IMPROVE- BERNTO IN STRAM ENGINES AND BOLLERS STEAM BOILE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Parsons, of West Lambrook, in the
County of Somerset, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
BERNTO IN STRAM ENGINES AND BOLLERS"
T
Sealed the 23rd December 1853, and dated the 10th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Parsons
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th August 1853.
I, GEORGE PARSONS, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS" to be as
follows, and their nature will be best understood by a reference to the
Figures on the annexed Drawing:-
My improvements in steam boilers or boilers for generating steam
consist in a novel arrangement of parts. I employ a new form of
section in the flues ordinarily termed "tubes," say, an elongated oval
composed of two, four, or more segments of circles, one example of
which is shewn at Figure 1, in which a, b, c, d, are the centres of the
several curves; if made of wrought or malleable iron I bend the plates
to the required shape, and weld or rivet their edges at the horizontal
line or lines of junction. I attach one end of these flues or tubes to
P
S

page_text: the flue or tube plate of the boiler, and the other to the smoke box.
I also connect two, three, or more of these flues or tubes together by
means of a neck piece (a horizontal section of one of which for two
flues is shewn at Figure 2). I attach to the flue or tube plate of the
boiler the other end of the neck piece (and the opposite ends of the
flues to the smoke box, as previously stated), so that only one opening
is cut (vertically, horizontally, or otherwise) in the tube plate to receive
the neck piece with its tubes or flues, instead of an opening for each
tube. I surround the boiler by an outer casing of thin plate iron to
receive the smoke or hot air from the smoke box, and also the
exhausted steam from the cylinder, thus forming a flue, and entirely
surrounding or enveloping the boiler with smoke, hot air, or exhausted
steam, thus preventing any great loss of heat from radiation from the
boiler.
My second improvement consists in placing a tube or tubes or water
space in the fire box of the form shewn at Figure 3, the top end of
which is fastened to the crown of the fire box directly over the fire; the
two bottom or branched ends are secured to the sides of the fire box,
so forming the ash pit, and a greater amount of heating surface is thus
obtained, and additional strength given to the fire box. I further
mitend to place my smoke box in the inside of the boiler, and to place
the cylinder inside the smoke box; by this arrangement the smoke or
hot air, the exhausted steam from the cylinder, and the radiation of
heat from the boiler will prevent loss of power by condensation in the
working cylinder.
My third improvement applies to the mode of fixing the cylinder in
a chest or case on or in the boiler (but not in contact with the steam
of the boiler) so as to receive only the exhausted steam from the cylin-
der, which together with the radiation of heat from the boiler provents
loss of power by condensation.
My 4 improvement consists in the application of the beam prin-
ciple for the: working of engines fixed to boilers in- connexion with a
cylinder placed vertically instead of horizontally.
My 5 improvement, applicable to steam engines generally, consists
of an arrangement. of the valves of. the cylinder whereby the steam

page_text: can be cut off at any part of the stroke while the, engine is in motion;
the valves are so arranged as to admit of the exhausted steam passage
being kept open during the whole of the stroke, or until the passage
from the steam chest or boiler again begins to open to admit fresh
steam to the piston, thus giving freedom to the piston by: entirely
removing the resistance. of the compressed steam or airx.or."back
pressure." The valves, which are shewn at Figure 4, are worked from
an eccentric on the fly wheel or crankshaft, or other convénient. mode,
a lever or other mechanical means being used to regulate the inter-
mediate action of the connecting levers a, b, c, d, and e, f, or rocking
shaft or other means, by which the simultaneous and reciprocating
motions of the two parallel slides g, h, and i, j, are effected. I am
thus able to adjust the valves so as to cut off. the steam at any part of
the stroke while the engine is in motion, and to control the. amount of
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Parsons in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th February 1854. -
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS, SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE PARSONS, of West Lambrook, in the County of Somerset,
Engineer, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of August, 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 me, the said George Parsons; Her special licence
that I, the said George Parsons, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such 'others as I, the said George Parsons, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, should at any tiine agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully night make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said George Parsons, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 George Parsons, do hereby de-
clare 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 thereof (that is to say):'
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in the slides of steam
engines and apparatus for working them; secondly, my Invention
consists of improvements in constructing the flues of steam boilers; and,
thirdly, my Invention consists of improvements in steam boilers by
constructing them with cases to receive the cylinders of the engines SO
as to receive the exhaust steam from such, cylinders, and thereby keep-
ing the cylinders from radiating heat. And in order that my Invention
may be most fully understood, and readily carried into effect, I will pro-
ceed to describe the means pursued by me..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
:
Figure 1, shews a section of a steam engine cylinder, valve, and ap-
paratus arranged according to the first part of my Invention. A, is the
steam cylinder; B, the piston; and C, the piston rod, which are of the
ordinary construction; D, is the slide box, in which the two slides E,
and F, work; they are moved by their rods e, and f, in opposite direc-
tions. The valve E, is the one which works over the ports of the
steam cylinder, and is similar to an ordinary steam slide, but it has
ports E, E, through it, and these ports are covered or opened by
the slide F. The rods e, f, of the slides E, F, are put in motion by
the levers H, and I, the rod e, being attached to the lever or arm H,
the rod f, being attached to the lever I. The levers H, and I, are
connected by the rod J; hence, when movement is given to the arm or
lever 1, the slides E, and F, move in opposite directions, and by reason

