IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND STEAM ENGINE BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Cass, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND
STEAM ENGINE BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."-A
communication.
Sealed the 9th July 1858, and dated the 11th February 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Cass at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the 11th February
1858.
I, LOUIS CASS, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
AND STEAM ENGINE BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," (a com-
munication,) to be as follows:-
One of my improvements consists in extending at one or both its ends the
centre by which the connecting rod is attached to the beam, to which extended
centre I fix another connecting rod for the purpose of working a piston, the
cylinder of which is fixed below or above the crank shaft; or I connect the
last-named connecting rod to any partof theconnectingrodoriginallyattached
to the beam; or I extend the beam past the connecting rod, and attach the
second connecting rod thereto. By extending the crank pin past the face of
the ordinary connecting rod, I attach to the said crank pin, by means of a
second connecting rod, one or more cylinders, either fixed in a vertical position
Price 8d1

page_text: or at any angle, from the vertical position, and where there is not sufficient
room for the application of a connecting rod, or when it is more convenient, I
attach the end of the piston rod of an oscillating cylinder fixed in any of the
positions before mentioned to the extended crank pin, or to the connecting
rod of the other engine, by means of a jaw or pin fixed or cast on the said
connecting rod. I also connect the cylinders before mentioned by taking off
the crank from the fly-wheel shaft, and replacing the same by a spur or bevel
wheel containing a stud or pin, to which I couple the connecting rod of the
old engine. To the said spur or bevel wheel I couple, by means of a shaft and
another spur or bevel wheel, one or more cylinders, oscillating or otherwise,
and varying in position as required, and before mentioned. I also connect
to the ordinary beam by means of links or rods, a second beam suspended
on a centre fixed at any convenient part of the said beam; to this beam I
attach one or more cylinders, either above or below the said beam. The last
named beam is constructed with its centres in a straight line, or nearly so, but
I also construct beams or levers with their centres at any angle required; if
the angle be a right angle the beam will assume the form of what is techni-
cally called an L lever. The cylinders are attached to the second form of
beam in any position required by the angular shape of the beam or lever.
Another of my plans for connecting one or more cylinders to the ordinary
crank is by using an angular lever, one end of which is connected to the
crank pin by means of a connecting rod, as before mentioned, the other end
being connected to the piston rod of a second cylinder, and if more than
one cylinder be required the lever is made in the form of a T, and cylinders
attached to two of its ends, the other end being coupled to the crank shaft
or beam of the other engine. I also connect cylinders lying horizontally
with the crank shafts of steam engines by means of pendulous levers fixed
upon a shaft, the end which couples to the piston or connecting rods being
above or below the centre of suspension of the lever.
Another of my improvements is to attach one or more engines to any
existing or new engine, by means of a beam or beams fixed upon the entabla-
ture of the old engine, the cylinder being on the same side of the entablature
as the other cylinder, and the crank shaft of the new engine to couple to the
crank shaft of the old engine by spur wheels, the spur wheel on the old shaft
to be fixed in the place of the crank, the velocity of the additional engine to be
more or less than the old engine when required. I place the centres of the two
crank shafts in a vertical or horizontal line, or at any angle from the vertical;
I attach to the second crank shaft an eccentric or crank, for the
purpose of
working an air pump,where required, or for the purpose of attaching another

page_text: cylinder at any angle that may be found convenient.
I place a second
entablature above or below the beam of existing steam engines for the purpose
of attaching a second engine to be coupled in any convenient manner with the
crank shaft of old engines. I also place above the beam at the cylinder end
of beam engines a second cylinder, the piston rod of which I attach to the
socket centre of the engine,by means of rods secured to a cross head clasping
the bottom part of the socket, or by extending the length of the socket
centre, and attaching the rods thereto, so that the piston rod of the upper
cylinder moves in the same line as the piston rod of the lower cylinder.
My next improvement in steam engines is to place the condenser and foot
valve above the delivering valve of the air pump, so that the water used for
condensation shall run into the air pump as soon as the foot valve opens. By
this arrangement the internal surface of the air pump becomes available for
condensation, and the entire surface of the condenser is left to assist the con-
densation of the steam. The condenser has no communication with the air
pump below the highest point to which the air-pump piston ascends. The
piston of the air pump is made without valves or openings, and a small valve
cover with water is fixed near the bottom of the air pump to let out any
water that may escape past the piston of the pump, or for the purpose of
admitting air when required.
In the case of old engines where the condenser is below the delivering part
of the air pump, I make up the foot valve passage and form a communication
by means of a pipe between the exhaust pipe or condenser and the delivering
valve passage or some part of the pump above the highest point to which the
piston ascends I also fix on the top of the pump, where convenient, a
circular top, for the purpose of increasing the capacity of the upper part of
the pump, into which I fix the delivering valve; the top is continued so as to
form a cistern for the reception of the hot water, which is conveyed away
in the ordinary manner.
To prevent accidents to steam boilers arising from the water getting too
low, I use an improved valve, which consists of a valve box containing the
valve seats at a sufficient distance asunder to allow the steam to escape freely;
upon the said valve seats are fitted concentric with each other, and of the
same or nearly the same size, two valves secured to a spindle which passes
down into the interior of the boiler; the said spindle contains a slot, through
which passes one end of a lever suspended from the boiler; to the said lever
is attached a float and weight, and to the spindle another weight to keep the
valves in their places. When the water in the boiler is at or above its proper
level, the slot allows the lever to move, so as not to disturb the valve, but

