CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Joyce, of Greenwich, in the County.
of Kent, Engineer, and Thomas Meacham, of the same place,
Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE
STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 19th May 1854, and dated the 21st November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Joyce and
Thomas Meacham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 21st November 1853.
We, 'WILLIAM JOYCE, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, En-
gineer, and THOMAS MEACHAM, of the same place, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MARINE STEAM ENGINES" to be as follows:-
Our Invention-has-reference to certain improvements-in-direct action
marine steam engines. The accompanying Drawing represents a
longitudinal section of an engine, showing our improvements therein.
F, is the cylinder which is placed in a horizontal position, the bottom
and cover F, F, are cast of a curved form, as shown; G, is the piston,
the centre of which corresponds in form with the parts marked F', F";

page_text: the periphery of the piston is packed in the ordinary manner. The
piston is fitted with double rods H, H', which pass through the stuffing
boxes I, I, at each end of the cylinder; by this arrangement of double
piston rods, the piston is prevented from wearing the cylinder more in
one direction than another. The rods H, H', are secured to the cross
"
head K; L, is a connecting rod attached to the crank M; when the
piston is at the back of the cylinder (or at its farthest point from the
crank), the end of the connecting rod will be within, the curved recess
of the cylinder cover; N, is a guide rod keyed to the cross head K; to
the end of this rod is keyed the piston rod O, of the air pump P. The
air pump is double acting; Q, is the piston; R, R, the valves; in this
arrangement we do not use either spindles or guides for the valves.
In fitting an engine of this kind in a vessel for the purpose of pro-
pelling, we place it across the keel, the engine upon one side and the
air pump upon the other, so as to counterpoise each other. We
reserve the right to, vary the details of our Invention, but, substantially,
the foregoing is a description; thereof. in
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Joyce and Thomas Meacham in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we
WILLIAM JOYCE, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Engineer, and
THOMAS MEACHAM, of the same place, Engineer, send greeting.
Ft..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen, Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred-and-fifty-three,.in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us,, the said William Joyce and Thomas Meacham, Her
special licence that we, the said William Joyce and Thomas Meacham,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Joyce and Thomas Meacham, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time

page_text: 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 MARINE
STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
William Joyce and Thomas Meacham, or one of us, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
saine 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 Joyce, for myself and
the said Thomas Meacham, 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: state-
ment:
Our Invention consists of improvements in direct acting-steam
engines of that class or description known as trunk engines. On
account of their reduced height and compactness, these engines are well
adapted for driving the screw propeller of vessels fitted with that
auxiliary power, as they can be placed much lower in the ship and
occupy less space than the side lever or other similar description of
engine used for marine propulsion. The object of our Invention is to
give additional compactness to the engine, and to-so arrange it that the
weight may be evenly distributed over the portion of the vessel which
it occupies. The first part of our Invention has reference to improve-
ments in the cylinder, the piston of which we make of a hollow or cup
like form in the centre, the bottom and cover of the cylinder being of.a
corresponding shape. The recess in the cylinder cover receives the
end of the connecting rod attached to the crank of the propeller shaft;
by this arrangement the crank may be-placed--much-nearer to the
cylinder. than in ordinary, and the space occupied by the engine pro-
portionably decreased. The second part of our improvements consists
in arranging the different parts of the engine so that its weight may
be equally distributed on each side of the vessel's keel.

page_text: Fig. 1, of, the accompanying Drawings represents an elevation of an
engine with our improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2, is a vertical sec-
tion of the same; and Fig. 3, is a plan of a pair of engines on this prin-
ciple. A, A, is the cylinder which is placed in a horizontal direction; the
end B, and cover C, are cast of a curved form, as shewn in the Drawing,
to correspond with the central portion D, of the piston, which is made
to fit each end of the cylinder as accurately as the ordinary form; the
periphery is packed in the ordinary manner. The piston is fitted with
two rods E, E¹, which pass through the stuffing boxes F, F, in the
cylinder cover, and through corresponding boxes G, G', in the end of
the cylinder. By this arrangement the piston is equally supported at
the upper and lower points, which prevents it bearing upon the cylinder
more in one direction than in another, and by its weight causing the
cylinder to assume an oval or irregular figure. The piston rods E, E,
are keyed to the-cross-head-G, which-is curved-inwards to correspond
or nearly so with the curve of the cylinder cover; to the inner part of
this curve is fitted the axis G, of the connecting rod H. The connecting
rod H, is jointed at the outer end to the crank pin I, which drives
the propelling shaft K; this portion of the engine is supported by the
framing L, L. To the lower side of the cross head G, is keyed the rod
M, which travels in the lugs N, N; to this rod is fastened the piston
rod of the pump 0, which may be double or single-acting, and
arranged as shewn in the Drawing; P, is the condenser; Q, the valves.
The other parts of the engine do not differ from those in ordinary use,
and therefore need not be particularly referred to here.
In fitting
these engines on shipboard, we propose to place them across the vessel,
the cylinders upon one side of the keel, and the condensers, &c. on the
opposite side, so as to divide the weight as equally as possible.
In conclusion, we desire it to be understood, that we do not confine
ourselves to the precise details herein described and shewn so long as
the principle of our Invention is adhered to, or to the particular use to
which an engine such as herein described and shewn may be applied;
but what we claim is,-
Firstly, the particular form and construction of the cylinder, piston,
and piston rods, the piston having two or more rods projecting through

page_text: both ends of the cylinder, and working in suitable stuffing boxes, as
herein-before described and shewn by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, the general arrangement of the various parts of the engine,
as herein described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Joyce, for myself and
the said Thomas Meacham, have hereunto set my hand and
'seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
89, Chancery Lane.
W. JOYCE. (L.S.)

page_text: LONDON: Irmed by GEORGE EDWARD EYRE and WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE.
Printers to the Queen's most Excellent. Majesty. 18.54.