AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REDUCING AND REGULATING THE QUANTITY, FORCE, OR PRESSURE OF STEAM
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Blake, of Accrington, in the County of Lan-
caster, Mechanic, and Richard Dugdale Kay, of the same Place,
Manufacturer of Patent Fabrics, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR REDUCING AND REGULATING THE QUANTITY, FORCE, OR
PRESSURE OF STEAM."
Sealed the 21st May 1858, and dated the 30th December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Blake and Richard
Dugdale Kay at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 30th December 1857.
We, JOHN BLAKE, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic,
and RICHARD DUGDALE KAY, of the same Place, Manufacturer of Patent
Fabrics, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REDUCING AND REGULATING THE QUANTITY, FORCE,
OR PRESSURE OF STEAM," to be as follows, that is, to consist of an apparatus
by which the quantity, force, or pressure of steam may be reduced to and
regularly maintained at a point or degree of pressure below that within the
boiler or steam generator after it has left the said boiler, and in such a
manner too that the steam direct from the boiler may still be used for
such purposes as the higher pressure is applicable to, while that which
has been reduced can be applied with facility and safety in instances where
the higher pressure would be dangerous and often entirely impracticable;
in other words, this Invention is for obtaining two or more pressures of steam
from one boiler, instead of using two or more boilers or generators for the

page_text: purpose, whereby much economy in capital and labour and great convenience
is the result.
The apparatus by which the above important results are obtained will be
best understood by reference to the accompanying outline Drawing, which is
a longitudinal section view. A, a case or box of cast iron or other suitable
metal, to one end of which is connected a pipe B to admit the steam, and to
the other end of which is fixed a pipe C to let out the steam. Inside this box,
fixed upon a pipe b, b, of iron, brass, or other suitable metal, are four discs or
double plates a, a, a, a, of copper, brass, caoutchouc, or other metal or material
having the properties required, namely, strength with elasticity, and the
capability of being soldered or cemented together, and to the pipe b, b, so as
to effectually exclude air or steam. This pipe b, b, which is formed of as
many separate lengths as there are discs, and connected together by the discs
only, has one end screwed into and through one side of the case, where it is
connected by an elbow-joint of iron to an upright pipe D, of iron, brass, or
other suitable metal, in which fits or slides a smaller pipe E, of brass, about
the same length, which is kept in air-tight connexion with the outer pipe by
the stuffing box c, c. At the top of this brass pipe is a cup or small reservoir F,
which may be left entirely open or covered with the perforated lid G. To the
other end of this disc pipe is attached a lever H, working on the pinion d at
the end of the bracket and bolt I, the said lever at the end e, being curved on
two sides, fits and works without pinion or other mode of fastening in a hole or
slot, correspondingly convex, at the end of an equilibrium valve spindle K, K,
ground to fit accurately to the seatings m, m, the said spindle being supported
by the two cross pieces of metal h and J.
Having now described the construction, we proceed to shew the action of
the apparatus.
The tube E, and the discs a, a, a, a, are filled with mercury by pouring it into
the cup F; by the pressure of this mercury the discs a, a, a, a, swell or
expand, the pipe b, b, elongates, and acting on the lever H opens the valve K, K.
The steam now being turned into the apparatus by the inlet pipe B, it passes
through the valve K, K, and as soon as it has filled all parts of the apparatus
and the pipe proceeding from it at C, acting upon the discs in proportion to
its pressure, it causes the said dises to collapse and the pipe b, b, to contract
or shorten, the mercury being forced up into the cup F. Simultaneously with
the contraction of the pipe, the valve K, K, is more or less closed, and the
quantity, force, or pressure of steam is then reduced or diminished in
accordance with the weight of the mercury employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Blake and Richard Dugdale Kay in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BLAKE, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic, and RICHARD
DUGDALE KAY, of the same Place, Manufacturer of Patent Fabrics, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
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 John Blake and Richard Dugdale Kay, Her special licence that we,
the said John Blake and Richard Dugdale Kay, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Blake and Richard Dugdale
Kay, 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 Kingdon of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
REDUCING AND REGULATING THE QUANTITY, FORCE, OR PRESSURE OF STEAM," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Blake and Richard
Dugdale Kay, 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 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 John Blake and Richard Dugdale
Kay, 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, (that is to say):-
Our improvements consist of certain arrangements of apparatus by which
the quantity, force, or pressure of steam may be reduced to and regularly
maintained at any desired point or degree of pressure below that within the
boiler or steam generator, so that two or more different pressures of steam
may be procured from one boiler instead of using two or more boilers for the
purpose, whereby great inconvenience is avoided, and much economy in capital.
and labour obtained.
The manner
in which our said Invention is to be performed will be clearly
>

