CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOILERS, FURNACES, AND STOVES
Year: 1838

page_text: BOURNE, of the City of Dubim, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria that, after considerable application and ex-
pense, I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BOILERS, FURNACES, AND STOVES," and Her said Majesty being
willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the
public good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under the
Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighth day of October last (One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-eight) in the second year of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
to give and grant unto me, the said John Bourne, my exors, adñiors, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I or they, by
myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or such
others as I or they should agree with (and no others) during the term of fourteen
years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, my said Invention within that part of Her said Majesty's
dominions called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon
Tweed, in such manner as to me, my exors, admors, and assigns, shall seem meet,
and as that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising by reason
of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years; and for that end
Her said Majesty requires and strictly commands all Her subjects whatsoever,
within England, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed aforesaid, that they shall not,
neither directly nor indirectly, make, use, or put in practice, my said Invention,

page_text: or any part thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same,
nor make any addition thereto, or subtraction, therefrom, whereby to pretend
himself or themselves to be the inventor or inventors thereof: And whereas
the said Letters Patent contain a proviso obliging me, the said John Bourne,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and.by. the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW. KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso,..I,, the said
John Bourne, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and ascer-
tained in manner following, and by the aid of the three Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Part of my said improvements in steam engines relates to those steam engines
which operate by cooling and condensing the steam (whereby they are worked)
by means of some kind of condensing apparatus wherein the steam is spread
out in contact with extensive surfaces of thin metal, which metal has cold water
spread out in contact with its opposite surfaces, so that the substance of the thin
metal is interposed between the steam and the cold water, but they are not
allowed to mix together or to come in actual contact, and the cooling and con-
sequent condensation of the steam is effected by transmission of the heat
from the steam through the substance of the thin metal to the cold water, which
absorbs or abstracts that heat and becomes warmed thereby, "and that water
being caused to flow in a continuous or nearly continuous stream in contact with
the said surfaces, carries away with it the heat by which it has becomed warmed;
all the warmed water which so passes away is continually replaced by a flow of
cold water, so as to keep up the cooling effect without sensible intermission, and
by so cooling the steam it is condensed into water without any intermixture with
the condensing water which was used for cooling and condensing it; and the
water resulting from the condensed steam being returned back into the boiler
by a suitable pump, is reconverted into steam by the heat therein for the further
working of the engine; wherefore the water which is used to produce steam for
working the engine is used over and over again for that purpose, for it is made
to circulate continually through the engine without mixing with any of that other
water, which must of necessity be used for cooling and condensing the steam,
or, in other words, for carrying away the heat of that steam from the engine.
This 'mode of condensing steam having been long known, and being now fre-
quently practised, does not require further explanation than as above to identify

page_text: it as that to which the part of my.said improvements now about to be described
relates. And whereas the flow of cold water before mentioned, which is caused
to move and pass in contact with 'the surfaces of thin metal aforesaid for the
purpose of carrying away the heat therefrom, has been usually produced by a
cold water pump deriving motion from the engine itself; and also whereas the
pump, whereby the water resulting from the condensed steam is returned to the
boiler as aforesaid, for feeding the same and keeping up'a due quantity of water
therein, has likewise been worked by the engine itself; the consequence has been
that when the motion of the engine is stopped the waste and loss of such steam
as may happen to be produced by the continuance of the heat of the fire during
the inaction of the engine cannot be avoided, because it cannot be effectually
condensed after the flow of cold' water (which depends upon the motion of the
cold water pump) has ceased with the motion of the engine; and also the feed-
ing or replenishing of the boiler with water, depending upon the motion of the
pump for that purpose, cannot be carried on during the inaction of the engine,
unless it be done by hand labour working a pump for the purpose, and even in
that case that pump will not be furnished with water resulting from condensed
steam, all which occasions inconvenience in the use of such steam engines on
board vessels at sea; for although when the engines are going on-working quite
regularly, the water. resulting from the condensation of the steam being returned
or pumped back into the boiler, will keep the same duly supplied with fresh
water; whilst the cooling and condensation is performed by cold salt or sea
water. And although any small and gradual waste of that fresh water, by the
casual blowing away of steam from the boiler at the safety valve into the air,
may be replaced by means of a still or apparatus for boiling salt water into steam,
and introducing as much of that steam as is requisite into the condenser for
supplying the place of that which has become deficient by waste, nevertheless
when the engines are stopped the waste of fresh water (which then becomes
very considerable) by steam blowing away at the-safety valves cannot be effec-
tually replaced to the boilers whilst the engines remain inactive; because, although
the still may be used to make steam from salt water, that steam cannot be
effectually condensed (or only a small quantity can be condensed, for want of the
requisite flow of cold salt water, which flow ceases (as before mentioned) with
the motion of the engines. Neither can the fresh water resulting from that
small quantity of steam which may have been condensed be pumped into the
boiler, except by hand labour, as before mentioned. And in consequence of
these difficulties, most of such engines which have hitherto been brought into
use are.occasionally liable to have a deficiency of water in the boilers when the
engines. have been stopped, and to supply that deficiency, have been under the

