IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MINING ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Richardson, of the Firm Robey and Company,
of Lincoln, in the County of Lincoln, Engineers, for an Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richardson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1880.
JOHN RICHARDSON, of the Firm Robey and Company, of Lincoln, in the
County of Lincoln, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MINING
ENGINES."
This Invention relates to improvements in portable or semi-portable mining
engine and boiler combined, as patented by me in the year 1873, No. 4136, part of
which Patent was disclaimed in the year 1879.
The present Invention consists,-
First. In making the foundation plate of wrought iron plates of great depth, and
carrying the same plate or plates entirely round the drum of the full depth of the
plates, and so stiffening the plates with angle iron and providing them with
extensive surfaces on which to rest, that the whole of the engine, boiler, and
gearing is carried by them quite independently of any other foundation, so that
the whole machinery may even rest upon a bed of sand and be firm and
workable.
As in the cast iron bed I formed the part under the cylinder into a water tank,
which will now be of large capacity, thus serving as a reservoir of water as well as
a water heater, I also make the other part of the foundation that it can serve as
a packing case for the parts of the engine which have to be disconnected for a long
voyage, and I make the side plates of the drum pit of such shape that they can form
the upper side of the packing case when the bed is used as such.
By this means I obtain great strength combined with lightness, and effect a great
saving in transport for long distances.
I further make an improvement in the method of taking steam to the cylinder
and to the stop valve and governors of engines of this class.
Instead of combining the stop valve chest with a crutch shaped casting for
carrying the boiler, as before, I now make the crutch to carry the boiler entirely
independent of any steam joint, and I put an independent casting provided with
the steam and exhaust passages as well as the stop valve and the throttle valve,
which casting can be fixed and removed without disturbing the boiler.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Richardson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
November 1880.
JOHN RICHARDSON, of the Firm Robey and Company, of Lincoln, in the
County of Lincoln, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH MINING
ENGINES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the portable or semi-portable mining
engine and boiler combined, as patented by me in the year 1873, No. 4136, part of
which Patent was disclaimed in the year 1879.
My present Invention-consists,—
First. In making the foundation plate of wrought iron plates of great depth, and
in carrying the same plate or plates entirely round the drum of the full depth of
the plates, and so stiffening the plates with angle iron and providing them with
extensive surfaces on which to rest, that the whole of the engine, boiler, and
gearing are carried by them quite independently of any other foundation, so
that the whole machinery may even rest upon a bed of sand and be firm and
workable.
As in the cast iron bed I formed the part under the cylinder into a water tank,
which will now be of large capacity, thus serving as a reservoir of water as well as
a water heater, I also so make the other part of the foundation that it can serve as
a packing case for the parts of the engine which have to be disconnected for a long
voyage, and I make the side-plates of the drum pit of such shape that they can forin
the upper side of the packing caso when the bed is used as such.
By this means I obtain great strength combined with lightness, and effect a great
saving in transport for long distances.
The Invention is shown in the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4,
Sheet 1.
Figure 1 shows an end view of an engine with section through the drum; this
drum it will be seen consists of a shaft a, upon which are secured two bosses b, b;
to these bosses are rivetted or bolted dished plates c, c, flanged outwards at their
circumference, thus not only securing lightness but also great stiffness.
When it is required to divide the drum by a centre ring it is done by bending a
bar of tee iron in the manner shown, and in rivetting the plates forming the body
of the drum partly on to the flanges and partly on to the bent angle irons rivetted
to the sides of the drum.
Another way of forming the drum is shown in Figure 4. In this case the side
plates c, c, instead of extending outwards to form the drum flanges, are flanged
inwards to support the drum body, the flanges being formed of a special section of
angle iron of a light section, and with a thickened outer edge to give stiffness and
smoothness.
The special angle iron d may or may not be used. In either case c shows a steel
spur ring or wheel without arms, which is bolted or rivetted to the drum end near
the circumference, thus driving it securely without causing any torsion on the shaft
or strain on the end plates.
The plates fƒ, ƒ, f, f, f, f, Figures 2 and 3, form the sides of the engine foun-
dation. In the smaller sized engines I make them continuous as far as g, g, J, g, so
as also to form an ash pit; but in the larger ones I make the ashpit separate
between the plates. At one end is rivetted a casting h, h, h, h, Figure 3, of suitable
form to carry the cylinders, motion bars, and reversing gear, and also to form the
upper part of a tank, which serves also as a feed water heater; the boundaries of
the tank in plan are shown by the letters h, h, h, h, Figure 3. i, i, are two pieces
of strong angle iron, which serve to stiffen the sides of the plates f. ff. f, and also

page_text: to support the main bearings j, j. This mode of construction not only combines the
greater strength with the greatest lightness, but also permits of the foundations
being used as packing cases to contain all the smaller parts of the engine, and
these cases being of wrought iron effectually protect those parts from injury.
Figures 5, 6, and 7, Sheet 2, show an ordinary engine for driving purposes fitted
on to a wrought iron foundation and bed combined. The parts of the engine corre-
spond with that previously described, Figures 1, 2, and 3, but in addition this
engine has a frame carrying an extra boaring for the crank shaft, shown at ,
Figure 7; this outer bearing is secured to the wrought plato, which is held rigidly
in position by gussets or angular stays 1, 1, and is always kept true with the other
bearings; the whole being self contained, may be set upon a bed of sand or other
looso material and will preserve their relative positions with cach other, and thus be
always kept in working order.
I further make an improvement in the method of taking steam to the cylinder
and to the stop valve and governors of engines of this class.
Instead of combining the stop valve chest with a crutch shaped casting for
carrying the boiler, as before, I now make the crutch to carry the boiler entirely
independent of any steam joint, and I put an independent casting provided with
the steam and exhaust passages as well as the stop valve and the throttle valve,
which casting can be fixed and removed without disturbing the boiler.
Having now described the nature of my suid Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as novel is, the making of the
foundation of this class of engine of wrought iron plates of such form and depth that
they not only serve as base plate for the engine, but also as packing caces for its
transport when desired, and so that they take the place of the usual masonry or
other foundations, and render the engine entirely self contained and workable even
when combined with winding gear or driving pullies in addition to the usual parts
of such engines.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Richardson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord Ona
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN RICHARDSON. (L.S.)