IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE STEAM AND ATMOSPHERIC ENGINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Paton, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and Thomas Winder, of the same Place,
Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED HIGH
AND LOW PRESSURE STEAM AND ATMOSPHERIC ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Paton and
Thomas Winder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 2nd May 1870.
WC, THOMAS PATON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and THOMAS WINDER, of the same Place, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for “Improvements IN COMBINED
HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE STEAM AND ATMOSPHERIC ENGINES," to be as
follows:-
First. Our Invention consists of a novel disposition of the parts of con-
densing direct-acting steam engines (principally, although not exclusively
intended for use on board ship) whereby the steam is so directed and.

page_text: employed that advantageous results are secured and the pressure of the
atmosphere is allowed to act so as to yield motive power during a
certain part of the stroke. Two or more vertical cylinders with valves
and accessories and reciprocating pistons and connections are used. The
said pistons are fitted with trunks to their under surfaces, and these pass
through the lower ends of the cylinders. The air pumps are fitted with
pistons adapted to be acted upon by steam on their upper surfaces and
are placed alongside the steam cylinders. One air pump may be used,
but I prefer two. The condenser is placed alongside the air pumps.
Steam at high pressure is admitted first into the annular space in each
cylinder around the trunk where it assisted by the pressure of the
atmosphere on the said trunk moves the piston in one direction; the
principal part of the same steam is then allowed to pass on to the top of
the same piston, but a portion is conveyed on to the top of the air pump
piston. The expansive energy of the steam acting on the top of the
piston and on the top of the air pump piston serves to move the piston
in the opposite direction for the return stroke. The steam is afterwards
allowed to exhaust into the condenser.
Second. Under this head of our Invention we adopt substantially the
same disposition of parts set forth under the above first head, but
instead of using an air pump or air pumps with steam over the piston or
pistons we use one or more air pumps of the ordinary construction.
Third. For the purpose of obtaining economical working well-balanced
condensing marine screw engines with few parts, and these parts so
disposed that they can be easily reached, we employ four cylinders;
these cylinders are fitted with reciprocating pistons, valves, and the
ordinary accessories; they rest in a diagonal position, two and two, on
the condensers. Trunks secured to the pistons pass through the lower
covers of the cylinders, and such four trunks are continued into pumps.
Two of these pumps can be used as "forcing air pumps," a third for
circulating water in or supplying it to the condenser, and the fourth for
forcing atmospheric air into the boiler if desired, but it will be obvious
these pumps can be variously used. One or more of the trunks could
be open to the atmosphere for the purpose of obtaining atmospheric
pressure during the return stroke. The piston rods pass through the
higher covers of the cylinders and are connected to crossheads, two
piston rods being connected to each crosshead. From these crossheads
two connecting rods pass to and are adjusted to act on one crank on the

page_text: screw shaft. In this modification steam is admitted into the annular
space around the trunk, and is afterwards allowed to pass to the opposite
side of the piston, there to act expansively.
Fourth. This consists of another arrangement of the parts of a pair of
marine engines. Two diagonal cylinders with trunks through their
higher ends are employed. These trunks are connected to crossheads,
and cach crosshead is fitted with two connecting rods, so that two con-
necting rods act on each of the two cranks on the screw shaft. The air
pumps may be of the ordinary kind. Here the steam acts at high
pressure in the annular space in each cylinder, and afterwards expansively
on the opposite side of the piston. .
Fifth. When it is desired to prevent trunks fitted and acting in
the manner above described from passing into the cylinders in a
cooled state during the return stroke we provide them with steam
jacketting.
Although we have described the above engines as steam engines and
spoken of steam as the only motive agent it will be obvious air and other
ал сле
can ho usod
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Thomas Paton and Thomas Winder in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 2nd November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
PATON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and THOMAS
WINDER, of the same Place, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Thomas Paton and Thomas Winder,
Her special licence that we, the said Thomas Paton and Thomas
Winder, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as wc,
the said Thomas Paton and Thomas Winder, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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,

