IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE VALVES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Stenson, junior, of Whitwick Collieries, near
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, Mining Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE VALVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Stenson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
May 1854.
I, WILLIAM STENSON, junior, of Whitwick Collieries, n' Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
Leicestershire, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE VALVES" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the so arranging valves of steam engines
that the steam may be allowed to flow into and from the steam cylinder with
little loss of power, by reason of a great reduction of the friction or pressure
acting on one side of the valves, which has heretofore been so prejudicial with
slide valves of steam engines of the present construction. For this purpose, a
cylindrical box, having within it a projecting concentric ring, is fixed to the
cylinder; above this ring metallic or other packing is introduced, to keep the
upper part of the valve steam-tight. A cylindrical valve is introduced into
the cylindrical box, and the same is kept up to its seat by a screw with a point.
In the seat of the valve at the inner end of the cylindrical box there are three
openings, two leading to the steam passages and one to the eduction passage.
The inner end of the valve is formed with two hollows or recesses; one large
enough to cover one of the induction openings, and also the eduction opening
in the seat; the other recess in the valve being to let steam into the induction

page_text: passage, opposite which it may be for the time being. The valve receives an
alternating motion to bring it alternately opposite the two steam passages.
When the valve is to be used at both ends of the steam cylinder of an engine,
it will only require to have two recesses formed in it, and the seat in the valve
box will also only require two openings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Stenson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
STENSON, junior, of Whitwick Collieries, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicester-
shire, Mining Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Stenson, Her special licence that I, the said William
Stenson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Stenson, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Stenson, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is 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 William Stenson, 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 Invention has for its object the so arranging valves of steam engines
that the steam may be allowed to flow into and from the steam cylinder with
little loss of power, by reason of a great reduction of the friction or pressure
acting on one side of the valves, which has heretoforo been so prejudicial with
slide valves of steam engines of the present construction. For this purpose, o

page_text: cylindrical box, having within it a projecting concentric ring, is fixed to the
cylinder; above this ring metallic or other packing is introduced, to keep the
upper part of the valve steam tight. A cylindrical valve is introduced into
the cylindrical box, and the same is kept up to its seat by a screw with a
point. In the seat of the valve at the inner end of the cylindrical box there
are three openings, two leading to the steam passages and one to the eduction
passage. The inner end of the valve is formed with two hollows or recesses;
one large enough to cover one of the induction openings, and also the eduction
opening in the seat; the other recess in the valve being to let steam into the
induction passage, opposite which it may be the time being. The valve receives
an alternating motion to bring it alternately opposite the two steam passages.
When the valve is to be used at both ends of the steam cylinder of an engine,
it will only require to have two recesses formed in it, and the seat in the valve
box will also only require two openings.
In order more fully to describe the particular nature of my Invention for
carrying the same into practical effect, I have attached to these presents a
Sheet of Drawings illustrative of the same, drawn to a scale of about two inches
to a foot, and have marked letters of reference corresponding with thoso in the
following description thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents the double slide valve with two branches, one leading
to the top of the cylinder and the other to the bottom. d, a, are the two
branches leading to each end of the cylinder; b, b, b, b, is the facing on which
the valvo works; c, c', are the two steam ports; d, the eduction port, shewing
the circle of the pipe that carries the steam away; c, the outer facing of the
valve seating, which may or may not be turned half an inch lower than the
other part of the facing, so as to keep the valve more steady in its motion;
f.f, are two snugs, to hold the two wrought-iron standards that carry and hold
the cross bar that holds the valve down. Figure 2 represents a section of the
slide valve as though the same was cut through the middle. a, a, are the two
passages or branches leading to the top and bottom of the cylinder; b is the
face of the valve seating; c and d is the valve on that facing; e, c, the valve
box, shewing the other facing, which prevents the steam from going on the top
side of the valve, and this and the other facing are packed or ground together
when fitted up so as to be steam-tight; f, f, is the top facing of the valve
resting on the seating e. c; the lines surrounding the letter c is that part of
the valve the side of which is cut out to admit the steam in sideways; g, the
lid of the valve box, with its stuffing box, gland, and pin; h, the pin cast into

page_text: the valve or fastened on it, and leading down to the valve facing b. On this
pin is a lever i to work the valve; &, the screw pin with a nut to keep it in
its place to hold the valve down; 1, 1, are the two standards; m, the cross bar
to keep the pin and valve firm. Figure 3 represents the bottom side of the
valve facing belonging to the double valve, as described in Figure 1 and
Figure 2. a, the open space under the valve; b, b, that part of the valve
which is cut out after it is turned or fitted up, so as to admit the steam under
the top facing and level with the bottom, as shown in Figure 2, e; c, the
hollow part which admits the steam to pass from the steam ports c, c, Figure 1,
to the eduction port d. Figure 4 represents the single slide valve facing, with
steam and eduction ports, steam pipe, branch, and eduction pipe branch. One
of these can be used at the bottom and the other at the top of the cylinder
in order to save waste of steam, and in other respects is fitted up in the same
manner as the double valve box, previously described. a, the steam port; b,
the eduction port; c, c, the facing on which the valve works; d, the eduction
pipe. The branch of the valve box is not shown, it being seen at Figures
6 and 7; e, surrounded by the dotted lines, is the steam passage into the
cylinder. Figure 5 represents the bottom side of the single slide valve belong-
ing to that described in Figure 4. a, the open space under the valve which
is cut out to admit the steam, as described in Figure 3. The space is cut out
from 6 to b; c, the open space to let the steam off into what is called the
eduction port. Figure 6 represents the valve box lid and branch that lets
the steam into it, and passes into the valve, where it is cut out, as described in
Figure 3 and Figure 5. a, the valve box lid; b, the stuffing box; c, the valve
pin; d, the branch to let the steam into the valve and engine. Figure 7
represents the front view of the branch d in Figure 6.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I claim the
construction of steam engine valves herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Stenson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM TONGUE.
WM STENSON, JUN". (L.S.)