The Traveling Engineers' Association to Improve the Locomotive Engine Service of American Railroads Part 12

26. Q. Describe a piston valve.

A. A piston valve is a cylindrical spool-shaped valve constructed with packing rings much the same as the steam piston that moves through the cylinder, except that a piston valve is double or composed of two pistons connected by center rod or spool working in a bus.h.i.+ng of equal diameter. Steam and exhaust ports are cut through this bus.h.i.+ng; steam ports to the cylinder and exhaust port to the exhaust pipe. There is also a steam port for live steam from the boiler. As the pressure on this valve is equal in both directions it is practically balanced.

27. Q. What is a balanced slide valve? How is it balanced, and why? For what purpose is the hole drilled through the top of the valve?

A. One in which the steam pressure on the top and bottom of the valve is nearly equalized. This is done by protecting a portion of the top of the valve from the steam pressure. It is usually balanced by strips held against the pressure or balance plate by one or more springs. This is done to prevent live steam from getting on top of valve and thus relieve the valve from the top pressure which would cause excessive friction between the bottom of the valve and its seat. The hole through the top is to allow any steam which might leak by the strips to pa.s.s into the exhaust, so pressure could not acc.u.mulate on the top of the valve, also to equalize the exhaust pressure between the top of the valve and exhaust cavity as well as to a.s.sist in lubricating the balance plate.

28. Q. What is meant by inside and outside admission valves?

A. With an inside admission valve (usually a piston valve), the live steam comes between the piston valve heads, the outside end of the heads being connected with and exposed to exhaust pressure, it admits steam past the inside edges of the valves. An outside admission valve has the s.p.a.ce between the ends connected to the exhaust and a s.p.a.ce at the ends connected with the live steam. It admits steam past its outside edges. A piston valve can be either inside or outside admission, while a slide valve is always outside admission.

29. Q. What is the relative motion of the main piston and the steam valves for inside admission, and, on the other hand, for outside admission?

A. If the piston is in the front end of the cylinder, an inside admission valve must move forward in order to connect the inside of the valve with the front live steam port to admit steam against the piston.

The outside end of the valve opens the exhaust port for the back end of the cylinder. In the same position of the piston an outside admission valve must move backwards to open the steam port or in the same direction as the steam piston when commencing its stroke.

30. Q. What is an Allen ported valve, and what is its object?

A. An Allen ported valve is an outside admission slide valve having an extra port from one end of the valve to the other, above the exhaust cavity and through the body of the valve. This extra port is calculated to admit steam through the valve at the same time that steam pa.s.ses by the end of the valve into the same steam port, thus doubling the area of opening for live steam when the port is first opened.

31. Q. What is the difference in the valve motion for outside admission valves and for inside admission valves?

A. An outside admission valve must be moved in the opposite direction to an inside admission valve in relation to the movement of the steam piston when beginning its stroke; therefore either the position of the eccentric or the position of the rocker arms in relation to the rocker shaft must be opposite for a change in these valves.

32. Q. What is a direct motion valve gear? What is an indirect motion valve gear?

A. A direct motion valve gear is one in which the valve moves in the same direction as the eccentric rod, that is doing the work, in many cases no rocker arm is used. In case a rocker arm is used, both arms point in the same direction like the letter U. An indirect motion valve gear is one in which the valve moves in an opposite direction to the eccentric rod doing the work. A rocker is used in which the arms point in opposite directions from the shaft connecting them. Owing to the design and construction of the Walschaert valve gear, it is a direct motion gear when the engine is running in one direction with the link block in the bottom of the link, an indirect motion when the engine is running in an opposite direction with the link block in the top of the link; usually direct motion when running forward.

33. Q. How can you detect the difference between a blow in valve or piston packing?

A. A blow from the valve is more constant and has a somewhat different sound, while a blow from cylinder or piston packing will blow stronger at the beginning of the stroke and gradually decrease as the stroke is completed.

34. Q. How would you place engine to locate broken admission steam ring in piston valve?

A. Would place engine on quarter, reverse lever in center so as to cover ports, then open throttle; and the steam will blow out of cylinder c.o.c.k at the end of cylinder where broken valve ring is located.

35. Q. How would you locate broken exhaust ring in piston valve?

A. Watch the cross-head when engine is working steam. As there will be three normal and one light exhausts, you can determine on which side of the engine the light exhaust takes place.

36. Q. What is meant by lead? What by line and line?

A. Lead is the amount of port opening for live steam to cylinder ahead or back of piston when the piston is on the dead center. If the steam edge of the valve is in line with the edge of the steam port when the piston is on the center, it is said to be line and line.

