CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING OR SUPPLYING THE BOILERS OF THE SAME, PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SMITH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifth day of September, in the fourteenth year of Her reign, and
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Smith, Her
especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said George
Smith, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said. George
Smith, my exors, adññiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING
OR SUPPLYING THE BOILERS OF THE SAME, PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patents
is contained a proviso, that I, the said George Smith, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the said
George Smith, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the following
explanation thereof; that is to say:-
The first part of my Invention is equally applicable to marine, stationary,
and locomotive, steam engines, and consists.in.the.adaptation. to.such description
of engines of a certain novel arrangement or construction of apparatus, whereby
cold water is admitted into the exhaust passage as near to the valve as
practicable each time the steam is exhausted, which, mingling with the
exhaust steam, partially condenses it whilst the water becomes heated. The
steam and heated water thus mingled pass on, into a receiver or vessel placed
between the valve and the condenser, where the water, by the, agency of a
peculiar form of breakwater, becomes. separated from the steam, and being
drawn off by the suction of the feed pump, is fed hot into the boiler, whilst the
uncondensed steam expands and passes forward into the condenser or the
atmosphere, as the case may be.
⚫ The second part of my Invention consists in a certain novel arrangement of
apparatus for regulating the supply of water to low-pressure boilers, and for
preventing the explosion of such boilers from deficiency of water.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improvement or improvements
in cold water pumps, hot water pumps, and air pumps, which improvements
are also applicable to other similar purposes.
And the fourth part of my Invention consists in a certain novel and peculiar
formation or construction of metallic packing for steam pistons or air pump
buckets.
Such being the nature and object of my said improvements, I proceed to
describe the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, which will be
.readily understood, reference being had to the Drawings accompanying these
Presents, which are marked with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following description thereof.
In Sheet One of the Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a section of the side pipes
of a condensing engine, shewing the application of the first part of my Inven-
tion thereto. a, a, is the steam pipe; b is the exhaust passage from the top of
the cylinder; and c is the exhaust passage from the bottom of the same; e is
a pipe for admitting cold water to. the passage b; and f is a pipe for admitting
cold water to the passage c. The flow of water through these pipes is
regulated by the three-way cock g, being worked by a lever h (governed by a
stud and slot so as to regulate the supply of water), and which derives it

page_text: motion from any suitable portion of the engine, which will have the effect of
admitting water through the pipe e when the steam is being exhausted from
the top of the cylinder, and through the pipe f when the steam is being
exhausted from the bottom of the cylinder. i is a vessel for receiving the
steam and hot water, placed as near as practicable to the nozzles of the
steam cylinder, and having a direct and unbroken passage from the nozzle
to the suction pipe . At the bottom of the said vessel is the suction pipe,
leading to the boiler feed pump. In the vessel i is placed a partition 7, having
a short tube or flanche m attached thereto, which tube extends downwards, thus.
preventing the direct action of the vacuum upon the sides of the vessel i, and
acting as a breakwater prevents the current of water from flowing uninter-
ruptedly along the sides of the exhaust pipes and the vessel i to the condenser.
The pipe end leads from the upper part of the vessel i to the condenser. The
operation of the above-described apparatus is as follows:-Immediately after
the exhausting of steam from the upper part of the cylinder has commenced,
the three-way cock g adimits cold water through the pipe e (the action of the
exhaust drawing the water), which, mingling with the steam, partially con-
lensed it. The steam and hot water then pass onwards to the receiver i,
the expansion of the steam and the action of the air pump causing the water
to flow in a current or stream along the sides of the passage b. The greater
portion of the hot water thus entering the receiver i will, by the direct and
unbroken passage given by the water, and by its own superior gravity (aided
by the suction of the feed pump). pass off immediately by the pipe k, whilst
the uncondensed steam expands and passes upwards through the tube m, and
thence along the pipe n to the condenser. Any hot water that may attempt
to escape to the condenser will be arrested by the tube m, and, being thrown
to the bottom of the vessel i, will pass off by the pipe k.
Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a modification of the above, to which the same description.
and letters of reference will apply. It will be seen that in this arrangement
the form of the brenkwater m is somewhat varied, and also that another.
construction of three-way cock is employed. The form of the plug is shewn
in the enlarged longitudinal section of the same, Fig. 8, and transverse
section Fig. 4. Fig. 4* shews a modification of the vessel or receiver i. jis
a vessel in the interior of the receiver, which is furnished with four or more
long narrow openings m. These openings m may be of any suitable form,
and are. provided with flanches or tubes projecting into the. interior of the
véssel j. As the steam and hot water pass from the exhaust passage down-
wards through the pipe 6, the steam escapes through the openings m. in the
vessel j, whilst the water is drawn downwards along the sides of the vessel j
through the suction pipe k.. The method of applying this part of my. Invention

page_text: to locomotive engines is exhibited at Fig. 5 in Sheet 1 of the Drawings, which
represents a transverse section of a locomotive engine with my improvements
applied thereto. a, a, are the steam cylinders; and b, b, are the exhaust
pipes for the same; c, c, are the pipes for admitting cold water, placed as near
as practicable to the nozzles of the cylinders. The steam and hot water pass
along the pipes b, b, into the vessel d; the hot water, by its own superior
gravity, aided by the direction of the pipes b, b, and the suction of the feed
pumps, will be forced to the bottom of the vessel d, and pass thence into the
reservoir e, from whence it is supplied to the boiler by the action of the feed
pumps, whilst the uncondensed steam passes off through the waste pipe ƒ to
the atmosphere. It will be observed that the lower end of the waste pipe f
extends downwards into the vessel d. This will have the effect of preventing
any hot water which may have escaped the suction of the feed pumps from
passing off with the steam, and of precipitating it to the bottom of the
vessel d.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 2 a transverse section, of the steam engine boiler, with the second part of
my Invention applied thereto. a, a, is the boiler; and b, b, are the fire bars
or grate; c, c, is the feed pipe, which is furnished with a valve d; e is an
excentric keyed upon a stud f, on which is also keyed a pulley 9. A chain h
passes over this pulley, having one end attached to the float i within the boiler,
and having a counterbalance weight k at its other end. When the boiler is
full, the rising of the float causes the excentric e to prevent the valve d from
rising and admitting any more water; but as the float sinks it turns the
excentric and allows the valve d to rise and admit water, so as to keep the
water in the boiler always at the same level. Zis a lever connected to the float
rod, and having its fulcrum at m. As the float sinks it carries the lever Z with
it, which, by opening the valve n, allows the steam to blow through the alarm
whistle o, which is of the simplest form, and of which a section is shewn at
Fig. 2. If the float should sink still lower, the lever / will open the valve p,
and the steam escaping through the pipe q will extinguish the fire.
The third part of my Invention is also shewn in Sheet 2 of the Drawings,
in which Fig. 3 is a vertical section of my improved pump, as adapted for
pumping hot water.
a, a, is the barrel of the pump, and 6, b, is the ram or
plunger. c is the clack valve, and d is the delivering valve which is placed at
the top of the pump. The ram or plunger b works in a stuffing box e. f is a
pipe at or near the top of the pump, through which the steam and hot air
escape by the valve g, and any condensed steam or hot water that
may follow
passes through the pipe h into the stuffing box e, and prevents any inequalities
in the ram or plunger from admitting air into the pump. i is a set screw for

page_text: regulating the rise of the valve g. It will be evident that as the plunger b
descends, the steam and hot air bring the lighter, bodies will ascend to the top
and be expelled through the valve g, whilst the hot water will pass off through
the valve d. Fig. 4 shews a section of a modification of the above, to which
arrangement the same description and letters of reference will apply. Fig. 5
is a section of my improved pump as adapted to raising cold water, which may
be employed for raising water from mines, and other similar purposes. a, a, is
the barrel of the pump, and b, b, is the ram, which in this instance works
through a stuffing box c in the bottom of the pump, the pump rod & working
through another stuffing box e at the top. The water is drawn up through the
valve f, and expelled through the valve g, or the discharge pipe may be placed
at the top, as shewn at h. This improvement is also applicable to air pumps
for condensing engines.
