IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS, AND LUBRICATING THE PISTONS OF STEAM
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Needham, of Dukinfield, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS, AND LUBRICATING THE PISTONS OF STEAM
"
Sealed the 24th June 1862, and dated the 26th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Needham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
December 1861.
I, RICHARD NEEDHAM, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS, AND LUBRICATING THE PISTONS OF STEAM
ENGINES, AND FOR AN IMPROVED STEAM TRAP," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in improved modes of removing the scum
and sediment from steam boilers. In the interior of the boiler, near the
bottom, I place a pipe extending longitudinally from end to end, and con-
nected to a cock or valve on the outside. The said pipe has at the bottom
a number of apertures through which the sediment enters, and has at the
top a number of vertical pipes, each opening in the shape of a funnel at the
level of the water. The funnels face the front or firing end of the boiler, so
that the scum shall of necessity enter them in consequence of the flow of
the water towards the back end. Each of the aforesaid vertical pipes is con-
nected to a perforated flange on the longitudinal pipe, through which perfora-

page_text: tions the scum collected in the vertical pipes passes off, when the cock or
valve is opened, the sediment being carried off at the same time.
Secondly, in an improved tallow cup or lubricator for lubricating the pistons
of steam engines. At the bottom of the cup, over the opening leading to the
cylinder, I place a ball-clack held to a spindle, which extends through the top
of the cup, and kept tight by a suitable packing. The said spindle has upon
it a screw working in a nut, so that the ball may be able to rise to different
heights according to the quantity of tallow required to be delivered. The
steam in the cylinder above the piston acts upon the ball and raises it from
its seating, and thus allows the lubricating matter to pass to the piston only
at the proper time.
Thirdly, in an improved steam trap for steam pipes, steam cylinders, tape
legs, or other similar purposes. The vessel for receiving the condensed water
is suspended at one end by a ball valve, through which the water passes, and
has at the bottom of the other end an equilibrium valve for the escape of the
water when the valve comes in contact with any fixed object. The vessel is
weighted and balanced so that it may receive a certain quantity of water with-
out changing its position, but when a larger quantity has entered, the weight
is overbalanced, and the exit end falls down, so as to cause the exit valve to
come in contact with a fixed object, and thereby open it to allow the free
escape of the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Needham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
NEEDHAM, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Needham, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Needham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Needham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS, AND LUBRICATING THE PISTONS OF STEALI
ENGINES, AND FOR AN IMPROVED STEAM TRAP," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Richard Needham, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain 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 Richard Needham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improved mode of removing the scum
from steam boilers. In the interior of the boiler I place a pipe extending
longitudinally from end to end, and connected at one end to a vertical pipe
communicating with a cock or valve on the outside. The said longitudinal
pipe is placed at the bottom of the interior of the boiler, or at some distance
above it, and has connected to its top a number of vertical pipes, each opening
in the shape of a funnel at the level of the water. The said funnels face the
front or firing end of the boiler, so that the scum shall of necessity enter them
in consequence of the heat at the front end of the boiler causing the flow of
water towards the back. The scum after entering the funnels, passes through
the longitudinal and vertical pipes to the cock or valve on the outside, which
is opened when required to let off the scum.
In my Provisional Specification I described the application of a number of
apertures in the longitudinal pipe for the purpose of taking off the sediment,
but I now disclaim that part of the Invention as I find the same to be old,
and merely employ an ordinary pipe for communicating with the funnels, and
the cock or valve on the outside for carrying off the scum.
Secondly, in an improved tallow cup or lubricator for lubricating the pistons
of steam engines. At the bottom of the cup over the opening leading to the
cylinder, I place a ball-clack held to a spindle which extends through the top
of the cup, and is kept tight by suitable packing. The said spindle has upon
it a screw working in a nut, so that the ball may be able to rise to different
heights according to the quantity of tallow required to be delivered. The
steam in the cylinder above the piston acts upon the ball, and raises it from
its seating, and thus allows the lubricating matter to pass to the piston only
at the proper time.