page_text: understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, with the
figures and letters of reference thereon.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of our improved apparatus for reducing the
pressure of steam, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of part of a boiler, with
the apparatus in the interior.
a represents a chest or chamber of cast iron or
other suitable metal or material, having a pipe 6 for the admission of steam, and
another pipe c for its discharge. We place in the interior of the chamber or
boiler any suitable number of hollow discs or shells d, and attach them to short
pipes e, so as to form, when combined, an expanding and contracting pipe, one
end of which is closed, and the other end securely jointed over an aperture
in the end of the chest, communicating by means of an elbow f to an upright
pipe g, into the bore of which is fitted another pipe h, both being kept tight
at the length desired by means of the stuffing box i. At the top of the inuer
pipe h is a cup or reservoir j, which may be entirely open at the top, or covered
with the perforated lid k. To the other end of the disc pipe, as shewn in
Fig. 1, is attached a bent lever 1, working on the pin or fulcrum m at the end
of the bracket n. The lever l is curved at the end o, so as to work in a slot in
the spindle p of an equilibrium valve q, the seatings of which are at r, the
spindle being guided by the cross pieces s. In order to put the apparatus into
operation the upright pipes are adjusted to the length required for desired
pressure of steam, and mercury is poured into the cup, thereby filling the
pipes and discs, and elongating the disc pipe, which acts on the lever l, and
opens the valve. The steam now being turned into the apparatus by the inlet
pipe b, passes through the valve spaces, filling all parts of the apparatus and
also the discharge pipe c, and acts upon the discs according to its pressure,
thereby causing the said discs to collapse and the disc pipe to contract or
shorten, the mercury at the same time being forced into the cup or reservoir.
In proportion to the contraction of the disc pipe the valve is more or less
closed, and the quantity, force, or pressure of steam is then reduced or
diminished according to the weight of the column of mercury, the height of
which is easily adjusted to any pressure desired. In Fig. 2 the operation of
the shells or discs is precisely the same as described in Fig. 1, but the disc
pipe acts directly upon the equilibrium valve 9 without the intervention of a
lever, the steam escaping when the pressure is too high through the pipe t.
The float u also acts upon the equilibrium valve when the water is too low by
means of the socket v.
any
This reducing apparatus may be placed in any convenient position, either
outside the boiler or in any part between the boiler and machinery, where the
reduced pressure is required, and also any suitable number may be employed,

page_text: giving to each any degree of wire-drawn steam, and at the same time allowing
the boiler to give off high-pressure steam, if found desirable. Or the apparatus
may be placed within the boiler, and act as a regulator and safety valve; and
also, by connecting it with the float, give off the steam, and give notice when
the water in the boiler is too low.
The shells or discs are made of metal, or other suitable material uniting
strength with elasticity, and capable of being joined or cemented together, so
as to effectually exclude air or steam, and also the form of the apparatus
and arrangement of the parts may be suited to the circumstances required.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be distinctly.understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein set forth, as
such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle thereof;
but we claim as our Invention, and which to the best of our knowledge and
belief has not been hitherto used within the realm, the employment of an
apparatus having hollow discs or shells connected to short tubes, altogether
forming an expanding and contracting pipe, having its motion governed by a
column of mercury and the generated pressure of steam, the said motion acting
upon an equilibrium valve, and regulating the wire-drawn pressure of the
steam which passes through the apparatus, as herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Blake, for and on behalf of myself
and the said Richard Dugdale Kay, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Blake, in the
presence of
JOHN BLAKE. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Blake, in the
presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN BLAKE. (L.S.)