10. The combination with a low pressure cylinder and a high pressure cylinder therein, of a piston unit including an annuiztr low pressure piston and a high pressure piston surrounded by the low pressure piston a skirt extension from each piston connected to each other and provided with detachable connectng means to permit separate removel of the istons, and a connecting 'rod pvoted to the high pressure piston and disposed within its extension.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

CARL BENSO'N.

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