IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Edward McConnell, of Wolverton,
in the County of Buckingham, Civil Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
Scaled the 9th February 1853, and dated the 2nd December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edward
McConnell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 2nd December 1852.
I, JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of
Buckingham, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the admission
of steam into the fire-box, through all or any of the tubular stays,
either from the boiler itself, steam-chest or blast-pipe, or for the
admission of hot air, produced in the smoke-box, into the fire-box,
or the admission of a blast of steam and hot air combined. Any
number of pipes may be employed for the admission of steam into
the fire-box direct from the boiler, or for the introduction of hot
air direct from an air-chamber in the smoke-box, or both combined,

page_text: and these pipes may be connected to any part of the fire-box. They
may also be employed to draw steam from the blast pipe or steam-
chest, as may be found expedient. A pipe may also be made to
connect the fire-box with an air vessel placed in the smoke-box,
this air vessel being fitted with a funnel-mouthed pipe to catch the
air as the engine travels. The heat from the fire will heat the air
in the air-vessel described, and the heated air may be passed into
the fire-box by any convenient arrangement of pipes. Care must
be taken that the whole of these pipes are under the control of the
engineer, so that the admission of steam or hot air may be regulated
according to the amount of draught required. A jet of hot air and
steam combined may be introduced into the fire-box, the hot air
being taken from the air vessel in the smoke-box, and the steam
from the boiler direct; the steam-pipe may be enclosed within the
air pipe, and its nozzle placed farther back than that of the air-
pipe, so as to drive the air before it. A series of water passages, or
ducts having three openings, are connected with the inside of the
mid-feather; another with the side of the fire-box; and the third,
opening into the top of the same, may be placed in the back or
extended portion of the fire-box, so as to afford a free circulation
to the water, and to cause the globules of steam to ascend vertically
to the surface. By this arrangement the heating surface is also
materially increased, as the flame and heated air must necessarily
play round or strike against the outsides of the water ducts on its
way to the boiler tubes.
The same purpose may be effected by the adoption of flat water
chambers rivetted to the sides of the mid-feather, and similar
chambers rivetted to the sides of the extended portion of the fire-
box. These chambers may overlap each other, one being placed a
short distance behind the other, so as to retard the heated air in its
passage to the tubes. These chambers will allow the water and
globules of steam to circulate from the mid-feather through the top
of the fire-box, and will allow the globules of steam to pass from
the sides of the boiler to the surface of the water above the fire-
box; a similar purpose will be effected by rivetting flat hollow

page_text: chambers to the sides and top of the fire-box, and to the sides of
the mid-feather; and thus, suspended from the roof of the fire-box,
partially interfering with the passage of the heated air, the
globules of steam ascending to the surface of the water above the
fire-box.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said James Edward McConnell in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of
Buckingham, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, IIer heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Edward
McConnell, Her special license that I, the said James Edward
McConnell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Edward McConnell, 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 LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Edward McConnell,
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

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Edward McConnell,
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
inarked thereon (that is to say):
My improvements in locomotive engines relate more especially to
the admission of steam into the fire-box through any or all of the
tubular stays, either from the boiler itself, or from the steam-chiest,
or blast-pipe; as well as to the admission of hot air produced in the
smoke-box, from the smoke-box into the fire-box, or the admission
of a blast of steam and hot air combined.
Figure 1, on my Sheet of Drawings, is a longitudinal section of a
locomotive engine constructed according to one modification of my
improvements. At A, is a pipe, opening into the upper side or steam
space of the boiler, the opposite end of this pipe being connected with
the fire-box at B. Any number of these pipes may be employed,
and may be connected to any part of the fire-box. They may also
be made to convey steam from the blast-pipe or steam-chest, as may
be found most expedient; but care must be taken that they are all
under the control of the engineer, so that the admission of steam or
hot air may be regulated according to the amount of draught
required. A similar pipe C, connects the fire-box with an air
vessel D, placed in the smoke-box; this vessel is fitted with a funnel-
mouthed pipe E, to catch the air as the engine is travelling. The
heat from the fire heats the air in the vessel D, whence it passes by
the pipe C, to the fire-box at F; any number of these hot-air pipes
may be used, all, however, being under the entire control of the
engineer. At G, a jet of hot air and steam combined is introduced
into the fire-box, the hot air being brought from the air-vessel in
the smoke-box, and the steam from the boiler direct; the steain
pipe is enclosed within the air-pipe, and its nozzle is further back
than the air-pipe, so as to drive the air before it. By these

