IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Gourlay, of the Dundee Foundry, Dundee,
in the County of Forfar, and Ebenezer Kemp, of the same Place, Manager,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Gourlay and
Ebenezer Kemp at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th March 1860.
We, HENRY GOURLAY, of the Dundee Foundry, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, and EBENEZER KEMP, of the same Place, Manager, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND
BOILERS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates, first, to the construction, arrangement, and combina-
tion of cylinders for steam engines, a section of which is represented in the
Drawing annexed. We mount the piston a on a trunk or centre piece b, which
slides in suitable stuffing boxes c, c, in each end of the main cylinder, in the
manner of trunk engines. The ends of the trunk 6 are received in small
cylinders d, d, so that the areas of its ends may be utilized as surfaces on
which the pressure of the steam first acts; e is the piston rod fixed in the one
end of the trunk 6, emerging from the cylinder through a stuffing box as
usual; fis the slide valve; the black arrows show the passage of the high-
pressure steam from the valve case to the one end of trunk ; having acted
thereon, and the down-stroke completed, this steam then passes through

page_text: passage in the valve, as indicated by the red arrows, into the large cylinder
below the piston a. The black dotted arrows show the passage of the
exhaust steam to the condenser or otherwise. The action passage of the
steam on the opposite end of trunk 6 is the same as the above; a section of
the passages being represented in. Fig. 2, suitable duplicate passages being
formed through the valve to render it complete.
The next part of our Invention relates to steam boilers, and consists in the
particular arrangement represented in the Drawings annexed, in which Fig. 3
represents a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a horizontal plan of the same through
the lower set of tubes 1; h are the fire bars; i, the bottom of part of the boiler
on which the fire plays; this part I is connected to the central part k by a
series of short tubes 1, 1; a second series of tubes m, m, connect with the
part o, o; from this a neck piece p (or pieces) supports the cylindrical or
globular part q, from which the steam chest 7 is raised; i, k, & o, in connection
with p&q, are the water spaces, which also descend around the furnace, as
seen in the section.
The arrows show the course of the heat and products of combustion, and will
require no further explanation. The tubes s, s, on the right may be opened
if it is desired to have a more direct draught for lighting the fires or otherwise,
while it will be observed that on the left the products of combustion pass
partly through tubes in i, and partly on the exterior thereof. Figs. 5 and 6
represent vertical and horizontal sections of the steam chest mounted on the
part; it is divided by two cross partitions which divide it into four channels;
the steam passing through the holes t in q follows the course indicated by the
arrows, and traverses up and down the channels in its course to the steam
pipe u; it is thus exposed to a large amount of heating surface, and becomes
dried and superheated. In cases where the uptake of the flues passes through
the centre of the steam chest, it may still be divided into channels in like
manner to lengthen the course of the steam, and afford facilities for drying and
superheating it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Gourlay and Ebenezer Kemp in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
GOURLAY, of the Dundee Foundry, Dundee, in the County of Forfar, &
EBENEZER KEMP, of the same Place, Manager, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Henry Gourlay & Ebenezer Kemp, Her special licence
that we, the said Henry Gourlay & Ebenezer Kemp, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Gourlay
& Ebenezer Kemp, our 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 AND BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Henry Gourlay & Ebenezer Kemp, our execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 we, the said Henry Gourlay & Ebenezer Kemp,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the 3 Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):
Our Invention relates, first, to a particular arrangement of the steam
cylinders of steam engines, whereby to utilize the action of high-pressure and
low-pressure steam, as also its expansion from the highest to the lowest
pressures desired to be worked. Our arrangement of the cylinders refers to the
particular application of what are known as trunk engines for this purpose, which
it is well known have a trunk or large hollow piston rod carrying the working
piston. In our arrangement we employ the trunk to carry the large or low-
pressure piston, while we employ the ends of the trunk itself as the small
high-pressure piston; the one end of the trunk receiving the pressure of the
high-pressure steam, in the one direction, and the opposite end of the trunk
the pressure of such steam in the opposite direction, while at same time, by
suitable passages and arrangements of the slide valve, the steam, after having
acted on the ends of the trunk piston, is conducted to the large or low-pressure

