IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Smith, of No. 18, Salisbury Street, Strand,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."-
A communication from Mr. H. W. Gullett, Engineer, residing in
Russia.
Sealed the 18th February 1859, and dated the 19th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
August 1858.
I, WILLIAM SMITH, of No. 18, Salisbury Street, Strand, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES," (a communication from Mr. H. W. Gullett, Engineer, residing in
Russia,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of steam engines
suitable for marine propulsion and for other purposes, and by which arrange-
ment and the mode of applying the steam thereto, considerable economy is
effected in the quantity of fuel required for performing a given amount of
duty.
Two cylinders are placed each at an angle of about 25 or 30 degrees, or at
any other convenient angle, their connections converging to the crank axle or
shaft, the air pump and condenser being disposed between the two cylinders,
and immediately under the crank shaft, and the cold water injection, feed, and
bilge pumps are disposed alongside the air pump, working vertically or
horizontally as may be most convenient, the starting and reversing gear being
worked by a wheel placed in any convenient position for acting by means of

page_text: connecting rods upon the links, and eccentric and slide gear of the two
cylinders.
The two cylinders being mounted upon the inclined sides of an A frame,
and the air pump and condenser as as before described being contained within
the said frame, the exhaust pipes branch out from either side of the condenser
to the lower side of the steam chest of each cylinder, whilst each cylinder has
upon the upper side or face of the steam chest a steam pipe branch from the
boiler.
Instead of employing steam at a low pressure as ordinarily employed for
marine engines, high pressure steam is used, which, after having performed its
work in propelling the piston in one direction, is caused to pass through a
double or hollow slide valve of a peculiar construction, by which the steam is
at the end of the stroke permitted free access to the opposite end, and greater
area of the piston where it expands and propels the piston back or performs
the up stroke, which having been done, the steam which has been expanded
and performed its work as described, escapes into the condenser. The vacuum
formed between the bottom side or larger area of the piston and the condenser
adds to the power exerted by the steam during the down stroke of the piston
within the cylinder.
Uniformity of motion is effected by constructing the piston with a trunk,
the high pressure steam acting upon the annular space or area of the upper
side of the piston, and the difference between the area of the upper and under
side of the piston may be varied to suit the pressure of steam employed and
the degree of expansion effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SMITH, of Number 18, Salisbury Street, Strand, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Smith, Her special licence that I, the said William Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William

page_text: Smith, 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,"
a communication from Mr. H. W. Gullett, Engineer, residing in Russia,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Smith, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 calender months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawing:-
This Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of steam engines
suitable for marine propulsion and for other purposes, and by which arrange-
ment and the mode of applying the steam thereto, considerable economy is
effected in the quantity of fuel required for performing a given amount of
duty.
Two cylinders are placed each at angle of about 25 or 30 degrees, or at
any other convenient angle, their connections converging to the crank axle or
shaft, the air pump and condenser being disposed between the two cylinders,
and immediately under the crank shaft, and the cold water injection, feed, and
bilge pumps are disposed alongside the air pump, working vertically or
horizontally as may be most convenient. The starting and reversing gear
being worked by a wheel placed in any convenient position for acting by
means of connecting rods upon the links, and eccentric and slide gear of the
two cylinders.
The two cylinders being mounted upon the incline sides of an frame, and
the air pump and condenser as before described being contained within the
said frame, the exhaust pipes branch out from either side of the condenser to
the lower side of the steam chest of each cylinder, whilst each cylinder has
upon the upper side or face of the steam chest a steam pipe branching from
the boiler.
Instead of employing steam at a low pressure as ordinarily employed for
marine engines, high-pressure steam is used, which after having performed its
work in propelling the piston in one direction, is caused to pass through

