IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Spencer, of Rochdale, in the County
of Lancaster, Manager, and Edmund Taylor, of the same place,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
AND BOILERS."
Sealed the 23rd April 1853, and dated the 3rd November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Spencer
and Edmund Taylor at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd November 1852.
We, HENRY SPENCER and EDMUND TAYLOR, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND
BOILERS" to be as follows:-
Our improvements consist,―
Firstly, in the adaptation of an excentric as a medium for operating
upon the throttle valve. At one end of a shaft which is caused to
turn upon its centre by the action of the governor we fix an ordinary
excentric, the strap of which is provided with a rod in connection with
a lever of the throttle valve.

page_text: Secondly, in the adaptation of apparatus for stopping the engine,
upon a part thereof becoming broken or deranged: this we effect by
causing valves to be opened or closed by reason of the new position of
parts consequent upon the derangement of the engine, the closing
of such valves shutting off the access of steam to the engine, or the
opening of the same allowing steam to escape or admitting air. Thus,
for instance, we place a lever or other suitable apparatus above and
below the beam of the engine, which so long as it vibrates properly
will move clear of such lever or apparatus; but should any derange-
ment cause the beam to move too far, then it will arrive in contact
with the said apparatus, and, by causing it to move, open or shut a
valve connected therewith, and so arrest the motion of the engine. In
like manner we apply an apparatus within the cylinder, with which
the piston, or any part lying thereon, will arrive in contact in cases of
derangement, and by so doing open or shut a valve, so as to take off or
neutralize the force of steam.
Thirdly, in a peculiar form of throttle valve. Between a portion of
the steam pipe and the engine we apply a stationary ring or piston,
which is enclosed by a conical tube situate within a steam chamber:
the conical tube is inoveable, its operation being regulated by the
governor, by which it is therefore caused to rise and fall; upon the
former motion taking place, a larger diameter thereof is carried level
with the stationary piston, which it therefore now no longer fits, and
the steam is allowed to pass on to the engine; the same motion also
opening a space between the conical tube and the steam pipe for the
same purpose.
Fourthly, in the application of a plate to steam boilers calculated to
burst at a pressure which it would be dangerous for the boiler to be
subjected to; the said plate being enclosed within a strong casing, so
that in case of explosion destruction of life and property may be
avoided.
Fifthly, in the application of a screw motion to the purpose of
admitting water to steam boilers. The float of any ordinary construe-
tion by rising or falling causes the screw to act upon the admission
valve, and thereby open or shut off the feed.

page_text: Sixthly, in the application of glass for constituting the eye through
which the feed rod of steam boilers passes.
Seventhly, in a method of heating the water before it passes into
tubular boilers. The smoke box is on its sides surrounded by a casing,
into which the water is passed; from thence it is conducted into a
chamber situate within the smoke box; from which chamber it is
conveyed to a casing at the end of the smoke box, and, lastly, to the
boiler
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Spencer and Edmund Taylor in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 3rd May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
HENRY SPENCER, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Manager,
and EDMUND TAYLOR, of the same place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Henry Spencer and Edmund Taylor, Her
special license that we, the said Henry Spencer and Edmund Taylor,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Henry Spencer and Edmund Taylor, our executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES AND BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Henry Spencer and Edmund Taylor, by an instrument in
writing under our bands 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Spencer and Edmund
Taylor, 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
Drawing (that is to say):
Our improvements consist,-Firstly, in a method of stopping the
engine upon a part thereof becoming broken or disarranged. Secondly,
in an arrangement of throttle valve to be worked by the "governor;"
the peculiar feature being the employment of a conical surface, the
position of the various diameters of which, being altered in reference to
a disc or pistol, affords an enlarged or diminished area of steam passage.
Thirdly, in the employment of a screw motion for admitting water to
steam boilers. Fourthly, in the adaptation of glass constituting eyes
for the passage of float rods of steam boilers. Fifthly, in the applica-
tion of a plate to boilers, which, upon an excessive pressure taking
place, will act as a safety valve.
And in order fully to explain our Invention we will refer to a
Sheet of Drawings accompanying this our Specification. Fig. 1,
is a partial side view of a steam engine, shewing our first improve-
ment applied. The beam a, a, is furnished at each end with a
projecting part b, which consequently moves therewith, and between
the points of vibration are studs c, c, affixed to bars d, d, mounted
so as to be capable of sliding in guides e, e, attached to the frame-
work of the engine; the bars d, are situate behind those marked,
and move independantly thereof in separato guides; the lower ends
of the bars, are attached to arms f, f, which arms are connected by
means of links g, g, to levers i, attached to a shaft h, mounted
in stationary bearings j, j. Upon the shaft h, is a lever k, the
outward end of which is jointed to a vertical rod *, connected at 1,
to a lever capable of turning upon a centre m, and carrying at its
other extremity a valve n, which closes a passage to the interior of
the steam cylinder; a continuation of the lever k, situate on the
other side of the shaft h, is furnished with a rod q, jointed at
bottom to a lever o, which lever turns upon a centre p, and carries
on one side thereof a valve u, capable of opening to the interior
of the steam cylinder. Upon the pipe r, leading to the condenser,

