IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Norman Macbeth, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Norman Macbeth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1881.
NORMAN MACBETH, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
The first part of my Invention consists in forming the main framework of
horizontal stationary engines with one or more wrought metal stay pieces placed
parallel to the piston rod, and connecting the crank shaft bearing to a cross girder
frame, which connects the front ends of the two cylinders in coupled pairs of
engines, and the front end of the cylinder and a side wall of the engine house (or a
buttress which takes its place) in a single crank engine. The cross girder frame
(which may be partly formed of the front end of the cylinder) transmits the
working strains of the engine from the centre line of the wrought metal stay pieces
to the centre line of the cylinder, in such a manner that the wrought metal stay
pieces are put into compression and tension in the direction of their length without
side buckling or twisting. The bearing for the crank shaft which is adjacent to
the crank is carried on a bed plate, which may also be extended to a side wall of
the engine house. In single crank engines the side wall end of the cross girder
frame, and the bearing of the crank shaft which rests in the side wall may be
connected by one or more stays. If the engine has two cylinders placed one before
the other, on the "tandem" principle, the cylinder wbich is placed further from
the crank shaft may be attached to the cross girder frame, or to the front end of
the cylinder which is nearer to the crank shaft, by two or more wrought metal
stay pieces.
The cylinder or cylinders and the crank shaft bearing may be carried upon a
longitudinal metal plate placed upon the foundation of the engine. The cylinder
may be braced to the bedplate carrying the crank shaft bearing by a diagonal or
other wrought metal stay, situated on the opposite side of the piston rod to that
occupied by the main wrought metal stay piece or pieces, which connect the crank
shaft bearing and the cross girder frame.

page_text: "
In vertical stationary engines I form the main framework of the engine of a
bedplate which is bolted to the foundation, and of one or more cross girder frames
with their ends supported in the side walls of the engine house, and of two or
more wrought metal stay pieces which connect the bedplate and the cylinder (or
its end piece), which is placed overhead. The cross girder framework may consist
of one or more girders, and I prefer to attach it to the lower end of the cylinder.
If two cylinders are used, placed one above the other on the "tandem" principle,
they are connected by the main or other wrought metal stays, and a second cross
girder framework may be placed across the engine house, with its end supported in
the side walls and connected to the upper cylinder. In one arrangement both
cylinders of a vertical "tandem engine are bolted to an end piece which is
common to both and placed between them; this end piece is connected to the cross
girder framework, and by means of the wrought metal stays to the bedplate
containing the bearing for the crank shaft. The wrought metal stay pieces are
connected by a cross frame which supports the lower ends of the slides which guide
the crosshead; the upper ends of the slides are attached to the lower end of the
cylinder. The wrought metal stays are trussed to resist the side thrust of the
connecting rod by means of wrought metal beams of T or other suitable section
(which are bolted or rivetted to them), or by truss stays and struts, or by means of
diagonal stays or strut pieces. The cross girder frame is placed sufficiently high
to clear the fly wheel. In coupled pairs of vertical engines the same girder frames
may serve for both engines of the pair. Another part of my Invention consists in
placing the air pump at such a height above the level to which the overflow or
waste water from the condenser has to flow, that the atmospheric pressure acting
upon the water at the open end of the overflow pipe, which is immersed in the
water, cannot sustain a column of water sufficiently high to reach the pump. The
pump draws air or vapour from the space in the condenser between the point of
injection and the top of the column of water which balances the atmospheric
pressure.
Another part of my Invention consists in balancing the vertically reciprocating
parts of vertical engines by means of a steam cylinder and a piston attached direct
to a continuation of the piston rod, the balance cylinder being placed above the
working cylinder or cylinders. Or the balance cylinder may be attached and act
through a lever, in which case it is on one side. Steam acts against the one side
only of the balance piston, the area of which and the pressure of steam acting upon
it is just sufficient to balance the vertically moving parts or nearly s0. This
arrangement is also applicable where the revolving parts, such as the crank pin
and crank, and part of the connecting rod are balanced upon the crank disc.
Another part of my Invention relates to the fly wheels of steam engines, in
which the periphery is grooved for driving by means of ropes. I adopt the
principle described in Letters Patent granted to me on the 18th June 1881,
No. 2675, viz., I form the rim of the fly wheel of a number of strips or tyres of
wrought metal, which have been rolled to such a section that the space between
two adjacent strips of metal forms a groove for receiving a rope. The strips of
metal may be rolled so that each strip contains one or more rope grooves rolled
into into it corresponding in form, where the rope touches the strip with the groove
formed by the space between two adjacent strips. The strips of wrought metal
may be made hollow, or they may be recessed on the inner or base side, and they
may be fastened to the main structure of the fly wheel by means of bolts, or rivets,
or set screws, or otherwise. Each strip may be notched into parts of the
framework of the fly wheel with which they come in contact, and the ribs between
the notches which receive the strips may be caulked over the edges of the strips to
give them extra support, or to fasten them in their places.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Norman Macbeth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd May
1882.