page_text: necessity of having some salt water pumped into the boilers by hand labour, so
that the desired freshness of the water with which the engine is worked becomes
permanently impaired by the occasional admixture of salt water, and which,
being once admitted and having rendered the water in the boilers brackish or
somewhat salt, the saltness cannot be got rid of until the boilers can be wholly
emptied and refilled with fresh water. Now the object of part of my improve-
ments is to remove the aforesaid difficulties by adding to such steam engines a
small steam engine, for the purpose of working the cold water pump and the
feeding pump for the boiler, that said small steam engine being connected with
the large steam engine to which it belongs, so as to keep time in motion there-
with whenever the latter is at work, in order by such connection to cause the
two pumps to work with the large engine, as usual; but the small engine is
disconnected from the large one as soon as the latter is stopped, so that the
small engine is then capable of working by itself, in order to actuate the two
pumps as much as may be requisite for replenishing or keeping the boiler pro-
perly filled with fresh water, whilst the large engine continues motionless. This
first part of my improvements is explained by Sheet I. of the Drawings here-
unto annexed, which contains a vertical section of the engine, Figure 1, having
this part of my improvements applied to it. The names of the parts commonly
used in steam engines are written thereon. A is the steam cylinder of the small
additional steam engine; B, its piston; and b, its piston rod, which rod being
prolonged downwards through a stuffing box at the centre of the bottom C of
the cylinder, serves also as the pump rod of a double acting cold water pump 1,
the moveable piston 2 of which pump is fixed to the lower end of the rod b, so
that the force wherewith the steam piston B is urged alternately upwards and
lownwards (by action of steam) in its cylinder A is transmitted, by the rod b,
to move the piston 2 of the cold water pump up and down, with corresponding
motion, in its barrel 1. The small steam cylinder A is supplied with steam
from any convenient part of the boiler, or the steam pipe, or steam case of
the large engine, through a steam pipe D, having a regulating stop-cock
therein at d for throtling the passage of steam through the pipe D, or stop-
ping it entirely, and thereby regulating the speed or stopping the motion
of the small engine, as may be required, whilst it remains disconnected
from the large engine. The steam which passes through the steam
pipe D is conveyed thereby into a small steam chest a, in front of the
small steam cylinder, and containing a hollow box sliding valve e, which
applies to and slides over a vertical flat surface, wherein there are three
apertures of as many passages for conveying steam, either to the top of the
small cylinder A or to the bottom thereof, and also for conveying steam

