CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND REGISTERING THE POWER OF THE SAME
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
M NAUGHT, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventh day of March, in the thirteenth year of Her reign, and
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William M°Naught,
Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
William M.Naught, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said William M Naught, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Inven-
tion of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND REGISTERING THE POWER OF THE SAME;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said William
M Naught, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William M*Naught, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the following
explanation thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention consists in a certain novel arrangement of
mechanism to be connected to the governor of a steam engine, for the purpose
of obtaining a variable "cutting off." motion for working the steam expan-
sively.
Secondly, in a novel form or construction of valve, adapted for the same
purpose, and in the method of working such valve.
The third part of my Invention consists in a certain novel arrangement of
mechanism, intended to compensate for the difference in the pressure of the
steam upon the piston at the commencement and close of the stroke in steam
engines that are worked expansively, so that the strain upon the several parts
of the engine becomes nearly a mean between the maximum and minimum
amount of pressure in each half stroke of the engine.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in an improved "indicator," for
measuring and registering the amount of work performed by a steam engine
in any given time.
Such being the nature and object of my said improvements, I will proceed
to describe the method of carrying the same into practical effect, reference
being had to the two Sheets of Drawings accompanying these Presents; the
Figures in Sheet 1 of which are drawn to a scale of about one inch and a half
to a foot, and arranged or adapted for an engine of about sixty horse power),
and are marked with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following description thereof:-
In Sheet 1 of the Drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the governor
of a steam engine with the first part of my Invention applied thereto; and
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. a, a, is the governor, supported
in the frame b, b, and driven by the bevil wheels c, c, as usual; d is the fly-
wheel shaft of the engine, upon which a spur wheel e is keyed; the spur
wheel e drives another similar wheel f; keyed upon a shaft g; the shaft g is
mounted upon suitable pedestals affixed to the headstock h, and revolves
uniformly with the fly-wheel shaft. Upon the shaft 9 is keyed a cam i, having
a series of risers upon its surface, which act against the two bowls k, k; the
shaft may, if preferred, be placed vertically, or the cam i might be placed
upon the governor spindle; in either case the action would be the same; the
bowls k, k, revolve loosely upon studs fixed to a carriage l, l, which slides upon
g

page_text: .
the headstock h. It will be observed that the studs upon which the bowls k, k,
revolve are of such a length as to allow the bowls to be moved opposite any
one of the risers on the cam i; and in order that the whole breadth of the
periphery of the bowls may be in contact with the whole breadth of the riser,
their respective surfaces are bevilled, as shewn; or, if preferred, the external
angle may be upon the riser and the internal one upon the bowls; those
surfaces of the cam i, which are concentric with the shaft g, are to be plain
(i. e., not grooved or bevilled), so that at the time when the bowls are not
being acted upon by the risers thoy are free to be moved upon their studs
sideways, opposite to a different riser upon the cam i; the object of thus
shifting the bowls is for the purpose of altering the period of the stroke
at which the steam is cut off, as hereafter described. The bowls k, k, are
connected to the governor in the following manner:-A small guide m, m,
clips the boss of each bowl, and is connected to the rod n by links o, o;
the links o, o, pass through holes in the side of the carriage 1, 1, and
consequently they, with the rod n, partake of the motion of the said carriage;
the rod n slides in the eye of a lever p, which is keyed at one end of a
shaft 7, to the other end of which is attached a lever r, connected to the
governor by rods and levers, as shewn; and as the ordinary action of the
governor raises or depresses the lever r, the lever p upon the same shaft
will slide the bowls k, k, into contact with the different risers upon the
cami. The novel construction of valves before mentioned is shewn in verticul
section at Fig: 3, and horizontal section at Fig. 4, and is a modification of
what are commonly known as piston valves. In Fig. 3 the upper valve is
shewn in its place, the lower one (which is precisely similar) being removed, in
order more clearly to shew the form or construction of the "shell" in which
the said valves work. The horizontal section, Fig. 4, is taken through the-
lines a, b, in Fig. 3, the section of the side pipes and the shells of the
valves being taken through the line a, b, and that of the valve through a¹, b¹.
These two planes a, b, and a¹, 61, coincide when the said piston valve is at
the extremity of its motion upwards, so that the view, Fig. 4, is a section
of the apparatus in that position. a is the steam pipe, and 6 the exhaust pipe.
The compartment c, c, in each valve box communicates with the steam pipe,
and the compartment d, d, with the exhaust pipe and condenser. The com-
partment e, e, in cach valve box communicates with the ports of the cylinder
(upper and lower). The steam is admitted to the cylinder at one end, and the
condensor at the other end, by the ordinary reciprocating motion of the
piston valves, but is cut off from the cylinder by causing the said piston
valves to turn round upon their axis a portion of a revolution.
The