page_text: Thirdly, in an improved steam trap for steam pipes, steam cylinders, tape
legs, or other similar purposes. The vessel for receiving the condensed water
is suspended at one end by a socket or ball valve, through which the water
passes, and has at the bottom of the other end an exit or equilibrium valve
for the escape of the water when the valve comes in contact with any fixed
object. The vessel is weighted and balanced so that it may receive a certain
quantity of water without changing its position, but when a larger quantity
has entered the weight is overbalanced, and the exit end falls down so as to
cause the exit valve to come in contact with a fixed object, and thereby open
it to allow the free escape of the water.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2
are longitudinal and transverse sections of an ordinary two-flued boiler with
my improved apparatus for removing the scum from the water; Fig. 3, a plan
of one of the funnels; Fig. 4 a vertical section of my improved tallow cup or
lubricator for steam engine cylinders; and Fig. 5 a longitudinal elevation of
my improved steam trap.
In Figs. 1 and 2, the longitudinal pipe extending from end to end is shewn
at a, it is connected at one end to the vertical pipe b, communicating by the
elbow pipe c with the cock or valve d. At the top of the longitudinal pipe a
there are vertical pipes e, each opening in the shape of a flattened funnelf at
the level of the water, and facing the front or firing end of the boiler. The
heat from the firing end causes a continual agitation or flow of water towards
the back, by which means the scum enters the funnels and pipes, from whence
it is removed by opening the cock or valve d.
My improved tallow cup or lubricator for steam engines is shewn in Fig. 4.
The tallow or lubricating matter is contained in the vessel or cup g, having
through the centre a frame h help to the cup, which is made of glass or other
suitable material, by the nuts i and j. At the bottom of the frame h, there is
a hole k leading to the cylinder. Over this hole I place a ball-clack 7 held to
the spindle m, which extends through the frame, and is kept tight by packing n.
The spindle m has a screw o working in a nut in the frame h, so that it may be
raised and lowered in order to place the ball at different heights from the
hole k, according to the quantity of tallow required to be delivered. The steam
in the cylinder above the piston exerts pressure upon the ball, and raising it
from its seating, allows the lubricating matter to pass to the piston only at the
proper time.
At the top of the spindle m there is a cup p, into which the
tallow or lubricating matter is placed for supplying the large cup or vessel g
when the tap q is opened.

page_text: My improved steam trap is represented in Fig. 5. The condensed water
is received in the vessel r, which is suspended. to the box s by a socket or
ball valve t, through which the steam and water passes, and at the other end
of the vessel there is an exit valve u for allowing the escape of the water when
the valve comes in contact with the bottom of the box, or any other fixed
object. The vessel r is balanced by the weight v, so that it may receive a
certain quantity of water without changing its position, but when a larger
quantity has entered the weight v is overbalanced, and the exit end falls down
and causes the exit valve u to come in contact with the bottom of the box s,
and thereby allows the free escape of the water.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be under-
stood that I claim,-
Firstly, the improved mode of removing the scum from the water of steam
boilers.
Secondly, the improved tallow cup or lubricator for lubricating the pistons
of steam engines.
And, thirdly, the improved steam trap for taking off the water of conden-
sation from steam pipes, steam cylinders, tape legs, or other similar purposes,
as all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Needham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Richard Needham
in the presence of
E. T. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
London.
R. NEEDHAM. (L.S.)

