CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William MacNaught, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and William MacNaught, of Manchester, in the
same County, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES,"
Sealed the 22nd January 1858, and dated the 8th October 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William MacNaught and
William MacNaught at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
'their Petition, on the 8th October 1857.
We, WILLIAM MACNAUGHT, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and WILLIAM MACNAUGHT, of Manchester, in the same County,
Engineer, do hereby declare our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists, first, in an improved framing for beam engines, in
which the beam pedestals are mounted directly on the top of the pillars, the
entablature and spring beams being attached to the side of such pillars
instead of being placed upon them.
Secondly, in an improved combination, principally adapted for direct-acting
engines, by which the side walls of the engine house are made more effective
in giving steadiness to the working parts than heretofore, whilst the said parts
are more accessible, which arrangement is applicable to single or.compound
engines. By "side walls" is here meant the walls at right angles with the

page_text: crank or fly wheel shaft. The cylinder or cylinders and air pump are placed
close to a side wall, with an entablature carrying the crank end of the fly
wheel shaft, which entablature may be supported either by piers projecting
from the side wall, or by metal pillars, and attached to the side wall for
lateral stability, the crank working in the space between the said entablature
and the side wall.
Thirdly, in an improved means of taking off the pressure from the back of
slide valves, by means of a plate and a thin flexible metal diaphragm, instead
of packing.
Fourthly, in an improved method of regulating the travel of the slide valve
of steam engines, effected by a novel combination of ratchets and wheels in
connection with the governor, and actuated by the vibratory action of the
rocking shaft, or any other convenient moving part of the engine.
Fifthly, in an improved method of letting off water out of cylinders by
means of a valve, which is kept to its seat by the pressure of steam, instead
of springs or weights, as heretofore.
Sixthly, in a novel mode of lubricating vertical or oscillating cylinders
through the stuffing box of the piston rod, and conveying the lubricant to the
circumference of the piston, by means of the feeding apparatus actuated by
a ratchet wheel and pipes radiating from the piston rod to the circumference
of the piston.
Seventhly, in a novel mode of lubricating vertical or oscillating cylinders
consisting in providing or perforating holes through the "sides" of the
cylinders (out of the range of the piston), through which the lubricant is
conveyed or conducted by a pipe or pipes to the sides of the cylinder.
Eighthly, in a novel contrivance for connecting one lubricating "feeder"
to two or more cylinders, or two or more points in one cylinder, consisting
of a hollow screw with perforations connecting a branched apparatus to the
said "feeder."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William MacNaught and William MacNaught in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRÉSENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
MCNAUGHT, of Rochdale,, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and WILLIAM
MCNAUGHT, of Manchester, in the same County, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her.most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William McNaught and William McNaught, Her especial license,
that we, the said William McNaught and William McNaught, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William McNaught
and William McNaught, 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 " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition, amongst others, that
we, the said William McNaught and William McNaught, (or one of us,) by au
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us, 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 William McNaught, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
Our improvement consists first, in an improved framing for beam engines,
in which the beam pedestals are mounted directly on the top of the pillars,
the entablature and spring beams being attached to the sides of such pillars
instead of being placed upon them.
Secondly, in an improved combination, principally adapted for direct-acting
engines, by which the side walls of the engine house are made more effective
in giving steadiness to the working parts than heretofore, whilst the said
parts are more accessible, which arrangement is applicable to single or
compound engines. By "side walls" is here meant the walls at right
angles to the crank or fly wheel shaft. The cylinder or cylinders and air
pump are placed close to a side wall, with an entablature carrying the crank
end of the fly wheel shaft, which entablature may be supported either by
piers projecting from the side wall, or by metal pillars, and attached to the
side wall for lateral stability, the crank working in the space between the
said entablature and the side wall.
Thirdly, in an improved means of taking off the pressure from the back
of slide valves, by means of a plate and a thin flexible metal diaphram,
instead of packing.