page_text: away from the bottom or away from the top thereof, through an eduction passage
and pipe E, which joins to any convenient part of the eduction pipe R, or con-
denser of the large engine. These accessaries of the small steam cylinder A
require no farther explanation, being the same in construction and operation
as is usual in double-acting steam engines; but the same may be varied from
the construction which is represented, by adopting any other kind of valve or
valves, cock or cocks, which are in common use for distributing steam to and
exhausting steam from the cylinder, so as to produce forcible motion of the
piston, with alternate double action, in order to actuate the cold water pump
and the hot water or boiler feeding pump; and, further, the sliding valve (or
whatever valve or valves, cock or cocks, are used in licu thereof) must be duly
moved by some suitable kind of working gear deriving motion from the motion
of the piston rod b, in such manner as will effect the intended distribution of
steam to and evacuation of steam from the top and bottom of the cylinder-A.
In the Drawing this is represented to be done by attaching the upper end of
the stem or rod f of the sliding valve e to the horizontal arm F of an elbow
lever F, g, g, which may be fitted loosely on the axis 3 for its centre of motion,
and the upright arm of that lever has two tappets g, g, fixed upon it at a suitable
distance apart to receive the action of a short arm h, which projects downwards
from the lever H. That lever H is fitted loosely upon the axis 4 for its centre
of motion, and the upper end of the piston rod b is jointed to the end of that
lever in a suitable manner for communicating an angular motion to the lever H
about its centre 4, whenever the piston B is moved up or down in its cylinder A
by action of the steam, so that the lever H answers to what is termed a working
lever for the small steam engine; and the lower end of its arm h coming in
contact with one of the tappets g of the elbow lever F, g, g, when the piston B
has moved upwards in its cylinder A nearly to the top of its course, will move
the sliding valve e downwards in its steam box a, in order to reverse the dis-
tribution of the steam, and impell the piston B downwards in its cylinder A,
until it arrives near to the bottom of its course, and then the lower end of the
arm coming in contact with the other tappet g of the elbow lever F, 9, 9,
will move the sliding valve e upwards in its steam chest a, all which is a
well known action, and may be performed by any other kind of working gear
which is suitable for causing the small steam cylinder A with its piston B,
piston rod b, working lever H, sliding valve e in its steam chest a, steam pipe D,
regulating cock d, and eduction pipe E, to operate in the manner of a double
acting steam engine, for the purpose of working the cold water pump and the
hot water or boiler feeding pump. The cold water pump 1, although repre-
sented as being situated beneath the small steam cylinder A, and worked by

page_text: prolongation. of the piston rod. 6.thereof; may be worked in any other manner
by suitable connection, either with. that rod b or with the working lever H of
the small steam engine. The hot water pump is represented as being worked
by a link i, which is suspended from a short tail end k of the lever H; that
link i descends to the middle part of a cross lever I, whereof.one end is move-
able about a fixed centre of motion supported by the framing of the engine,
and from the other end the rod j of the hot water pump 5 is suspended. The
lever I is disposed obliquely across the width of, the engine, in order that its
extremity may reach over to the rod j of the hot water pump 5, which is placed
on one side of the middle of the width of the engine, although the link i and
lever H are situated at that middle also; the oblique cross lever I increases the
extent of motion which the link I derives from the tail k of the lever H, so as
to cause the rod of the hot water pump to move with a suitable length of
stroke to produce (according to the size of the hot water. pump) the same or a
greater efficient capacity for pumping water, as would be usually.given to a hot
water pump for like steam engines. The hot water pump 5 is only single
acting, that is, it only raises water when its bucket 6 is drawn up in its working
barrel 5; there is a valve in the bucket,6, and another valve 7 at the bottom
of the barrel 5. The cold water pump 1 is of a suitable size (according to
the length of stroke made by its piston 2) to give it the same capacity for
pumping water as would be usually given to a cold water pump for like steam
engines. The cold water pump 1 is double-acting, that is, it forces water.as
well when its piston 2 is moved upwards or when it is moved downwards in
its working barrel, because the flow of cold water is required to be kept up
without sensible intermission, in order to effect the cooling and condensation
of the steam. A suitable arrangement for the pipes and valves of the cold
water pump, to render the same double-acting, is, shewn in Figure 2, which
is a transverse vertical section across the engine; 8. is the section pipe for
bringing water to the pump, and which communicates with the working barrel 1
at the bottom thereof, through the lower suction valve 9, and with the top of
the working barrel through the upper suction valve 10,. and 11 is. the forcing
pipe for conveying the water away from the pump; it communicates with the
top of the working barrel 1 through the upper forcing valve 12, and with the
bottom of the working barrel through the lower. forcing valve 13.. Note, in
the Drawing the pump is represented as being fixed on the top of the con-
denser, and beneath the small steam 'cylinder A; but that is an unimportant
circumstance, for the pump might be placed in any other situation if it would
better suit the convenience of the particular engine to which it is applied; all
that is required for this part of my improvements is, that the cold water pump

