CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
GOODFELLOW, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Goodfellow, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence that I, the said Benjamin Goodfellow,
my exors, admiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin Good-
fellow, my exors, adiñors, and 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, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso obliging me, the said Benjamin Goodfellow, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the said Letters Patent, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Benjamin Goodfellow, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to
consist,-
First, in making the high-pressure cylinder of a compound or double cylinder

page_text: engine to act as and be or to contain the piston rod of the piston of the cylinder
in which the steam is used expansively. The peculiar combination and arrange-
ment of the pistons, cylinders, and valves, which I use to attain this object,
effects a considerable saving in the consumption of steam, and presents great
facility in the application of my said improvements to engines of the ordinary
construction...
Secondly, in certain combinations and arrangements of mechanism for
working the valves of steam engines, particularly applicable to those engines
in which steam is used expansively.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, and in order that my 1
Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, I will proced
to describe the annexed two Sheets of Drawings, which are made to the scales
marked upon them, and in which similar letters of reference are marked upon
corresponding parts in the different views.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents: a sectional elevation of my improvements in steam
engines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the large piston and section of the small cylinder,
shewing also the valves in the large piston; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the
slide valve, through which the steam passes-in going from the large piston to
the upper part of the large cylinder; Figure 6 is a plan view of the said valve;
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the slide valve, through which the steam passes
when going from the small cylinder, to the lower part of the large one; and
Figure 8 is a plan view of the valve o. In Figures 1 and 4, a represents a
pipe, through which the steam from a high-pressure boiler is conducted to the
small cylinder b. c is a piston fixed at the top of the pipe a. This piston is
stationary, and it is provided with two steamways d and e, through which the
steam passes when going from the pipe a to the upper or lower portion of the
cylinder b. is a slide valve fixed to the upper end of the rod g, for closing
and opening the steamways,d, and e. The valve f may be worked in the
ordinary way, or by my improved mechanism herein-after to be explained.
The small cylinder 6 forms the piston rod of the large piston h, and it is com-
posed of the metal tube i, cast to or otherwise fixed to the piston h, and of the
wrought iron tube k, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The space between the
tubes i and k is to allow the high-pressure steam from the upper portion of
the small cylinder 6 to pass into the large cylinder 1, the communication between
them being effected by the openings m, seen best in Figure 4, which admit the
steam to the under side of the sliding valve plate n, seen detached in Figures
5 and 6. The lid of the piston h is furnished with the holes p, corresponding
b

page_text: l
V
to those in the valve plate n, and consequently when the holes in the plate'n
are exactly under those in the lid of the piston, the steam will have free access
from the upper portion of the small cylinder to the upper portion of the large
cylinder. The lower plate of the piston his also furnished with holes 9. shewn
by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 4, which are opened or closed by a 'sliding valve
plate o, seen detached in Figures 7 and 8. The machinery for giving motion
to the sliding valve plates n and o will be explained hereafter. The bottom of
the small cylinder is formed by the plate'r, which is furnished with a metallic
or other packing, to prevent the escape of the steam from the cylinder b to the
cylinder, and the top of the small cylinder is formed by the plate s, which is
secured to the top of the tube . The plate s, which forms the end of 'the
piston rod of the large piston, is connected to the parallel motion of a beam
engine or to the connecting rod of a direct-acting engine in the usual manner.
The bottom of the larger cylinder is closed by the bottom plate't, and the top of
it is closed by the lid u. This lid is furnished with a large stuffing box coutaining
metalic or other packing, through which the tube k, forming part of the small
cylinder, works, and two sinall stuffing boxes for the upright shafts and w,
which actuate the sliding valve plates n and o; the ejection ports, æ and y are
placed near the upper and lower extremities of the cylinder 7, and are in connee-
tion with the condenser in the ordinary manner. The shafts and w, above
mentioned, are supported below in sockets let into the lid of the piston h, and
above they are supported by the bearings, attached to the lids of the
small cylinder. Near the upper end of the shaft w is fixed the lever w', which
is furnished with an antifriction bowl w³ taking into a groove in the guide
plate A; this plate is attached to the lid of the large cylinder 7, or in any other
convenient manner to suit the particular construction of the engine to which my
improvements are applied. Near the lower end of the shaft w is fixed the lever
w, which is hinged to a link w', seen in Figures 1, 4, and 7; this link has a
boss which passes through a slot in the lid of the piston h, as seen in Figure 4,
and into the said boss the stud w enters. This stud is rivitted into the plate
w, see Figure 7, and fits into the boss projecting from the sliding valve plate o.
There is a small spiral spring placed in the cavity between the end of the
stud w and the bottom of the hole in the boss of the sliding valve plate o, to
keep the upper surface of the plate w in contact with the lower side of the
lid of the piston h. I wish to observe that other valves may be made use of
for forming the communication between the high-pressure cylinder 6 and low-
pressure cylinder Z, but I consider those above described the most suitable.
On referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the guide plate A is furnished with
a grooved recess, for the antifriction bowl w² to move in, and the shape of