page_text: double or hollow slide. valve of a peculiar construction, by which the steam is
at the end of the stroke permitted free access to the opposite end and greater
area of the piston, where it expands and propels the piston back or performs
the up stroke, which having been done, the steam which has been expanded
and performed its work as described, escapes into the condenser. The vacuum
formed between the bottom side or larger area of the piston and the condenser
adds to the power exerted by the steam during the down of the piston within
the cylinder.
Uniformity of motion is effected by constructing the piston with a trunk,
the high-pressure steam acting upon the annular space or area of the upper
side of the piston, and the difference between the area of the upper end and
under side of the piston may be varied to suit the pressure of steam employed
and the degree of expansion effected.
The particular arrangement of engine shown in the accompanying Drawing,
is designed for the propulsion of vessels of shallow draught, such as are
required upon many of the rivers in Russia, where considerable loads have to
be carried at moderate speeds against strong currents and over shallows.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a cross section
of Figs. 1 and 2, taken ou the line A, B, of Fig. 2; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 being
detailed views of the slide valve to an enlarged scale; the dimensions marked
upon the details of slide valve being those suited for an engine of 80 horse-
power. The cylinders, &c., in Fig. 2 are taken on the lines a, b, in Fig. 1,
instead of being shown at the same angle. A, A, the side frame supporting
the cylinders B, B, at a suitable angle of inclination toward the crank shafts
.C, C, upon which the cranks D, D, having a drag link are fitted. Between
the trunk E and the crank pin corresponding thereto is a connecting rod F,
each cylinder having a piston G, to the upper side of which is attached a
trunk (E), working through the stuffing box H, on the upper end of cylinder.
The trunks E, E, form annular spaces in each cylinder above the piston,
giving an area in proportion to the pressure of steam admitted upon the upper
.side or smaller area of the piston, and in relation to the sum of the force
exerted by the lesser pressure per square inch upon the greatly increased area
of the entire surface of the lower side of the piston; thus, when calculated for
a given pressure of steam in the boiler, the effective force upon each side of
reach piston during the entire stroke, either upward or downward will be the
same, and uniformity of motion and of strain will result therefrom. The
steam from the boiler entering the steam chest of each cylinder by the steam
pipes I, a shut off or stop valve K is interposed and admits of the regulation
of the admission of the steam to the steam chest L of each cylinder.

page_text: On reference to Fig. 1, and the plan Fig. 2, it will be seen that the steam
chests and slide valve arrangements are placed on the right-hand side of the
crank shaft in the one engine, whilst they are on the left-hand side of the
other, for the facility of arranging the eccentric gear and link motions, whilst
it also divides the strain.
The steam after entering the steam chest, first gains admission through the
upper port to the annular space and reduced area of the piston, where, say at
a pressure of 40lbs. on the square inch, it acts upon the piston and propels it
downward, when if the proportion between the top and bottom sides of the
piston are as 3 to 1 or thereabouts, and the steam is allowed to act with full
force up to the end of the stroke, it is permitted to escape by the movement
of the hollow slide valve M, (shewn in detail, Figs. 4, 5, & 6,) over the face
of the ports, by which a free passage from the high-pressure side of the piston
to the lower side thereof is permitted; thus, the steam entering the cylinder
at the lower side of the piston expands and practically gives only about 10lbs
pr. square inch, under such proportions during the up stroke of the piston.
During the time in which the piston is changing the direction of its motion,
communication is opened between the low-pressure end of the cylinder and the
condenser through the exhaust pipe N, which connects the belt passage from
the exhaust port with the condenser O, a single air-pump P of sufficiently
large dimensions being shown as worked from two eccentrics R, R, upon the
crank shafts C, C; thus, the steam after having performed its duty at the
high pressure on the upper side of the piston is at the end of the stroke
caused to expand and act upon the lower side of the piston, until the piston
has again reached the top of the cylinder, when communication being opened
with the condenser into which the steam is exhausted, the vacuum formed in
the condenser by the agency of the air pump and the condensation of the
steam, any back pressure is removed, and the minus pressure or vacuum
obtained per square inch on the larger surface of the piston further aids the
effective force of the high-pressure steam upon the sinaller or annular surface
of the piston.
The air pump P is shewn in vertical section at Fig. 3, and the eccentrics
R, R, and the crosshead S, are likeway shewn. The feed and injection
pumps are also worked from the ends of the crosshead S. A starting or hand
wheel T is shewn in Figs. 1 & 2 as acting upon the link motions of the two
engines, by means of a pinion on the shaft U, working into a half spur wheel
or semicircular rack, the valve gear of both engines being thus connected and
worked.
Figs. 4. 5. & 6 are enlarged views of the improved slide valve by which

