CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS. IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1830

page_text: HAYCRAFT'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TUTIN HAYCRAFT, of the Circus, Greenwich, Doctor of Medicine, send greeting:
WHEREAS His late most Gracious Majesty King George the Fourth, by
His Letters Patent under the Seal of that part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster, the Eleventh
day of June, One thousand eight hundred and thirty, and in the eleventh
year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs, and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Tutin Haycraft, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and no others, His special licence, full power, solė privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Tutin Haycraft, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, during the term of fourteen years, as therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS. IN STEAM ENGINES;" in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso-obliging me, the said William Tutin Haycraft, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
make known the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the above in part recited Letters Patent, and in default of which all
liberties, priviledges, and advantages whatsoever therein "granted should utterly
cease, determine, and become void, as, by reference thereto, will more fully
Annear

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Tutin Haycraft, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is parti-
cularly set forth and explained by the following description, reference being
made to the Drawing hereto annexed (that is to say):-
My improvements applicable to steam engines of both high and low pressure,
and also to that combination of both, commonly called Wolff's engine. They
are intended chiefly for the purpose of using that quality of steam which is
commonly known by the name of surcharged steam. I have discovered by
repeated experiments, that if the ordinary steam of water be inclosed in or
suffered to pass through a vessell which is heated to a temperature of one
hundred degrees Fah' higher than that at which the steam was generated,
it undergoes an increase of volume about ten-fold, and that this augmentation
of temperature is affected by a relatively small expenditure of fuel (as may
be easily understood by those who are acquainted with the known doctrines of
specific heat). I have also discovered that this rarified, or, as it is commonly
called, surcharged steam, if it be introduced into a working cylinder of a
steam engine properly constructed, will, if the said cylinder be heated to a
temperature equal to that of the surcharged steam,' produce mechanical power
greater than that of ordinary steam, and equal to the increase of volume it has
undergone, namely, ten-fold, whereby a great economy of fuel is affected.
This surcharged steam has been heretofore attempted to be used in steam
engines, but without any success, because from its temperature and its dispo-
sition to absorb moisture it drives or otherwise injures the packings and lubri-
cating substances used for the pistons and joints, and from its extreme rarity
it easily escapes through ordinary joints. It is, then, chiefly for the purpose
of using this surcharged or rarified steam that my improvements are designed.
Another intention of my improvement is, to enable me to use steam of a very
high pressure, whether of the ordinary or surcharged steam; and is also
intended to prevent the condensation of steam within the cylinder, whether of
high or low pressure, which condensation by the subsequent evaporation
occasions an abstraction of heat and a consequent waste of steam.
My first improvement is designed for the purpose of preventing the escape
of steam at the packing of the piston and piston rod, represented in the accom-
panying Drawing at Fig. 1, which is a sectional view of a working cylinder,
piston, and piston rod, with the boiler and the water pipe. a, a, a, a, repre-
sents the cylinder; 6 the piston; c, c, is the piston rod which passes out at the
bottom of the cylinder, and is at its lower extremity intended to be connected
with the beam crank and other machinery of the engine in the ordinary way;