page_text: Is a valve s, the upper part of which is furnished with a toothep
bar, into a notch of which a click t, projects, the lower end thereof
being jointed to the lever o. The ordinary throttle valve of the
engine is shewn at it, connected by a rod and arm to the extremity of
the lever o. The bars d, are connected to the shaft h, by means of rods
similar to those shewn at f, g, in reference to the bars d*, but the
levers corresponding to those shewn at i, are upon the other side of the
shaft h, so that the downward motion of the one will cause an upward
motion of the other. The valves n, v, which are applied to the steam
cylinder, are to be weighted by any ordinary method, the apparatus for
which we have not thought it necessary to shew in the Drawing.
Upon the crank shaft w, one end of a lover a, is placed, its other end
being connected to a rod y, which rod is jointed at top to a lever
affixed to the shaft h, and extending towards the opposite side of the
figure, and consequently in the same direction as the connecting levers
belonging to the bars d, d. The gudgeon, upon which the engine beam
turns, has also a lever, resting thereon, its other end being connected
by rods to the shaft h. Within the steam cylinder there is a plate 1,
suspended on one side from the valve n, and on the other by a pin
capable of moving in a guide. The levers, 2, are weighted, as shewn
in the Drawing, in order to counterbalance the other parts of the appa-
ratus described. The operation of our improvements is as follows:-
During the ordinary working of the engine the bars d, d*, shaft h, and
other parts connected therewith, will remain as shewn in the Drawing,
and consequently the valves n, v, 8, will continue closed; but suppose
that from any derangement the beam should vibrate in the direction of
the arrows beyond its proper limits, then the projecting parts 6, will
arrive in contact with the pins c, c*, by striking the former of which
the connections f, g, will be carried downward, and those correspond-
ding thereto and connected to the bar d, upward, thereby turning the
shaft h, upon its centre: this motion, through the agency of the levers i, k,
will cause the rod k*, to descend, thereby turning the lever i, upon its
centre, and opening the valve n, so as to allow an escape of steam;
at the same time the lever upon the other side of the shaft h, and
corresponding to that shewn at k, will raise the rod 7, which, being
caused to turn upon its centre, will simultaneously open the valves v, 8,

page_text: and cause the throttle valve u, to turn upon its centre, thus admitting
air into the cylinder beneath the piston, and also into the condenser,
and shutting off the supply of steam. Should the beam of the engine
vibrate beyond its proper extent in the other direction, then, by
arriving in contact with the other pins of the bars d, d, the same turn-
ing of the shaft h, and consequent opening of the valves, will take
place. If the crank shaft should become broken or disarranged, then
the lever, will be moved upon its centre, and through the rod Y, will
effect a turning of the shaft h, so as to shift the valves, as already
described, which operation will also take place upon the gudgeon of
the engine beam breaking; for in that case the lever z, will move
upon its centre, so as to cause the shaft h, to be turned, and act upon
the valves as before. The plate 1, is adapted within the steam cylinder
for the purpose of bringing the stopping apparatus into operation if a
bolt or other loose part should lie on the top of the piston, for in such
case the loose part will arrive in contact with the plate 1, and con-
sequently lift the valve n, which lifting will cause the shaft h, to turn,
and consequently, through the rods k*, q, open the valves n, v, s, and
close the throttle valve. By this part of our improvements, therefore,
the steam will be cut off from the engine immediately upon any main
part becoming deranged, and the expansive force of that steam already
admitted neutralized, so as to prevent further damage.
We desire it to be understood, however, that although we have
shewn the apparatus as applied to several parts of the engine, yet
we do not confine ourselves to such combination, as it may be
adapted to one or more parts, as desired. Our improved valve is
shewn in section at Fig" 2, and 8; the steam pipe is at a, u, provided
with a chamber b, b, on the top of which is a stuffing box for re-
ceiving a rod c; this rod is connected at top to a lever d, one end
thereof turning upon a centre e, and the other connected to a rod f,
proceeding to the governor. The lower end of the rod e, carries a
conical valve g, seated upon the steam pipe a, at bottom, and upon a
stationary disc h, at top, which disc is supported by a rod i, bolted to
the steam pipe; the rod i, also acting as a guide for the valve g. Ac-
cording to the position shewn in the Drawing the steam way is closed,
but when in action the valve will be lifted up so as to allow the steam