page_text: when the water becomes too low, the weight of the float acts upon the spindle
of the valve and causes it to rise, and so liberate the steam and prevent any
accident occurring from the water being too low. The steam communicates
with the under side of the bottom valve and the top side of the top valve by
means of a passage formed in the box; the valves being both of a size or
nearly so require very little weight to keep them close, and when the steam
escapes it passes out between the two valves, and is delivered into the
atmosphere by a branch on the side of the box.
I
My next improvement is a valve of a novel construction for reducing the
pressure of steam. There are many purposes for which high-pressure steam
cannot be applied, hence the necessity for a valve that shall not allow the
steam to exceed a given pressure when required for low-pressure purposes
although the pressure in the boiler may be very high and variable.
accomplish this by the use of a pair of ordinary round valves fixed upon a
spindle at a distance varying with the size of the valves upon the se
spindle, and above the upper valve I fix a piston fitted to work in a cylinder
attached to the valve box, above the piston I place a helical or other spring,
and continue the spindle through a bonnet fixed on the top of the said
cylinder. A wheel is screwed upon the spindle, which by screwing against
the bonnet allows the valve to be closed at any time. The steam from the
boiler enters the valve box between the two valves, which, when upon their
seats, are in a state of equilibrium or nearly so, therefore the action of the
spring will open the valve; but when the steam has passed the valve, and
increases in pressure above that required in the low-pressure department, and
at which the valve has been set, the said steam will act upon the piston
and cause the valve to close, which will again open as soon as the steam
which has passed the valve shall have decreased in pressure. The force with
which the spring acts upon the piston may be increased or diminished by
means of a plate and screws attached to the upper part of the spring and
passing through the bonnet. The atmosphere which supplies the furnaces
of steam boilers is now used in a cold state.
.
My next improvement is to place a series of pipes or chambers in any part
of the flues connected with the boiler or in any part of the chimney, or I
connect these pipes or chambers by means of new flues made for the purpose.
The atmosphere enters these pipes or chambers at the coldest part, and is
.conducted through them to the ash-pit, where it enters the furnace in a
hotter state than when it entered the pipes or chambers. I construct these
pipes or chambers of metal or other good conducting material. By this
process of heating the atmosphere greater economy is obtained,

page_text: I also attach to the furnaces of steam boilers a bridge composed of any
material best suited to withstand the heat. The said bridge contains a series
of holes, and is movable on an axis fixed near the bottom, so that the opening
from the furnace to the flue may be increased or diminished in area at
pleasure by the action of a rod and lever attached thereto; the bottom of the
bridge communicates with a valve fixed in the ash-pit, so that air may be
supplied as required in order to prevent the formation of smoke.
For the better admission of air to the furnaces of steam boilers I use grate
bars of a tubular form with their external surfaces groved, the groves being
either straight or at any angle to the axis of the bars. I also perforate the
said bars, so that a greater amount of air may enter the furnace.
I also construct fire bars with either vertical or diagonal groves on their
sides, the groves being either opposite to each other or otherwise; the upper
surface of the said bars are either circular or brought to a point by being
curved or straight on the sides. The object of a great number of groves
is to allow the air to enter in a subdivided state.
I construct the dead plates of furnaces hollow, and place one at the front
and another at the back of the furnace, or only one is used, as may be
required. By the use of these dead plates air is transmitted through the
hollow bars, before mentioned, to any part of the furnace.
When the fire doors of steam boilers are opened to supply the furnaces
with fresh fuel, a great amount of cold air is allowed to enter the flues and
pass up the chimney, carrying away a great amount of heat, and thereby
reducing the temperature of the gases surrounding the boiler. To obviate
this, I attach the damper to the fire door by any convenient means, so that
the damper shall close, or nearly so, when the said fire door is opened, and so
check the draught, and prevent cold air being admitted into the flues. When
the fire door closes again the damper is opened and the draught. restored.
Many boiler explosions may be traced to the corroding of the boiler bottoin
by contact with brickwork. To obviate this, I fix to the boiler at any
requisite point below the water level longitudinal plates secured either by
angle iron and rivets or by bending the edge of the plate to form a flange,
and riveting the same to the shell of the boiler. These longitudinal plates
are so fixed as to form the flues, and at the same time serve for the purpose
of supporting the boiler. By this means the heated gases and the flame from
the furnace are allowed to act on a greater surface of the boiler bottom, and
corrosion from external causes is entirely prevented. The said longitudinal
plates are constructed either of wrought or cast iron, and strengthened by
wrought or cast iron. vertical ribs. To the bottom plates I attach flanges

