CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Wood, of the Firm of John and Edward
Wood, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the
Invention of " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 24th November 1868, and dated the 9th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th September 1868.
I, EDWARD WOOD, of the Firm of John and Edward Wood, of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare, the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of effecting various
improvements in steam engines, and as these improvements extend to
various classes and parts of such engines I will proceed to describé
them separately.
The Invention relates, first, to that class of steam engines or motors
known as the "Corliss engine" (which is a well known American

page_text: Invention), and more particularly to that portion of such engine known
as the exhaust valves. According to the present arrangement the
rotating valves employed for supplying the cylinder with steam and
also the exhaust valve discharging the same are actuated by an
arrangement of eccentrics and connecting rods in connection with a
"wrist plate" or disc. The steam and exhaust valves being actuated by
an eccentric through the afore-mentioned medium are dependent upon
each other; the object of my improvement is to work the exhaust
valves independently without any intervention or connection with the
steam valve gear by the employment of a second or separate eccentric
or eccentrics, connecting rods, and "wrist" plate, the said "wrist" being
situated on the same centre with the wrist plate of the steam valves,
or it may be placed in any other convenient and suitable position. The
connecting rods coupling the eccentrics with the oscillatory "wrist" plate
be continuous in one length, or connected midway by the inter-
position of a pendulous or vibrating lever; or the two exhaust valves may
each be actuated by separate eccentrics, cams, or cranks, or the
mechanism giving motion to one exhaust valve may transmit or
communicate motion to the other by means of a lever and connecting
rods or other equivalent contrivance.
may
"glands
or
The second part of my Invention relates to the
stuffing boxes employed for keeping those journals or openings
perfect and steam-tight, through which piston rods, valve spindles, or
other rods or connections passing through apertures formed in the
cylinder or other steam enclosures slide, oscillate, or otherwise move.
The improved construction of gland or metallic steam retainer consists
in the substitution for the ordinary cap of the stuffing box now
employed (exerting a pressure upon the interior hemp or packing) of
an elongated neck or boss constructed so as to embrace the piston or
other moving rod, and inserted in the cylindrical orifice formed in the
present construction of stuffing box. The elongated neck, tube, or
boss is secured by a flange situated intermediately between its
extremities to the flange of the stuffing box, its lower projecting
portion below the flange being contained in the stuffing box in such
a manner that an annular space will be left or formed in such box
between the outer surface of the neck and the inner surface of the
stuffing box, by which means the neck is enabled to be adjusted or
adapted to the action of the moving or sliding rod, preventing thereby

page_text: any rigidity, straining, or galling of the frictional surfaces. The interior
of the neck or tube, in frictional contact with the piston or other rod
or spindle, may be provided with grooves, rings, or channels formed at
short intervals of space throughout its surface in contact with the
moving rod. In special or particular cases the upper portion of this
neck projecting outside the gland so as to form a continuation
thereof is provided with a recess or hydraulic chamber above, and
projecting from which an enlarged recess is formed in termination of
the elongated neck into which a supplementary stuffing box or cap is
placed of the ordinary description; thus in severe cases when the strain
of the frictional surface is excessive and the steam pressure great any
steam escaping through the first portion of the neck is prevented by the
supplementary stuffing box from "blowing," the condensation of such
escaped steam through the first portion of the neck being carried off from
the hydraulic chamber or recess by means of a pipe provided for the
purpose. In cases where a rotating or reciprocating motion is required for
valve or other similar spindles, the improved neck or bearing on which
such valve spindles reciprocate is extended still further beyond the
supplementary gland so as to contain and embrace the same, the further
or extended continuation forming a bearing (which may be bushed)
for the spindle at the point where it is connected with the mechanical
medium through which it receives its motion, the said spindle being
enlarged by means of a collar at its opposite extremity at the point
entering the valve box, such enlargement being turned and ground to
the curved formation of the bottom of the elongated neck, by which
means a perfect steam-tight joint is effected.
According to the thirt part of my improvements relating to the
condensors and air pumps of compound or single cylinder horizontal
engines I place the condensor immediately under the vertical centre of
the cylinder or upon one side. In the former arrangement, when
underneath the vertical centre, the air pump has a situation underneath
the condensor, being connected thereto by an independent passage or
thoroughfare with the foot and delivery valve of such condensor which
are connected to and placed on one side thereof, the exhaust thoroughfare
of the cylinder being connected direct from above with the condensor ;
in the latter arrangement, when the condensor is situated or placed below
and on one side of this cylinder, this foot and delivery valve take up an
intermediate position between the condensor and air pump, the plunger
or piston of the air pump in both cases being actuated by means of a