page_text: .
the high-pressure steam is (after having done its duty on the top side of the
piston) admitted into the lower part of the cylinder, where it acts upon the
under side or larger area of the piston, and also admits of the escape of tho
expanded steam into the exhaust port without the necessity for any other
valve or valve gear, or any more than three ports or openings for the admission
into the cylinder, the interchange, and the exhaust from the cylinder of the
steam between its leaving the steam pipe I from the boiler or entering the
steam chest L, until it is by means of the exhaust pipe N admitted into the
condenser.
The dimensions figured upon the three views of the slide valve (Figs. 4, 5,
& 6,) are those which the Inventor has found to be suited for a high pressure
and condensing engine of 80 horse-power, constructed according to this Invention
and applied on board of river steamers, although it is not intended to limit the
proportions of the said valves to those shewn in Figs. 4, 5, & 6; but the
peculiar construction and form of slide valve is what is claimed as novel in
this part of the said Invention. All the other parts of the arrangement shewn
in the accompanying Drawing are so well known to engineers and others
acquainted with the construction of marine engines, as to render it unnecessary
to refer to them in detail, the main features of the arrangements as communi-
cated to me having now been explained.
And having now described this Invention as communicated to me, and
illustrated it by the several views in the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
what is claimed is,-
First, the general arrangement and disposition of parts shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing, in combination with the use of high-pressure steain which
is afterwards expanded, and thus enabled to be employed directly as low-
pressure steam within the same cylinder by means of a slide valve, which
permits of the interchange in manner described.
Second, the novel construction of slide valve and arrangement of ports
suited thereto, shewn in Figs. 2, 4, 5, & 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
WILLIAM SMITH, C. E. (L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Smith, of No. 18, Salisbury Street, Strand,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."-
A communication from Mr. H. W. Gullett, Engineer, residing in
Russia.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
August 1858.
I, WILLIAM SMITH, of No. 18, Salisbury Street, Strand, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES," (a communication from Mr. H. W. Gullett, Engineer, residing in
Russia,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of steam engines
suitable for marine propulsion and for other purposes, and by which arrange-
ment and the mode of applying the steam thereto, considerable economy is
effected in the quantity of fuel required for performing a given amount of
duty.
Two cylinders are placed each at an angle of about 25 or 30 degrees, or at
any other convenient angle, their connections converging to the crank axle or
shaft, the air pump and condenser being disposed between the two cylinders,
and immediately under the crank shaft, and the cold water injection, feed, and
bilge pumps are disposed alongside the air pump, working vertically or
horizontally as may be most convenient, the starting and reversing gear being
worked by a wheel placed in any convenient position for acting by means of

page_text: connecting rods upon the links, and eccentric and slide gear of the two
cylinders.
The two cylinders being mounted upon the inclined sides of an A frame,
and the air pump and condenser as as before described being contained within
the said frame, the exhaust pipes branch out from either side of the condenser
to the lower side of the steam chest of each cylinder, whilst each cylinder has
upon the upper side or face of the steam chest a steam pipe branch from the
boiler.
Instead of employing steam at a low pressure as ordinarily employed for
marine engines, high pressure steam is used, which, after having performed its
work in propelling the piston in one direction, is caused to pass through a
double or hollow slide valve of a peculiar construction, by which the steam is
at the end of the stroke permitted free access to the opposite end, and greater
area of the piston where it expands and propels the piston back or performs
the up stroke, which having been done, the steam which has been expanded
and performed its work as described, escapes into the condenser. The vacuum
formed between the bottom side or larger area of the piston and the condenser
adds to the power exerted by the steam during the down stroke of the piston
within the cylinder.
Uniformity of motion is effected by constructing the piston with a trunk,
the high pressure steam acting upon the annular space or area of the upper
side of the piston, and the difference between the area of the upper and under
side of the piston may be varied to suit the pressure of steam employed and
the degree of expansion effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SMITII, of Number 18, Salisbury Street, Strand, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Smith, Her special licence that I, the said William Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William