page_text: for the purpose of securing a greater amount of bearing surface. By attach-
ing longitudinal division plates for the purpose of dividing the flues, the
brick work may be prevented from coming into contact with the shell of the
boiler, by which means corrosion from the effects of water retained by the
brickwork will be prevented.
In many cases it is not convenient to attach a second cylinder to existing
engines, owing to there not being sufficient space to admit of a cylinder of a
circular form; I therefore use cylinders whose internal form isa parallelogram,
the four sides being cut seperately and planed upon. the internal face, after
which they are bolted together by means of bolts passing through flanges cast
on the sides for that purpose. This form of cylinder can be placed against
the stonework without cutting it away more than is necessary for bolting or
securing it thereto, whereas a circular cylinder would require a considerable
quantity of stone cutting away, not only to place it in position, but also for
the cylinder cover to pass, so that the piston may be examined. I make
pistons for the said improved cylinder with wedges at the corners acted upon
by springs to force out the blocks or packings for the purpose of making
the piston steam-tight.
Heretofore the wedges used for pressing out the rings of steam engine
pistons have had two of their faces parallel, the other two being in the form
of a wedge, the angle varying as required. This kind of wedge cannot press
the piston rings against the faces of the bottom and cover of the piston. To
effect the double purpose of opening the rings, and at the same time press
them against the bottom and cover of the piston, I make the wedges in a
form of a triangular pyramid or a frustum thereof, which, when acted upon by
a spring, accomplishes the desired object. I also construct piston rings with
snugs on each side of the point at which the rings are seperated to allow
them to spring out. Between the before-mentioned snugs of each ring I
insert a helical or other spring of steel, the spring being maintained in its
place by two set screws which pass through the snugs. On one or both of
the set screws I place a nut or nuts for the purpose of pressing the spring
to increase its action on the rings. To prevent steam passing through the
opening formed by seperating the rings, I insert a metal block in a slot
cut in the ring across the said opening, which is pressed up to its face by a
small spring inserted in the slot.
The cylinders before mentioned either exhaust into a condenser or con-
densers, or I so arrange the cylinders that the steam passes from one to
the other, terminating with the condensing cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Cass in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
CASS, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, 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 Louis Cass, Her special licence that I, the said Louis Cass, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis
Cass, 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
AND STEAM ENGINE BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," (a com-
munication) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis Cass,
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 immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Cass, 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 thereof (that is to say):-
One of my improvements consists in extending at one or both its ends the
centre by which the connecting rod is attached to the beam, to which extended
centre I fix another connecting rod for the purpose of working a piston, the
cylinder of which is fixed below or above the crank shaft; or I connect the
last-named connecting rod to any part of the connecting rod originally attached
to the beam; or I extend the beam past the connecting rod, and attach the
second connecting rod thereto. By extending the crank pin past the face of
the ordinary connecting rod, I attach to the said crank pin, by means of a
second connecting rod, one or more cylinders, either fixed in a vertical position

page_text: or at any angle from the vertical position, and where there is not sufficient
room for the application of a connecting rod, or when it is more convenient, I
attach the end of the piston rod of an oscillating cylinder fixed in any of the
positions before mentioned to the extended crank pin, or to the connecting rod
of the other engine by means of a jaw or pin fixed or cast on the said connect-
ing rod. I also connect the cylinders before mentioned by taking off the crank
from the fly-wheel shaft, and replacing the same by a spur or bevil wheel
containing a stud or pin, to which I couple the connecting rod of the old
engine. To the said spur or bevil wheel I couple, by means of a shaft and
another spur or bevil wheel, one or more cylinders, oscillating or otherwise,
and varying in position as required and before mentioned. I also connect
to the ordinary beam, by means of links or rods, a second beam suspended
on a centre fixed at any convenient part of the said beam; to this beam
I attach one or more cylinders, either above or below the said beam. The
last-named beam is constructed with its centres in a straight line or nearly
so; but I also construct beams or levers with their centres at any angle re-
quired; if the angle be a right angle the beam will assume the form of what
is technically called an L lever. The cylinders are attached to the second
form of beam in any position required by the angular shape of the beam
or lever.
Another of my plans for connecting one or more cylinders to the ordinary
crank is by using an angular lever, one end of which is connected to the crank
pin by means of a connecting rod, as before mentioned, the other end being
connected to the piston rod of a second cylinder, and if more than one
cylinder be required, the lever is made in the form of a T, and cylinders
attached to two of its ends, the other end being coupled to the crank
shaft or beam of the other engine. I also connect cylinders lying hori-
zontally with the crank shafts of steam engines by means of pendulous levers
fixed upon a shaft, the end which couples to the piston or connecting rods
being above or below the centre of suspension of the lever.
Another of my improvements is to attach one or more engines to any
existing or new engine, by means of a beam or beams fixed upon the entabla-
ture of the old engine, the cylinder being on the same side of the entablature
as the other cylinder, and the crank shaft of thenewengine to couple to to the
crank shaft of the old engine by spur wheels, the spur wheel on the old shaft
to be fixed in the place of the crank, the velocity of the additional engine to
be more or less than the old engine when required, I place the centres of the
two crank shafts in a vertical or horizontal line, or at any angle from the