NORMAN MACBETH, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINES."
The first part of my Invention consists in forming the main framework of
horizontal stationary engines with one or more wrought metal stay pieces placed
parallel to the piston rod, and connecting the crank shaft bearing to a cross girder
frame which connects the front ends of the two cylinders in coupled pairs of
engines and the front end of the cylinder and a side wall of the engine-house (or a
buttress which takes its place) in a single crank engine. The cross girder frame
(which may be partly formed of the front end of the cylinder) transmits the
working strains of the engine from the centre line of the wrought metal stay
pieces to the centre line of the cylinder, in such a manner that the wrought metal
stay pieces are put into compression and tension in the direction of their length
without side buckling or twisting. The bearing for the crank shaft which is
adjacent to the crank is carried on a bedplate, which may also be extended to a
side wall of the engine house. In single crank engines the side wall end of the
cross girder frame and the bearing of the crank shaft which rests in the side wall,
may be connected by one or more stays. If the engine has two cylinders placed
one before the other on the "tandem" principle, the cylinder which is placed
further from the crank shaft may be attached to the cross girder frame, or to the
front end of the cylinder which is nearer to the crank shaft by two or more
wrought metal stay pieces.
The cylinder or cylinders and the crank shaft bearing may be carried upon a
longitudinal metal plate, placed upon the foundation of the engine. The cylinder
may be braced to the bedplate carrying the crank shaft bearing by a diagonal or
other wrought metal stay, situated on the opposite side of the piston rod to that
occupied by the main wrought metal stay piece or pieces which connect the crank
shaft bearing and the cross girder frame. In vertical stationary engines I form
the main framework of the engine of a bedplate which is bolted to the foundation,
and of one or more cross girder frames with their ends supported in the side walls
of the engine house, and of two or more wrought metal stay pieces which connect
the bedplate and the cylinder (or its end piece) which placed overhead. The
cross girder framework may consist of one or more girders, and I prefer to attach
it to the lower end of the cylinder. If two cylinders are used placed one above
the other on the "tandem" principle they are connected by the main or other
wrought metal stays, and a second cross girder framework may be placed across
the engine house, with its ends supported in the side walls and connected to the
upper cylinder. In one arrangement both cylinders of a vertical "tandem"
engine are bolted to an end piece which is common to both, and placed between
them; this end piece is connected to the cross girder framework, and by means of
the wrought metal stays to the bedplate containing the bearing for the crank shaft.
The wrought metal stay pieces are connected by a cross frame which supports the
lower ends of the slides which guide the crosshead; the upper ends of the slides
are attached to the lower end of the cylinder. The wrought metal stays are
trussed to resist the side thrust of the connecting rod by means of wrought metal
beams of T or other suitable section (which are bolted or riveted to them), or by
truss stays and struts, or by means of diagonal stays or strut pieces. The cross

page_text: In coupled
girder frame is placed sufficiently high to clear the fly wheel.
pairs of vertical engines the same girder frames may serve for both engines of the
pair.
Another part of my Invention consists in placing the air pump at such a height
above the level to which the overflow or waste water from the condenser has to
flow, that the atmospheric pressure acting upon the water at the open end of the
overflow pipe which is immersed in the water cannot sustain a column of water
sufficiently high to reach the pump. The pump draws air or vapour from the
space in the condenser between the point of injection and the top of the column
of water which balances the atmospheric pressure.
Another part of my Invention relates to the fly wheels of steam engines in which
the periphery is grooved for driving by means of ropes. I adopt the principle
described in Letters Patent, granted to me on the 18th June 1881, No. 2675, viz.,
I form the rim of the fly wheel of a number of strips or tyres of wrought metal,
which have been rolled to such a section that the space between two adjacent
strips of metal forms a groove for receiving a rope. The strips of metal may be
rolled so that each strip contains one or more rope grooves rolled into it,
corresponding in form where the rope touches the strip with the groove formed by
the space between two adjacent strips. The strips of wrought metal may be made
hollow or they may be recessed on the inner or base side, and they may be fastened
to the main structure of the fly wheel by means of bolts or rivets or set screws, or
otherwise. Each strip may be notched into parts of the framework of the fly
wheel with which they come in contact, and the ribs between the notches which
receive the strips may be caulked over the edges of the strips to give them extra
support or to fasten them in their places.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will describe the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings, reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figs. 1 and 2 show an elevation and plan view of a horizontal engine on my
improved principle.
a, a, are the cylinders; b. the crank shaft; c, the cross girder frame; and d, are
wrought metal stay pieces connecting the bearings b' of the crank shaft and the
cross girder frame c; e is the fly wheel. The cylinders stand on feet cast or fixed
to them. The crank shaft bearings 6' are carried on bed plates or stands, which
connect them with the foundation. The cross girder frame c connects the cylinders,
and with the stays d serves to connect the cylinders and crank shaft in such a
manner that the strains exerted upon the stays d are only compressive and tensile,
and the cylinders and stays d are not liable to be twisted or buckled out of lines
parallel with the action of the piston rods.
