IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS FOR MARINE PURPOSES.
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Edward McConnell, of Wolverton, in
the County of Buckingham, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS FOR MARINE
PURPOSES.
Sealed the 29th September 1853, and dated the 29th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edward
M'Connell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 29th July 1853.
I, JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of
Buckingham, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS FOR MARINE
PURPOSES to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in boilers and
engines for marine purposes whereby great compactness of construction
and economy are acquired without loss of power. My improved boilers
are somewhat similar in principle to those already patented by me, and
now in use for locomotives, and in which the fire box is extended con-

page_text: siderably into the barrel of the boiler. In the boilers for marine
purposes introduce a series of cross partitions in the water space
above the fire box, by which means the rolling of the vessel will not
send all the water in the boiler to any particular part of it, but the
water will always be retained spread over the extent of heating surface.
A. separate vessel or vessels of suitable form for the purpose may be
placed under the barrel of the boilers to receive the deposit from the
water, which deposit may be drawn off by a blow off cock or other
means, by which incrustation is to a great extent prevented, and the
durability of the boiler greatly increased. I also introduce separate
or additional doors below the fire boxes through the water space for
the purpose of admitting atmospheric air, whereby combustion is
rendered more complete. The cylinders are placed transversely to
the centre line of the screw shaft, and are attached to the ends of
the boilers working direct to the crank on the screw shaft. I also
propose to use an improved expansive motion for working the valves,
and employ such an arrangement of steam pipes as to allow any one or
more of the boilers to be worked separately from the others or other of
them, or they can be all worked at the same time. The framework
is so arranged that the cylinders and machinery are retained securely
in their places, and the possibility of derangement from the motion of
the vessel in stormy weather is altogether avoided. The cylinders and
boilers are cased in order to prevent condensation taking place by
undue exposure to the action of the atmosphere. I propose to form
the screw shaft hollow, so as to secure great strength with lightness;
these shafts may be formed in a similar manner to that described in
my former Patents for hollow axles, shafting, &c. By the adoption of
these arrangements coke or anthracite coal may be employed in the
furnaces, and steam boats will be enabled to carry a quantity of fuel
sufficient to supply their boilers for a much longer period than larger
sea-going vessels have space for at present in consequence of their
rapid combustion of coal. The steam employed may also be surcharged
with heat for the purpose of drying it before reaching the cylinders in
order to prevent priming,. and the feed water may be heated and
purified so as to enable it to absorb all the caloric given out from the

page_text: fuel previous to its reaching the chimney, by which means a very
perfect combustion is obtained, and a greater absorption of the heat.
for useful purposes than is at present obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said James Edward McConnell in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 28th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of Buck-
ingham, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, 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 James Edward McConnell, Her
special license that I, the said James Edward M'Connell, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as T, the said James Edward
M'Connell, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, 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 AND BOILERS FOR MARINE PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Edward
M'Connell, 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 James Edward McConnell, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer

page_text: tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:
My said Invention relates to certain arrangements of steam engines
and boilers as adapted more especially for marine purposes, such
arrangements having for their object the obtainment of very superior
compactness of construction and economy in cost, whilst the efficiency
of the engines is unimpaired. The improved boilers are somewhat
similar in principle to those already pantented by me, and now in use
for locomotive purposes, the fire boxes or fuel receptacles being con-
siderably extended into the barrel or tubular flue portion of the boilers.
When arranged for marine purposes a set of cross partitions are
introduced into the water space above the fire box for the purpose of
preventing the rolling of the ship from sending all the boiler water into
any particular part of the boiler. By this modification the water in
the boiler is constantly kept well diffused or spread over the available
heating surface. And for the prevention of deposit and incrustation
vessels, which can be detached at pleasure, of suitable form are placed
under the barrels of the boilers to receive the deposited or precipitated
a blow off
matter from the water, or this deposit can be withdrawn by
cock, or by other suitable means; separate or additional fire doors
are also introduced into the boilers beneath the fire boxes through the
water spaces for the admission of atmospheric air to render the com-
bustion more complete. In arranging the engines themselves the
steam cylinders are disposed diagonally athwart the ship, and at or
about a right angle to each other, that is to say, with their axes
transversely as regards the keel line, so as to suit well for actuating
the screw propeller shaft laid in this line. They are connected to the
stern ends of the boilers, which are also laid in the direction of the
keel line, and the connecting rods of the pistons proceed direct to the
crank on the screw shaft. An improved expansive motion is also
adopted for working the valves, cutting the steam off at any required
part of the stroke, either by having one slide valve placed in the centre
of the cylinder as commonly used in locomotive engines, or by having
a slide valve at each end of the cylinder, thereby greatly facilitating the

