IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Adamson, of the Engineering Works,
Hyde Junction, Hyde, in the County of Chester, Engineer, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Adamson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th September 1875.
I, DANIEL ADAMSON, of the Engineering Works, Hyde Junction,
Hyde, in the County of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declarc the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements upon the compound
steam engines, for which former Letters Patent were granted to me on
the 9th day of January 1861, No. 52, whereby the steam is used
advantageously, and the fuel is economised to the greatest extent.

page_text: The first part of my present Invention consists in the application of
the improved compound steam engines described in the Specification of
the said Patent, and the other improvements hereafter described to
marine purposes.
My Invention consists also in an improved quadruple arrangement of
the cylinders of compound engines for marine purposes, in which two
pairs of cylinders are placed in line with each other, and the steam after
passing through the two first cylinders is taken through a heated
chamber for drying it before it enters the third and fourth cylinders.
The two pistons for each pair of cylinders are fixed on a piston rod, and
both piston rods are connected to cranks fixed at right angles to each
other or otherwise on the first motion shaft. The steam enters the
smallest cylindor first and passes on to the larger cylinders in
succession.
My Invention consists also in an improved arrangement of a threo
cylinder steam ongine for marine and stationary purposes, in which the
two smaller cylinders are placed in line with each other, and the pistons
of both are on the same piston rod, and the largest cylinder is parallel
to the others, the steam being superheated in passing from the second
to the third cylinders, or the highest pressure cylinders may be on one
side and the two larger cylinders on the other. The steam may be dried
or superheated between cach pair of cylinders.
In the above arrangements the cylinders may be placed horizontally,
vertically, or diagonally.
Also in superheating and in preventing the condensation of steam in
the cylinders, valve boxes, side pipes, and connecting pipes of steam
engines by means of heated oil or other liquids that evaporate at a high
temperature, which liquid is contained in cisterns or jackots surrounding
the several parts.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel Adamson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
ADAMSON, of the Engineering Works, Hyde Junction, Hyde, in the
County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Daniel Adamson, Her
special licence, that I, the said Daniel Adamson, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel Adamson, my.
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 Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Daniel Adamson, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their 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 I, the said Daniel Adamson, do hereby declare.
the nature of my 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) :-
This Invention consists in certain improvements upon the compound
steam engines, for which former Letters Patent were granted to me on
the 9th day of January 1861, Number 52.
My present Invention consists in the application of the improved
compound steam engine described in the Specification of the said

page_text: purposes.
My Invention consists also in an improved quadruple arrangement of
the cylinders of compound engines for marine purposes.
Also in an improved arrangement of a three cylinder steam engine for
marine and stationary purposes.
Also in superheating and in preventing the condensation of steam in
the cylinders, valve boxes, side pipes, and connecting pipes of steam
engines by means of heated oil or other liquid that evaporates at a high
temperature.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by
me, reference being had to the two accompanying Sheets of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is a front clevation of one of my improved
quadruple compound high-pressure and condensing steam engines for
marinc purposes; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and on Sheet 2 Fig. 3 is a
plan of the same; Figs. 4 and 5 are a sectional clevation and plan of
the heated chamber through which the steam is taken in passing from
the second to the third cylinders.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 a is the first or high-pressure cylinder to which
the steam is admitted from the boiler, and 6 is the second cylinder
placed in line with the cylinder a. The pistons of both these cylinders
are fixed on the same piston rod c which is connected to the crank
shaft d by the connecting rod e; f is the third cylinder, which is placed
in the same line as the fourth cylinder g, and the pistons of the
cylinders ƒ and g are fixed to the same piston rod which is connected to
a second crank on the crank shaft d, the two cranks being set at right
angles to each other or thereabouts.
The steam after passing through the two first cylinders a and b is
taken through the heated chamber h, shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, or other
equivalent apparatus for drying and superheating it before it enters the
third and fourth cylinders ƒ and g. The steam enters the smallest
cylinder first and passes on to the larger cylinders in succession, and
from the last cylinder 9 it is taken to the condenser q. The steam
drying apparatus shewn in Figs. 4 and 5 consists of a cylindrical or

page_text: other chamber containing the tubes i which are secured above and
below in the tube plates ; and k. The steam from the boiler is conveyed
to the upper ends of the tubes i through the pipe 1, and the water of
condensation is carried off from below by the off pipe m. The steam
from the second cylinder 6 is conveyed by a branch pipe » into the lower
end of the chamber h, and it is taken from the upper end of the said
chamber by the branch o to the third cylinder. The steam in rising up
the chamber from the branch to the branch o is dryed or super-
heated before it enters the third cylinder and a similar apparatus or a
jacketed pipe p, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 3, may be applied between the
third and fourth cylinders.
My Invention consists consists also in an improved arrangement of
a three cylinder steam engine for marine and stationary purposes in
which the two smaller cylinders are placed in line with each other, and
the pistons of both are on the same piston rod, and the largest cylinder
is parallel to the others, the steam being superheated in passing from
the second to the third cylinders, or the highest pressure cylinder may
be on one side and the two larger cylinders on the other. The steam
may be dried or superheated between each pair of cylinders, if preferred,
as above described.
In the above arrangements the cylinders may be placed horizontally,
vertically, or diagonally.
My Invention consists also in superheating and in preventing the
condensation of steam in the cylinders, valve boxes, side pipes, and con-
6necting pipes of steam engines by means of heated oil or other liquids
that evaporate at a high temperature, which liquids are contained in
cisterns or jackets surrounding the several parts; each cistern or jacket
must be provided with an inlet and outlet pipe to keep up the
circulation of the heated oil or other liquids.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my Invention,
I declare that I claim,--
First. The application of the improved compound steam engines.
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 9th
day of January 1861, No. 52, to marine purposes.
Secondly. The improved quadruple arrangement of the cylinders

page_text: forming a compound steam engine, as shewn and described in reference
to Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Thirdly. The improved arrangement of the three cylinder compound
steam engine, as described.
And, Lastly. The application of heated oil or other liquids that
evaporate at a high temperature for superheating or drying steam, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Adamson, have hereto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-ninth day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.