IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM FIRE-ENGINES, PARTS OF PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moses Merryweather, Richard Moses Merryweather,
both of Long Acre, London, Fire-engine Manufacturers, and Edward
Field, of Buckingham Street, Adelphi, London, Consulting Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM FIRE-ENGINES, PARTS OF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moses Merryweather,
Richard Moses Merryweather, and Edward Field at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 1st November
1862.
We, MOSES MERRYWEATHER, RICHARD MOSES MERRYWEATHER, both of Long
Acre, London, Fire-engine Manufacturers, and EDWARD FIELD, of Buckingham
Street, Adelphi, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM FIRE-ENGINES, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
A steam fire-engine constructed according to this Invention consists of a
framed carriage mounted, when for land service, on travelling wheels ; at the
binder end of the frame is the boiler, in front of which is placed the steam
cylinder and pump. The boiler consists of a vertical fire-box with a water
and steam chamber above, from the plate of which descend a number of tubes,
arranged around the entrance to the smoke flue, the lower ends ofsome of them
converging inwards to bring them into more immediate contact with the

page_text: main body of the fire. Within these tubes are smaller ones open at top and
bottom, their upper ends being wide mouthed or trumpet-shaped to facilitate
the entrance and downward passage of currents of solid water unaffected by
the steam which rises externally around them. The exhaust pipe from the
steam cylinder on entering the chimney passes downward to a chamber (the
lower surface of which forms a baffle plate) from whence the steam is
projected upwards to increase the draught in the fire-box. Provision is made
for cushioning the piston in the steam cylinder by causing it to pass beyond
and close the main ports, the steam and exhaust being then led through a
smaller channel capable of nice adjustment. Steam is admitted to the
working cylinder of the engine by a slide valve acted upon by a smaller
steam valve which receives its motion from connecting rods attached to the
piston rod of the engine.
The foregoing improvements in the construction of the boiler, and in the
arrangement and method of working the slide valves of steam fire-engines
may also be advantageously applied to steam boilers and engines for other
purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letter Patent, filed
by the said Moses Merryweather, Richard Moses Merryweather, and
Edward Field in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th April
1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MOSES
MERRYWEATHER, RICHARD MOSES MERRYWEATHER, both of Long Acre,
London, Fire-engine Manufacturers, and EDWARD FIELD, of Buckingham
Street, Adelphi, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Moses Merryweather, Richard Moses Merryweather, and Edward Field,
Her special licence that we, the said Moses Merryweather, Richard Moses
Merryweather, and Edward Field,our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Moses Merryweather, Richard Moses Merry-
weather, and Edward Field, our 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

page_text: 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 FIRE-ENGINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Moses Merryweather, Richard Moses.Merry weather, and Edward
Field, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Moses Merryweather, on behalf of
myself and the said Richard Moses Merryweather, and Edward Field; do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say -
This improved steam fire-engine consists of a framed carriage, mounted when
intended for land service, on travelling wheels; at the hinder end of the frame
is the boiler, in front of which is placed the steam cylinder and pump. The boiler
consists of a vertical fire-box with water and steam chamber above, from the
lower plate of which descend a number oftubes arranged around the entrance
to the smoke flue, the lower ends of some of them converging inwards to bring
them into more immediate contact with the main body of the fire. Within
these tubes are smaller ones open at top and bottom, their upper ends being
wide mouthed or trumpet-shaped to facilitate the entrance and downward
passage of currents ofsolid water, unaffected by the steam which rises externally
around them. The exhaust pipe from the steam cylinder on entering the
chimney passes downward to a chamber (the lower surface of which forms a
baffle plate) from whence the steam is projected upwards to increase the
draught in the fire-box. Provision is made for cushioning the piston in the
steam cylinder by causing it to pass beyond and close the main po:ts,
the steam aud exhaust being then led through a smaller channel capable
of nice adjustment. Steam is admitted to the working cylinder of the engine
by a slide valve, acted upon by a smaller steam valve which receives its
motion from connecting rods attached to the piston rod of the engine.
The foregoing improvements in the construction of the boiler, and in the
arrangement and method of working the slide valves of steam fire-engines,
may also be advantageously applied to steam boilers and engines for other
purposes.