page_text: vertical; I attach to the second crank shaft an eccentric or crank for the
purpose of working an air pump where required, or for the purpose of
attaching another cylinder at any angle that may be found convenient.
I place a second entablature above or below the beam of existing steam
engines, for the purpose of attaching a second engine to be coupled in any
convenient manner with the crank shaft of old engines. I also place above
the beam at the cylinder end of beam engines a second cylinder, the piston rod
of which I attach to the socket centre of the engine by means of rods secured
to a crosshead clasping the bottom part of the socket, or by extending the
length of the socket centre, and attaching the rods thereto, so that the piston
rod of the upper cylinder moves in the same line as the piston rod of the
lower cylinder.
My next improvement in steam engines is to place the condenser and foot
valve above the delivering valve of the air pump, so that the water used for
condensation shall run into the air pump as soon as the foot valve opens. By
this arrangement the internal surface of the air pump becomes available for
condensation, and the entire surface of the condenser is left to assist the
condensation of the steam. The condenser has no communication with the
air pump below the highest point to which the air-pump piston ascends. The
piston of the air pump is made without valves or openings, and a small valve
covered with water is fixed near the bottom of the air-pump to let out any
water that may escape past the piston of the pump, or for the purpose of
admitting air when required.
In the case of old engines where the condenser is below the delivering part
of the air pump, I make up the foot valve passage and form a communication
by means of a pipe between the exhaust pipe or condenser and the delivering
valve passage or some part of the pump above the highest point to which the
piston ascends. I also fix on the top of the pump, where convenient, a circular
top, for the purpose of increasing the capacity of the upper part of the pump
into which I fix the delivering valve; the top is continued so as to form a
cistern for the reception of the hot water which is conveyed away in the
ordinary manner.
To prevent accidents to steam boilers arising from the water getting too
low, I use an improved valve, which consists of a valve box containing two valve
seats at a sufficient distance asunder to allow the steam to escape freely; upon
the said valve seats are fitted concentric with each other, and of the same or
nearly the same size, two valves secured to a spindle which passes down into
the interior of the boiler; the said spindle contains a slot through which passes
one end of a lever suspended from the boiler; to the said lever is attached a

page_text: float and weight, and to the spindle another weight to keep the valves in their
places. When the water in the boiler is at or above its proper level, the slot
allows the lever to move so as not to disturb the valve, but when the water
becomes too low the weight of the float acts upon the spindle of the valve and
causes it to rise, and so liberate the steam and prevent any accident occurring
from the water being too low. The steam communicates with the under side
of the bottom valve and the top side of the top valve, by means of a passage
formed in the box; the valves being both of a size or nearly so, require very
little weight to keep them close, and when the steam escapes it passes out
between the two valves, and is delivered into the atmosphere by a branch
on the side of the box.
་
My next improvement is a valve of a novel construction for reducing the
pressure of steam. There are many purposes for which high pressure steam
cannot be applied, hence the necessity for a valve that shall not allow the
steam to exceed a given pressure when required for low pressure purposes,
although the pressure in the boiler may be very high and variable. 1
accomplish this by the use of a pair of ordinary round valves fixed upon a
spindle at a distance varying with the size of the valves; upon the same
spindle and above the upper valve I fix a piston fitted to work in a cylinder;
attached to the valve box above the piston I place a helical or other spring,
and continue the spindle through a bonnet fixed on the top of the said cylinder.
A wheel is screwed upon the spindle, which by screwing against the bonnet
allows the valve to be closed at any time. The steam from the boiler enters
the valve box between the two valves, which when upon their seats are in a
state of equilibrium or nearly so,therefore the action of the spring will open the
valve, but when the steam has passed the valve,and increases in pressure above
that required in the low pressure department, and at which the valve has been
set, the said steam will act upon the piston and cause the valve to close, which
will again open as soon as the steam which has passed the valve shall have
decreased in pressure. The force with which the spring acts upon the piston
may be increased or diminished by means of a plate and screws attached to
the upper part of the spring and passing through the bonnet. The atmosphere
which supplys the furnaces of steam boilers is now used in a cold state.
My next improvement is to place a series of pipes or chambers in any part
of the flues connected with the boiler, or in any part of the chimney, or I
connect these pipes or chambers by means of new flues made for the purpose.
The atmosphere enters these pipes or chambers at the coldest part, and is
conducted through them to the ash-pit, where it enters the furnace in a hotter
state than when it entered the pipes or chambers. I construct these pipes or

