IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOLLERS, AND IN PROPELLING AND STEERING VESSELS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Weallens, of the Town and County of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOLLERS, AND IN PROPELLING AND STEERING VESSELS."
Sealed the 22nd August 1861, and dated the 27th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Weallens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
February 1861.
I, WILLIAM WEALLENS, of the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS, AND IN PROPELLING AND STEERING VESSELS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to high and low pressure engines for marinė
and other purposes, provided with two cylinders only, and with a simple and
effective arrangement for starting and reversing the engines. This is effected
by working the slide of the low-pressure cylinder by a link motion or by the
wedge motion, this motion being entirely independent of the valve motion
for the high-pressure cylinder. For the couvenience of starting the engine a
cock or valve is used to charge the low-pressure slide chest with high-pressure
Price 8d.1

page_text: steam, this steam being admitted to the desired side of the piston by the
above-mentioned valve motion. After the engine is started the cock or
valve is shut off and the low-pressure cylinder takes steam from the high-
pressure cylinder exhaust in the usual way of compound engines. In order
to prevent excessive pressure when starting the engine by admitting high-
pressure steam into the low-pressure valve chest, a safety valve is placed
on or in connection with the low-pressure slide chest, this valve being
arranged so as to blow off at any desired pressure, thus preventing any
chance of injury to the low-pressure machinery.
The second part of my Invention relates to a peculiar high-pressure boiler
so arranged as to be easily cleaned and repaired in all parts, and possessing
great strength and efficiency. This boiler is similar to a locomotive boiler
on the top of which a second cylindrical barrel is placed, this upper barrel
contains two distinct sets of tubes, the one set of tubes serving to heat the feed
water, and the other set for superheating the steam, these two sets of tubes
are placed exactly opposite each other so that they both may be cleaned from
the smoke box end, the whole of the tube plates, both in the upper and lower
barrel are quite accessible. The flames after passing through the tubes in
the lower barrel enter into a combustion chamber which is provided with
water or steam spaces all round, these water or steam spaces form a passage
for steam or water from the lower barrel to the superheater, the combustion
chamber is constructed and stayed similarly to the sides, front, and back, of
a locomotive fire box.
My Invention relates, thirdly, to the propelling and steering of vessels by
the aid of screw propellers, so arranged as to be capable of steering a vessel
as well as propelling it in connection with an apparatus for regulating the
speed of such propellers. This arrangement consists of two screw propellers
placed one at each side of the ship's stern and worked entirely independantly
of each other when the ship is to be steered by the engines only, or when
the engines are to assist the rudder in doing so the two engines each working
one propeller can be connected with a combination of wheelwork, by means
of which the throttle valves are so regulated that both engines are going the
same speed when the ship is going straight on its course, this apparatus is
easily connected or disconnected, and is also applicable to paddle wheel
engines or land engines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Weallens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WEALLENS, of the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-four
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Weallens, Her special license that I, the
said William Weallens, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Weallens, my executors, administrators, or
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 AND BOILERS, AND IN PROPELLING
AND STEERING VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Weallens, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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
inmediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Weallens, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say -
My said Invention relates, firstly, to high and low pressure engines for
marine and other purposes, provided with two cylinders only, and with a simple
and effective arrangement for starting and reversing the engines. This is
effected by working the slide of the lower-pressure cylinder by means of a link
motion or by the wedge motion, this motion being entirely independent of the
valve motion for the high-pressure cylinder. For the convenience of starting
the engine a cock or valve is used to charge the low-pressure slide chest

