A NEW GREASE TO ENABLE SUPERHEATED STEAM TO BE USED AS A MOTIVE POWER IN STEAM ENGINES, AND THE MODE OF APPLYING SAID GREASE.” AND THE MODE OF APPLYING SAID GREASE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Otto Trossin, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW GREASE TO ENABLE
SUPERHEATED STEAM TO BE USED AS A MOTIVE POWER IN STEAM ENGINES,
AND THE MODE OF APPLYING SAID GREASE.”
AND THE MODE OF APPLYING SAID GREASE.”
Sealed the 3rd March 1874, and dated the 21st October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otto Trossin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the.
21st October 1873.
I, OTTO TROSSIN, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW GREASE
TO ENABLE SUPERHEATED STEAM TO BE USED AS A MOTIVE POWER IN STEAM ENGINES,
AND THE MODE OF APPLYING SAID GREASE," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a new lubricating material for enabling
superheated steam to be used in steam engines, and to improved arrange-
ments of the steam engine and boiler for enabling such lubricating
material to be used.
The use of superheated steam of high temperature in steam engines
has heretofore been impracticable on account of the lubricating materials
for the moving parts of the engine at present in use being inapplicable
in such cases.
3

page_text: i
My present Invention consists in employing as such lubricating
material metals of a low melting point which at a temperature of from
950° to 1100° F. do not decompose the steam, such as lead, tin, bismuth,
cadmium, or alloys of these metals.
To enable these metals or alloys to be used I arrange the boiler and
engine in the following manner:-Over the boiler furnace I provide a
chamber in which is placed a coil or sheaf of pipes for the purpose of
superheating the steam. By means of dampers the products of com-
bustion can be made to pass either direct to the boiler or first through
this superheating chamber on their way to the boiler. Through the
boiler I pass one or more tubes by which the waste steam from the
engine is conducted on its way to a condenser, feed heater, or escape
outlet, so that in passing through the boiler it gives out a portion of its
heat for assisting the generation of steam.
The cylinder of the engine is enclosed in a jacket cased with non-
conducting material, and the waste steam after working the piston is
made to pass through the space in this jacket on its way to the boiler.
tubes. The stuffing boxes of the piston and slide rods are provided with
cups containing a supply of the lubricating metal or alloy. Also on
the cylinder lid and within the jacket is provided a like cup of lubricant
for the piston, this cup being furnished with double cocks so that the
lubricant can be introduced into the cylinder notwithstanding the
pressure therein. The piston has an annular groove on its periphery for
receiving the lubricant. For lubricating the slide I provide a like cup
with double cocks, which cup communicates with channels formed under
the facing of the ports, these channels presenting several mouths or
orifices towards the slide. The slide is made with two transverse
channels having orifices presented towards those in the facing, and a
number of small holes arranged in rows transverse to the slide. The
channels in the port facing being supplied with the lubricant in a fused
or liquid condition, some portions of the lubricant flow at cach stroke of
the slide by the orifices in its face into the channels of the slide, and
thence by the small holes which spread the lubricant over the rubbing
surfaces of the facing and slide.
In starting the engine the products of combustion are first led direct
from the boiler furnace under the boiler till steam be generated to the
desired pressure. The shut-off valve is then opened so as to admit the

page_text: steam to the superheater, and the dampers are moved so as to cause
the products of combustion to pass through the superheating chamber.
The steam superheated flows by a pipe to the slide jacket of the engine,
whence for some time it is allowed to pass through a pipe provided with
a cock or valve into the jacket. enclosing the cylinder. When the
cylinder piston and slide have been thus heated to such a degree that the
lubricant metals or alloys are fused the said cock or valve is closed and
the steam is then permitted to work the engine in the usual way.
waste steam from the cylinder escapes into the jacket of the cylinder,
whence it is led by a pipe through the tube or tubes of the boiler on its
way to the condenser feed heater or free escape, and any portion of the
lubricant that is carried by the waste steam into the cylinder jacket
becomes deposited therein, and can be withdrawn through a cock for
further use.
The
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Otto Trossin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OTTO
TROSSIN, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Otto Trossin, Her special license that I, the
said Otto Trossin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Otto Trossin, 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 "A NEW GREASE TO ENABLE SUPERHEATED
STEAM TO BE USED AS A MOTIVE POWER IN STEAM ENGINES, AND THE MODE OF
APPLYING SAID GREASE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Otto Trossin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should

page_text: particularly describe and ascertam 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 Otto Trossin, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say :-
My Invention relates to a new lubricating material for enabling
superheated steam to be used in steam engines, and to improved
arrangements of the steam engine and boiler for enabling such
lubricating material to be used.
The use of superheated steam of high temperature in steam engines
has heretofore been impracticable on account of the lubricating materials
for the moving parts of the engine at present in use being inapplicable
in such cases.
My present Invention consists in employing, as such lubricating
material, metals of a low melting point, which at a temperature of
from 950° to 1100° F. do not decompose the steam, such as lead, tin,
bismuth, cadmium, or alloys of these metals.
To enable these metals or alloys to be used I arrange the boiler and
engine in the following manner :-Over the boiler furnace I provide a
chamber, in which is placed a coil or sheaf of pipes for the purpose of
superheating the steam. By means of dampers the products of
combustion can be made to pass either direct to the boiler or first
through this superheating chamber on their way to the boiler.
Through the boiler I pass one or more tubes, by which the wasto
steam from the engine is conducted on its way to a condenser, feed
heater, or escape outlet, so that in passing through the boiler it gives
out a portion of its heat for assisting the generation of steam.
The cylinder of the engine is enclosed in a jacket cased with non-
conducting material, and the waste steam after working the piston is
made to pass through the space in this jacket on its way to the boiler
tubes. The stuffing boxes of the piston and slide rods are provided

page_text: with cups containing a supply of the lubricating metal or alloy. Also
on the cylinder lid and within the jacket is provided a like cup of
lubricant for the piston, this cup being furnished with double cocks,
so that the lubricant can be introduced into the cylinder notwith-
standing the pressure therein. The piston has an annular groove on
its periphery for receiving the lubricant. For lubricating the slide I
provide a like cup with double cocks, which cup communicates with
channels formed under the facing of the ports, these channels presenting
several mouths or orifices towards the slide. The slide is made with
two transverse channels, having orifices presented towards those in the
facing, and a number of small holes arranged in rows transverse to the
slide. The channels in the port facing being supplied with the
lubricant in a fused or liquid condition, some portions of the lubricant
flow at each stroke of the slide by the orifices in its face into the
channels of the slide, and thence by the small holes which spread the
lubricant over the rubbing surfaces of the facing and slide.
In starting the engine the products of combustion are first led direct
from the boiler furnace under the boiler till steam be generated to the
desired pressure. The shut-off valve is then opened, so as to admit
the steam to the superheater, and the dampers are moved so as to cause
the products of combustion to pass through the superheating chamber.
The steam superheated flows by a pipe to the slide jacket of the
engine, whence for some time it is allowed to pass through a pipe
provided with a cock or valve into the jacket enclosing the cylinder.
When the cylinder, piston, and slide, have been thus heated to such a
degree that the lubricant metals or alloys are fused the said cock or
valve is closed, and the steam is then permitted to work the engine in
the usual way. The waste steam from the cylinder escapes into the
jacket of the cylinder, whence it is led by a pipe through the tube
or tubes of the boiler on its way to the condenser, feed heater, or free
escape, and any portion of the lubricant that is carried by the waste
steam into the cylinder jacket becomes deposited therein, and can be
withdrawn through a cock for further use.

page_text: Figs. III. and IV. are elevations to an enlarged scale of the slide face
and slide respectively; and Fig. V. is a longitudinal section of a boiler,
with furnace and superheater for supplying the engine with superheated
steam. The body A of the boiler is set in brickwork with flues in the
usual way. Through it there is a large tube F, which might be sub-
divided into a number of small tubes, affording larger surface. The
furnace S is in a chamber, the upper part of which is occupied by
a superheater, which may be of any known construction. Two dampers
d and e are provided, by means of which the furnace flame can be
sent either directly to the boiler flues or past the superheater on its
way to those flues. The steam passes by the pipe b, provided with
shut-off valve a, through the superheater to the engine, and the
discharge steam from the engine is brought by the pipe to pass
through the tube or tubes F and escape by the pipe m to the
atmosphere, or to a condenser or feed heater.
.
Although in Figure V. the furnace and feed heater are shewn enclosed
in brickwork it may be readily understood that they could be
surrounded with waterways in connection with the body of the boiler,
the combustion and superheating chamber being then like the fire-
box of a locomotive; also that the boiler itself may be varied in form
and construction, retaining the same general arrangement of parts.
:
Referring to Figs. I. to IV. C is the working cylinder of the engine
fitted with its piston f made with an annular channel y round its upper
edge for the reception of the lubricant. The piston rod / passes through
a stuffing box i, which may be packed with asbestos and red metal,
such as is used for making imitation gold leaf, and which presents a cup
for the reception of the lubricant. The cylinder C is enclosed in an
outer cylindrical casing D, which should be protected against cooling by
a non-conducting lagging, and which is supplied with the waste steam
from the discharge port k, such steam after passing through the casing D
being conducted by the pipe to the boiler tube or tubes F, and thence
by the pipe m, as already explained, to an escape or to a feed heater or
condenser. There is also a communication to the casing D from the
slide jacket by a pipe o provided with a stop-cock or valve n. The slide
jacket contains the slide p and expansion slide q. Under the surface of
the slide facing G is formed on each side a vertical channel and s
- branching from a central channel t (which is supplied with the lubricant),
and having mouths u, u, and v, v, presented towards the slide p. In the

page_text: :
body of the slide are formed two horizontal channels w, x, having
respectively at each end mouths y and z in line with the mouths u, v,
on the facing G. The channels w, x, have a number of small holes
bored transversely through them to both surfaces of the slide. The
cover of the cylinder C and the channel t of the slide jacket E arc
provided with lubricating vessels constructed like ordinary grease cocks
with double stop-cocks, so that by closing the lower cock and opening
the upper the receptacles of these vessels can be charged with lubricant,
and then by closing the upper and opening the lower cocks the chargo
of lubricant can flow into the cylinder and slide jacket respectively.
That which is supplied to the cylinder gathers in the annular hollow g
of the piston and lubricates the interior surface of the cylinder; that
which is supplied to the slide jacket charges the channels ", s, and
when the slide p in its movement brings the mouths y, z, to face the
mouths u, v, a portion of the lubricant flows into the channels w, x, of
the slide, and thence by the small holes to the rubbing surfaces of the
slides and facing.
For operating with the boiler and engine arranged as above described
I proceed as follows:-I close the damper e and open d, so that the
products of combustion from the furnace S pass directly through the
boiler flues, and I keep the valve a closed till the steam generated in
the boiler attains nearly the desired working pressure. The slide p being
then put in position to cover both cylinder ports the valve ę is opened
and a closed, also the cock n is opened. Steam from the boiler then
passes through the superheater to the slide jacket, and thence by the
pipe o through the cylinder casing D, and back by the pipe through
the boiler tube or tubes F to the escape m. When the cylinder and
slide jacket have thus been sufficiently heated to melt the metallic
lubricant, with which the grease cups are charged, the cock n is closed
and the slide moved so as to start the engine, whereupon the casing D
receives its supply from the exhaust port %, and the escape steam passing
by the pipe to the boiler tubes gives out residuary heat to the water in
the boiler. By means of cocks at the base of the slide jacket, cylinder,
and cylinder casing the lubricating material which has passed the
rubbing surfaces and fallen to the bottom can be drawn off from time
to time and used again. The chief withdrawal of such lubricant will be
from the casing D, through which the waste steam flows slowly owing
to the larger area of passage presented to it than that of the eduction
port k.

page_text: By the use of superheated steam as described above, and the utilization
of a considerable amount of the heat of the waste steam keeping the
working cylinder hot and generating steam in the boiler a considerable
economy of combustible is secured, and the fire-grate and boiler suface
may be proportionally reduced.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim,—
First. The use for lubricating engines worked with superheated steam
of metals or metallic alloys fusible at a temperature below that of the
stcam employed.
Second. The construction of piston, slide, and slide facing, substantially
as herein described, with channels for the application of the metallic
lubricant referred to above.
Third. Enclosing the working cylinder within a casing supplied with
steam from the eduction port and discharging its steam through the
boiler tubes, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Otto Trossin, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
OTTO TROSSIN
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