page_text: And in order that the manner of performing this our Invention may be
more fully understood, reference is had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the following description thereof, that is to say :-
Figures 1 and 2, on Sheet 1, are respectively an elevation and plan view of a
single cylinder steam fire-engine for land service, constructed agreeably to our
said Invention; and Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the steam
cylinder and valves appertaining thereto. The framing of the machine a, a,
is formed principally of angle iron, supported on springs, and carried by the
travelling wheels b. The boiler c (shewn in detail, and herein-after explained
with reference to Sheet 2,) is attached to and carried by the framing at a
level below the steam and water spaces, so that the bolts employed for fixing
do not pass into either of them, thus avoiding liability to leakage. It com-
municates by the steam pipe d with the valve chest e, as also by a small piped
with the valve chest e¹, made use of for regulating the motion of the piston
valve, whereby the ingress and egress of steam to and from the main cylinder
are regulated. The construction of the cylinder and valves is clearly shewn at
Figure 3, in which the same letters are employed to indicate the same parts
as in the other Figures. The two pistons ff, of a piston valve work in a
suitable cylindrical valve chamber or chest e, into which steam is led from the
steam pipe d. The rod f2 of the piston valve is continued forward, and fitted
with a small piston i working in a cylinder 2, to which steam is admitted
alternately on each side of the piston as required by means of a small slide
valve 2 of ordinary construction. The valve chamber e communicates with
the main cylinderj by means of four passages k, k¹, and 1, l, which open into
thoroughfares m, m', communicating respectively with the forward and back.
ward ends of the cylinder. Small passages n, n', lead into the main thorough-
fares m, m¹, and are formed with cocks for the purpose of regulating the
escape of steam after cushioning. The action of the valve piston is regulated
by means of levers o, o¹, connected by links p, p, with the piston rod, common
to both the steam cylinder j and pump q. The levers o, o¹, communicate
motion to a rocking shaft r,upon which is keyed a discs, fitted with adjustable
stops, which act alternately upon each side of a tongue lever t, taking into
the rod of the slide 2. In the position of the parts as shewn, the piston j¹
propelled by steam (admitted through the opening / to its forward side), has
just completed its backward stroke, and by closing the backward main port has
caused the steam behind the piston to formacushion, whereby the momentum
of the piston has been checked sufficiently to avoid injury to the end of cover
of the cylinder; while the steam forming the cushion has, at the same time,
been gradually escaping through the opening n into the exhaust passage 1.

page_text: The piston rod during its backward action has given motion in that direction
to the levers o, o¹, the shaft r, and disc s; the latter moving through a great
portion of its are without moving the tongue lever t. When, however, the
corresponding adjustable stop has come into contact with the forward side of
the tongue lever, the slide is immediately moved into the position shewn, and
steam is thereby admitted to the forward side of the small piston i, thus
driving it backward, and carrying the pistons f, f, into the position shewn
by the dotted lines, and causing the piston to be moved in the contrary
or forward direction, firstly, by the passage of steam through the small
passage n to the back of the piston, which upon passing, and thus laying
open the back port, is continued in its forward motion by the full volume
of steam entering thereby, until upon the piston arriving near to the end
of its forward stroke, the piston i is again moved, and the contrary action
takes place. It is obvious that the frame boiler, and general arrangement
herein represented and described with reference to this engine may also be
applied to engines having two or more cylinders and pumps.
The boiler c is shewn in detail in Sheet 2, Figure 4 being a vertical section;
Figure 5, a plan view (partly in section) of the same; and Figure 6 an
enlarged section of one pair of the tubes detached. The fire-grate u fed with
fuel through the opening u' is of the ordinary or any other suitable construc-
tion, and is enclosed in a casing depending from the water and steam
space u, u. From the tube plate z depend and descend into the furnace a
series of tubes a¹, curved or otherwise as found most convenient for the
economical employment of the heat generated in the furnice. These tubes x¹
contain other tubes x2, which are notched or otherwise made so as to be freely
open at bottom, and are formed with enlarged trumpet mouths at their upper
ends, or are otherwise equivalently shaped to deflect the steam and water
ascending from the annular spaces contained between the inner and outer
tubes, in such manner as to facilitate and not to interfere with the downward
current of colder and solid water descending by the inner tube to replenish
that which has passed upward by evaporation or otherwise between the inner
and outer tubes. This deflection of the upward current may be effected by
various arrangements, differing more or less from the trumpet mouth herein-
before described and shewn; as, for example, by the use of a dish or cup-
shaped top to the inner tube, as shewn at Figure 7; or by an annular disc or
washer as at Figure 8; both of which are substantially equivalent to although
in our opinion less suitable than the trumpet mouth. We do not in respect
of this boiler lay any claim to novelty in respect of the employment of one
tube within another for the purpose of separating the downward and upward

