IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emanuel Wharton, of 1, William Street, Birming-
ham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 26th November 1855, and dated the 31st May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emanuel Wharton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st May 1855.
I, EMANUEL WHARTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mecha-
nical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES" to be as follows:-
The first part of my improvements has for its object a novel and simple
arrangement of the parts for direct-acting compound expansive working
engines. It consists of a bed plate, upon which is fixed the condensor, air
pump, &c. &c., likewise four colums or framing, and an entablature, on which
stand the two steam cylinders (high and low pressure) in an inverted position.
The piston rod of the low-pressure cylinder is secured to a cross bar which
moves in slides, the connecting rod being attached to the cross bar and to the
crank of the engine in the ordinary manner. The power of the high-pressure
cylinder is likewise applied to the cross bar, as before described, by its piston
rod actuating a beam or lever, one end of which beam works direct upon the
cross bar, and to compensate for the vibration it is carried by a rocking shaft

page_text: that is secured in bearings fixed to the colums or framing of the engine. This
beam likewise work the air pump, feed pump, and cold water pump, if
required.
Note. Engines having only one cylinder can be constructed upon this
principle if prefered.
The second part of my improvements consists in a novel arrangement of
what is generally termd the three-space or common slide valve of steam engines,
my object being to diminish wear and tear and friction. For this purpose
the ordinary valve box or steam chest is dispensed with, and brackets are
cast upon the cylinder on each side of the facing that the valve works upon,
for carrying the induction pipe or steam box, which has a flanch or plate pro-
jecting towards the cylinder, and rests upon the brackets. A thickness of
indian-rubber is secured between them for the purpose of adjusting the flanch
or plate of steam box upon the valve, and keeping it steam-tight as it works
to and fro between this steam box plate and the facing upon the cylinder. In
the middle of this steam box plate there is an opening for supplying steam
to the valve, and there are two corresponding openings or passages in the
valve for conveying the steam to each end of the cylinder. The openings or
passages in the valve are presented alternately to the opening in the steam box
plate for receiving the necessary supply of steam for working the engine,
motion to the valve being given in the ordinary manner.
Note. The same principle is applicable to a long slide, or when a valve is
used at each end of the steam cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Emanuel Wharton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EMANUEL
WHARTON, of 1, William Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Emanuel Wharton, Her special license that I, the said Emanuel Wharton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Emanuel

page_text: Wharton, 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 Emanuel Wharton, 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 Emanuel Wharton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in a new and simple arrangement of the parts
of a direct-acting compound expansive working steam engine, by which I
obtain greater economy in the construction of the engine, in the space it will
occupy, and readier means of access to all its parts for the purpose of repairs;
and, secondly, my Invention consists in a new arrangement of the parts of
what are termed three-port slide valves, such as are used for locomotive and
other engines, and double or long slide valves; the object of these improve-
ments being economy of power, arising from the very small area exposed to the
pressure of the steam, a saving of wear and tear in working, and in being
enabled to dispense with the valve box or steam chest.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation of an engine constructed according to my
improvements.
Figuro 2, a section of one of my three-port slide valves; Figure 3, a plan
of the same.
Figure 4, a section of a double or long slide valve made according to my
Invention Figure 5. a plan of the same.

page_text: inverted position two steam cylinders (H) and (G), the former being the high
and the latter the low-pressure cylinders. The united power of these two
cylinders is transmitted to the crank (I) in the following manner:-The piston
rod (J) of the low-pressure cylinder is secured to a cross bar (K), working in
guides (L, L). The connecting rod (M) is attached to this cross bar and to
the crank (I). The power of the high-pressure cylinder (H) is also applied
to the cross bar (K') by the piston rod (N) working a short beam 0), one
end of which act directly upon the cross bar (K), and to compensate for the
vibration the opposite end of the beam is carried by a rocking shaft (P), which
is secured in bearings on the entablature (F). The vibration of the beam (0)|
I take advantage of in forming a parallel motion for the piston rod (N), for
by means of the side links (Q) and radius rods (R), only one of each of which
can be seen in the elevation, their duplicates being on the other side, together
with the rocking shaft (P), the parallelism of the piston rod is mantained,
the vibration being compensated for. The parallelism of the air pump rod (S)
is also by this means maintained, the beam (0) working the air pump, feed
pump, and cold water pump when required. (T) is the induction pipe to the
slide valve of the high-pressure cylinder (H). After leaving this cylinder, the
steam escaping into the belt (V) passes into the slide valve of the low-pressure
cylinder (G), and is worked over again expansively, its ingress and egress from
above and below the piston being regulated by the slide valve as in the ordinary
way, and thence to the condenser, one eccentric on the crank shaft working
both the slide valves of the high and low pressure cylinders.
I have thus described the mode of constructing according to my improve-
ments a direct-acting compound steam engine working expansively. It is
evident that engines with only one cylinder may also be constructed on this
principle, but as this requires no further deviation from the description than
the withdrawal of the high-pressure cylinder and the parts belonging thereto,
no further description is necessary.
I now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention, namely, the
improvements in slide valves. On reference to the section (Figure 2) and plan
(Figure 3), it will be seen that the valve box or steam chest is entirely dispensed
with, leaving the valve exposed to view, and affording ready unaus of dis-
covering any fault, and of lubricating and repairing it with greater facility.
(A, A,) are brackets, cast on the cylinder (B), on each side of the facing,
upon which the valve (C) works. These brackets are for the purpose of
carrying the induction pipe (D), which is furnished with a plate (E), resting on
the brackets (A). A thickness of elastic material, such as vulcanized india-
rubber (F), is placed between the plate (E) and brackets (A), to admit of the

page_text: adjustment of the plate (E) upon the valve (C), by the screws and spiral springs
(G, G), to keep it steam-tight as it works backwards and forwards between the
plate (E) and the cylinder facing. In the centre of the plate (E) there is an
aperture (H) of the requisite size for supplying steam to the valve, and their
are two corresponding passages (I, I,) in the valve to admit the steam to the
cylinder (B) as it may be required. (I') is the exhaust port; the steam ports
(I, I,) present themselves alternately to the aperture (H), supplying the steam
at each end of the cylinder, that it may act at the proper time on each side of
the piston. This is effected by the motion of the eccentric in the ordinary
manner.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a section and plan of my improvements applied to
a double or long slide vavle, which may be preferable for engines with a long
stroke, its parts being identical with those of the valve already described, but
in duplicate any further elucidation will not be necessary. The advantages
I obtain by this improved form of slide valve are, in the first place, that as
there is no valve box or steam chest, the valve is at all times accessible
for the purpose of lubrication, and for the detection and remedy of any
fault that may occur; secondly, economy of power, so small an amount
of area being presented to the action of the steam; and, lastly, a considerable
saving in wear from the diminution of friction.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not
confine myself to these precise details; but that which I claim, and desire to
have secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
Firstly, the improvements in the arrangement and distribution of the parts
of direct-acting compound steam engines working expansively, or of engines
working with only one cylinder, as herein described.
Secondly, the improvements described in slide valves, by which I am enabled
to economise power and wear by removing to a great extent the pressure of
steam on such valves, and by which I also dispense with the valve box or steam
chest, as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emanuel Wharton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
EMANUEL (L.s.) WHARTON.