page_text: Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS AND
LUBRICATING THE PISTONS OF STEAM ENGINES, AND FOR AN IMPROVED
STEAM TRAP," bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one,
Number 3235, the Specification of which was duly filed on the
Twenty-sixth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office by the said Richard Needham,
in pursuance of the Statutes in that case made and provided.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
NEEDHAM, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent under
he Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
late the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
housand eight hundred and sixty-one, granted unto me, the said Richard
Needham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, the sole privilege to make,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend my Invention therein entitled "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS, AND LUBRICATING THE PISTONS OF
STEAM ENGINES, AND FOR AN IMPROVED STEAM TRAP," (and part of which
title is intended to be hereby disclaimed, so that the same may and shall
henceforth be a title in these words, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS,") within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, during the term of fourteen
years next thence ensuing: And whereas in pursuance of a proviso in the said
Letters Patent contained, I did, by a Specification in writing under my hand
and seal, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to
be performed, and did cause the same Specification to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within the time by the said Letters Patent prescribed in that
behalf: And whereas since the date of the said Letters Patent, and of the
filing of the said Specification I have been advised that it is doubtful whether
certain parts of the said Invention relating to an improved tallow cup or
lubricator for lubricating the pistons of steam engines, and also to an improved
steam trap for steam pipes, steam cylinders, tape legs, or other similar
purposes, as in the Specification of the said Letters Patent mentioned and
described, or some of them, may have been new and useful at the date of the
said Letters Patent, and also that it is doubtful whether the claims of Inven-
tion at the end of my said Specification may not be deemed to be somewhat
indistinct and indefinite, and more extensive than I intended them to be;
I am therefore desirous of disclaiming a part of the said title, and also certain
parts of the said Specification, and of altering the said Specification in manner
herein-after expressed.
"
NOW THEREFORE KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Needham, by
and with the leave of Her Majesty's Attorney General, and for the reasons
aforesaid, do hereby disclaim the words "and lubricating the pistons of steam
engines, and for an improved steam trap," contained in the title of the said
Patent, and do declare that the same title as hereby altered shall henceforth
be in these words, "Improvements in Apparatus for Cleansing Steam Boilers;"
And by and with the leave aforesaid, and for the reasons aforesaid, I disclaim
so much of the said Specification as relates to the tallow cup or lubricator for
lubricating the pistons of steam engines, as also so much of the said Specifica-
tion as relates to the steam trap for steam pipes, steam cylinders, tape legs, or
other similar purposes; and by and with the leave aforesaid, and for the
reasons aforesaid, I disclaim the separate parts of the apparatus for cleansing

page_text: steam boilers, as being separate and apart from the general combination and
arrangement thereof, in the manner and for the purposes described in.my said
Specification, and part of the Invention described in the said Letters Patent;
and by and with the leave aforesaid, and for the reasons-aforesaid, I do hereby
alter the said Specification by omitting the parts struck out, and inserting the
words written in red ink in the copy of the same hereunder set forth. And
in the Drawings accompanying the Specification I strike out the Figures
numbered 4 and 5, so that the said Specification when altered by my Dis-
claimer and Memorandum of Alteration shall be in the words, letters, and
Figures following (that is to say) :-
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
NEEDHAM, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Needham, Her special license that I, the said Richard
Needham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Needham, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING STEAM BOILERS," and Lubricating the Pistons of
Steam Engines,-and-for-an Improved Steam-Trap," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Richard Needham, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Richard Needham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improved mode of removing the scum.
from steam boilers. In the interior of the boiler I place a pipe, extending
longitudinally from end to end, and connected at one end to a vertical pipe..
communicating with a cock er valve on the outside. The said longitudinal