page_text: chambers of metal, or other good conducting material. By this process of
heating the atmosphere greater economy is obtained.
I also attach to the furnaces of steam boilers a bridge, composed of any
material best suited to withstand the heat. The said bridge contains a series
of holes, and is moveable on an axis fixed near the bottom, so that the opening.
from the furnace to the flue may be increased or diminished in area at
pleasure by the action of a rod and lever attached thereto. The bottom of
the bridge communicates with a valve, fixed in the ash-pit, so that air may
be supplied as required in order to prevent the formation of smoke.
For the better admission of air to the furnaces of steam boilers, I use grate
bars, of a tubular form, with their external surfaces groved, the groves
being either straight or at any angle to the axis of the bars. I also perforate
the said bars, so that a greater amount of air may enter the furnace.
I also construct fire bars, with either vertical or diagonal groves on their
sides, the groves being either opposite to each other or otherwise. The
upper surfaces of the said bars are either circular or brought to a point by
being curved or straight upon the sides. The object of a great number of
groves is to allow the air to enter in a subdivided state.
I construct the dead plates of furnaces hollow, and place one at the
front and another at the back of the furnace, or only one is used, as may
be required. By the use of these dead plates, air is transmitted through
the hollow bars before-mentioned to any part of the furnace.
When the fire doors of steam boilers are opened to supply the furnaces
with fresh fuel, a great amount of cold air is allowed to enter the flues and
pass up the chimney, carrying away a great amount of heat, and thereby
reducing the temperature of the gases surrounding the boiler. To obviate
this, Lattach the damper to the fire door by any convenient means, so that the
damper shall close, or nearly so, when the said fire door is opened, and so
check the draft and prevent cold air being admitted into the flues. When
the fire door closes again, the damper is opened and the draft restored.
Many boiler explosions may be traced to the corroding of the boiler bottom
by.contact with brickwork. To obviate this, I fix to the boiler at any
requisite point below the water level longitudinal plates, secured either by
angle iron and rivets, or by bending the edge of the plate to form a flange,
and riveting the same to the shell of the boiler. These longitudinal plates
are so fixed as to form the flues, and at the same time serve for the purpose
of supporting the boiler. By this means the heated gases and the flame
from the furnace are allowed to action.a greater surface of the boiler bottom,

page_text: and corrosion from external causes is entirely prevented. The said
longitudinal plates are constructed either of wrought or cast iron, and
strengthened by wrought or cast iron vertical ribs. To the bottom plates
I attach flanges, for the purpose of securing a greater amount of bearing
surface. By attaching longitudinal division plates for the purpose of
dividing the flues, the brickwork may be prevented from coming into
contact with the shell of the boiler, by which means corrosion from the
effects of water retained by the brickwork will be prevented.
In many cases it is not convenient to attach a second cylinder to existing
engines, owing to there not being sufficient space to admit of a cylinder of
a circular form; I therefore use cylinders whose internal form is a paral-
lelogram, the four sides being cast seperately and planed upon the internal
face, after which they are bolted together by means of bolts passing through
flauges cast on the sides for that purpose. This form of cylinder can be
placed against the stonework without cutting away more than is necessary
for bolting or securing it thereto, whereas a circular cylinder would
require a considerable quantity of stone cutting away, not only to place it
in position, but also for the cylinder cover to pass, so that the piston may
be examined. I make pistons for the said improved cylinder with wedges
at the corners, acted upon by springs to force out the blocks or packings
for the purpose of making the piston steam-tight.
Heretofore the wedges used for pressing out the rings of steam engine
pistons have had two of their faces parallel, the other two being in the form
of a wedge, the angle varying as required. This kind of wedge cannot press
the piston rings against the faces of the bottom and cover of the piston.
To effect the double purpose of opening the rings, and at the same time
press them against the bottom and cover of the piston, I make the wedges
in the form of a triangular pyramid, or a frustum thereof, which, when
acted upon by a spring, accomplishes the desired object.
I also construct piston rings with snugs on each side of the point, at which
the rings are seperated to allow them to spring out. Between the before.
mentioned snugs of each ring I insert a helical or other spring of steel, the
spring being maintained in its place by two set screws which pass through
the snugs.
On one or both of the set screws I place a nut or nuts for the
purpose of pressing the spring to increase its action on the rings. To
prevent steam passing through the opening formed by seperating the rings,
I insert a metal block, in a slot cut in the ring across the said opening,
which is pressed up to its face by a small spring inserted in the slot,

