IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stanhope Perkins, of Fairfield, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER
STEAM BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stanhope Perkins at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th July 1880.
STANHOPE PERKINS, of Fairfield, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER STEAM BOILERS."
My Invention refers to what are commonly called the sling stays of locomotive
and other steam boilers, and consists in a method of constructing them whereby
the distortion of the "copper box" is prevented or lessened. For this purpose I
attach a socket to the " copper box," within which is a rod extending to the
outside shell to which it is fixed. One of these parts is therefore capable of sliding
on the other, and the boiler is stayed by self adjusting apparatus without occupying
much water space. At the bottom of the part attached to the outer shell I place a
nut, which regulates the extent of sliding, and to which position it returns when in
its normal position, or the same effect may be gained by a slot and key, or pin, or
by other similar means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Stanhope Perkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
January 1881.
STANHOPE PERKINS, of Fairfield, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER STEAM BOILERS."
My Invention refers to what are commonly called the sling stays of locomotive
and other steam boilers, and consists in a method of constructing them whereby
the distortion of the "copper box" is prevented or lessened. For this purpose I
attach a socket to the copper box, within which is a rod extending to the outside
shell to which it is fixed.
One of these parts is therefore capable of sliding on the other, and the boiler is
stayed by self adjusting apparatus without occupying much water space. At the
bottom of the part attached to the outer shell I place a nut, which regulates the
extent of sliding, and to which position it returns when in its normal position, or
the same effect may be gained by a slot and key, or pin, or by other similar
means.
In order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I will now proceed
to describe the Drawings hereunto.annexed.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 show one arrangement of my sling stays, Fig. 1 being a front
elevation; Fig. 2, a site elevation, and Fig. 3, a plan view of the lower portion of
Fig. 1. At A is a portion of the outer shell of the boiler, and at B is a portion of
the "copper box." Through the outer shell of the boiler is passed a stay bolt a,
upon the upper part of which is formed a screwed part screwed into a hole
formed in the outer shell A. At c is a socket attached to the "copper box" by
means of the set screw d passing through the "copper box " B and screwed into the
socket c; in the upper part of the socket c is formed a hole through which the lower
end of the bolt or stay a passes and is capable of sliding therein.
Upon the lower end of the stay or bolt a and within the socket c is screwed a
nut e.
When the pressure of the steam within the boiler tends to force down the copper
box B the socket c, through medium of the set screw d, is drawn down therewith,
such movement bringing the part c* of the socket c in contact with the nut c, but a
further downward movement of the copper box is prevented by the bolt or stay a,
which has an upward tendency through the steam pressure being exerted upon the
inner surface of the outer shell of the boiler A. When from contraction or otherwise
the copper box B tends to approach the outer shell A of the boiler, the socket c is
caused to slide over the bolt a, the hole in the socket c allowing such sliding to
tako place; the copper box is thereby prevented from being strained, as is the case
when the ordinary rigid stays aro employed.
The screwed hole in the outer shell A is made of sufficient diameter to allow the
stem of the bolt or stay a to pass through. The screwed boss a* upon the bolt or
stay a is formed taper, so that when screwed into the tapped hole in the outer
shell (the head a** being made square for that purpose) a steam tight joint is
thereby secured. After the bolt or stay a and socket c have been screwed into
position the nut c is then screwed upon the lower end of the bolt or stay a, so as
to support the copper box B in the position required.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 shew another arrangement I propose to use, instead of the
socket previously described, Fig. 4 being an elevation; Fig. 5, an elevation party
in section, and Fig. 6, a plan view of the lower portion of Fig. 4. To the copper
E

page_text: box F is attached a socket g by means of a set screw 9*; within the socket g is
formed a recess h; within this recess passes the lower end of the bolt or stay i,
which is formed with an enlarged part or collar j. The outer circumference of the
socket is screwed and is provided with a cap k, the upper edge of this cap having
a hole formed therein large enough for the enlarged part or collar; of the stay or
bolt i to be passed through. Between the collar j formed upon the stay i and
the cap is placed a ring or washer l, formed in two portions, as shown at 1, 1*, in
Fig. 6. The stay or bolt i and socket g having been screwed into position, as
previously described in reference to Fig. 1, 2, and 3, the cap is unscrewed, the
two portions of the washer or ring 1, 2*, are placed upon the collar; of the stay or
bolt i, and the cap k is then screwed down upon the socket g. The stay or bolt i
can then slide within the washer 1, lx, but the collar j formed thereon prevents it
being drawn out of the socket g. The recess h within the socket g is formed of
sufficient length to allow the requisite upward movement of the copper box F.
The screwed boss m formed upon the upper part of the stay or bolt i, which screws
into the outer shell of the boiler G, is of larger diameter than that of the collar j, as
the collar having had to be passed through the aperture in the outer shell into
which the boss m is afterwards scrowed.
In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I illustrate an arrangement in which I connect the stay to
the socket by means of a pin or key. Fig. 7 is an elevation; Fig. 8, an elevation,
partly in section, and Fig. 9, a plan view of the lower portion of Fig. 7. The
socket n is attached to the "copper box" H by a set screw 8; the upper part of
the socket is formed with a recess p; into this recess passes the lower end of the
stay g, the other end thereof being screwed into the outer shell of the boiler, as
previously described. Through apertures formed in the socket n is fitted a key or
pin passing through a slot s formed within the stay or bolt q; the upper part of
this slot is made of sufficient length to allow for the upward movement of the copper
box, as previously described.
In narrow water spaces of boilers, where there would not be sufficient room for
the previously described arrangements, I propose to make use of the arrangement
illustrated by Figs. 10 and 11, Fig. 10 being an elevation, and Fig. 11 a plan view
thereof. At J is the "copper box," and at K is the outer shell of the boiler, through
which are passed screwed rivets or short stays t, u, passing through holes formed in
opposite sides of the clip or frame v; within this clip or frame v are nuts t*, u*,
screwed upon the rivets or stays t, u. One of these rivets or stays, say, for example,
u is first screwed into a hole tapped in the "copper box" J, the clip is then
passed thereupon, after which the nut ux is screwed upon the rivet u. The other
rivet t is now screwed the outer shell of the boiler K until it projects a little within
the clamp v; the nut t* is then placed thereon, and the rivet t is screwed until its
head is in tight contact with the outer shell of the boiler K, the nuts t*, u*, aro
then adjusted to the desired position. When the copper box J, through contraction
or any other cause, tends to approach the outer shell K the space w left between
the ends of the rivets will permit such movement to take place. The nuts t*, ux,
and clip prevent the "copper box" J and outer shell K separating beyond a certain
distance. The part of the sockets c, Figs. 1 and 2, g, Figs. 4 and 5, and n, Figs. 7
and 8, that is in contact with the "copper box" I form cup-shaped, so that when
the set-screw attaching such socket to the copper box is scrowed up the edge of the
cup is forced into the copper, thereby insuring a steam tight joint. By the above
described Invention I am enabled to stay the "copper box" to the outer shell of
the boiler without the stays occupying much water space or their interfering with
the free escape of steam from the water contained in the boiler.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that
I claim as secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent,—
Forming the sling stays of locomotive and other steam boilers of two or more

page_text: portions, so as to allow of their sliding one upon the other, in the manner and for
the purpose above set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stanhope Perkins, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Stanhope Perkins,
in the presence of
W. T. CHEETHAM,
-Patent-Agent.
18, St. Ann's St.,
Manchester.
STANHOPE PERKINS. (L.S.)