page_text: peculiar form of piston valve which I employ for this purpose is shewn at f,
and the form of the shell is shewn at g. It will be observed, that upon the
steam side of the valve are notches or apertures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and that the
shell g is furnished with corresponding apertures. At the commencement of
each stroke of the piston, the apertures in the shell and the valve are opposite
to each other, but upon the partial revolution of the valve on its axis they
are closed. The apertures in the upper and lower valve must be so arranged
that the same portion of a revolution which closes the apertures of the upper
valve shall bring the lower valve into such a position, that upon its descent the
apertures with which it is furnished shall be opposite to the apertures in
the lower shell. In this position of the valves, the steam will be admitted
at the lower end of the cylinder, and will be cut off by a partial revolution of
the valve in the reverse direction, which will bring the upper valve into such a
position, that upon its ascent the apertures therein shall be opposite to those
of the upper shell. This reciprocating rotary motion is imparted to the valves
by connecting the valve rod h to the rods (see Figs. 1 and 2) by means of the
lever t, the rod u, and the bell crank lover v, the rod u being connected to the
levers by swivelling joints in order to allow of the upward and downward
motion of the valves. I would here observe that, if preferred, an intermittent
rotary motion always in the same direction might be substituted, in which
case the valves would wear more equally. The rectilinear reciprocating
inotion may be imparted to the valves by an ordinary excentric fixed upon the
fly wheel shaft, or the motion may be obtained from a crank pin w fixed to
the spur wheelf. It will of course be evident, that the connection between
the excentric or crank pin and the valve spindle must be of such a nature as
to allow of the partial revolution of the said spindle, which may easily be
effected by attaching the cross bar in any suitable manner.
Previous to describing the next part of my Invention, I would remark, that
in working steam engines expansively when the steam is "cut off" at any
point earlier than one-third of the stroke, there is a great difference between
its initial and final pressure; and although this discrepancy does not impair
the equability of the motion, if the fly wheel is of a proper weight, yet it
prevents an expansive engine from turning the same power as a non-expansive
engine having the same speed of piston.
My Invention is intended to produce nearly an uniform or mean strain
(which may be nearly equal to the maximum strain), by opposing the force of
the steam at the commencement of the stroke when it is strong, and assisting
it at tho end of the stroke when it is weak.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Fig. 1 represents an elevation, and Fig. 2 &