Figs. 3 and 4 show one arrangement of a single horizontal engine on my
improved principle.
In this the cross girder frame c is supported at one end in or on the side
wall of the engine house, or a buttress, which may take its place. The wall end
of the girder frame c may be connected by one or more stays to the bearing ƒ of
the crank shaft. In single or in pairs of engines the bed plate or stand carrying
the bearing of the crank shaft may be extended into the side wall of the engine
house, as shown at g. The cross girder frame may be supported in either side wall
of the engine-house. The dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4 show how a second
cylinder h may be placed behind the first cylinder a working upon the same piston
rod, and connected with the cross girder frame c by means of two or more wrought
metal stays, as at l. The Drawings show the engine to have slides for guiding the
The
crossheads of the piston rods, but other means may be used for the purpose.
connecting pieces d' and d' may be dispensed with where convenient. One or
more stays d may be used for each cylinder.
Figs. 5 and 6 show two views of a vertical tandem engine on my improved
principle.
a is the high pressure cylinder; b is the low pressure cylinder; d, d, are cross

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girder frames with their ends supported in the side walls of the engine-house; 6 is
the bed plate bolted to the foundation; f, f, are the stays connecting the cylinders
to the bedplate; g is the air pump; h, the condenser; i, the pipe connecting it
with the well j; k is the branch for admitting the injection water; m is the fly-
wheel; o, are the slides for guiding the cross head; p is a cross piece for supporting
the ends of the slides.
Where more convenient the upper cross girder frame d, shown in Fig. 5, may be
dispensed with. The cylinders may also be arranged as in Figs. 7 and 8, in which
cases only one cross girder frame d is necessary; cross girder frames may also be
placed on the other side of the cylinders, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5.
The air pump g discharges the air from the condenser h, and the water, consisting
of the condensed steam and that injected by the branch k, runs down the pipe i to
the well. The branch p' through which the air pump g takes off the air is placed
somewhat above the highest level at which it is possible for the atmospheric
pressure acting upon the surface of the water in the well j to sustain the column
of water in the pipe i when the condenser is in action. The branch k may be placed
any convenient point. The water for injection to the condenser may be raised
to the required height by any suitable means.
at
Figs 9 and 10 are a side view and a cross section of a fly wheel upon my
improved principle. Figs. 11 and 12 are enlarged views of parts of a fly wheel.
a, a, are the centres or bosses of the wheel; b, b, are the arms; c, c, are cross
bars, which I preferably make of malleable or wrought metal; d, d, are strips of
rolled wrought metal forming the rim. The cross bars c, c, are grooved out to
receive the strips d, which are let into the grooves or notches thus formed and
are fastened to the cross bars by set screws or bolts or rivets. The ribs f which
are formed between the notches on the cross bars which receive the strips d, may
also be caulked or riveted over the edges of the bases of the strips d, to hold them
more securely in their places. When the ribs f are thus caulked over the edges of
the strips d, the bolts, rivets, or set screws before mentioned for fastening the strips
may be dispensed with if desired. The strips & may be jointed end to end or made
continuous around the wheel in any convenient manner. The strips & are rolled
to such a section that the groove formed between any two adjacent strips is
suitable for receiving a rope for the purpose of transmitting power from the
engine.
The strips d may be rolled to such a section that they contain one or more
grooves for receiving ropes formed in the strip, as in Fig. 12, but in every case the
space formed between the two adjacent strips serves as a groove for receiving a
rope. The outside strips of the rim may be made of any desired form on the
outside edge. The strips may be rolled to any desired setion of rope groove.
They may also be rolled hollow on the underside or otherwise. The cross bars c
may be connected or stayed together independently of the strips d. The cross
bars, arms, and centres or bosses, may be of any convenient form, and may be
fastened together in any convenient way. The peripheries of the centres or bosses
may be made sufficiently heavy to control and regulate the motion of the engine,
so that the rim formed of the rolled metal strips may be made as light as possible
if desired.
Having stated the nature of my Invention and described the manner of
performing the same,
I declare that I claim,-
1. The improved arrangement and construction of the framework of stationary
horizontal steam engines, consisting in the use or application of the cross girder
frames c combined with the wrought metal stays d, substantially as and for the
purpose described and shown on Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
2. The improved arrangement and construction of the framework of vertical
stationary tandem steam engines, consisting in the use or application of the cross
girder frames & combined with the wrought metal stays f, substantially as and for
the purpose described, and as shown on Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8.

page_text: 3. The improved arrangement of air pump and condenser applied to vertical
stationary steam engines, substantially as shown and described.
4. The improved construction of the fly wheels of steam engines, herein described
and as shown on Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12.
In witness whereof, I, the said Norman Macbeth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of May, One thousand eight hundred and eighty
two.
NORMAN MACBETH. (L.S.)