page_text: of the valves so moving the exhaust may remain more completely s
open till the end of the stroke than heretofore. The arm or lever H,
is fixed on the axis K, and on the same axis the arm L, is fixed. It
is by the arm L, that motion is communicated to the axis. K, such
arm L, receiving. its motion from an excentric, or otherwise from the
main shaft acting on the link M, and the quantity of motion given to
the axis K, and consequently to the arm or lever II, will depend on
the position of the link M, on the arm L, and this may be adjusted
even when the engine is in motion by means of the screw N, and
nut O, as will readily be understood on examining the Drawing.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention.
Figure 2, shows a section of a boiler with flues made according to
my improvements, and the peculiarity consists of forming cach flue of
a section which is composed in its outline of segments of circles of
different diameters, and the flues are fixed in the boiler alternately with
the larger and smaller parts upwards, or all the smaller parts may be
downwards or upwards, but I prefer them to be alternated. The out-
line of the sections of the flucs in this case is made up of three
segments a, b, and c; the segment a, is of a circle of small diameter
as compared with those shewn by b, and c, which are alike, and it is the
making and applying tubes of such like sections which constitute this
part of my Invention. I would here state that I am aware that it is
not new to use flues of a section composed of segments of several
circles; I do not, therefore, claim the same generally, but only the
forms herein shewn where the upper and lower diameters of cach tube
differ. I would, however, state, that the smaller end of the section, in
place of actually coming to a point, may be formed of the segment of
a smaller circle than the other end of the segment of the tube.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention, which consists of
placing and fixing the steam cylinder in a casing formed in or on and
fixed to any part of the steam boiler, and in such manner that the
exhaust steam may pass into the case, and thus keep the external surface
of the cylinder heated, and at the same time prevent the radiation of heat
therefrom. For this purpose the case may be of any convenient form,
and fixed to and form part of the boiler in any convenient position,

page_text: and it may be either interior or exterior of, the boiler. I believe, how-
ever, that the most convenient position, is over, the fire box,..and I
prefer that the form of the case should be cylindrical, and a few inches
larger, in diameter than the external diameter of the steam cylinder.
J'cause the exhaust: passage from. the valve to open into the case, so
that on leaving the steam.cylinder the exhaust steam passing into may
pervade the interior: of the case, and keep the exterior of the steam
cylinder heated, and thus prevent radiation of heat: from the steam
cylinder. The case, though made part of the boiler, whether, interior
or exterior thereof, is to be closed against any steam passing from the
boiler into the case. The exhaust steam from the case, is conducted
bya/pipe to the chimney to produce draught, or directly into the
atmosphere. ...
Having thus described the, nature of my Invention, and the manner
sif performing the same, I would have it understood that I do 'not
confine myself to, the details herein described; but what I claimi is,
first, the combination. of slide valves and apparatus, herein described';
secondly, I claim the peculiar construction of tubular flues herein
described; and, thirdly; I claim the construction of a case for the steam
eylinder, either interior or exterior of the steam boiler, in such manner.
as (to receive the exhaust' steam before, passing to the chimney, or to the
atmosphere.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Parsons, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand, eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
W. TONGUE.
GEO. PARSONS. (L.S.).