page_text: The cylinders before-mentioned either exhaust into a condenser or con-
densers, or I so arrange the cylinders that the steam passes from one to
the other, terminating with the condensing cylinder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
I
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the principle parts of a steam engine, with one of
my improvements attached; Fig. 2 is a plan, showing the position of the
second cylinder. a is the centre, by which the connecting rod is attached
to the beam c. To the extended part d of the centre a I attach a connecting
rod e, which couples with the piston rod of the cylinder g. The slide bars
h, h', are secured to a cast-iron beam i fixed in the stonework. The steam
first passes to the cylinder g through the pipe, and after doing its work in
the said cylinder it is conveyed through the pipe to the condenser or to the
cylinder m where it acts expansively, after which it enters the condenser by
the pipe n. By the addition of the cylinder g the power of the engine may
be increased, or the steam worked expansively to a greater extent. The
slide valve of the cylinder g may be worked by the eccentric used for the valves
of the cylinder m by attaching rods and levers to the valve shaft, according
with the construction of the engine. Fig. 3 shows the way in which I extend
the beam so as to attach a second cylinder, the piston rod of which I attach to
the connecting rod e'. Fig. 4 shows the plan I adopt for attaching a cylinder g¹
to the extended crank pin p, the crank o representing the crank of the engine
shown at Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows a plan of attaching a cylinder by means of a
jaw or projecting piece cast on the connecting rod b', to which by means of a
pin the connecting rod e³ is made to work the piston of the extra cylinder.
Fig. 6 is a plan showing a spur wheel » placed on the end of the crank shaft q
in the place of the crank, and having fixed in it the pin p'; to which the con-
necting rod of the engine is attached. The wheel is fixed in the shafts,
and geared into the wheel. On the ends of the shaft s are fixed the cranks
0, 02. To the said cranks I attach, by means of connecting rods, the pistons
of the cylinders t, t¹. These cylinders may be either condensing or non-con-
densing, or one of them may exhaust into the other, or both cylinders exhaust
into the large cylinder of the engine. By this arrangement additional power
is obtained without throwing extra strain on any part of the engine, excepting
the crank shaft q. Fig. 7 shows part of the beam c and connecting rod b of
the engine shown at Fig. 1; to the said beam, by extending the connecting rod
centre, I attach the beam c¹ by means of the links u; to the other end of the
beam b¹ I apply the cylinder 92, which may be either condensing or other-
wise, or it may exhaust into the large cylinder of the engine. The beam

page_text: may be made in the form of an L as before stated; the cylinder g² would
then be required in a horizontal position.
Figure S shows the manner in which I connect one or more cylinders
to the ordinary crank o by means of the extended crank pin before mentioned.
e4 is the connecting rod attached to the extended crank pin, to which pin is
also attached the connecting rod b. To the connecting rod e4 I couple a three-
armed or T lever c³, c³, c4, which is caused to oscillate on the centre n¹. To
the end c³ I apply the cylinder g³, and to the end c I apply the cylinder 94.
The Drawing represents the cylinder g less than the cylinder g³, so that
the steam passing into the cylinder g4 through the pipe / may after acting
upon the small piston pass through the pipe l', and be expanded in the
cylinder g³, and finally pass to the condenser through the pipe n', or both
cylinders may exhaust into the condenser or into the large cylinder of the
engine. If one cylinder be considered sufficient for the power or expan-
sion required, one of the arms of the lever is dispensed with, and if there
be not sufficient room, or from any other cause a vertical cylinder cannot be
applied, and it be required to place the cylinder in a horizontal position,
the connecting rod e4 is attached to the pendulous lever c², as shown at
Fig. 9, and the horizontal cylinder applied to the rod e³.
Fig. 10 is part of an elevation, and Fig. 11 a plan, showing how I apply
a second beam upon the entablature of old engines. C, Fig. 10, is the centre
of the beams, the angle through which they oscillate being shown by the dotted
lines passing through the centre C, and the direction of the connecting rods
by the dotted lines a³, as, and as, aº. The spur wheel is fixed on the
crank shaft g in the place of the crank, and geared into another spur wheel ¹,
fixed upon the shaft s³, on one end of which shaft I fix a crank o³, which by
means of a connecting rod is coupled to the beam to which the cylinder g³ is
applied. m is the large cylinder, and is coupled to the spur wheel r by means
of a beam and connecting rod, as represented by the dotted lines. The iron
beams 1, 2, are placed in the stonework for the purpose of supporting the
cylinder g5. The last-named cylinder may exhaust direct into the condenser
of the other engine or into the cylinder m, as required. The shaft s' may
have an eccentric fixed upon it or be cranked in the middle, for the purpose
of either working an air pump or applying another cylinder.
Fig. 12 is an elevation, and Fig. 13 an end view of the manner in which I
apply a second cylinder to the socket centre. I extend the socket centre at
each end, as shown at a, a', to which I fix the crosshead c¹, c', containing a
socket, in which the piston rod b is secured. The cylinder 9' is fixed above
the beam c to the girders d, d', and since the piston rod 6¹ is moved 'in a