page_text: as well as the hot water pump shall be so connected with the piston B and
piston rod 6 of the small steam cylinder A as to be both capable of being
worked thereby when the large, engine is stopped and the small engine is discon-
nected from the large one, but that the small engine and the two pumps shall
be capable of being connected with the large engine when the same is to
resume its working. The cold water pump 1 is represented as being applied
to draw water through its, suction pipe 8, out of the condensing apparatus at
30,, 30, and to force that water through its force pipe -11 overboard out of the
vessel, so that the pump, in fact, operates on the waste water which has gone
through the condensing apparatus: The cold water is admitted into the con-
densing apparatus through suitable pipes 31,,31, from the outside of the vessel
to supply the place of that waste water which is drawn out therefrom by action
of the pump, and in that manner the requisite flow of cold water. through the
condensing apparatus is produced, as well as by the usual mode of applying the
cold water pump; which is to draw cold water through its suction pipe 8 from
the outside of the vessel, and to force that water through its force pipe 11 into
the condensing apparatus, from which the waste water passes by a suitable
waste pipe or pipes, by which it is conveyed over board out of the vessel; in
that application of the pump it is really a cold water pump for forcing cold
water into the condensing apparatus, which water after becoming warmed
therein flows away in waste, whereas the pump 1 in the Drawing is really a waste
water pump for drawing such warmed waste water out of the condensing appa-
ratus, and thereby making room for the cold water to flow into the apparatus.
But, nevertheless, I have called the pump by its usual name of cold water
pump, because it produces the same result in either case, vizt, that of causing
a flow of cold water through the condensing apparatus; and also because it is
an unimportant circumstance to my improvements, for the pump may be either
applied to force cold, water into or to draw warm waste water out of the con-
densing apparatus. The hot water pump 5 must draw its water out from the
very lowest part 14 of the condenser 15, to which the water resulting from the
condensation of the steam can drip or run down, and the air pump 16 is not
intended to pump out any of that water, but only air which may obtain admis-
sion into the condenser, or any uncondensed vapour which may be therein. For
this purpose a partition 17 is formed at the bottom part of the condenser 15 to
prevent any water getting to the foot valve 18 of the air pump, although the
space above that partition will allow the air or uncondensed vapour to be drawn
away through the foot valve 18. The water which results from the condensa-
tion of the steam will collect at the lowest part 14, 15, of the condenser, and as
fast as it, so collects will be pumped away therefrom by the hot water pump 5,

page_text: in order to replenish the boiler; but if from any cause the quantity of that water
should accumulate beyond what is required to be taken away by the hot water
pump, it will overflow the top edge of the partition 17, and get down to the
foot valve 18 of the air pump 16, so as to be pumped out by that pump, which
has valves in its moving bucket 20, and a discharge valve from its top just as
usual. The discharging branch 19, which leads from the top of the air pump
16 to the discharging valve, passes obliquely sideways to join to the lower part
of the waste water cistern or hot well 21, which will receive any water that
may be discharged by the air pump 16, and will always retain some water to
cover the discharging valve. The surplus waste water from that hot well 21
must be conveyed away overboard through the side of the vessel, in the usual
manner of an overflow from a hot well or waste water cistern. In the Drawing,
Figure 1, it is represented as joining by a horizontal branch 22 to the forcing
pipe 11 of the cold water pump 1, where that pipe is to go overboard. Engines
to which this part of my improvements are applied must have either what has
been called a still or vessel placed within one of the boilers to receive salt or
sea water, and raise steam therefrom by the heat which that still or the internal
vessel derives from the steam and water in the boiler, by which the still or vessel
is surrounded. Or else some small portion of the boiler, which is rendered quite
distinct as to its contents of water from the fresh water contained in the rest of
the boilers, must be kept supplied with sea water in order to raise steam there-
from; and that steam being conveyed into the engine, as part of the steam
whereby it is worked, will make up for any deficiency that may arise from
leakage or from the blowing away of steam at the safety valve; and the said
portion of the boiler which contains sea water having only one out of the several
fires or furnaces (wherewith the boilers of large marine engines are always
worked) devoted to the heating of that sea water, in order to raise steam from
it, will aways furnish a sufficiency of steam to make up for the utmost loss of
fresh water that can be occasioned by the blowing away of steam in waste.
Sea water must be kept supplied to that said portion of the boiler by a small
distinct sea water feeding pump worked by the engine, and drawing water from
the sea, or by a branch from any part of the condensing apparatus which con-
tains sea water; and that pump should be made so as to be capable of being
detached from the engine, in order that it may be worked by hand when occa-
sion requires it to be used whilst the engines are stopped. And the steam
which is so derived from the sea water may be conveyed direct into the steam
chest of the other or fresh water boilers, so as to go in part of the general supply
of steam for working the engine, or else by suitable arrangement of steam pipes
and valves; the steam arising from the sea water may when required be con-