page_text: cylinder, where it acts on the piston thereof, and expands, as will be readily
understood by reference to the Drawings and the description thereof herein-
after given. The trunk may be solid, if desired.
The second part of our Invention relates to steam boilers, the improvements
consisting in a peculiar arrangement of the parts, in which the heat and flame 5
while enclosed by the outer shell & water space circulates round horizontal
spaces connected with the outer water space, and connected with each other by
clusters of small vertical tubes amongst which it passes, traversing thence
around the steam chamber to the up-take or chimney. This arrangement of
boilers will be readily understood by reference to the Drawings annexed,
also herein-after specialy described.
These boilers are principally adapted for steam vessels or as portable
boilers, but may also be adopted and applied for stationary engines.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1, Fig. 1, of the Drawings annexed represents in plan, and partly in
vertical section, a pair of engines arranged & constructed according to our
Invention. The sectional part being a central section through the axis of the
steam cylinders and slide valve, to which we will confine our description, as the
improvements exist altogether in those parts, the other detail will be readily
understood from the Drawings, and which will necessarily be varied according
to the arrangement of engine desired. Fig 2 represents a partial section
similar to the sectional part of Fig. 1, but taken in a different plane, the one
section showing the high-pressure steam passages to the one end of high-
pressure piston and chamber or cylinder, while the other exhibits the like
passages at the opposite end. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the large cylinder
and valve face; Fig. 4, a transverse section of the same, having also the end
view of the valve and one of the passages for the high-pressure steam, while the
other is indicated in red dotted lines, it being at the opposite end of the large
cylinder. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the valve showing its face; A, A, is
the trunk or stem forming the piston rod for the larger cylinder, the piston
B being cast or fixed thereto; this trunk passes through both ends of the
larger cylinder C, traversing therein in suitable stuffing boxes or metallic
packings c, c, to render its passage steam-tight. Immediately on the ends of
the larger cylinder we place chambers D, D', to enclose the ends of the trunk
A, each constituting a small steam cylinder, the one being furnished with a
suitable stuffing box E, for the passage of the piston rod F, which stuffing box in
order to shorten the cylinders as much as possible we dispose on the interior side
of the cover; the piston rod F, by which the force of the pistons is transmitted,

page_text: passes through this stuffing box E, and is fixed to the trunk A by means of
discs a, a', which constitute the surfaces on which the high-pressure steam
acts, the one disc a¹ being so disposed as to leave a hollow space in the end of
the trunk to receive the stuffing box E, when it completes the stroke in that
direction, the opposite end of the trunk presents a solid surface to receive the
pressure of the steam in chamber D; one end of the trunk may be larger
than the other for the purpose of counterbalancing the engine. The piston
rod F is coned at the point, fitting disc a¹ & passing through the other disc a, is
drawn up and fixed therein by a nut d or in other suitable manner. In this
compound engine the same slide valve G suffices for the several cylinders; it
has three several internal passages, as will be seen and understood by reference
to the sections 1 and 2, and detached face view, Fig. 5; the larger internal pas-
sage e is the eduction from the large cylinder C, with which alone it commu-
nicates, while the passages ƒ and g are those which conduct the steam from the
small cylinders D, D', to the larger one C, the passage g communicating with
cylinder D and cylinder C, below the piston B, and the passage f with cylinder
D', and the cylinder C above the piston B. The sections of the valve G,
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are through the dotted lines x, x, y, y, Fig. 5,
respectively as indicated. Steam is conducted to the valve case H on the
exterior or back of the valve at the pressure required, as usual; this steam is
admitted by the valve G to the cylinders D, D', so soon as their respective
ports are uncovered. The Drawing, Fig. 1, shows the port and passage h just
opening, admitting the steam to cylinder D, the steam so admitted exerts its
pressure on the end of trunk A during the length of the stroke, the slide valve,
having changed its position as well understood, then brings the passage g to
coincide with the port h, which permits the steam admitted to the cylinder D,
as before described, to pass from that cylinder, through passage g, into cylinder
C, below the piston B, by port i; the ports h and i being placed in communica-
tion by the passage g in the valve, a similar and alternate action is produced
by the steam entering the port k when it is opened to the case H by valve G;
the steam thus admitted passes into the cylinder D', and takes effect on the
disc a or end of the trunk A, having acted thereon, and the stroke being com-
pleted. The valve G will now unite the passage k of the cylinder D¹ with the
port of the cylinder C above the piston by the passage f, as seen in the section,
Fig. 2; the steam, which before acted in cylinder D', will now act on the top
side of the piston B. Thus the steam which has acted in cylinder D is admitted
below the piston B, where it expands and acts simultaneously with the high-
pressure steam in cylinder D¹; on the other hand, the high-pressure steam
which has taken effect in cylinder D', is admitted above the piston B, and acts