page_text: straight line or nearly so by the action of the parallel motion, the piston
rod 6 will also move in the same line. The slide valve may be worked by
the same eccentric that works the valve for admitting steam to the cylinder
m. The steam from the cylinder ginay pass direct to the condenser, or be
expanded through the cylinder m. The girders d, d¹, may be fixed; so that
the bottom of the cylinder g may rest upon them.
My arrangement for more effectually condensing the steam is shown at
Fig. 14. a is the condenser; b, the foot valve; c, c, the air-pump, and d the
air-pump piston without valves; e, e, the air-pump cover, on which is situate
the delivering valve f, f, made of metal or any elastic material; g, g, the
guard, to prevent the valve f opening too wide. The circular top is shown
at h, h, with the overflow pipe i attached, and a small valve covered with
water is shown.atk. When the steam from the cylinder of the engine enters
the condenser at the time that the air-pump piston is descending, the heated
water from the condenser will pass into the air pump, leaving the injection
water and the sides of the condenser and upper part of the air pump to perform
the office of condensing the steam, and if any water should have passed the
piston d it will be expelled through the valve . The piston d does not work
to the bottom of the air pump, so that the air below the piston may assist in
lifting the water before the delivering valve opens. The pressure of the
atmosphere acts upon the piston d during the whole of the time the delivering
valve fis open. When it is not convenient to place the condenser in the
position shown in the Drawing (as in the case of old engines) I stop up the
foot valve passage and form a communication between the upper part of
the air-pump and the condenser by a pipe containing a foot valve; this
arrangement will then allow of the piston of the air pump being used with-
out valves or openings therein, as before mentioned.
Fig. 15 is a section of my improved apparatus for preventing accidents
occurring to steam boilers by the water getting too low. a, a, a, a, is a section
of the valve box, containing the valves b, b1, fixed upon the spindle c. At
the bottom of the said spindle I fix a weight d, for the purpose of keeping
the valves in their places; a slot is made in the spindle c to allow the lever e
to pass through it. On one end of the lever e a float f is suspended by the
rod
9, and at the other end of the said lever I fix a weight h. The lever e
is suspended on the fulcrum i,and prevented from moving in a lateral direction
by the guard k. When the water in the boiler gets too low, the float fbeing
heavier than the weight will cause the lever c to lift the valves b, b', and the
steam will pass direct from the boiler through the valve b¹, and along the
passage 1, and through the valve b, escaping into the atmosphere through

page_text: the branch m, thereby indicating that the water is too low; and so soon as
the water shall have regained its proper height, the valves b, b¹, being
in a state of equilibrium or nearly so, will be closed by the action of the
weight d, and will remain closed until the action of the float fcauses them
to open.
My improved valve for reducing steam pressure is shown at Fig. 16. a¹ is
a section of the valve box, containing the valves c. cl; on the spindle da
piston e is fitted, and adapted to work steam-tight. In the cylinder a² above
the said piston I apply a helical spring f of steel, and on the top of the
cylinder a² a bonnet gis fixed, through which pass the set screws h, h¹, their
ends pressing on the plate i. The spindle e passes through the said bonnet g,
and contains a screw at its upper end, upon which is fitted the wheel k.
When the wheel is unscrewed, the spring f will press open the valves, and
if steam be now admitted through the branch m it will pass through the
valves c, c', and into the chamber o,following the direction of the arrows, and
pass to any required place through the branch n; but so soon as the steam
passed through the valves shall exceed the force exerted on the piston e by
the spring f, the valves will begin to close, and if it exceeds the pressure at
which the spring is set, the valves will be entirely closed, and no steam will
pass the valves until that which has passed becomes reduced in pressure. The
screws h, h¹, and the plate i are for the purpose of adjusting the force of
the spring to the force required on the low pressure side of the valves.
The pressure of the steam may be variable on the side m, whilst the
pressure, on the side n remains constant, and when the valves are required
to be closed the wheel is screwed down on to the bonnet g, the valves will
then be brought upon their faces, and steam entirely prevented from pass-
ing through them.
Fig. 17 is a cross section, and Fig. 18 a longitudinal section of a steam
boiler with my improved apparatus for heating the air attached. The pipes
through which the air passes are placed in the flues of the boiler, as shown
by the letter a. The air enters at the ends b, and passes through the pipes
a into the chamber c, and from thence into the ash-pit d, to the furnace.
A door is fixed in the chamber c for the purpose of removing the ashes,
the form of the said chamber is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 17. The
air is heated as it passes along the pipes a, which tends to economise the
heat used in the furnace.
My apparatus for preventing the formation of smoke in furnaces is shown
attached to a steam boiler at Fig. 19. a is the moveable hollow bridge fixed
upon the axis c, and is moved on the said axis by the rod.b. A valve for

