# US 2014/0196601 A1 · Uniflow Steam Engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196601 A1 - Document ID: US20140196601A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/158,051 - Filed: 2014-01-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Assignees: Village Industrial Power, Inc. - Inventors: Carl Norman Bielenberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196601A1 ## CPC - F01B 1/01: with one single cylinder - F01B 17/04: Steam engines - F01L 3/205: {Reed valves} - F01B: MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES (of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F01C; of non-positive-displacement type F01D; internal-combustion engines F02B; combustion-product engine plants F02G; machines or engines, other than of positive-displacement type, for liquids F03B; positive-displacement engines driven by liquids F03C; wind motors F03D; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04B; rotary-piston, or oscillating-piston, positive-displacement machines for liquids F04C) - F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES ## Abstract Improvements to the steam engine for the purpose of small scale generation of electricity using biomass fuels and for co-generation of heat and electricity using biomass fuels in both developed and less developed countries are described. The engine is particularly well adapted to co-generation where the thermal load, as in building heating and many process applications, is extremely variable, because of its ability to operate efficiently under partial load. For the same reason, it would be suited to solar generated steam. Experiments have been conducted with steam as the working fluid. The design may in some or all respects be applied to other working fluids. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steam engine comprising: a cylinder, having two ends and a sidewall, having an exhaust port disposed in said sidewall; a reciprocating piston disposed in said cylinder, separating said cylinder into an upper cylinder region and a lower cylinder region; an upper steam chest, disposed at one end of said cylinder; a lower steam chest, disposed at a second end of said cylinder; an upper valve plate comprising: an upper valve port passing through said plate and connecting said cylinder and said upper steam chest; and an upper inlet valve, disposed above said upper valve port and retained in place by an upper valve retainer, wherein said upper inlet valve comprises a leaf spring, normally biased in an arched shape so as to allow passage of steam between said upper steam chest and said cylinder in an open position; and a lower valve plate comprising: a lower valve port passing through said plate and connecting said cylinder and said lower steam chest; and a lower inlet valve, disposed below said lower valve port and retained in place by a lower valve retainer, wherein said lower inlet valve comprises a stainless steel leaf spring, normally biased in an arched shape so as to allow passage of steam between said lower steam chest and said cylinder in an open position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steam engine of claim 1, wherein pressure created by a flow of steam from said upper steam chest into said upper cylinder region causes said upper inlet valve to deflect to a closed position, wherein said upper inlet valve seals against said upper inlet port, thereby preventing the flow of steam between said upper steam chest and said upper cylinder region and wherein pressure created by a flow of steam from said lower steam chest into said lower cylinder region causes said lower inlet valve to deflect to a closed position, wherein said lower inlet valve seals against said lower inlet port, thereby preventing the flow of steam between said lower steam chest and said lower cylinder region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The steam engine of claim 2, wherein said upper inlet valve transitions from said closed position to said open position when pressure within said upper cylinder region equals pressure in said upper steam chest, and wherein said lower inlet valve transitions from said closed position to said open position when pressure within said lower cylinder regions equals pressure in said lower steam chest. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The steam engine of claim 3, further comprising an upper cam disposed above said upper valve plate, said upper cam positioned so as to contact said upper inlet valve when in said open position, wherein said upper cam is rotatable to vary the maximum opening achieved by said upper inlet valve when in said open position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steam engine of claim 4, further comprising a snubber disposed above said upper inlet valve, said snubber adapted to control a rate at which said upper inlet valve opens and contacts said upper cam. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The steam engine of claim 3, further comprising a projection disposed on an upper surface of said piston, such that when said piston is in an upper position in said cylinder, said projection passes through said upper valve port and deflects said upper inlet valve from said closed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The steam engine of claim 3, further comprising a pilot valve disposed on said lower valve plate; said pilot valve comprising: a plunger, a retainer, and a biasing element disposed between said retainer and said plunger exerting a bias force to cause said plunger to extend into said lower cylinder region; such that when said piston is in a lower position, said piston contacts said plunger, overcoming said bias force, thereby allow steam to pass between said lower steam chest and said lower cylinder region. ### Claim 8 A steam engine comprising: a cylinder, having two ends and a sidewall, having an exhaust port disposed in said sidewall; a reciprocating piston disposed in said cylinder, separating said cylinder into an upper cylinder region and a lower cylinder region; an upper steam chest, disposed at one end of said cylinder; a lower steam chest, disposed at a second end of said cylinder; an upper valve plate comprising: an upper valve port passing through said plate and connecting said cylinder and said upper steam chest; and an upper inlet valve to allow passage of steam between said upper steam chest and said cylinder in an open position; and a lower valve plate comprising: a lower valve port passing through said plate and connecting said cylinder and said lower steam chest; and a lower inlet valve to allow passage of steam between said lower steam chest and said cylinder in an open position; wherein said piston comprises one or more graphite seals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The steam engine of claim 8, wherein said piston further comprises two or more piston discs, each adjacent pair of piston discs separated by a respective spacer ring, wherein one or more of said graphite seals are disposed within a gap created by said respective spacer ring between said adjacent piston discs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The steam engine of claim 9, further comprising a graphite bushing disposed over a portion of said piston, wherein an outer circumference of said graphite bushing and an outer circumference of said graphite seal are greater than an outer circumference of said piston disc such that only said graphite bushing and said graphite seals contact said sidewall of said cylinder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The steam engine of claim 9, further comprising a seal spring, disposed in said gap and against an inner circumference of said graphite seal, said seal spring urging said graphite seal toward said sidewall of said cylinder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The steam engine of claim 9, wherein said sidewalls are nitride coated. ### Claim 13 A steam engine comprising: a cylinder, having two ends and a sidewall, having an exhaust port disposed in said sidewall; a reciprocating piston disposed in said cylinder, separating said cylinder into an upper cylinder region and a lower cylinder region; an upper steam chest, disposed at one end of said cylinder; a lower steam chest, disposed at a second end of said cylinder; an upper valve plate comprising: an upper valve port passing through said plate and connecting said cylinder and said upper steam chest; and an upper inlet valve, disposed above said upper valve port and retained in place by an upper valve retainer, wherein said upper inlet valve comprises a leaf spring, normally biased in an arched shape so as to allow passage of steam between said upper steam chest and said cylinder in an open position; and a lower valve plate comprising: a lower valve port passing through said plate and connecting said cylinder and said lower steam chest; and a lower inlet valve, disposed above below said lower valve port and retained in place by a lower valve retainer, wherein said lower inlet valve comprises a stainless steel leaf spring, normally biased in an arched shape so as to allow passage of steam between said lower steam chest and said lower cylinder in an open position; wherein said piston comprises two or more piston discs, each pair of adjacent piston discs separated by a respective spacer ring; and one or more graphite seals, disposed in a gap created between said adjacent piston discs by said respective spacer ring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The steam engine of claim 13, further comprising a graphite bushing disposed over a portion of said piston, wherein an outer circumference of said graphite bushing and an outer circumference of said graphite seal are greater than an outer circumference of said piston disc such that only said graphite bushing and said graphite seals contact said sidewall of said cylinder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The steam engine of claim 13, further comprising a seal spring, disposed in said gap and against an inner circumference of said graphite seal, said seal spring urging said graphite seal toward said sidewall of said cylinder.