page_text: this grooved recess must be made to suit the amount of expansion required.
In this instance the inclined part of the groove marked A¹ cuts off the steam
which is passing from the high-pressure cylinder to the lower portion of the
low-pressure one at about three quarters of the stroke, the lever w¹ being
moved from the position it now occupies in Figure 3 to the position represented
by red lines, by the action of the antifriction bowl w against the incline A',
which is situated in the upper portion of the plate A. The guide plate B,
which is situated on the other side of the cylinder 7, as seen in Figure 1, bas
also a grooved recess in it for actuating in like manner the antifriction bowl
von the lever v' fixed on the shaft v. Near the lower extremity of this shaft
is fixed the lever v³, which is hinged to the link v, fitting loosely on a stud
rivitted into the sliding valve plate n, see Figures 5 and 6. By this plate the
admission of the steam is regulated from the high-pressure cylinder to the
upper portion of the low-pressure one. It is necessary to remark that the
inclined part of the grooved recess in the plate B, corresponding to the part
marked A', must be placed near the lower portion of the plate B, so that when
the small cylinder descends, the inclined part above mentioned of the grooved
recess in the plate B may in like manner move the lever v¹ from the position
it occupies in Figure 3 to the position shown by the red lines. By this means
the steam will again be cut off at about three fourths of the downstroke of
the small cylinder, in the same manner as has already been explained with
reference to the upstroke. The Drawings represent the various parts in the
positions they occupy when the high-pressure steam is entering the upper part
of the small cylinder b, through the pipe a and steam port d, and the steam
from the lower portion of the small cylinder is at the same time entering the
Jower portion of the large cylinder, through the holes in the sliding valve
plate o and the holes 7 in the under plate of the priston h. The holes in the
plate o are held exactly over those in the piston by the virtical groove in the
plate A, as before mentioned. When the cylinder has performed about three
fourths of its upward stroke, the inclined part A¹ of the groove in the plate A,
by acting on the antifriction bowl w², causes the shaft w to perform a small
portion of a revolution in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3. The portion
of a revolution performed by the shaft w is sufficient to move the sliding valve
plate o by the agency of the lever w³, link w, and stud 10", sufficiently in the
direction of the arrow in Figure 4 to close the steam ports 7, thereby shutting
off the communication between the cylinders band 7, and allowing the steam
already admitted into the cylinder 1 to work expansively during the remainder
of the upward stroke of the small cylinder. When the antifriction bowl w
has been guided by the inclined groove A' into the upper portion of the right-