page_text: simultaneously with the high-pressure steam in D; m is the eduction or
passage to the condenser.
It will be unnecessary to describe the further detail of these engines, as
the arrangement will be sufficiently understood by reference to the Drawings,
which, moreover, will necessarily be modified and arranged to suit the cor-
ditions of the engines required or the designs of the builder; also two piston
rods may be used instead of F, in which case they would be fixed in piston B.
The second part of our Invention, which relates to improvements in steam
generators or boilers, consists in the particular arrangement of parts repre-
sented in the Sheets 1 & 2 of the Drawings annexed. Fig. 6 represents a
central vertical section taken from front to back of a boiler, constructed
according to our Invention; Fig. 7 is also a vertical section of the same from
back to front through one of the furnaces on line a, b, Fig. 8, which is a
vertical section at right angles to the other, Figs. 6 & 7 showing also a
partial front view; Fig. 9, Sheet 3, is a horizontal section of the boiler on
on the line c, d, Sheet 3; Fig. 10, a like section on the line e, f. It will be
observed that this boiler, which may be termed an upright one, is of a rectan-
gular form, having at each side water and steam spaces A, A, extending the
whole height, and at the back a water space extending from B to C, while the
furnace doors, as also other doors for access to the smoke passages and to
the boiler, occupy the front; D, E, F, G, are four main parts forming with
these water spaces A, A, the body of the boiler; the first or lower one D
is a semi-cylindrical water space, on which the fire in the furnace imme-
diately plays; at a short distance above this is another water space E,
again above that a third water space F, while the cylindrical part G
at the upper part forms the steam chest. The water spaces D, E, &
E, F, are connected with each other by clusters of small tubes g, 9,
and the upper one F to steam chest G by a neck piece H; water spaces
might be substituted for the small tubes between D, E, & E, F, and small
tubes may be substituted for this neck piece. I is a vertical extension of the
steam chest, which may be termed a superheater, as it is situated in the
uptake, & we cause the steam to circulate therein before passing to the
engine. The products of combustion in the furnaces and beat, after impinging
on the bottom of D, & against the water spaces A, A, pass in the direction
indicated by the arrows between D & E amongst the small tubes I, thence up
the first and surrounding the man-hole tube, as also through small tubes h, h.
if desired; they now pass amongst the small tubes 9 connecting E & F, and
thence pass into the chamber containing the steam chest, from whence they
escape up the chimney; the escape thereto being restricted by a plates on one

page_text: side, to ensure a proper circulation around the steam chest. It will be
observed that the course of the products of combustion is prescribed and
ensured by the plates K, L, M, which extend and occupy the space between
the sides A, A, & parts D, E, F, & therefore stop the passage at those points.
P, P, are doors in the outer case or shell for admission to the smoke
passages; otherwise, the upper part of the boilers and smoke passages are
enclosed by a suitable shell or metal enclosure. Q is an aperture for the
admission of air to the furnace, to conduce to the combustion of the smoke.
The superheating chamber I is enclosed at bottom, and divided vertically by a
partition p, causing the steam to enter through holes in the steam chest, as
indicated by the red arrows, to ascend to the top, and again descend to the
steam pipe R to the engine. This superheating chamber may be further
divided, say, by cross partitions, so as to form four passages, causing four
traverses of the steam therein before escaping by the steam pipe R.
The further arrangement and construction of the parts of this boiler
will be readily understood from the Drawings, and therefore need no further
description.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we declare that what we claim as our Invention, to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the arrangement and combination of trunk engines with small high-
pressure cylinders, combined and acting in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before described. We also claim the arrangement of the slide valve
and several steam passages connected therewith, by which the same valve.
suffices for two small or bigh-pressure cylinders acting in combination with a
condensing or larger cylinder, as described.
Secondly, we claim the general arrangement of the steam boiler described
and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Gourlay and Ebenezer Kemp,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
HENRY GOURLAY. (L.S.)
EBENEZER KEMP. (L.S.)