AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLIDE VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaiah Vernon, of West Bromwich, in the County
of Stafford, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLIDE VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 28th September 1855, and dated the 12th April 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaiah Vernon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
April 1855.
I, ISAIAH VERNON, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Manufac-.
turer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLIDE VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES" to be as
follows:-
My said Invention consists in constructing the slide valves of steam engines
in the following manner, whereby the pressure on the said valves may be
wholly removed, or diminished to any desired degree. I remove the ordinary
fixed back of the valve, and substitute one which bears against the side of
the valve, so as to press it to its seat, but does not move with it, the valve
moving between its said seat and back, as between two fixed surfaces. To
the detached back of the valve a pipe is affixed perpendicular to its plane,
which said pipe has at its end a flange; this flange constitutes a piston, and
works in a cylinder. The steam from inside the valve passes through the said
pipe, and, entering the said cylinder, presses upon the flange or piston with a
force varying with the area of the said piston and the elastic force of the

page_text: This pressure is transmitted through the pipe cn the valve back to
the said valve back, which is thereby pressed to its work with any desired
pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isaiah Vernon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAIAH
VERNON, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Iler
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Isaiah Vernon, Her special licence that I, the said Isaiah Vernon,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said
Isaiah Vernon, ny executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any timo
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,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
HENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SLIDE VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Isaiah Vernon, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Isaiah Vernon, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention consists of the method herein-after particularly described, and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, of constructing the slide valves of
steam engines, whereby the pressure of the said valves on their beds or seats
may be wholly removed, or diminished to any desired degree.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a steam engine cylinder, having a
slide valve constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2 represents a side

page_text: elevation of the valve case; and Figure 3 represents a front elevation of the
same. a is the slide valve; and b, b, b, the seat or bed against which the said
valve slides. Instead of making a fixed back to the valve a, I substitute a
detached back c, which bears against the valve a, pressing it to its bed or
seat b, b, b. The back c does not move with the valve a, but the said valve a
moves between the seat b, b, b, and the back c, as between two fixed surfaces.
A pipe d is connected to the back of the plate or back c, which said pipe d is
furnished at its end with a flange e, which said flange constitutes a piston
working steam-tight in the cylinder f. The course of the steam is indicated
by arrows in Figure 1, by which said arrows it will be seen that the steam
passes through the valve a, back c, and pipe d, into the cylinder f, where it
presses upon the piston e. The said pressure on the piston e is transmitted
through the pipe d to the plate or back c, and the said back of the valve c,
pressing upon the valve a, keeps the said valve a to its bearing on the seat or
bed b, b, b. By making the area of the piston e larger or smaller, a greater
or less amount of pressure may be transmitted to the place c, and made to
press the valve a to its bed or seat v, v, v. I do not think it necessary to
describe the arrangement of the induction and eduction pipes, as the same do
not differ in any essential respects from those ordinarily employed.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my said Invention. But I claim as my
Invention, the method herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, of constructing the slide valves of steam engines, that is to say, by
causing the said valves to work between the bed or seat and a plate or
detached back, the said plate or back pressing the said valvo to its bed or
seat, the pressure being produced by the action of the steam upon a piston
connected with the said plate or back.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaiah Vernon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
ISAIAH VERNON. (L.S.)