page_text: regulating the supply of air is shown at d, and is moved by the rod e. The
hollow bridge a is perforated to allow the air to come in contact with the
gases of the furnace in a divided state, and the opening from the furnace f
into the flue g can be varied in area by moving the hollow bridge, which
is accomplished by the use of the rod b, the quantity of air being regulated
by the action of the rod e on the valve d.
Fig. 20 represents my improved hollow grate bar and hollow dead plates
for boiler furnaces; a, the grate bar which is groved, and contains slots.
for the air to pass through into the furnace. A cross section of the bar is
shown at the end of the Fig. ; b, b, are the hollow dead plates. These
hollow bars allow the air to enter the furnace both from the ash-pit and
from the dead plate 6, the air also passes along the hollow bar into the
dead plate 61, which contains a series of small holes situate behind the
bridge c, to allow the air to mix with the gases in a divided state, and so
prevent the formation of smoke and assist combustion.
Fig. 21 is a side elevation, Fig. 22 a plan, and Fig. A an end view of one of
my improved fire or grate bars; the groves in the sides are for the purpose of
admitting air to the furnace in a divided state, and the diagonal channels or
groves on the upper side allow the air to pass between the side groves; the
object of which is to prevent the clinkers adhering to the bars; the upper
groves or channels pass across the bars in a diagonal line, so that zigzag
channels or groves are formed across the fire grate, which prevents the rake
used by the fireman from catching the bars, which would not be the case if
the channels were straight across the grate. I also construct bars, as shown
at Fig. 23, with the side groves placed in a diagonal position; Figs. 24 and 25
show a bar with curved groves, the upper channels being angular.. I some-
times construct bars with their upper surface, as shown by the end views B,
C, D. Any of the bars may be either of wrought or cast iron; and are
especially adapted for locomotive engines when made of wrought iron.
Fig. 26 is a side elevation, and Fig. 27 a plan of a steam boiler with my.
apparatus attached for closing the damper when the fire door is opened;
a is the boiler surrounded by the brickwork b; the damper shown at c is
attached to the fire door d by means of the pulley e, the rod f, and levers g.
and h. When the furnace door is opened the combination of rods and
levers shown in the Drawing causes the damper, to close or nearly so and
check the draft, and prevent the admission of cold air into the furnace and
flues of the boiler during the process of laying on the coal., When the door
closes the damper is again raised, and the draft restored.

page_text: Fig. 28 is a cross section, and Fig. 29 a side elevation of a steam boiler,
with my improved longitudinal bearing plates attached. These plates are
marked a in the Drawing, and the vertical iron ribs marked c. serve to
strengthen the plates and to cover the joints. To the bottom of the plates
I fix angle iron ribs e as shown in the Drawing; to increase the amount of
bearing surface as before mentioned.
Fig. 30-shows a piston ring a with my improved wedgec applied, a section
of which is shown near the ring. A set screw passes through the spring d
for the purpose of setting up the wedge, which, at the same time that it
opens out the ring, presses it to the face or bottom of the piston as required
and before mentioned.
Fig. 31 is another of my improvements in piston rings; b,¹, are two snugs
cast upon the ring a¹; through each of the said snugs passes a pin or set screw
d, d¹, containing the nuts c, c'; between the said snugs I place a helical spring
e of steel, supported by the pins d, d', the set screws ff, being for the purpose
of holding the said pins.in their places; at the point where the ring is cut I
make a slot, into which is inserted the metal block s, held against the outer
part of the slot by the spring there shown; this block is to prevent steam
passing through the cut in the ring. The spring e is made of sufficient
strength to press the piston ring against the cylinder sides, and prevent steam
passing from one side of the piston to the other, when the faces of the
rings and cylinder are in good condition.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that what I claim. is,
Firstly, the various mechanical arrangements and combinations of parts
for the purpose of applying one or more auxiliary cylinders to steam
engines as herein set forth and. described.
Secondly, the arrangement of the air-pump and condenser, and the com-
bination of parts as herein mentioned and described.
Thirdly, the combined apparatus herein described as applicable to steam
boilers to prevent explosion by the water getting too low.
Fourthly, the combined apparatus herein. described for regulating and.
reducing the pressure of steam.
Fifthly, the combined apparatus herein described for heating the air
before it enters the furnace.
Sixthly, the moveable perforated hollow bridge applied to a furnace as
herein described, and for the purpose herein mentioned.
Seventhly, the hollow bars and hollow dead. plates for the purposes
herein set forth and described.

page_text: Eighthly, the groved grate bars herein described, for the purposes herein
mentioned.
Ninthly, the combined apparatus for closing the damper during the
operation of supplying coal to the furnace as herein described.
Tenthly, the longitudinal plates attached to a boiler below the water
level as herein described and for the purpose herein mentioned.
Eleventhly, the manner of constructing cylinders herein described, when
made in the form of a parallelogram.
Twelfthly, the wedge, whose section is a triangle applied to piston rings,
as herein described.
Thirteenthly, the mechanical arrangement and combination of parts
forming the piston ring, in which a helical or other spring is applied
between snugs, as herein described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Cass, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
THOMAS BALDWIN,
Corn Market Buildings,
Bury, Lancashire.
LOUIS CASS. (L.S.)