page_text: -coupling or connection with the lever worked from the crosshead
or a lever giving the parallel motion to the piston rod.
Fourthly, in classes of engines having independent steam and exhaust
¡ports, I provid in the cylinder cover steam spaces or chambers in which
the valves for the entrance and exhaust of the steam to and from the
cylinders are placed, making thereby the valves and thoroughfares
independent and separate from the body of the cylinder, I also prefer
the employment and use of a syphon or zig-zag formed spring for giving
the back action to the valves when closing in contradistinction to the
.helical, coiled, or flat springs now employed.
Lastly, my improvements relate to casing or coating the periphery
or block of the steam pistons with a superior metal to that with which
the block is composed, such for instance as coating an iron piston with
steel, thereby making the portion of the piston coming into frictional
contact with the interior surface of the cylinder more durable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office
. on the 8th March 1869.
TO.ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
WOOD, of the Firm of John and Edward Wood, of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Wood, Her special license that I,
the said Edward Wood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Edward Wood, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Wood, .my

page_text: 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and:
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Wood, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.-
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and. by ther
> following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of effecting various improve---
ments in steam engines, and as these improvements relate to different
classes and parts of such engines, I will proceed to describe. them,
separately.
The Invention relates, first, to that class of steam engines or motors.
known as the "Corliss engine" (a well known American Invention),,
and more particularly to that portion of such engine known as the
exhaust valves. According to the present and ordinary arrangement the
rotating valves employed for supplying the cylinder with steam and
also the exhaust valves discharging the same are actuated by an arrange--
ment of excentric and connecting rods in connection with a." wrist
plate" or disc. The steam and exhaust valves being conjointly actuated
by an excentric through the afore-mentioned medium are dependent.
upon each other; and their action to a certain extent limited, thereby ; -
the object of my improvements is to work the exhaust valves inde--
pendently without any intervention or connection with, the steam.valve-
gear by the employment of a second or separate excentric, or excentrics, .
cam or crank, connecting rods, and "wrist" plate,, the said "wrist."
plate being situated on the same centre with the. "wrist plate" of, the
steam valves, or it may be placed in any other convenient and suitable
position. The connecting rods coupling the excentrics.with the oscillatory
"wrist" plate may be continuous in, one- length,. or connected midway.
by the interposition of a pendulous or-vibrating lever; or the two exhaust:
valves may each be actuated, by a. separate excentric,, cam, or crank;.
or the mechanism giving, motion, to one exhaust valve may transmit
or communicate. motion to, the other by, means of connecting rods or
other equivalent contrivance; but various arrangements of connections:
may be made to actuate the independent action of the exhaust valves

page_text: which are of minor importance to the principle or spirit of the present
improvements, and will be herein-after more fully described and
illustrated.
The second part of my Invention relates to the "glands" and stuffing
boxes employed for keeping those journals or openings perfect and
steam-tight, through which piston rods, valve spindles, or other rods or
connections passing through apertures formed in the cylinder or other
steam enclosures slide, oscillate, or otherwise move. The improved con-
struction of gland or metallic steam retainer relates to that class of
stuffing box wherein an elongated neck or boss constructed so as to
embrace the piston or other moving rod, and is inserted in the cylindrical
The
orifice or stuffing box formed in the neck of the cylinder cover.
elongated tube or boss is secured by a flange situated intermediately
between its extremities to the flange of the stuffing box, where it is
made a steam-tight joint; its lower projecting portion below the flange
and according to my Invention is fitted loosely in the stuffing box in
such a manner that an annular space will be left or formed in such
box between the outer surface of the neck and the inner surface of
the stuffing box, by which means the neck is enabled to be adjusted
or adapted to the action of the moving or sliding rod, preventing thereby
any rigidity, straining, or galling of the frictional surfaces. The interior
of the neck or tube in frictional contact with the piston or other rod
or spindle may be provided with grooves, rings, or channels formed
at short intervals of space throughout its surface in contact with the
moving rod. In special and particular cases the upper portion of this
neck projecting outside the gland so as to form a continuation thereof
is provided with a recess or hydraulic chamber above, and projecting
from which an enlarged recess is formed in termination of the elongated
neck into which a supplementary stuffing box or cap of the ordinary
description is placed; thus in severe cases when the strain of the frictional
surface is excessive and the steam pressure great any steam escaping
through the first portion of the neck is prevented by the supplementary
stuffing box from "blowing," the condensation of such escaped steam
through the first portion of the neck being carried off from the hydraulic
chamber or recess by means of a pipe provided for the purpose. In
cases where a rotating or reciprocating motion is required for valve
or other similar spindles, the improved neck bearing in which such
valve spindles reciprocate is extended still further beyond the supple-
mentary gland so as to contain and embrace the same, the further or