page_text: Smith, 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,"
a communication from Mr. H. W. Gullett, Engineer, residing in Russia,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Smith, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 calender months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawing:-
This Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of steam engines
suitable for marine propulsion and for other purposes, and by which arrange-
ment and the mode of applying the steam thereto, considerable economy is
effected in the quantity of fuel required for performing a given amount of
duty.
Two cylinders are placed each at angle of about 25 or 30 degrees; or at
any other convenient angle, their connections converging to the crank axle or
shaft, the air pump and condenser being disposed between the two cylinders,
and immediately under the crauk shaft, and the cold water injection, feed, and
bilge pumps are disposed alongside the air pump, working vertically or
horizontally as may be most convenient. The starting and reversing gear
being worked by a wheel placed in any convenient position for acting by
means of connecting rods upon the links, and eccentric and slide gear of: the
two cylinders.
The two cylinders being mounted upon the incline sides of an frame, and
the air pump and condenser as before described being contained within the
said frame, the exhaust pipes branch out from either side of the condenser to
the lower side of the steam chest of cach cylinder, whilst each cylinder has
5 upon the upper side or face of the steam chest a steam pipe branching from
the boiler.
Instead of employing steam at a low pressure as ordinarily employed for
marine engines, high-pressure steam is used, which after having performed its
work in propelling the piston in one direction, is caused to pass through a

page_text: double or hollow slide valve of a peculiar construction, by which the steam is
at the end of the stroke permitted free access to the opposite end and greater
area of the piston, where it expands and propels the piston back or performs
the up stroke, which having been done, the steam which has been expanded
and performed its work as described, escapes into the condenser. The vacuum.
formed between the bottom side or larger area of the piston and the condenser
adds to the power exerted by the steam during the down of the piston within
the cylinder.
Uniformity of motion is effected by constructing the piston with a trunk,
the high-pressure steam acting upon the annular space or area of the upper
side of the piston, and the difference between the area of the upper end and
under side of the piston may be varied to suit the pressure of steam employed
and the degree of expansion effected.
The particular arrangement of engine shown in the accompanying Drawing,
is designed for the propulsion of vessels of shallow draught, such as are
required upon many of the rivers in Russia, where considerable loads have to
be carried at moderate speeds against strong currents and over shallows.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a cross section
of Figs. 1 and 2, taken on the line A, B, of Fig. 2; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 being
detailed views of the slide valve to an enlarged scale; the dimensions marked
upon the details of slide valve being those suited for an engine of 80 horse-
power. The cylinders, &c., in Fig. 2 are taken on the lines a, b, in Fig. 1,
instead of being shown at the same angle. A, A, the side frame supporting
the cylinders B, B, at a suitable angle of inclination toward the crank shafts
C, C, upon which the cranks D, D, having a drag link are fitted. Between
the trunk E and the crank pin corresponding thereto is a connecting rod F,
each cylinder having a piston G, to the upper side of which is attached a
trunk (E), working through the stuffing box H, on the upper end of cylinder.
The trunks E, E, form annular spaces in each cylinder above the piston,
giving an area in proportion to the pressure of steam admitted upon the upper
side or smaller area of the piston, and in relation to the sum of the force
exerted by the lesser pressure per square inch upon the greatly increased area
of the entire surface of the lower side of the piston; thus, when calculated for
a given pressure of steam in the boiler, the effective force upon each side of
each piston during the entire stroke, either upward or downward will be the
same, and uniformity of motion and of strain will result therefrom. The
steam from the boiler entering the steam chest of each cylinder by the steam
pipes 1, a shut off or stop valve K is interposed and admits of the regulation
. of the admission of the steam to the steam chest L of each cylinder.