page_text: veyed
itself direct into the condenser without going through the large engines,
in case they are not at work at the time when it is required to make up deficiency
of fresh water; and the small steam engine A may be supplied with steam by
a branch from the said steam pipe, which conveys the said steam (arising from
the sea water portion of the boiler) to the condenser, that branch being con-
nected to the steam regulating cock d of the small steam engine. In which
case the operation of making up the deficiency will be performed entirely by
the action of the steam raised from the sea water, and that steam may be kept
up to a sufficient elasticity by working the small engine efficiently, even
although the steam in the other or fresh water portion of the. boilers should be
too feeble for the purpose. Or otherwise as aforesaid the steam raised from the
sea water may be mixed with the steam rinsed from the fresh water in the
other or fresh water portions of the boilers, and may go therewith as a common
supply for the working of the large engines, and also for working the small
steam engine A, whereof the steam pipe D must join to some convenient part
of the steam chest of the boilers, or of the steam pipe or of the steam casing of
the large engine, so as that it can at all times be certain to have a supply of
steam; and there must be some cock or valve whereby a portion of that com-
mon supply of steam can at any time be admitted directly into the condenser,
the same as is commonly done by the valve which is provided for the operation
that is termed blowing through, in order to clear the condenser of air when
the engine is to be prepared for first setting to work; and in fact the ordinary
blowing through valve will answer the purpose of admitting steam into the con-
denser as aforesaid. These circumstances being understood, the operation of
the small steam engine A for supplying deficiency of fresh water to the boilers
is obvious, and requires scarcely any further explanation; when the large
engines are stopped the small engine is disconnected from them, and the steam
which is supplyed to its cylinder through its regulating cock d and steam pipe D
gives motion to its piston B, and is discharged through its eduction pipe E
into the upper eduction pipe R and condenser of the large engine. The motion
of the piston B of the small steam engine being accompanied by that of the
piston 2 of the cold water pump 1 and the bucket 6 of the hot water pump 5,
the former will keep up an ample flow of cold sea water through the condensing
apparatus for effectually cooling and condensing all the steam that can require
to be admitted direct into the condenser, by the blowing through valve or other
similar valve above mentioned, for the purpose of making up any deficiency of
fresh water in the fresh water portion of the boilers, and the water derived from
that cooling and condensation will be pumped by the hot water pump 5 into
the fresh water boilers, or into the particular fresh water boiler where there is

page_text: a deficiency. The feeding pipe 49, which proceeds from the upper part of the
hot water pump 5 to the boiler, has all the usual provisions of a safety valve
for overflow in waste, and branches with regulating cocks or valves to each of
the several fresh water portions of the boiler, in order to admit into each respec-
tively as much as it requires. By this means the waste of fresh water which
would result from steam blowing away at the safety valves whilst the large engines
are stopped may be avoided, for the steam which would so blow away may be
admitted by the blowing through valve into the condenser, and there it will be
condensed into water by the cooling effect of the flow of sea water produced by
the motion of the cold water pump, and that water will be returned into the fresh
water portion of the boilers by the motion of the hot water pump, both those
motions being performed by the action of the small steam engine during the
-inaction of the large engines, and without those motions the condensation and
replenishing of the boilers could not be then performed, and any further defi-
ciency of fresh water beyond that which might still remain, after thus avoiding
the blowing away of steam in waste, can be made up by steam produced from the
sea water portion of the boiler, and the one fire by which, as before mentioned,
that portion of the boiler is heated, must be urged or slackened according as
such accession of fresh water is required or not. And, note, the eduction.
pipe E of the small cylinder A may have a stop-cock in it, which, at the same
time that it stops the passage through the pipe E into the condenser, will also
open a side passage into another pipe leading up to the open air, or to the waste
steam pipe, by which the steam that blows off from the safety valve is carried
up into the air, and thereby the small steam engine may if required be worked
by the mere elastic pressure of steam above the atmospheric pressure without
a vacuum, which may be a useful resource in case that the small engine is
required to be worked when the condenser of the large engine has become too
much filled with air to enable a vacuum to be made in it during the inaction
of the air pump. The operation of the small engine by itself during the inac-
tion of the large engines, and whilst it remains disconnected from them, being
now explained, it remains to explain how the small engine is to be connected
with the large engines when they are to begin to resume their usual mode of
working, in order that the cold water pump and the hot water pump may then
become parts of the mechanism of the engines, so as to work therewith, and
keep due time with their motion as usual. For this purpose it is only requisite
to connect the working lever H of the small steam engine with the axis 4,
whereon it is mounted, and which serves for its centre of motion, and which
has been herein-before mentioned as such, and as if the lever H were fitted
loosely thereon, and so it is if the small engine is to be worked. during the