page_text: d, d, is the stuffing box, by which the piston rod is made tight; e, e, is a water
tube opening into the lower part of the boiler f, which, as represented, should
be placed higher that the cylinder; g is a branch pipe, by which the working
steam is inducted and educted by suitable valves not represented in the
Drawing. The explanation of the action of this arrangement is as follows:-
If we suppose that there be steam in the boiler f, it will produce a pressure on
the surface of the water, which pressure is communicated through the water
pipe e, e, to the cylinder, and there acts against the under side of the piston b.
The piston rod c, c, it will be observed, is of unusal thickness. The transverse
sectional area of the rod should be about one half of the area of the piston,
the intention of which is that the pressure exerted by the column of water
against the piston may be diminished one half. If in this state of things the
steam be admitted by the branch g to the upper part of the cylinder, it will
produce a pressure on the upper side of the piston equal to the whole area of
the piston b, and this pressure will be twice as great as that on the under side
of the piston communicated by the column of water, because the steam acts
upon twice the area; the piston will accordingly descend, displacing the column
of water below it, but with a power equal only to half the pressure of the
steam on the upper side. When the piston has performed its downward stroke,
and the working steam is let off through the branch g, the pressure on the
under side of the piston through the column of water, which I call the reacting
pressure, will now cause the piston to move upwards with a power equal to
that with which it descended, and so on as long as the engine remains at
work. Should it be inconvenient to place the boiler at a greater altitude
than the cylinder, a modification of the arrangement may be made, as
represented in Fig. 2, which is an elevation of the working cylinder a, as
Figure 1, excepting that the pipe e, instead of leading directly into the boiler,
communicates with the vessell h, h, which I call the water cylinder. This
cylinder is supplied with water in the way hereafter to be described. The
surface of the water in the cylinder should be higher than the top of the
working cylinder a, a, a, a, videlicet, about the hight represented by the dotted
line. By means of the branch pipe i, steam from a boiler situate at any con-
venient distance is introduced into the water cylinder h, when its pressure will
produce the same reaching effect on the piston as has been explained in reference
to Fig. 1. In order to charge the cylinder with hot water, the pipe k is
carried to the bottom of the boiler, and the cock being open, and a valve in
the steam pipe i closed, the pressure of the steam in the boiler will force the
hot water up the pipe till the vessell h is nearly full. The cock 7 being now
closed, tlie steam is to be let on into the cylinder h at the pipe i, in order to

page_text: bring the water to its proper level, which is done by its passing down the waste
pipe m, as shewn by dots, and thence again into the boiler. To insure a
continued supply of water in the cylinder h, a pump (not represented) may
be applied at n, to be worked by the engines which feeds both it and the boiler,
the pipe m
In the improve-
the superfluous water flowing into the latter by
ment thus described it is evident that no steam can escape past the packings
of the piston or its rod, without first displacing the water. This I cannot do,
because the usual packings and joints, although permeable to steam, are suffi-
ciently tight to resist the passage of water even under great pressure. Also
the working steam, however great its pressure, cannot pass by the packing of.
the piston b, because there is an equally reacting pressure on the other side;
and surchanged steam cannot injure the packings, because of the constant
pressure of water. The only parts of this contrivance to which I claim an
exclusive right is the intervention of a column of water between the piston and
the steam of the boiler, while the working steam (whether of high or low
pressure, or surcharged steam,) is inducted to and educted from the working
cylinder at the other side of the piston.
My second improvement is a combination of my first, already described,
with an addition now to be explained, and is intended more especially for the
purpose of working with surcharged steam.
Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section, representing the same as Figure 2,
or the contrivance may be the same as in Figure 1, with the additions shewn
at Figure.4, viz-To the piston b is attached a solid plunger p, which is made
to fit the interior of the cylinder a, a, a, a, and move up and down freely
within it. The plunger is in length about the stroke of the engine or more,
and the cylinder a, a, a, a, is made about twice the length of the stroke, or
more, or so long that the piston b, with its prolongation or plunger p, shall be
able to move within the cylinder as far as may be required for the stroke of
the engine. The intention of this arrangement is, that the surcharged steam
inducted by the branch pipe g into the cylinder above the plunger p shall not
enter into that part of the cylinder which is occupied with the water below
the piston
that the steam may not be cooled thereby; and another intention
is, that the water on the lower side of the piston shall not during the action
of the engine enter into the upper part of the cylinder so as to cause any
condensation of the steam. I also apply heat to the cylinder by means of fire
enclosed in the brickwork 9, q, taking care to surround the cylinder with fire
clay or some other substance, to preserve it from injury, or the same object
may be effected by any other convenient heating means. In this improvement
.I claim the interposition of water between one side of the piston and the steam