page_text: working of the engine, as well as considerably reducing the consump-
tion of fuel. The steam pipe or pipes from the boiler are taken through
the flaine chamber or smoke box for the purpose of drying or sur-
charging the steam with an additional quantity of heat previous to its
admission into the cylinder, consequently preventing to a great extent
the condensation which takes place from the exposure of the steam
pipes. The feed water may be conducted through pipes or vessels
placed in the flame chamber or smoke box, where it is heated either
by being forced in jets upon the exhaust pipe, or by admitting the
steam in jets on the surface of the water. The steam pipes bringing
the steam from the boiler are so arranged as to allow of any one or
more of the boilers being worked separately at pleasure. The engine
framing is also so contrived that the cylinders and machinery are held
securely in their proper positions, all chance of derangement from the
motion of the vessel in stormy weather being avoided, and the cylinders
and boilers are cased over to prevent the occurrence of objectionable
condensation from undue exposure to the atmospheric action. The
serew propeller shaft is made hollow or tubular so as to combine great
strength with lightness; such shafts are made according to the process
described under my former Patents for the manufacture of hollow axles
and shafting. By the adoption of the present improvements coke or
anthracite coal may be employed in the furnaces, and steam ships will
be enabled to carry enough fuel to supply them for a longer period
than at present. The steam is also to be surcharged with heat for the
purpose of satisfactorily drying it prior to its entering the cylinders, so
that "priming" may be prevented; the feed water for the boilers is
also heated and purified so as to enable it to absorb all the available
heat given out from the fuel before the waste reaches the funnel.
Fig. 1, on Sheet I. of my Drawings is a plan of the new arrangement
of boilers, three in number, of the cylindrical tubular class laid side
by side, one boiler being in horizontal section; the two steam cylinders
are also represented as fixed up in their places with the crank shaft be-
tween them. Fig. 2, is a corresponding transverse section of the stern
or after part of the steam ship, indicating the positions of the three
boilers, in the central one of which the flue tubes are represented with

page_text: the snioke box or up cast flue above, and the steam cylinders fitted in
position.
Fig. 1, on Sheet 2, is a longitudinal section of a portion of the ship,
with the central boiler within it also in longitudinal section, and shew-
ing also one steam cylinder and the screw propeller shaft. Fig. 2, is
another transverse section of the ship further forward looking on the
fire box ends of the boilers, one fire box being represented in transverse
section.
The fuel portion of the fire box in each boiler is constructed in the
usual way, but the further or inner end A, is projected into the boiler
barrel, a central division or water space B, being run along the fire box
to separate it into two furnaces or firing chambers. This division ter-
minates shortly before the end of the barrel extension, the space C,
being left undivided and open to both gaseous currents. The flue
tubes D, open from the very extremity of the extension A, and run for
ward to the smoke casing E, in the usual way. The cross partitions
for preventing the serious dislodgment of the boiler water from c
ship's motion are represented at F, free space being left above them
for internal circulation. The detaching vessels for the reception of the
boiler deposit are represented at G, beneath the barrel, being formed
to suit the inclined bottom, which slopes from the barrel to the fire box.
They are embedded or covered up in the water at this portion, and
access is obtained to them for the discharge of the deposit through the
doors H, or by shut-off valves they can be cleansed while the boilers
are at work.
incandescent fuel
These doors act
The additional doors for the supply of air to the
are delineated at I, in the lower part of the fire box.
as valves adjustable at pleasure for the admission of air, as may be
necessary. The two steam cylinders J, are cast with external longitu-
dinal side flanges K, for adjustment upon their own independent
framing, and internal flanges for setting up against the stern ends of
the boilers. The engine framing consists of two long external pieces L,
laid upon and in the line of the internal sides of the ship, their upper
expanded ends being bolted to the outside cylinder flanges, whilst their
lower converging extremities are attached at M, to the pedestal of the

page_text: Screw propeller shaft, resting on a cross plate N, directly above the
keel. Corresponding internal flanges o, are cast on the cylinders for
bolting up against the boiler or smoke box end P, whilst continuations
pass downwards to the slotted cross bar R, stretching across between
the back and front framing pieces to carry the motion bars or slide
block guides S; connecting rods jointed to the slide blocks pass thence
directly downwards, and the other ends of the two rods are jointed im-
mediately upon the same crank pin T. The steam is heated or sur-
charged on its way to the cylinders by causing it to pass through the
heating chamber U, in front of the tubes D, or the steam may be
heated by bringing the steam pipe through the water in the boiler, as
shewn at V. The feed water is forced into the annular chamber W,
through the pipes X, and it is heated by falling in a fine shower or
drops from the perforated bottom of the chamber into the lower part of
the heated receiver Y, whence it is supplied to the boiler.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of marine steam
engines and boilers, as hercin-before described.
Second, the application and use in marine steam engine boilers of
fire box extensions in the barrels or forward flue portions of such
boilers.
Third, the extension of the fire boxes or furnace chambers of marine
boilers into the barrels or intermediate fluc portions thereof.
Fourth, the application and use in marine steam engine boilers of
cross partitions or other divisions suitably arranged for the prevention
of the dislodgment of the boiler water.
Fifth, the application and use of detaching vessels or reservoirs for

page_text: the reception of boiler deposits, as herein-before described, or by shut
off valves for these vessels to cleanse them alternately while the boilers
are at work.
Sixth, the system or mole of constructing marine steam engine
boilers in such manner that additional atmospheric currents may be ad-
mitted to the burning fuel by means of separate doors or entrances, as
herein-before described.
Seventh, the application of the locomotive link expansive motion to
these marine engines with the valves in the centre of cylinders, or in
two valves, one at each end.
Eighth, the mode of placing the steam pipe in these engines in the
flame chamber before passing to the cylinders, and also passing the
feed water through pipes or vessels in the smoke box or chimney upon
being pumped into the boiler, using it as a jet on the exhaust, or using
the exhaust steam as jets upon the water.
Ninth, the system or mode of constructing and arranging marine
steam machinery wherein the steam cylinders are bolted or attached
against the ends of the boilers or smoke boxes.
Tenth, the system or mode of combining the boilers, steam cylinders,
crank shaft, and pedestal, as herein-before described.
Eleventh, the mode of surcharging by means of a cellular vessel in
the smoke box of the boilers, by which steam is superheated in passing
from the boiler to the cylinders.
In witness whereof, 1, the said James Edward McConnell, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, the Twenty-eighth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
TEMCCONNELL (15)