IMPROVEMENTS THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF OSCILLATING STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Simeon Deacon, of the Kennet Ironworks,
Reading, in the County of Berks, for. the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF OSCILLATING STEAM ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Simeon Deacon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
October 1866.
I, SIMEON DEACON, of the Kennet Ironworks, Reading, in the County of
Berks, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF OSCILLATING STEAM ENGINES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention consists in adapting a combined steam chest and valve to
the cylinders of oscillating steam engines whereby all steam connections with
the trunions of the cylinders are dispensed with. The following is an example
of the means by which the above object may be accomplished:-There is a
raised face near each end of the cylinder with a steam port formed in the
centre of each. The steam chest is a fixed hollow box with a partition
therein, so that one half of the said chest communicates with the exhaust,
and the other half with the steam pipe leading from the boiler. The said
chest is formed with steam and exhaust ports at top and bottom of the faces
of the said chest corresponding with the ports in the before-mentioned raised
faces upon the cylinder. One of the trunions of the cylinder passes through
the said steam chest, so that as the cylinder oscillates the ports in the faces
thereof will be brought opposite to the steam or the exhaust ports in the

page_text: steam chest, according to the position of the piston in the cylinder, that is to
say, suppose the piston to be at the bottom of the cylinder, the steam port at
the top of the cylinder will be opposite to the exhaust port in the steam chest,
and vice versa when the piston is at the top of the cylinder. And for varying
the cutting off of the steam I propose to employ a loose plate placed between
the cylinder and the steam chest, which may be worked by an excentric or
other suitable means. The faces of the steam chest and cylinder may be
kept in close contact by set screws passed through the framing of the engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Simeon Deacon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SIMEON
DEACON, of the Kennet Ironworks, Reading, in the County of Berks, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Simeon Deacon, Her special licence that I, the said Simeon Deacon,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Simeon
Deacon, 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 of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF OSCILLATING STEAM ENGINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Simeon Deacon, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 Simeon Deacon, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say-

page_text: This Invention consists in adapting a combined steam chest and valve
to the cylinders of oscillating steam engines whereby all steam connections
with the trunions of the cylinders are dispensed with. The following is
an example of the means by which the above object may be accom-
plished:-There is a raised face near each end of the cylinders with a steam
port formed in the centre of each. The steam chest is a fixed hollow box
with a partition therein, so that one half of the said chest communicates
with the exhaust, and other half with the steam pipe leading from the
boiler;
the said chest is formed with steam and exhaust ports at top and
bottom of the faces of the said chest corresponding with the ports in the
before-mentioned raised faces upon the cylinder. One of the trunions of the
cylinder passes through the said steam chest, so that as the cylinder oscillates
the ports in the faces thereof will be brought opposite to the steam or the
exhaust ports in the steam chest, according to the position of the piston in
the cylinder, that is to say, suppose the piston to be at the bottom of the
cylinder the steam port at the top of the cylinder will be opposite to the
exhaust port in the steam chest, and vice versâ when the piston is at the top
of the cylinder. And for varying the cutting off of the steam I. propose to
employ a loose plate placed between the cylinder and, the steam chest, which
may worked by an excentric or other suitable means. The faces of the
steam chest and cylinder may be kept in close contact by set screws passed
through the framing of the engine.
'
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters
of reference marked thereon respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
:
Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the cylinder of an oscillating steam
engine shewn partly in section, and as it would appear when constructed and
arranged according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is an elevation at A;
Figure 3 an end elevation, Figure 4 plan, and Figure 5 elevation of cylinder
detached; Figure 6 is an edge view of my improved steam chest, Figure 7
an elevation thereof, Figure 8 a section through the line A, B, at Figure 7;
Figure 9 is an elevation, Figure 10 an edge view, and Figure 11 a
top plan view of an expansion plate hereafter particularly described and
referred to.
At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to

page_text: denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at
each of such said Figures respectively.
A marks the cylinder; B, B', trunions, which may be formed solid; C,
portion of framing to carry the cylinder; D, D, lugs and bosses formed
on C; E, E, set screws passing through screwed holes in the bosses of D;
these screws are employed to keep the faces of the steam chest G and
expansion plate II in close contact with the faces of the ports on the cylinder,
as seen at Figure 5, where a, a, mark the steam ports. The construction of
the steam chest G will be best understood by referring to Figures 6, 7, 8,
where b, b, mark the induction and c, c, the eduction ports; I, the supply pipe,
and K the exhaust; the dotted lines d, d, mark the partition in the steam
chest. The construction of the expansion plate is shewn at Figures 9, 10, 11,
where e, e, mark openings or ports; f, f, faces of the plate H, which together
with the faces on the steam chest and cylinder should be made true and
steam-tight. The part g of the plate H is for the purpose of connecting a
rod thereto to be worked by an excentric for cutting off the steam at any
desired part of the stroke, as usually practised in steam engines working
expansively.
66
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of. my said
Invention for Improvements in the Construction of certain Parts of
Oscillating Steam Engines," together with the best means I am acquainted
with for carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion
that I hereby declare my Invention to consist in and I claim combining a
steam chest and valve or expansion plate with the cylinder of an oscillating
steam engine, or combining a steam chest with the cylinder when the steam
is not required to be worked expansively, in the manner and for the purpose
above described with reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings as
constituting "Improvements in the Construction of certain Parts of Oscillating
Steam Engines."
In witness whereof, I, the said Simeon Deacon, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
SIMEON DEACON. (L.S.)