37. Q. What is meant by steam lap?

A. The distance that the valve overlaps the live steam edges of the steam ports when it is in the center of its travel over the seat. This distance is measured at one end only, although the valve laps equally at both ends.

38. Q. What is meant by exhaust lap? What by exhaust clearance?

A. Exhaust lap is the distance that the exhaust edge of the valve overlaps the exhaust edge of the steam port when the valve is in central position. Exhaust clearance is the opening between the exhaust edge of the valve and the exhaust edge of the steam port with valve in central position. If the valve has neither exhaust lap or clearance it is said to be line and line.

39. Q. What is meant by release? What by compression?

A. Release is the point in the travel of the piston when the port is opened. Compression is the distance the piston travels after exhaust port closes before the live steam port opens. During this travel of the piston the exhaust port is closed so the moving piston compresses the steam left in the cylinder.

40. Q. With an indirect valve motion and outside admission valve, what would be the position of the eccentric relative to the crank pin on that side? What with a direct valve gear? What difference between outside admission valve and inside admission valve as to this position?

A. With an indirect valve motion and an outside admission valve, the go-ahead eccentric follows the crank pin with engine running ahead.

Without any lap or lead it would be a quarter of a turn or 90 degrees behind the pin, but as all valves have lap and lead, the eccentric is advanced or placed toward the pin enough to move the valve the amount of the lap and lead. With a direct valve gear and an outside admission valve, the eccentric will be a quarter of a turn or 90 degrees ahead of the crank pin and advanced enough to move the valve the amount of the lap and lead. With an inside admission valve and an indirect valve motion, the eccentric will come the same as for an outside admission valve and direct motion, or more than a quarter of a turn ahead of the pin. With an inside admission valve and direct motion, as piston valves are usually put up, the eccentric will follow the pin less than a quarter of a turn.

41. Q. What effect would be produced upon the lap and lead by changing the length of the eccentric rod?

A. Lap depends on the construction of the valve. A change of the eccentric rod would not effect it, but would widen the port opening at one end of the travel and reduce it at the other. It should be equal at both ends. Lead is controlled by the position of the eccentric on the axle and it must be equal at both ends. Changing the length of the eccentric rod from the proper one does not really affect the lead, because no proper measurement can be made until lead is equal at both ends. Therefore improper length of eccentric rods varies the port opening at the beginning of the stroke of the piston at both ends.

42. Q. Why are eccentric rods made adjustable?

A. In order to change their length to make adjustment of the valve gear not as easily made in other ways.

43. Q. Why is it necessary to keep the cylinders free from water?

A. In order to avoid damaging valves and cylinders, to insure perfect lubrication and obtain the most efficient service from the locomotive.

44. Q. Where is the piston rod packing located? Where cylinder packing?

A. Piston rod packing is usually soft metallic rings located inside of a gland at the back end of cylinder and around the rod. Cylinder packing rings are usually cast iron, placed around the piston head and bearing against the walls of the cylinder.

45. Q. How are metallic packing rings on piston rods and valve stems held in place? What provisions are made for the uneven movements of the rod?

A. The packing rings fit into a vibrating cup or cone located inside the gland, being held therein by means of a spring as well as by the steam pressure. Provision is made for uneven movement of the rod by making the inside of the gland larger than the vibrating cup and using a ball-joint ring between the vibrating cup and gland.

46. Q. While running under steam and there is a failure of part of the locomotive which does not seem to prevent running at full speed, how would you proceed?

A. Keep the locomotive running if in your judgment it is safe. Try to ascertain what the injury is and be prepared at the next stop to do such work as the case demands, being careful to make the stop at such a place that the work can be done without interfering with the movements of main line trains.

47. Q. If one side of a locomotive is disabled, what would you do in a general way to make it possible to use steam on the other side?

A. Disconnect enough parts to allow for the turning of the wheels and for reversing of the opposite side without moving the valve on the disabled side.

48. Q. In case a locomotive in your care became disabled on the road, what would you do?

A. First see that the train is protected. Next examine the locomotive and see what is necessary to do to move it and if possible the train. If unable to make repairs at once to bring the engine and train forward, would advise exact condition of engine and ask for help. In the meantime endeavor to move the train so as to give other trains the use of the main line.

49. Q. Suppose a wash-out plug blew out or a blow-off c.o.c.k broke off or would not close, what should be done?

A. Kill the fire, get the train on a side track, if possible, and if unable to make repairs get the engine in condition to be towed in. In all cases with a disabled engine allow the train to drift to a siding, when possible, and stop between the switches so as to allow other trains to pa.s.s through siding.

50. Q. Can a locomotive boiler without steam pressure be filled by being towed by another engine? If towed, how filled?