page_text: with high-pressure steam, this steam being admitted to the desired side of
the piston by the above-mentioned valve motion. After the engine is startedthe
cock or valve is closed and the low-pressure cylinder takes steam from the
high-pressure exhaust in the usual way of compound engines. In order to
prevent any excess of steam pressure when starting the engine by admitting
high-pressure steam into the low-pressure valve chest a safety valve is placed
on or in connection with the low-pressure slide valve chest, this safety valve
being arranged so as to blow off at any desired pressure, thus preventing any
chance of injury to the low-pressure machinery.
upper
The second part of my Invention relates to a peculiar construction and
arrangement of high-pressure boiler so as to enable it to be easily cleaned
and repaired in all parts whilst it posseses great strength and forms in all
respects a most efficient steam generator. This boiler is similar to a locomotive
boiler, on the top of which a second cylindrical barrel is placed, this
barrel contains either one or two distinct sets of tubes, the one set of tubes
where two sets are used serving to heat the feed water, and the other set
for superheating the steam, these two sets of tubes are placed exactly opposite
each other, so that they may both be cleaned from the smoke box, and whilst
the whole of the tube plates both in the upper and lower barrel are easy of
access. The flames after passing through the tubes in the lower barrel enter
into a combustion chamber which is provided with water or steam spaces all
round, these water or steam spaces forming a passage for steam or water
from the lower barrel to thesuperheater, the combustionchamber is constructed
and stayed similarly to the sides, front, and back, of a locomotive fire-
box.
my
The third part of Invention relates to the propelling and steering of
vessels by the aid of screw propellers, so arranged as to be capable of steering
a vessel as well as propelling it in connection with an apparatus for regulating
the speed of such propellers. This arrangement consists of two screw
propellers placed one at each side of the ship's stern and worked entirely
independently of each other when the ship is to be steered by the engines
only, or when the engines are to assist the rudder in doing so, the two engines
each working one propeller, can be connected with a combination of wheelwork
by means of which the throttle valves are so regulated that both engines
will work at the same speed when the ship is going straight on its course,
this apparatus is easily connected or disconnected, and is also applicable to
paddle wheel engines or land engines.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now

page_text: proceed more particularly to describe the same,and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, represents a side elevation of my
improved combined high and low-pressure engines; Figure 2 is a corresponding
plan of the same; and Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of the engines,
taken through the cylinders.
A is the low-pressure cylinder, and B the high-pressure cylinder in com-
munication therewith; Cand Dare the respective slide valves of the high and
low-pressure cylinders; and E is a cock for the purpose of charging the low-
pressure slide chest with high-pressure steam inside to start the engine. A
safety valve F is also fitted on to the same valve chest to prevent any undue
pressure therein. The slide valves C and D are worked by the wedge or link-
motion; I have represented in the Drawings, the well-known link-motion,
but it is important that both slide valves should work independently of
each other.
Figure 1,on Sheet 2 of my Drawings, represents a partial end elevation of
the fire-box and smoke-box,and partial transverse vertical section of the same
construction according to one modification of myimproved high-pressuresteam
boiler; Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, shewing the
feed water heater; and Figure 3 is a partial end elevation or transverse
vertical section of the combustion chamber, or opposite end of the boiler to
that represented in Figure 1.
A is the main barrel of the boiler, which is provided with tubes B, and is
otherwise constructed in a similar manner to an ordinary locomotive boiler;
C is the furnace or fire-box; and D is a combustion chamber, which is in
communication with the fire-box through the boiler tubes B, B. This com-
bustion chamber is extended upwards in front of a second barrel E, which is
fitted on the top of the main barrel, and a second set of tubes F, F, are fitted
inside this barrel opening at one end with the upper portion of the combustion
chamber D, and at the other end with a small chamber D¹. A third set of
tubes G, G, connect this small chamber D' with the smoke-box H, and a
division plate or partition at a',a', separates this portion of the barrel E from
the other portion containing the tubes F, F, this separated portion forming in
conjunction with the tubes G, G, contained therein, an efficient feed water
heater (in which the water circulates round the heating tubes G. The com-
bustion chamber D is surrounded by a steam and water space b, b, which