page_text: hand vertical groove in the plate A, it moves up the same to the point
marked A2, at which period the position of the slide valve f is reversed, and
the steam passes through the steamway e to the under side of the piston c.
At the same time as the slide valve f is reversed, the antifriction bowl v², by
sliding along an inclined plane near the top of the grooved recess in the plate
B, moves the sliding valve plate n, so that the holes in it are brought in a line
with the holes p in the lid of the piston h, thereby opening the communication
between the upper portion of the cylinder 6 and the upper portion of the
cylinder 1. By this means it is evident that the force of the high-pressure
steam on the upper surface of the plate », and the expansive force of the steam
on the upper surface of the piston h, will act simultaneously in the downward
stroke of the engine. The relative diameters of the cylinders 6 and I must be
made to suit the pressure of steam admitted into the cylinder b. In the
accompanying Drawings the pressure of steam in the cylinder 6 is reckoned at
fifty pounds per square inch; and I wish to remark that the above-described
improvements may be applied with great facility to any of the steam engines of
the ordinary construction, whether the cylinders are placed vertically, horizon-
tally, or diagonally; and I also wish to remark that the difference of the areas
of the upper and lower surfaces of the pistons may be compensated for by the
adjustment of the valves.
In Sheet 2, Figure 9 represents a plan view of parts of a steam engine,
shewing the method of applying my improved valve motion to a valve of the
ordinary construction. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the principal parts of my
improved valve motion. Figure 11 is a sectional plan view of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a transverse section of Figure 10. Figures 13 and 14 are two
views of the sliding bar, to which the valve or valves are attached. In Figure 9
C is the crank shaft, upon which is fixed the mitre wheel D, gearing into a
similar wheel on the shaft E, near the extremity of which is fixed the crank E.
This crank gives a constant backward and forward motion to the slide F, seen
best in Figures 10, 11, and 12. The slide F has a recess with inclined planes
on it, by which the motion of the valve marked G in Figure 9 is influenced,
and this slide F, with its adjuncts, is another modification of the apparatus for
working the valves n and o, as before described with reference to Sheet 1. To the
slide F is hinged the connecting link H by the stud I, and the other extremity of
the link H is attached to the crank E', above described. The antifriction bowl
K is hinged to the vertical cross slide L, seen detached in Figures 13 and 14,
and by red lines in Figure 10, and the inclined planes in the recess of the
slide F, by acting on the bowl K, elevate or depress the valves in the following
manner: The bowl K is now supposed to be in the position shewn in black

page_text: lines in Figure 10, and the valves are consequently in the lowest position; as soon
as the crank E' has moved the slide F, until the inclined plane F¹ has arrived
near the bowl K, the piston in the cylinder M, see Figure 9, has performed
nearly two thirds of its stroke; the bowl K is then gradually raised up by the
inclined plane F until it assumes the position shown by the red circle, at which
time the steam is completely shut off, and the steam in the cylinder works
expansively for the remainder of the stroke. When the inclined plane F acts
on the bowl K, it gradually raises it again until the bowl is brought from the
position indicated by a red circle into the position shown by a blue circle; at
this time the crank E¹ has completed the half of a revolution, and the valve has
been moved by the inclined plane F2 into the position for admitting steam to the
reverse side of the piston. During the remaining half revolution of the crank E',
the inclined planc Fa shuts off the steam by moving the bowl K from the posi-
tion shewn by a blue circle into the position shown by a dotted red circle, and
the inclined plane F reverses again the position of the valves by bringing the
bowl K from the position shown by a dotted red circle into its original position.
By this means the various changes in the position of the valves are produced
with the greatest exactitude, and by making slots in the adjustable plates s
and F, the steam may be cut off either sooner or later, so as to work with
more or less expansion. The friction of the valves, after the same have been
balanced, will be sufficient to retain the bowl K in the various positions into
which it is placed by the above-described inclined planes, but, if it should be
found more convenient in practice, a mid feather, forming a double groove, may
be applied to the plate F, so as to retain the bowl K in its proper positions.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the details herein-described, so long as the peculiar character of my
Invention be retained. But what I claim as my improvements in steam
engines is,―
First, the making the piston rod of the piston of the cylinder in which the
steam is used expansively into or to contain the high-pressure cylinder of a
compound or double cylinder engine.
And, secondly, I claim the combination and arrangement of mechanism for
working the valves of steam engines, as herein-before shewn and described.
And this my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion
of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to
be my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said

page_text: Specification doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise,
with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
contained. Wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and
privilege to the said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Goodfellow, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, in the year of our