page_text: Fourthly, in an improved method of regulating the travel of the slide valves
of steam engines, effected by a novel combination of ratchets and wheels in
connection with the governor, and actuated by the vibratory action of the
rocking shaft, or any other convenient moving part of the engine.
Fifthly, in an improved method of letting off water out of the cylinders
by means of a valve, which is kept to its seat by the pressure of steam,
instead of springs or weights, as heretofore.
Sixthly, in a novel mode of lubricating vertical and oscillating cylinders
through the stuffing box of the piston rod, and conveying the lubricant to
the circumference of the piston.
Seventhly, in a novel mode of lubricating vertical or oscillating cylinders,
consisting in providing or perforating holes through the "sides" of the
cylinder (out of the range of the piston), through which the lubricant is
conveyed or conducted by a pipe or pipes to the sides of the cylinder.
Eighthly, in a novel contrivance for connecting one lubricating "feeder" to
two or more cylinders, or two or more points in one cylinder, consisting of
a hollow screw with perforations connecting a branched apparatus to the
said feeder.
In order that the Invention may be more clearly understood and explained
in detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, having similar
letters of reference marked upon corresponding parts of the apparatus.
Figs. 1 and 2 are illustrative of the first part of our Invention, which
consists in extending the main columns to the height required for fixing the
main centre pedestals directly on the top of these columns (or casting them
on the columns), and attaching the entablature and spring beams to the
sides of such columns. Fig. 1 represents a side view of one of such main
centre pedestals; a being the pedestal; b, b, the entablature beams;
and c, c, the spring beams.
The second part of our improvements are embodied in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, which represent different methods of carrying out this arrangement.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent a side elevation and plan view of these
arrangements
as applied to a compound engine; a¹ and a² are the cylinders, fixed on a
sufficient foundation close to and partly let into the wall; the cylinder a' is
shewn prepared for the reception of the pillars c, c, which support the crank
entablature d; in this instance the crank shaft pedestal is represented as cast
on the entablature; the other crank shaft pedestal is secured in the opposite
side wall e; the entablature is firmly bolted to the wall b, and additional
stability is given to it by the plate or flange f, which may be cast separate or
on the entablature, and securely fixed to the wall 6; this flange or plate also

page_text: serves for a stage or platform. The air pump is worked by a short lever
or beam, which connects the two cylinders, and which is arranged to act
as a parallel motion for the piston rod; Figs. 5, 6, represent a similar
arrangement to Figs. 3, 4, but with the cylinder and crank shaft reversed,
or the cylinder in this case is placed at the top, and the crank shaft at the
bottom. Figs. 7 and 8 represent an arrangement in which stone piers c, c, are
used for supporting the entableture and crank shaft; these piers are built in
the wall, and the foundations for the cylinder form part of the piers; in such
arrangement the air pump and condensor are placed next the fly wheel
wall, and the air pump is double-acting, and actuated by an excentric.
Figs. 9 and 10 represent another arrangement, in which the cylinder and
crank pedestal are fixed to one rigid frame a, a, which is secured to the
pier b, extending between and built in the two side walls of the engine
house, the pier being provided with an aperture for the fly wheel to work
in. In all these arrangement the air pump may be worked, as shewn, by
two rods or levers, which at the same time may be arranged to act as a
parallel motion for the piston rod.
The third part of our Invention, relating to an improved method of relieving
the pressure from the backs of slide valves, is shewn in Figs. 11 and 12,
which represent sections of the ports and face of the steam cylinder, with
valve and valve box; a being the valve; b, b, the valve box; ca diaphragm of
thin sheet metal; and d is a metal plate, truly surfaced, which bears on the
back of the slide valve, which is also truly surfaced parallel to the face; the
plate d is kept to the back of the valve by means of set pins, as shewn in the
Drawing. The steam is allowed to pass freely by the sides of the valve to the
top and bottom of the valve box, but prevented from getting to the back of the
plate by the flexible metal diaphragm c, and thus relieving the valve from the
pressure on the back, the flexibility of the diaphragm allows the plate to
follow the wearing of the surfaces.
The fourth part of our Invention, relating to regulating the time or length
of travel by the slide valves, for the purpose of varying the amount of "cut off,"
is shewn in Figs. 13, 14 and 15, which represent respectively a side and end
view and a plan of a method of carrying this into effect. a represents the
valve lever actuated by the excentric rod b; the gab end of this lever is
doubled, as shewn, and to the pin (which slides in a slot) is attached the
link c, connected to the lever d, keyed on the shaft e; to this shaft is attached
the lever f, and the friction wheel and clip g; to the lever f the lever h is
attached, the other end of which is suspended by the rod i, which is connected
to the "governor;" the lever his prepared with an opening containing notches