page_text: currents from each other, as such an arrangement had been employed prior to
the date of these our Letters Patent; but we believe that in no case had any
arrangement for diverting the upward current of steam and heated water by
a trumpet-mouthed inner tube, or by any equivalent thereto, been used.
By this employment of an enlarged or trumpet-shaped top, or equivalent,
to the inner tube, a smooth and rapid circulation is induced, not otherwise
obtainable. This arrangement of double tubes, formed as described, is
obviously applicable to boilers and heating apparatus for various other pur-
poses, as well as to the generation of steam, and owing to the rapidity and
perfection of the circulation it induces, will be found highly economical in
fuel. Thus, for example, it may be advantageously employed in apparatus
for heating by hot water, for heating brewers' coppers, in distilling apparatus,
and in numerous other cases in which it is required to heat a liquid in a
rapid and economical manner. The steam after passing through the engine,
as described, is carried off by an exhaust pipe y, which terminates in a box
or chest y, having an opening opposite to the bottom of the chimney; from
which opening the steam rushes upward, and increases the draught of air
through the fire-grate; the lower side or surface of the box or chest acting
at the same time as a baffle plate, deflecting the flame and heated gases, and
preventing their too rapid escape up the chimney. The circumference of the
tube plate is bent downward so as to form an annular pocket x³ for the
collection of mud or sediment thrown up and ejected from the tubes, and
which after settling in the pocket may be got rid of when required by
openings provided for that purpose.
Figure 9, Sheet 2, is a vertical section of a boiler constructed on the
same principle as the foregoing and intended for stationary purposes; and
Figure 10 a plan (partly in section) of the same. In this case the boiler c is
set in brickwork, and is formed with a mud pocket as before described. The
gases from the furnace in this case instead of being carried off by a central
chimney or flue passing upward through the boiler pass outward through the
annular mud pocket or water space by a series of flue tubes c' into the main
flue communicating with the chimney. The steam generated passes by
pipes as shewn into and through the segmental chamber c, wherein it becomes
more or less superheated, and passes off to its work by the pipe c as shewn.
The grate and other parts corresponding with those of the boiler herein-before
previously described, are marked with similar letters and figures, and require
no description. The same system of double tubes, the inner tubes having
trumpet mouths, or being otherwise equivalently formed for the purpose of
facilitating the downward and deflecting the upward currents of water and

page_text: steam, and ensuring a steady and sufficient downward current, may obviously
be employed in boilers of various other forms and for various other purposes
not herein particularly specified, wherein it is required to impart heat to fluid
or liquid bodies in a rapid and economical manner. We do not therefore
limit or confine our use or application of tubes as herein-before described to
steam boilers, or hot water apparatus alone, neither do we limit ourselves to
the precise forms of tubes as delineated; but we claim,―
Firstly, the use or employment in apparatus for heating fluids by double
tubes of a trumpet mouth or other suitably formed guide or deflector for the
purpose of preventing the interference of the ascending with the descending
currents of fluid, and of ensuring a sufficient and steady circulation, substan-
tially as herein-before described.
Secondly, the use of a hollow baffle plate or chamber into which steam is
admitted, and from which it issues up the chimney for the purpose of increasing
the draft and preventing the baffle plate becoming overheated..
Thirdly, the general construction and arrangement of parts constituting a
steam fire-engine, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Merryweather, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W BADDELEY,
Patent Agent,
Islington.
MOSES MERRY WEATHER. (L.S.)