page_text: On reference to Fig. 1, and the plan Fig. 2, it will be seen that the steam
chests and slide valve arrangements are placed on the right-hand side of the
crank shaft in the one engine, whilst they are on the left-hand side of the
other, for the facility of arranging the eccentric gear and link motions, whilst
it also divides the strain.
The steam after entering the steam chest, first gains admission through the
upper port to the annular space and reduced area of the piston, where, say at
a pressure of 40lbs. on the square inch, it acts upon the piston and propels-it
downward, when if the proportion between the top and bottom sides of the
piston are as 3 to 1 or thereabouts, and the steam is allowed to act with full
force up to the end of the stroke, it is permitted to escape by the movement
of the hollow slide valve M, (shewn in detail, Figs. 4, 5, & 6,) over the face
of the ports, by which a free passage from the high-pressure side of the piston
to the lower side thereof is permitted; thus, the steam entering the cylinder
at the lower side of the piston expands and practically gives only about 10lbs
pr. square inch, under such proportions during the up stroke of the piston.
During the time in which the piston is changing the direction of its motion,
communication is opened between the low-pressure end of the cylinder and the
condenser through the exhaust pipe N, which connects the belt passage from
the exhaust port with the condenser O, a single air-pump P of sufficiently
large dimensions being shown as worked from two eccentrics R, R, upon the
crank shafts C, C; thus, the steam after having performed its duty at the
high pressure on the upper side of the piston is at the end of the stroke
caused to expand and act upon the lower side of the piston, until the piston
has again reached the top of the cylinder, when communication being opened
with the condenser into which the steam is exhausted, the vacuum formed in
the condenser by the agency of the air pump and the condensation of the
steam, any back pressure is removed, and the minus pressure or vacuum
obtained per square inch on the larger surface of the piston further aids the
effective force of the high-pressure steam upon the smaller or annular surface
of the piston.
The air pump P is shewn in vertical section at Fig. 3, and the eccentrics
R, R, and the crosshead S, are likeway shewn. The feed and injection
pumps are also worked from the ends of the crosshead S. A starting or band
wheel T is shewn in Figs. 1 & 2 as acting upon the link motions of the two
engines, by means of a pinion on the shaft U, working into a half spur wheel
or semicircular rack, the valve gear of both engines being thus connected and
worked.
Figs. 4, 5, & 6 are enlarged views of the improved slide valve, by which

page_text: the high-pressure steam is (after having done its duty on the top side of the
piston) admitted into the lower part of the cylinder, where it acts upon the
under side or larger area of the piston, and also admits of the escape of the
expanded steam into the exhaust port without the necessity for any other
valve or valve gear, or any more than three ports or openings for the admission
into the cylinder, the interchange, and the exhaust from the cylinder of the
steam between its leaving the steam pipe I from the boiler or entering the
steam chest L, until it is by means of the exhaust pipe N admitted into the
condenser.
The dimensions figured upon the three views of the slide valve (Figs. 4, 5,
& 6,) are those which the Inventor has found to be suited for a high pressure
and condensing engine of 80 horse-power, constructed according to this Invention
and applied on board of river steamers, although it is not intended to limit the
proportions of the said valves to those shewn in Figs. 4, 5, & 6; but the
peculiar construction and form of slide valve is what is claimed as novel in
this part of the said Invention. All the other parts of the arrangement shewn
in the accompanying Drawing are so well known to engineers and others
acquainted with the construction of marine engines, as to render it unnecessary
to refer to them in detail, the main features of the arrangements as communi-
cated to me having now been explained.
And having now described this Invention as communicated to me, and
illustrated it by the several views in the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
what is claimed is,-
First, the general arrangement and disposition of parts shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing, in combination with the use of high-pressure steam which
is afterwards expanded, and thus enabled to be employed directly as low-
pressure steam within the same cylinder by means of a slide valve, which
permits of the interchange in manner described.
Second, the novel construction of slide valve and arrangement of ports
suited thereto, shewn in Figs. 2, 4, 5, & 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
WILLIAM SMITH, C. E. (L.S.)