page_text: extended continuation forming a bearing (which may be bushed) for
the spindle at the point where it is connected with the mechanical
medium through which it receives its motion, the said spindle being
enlarged by means of a collar at its opposite extremity at the point
entering the valve box, such enlargement being turned and ground to
the curved formation of the bottom of the elongated neck, by which
means a perfect steam-tight joint is effected.
According to the third part of my improvements relating to the
condensors and air pumps of compound or single cylinder horizontal
engines I place the condensor immediately under the cylinder or upon
one side thereof. In the former arrangement, when underneath the
cylinder the air pump has a situation underneath the condensor, being
connected thereto by independent passages or thoroughfares and with
the foot and delivery valves of such condensor which are connected
to and placed on one side thereof, the exhaust thoroughfares of the
cylinder being connected direct from above with the condensor; in
the latter arrangement, when the condensor is situated or placed below
and on one side of the cylinder, the foot and delivery valves take up
an intermediate position between the condensor and air pump, the
plunger or piston of the air pump in both cases being actuated by
means of a coupling or connection with the lever worked from the
crosshead or a lever giving the parallel motion to the piston rod or
otherwise.
Fourthly, in classes of engines having independent steam and exhaust
ports, I provide in the cylinder cover steam spaces or chambers in
which the valves for the entrance and exhaust of the steam to and
from the cylinders are placed, making thereby the valves and thorough-
fares independent and separate from the body of the cylinder; I also
employ a syphon or zig-zag formed spring for giving the back action
to the steam valves of steam engines when closing, in contradistinction
to the helical, coiled, or flat springs now employed.
Lastly, my improvements relate to casing or coating the periphery
or block of the steam pistons with a superior metal to that of which
the block is composed such for instance as coating an iron piston with
steel, thereby making the portion of the piston coming into frictional
contact with the interior surface of the cylinder more durable..
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Certain
Improvements in Steam Engines" I will now proceed to describe more

page_text: in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be carried into
practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood I
have annexed hereunto three Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof,
and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof.
The first part of my Invention is illustrated on Sheet 1 of the
Drawings, in which Fig. 1 exhibits one modification of this part of my
Invention. Instead of actuating both the steam and exhaust valves
of a "Corliss engine" from one "wrist plate" as heretofore, I place
two excentrics, cams, or cranks a, b, on the crank shaft c, and I place
two "wrist plates" d and e on the same stud f on the cylinder g, or
they may be otherwise placed. Each excentric works one of the wrist
plates, and one of the latter actuates the steam valves by the rods.
and links h, h, whilst the other works the exhaust valves by means of
other rods and links i, i. The eccentric rod may act directly on the
"wrist plates or through the intervention of the pendulous vibrating
levers k, k.
"
A second modification is exhibited at Fig. 2, wherein the wrist
plate for working exhaust valve is dispensed with and the excentric
rod 1,, acts directly upon one exhaust valve through the lever m,
the two exhaust valves being caused to work together by the
link n.
Another modification of this arrangement might be made by having
two excentrics each with its rod acting directly on one of the exhaust
valves.
A further modification is shown at Fig. 3, wherein a single "wrist
plate" o is used for working the exhaust valves worked by a single
excentric p and placed between it and the pendulous vibrating, levers q,q,
which work the exhaust valves.
In either of these arrangements. the steam valves may be actuated
in any convenient manner so long as they are worked separately from
and entirely independently of the exhaust valves.
The second part of my Invention is also shown on Sheet 1 of the
Drawings, Fig. 4 being a section of one modification of this part of my
Invention. In stuffing boxes of the class here exhibited it has always
been the practice to make the gland a fit into the neck b, and hence
(especially in horizontal engines) it was not practical to adjust the

