IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Beckett Johnson, Manager for Messrs.
Ormerod and Son, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. Engineers
and Ironfounders, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES"
and Ironfounders, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
"
Sealed the 12th January 1855, and dated the 18th July 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Beckett Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th July 1854.
I, the said WILLIAM BECKETT JOHNSON, Manager for Messrs. Ormerod and.
Son, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers and Ironfounders,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to stationary engines, in which the cylinder is
situate in a horizontal position, and consists in placing the condenser under
the cylinder, and using it as a foot or support; also, in placing the air pump
under the cylinder, or partly so, the centre line thereof being in a horizontal
or diagonal position. The air pump I work by means of a lever or levers,
connected to the piston rod of the working cylinder, which rod may extend
through the cylinder, or through one end only thereof.
. Another part of my improvements relates to such throttle or regulating

page_text: valves as are constructed of discs, with apertures therein, and consists in
forming such apertures of a curved or other figure, whereby the areas of the
openings are caused to increase in a ratio greater than the motion imparted to
the valve. Also, in reference to such valves I propose adapting the spindle
which communicates motion thereto loosely to the moveable part, so as to
prevent it from separating the surfaces by any accidental or constructive
inaccuracy.
Another part of my Invention relates to air and feed pump valves of steam
engines, and consists in adapting to the metal lid of the valve a piece of
"vulcanizedindia-rubber or other such material, which arrives in contact
with a stop upon the opening of the valve.. I propose also applying "vul-
canizedindia-rubber or other such material to the said valves of steam
engines, so as to constitute a resistance to their opening, and acting as an
clastic check or stop for preventing them from opening too far.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Beckett Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th January 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BECKETT JOHNSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manager for
Messieurs Ormerod and Son; Engineers and Ironfounders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Beckett Johnson, Her especial license that I, the said William
Beckett Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Beckett Johnson, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Beckett Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the

page_text: 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 William Beckett Johnson, 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 fol-
lowing statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
.
My Invention relates, firstly, to stationary steam engines, and is shewn in
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings, which represents the improved arrange-
ment in longitudinal section. The cylinder a is placed in a horizontal position,
or nearly so, and the condenser 6 beneath it, serving as a foot or support. The air
pump c is placed under the cylinder a, or partly so, the centre line c', c', being in
an horizontal or diagonal position. The air pump bucket or piston d is worked
by means of a lever or levers e, connected by rods f to the piston rod g of the
working cylinder. The levers for working the air pump bucket may be con-
nected to the opposite end of the cylinder piston rod to that shewn; the form
of condenser may also be varied to suit other arrangements of the air pump.
Another part of my Invention relates to such throttle or regulating valves as
are constructed by discs with apertures therein. Fig. 2 represents a plán of
the valve face, the cover and moveable disc or valve being removed; Fig. 3,
a plan of the moveable disc; and Fig. 4 represents the moveable disc in its
In the
place, behind the. stationary. valve face, as shewn by dotted lines.
valve face a and moveable disc 6 are formed apertures, c and d, of a curved
figure at the parts c', d'; the apertures in the valve face and moveable disc
are of the same form, size, and position, coinciding with each other when the
valve is fully opened. By reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen, that when the
disc is moved in the direction of the arrow, the apertures c in the valve face
will be slightly opened, by the apertures d partially coinciding, and that the
area of the openings will increase in a ratio greater than the motion imparted
to the moveable disc or valve. The openings in the valve disc may be made
of different form to that shewn, and may also be more or less in number, still
giving an increased area of opening through the valve in ratio greater than the
motion imparted to the disc, by which means the governor or other regulating
apparatus of an engine connected to the disc in any ordinary manner will more
effectually increase or decrease the supply of steam to the cylinder.
Another part of my improvements, relating to such regulating valves as afore-
said, is shewn at Figs. 5 and 6, the former being a cross section, and the latter
a plan of the valve disc. The spindle a is adapted loosely to tho moveable

page_text: clisc b, so as to prevent it from separating the disc from the surface c of the
valve face by any accidental or constructive inaccuracy. Upon the end of
the spindle a, next to the disc, are formed two arms d, which are adapted
between lugs c, projecting from the back of the disc, in such manner, that while
the spindle a will communicate rotatory or vibratory motion to the disc b, it
will not, from inaccurate construction or other accidental cause, separate the
dise from the valve face. Motion is communicated to the spindle a from the
governor or other regulator in any ordinary manner.
Another part of my Invention relates to air and feed pump valves of steam
engines, and is shewn at Fig. 7, in transverse section. To the metal lid a of the
valve is adapted a piece of vulcanized or other preparation of india-rubber c,
which arrives in contact with a stop d upon the opening of the valve. The
india-rubber is secured by being placed in a recess e formed on the valve lid.
Another improvement in the aforesaid valves is shewn in transverse section at
Fig. 8, in which a piece of vulcanized or other preparation of india-rubber is so
employed as to constitute a resistance to the opening, and acting as an elastic
check or stop; one end of the india-rubber a, is secured by suitable plates to
the valve c, and the other to the valve lid b, thereby preventing it from opening
too far. In Figs. 7 and 8, the valves are shewn of the door construction;
but I also apply india-rubber, in a similar manner to lifting valves of other
arrangement.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I claim,
as secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly, in reference to stationary steam engines, the cylinders of which are
in a horizontal position, or nearly so, placing the condenser under the cylinder
and using it as a foot to support it.
Secondly, as applied to such engines as aforesaid, placing the air pump
under the cylinder, or partly so, the centre line thereof being in a horizontal
or diagonal position, and working such air pump by a lever or levers connected
with the piston rod of the cylinder.
Thirdly, as applied to dise throttle or regulating valves, forming the openings
through which the steam passes, of a curvilinear or other form, whereby the
areas of the openings are caused to increase in a greater ratio than the motion
imparted to the valve.
Fourthly, as applied to disc throttle or regulating valves, adapting the spindle
which communicates motion thereto loosely to the moveable part, but so as to
impart the necessary rotatory or vibratory motion thereto.

page_text: Fifthly, the application to the metal lid of air and feed pump valves of a
piece of vulcanized or other preparation of india-rubber, which arrives in
contact with a stop upon the opening of the valve.
Sixthly, the application of vulcanized or other preparation of india-rubber
as a check or stop for preventing air and feed pump valves from opening too
far.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Beckett Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
W. B. JOHNSON.
(L.S.)