page_text: inaction of the large engines; but the axis 4 is part of the mechanism of one
of the large engines, and turns or moves angularly backwards and forwards
about its centre line when those engines are at work; wherefore the working
lever H being connected with that axis 4, will be obliged to partake of the
motion thereof, so as to work regularly in concert with the engines, in order to
give due motion to the cold water pump and the hot water pump, and that quite
independently of any action or power of the piston B of the. small cylinder A.
For the steam may be stopped off by the regulating or stop-cock d from all
admission to that cylinder, in which case it will become exhausted, and its
piston B will be moved up and down therein in vacuo, without exerting any
forcible action; or else steam may be admitted by the cock d, and it will give
forcible action to piston B, and enable it to assist in the exertion of working
the cold water pump and the hot water pump, without throwing the whole
exertion of that working on the axis 4. That axis 4 is part of the parallel
motion of the engine; it extends horizontally across the frame of the engine,
being supported in bearings fixed to that frame, and has a short crank 23
formed on each end of it; beyond those bearings the pin of one or both of those
cranks is connected by an upright link 24 with the great lever or levers 25 of
the large engine, so as to oblige the axis 4 to turn round alternately backwards
and forwards about its own centre line; and other pins of the said two cranks
23 are also the joints of the two bridle or radius rods 26 of the parallel motion,
the other ends of those rods 26 being jointed to the two ends of the cross
head 27 of the piston rod, or to the two side rods which descend from those
ends, all which is well known as a parallel motion, and requires no further
explanation. And the mode of connection or disconnection of the working
lever H with its axis 4 may be as follows:-The lever H is included between
two other levers K, K, shewn separately in Figure 5, which are fixed fast on
the axix 4, and stand up therefrom, as is shewn in Figures 1 and 2, so as to
be obliged to move with the axis 4; and through the upper ends of the
levers K, K, oblong openings are made to receive the two ends of a steel key 1,
which is drawn downwards in those openings towards the axis 4, by springs
m, m, in addition to its own weight, and then the middle part of the key
locks into a notch made for its reception in the upper end of an upright arm n,
which ascends from the central boss of the lever H (see the separate view,
Figure 3.) When the key is locked into that notch, it unites the lever H to the
two levers K, K, and by them to their common axis 4, and by that means the
cold water pump 1 and the hot water pump 5 become connected with the large
engine, when the same is to be set to work, and are kept connected therewith
all the time it is at work. But when the large engine is stopped and the fires

page_text: of the boilers continue burning, it may then be required to work the cold water
pump 1, and hot water pump 5, in order to prevent any deficiency of fresh
water in the boilers by drawing off from them into the condenser (and there
condensing) as much steam as would otherwise blow away in waste at the
safety valves, and occasion deficiency of fresh water in the boilers; or if that
waste is permitted only in part an actual deficiency of fresh water in the boiler
may arise, whilst the large engines continue inactive, and must be made up by
producing more steam from the sea water portion of the boiler, by urging the
fire belonging thereto; which fire, if there is no such deficiency, should be kept
damped, whilst the large engines remain inactive. If, for either of these
reasons, it is required to work the cold water pump 1, and the hot water pump
5, by the small engine A, during the inaction of the large engine, preparation
is to be made for that working by hoisting up the key in its oblong openings
through the levers K, K, so high as to lift it out of the notch in the part.n of
the lever H; and then that lever will.be disconnected from the axis 4, so as to
be capable of working thereon as its fixed centre of motion; the key / may be
hoisted up by a cord, which may be conducted over a pulley, and then a weight
may be hung to the other end of the cord sufficiently heavy to overcome the
weight of the key 7, together with the force of its springs m, m, and that weight
will keep the key l up out of the notch in the arm n of the lever H all the time
that the large engine is inactive; but when the large engine is to resume its
motion, the said weight being removed from the end of the cord, or else being
hung up to a fixed hook so as not to operate on the cord or on the key 1, the
same by its own weight, and by force of its springs m, m, will catch into the
notch in the arm n of the lever H, so as to connect that lever with the axis 4,
as already explained; and in order to prevent the key 7 from catching at any
other place than truly into the said notch, the upper part of the arm n is formed
with an arch of a circle about the centre of the axis 4, as is represented in
Figure 3; and when two large engines are employed in a steam vessel it is not
necessary that both of those engines should have the small steam cylinder A,
with its piston B, steam pipe D, and eduction pipe E, complete, nor that they
should both have the means of disconnecting the lever H from the axis 4, as is
represented by the arm n and the levers K, K, and key ; but one of the two
large engines being provided with all those parts in manner herein-before
described, the other large engine may have the lever H fixed fast upon the axis 4,
and that engine may be without the small steam cylinder A, with its piston B,
steam pipe D, and eduction pipe E.
And another second part of my said improvements relates to the same sort of
steam engines as herein-before mentioned, viz, those in which the cooling and

page_text: condensation of the steam by which they are worked is performed by a con-
densing apparatus wherein the steam is not allowed to mix with or come in
actual contact with the flow of cold condensing water, which is caused to pass
through the condensing apparatus for the purpose of cooling or carrying away
the heat of the steam, and thereby condensing the same; but the steam is kept
separated from the cold water by thin metal, exposing very extensive surfaces
to the steam, which is spread out against one side or surface of that thin metal,
whilst the cold water is spread out against the other or contrary side thereof,
and the heat of the steam is transmitted through the substance of the said thin
metal, which at the same time keeps the steam separate from the cold con-
densing water. And whereas the most part of such condensing apparatuses as
have been brought into use have been constructed by disposing the thin metal
in a great number of cylindrical tubes of a small internal diameter, those tubes
being disposed side by side parallel one to another within the apparatus, so that
the steam is admitted to pass through the interiors of the tubes whilst the flow
of condensing water is applied around the outsides of them, and so as to pass
into and through the interstices between them, all which is sufficiently well
known to require no farther explanation for the purpose of pointing out the
kind of condensing apparatus to which the second part of my improvements
relates; and the said second part of my improvements consists in applying the cold
condensing water within the interiors of all the said small tubes so as to flow in
a current through them from one end to the other, whilst the steam is applied
around the outsides of them, and into and through their interstices. The
construction of the ordinary condensing apparatus will not be very materially
altered to enable it to operate in that new manner, but the connexions of the
several pipes and passages between the engine and the condensing appa-
ratus, and the cold water pump must be altered so as to convey the steam that
is to be condensed into the interstices between the tubes where the cold con-
lensing water has been hitherto conveyed; and also so as to convey the flow
of cold condensing water into and through the interiors of all the same tubes
from one end to the other, where the steam has been hitherto conveyed. This
is represented in Figures. 1 and 2, Sheet I., wherein L, L, Figure 1, and M, M,
Figure 2, represent the four vertical cast iron sides plates of the large chest
which contains the condensing apparatus, and which chest may as usual form
the support for the axes or centres of motion P of the great working levers of
the engine. The steam which is to be condensed is conveyed into the chest
L, L, M, M, both at top and at bottom in turn, videlicet, into the top, from the
upper part of the cylinder of the engine by the upper eduction pipe R, Figure
1, when the piston is making its ascending stroke, and into the bottom by the