page_text: 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 COMBINED HIGH AND LOW
PRESSURE STEAM AND ATMOSPHERIC ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Thomas Paton and Thomas Winder, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Offico within six calendar months next and immediately after 1
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Paton and Thomas
Winder, 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, reference being had 1
to the three accompanying Sheets of illustrative Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :—
First. Our Invention consists of a novel disposition of the parts of
condensing direct-acting steam engines (principally although not ex-
clusively intended for use on board ship), whereby the steam is so 2
directed and employed that advantageous results are secured, and the
pressure of the atmosphere is allowed to act so as to yield motive power
during a certain part of the stroke. Two or more vertical cylinders
with valves and accessories, and reciprocating pistons and connections
are used. The said pistons are fitted with trunks to their under surfaces, 2
and these pass through the lower ends of the cylinders. The air pumps
are fitted with pistons adapted to be acted upon by steam on their
upper surfaces and are placed alongside the steam cylinders. One air
pump may be used but I prefer two. The condenser is placed along-
side the air pumps. Steam at high pressure is admitted first into the 3
annular space in each cylinder around the trunk, where it, assisted by
the pressure of the atmosphere on the said trunk moves the piston in
one direction, the principal part of the same steam is then allowed to
pass on to the top of the same piston, but a portion is conveyed on to
the top of the air pump piston. The expansive energy of the steam :
acting on the top of the piston, and on the top of the air pump piston
serves to move the piston in the opposite direction for the return stroke.
The steam is afterwards allowed to exhaust into thic condenser.

page_text: A condensing direct-acting marine steam engine constructed in
accordance with the above-described first part of our improvements is
delineated on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view partly in section and partly in side cleva-
tion; Fig. 2 is an end view; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section at the line
A, B; and Fig. 4 is a bird's eye view of Fig. 2. Like letters denote the
same parts in all the views.
a denotes the cylinders; b, pistons with trunks c; d, slide valves, rods,
and excentrics; e, connecting rods; f, shaft; g, air pumps provided with
pistous, the rods h of which are jointed from the crosshead by links i
to levers j, said levers j being fitted to move on centres at k, and jointed
to the lower ends of the trunks c by links l; m, condenser; m², hot well.
Steam from the boiler is admitted into the annular space in cachi
cylinder or engine, and after having acted on the under surface of the
piston the larger volume of it passes on the top of said piston, and the
remaining portion by the passage on to the top of the piston in
the air pump in connection therewith.
Second. Under this head of our Invention we adopt substantially
the disposition of parts set forth under the above first head, but instead
of using an air pump or air pumps with steam over the piston or
pistons, we use one or more air pumps of the ordinary construction.
Sheet 2 of the Drawings show an arrangement of the parts of a pair
of marine engines in accordance with this second part of our improve-
ments. Fig. 4 is a view taken transversely, part being in section and
part in elevation; Fig. 5 a longitudinal section and elevation; Fig. 6
a plan of the bed plate; and Fig. 7 a horizontal section at the line C, D.
The same parts are marked with like letters in all the views.
o, bed plate; p, standards; q, condensers, serving also as standards;
7, cylinders with exhaust passages ³; 8, pistons; l, slide valves, rods,
and excentrics; u, connecting rods; v, shaft; 10, air pump with trunk
bucket operated by the vibrating lever x, supported on brackets attached
to the condenser and actuated from the main shaft by an eccentric and
rod y;, hot well and discharge. Only one air pump is here shown, but
it will be obvious two can be used, arranged substantially in the manner
shown in Sheet 1.
Third. For the purpose of obtaining economical working well-balanced
condensing marine screw engines with few parts, and these parts so