page_text: gland when the other parts had become worn, and the consequence
has been an undue wearing of the gland on one side and consequent
escape of steam. This part of my Invention consists in leaving a
space c, c, all round the gland so as to allow of its adjustment, the bolt
holes being also slightly enlarged for that purpose, a steam-tight joint
being made at c*.
Fig. 5 is a modification having a chamber d to arrest and condense
any portion of steam which may pass the first portion of the stuffing box
and prevent it from escaping at c, a small pipe ƒ being added to carry
off the condensed steam or water.
Fig. 6 shews a similar arrangement with the substitution of an
ordinary stuffing box for the upper part of the gland.
I
Fig. 7 shows the same applied to a valve spindle of ordinary con-
struction.
:
Fig. 8 illustrates the adaptation thereof to the spindle of a rotating
or vibrating valve; the bearing at h and the joint at i may be bushed or
fitted with steps.
Fig. 9 shows the application thereto of the auxiliary chamber 'k and
supplementary stuffing box l.
The third part of my Invention will be clearly understood on referring
to Sheets 2 and 3 of the annexed Drawings, wherein Fig. 9* illustrates
one modification of this part of my Invention as applied to a pair of
single cylinder engines. a, a, are the cylinders; b, b, the condensors; .
and c, c, the foot and delivery valves placed between the condensors
and the air pumps d, d.
Fig. 10 (Sheet 3) illustrates the application of my Invention to a
compound cylinder engine; a, a, being the two cylinders; b, b, the
condensor; c, c, the foot and delivery valves; and d, d, the air pumps, the
former being placed between the condensors and the latter. This may
be modified by employing a single condensor and an air pump of a
larger area, as shown at Fig. 10. (Sheet 2).
Figs. 11 and 12 (Sheet 3) show in longitudinal and transverse section
the adaptation of this part of my Invention to a single cylinder engine.
In this arrangement the condensor 6 is placed immediately under the
cylinder a, and the air pump d is placed underneath, the condensor being
connected thereto by independent passages or thoroughfares and with
the foot and delivery valves c, c, by the passages e, e.

page_text: The fourth part of my Invention is seen at Fig. 13, 14, 15, and 16.
Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through the cylinder cover and one
end of the cylinder showing clearly the passages; Fig. 14 is a section
through the line A, B; in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a section through the
line E, F; and Fig. 16 a section through the line C, D. In the 5
cylinder cover a, a, there are formed two steam spaces or chambers
b and c, in which work the steam admission valve d and the exhaust
valve e, by which arrangement it will be perceived that the valves
and thoroughfares are independent of and separate from the body of the
cylinder.
Figs. 17, 18, and 19 show the syphon and zig-zag form of springs
which I employ for giving the back action to the valves instead of the
helical, coiled, or flat springs usually employed.
Figs. 20 and 21 represent in section two forms of piston with the
last part of my Invention shown as applied thereto. a, a, being the body or 1
block of the piston, and b, b, the external coating or periphery of
superior metal.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that 2
I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. Actuating the exhaust valves of "Corliss' engine" separately
from and independently of the steam valves in the manner herein-
before described and shown in Shcet 1 of the Drawings, or by other
analogous means.
Secondly. The construction of stuffing boxes and glands, substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth and illustrated
in Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Thirdly. Arranging the condensors, foot and delivery valves, and air
pumps of single or double cylinder engines as described with reference 3
to Sheets 2 and 3 of the Drawings.
Fourthly. Forming the steam spaces in which the valves work in
.the cylinder cover and independent from the body of the cylinder.
Fifthly. I claim the syphon and zig-zag form of springs for giving the
back action to the valves.
2
3

page_text: And lastly. I claim coating the periphery of the piston with a metal
of superior quality to that of which the body or block of the piston is
formed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Wood, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
EDWARD WOOD. (L.S.)