page_text: in the boiler, as described, together with the increased length of the cylinder
and piston.
The third improvement is simply a modification of the last, and is represented
in Figure 5, which is a side sectional view, and is intended more especially
for a condensing engine, and to be used with surcharged steam.
a, a, a, a, is
the cylinder; b, the piston; c, the piston rod; d, d, the stuffing box; e, e, is
the branch and pipe, opening a communication between the upper end of the
cylinder and the boiler; f is the boiler; z is the pipe leading into the
surcharging vessel s. The pipe e, e, is furnished with a valve j, by which the
pressure of the steam on the piston may be regulated. g is the pipe through
which the surcharged steam passes, having been rarified in the vessels; p is
the plunger, as before described; tis a branch pipe communicating within the
cylinder above the piston, at the outward extremity of which pipe is to be
attached the delivering pipe of a small forcing pump, not represented, which
pump, during the action of the engine, continually forces water to the upper
side of the piston. There is another branch pipe u, communicating in the
same way to the upper part of the cylinder, to the outer end of which is
attached the feed pipe of another small forcing pipe (not represented), by
which the superfluous water is drawn from the cylinder, and forced into the
boiler or elsewhere. The intention of these two pumps is to cause a short
column of water to be interposed between the piston and the reacting steam
from the boiler, which column of water will produce the same effects as
described in the foregoing improvements. I also supply heat to the lower
part of the cylinder by means of a fire contained in the brickwork at v, v,
taking care to defend the cylinder from the action of the fire; or I heat the
working cylinder by any other convenient means.
In this improvement I do not confine myself to any particular mode of
keeping up the column of water interposed between the re-acting, steam in
the boiler and the piston; but, as in the previously described, I claim the
introduction of a column of water on one side of the piston, the working
steam acting on the other side, together with the use of the plunger p.
My fourth improvement applies to ordinary condensing engines, and consists
of the following combinations of parts, none of which I claim separately.
First, in addition to the ordinary boiler for supplying the working steam,
I-employ another boiler, which may be much smaller, and capable of sustaining
the resistance of high-pressure steam.
Secondly, in the adaption of a pipe proceeding from this high-pressure.
boiler, and communicates with an outer cylinder or jacket, surrounding or
enclosing the working cylinder in the usual way, and also another pipe issuing.

page_text: from this jacket, through which the high-pressure steam may escape to the
other boiler from under a valve loaded to about twenty pounds on the square
inch, less or more. By this arrangement there is a constant circulation of
high-pressure steam round the working cylinder.
Thirdly, the low-pressure steam is supplied by a pipe from the low-
pressure boiler, provided with the proper valves.
Fourthly, both the piston and the piston rod must be provided with metallic
plates, commonly called metallic packing, instead of the usual hemp packings.
But I do not confine myself to any precise form of pistons, as any form that
fits sufficiently accurate will answer the purpose.
In this last improvement it is the combination only of the above-recited
four particulars that I claim as new, all of which combined together, and not
a part or parts of the four, I have found to be essential in effecting my objects.
In these, my aforesaid improvements, where I speak of the re-acting steam
operating through the medium of water on the piston, I do not mean to
exclude any other agent capable of re-acting in the same way, if such agent
could be substituted for the steam in the boiler with good effect, such, for
instance, as air or gas confined in a suitable vessell so as to produce the said
re-action. Also, the said re-action may be effected by a high column of water,
and, in steam engines of a moderate pressure and in condensing engines, it
may be convenient to effect the re-action by means of the pressure of.the
atmosphere, taking care in all these cases there shall be interposed between
the piston and the re-acting agent a (sufficient) quantity of water, which water,
in every case where my improvements are used (with the exception of my
fourth improvement), is essential in fulfilling my intention. It is also to be
understood that where these my said improvements are applied either to
condensing or other steam engines, all those parts are to be added which
belong to such construction of engine in the ordinary way. Although I prefer
that the packing of the piston and piston rod should be of hemp, or similar
material (except in my fourth improvement), I do not exclude the use of
metalic packing; and although I do not claim any peculiar mode of sur-
charging the steam used in my improvements, yet I prefer the two following
means combined together, viz:-I cause the feed steam from the boiler to
pass through a tube or tubes or vessels heated by means of a fire before
it enters into the working cylinder; and, secondly, by heating tho steam and
the working cylinder by means of a fire, or by any convenient means of
heating. It is also proper to state that as surcharged steam, owing to
its high temperature, will injure and destroy the usual cements and packings
applied to the junctions of the parts of engines, it is convenient to form such

page_text: junctions by hemispherical joints, by grinding the two metalic surfaces
together, which I recommend to adopt in all the joints which require
packing.
The positions of the cylinders is immaterial in the employment of my
improvements, except in that described under the third head, being only
necessary to observe that the boiler or water cylinder so placed that the
surface of the water therein shall be higher than the upper part of the
working cylinder.
In witness whereof, the said William Tustin Haycraft hath hercunto set
his hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirt