IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Dawes, of Kingston Grove, Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES."
Sealed the 4th March 1879, and dated the 9th September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Dawes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th September 1878.
WILLIAM DAWES, of Kingston Groove, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
The first part of this Invention consists in an improved means of and apparatus
for "superheating," or maintaining the heat or temperature of the steam during it
course or passage through the pipes and engine.
For this purpose I employ a number or series of metal or other pipes, in any
convenient part of the fire or the "take up" or flues, where they can receive a
temperature of about five hundred degrees, and impart that of about four hundred
degrees to a current of air passing through them. These pipes, which constitute a
sort of air-heating apparatus, receive the cold air from a pump or pumps, worked by
the engine, and deliver the heated air into pipes which pass near, through, or in
contact with, the steam in the pipes, chests, and other parts of the engine, and by
preference terminate in the "jacket" or casing round the cylinder, finally escaping
into the atmosphere (unless otherwise utilized), under a pressure of about three
pounds per square inch.
"
By the above means a slow current of air, under a moderate pressure, is used as
& conducting medium," to convey some of the flue heat to the steam whilst in
actual use, and which would otherwise be subject to partial condensation.
The second part of this Invention consists in an improved means of enabling or
causing an ordinary or even a small sized "governor" to control, with ease and
efficiency, the time of "cutting off" the steam during each stroke of the piston,

page_text: and thus "govern
expansion allowed.
"
"
or control the speed of the engine by the rate or ratio of the
To this end I employ, as a kind of appendage to the governor, a mechanical
connection between it and the work or duty" it has to perform, so constructed
that either the governor spindle or shaft, or any other convenient revolving part of
the engine, shall be furnished with "V grooves" or other "friction" or grip "
arrangement, and the parallel forked end of a traversing or connecting rod or bar,
similarly grooved, shall span this friction drum and grooves without pressing
against it on either side, but when any variation in the speed of the engine and
governor shall cause the latter to rise or fall, the first effect of this change will be
to cause one side of the before-named fork or friction face to press against its own
side of the revolving drum or shaft (one side being for the up and the other for the
down movement of the governor), and by the friction or grip thus produced the
duty of the governor is done as it were by proxy, the governor intimating or
directing, and the friction gear or attachment obeying and acting upon the expan-
sion gear or machinery, in lieu of the governor doing so alone and unassisted.
The third part of this Invention consists in an improved means of lubricating
the internal working parts of the engine, which are in direct contact with the
steam.
In lieu of the ordinary method of putting into the valve chest or cylinder a
considerable quantity of the lubricant at long intervals, I force automatically the
tallow or other lubricant direct into the current of steam, by preference into the
supply steam pipe, at or as nearly as is possible or convenient to its place of entrance
into the valve chest, and in such a manner and at such times as shall cause the
steam to take it by admixture direct to and upon the faces of the valves and other
working parts.
To effect the above I use an automatic apparatus, constructed either as a pump or
a double-chambered and double-valved vessel, and I prefer that this lubricating
apparatus should be connected to and worked-by or from the main valve rod, though
any other convenient part of the valve gear or engine may be employed for the
purpose, and to insure the best result or lubricating effect from its adoption and
action, I so "time
its moments of injection that they shall occur at the opening
"
'
of the "ports," or when the current of steam is strongest.
When the before-named injecting apparatus is constructed as a pump, I sometimes
employ a corrugated or other clastic diaphragm, in lieu of an ordinary plunger or
piston.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Dawes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
March 1879.
WILLIAM DAWES, of Kingston Grove, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
The first part of this Invention consists in an improved means or method of and
apparatus for "superheating" or revivifying or maintaining the heat or temperature
of the steam during its course or passage through the pipes and engine.
"
For this purpose I employ a number or series of metal or other pipes, in any
convenient part of the fire, or the "take up or flues, where they can receive a
temperature of about five hundred degrees, and impart that of about four hundred
degrees to a slow current of air passing through them. These pipes, which consti-
tute a kind of air-heating apparatus, are supplied with air from a pump or other
similar or suitable apparatus, worked by the engine or other convenient source, and
they deliver the heated air into pipes which pass near, through, or in contact with,
the steam in the pipes, "chests," and other parts of the engine, and by preference
terminate, so far as this duty is concerned, in the "jacket or casing around the
engine cylinder, finally escaping under a pressure of about one pound per square
inch into the atmosphere or the chimney or flues, unless otherwise utilized.
In some cases employ two or more balanced valves, so placed and adjusted as
to allow a current of air to pass through the pipes and apparatus whilst the engine.
is not working.
By the above means a slow current of air under a moderate pressure is employed.
as a conducting medium to convey some of the flue heat to the steam whilst in
actual use, and which would otherwise be subject to partial condensation.
The second part of this Invention consists in an improved means of enabling or.
causing an ordinary, or even a small-sized governor, to control with ease and
efficiency the time of "cutting off" the steam during each stroke of the piston,.
and thus " govern or control the speed of the engine by the degree or ratio of the
expansion allowed.
"
"
To this end I employ, as a kind of appendage to the governor, a frictional connec-.
tion between it and the work or "duty" it has to perform, so constructed that
either the governor spindle or shaft, or any other convenient revolving part of the.
governor or engine, shall be furnished with "V grooves" or other "friction or
grip" arrangement, and a pair of similarly grooved or furnished faces, which form
a part of the expansion valve or gear connection, are arranged to span these revolving
faces without pressing against either side of them, so long as the uniform speed of
the engine allows the governor arms to assume or remain at the proper angle, but
on any variation in the speed of the engine causing the governor to rise or fall, one
side or pair of these friction faces and grooves is pressed into gear or contact, and.
by the friction or grip thus produced, the gear and expansion valves are actuated
and adjusted to the requirement caused by the said change or variation, and thus,
without the direct or special employment of either steam or water, the governor is
relieved of the greatest or "heaviest" part of its duty, and a more sensitive and
perfect governing action is obtained.
The third part of this Invention consists in an improved means of lubricating"
the internal working parts of the engine, which are in direct contact with the
steam.
"
In lieu of the ordinary method of putting into the valve chest or cylinder a
considerable quantity of the lubricant at long intervals, I force. automatically the
tallow or other lubricant direct into the current of steam, by preference into the
main or supply steam pipe, near to its junction with or entrance into the valvo
chest, and this in such a manner and at such times as shall cause the steam to
convey it by admixture direct to and upon the faces of the valves and other working
parts.

page_text: To effect the above I employ an apparatus constructed either as a pump or a
double-chambered and double-valved vessel, so arranged and constructed in either
case as to insert or inject the lubricant against or into the full pressure of steam.
I prefer generally that this lubricating apparatus should be fixed to or upon the
valve chest, and be actuated by or from the main or other valve rod or "spindle,"
or other convenient part of the valve gear or engine; and to insure the best result
or lubricating effect from its adoption and action, I so time its moments of injection
that they occur as nearly as possible at the opening of the steam "ports," or when
the current of steam is strongest.
When the before-explained injecting lubricating apparatus is constructed as a
pump, I sometimes employ a corrugated or other elastic diaphragm in lieu of an
ordinary plunger or piston. .
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 refer to the first part of my
Invention (superheating); Figures 4, 5, and 6 to the second part (governing); and
Figures 7, 8, and 9 to the third part (lubricating).
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
wish it to be understood that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details
or arrangements which I have described or referred to, as many modifications and
variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main
features of the said Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
">
First. The application and use of a slow current of hot air, under a moderate
pressure, obtained from the flues or other convenient source, for "jacketing 01'
otherwise so protecting or coming in contact with the steam during its passage
through the pipes, chests, and cylinder, as to prevent loss of temperature and
condensation, and revivify or superheat the steam, and thus economize fuel.
"
Second. The application and use of a frictional connection or auxiliary governing
power, wherein the governor spindle or shaft or other convenient revolving part of
the governor or engine is constructed with "V grooves i or other similar frictional
or "grip" arrangement, which is spanned by other corresponding grooves or surfaces
nearly, but not quite, in contact with them, and which are connected by suitable
levers and " "gear" with the cut-off or expansion slides or valves, and also so
connected with the governor that it can cause either of these pairs of friction or
grip surfaces to come into propelling contact, and actuate or alter the gear and the
positions of the expansion slides, and thus enable a small governor to regulate the
degree or extent of expansion and the consequent speed of the engine.
Third. The application and use of an "automatic," continuous, forcing lubricator,
for injecting the tallow or other lubricant direct into the steam on its way or passage
to the steam chests, valves, cylinder, and piston, for the purposes, and virtually as
or after the manner herein-before explained and 'set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Dawes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness,
JOE PHEASEY,
100, Woodhouse Lane,
Leeds.
WILLIAM DAWES. (L.S.)