page_text: arrangements very great economy of fuel is secured, with a very
effective heating power.
Figure 2, is a transverse section of an arrangement of fire-box,
in which the back or extended portion of it is furnished with a
series of water-passages or ducts A, A. These ducts have three
openings, one connected with the inside of the mid-feather B,
another with the side of the fire-box at C, and the third opening
into the top of the same at D. By this arrangement the water
has a free circulation, and the globules of steam ascend vertically
to the surface. The heating surface is also materially increased,
as the flaine and heated air of the fire must necessarily play round
or strike against the outsides of the water-ducts A, on its way
to the boiler-tubes; and by another modification the triangular
water-spaces A, may be reversed, with a somewhat similar result,
one of the arms or branches in this case being vertical.
Figure 3, is another arrangement for effecting the same pur-
pose. A, A, are flat water-chambers (one of which is shewn in
section), riveted to the sides of the mid-feather B; and C, are
similar chambers, riveted to the sides of the extended portion of the
fire-box, running into the barrel of the boiler. The chambers A,
and C, may overlap each other, as shown by the dotted lines, one
being placed a short distance behind the other, thereby retarding
the heated air in its passage to the tubes. The chambers A, allow
the water and globules of steam to circulate from the mid feather
through the top of the fire-box; and the chambers C, shewn in
elevation, allow the globules of steam to pass from the sides of the
boiler to the surface of the water, above the fire-box.
Figure 4, is a third arrangement, in which flat hollow chambers
A, A, are riveted to the top and sides of the fire-box, and sides of
the mid-feather B, and are thus suspended from the roof of the fire-
box, partially interrupting the passage of the heated air, the globules
of steam ascending to the surface of the water above the fire-box.
With these arrangements coke or any other fuel may be employed
in the fire-boxes of locomotive engines, and anthracite coal, which

page_text: is ordinarily of difficult combustion, may be burned with facility in
this way.
Further modifications are also represented in Figures
5, and 6, on my Sheet of Drawings.
Figure 5, is a transverse section of a fire-box, with a single central
mid-feather A, combined with an arched top B, of the inside fire-box.
By this contrivance, stays for the fire-box top are quite unneces-
sary, as the arched form affords all the strength required, whilst the
engine is thus rendered lighter and stronger than common engines.
Figure 6, shews an arrangement of three mid-feather water-spaces
similarly arranged in an arched top fire-box, so as to afford increased
heating surface. Here the centre mid-feather extends from top to
bottom vertically, but the two outside ones are sloped off, as at B,
to avoid the two fire-doors. This incline is also dotted in at B,
in Figure 1, where the mid-feathers and water-spaces are extended
into the barrel of the boiler, along with the prolonged fire-box.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the saine is or may be
used or carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements
which I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many varia-
tions may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles
or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,–
First, the general arrangement and construction of locomotive
engines as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of a heated air chamber in the
smoke-box of locomotive engines, for supplying heated air to the
fire-boxes of such engines.
Third, the transmission of heated air from the smoke-box to the
fire box of locomotive engines.
Fourth, the application and use of steam jets or currents,
combined or not with air, to the fire-boxes of locomotive engines, as
herein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use in locomotive engine fire-boxes of

page_text: water-chambers, in combination with a central mid-feather or mid-
fcathers.
Sixth, the application and use of water-chambers in the portions
of fire-boxes extended into the barrel of locomotive engine boilers.
Seventh, the system or node of strengthening the tops of fire-
boxes, by arching the same in combination with mid-feathers.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edward McConnell,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Second day of
June, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
J. E. McCONNELL. (L.S.)