IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE- WITH
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Beckett Johnson, of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Manager for Messrs. Ormerod and Son,
Engineers and Iron Founders, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Beckett
Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st August 1853.
I, WILLIAM BECKETT JOHNSON, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manager for Messrs. Ormerod and Son, Engineers and Iron
Founders, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH" to be as follows:-
My improvements relate, firstly, to a peculiar combination of engine
and boiler, and consist in attaching a steam engine to a boiler in a
vertical position, or nearly so, such boiler being of that construction in
which the furnace or furnaces and tubes or flues are placed hori-
zontally. Secondly, to the condensing apparatus of steam engines, and

page_text: consists in placing the condenser between or in communication with a
space contained between two air pump buckets or pistons, both of
which buckets or pistons are provided with valves opening from the
condenser, and communicate with suitable delivery valves leading to
the hot well. Thirdly, my Invention relates to steam engine regulator
valves, and consists in so forming, constructing, or disposing apertures
through which 'tlic steam passes that the variation in area shall take
place at an accellerated rate, although the action of the governor be
uniform. In order to illustrate this I will suppose that the valve is
constructed by two surfaces, each having a number of apertures; instead
of arranging these as ordinarily practised, that is to say, so that they
arrive opposite to each other simultaneously, I so dispose then that
their coincidence shall take place successively. I have mentioned one
description of apparatus, but I do not confine myself thereto, as valves
upon separate seats may be used, moving independently of each peculiar.
forms of orifices adopted, and other modifications employed to effect the
object constituting my Invention. Fourthly, my Invention relates to
the feed water taps of boilers, and consists in placing a valve inside-the
plug of a tap, which valve is arranged to rise with each quantity of water
supplied to the boiler, but prevents any return of the water therefrom.
Fifthly, to the pumps of small engines-used-expressly for feeding boilers,
and consists in constructing the pump and valve similarly to an
ordinary three passage" steam engine cylinder and valve, to which
pump valve suitable motion is communicated by the excentric which
works the steam cylinder valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Beckett Johnson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM BECKETT JOHNSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager for Messieurs Ormerod and Son, Engineers and Iron Founders,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant to me, the said William Beckett Johnson,
Her especial license that I, the said William Beckett Johnson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Beckett Johnson, my exccutors, 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 AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Beckett Johnson, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and scal, should: particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanie' 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 William Beckett Johnson, 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 and accompanying Drawing (that is
to say):
..:
My improvements relate, firstly, to a peculiar combination of engine
and boiler, and is shewn in end and side elevation at Figs. 1, and 2, in
which the steam cylinder a, is attached to a boiler:b, in a. vertical
position, or nearly so, the boiler being of that construction in which the
furnace or furnaces c, and tubes or flues d, are placed 'horizontally.
e, is the connecting rod, and f, and g, the crank and crank shaft, which,
together with the slide valve and other detail parts of the engine,
may be of the usual description. The crank shaft works in the bear-
ings h, and i, supported upon or by the plates j, attached to the boiler.
In this arrangement the cylinder is shewn above, and the .crank shaft

page_text: under the boiler, but I also place the cylinder below and pass the crank
shaft over the top of the boiler. Secondly, to the condensing apparatus
of steain engines, and consists in placing the cendensor a, (Fig. 3,
being a longitudinal section,) between or in communication with a
space contained between two air pump buckets or pistons b, and c,
both of which buckets or pistons are provided with valves d, and e,
opening from the condensor, and communicating with suitable delivery
valves f, and g, leading to the hot well . In this arrangement the
air pump buckets or pistons are shewn to work horizontally, but they
may be worked in other positions, if more convenient; motion is com-
municated to the air pump buckets or pistons by the rod i, by con-
necting it with any suitable moving part of the engine. Thirdly, to
steam engine regulator valves, and consists in so forming, constructing,
or disposing apertures through which the steam passes that the variation
in arcu shall take place at an accellerated rate, although the action of the
governor be uniform. Fig. 4, represents a section, Fig. 5, a plan of
valve box face, and Fig. 6, a plan of valve. «, is the branch by which
steam enters the valve, and passes from thence through the aperture
b, c, d, e, formed in the valve box face, and is conveyed from thence to
the engine by the branch f. 7, is the valve (Fig. 6), fitted to work truly
upon the face in the valve box, having formed in it certain apertures
b, c, d, e, which apertures are similar in form and position to those
made in the valve box face. When the valve is full open the apertures
in the valve and valve box face coincide with each other. The valve is
shut by causing the metal parts h, in the valve to cover the apertures
in the valve box face. By moving the valve g, round in the direction
shewn by the arrow (Fig. 7, which represents the valve upon the valve
box face;) the apertures b, will first be opened, and by continuing the
motion in the same direction the apertures c, d, and e, will successively
be opened, by which means the variation in arca for the passage of
steam is accellerated, although the action of the governor upon the
valve spindle i, be uniform. I place a set screw j, to keep the valve a
suitable distance from the valve box face, so as to be sufficiently steam-
tight, and yet allow the valve to be worked freely. If the steam be
.caused to enter the valve through the branch f, and pass out through

page_text: the branch a, then the set screw j, must act upon the other side
of the valve so as to prevent the steam from pressing the valve too
close against the valve box face. I have shewn one description of
apparatus, but I do not confine myself thereto, as valves upon separate
seats may be used moving independently of each other, peculiar forms of
orifices may be adopted, and other modifications employed to effect the
object constituting my Invention. Fourthly, to feed water taps of
boilers, and consists in placing a valve a, (Fig. 8, which represents a
vertical section,) inside the plug b, of a tap, which valve is arranged to
rise with each quantity of water supplied to the boiler, but prevents
any return of the water therefrom. Water is supplied through the
branch e, and passes through the valve to the boiler by the branch d.
e, is the barrel in which the plug b, works. When the opening from
the feed tap to the boiler is closed, by turning the plug into the proper
position in its barrel the cover f, on the top of the plug may be
removed, and the valve a, cleaned or examined during the working of
the boiler to which the feed tap is applied. Fifthly, to the pumps of
small engines used expressly for feeding boilers, and consists in con-
structing the pump a, (Fig. 9, which represents a side elevation,) and
valve b, similarly to an ordinary three passaged steam engine cylinder
and valve, to which pump valve suitable motion is communicated by the
eccentric and rod c, d, that works the steam cylinder valve e. The
construction of the steam cylinder, mode of attaching the steam cylinder
piston rod to the pump piston rod f, also of working the fly wheel
shaft g, and other detail parts, may be made different to what I
have shown.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire
it to be understood that I claim as secured to me, Firstly, the
peculiar combination of engine and boiler in which the cylinder is
attached in a vertical position, or nearly so, to a steam boiler, having its
furnace or furnaces and tubes or flues placed horizontally or nearly
so. Secondly, placing the condensor between or in communication
with a space contained between two air pump buckets or pistons.
Thirdly, forming, constructing, or disposing apertures through which the

page_text: steam passes in steam engine regulator valves with a series of apertures
which shall successively come into operation, or otherwise constructing
them in such a manner that the variation in area shall take place at an
accelerated rate, although the action of the governor upon the valve be
uniform. Fourthly, placing a valve inside the plug of a feed water tap so
as to rise with each quantity of water supplied to the boiler, but pre-
venting any return of the water therefrom. Fifthly, constructing the
pump and valve of small engines used expressly for feeding boilers
similarly to an ordinary "three passaged" steam engine cylinder.
"In witness whereof, I, the said William Beckett Johnson, have
hereunto set my hard and scal, the Twenty-seventh day of
February, 'in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
2
W. B. JOHNSON. (L.S.)