page_text: or ratchets, as shewn in the Drawing. The frame; is fixed securely to the
engine bed or framing, and in it is a slot, in which slides, a catch k, with one
or more notches, actuated in this case by the link attached to the excentric
rod. The mode of action is as follows:-When the engine is going at the
proper speed, the governor keeps the lever / suspended clear of the catch / ;
but if the speed increases, the governor raises the lever 1, and the catch /
acting upon it raises the pin in the gab lever by means of the levers and d.
and thus diminishes the travel of the valve, and induces an earlier "cut off","
the friction clip retaining it in its now position; the reverse action takes place
when the engine goes too slow. The lever h, instead of being connected to the
lever, may be made to actuate a train of wheels by thrusting or pulling at a
rack geered in such wheels, which may convey motion to any of the extant
mechanical arrangements for varying the position of slide valves or cams; for
instance, to a right and left hand screw, or to the intermediate wheel of any
differential movement, or to a helical grooved boss, all which are common
and well known; or the link 7, instead of being connected to the catch,
may be connected to the lever h, if preferred, and the catch / will in such
case be connected with the "governor" of the engine.
The fifth part of our Invention, relating to a novel method of allowing the
water to escape from the cylinders of steam engines, is shewn in Fig. 16, and
which represents a section of a box and valve; the port or nozzle a is attached
to any convenient part of the cylinder, and the chamber b is connected to the
steam pipe or boiler; the ports c, c, communicate with the cylinder, and the
passage or pipe d is the outlet for the water; these ports are covered by
the valve e. The action is as follows:-The valve e is pressed to its bearing
by the pressure of steam in the boiler, and if the water accumulates in the
cylinder, the piston forces the valve e from the seating, and allows the water
to escape, the steam afterwards retaining the valve e in its place. Fig. 17
represents a plan view of the same.
The sixth part of our Invention relates to the lubrication of the cylinders,
whether stationary or oscillating through the stuffing boxes of such cylinders,
by any automatic feeder generally, and also in a novel feeding apparatus
(shewn at Fig. 18), in which a is a vessel containing the lubricant; b is a
shaft, with an eccentric cand a ratchet wheel d; at e there is a bush screwed
into the bottom of the vessel a, in which works a loosely fitting plug f, con-
nected by a link to the eccentric c; the plug has a fast conical collar at one
end, and an adjustable one at the other; rotatory motion being given to the
ratchet wheel, by connecting it to any convenient moving part of the engine,
the plug moves up and down, and the said collars press alternately on the

page_text: upper and lower surfaces of the bush; this conveys the lubricant into the
cell g,partly by adhesion, and partly by the said collars compressing it down
around the plug, assisted by gravitation. We find that in some instances the
ratchet wheel may be dispensed with, as the pressure of the steam raises the
plug, and the exhaust allows it to fall, causing the requisite motion. When
the instrument is intended to act in this manner, we adopt a close top and a
pipe (as shewn by the dotted lines) from the cell y io the cistern a, with a
cock to regulate the pressure in the cistern a, as shewn in the Drawing.
Fig. 19 shews the method of connecting one lubricating "feeder" to two or
more cylinders, or to two or more points in one cylinder; this is effected by
screwing the hollow screw into the bottom of the cell g, so that the lubricant
may be conveyed to as many points as required through the pipe or series
of pipes i, i.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, together with the
most preferable method with which we are acquainted for carrying the same
into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim,―
First, the general construction, combination, and arrangement of the
various parts of steam engines (whether compound or otherwise) as herein-
before described.
And, secondly, the application of any automatic feeder to the stuffing box
of the cylinder, as well as the application of the particular form and con-
struction of "feeder" for lubricating cylinders, as shewn in Fig. 18, as
herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached, whether such "feeder" be applied to the stuffing box or any other
convenient part of the cylinders of steam engines.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McNaught, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
WM. MCNAUGHT, (L.S.)
(of Manchester).