page_text: As the
to flow between it and the seats, as indicated by the arrows.
valve g, is raised by the action of the governor its conical shape will
cause a larger internal diameter to arrive opposite to the fixed disc h,
and consequently the area of steam passage will be enlarged; the
descent of the valve will consequently again decrease the passage, and
thus the quantity of steam admitted to the engine will be regulated;
it will be observed, however, that the steam will also enter between the
bottom of the valve and its seat. A modification of this part of our
improvements is shewn at Figure 4; in this instance the valve g. is
placed in a horizontal position, and is mounted so as to slide upon a
rod i, fixed within the steam pipe a, and to which rod the stationary disc
h, is attached. The narrow part of the valve g, is embraced by a fork d,
provided with slots which enclose pins k. The axle 1, of the fork
passes through stuffing boxes, and is caused to turn by the action
of the governor, whereby an increasing or decreasing diameter of
the conical part of the valve will be brought opposite to the fixed disc,
and the area of steam passage increased or decreased accordingly.
We have mentioned the valve as moveable, and the disc stationary,
but it will be obvious that, if desired, the latter may be connected
to the governor, and the former caused to remain stationary.
Our third and fourth improvements are shown at Figure 4. A
pipe a, is provided with two valves b, b, connected together by a
rod and adapted to suitable scats; above and below these valves
there are apertures c, c, communicating with each other, as shown
in the Drawing, and d, is a pipe proceeding from the source of
water supply. To the upper valve b, is connected, by means of a
swivel joint, a screw e, working in a screw box which closes the top
of the pipe a; upon this screw is mounted a pulley f, around which is
passed a cord g, one end of which is attached to a stationary part, and
the other to the rod h, of the ordinary float i; the rod h, passes through
a stuffing box, the gland of which is lined with a piece of glass k.
Upon the float falling so as to distend and carry down the cord g, the
pulley f, will be turned, carrying with it the screw e, and causing the
valves b, to be lifted from their seats, and as the pressure of the fluid
will be exerted to raise the upper one and depress the lower, an
equilibrium will be established, and, consequently but little power

page_text: required to open the valves. The water will now flow into the boiler,
that which has passed upward through the seat of the top valve
returning by the pipe which connects the orifices c, c.
Our next improvement is also shewn in Figure 3; to any convenient
part of the boiler we apply a comparatively thin plate of metal or of
other material 1, of such strength as will give way upon a pressure
taking place higher than that at which the boiler should work, and we
enclose this weak part by a pipe m, which may be continued to any
situation where the steam may be allowed to escape. This weak part
of the boiler will, by bursting, relieve the undue pressure, and as the
steam will rush into an enclosed part, damage will be prevented.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire
it to be understood that we claim,-Firstly, tho adaptation to steam
engines of apparatus which, upon a breakage or derangement of any
of the main parts taking place, will, in consequence of the new position
assumed by such parts, operate upon valves for arresting the flow and
neutralizing the force of the steam. Secondly, as applied to throttle
valves, the combination of a moveable conical surface with a fixed
piston or disc, or of a moveable disc or piston with a fixed conical sur-
face. Thirdly, the application of a screw motion brought into operation
by a float for admitting water to steam boilers. Fourthly, the appli-
cation of an eye formed of glass, through which the float rod of steam
boilers passes. Fifthly, the application of an enclosed plate forming a
portion of the boiler, but comparatively weak, and calculated to burst
if an excessive pressure be attained.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Spencer and Edmund
Taylor, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day
of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three.
www
HENKY SPENCER.
(L.B.)
EDMUND TAYLOR. (L.S.)