IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Humphrys, of Hull, in the County of
York, Iron Shipbuilder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 7th January 1871, and dated the 14th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Humphrys at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th July 1870.
I, JAMES HUMPHRYS, of Hull, in the County of York, Iron Ship-
builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:—
My Invention has reference to compound or double cylinder steam
engines, or those jointly employing high and low pressure steam
cylinders, and consists in constructing them with a valve cylinder
between the said cylinders situate parallel with or immediately adjacent
to them, the valve cylinder being furnished with openings of adequate
dimensions at each end, communicating with the top and bottom of the
steam cylinders. In this valve cylinder I place two piston valves one at

page_text: the
each end, fitted with suitable metallic packing rings; thro' each of these
valves a straight passage is formed to convey the steam from the high to
the low-pressure cylinder, a curved passage is also formed to convey
steam from the low-pressure cylinder to the chamber between the two
piston valves and thence to the condensor. The piston valves may be
fitted with metallic packing rings, and are worked by a motion which
gives the proper time that the steam and exhaust ports should remain
open. Also is embraced herein in combination with the above the
construction of the improved engine with the cranks (worked from the
two steam cylinders) set diametrically opposite to each other, and with a
valve introduced between the condensor and the low-pressure cylinder.
This valve is to be worked simultaneously with the valve for shutting off
or admitting the supply of steam from the boiler to the high-pressure
cylinder for the purpose of more readily stopping and starting the main
engine. The passages or ports for the admission of steam to the high-
pressure cylinder from the boiler are placed one at each end of the
cylinder and opposite the eduction passages communicating with the valve
cylinder, no link motion for or method of reversing the piston valves
being required. The engine may be started and reversed by means of
frictional gearing or other approved method to be worked by an auxiliary
steam engine or otherwise, and when an auxiliary engine is used for
working centrifugal pump for surface condensor the same engine may
be applied for the purpose referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Humphrys in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 14th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HUMPHRYS, of Hull, in the County of York, Iron Shipbuilder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Humphrys, Her special licence that I,
the said James Humphrys, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or 3

page_text: such others as I, the said James Humphrys, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Humphrys,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Humphrys, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
:―
My Invention has reference to compound or double cylinder steam
engines, or those jointly employing high and low pressure steam
cylinders, and consists in constructing them with a valve cylinder
between the said cylinders situate parallel with or immediately adjacent
to them, the valve cylinder being furnished with openings of adequate
dimensions at each end communicating with the top and bottom of the
steam cylinders. In this valve cylinder I place two piston valves, one
at each end, fitted with suitable metallic packing rings; through each of
these valves a straight passage is formed to convey the steam from the
high to the low pressure cylinder; a curved passage is also formed to
convey the steam from the low-pressure cylinder to the chamber between
the two piston valves, and thence to the condensor. The piston valves
may be fitted with metallic packing rings, and are worked by a motion
which gives the proper time that the steam and exhaust ports should
remain open. Also is embraced herein in combination with the above
the construction of the improved engine with the cranks (worked from
the two steam cylinders) set diametrically opposite to each other, and
with a valve introduced between the condensor and the low-pressure
cylinder. This valve is to be worked simultaneously with the valve for
shutting off or admitting the supply of steam from the boiler to the high-
pressure cylinder for the purpose of more readily stopping and starting

page_text: the main engine. The passages or ports for the admission of steam to
the high-pressure cylinder from the boiler are placed one at each end of
the cylinder and opposite the eduction passages, communicating with
the valve cylinder, no link motion for or method of reversing the piston
valves being required. The engine may be started and reversed by
means of frictional gearing or other approved method to be worked by
an auxiliary steam engine or otherwise, and when an auxiliary engine is
used for working centrifrugal pump for surface condensor the same
engine may be applied for the purpose referred to.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to illustrate a convenient mode
or carrying my Invention into effect..
a is a high-pressure cylinder, and b a low-pressure cylinder; c is the
valve cylinder situate between the high and the low pressure cylinders;
d, d, are piston valves, which may be fitted with metallic packing rings;
e, e, is the steam passage from high to low pressure cylinder; and f, f, is
steam passage from low-pressure cylinder to condensor or to the
atmosphere.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Humphrys, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.