page_text: allows the steam generated in the lower or main barrel A to circulate freely
round the series of tubes F in the upper barrel, such tubes acting as super-
heaters. The arrows in Figure 2 indicate clearly the course of the draught;
Figure 4 represents an end elevation of the smoke-box and fire-box, and
partial transverse vertical section of the fire-box of a second modification of
my improved high-pressure steam boiler; Figure 5 is a transverse section of
the upper barrel of the boiler; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the
boiler complete, but without the feed water heater; and Fig. 7 is a partial
end elevation and section of the combustion chamber. This boiler is some-
what similar to the one herein-before described, but is constructed without
the feed water heater. H, H, are a series of baffle plates fitted inside the
upper barrel or superheating portion of the boiler, steam passages h, h; being
left at the top and bottom alternately of cach plate, so that the steam generated
in the lower or main barrel has to traverse in the direction of the arrows to
and fro across the series of superheating tubes, the remaining parts of the
boiler are similar to those illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and are indicated
by similar letters of reference.
Figure 1,on Sheet 3 of my Drawings, represents a side elevation of a pair
of marine engines and regulating apparatus for driving the screw propellers
employed in carrying out the third part of my Invention; Figure 2 is a corre-
sponding end view of the same; and Figure 3 is a plan thereof. The rest of
the Figures on this Sheet are enlarged details of the regulating apparatus,
which I shall herein-after more fully describe and refer to.
A and B are two ordinary screw propellers placed one on each side of the
stern post of a vessel,and each capable of being driven independently of the
other when required for the purpose of steering, or of assisting in steering the
vessel by a separate engine of its own, as shewn more clearly in Figures 2
and 3.
These engines are also capable of being worked in concert or at the
same speed when the propellers are required simply for the purpose of pro-
pelling the vessel without influencing the steerage of the same. For this
purposea peculiar self-acting regulating apparatus is employed for controlling
the respective throttle valves of the two engines, so that each engine will
perform the same number of revolutions. This regulating apparatus is shewn
in detailed elevation, vertical section, and plan at Figures 4, 5, and 6, re-
spectively, and consists of two bevel wheels C and D fast on the shafts C
and D', driven by the engines separately, these wheels gearing respectively
into the wheels E and F, the bevel wheel F revolves freely upon the boss of
the wheel E. The bevel' wheel F is cast in one piece with an internal spur

page_text: wheel H, and a spur pinion I is fast on the lower end of the boss of the bevel
pinion or wheel E; K is a spur pinion gearing simultaneously into the internal
wheel H and spur pinion I, and revolving freely on a stud in the end of the
arm L keyed on to the shaft G. On the upper end of this shaft is fitted to
slide along a feather or bevel pinion M gearing into the two segmental racks N
and O fast on the respective throttle valve spindles Q and R of the two
engines. The diameters of the several wheels and pinions C, D, E, H, I,
and K, are so calculated, that when C and D (or the two engines) make the
same number of revolutions, the speed of the pitch lines of the wheel Hand
pinion I is the same, and their rotation, however, being in opposite directions,
as shewn by the arrows in Figure 6. The wheel K will, therefore, revolve
upon its stud pin without producing any motion in the lever arm L, but so
soon as any difference occurs in the speeds of the two wheels C and D (or the
two engines, these wheels being driven direct from each engine separately, as
shewn in Figure 2,) the same difference of speed will take place on the pitch
lines of H and I, and the lever L will revolve in the same direction as the
wheel (either H or I) which has the greatest speed on the pitch line, and will
consequently turn the shaft or spindle G, together with the bevel pinion Mand
sections or segments N and O in connection with the two throttle valves S
and T of the two engines, so as to open the valve S or close the valve T, or
"vice versa," as required. By throwing the bevel pinion M out of gear, the
regulating apparatus will cease to act, when each engine may be worked at a
different speed, so as to produce the steering effect required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be noveland
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-.
1st, the general construction and arrangement of combined high and low-
pressure steam engines, as herein-before described.
2nd, the general constructions and arrangements of steam generators and
superheating appliances, combined or not with the peculiar feed water heater,
as herein-before described.
3rd, the system or mode of propelling and steering by the employment of
two propellers, drawn either together or separately at will by separate engines
of their own, as herein-before described.
4th, the peculiar arrangement and combination of mechanism for regulating
the speed of the two engines, as herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.

page_text: 5th, the system or mode of working or actuating the two slide valves of
combined high and low-pressure engines by separate and independent valve
motions, as herein-before described.
6th, the application and use to and in combined high and low-pressure
steam engines of a valve or cock for admitting high-pressure steam into
the low-pressure valve chest when starting such engines, as herein-before
described.
7th, the application and use of a safety valve on the low-pressure valve
chest of engines of the above construction, for the purpose of permitting any
excess of steam pressure in the valve chest, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Weallens, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this 23rd day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
WILLIAM WEALLENS. (L.S.)