page_text: disposed that they can be easily reached, we employ four cylinders. These
cylinders are fitted with reciprocating pistons, valves, and the ordinary
accessories, they rest in a diagonal position, two and two, on the con-
densers. Trunks secured to the pistons pass through the lower covers
of the cylinders, and such four trunks are continued into pumps. Two
of these pumps can be used as "forcing air pumps," a third for ciren-
lating water in or supplying it to the condenser, and the fourth for
forcing atmospheric air into the boiler if desired, but it will be obvious
these pumps can be variously used. One or more of the trunks could
be open to the atmosphere for the purpose of obtaining atmospheric
pressure during the return stroke. The piston rods pass through the
higher covers of the cylinders and are connected to crossheads, two
piston rods being connected to each crosshead. From these crossheads
two connecting rods pass to and are adjusted to net on one crank on
the screw shinft. In this modification steam is admitted into the annular
space around the trunk, and is afterwards allowed to pass to the opposite
side of the piston, there to act expansively.
A pair of what we deem well-balanced direct-acting condensing
marine engines, with the parts disposed in accordance with this third
part of our improvements, are illustrated on Sheet 3 of the Drawings.
Fig. 9 is a plan view, and Fig. 10 a transverse view in vertical section
and elevation. Like letters denote the same parts.
a¹, cylinders; &', piston; c', piston rods; d, crossheads; e', connecting
rods. Each pair of cylinders is connected by one crosshead and one con-
necting rod to one crank pin, and hence act as one engine; ƒ"', main
shaft; g, slide valves, rods, and excentrics; , trunks formed with the
pistons b', it will be obvious the pistons and trunks may be formed
separately and connected. The said trunks are here shewn led into
the pumps to serve as plungers, two of the pumps being used as air
pumps proper for the condensers, one for circulating water when a surface
condenser is employed, or for lifting or forcing water for other purposes,
and the other for forcing nir or a mixture of air and vapour or gases
from the condensers into the boilers. As here shown the trunks are not
open to the atmosphere, but it will be understood passages might be
made whereby atmospheric air could be allowed to act underneath the
piston without being admitted into the interior of the trunk; j', discharge
valves;, condensers, serving also as suppurting frames; 1, hot wells;
m', denotes a valve for admitting air at pleasure to the air pump, the

page_text: intention being that air so admitted shall be forced into the boilers as
before mentioned.
In steam ships, particularly in those fitted with surface condensers,
considerable advantage is derived from the forcing of atmospheric air or
gas containing oxygen into the boilers.
Fourth. This consists of another arrangement of the parts of a pair of
marine engines. Two diagonal cylinders with trunks through their
higher ends are employed. These trunks are connected to crossheads,
and each crosshead is fitted with two connecting rods, so that two con-
necting rods act on each of the two cranks on the screw shaft. The air
Here the steam acts at high
pumps may be of the ordinary kind.
pressure in the annular space in each cylinder and afterwards expansively
on the opposite side of the piston.
The said fourth part of our Invention is illustrated on Sheet 3;
Fig. 11 is a longitudinal elevation, and Fig. 12 a transverse section of so
much of a pair of marine engines as is necessary to shew the arrange-
ment or disposition of parts. a, bed plate; 6, condenser, serving as
supporting frame; c², cylinder with exhaust jacket ; e, piston with
trunk on its top surface; f³, piston rod; g³, crosshead; ², connecting
rods;, main shaft; j, rod from steam piston e to air pump piston k³.
The air pump is here shewn adapted for taking air over the piston
during the down stroke and forcing it therefrom into the boiler during
the up stroke (the arrows shew the direction), and for maintaining a
vacuum within the condenser. The said air pump, however, might be
used for other purposes; F, foot valve; m², discharge valves.
Fifth. When it is desired to prevent trunks fitted and acting in the
manner above described from passing into the cylinders in a cooled
state during the return stroke, we provide them with steam jacketting.
One arrangement under this part of our Invention is shewn on Fig. 10,
Sheet 3, applied to the trunk drawn in section. Steam is admitted from
the casing or from any convenient supply at n² to an annular space o²
around the trunk. The steam so admitted licats the trunk and at the
same time by acting on the back of the spring segments at p² serves to
keep the packing tight against the trunk, in fact serves as steam packing.
Various modifications of jacketting trunks could be made.
Although we have described the above engines as steam engines, and
spoken of steam as the motive agent, it will be obvious air and other
gases can be used.

page_text: Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and partien-
larized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry
our improvements into effect, we would have it understood that what
we claim is, the arrangements and combinations of the parts substantially
as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Paton and Thomas
Winder, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.
In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
(L.S.)
THON PATON.
THOʻ. WINDER. (L.S.)