The fourth and last part of my Invention is also exhibited in Sheet 2 of the
Drawings, Fig. 6 being a plan view of my improved piston with the top plate
removed. a, a, is the block or body of the piston. b, b, is the internal spring
which forces the packing rings c, c, outwards. An elevation of the spring 6 is
shewn at Fig. 7, and a plan view at Fig. 9, from which it will be seen that
the exterior of the same is turned or formed excentric to the interior, so as to
be strongest at the point opposite the opening or joint d. The spring is also
furnished with flanches e, e', the use of which is hereafter explained. The
packing rings c, c (a section of which is seen at Fig. 7, and plan view at
Fig. 8), are formed with their interior surfaces concentric with the exterior of
the spring b, and their exterior surfaces concentric with the piston itself, and
their openings or ends are placed one on either side of the opening d of the
spring, as seen in Fig. 6. It will be evident from the above description that
the lateral expansion of the spring 6 will have a constant tendency to force the
rings c, c, outwards, and that owing to their peculiar formation and disposition
they will expand in a circle concentric with the centre of the piston. The
arrangement of mechanism which I employ for contracting the piston previous
to its insertion into the cylinder, is best seen in the enlarged detached views
Figs. 10 and 11, Fig. 10 being an elevation, and Fig. 11 a plan view, of this
part of the piston. f is a worm acting upon a worm wheel g, to which an
excentrich is attached; and upon turning the worm ƒ by means of a key or
otherwise, the excentric will force the flanch e towards the flanche e¹, and thus
contract the spring 6, the flanch e' being held firm by the body of the piston,
as seen in Fig. 6. Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the piston complete.
Fig. 13, 14, 15, and 16, represent another arrangement of apparatus for con-
tracting and expanding the spring ring. a, a, is a cam or excentric of a peculiar
form, or two excentrics placed at an acute angle to each other, on a stud b

page_text: c, c, is part of the spring ring, the projecting flanches of which, when the ring
is in a contracted state, are placed in the groove of the can, and are thereby
held firmly together, as seen in Fig. 13. As the packing wears, the cam is to
be grandually turned round until it assumes the position shewn in Fig. 14.
When the spring has expanded as much as its own elasticity will cause, the
can is to be turned still further. It will then enter between the ends of the
ring and gradually force them outwards, until it assumes the position shewn in
Fig. 15. Fig. 16 shews a side elevation of the cam. I would here remark
that this arrangement of mechanism is equally applicable to the contraction
and expansion of rings of the ordinary form for metallic packing.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark,
in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention,-
First, the peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus shewn in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 1 of the Drawings, or any modification thereof,
whereby cold water is admitted into the exhaust passage or passages of a steam
engine is near to the nozzles of the cylinder as possible, and after having
.been heated is separated from the uncondensed steam in the manner above
described, and, together with the condensed portion of the steam, is drawn off
by the action of the feed pump or pumps previous to the uncondensed steam
entering the condenser, and also the adaptation of the above to locomotive
engines as exhibited at Figure 5, Sheet 1..
•
. Secondly, I claim the method of regulating the supply of water to low
pressure steam boilers by means of an excentric, and the method of extin-
guishing the fire in case of deficiency of water, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2,
Sheet 2, of the Drawings. And I claim the construction and application of
the alarm whistle above specified to steam engines and boilers.
Thirdly, I claim the application of the entrance branch at the top of the
pump barrel, and the valve for the escape of the steam and hot air, in pumps
for forcing hot water, and also for air pumps or lifting pumps. I claim the
employment or use of a ram passing through a stuffing box in the bottom of
the pump; and,
Fourthly, I claim the peculiar. formation or construction of metallic
packing for pistons, or steam engines, or air-pump buckets, and the methods of
contracting and expanding the same, as shewn in Figs. 6 to 16, Sheet 2 of the
Drawings, and above particularly described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Smith, have hereunto set my
hand, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one.
GEORGE (L.B.) SMITH.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of March, in
the year of our Lord 1851, the aforesaid George Smith came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifica-
tion aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one.