page_text: pipe is placed at the bottom of the interior of the boiler, or at some distance
above it, and has connected to its top a number of vertical pipes, each opening
in the shape of a funnel at the level of the water. The said funnels face the
front or firing end of the boiler, so that the scum shall of necessity enter them
in consequence of the heat at the front end of the boiler causing the flow of
water towards the back. The scum after entering the funnels passes through
the longitudinal and vertical pipes to the cock or valve on the outside, which
is opened when required to let off the scum.
In my Provisional Specification I described the application of a number of
apertures in the longitudinal pipe for the purpose of taking off the sediment,
but I now disclaim that part of the Invention, as I find the same to be old,
and merely employ an ordinary pipe for communicating with the funnels, and
the cock or valve on the outside for carrying off the scum.
Secondly,-in-an-improved-tallow-eup-or-lubricator for lubricating the pistons-of
steam--engines.-At the bottom of the eup,-over the opening leading-to-the
eylinder, I-place-a-ball clack, held-to-a-spindle, which extends-through-the-top-of
the eup-and-is-kept-tight-by-suitable-packing. The caid-spindle-has-upen-it-a
Gerew-working-in a nut, so that the ball may be able-to-rise-to-different-heights
eccording to the quantity of tallow required to be delivered.-The-steam in the
eylinder-above-the piston-acts-upon-the-ball, and raises it from its seating, and thus
allows the lubricating matter-to-pass to the piston only at the proper time.
Thirdly, in-an-improved-steam-trap-for-steam pipes, steam-eylinders, tape-legs, or
other similar-purposes.-The-vessel-for-receiving the condensed-water is suspended
at one end by-a-socket-or-ball-valve, through which the water-passes, and has-at-the
bottom of the other end-an-exit or equilibrium valve for the escape of the water
when-the-valve-eomes in contact with any fixed-object. The vessel-is-weighted
and balanced so-that-it may receive a certain quantity of water without changing-its
position, but-when-a-larger quantity has entered, the weight is overbalanced,-and
the exit-end-falls down so as to cause the exit-valve-to-come-in-contact-with-a fixed
objeet, and thereby open-it-to-allow-the-free-escape-of-the-water.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2
are longitudinal and transverse sections of an ordinary two-flued boiler with
my improved apparatus for removing the scum from the water; Fig. 3, a plan
of one of the funnels; Fig. 4-a-vertical-section-of-my-improved tallow-eup-or
lubricator for steam engine cylinders and Fig. 5, a longitudinal elevation-of-my
impreved-steam-trap.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the longitudinal pipe extending from end to end is shewn
at a; it is connected at one end to the vertical pipe b, communicating by the

page_text: elbow pipe c with the cock or valve d. At the top of the longitudinal pipe a
there are vertical pipes e, each opening in the shape of a flattened funnel fat
the level of the water (the said level of the water being represented in Figs. I and
2 by the dotted line) and facing the front or firing end of the boiler. The
heat from the firing end causes a continual agitation or flow of water towards
the back, by which means the scum enters the funnels and pipes, from whence
it is removed by opening the cock or valve d.
My improved tallow-cup or lubricator for steam-engines is-shewn in Fig.-4.-The
tallow or lubricating matter is contained in the vessel or cup g, having through-the
eentre a frame h-held to the-eup, which is made of glass or other suitable material,
by the nuts i-and-j. At the bottom of the frame h there is a hole k leading to the
eylinder. Over this hole I place a ball clock I, held to the spindle my-which-extends
through the frame, and is kept tight by packing n. The spindle m has a serew o
working in a nut in the frame h, so that it may be raised and lowered in order to
place the ball l-at different heights from the hole-k-according to the quantity of
tallow-required-to-be delivered. The steam in the-cylinder-above-the piston-exerts
pressure-upon-the-ball, and raising it-from-its seating allows the lubricating matter
to pass to the piston only at the proper time. At the top of the spindle-m-there-is
a-eup-pr-into-which-the-tallow-or-lubricating matter-is-placed-for-supplying-the-large
eup-or-vessel g when the tap q is opened.
My-improved steam trap is represented in Fig. 5.-The-condensed-water is
received in the vessel which is suspended-to-the-box-s-by-a-seeket or ball valve t
through which the steam-and-water-passes,-and-at-the-other end of the-vessel there
is-an-exit-valve-u for allowing the escape of the-water when the valve comes in
contact-with-the-bottom-of-the-box or any other fixed-object. The vessel ris
balanced by the weight x so that it may receive a certain quantity of water without
changing-its position, but when a larger quantity has entered the weight v-is over-
balanced, and the exit-end-falls down and causes the exit valve-u to come-in-eon;
taet with the bottom of the box-s and thereby allows the free-escape of the water.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I do not claim any of the parts of which my said apparatus is
composed separately and apart from the combination herein-before described; but
I claim the improved mode of removing the scum from the water of steam
5 boilers, as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
0
Secondly, the improved-tallow-cup-or-lubricator for lubricating the pistons-of
sieam-engines.
And thirdly, the-improved-steam-trap-for-taking off the water of condensation

page_text: from-steam-pipes, steam-cylinders, tape-legs or other similar-purposes, as all such
improvements are herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet-of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Needham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.