page_text: plan view, of an arrangement of mechanism by which this object is effected,
drawn to a scale of about one quarter of an inch to a foot. a, a, represents
part of the beam of an engine, and b, b, the front links of the parallel motion
(one of which only is seen). These links are connected by other links c, c, to
a lever d, which is attached to a hollow shaft e, e. This shaft e extends across
the engine-house, and is journalled in suitable bearings in the side walls. To
the shafte is also attached another lever f, which is connected to a lever g
by the link h. The lever g is keyed upon a shaft i, which passes through the
side wall, and has another lever k keyed upon it outside the said wall, and to the
end of the said lever k is attached a heavy weight (the arms g and k forming a
bell-crank lever); or, if preferred, a small steam cylinder or vacuum cylinder may
be substituted in place of the weight. It will be evident that in this arrangement
of mechanism the weight has a constant tendency to thrust the link houtwards,.
and from the manner in which this link is connected to the front links of the
parallel motion of the engine, this thrust will act in opposition to the force of
the steam at the commencement of the stroke, and until the link h and
lever fare in a right line with each other, and that for the remainder of the
stroke (whether ascending or descending), the thrust occasioned by the weight
acts in the same direction as the force of the steam, and consequently assists
the movements of the engine.
The fourth part of my Invention is also exhibited in Sheet 2 of the Draw-
ings; Fig. 3 being a section of an "indicator," or apparatus for ascertaining
and registering the amount of work performed by steam engines, being drawn
at or near the full size. a, a, is an external cylinder or casing of brass, within
which is an internal cylinder b, b, also of brass. To the ends of the external
cylinder are attached cocks c, d, the cock c communicating with the cylinder
of the steam engine above the piston, and the cock d with the said cylinder
below the piston, so that there may.be.the same pressure upon the two ends of
the internal cylinder 6 as there is above and below the piston in the cylinder
of the steam engine. A cross bar e is attached to the cylinder 6 at or near
its centre (being passed through a slot and secured by a cotter and gib).
This cross bar e passes through slots in the external casing or cylinder a, which
slots are of a sufficient length to allow of the cylinder 6 working up and
down in the cylinder a. The cross bar.e is connected by two rods f, f, to a
pair of springs g, g, the upper spring being fastened to the cylinder a, and the
lower one working clear of it, being formed as shewn in plan view at g¹. By
means of these springs the cylinder 6 is held in the centre of the cylinder a.
When the pressure of the steam on both ends is equal, but when a superior
force of steam is applied to either end, it recedes a certain distance, propor-
b

page_text: tionate to the pressure of the stean, bending the springs 9, 9; consequently it
will be evident that if applied as above described to a steam engine at work,
the internal cylinder 6 will keep moving backwards and forwards a distance
proportionate to the pressure of the steam upon the piston. h is a bracket,
clamped or otherwise fixed to the cylinder a, and carrying a small spindle i, to
one end of which a face plate k is fixed. In contact with the centre of this
face plate is a small friction pulley 2, the axis of which is journalled in the
end of the cross bar e, the other end of the said axis (which is square) pass-
ing loosely through the boss of the spur pinion m, which is supported in the
bracket h, and communicates with a train of registering wheels n, n, n. The
pulley is kept in contact with the face plate ke by means of a spring o. The
face plate is hollow at the back, and is furnished with a coiled spring, which
has a constant tendency to pull the face plate round in one direction, whilst a
cord p (which is attached to and wound on a portion of the periphery of the
face plate) acts in the reverse direction. The action of the above-described
"indicator" is as follows:-The hook of the cord p must be attached to some
portion of the steam engine which has a reciprocating motion similar to the
piston, and the communication must be opened by means of the taps c and d
between the ends of the steam engine cylinder and the corresponding ends
of the cylinder a; the friction pulley will then commence moving up and
down in contact with the surface of the face plate k whilst the face plate
makes a portion of a revolution backwards and forwards upon its axis. By these
means an intermittent rotary motion always in the same direction round its
own axis will be imparted to the friction pulley 1; the number of revolutions
which the said pulley makes in a given time will be registered by the wheels
n, n, n, and will be proportionate to the amount of work performed by the
engine in that time.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said improvements,
together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would
remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention,―
First, the bevilled form of the peripheries of the cams and bowls, and the
shifting such bowls on to the different risers of the cams by the action of the
governor, so as to alter the period of cutting off the steam.
Secondly, I claim the peculiar form of the piston valves and their shells,
together with the reciprocating or intermittent rotary motion of the piston
valves, by whatever means such may be imparted.
Thirdly, I claim the combination of mechanism shewn in the Drawing, and
above described, to be applied to steam engines for the purpose of reducing the
strain to near a mean,

page_text: And, lastly, I claim the apparatus shewn in the Drawings, and above
described, to be applied to steam engines for the purpose of ascertaining
and registering the amount of work performed by the said engine in a given
time.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McNaught, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
WILLIAM (L.S.) M°NAUGHT.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifth day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid William McNaught came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.