page_text: Tower eduction passage or lower part of the condenser 15, when the piston is to
make its descending stroke; within the chest L, L, M, M, two partitions N, N,
Figure 2, are fixed at only a small distance from the sides M, M, and parallel
thereto, so as to divide the interior of the chest into two narrow compartments
at each side of it, and one wide compartment in the middle, between those two
narrow.ones; the said two narrow outside compartments are for the cold con-
densing water, and the middle compartment is for steam; and that middle
compartment is traversed by a great number of small tubes O, O, which are
closely joined at their opposite extremities to the partitions N, N, that is, one
extremity of each tube is inserted into a hole through one partition N, and the
other extremity of the same tube is inserted into a hole through the other
partition N, the orifices of the two ends of the tube being open beyond those
two partitions, so that the water which is contained in. the two outside compart-
ments M, M, N, N, can have free admission into the interior of each tube;
but the two extremities of each tube being very closely fitted into the said holes
in the two partitions N, N, the said water cannot obtain any passage into the
middle compartment between the two partitions N, N, (except withinside of the
tubes,) that is, it cannot get into the interstices between the tubes. Those interstices
being reserved for the reception of the steam that is to be cooled and condensed
by the coldness of the water which is within the tubes, and that water is caused
to flow through the said interiors of the tubes entering from one of the narrow
compartments M, M, N, N, into the open orifice at one end of each tube, and
after flowing through all the length of the tube, passing out from the open
orifice at the opposite end of the tube into the other narrow compartment
M, M, N, N. For causing such flow of water, the suction pipe 8, Figure 2, of
the cold water pump 1, is connected with the uppermost part of one of the com-
partments M, M, N, N, so that it will draw water out therefrom; and the cold
water entrance pipes which come from the sea through the vessel's side are con-
nected with the lowermost part of the other compartment M, M, N, N;
wherefore the action of the cold water pump, by drawing water out of one of
the said compartments, will cause an equal quantity of cold water to enter from the
sea into the other of those compartment, and to flow through the interiors of all
the several tubes which extend from one of those compartments to the other.
But note, the cold water pump might have its forcing pipe 11 connected to the
lowermost part of one of the said water compartments M, M, N, N, at 31, in a
suitable manner for forcing water into the same; the suction pipe 8 of the said
cold water pump being in that case connected to the entrance pipe, which comes
from the sea, and the uppermost part of the other compartment M, M, N, N,
having overflow waste pipes from it to convey the water overboard through

page_text: the vessel's side, either of those modes of applying the cold water pump may be
used to produce the requisite flow of cold water through the condensing apparatus
as herein-before explained, that is, the said pump may either force cold, water
into the condensing apparatus, and that cold water will drive out the waste water
therefrom, or else may draw waste water out from the apparatus, and the absence
of that water will draw cold water into the same. In Figures 1 and 2, the cold
water pump is represented with its suction pipe 8 connected with the compart-
ment M, M, N, N, which is immediately beneath the pipe 8, by two curved
branches, as shewn by dotted lines 30, 30, Figure 1, and at 30, Figure 2, in order
that it may draw out water equally from both sides or rather corners of that
compartment at the uppermost part of the same; and the forcing pipe 11 of the
said pump is represented as continued upwards, and then it is to turn .side-
ways to go through the vessel's side, in order to serve for the waste overflow
pipe by which the waste water is carried overboard; and the entrance pipes,
to bring cold water from the sea through the vessel's side, are connected to the
lowermost part of the other compartment M, M, N, N, as shown by dotted
lines 31, 31, Figure 1, and at 31, Figure 2. In order to introduce the cold
water equally at both sides or corners of that compartment, and in order to
give more effect to the flow of cold water which is thus caused. to enter at
31, 31, into one of the water compartment M, M, N, N, and thence to flow
through the interiors of the tubes to the other of those water compartments,
and to pass out as waste at 30, 30, a partition may be fixed in each of the said
water compartments in order to divide the same, so as to cause the cold water
to flow first in one direction through one portion of the whole number of
tubes O, which have their orifices below one of the said partitions, and then to
return in a contrary direction through another portion of the tubes O, and
then to return back again in the first-mentioned direction through the remain-
ing portion of the tubes; for instance, if there is such a partition in the lower
part of one of the water compartments at 33, Figure 2, it will oblige all the
cold water that enters at 31 to flow through all those tubes o whereof the
orifices are below the partition 33, and if there is another such partition in the
upper part of the other water compartment at 32, it will oblige the said flow of
water to return through so many of the tubes O as are above the level of the
partition 33, and have their orifices below the partition 32, and then the same
flow of water will return again through as many of the tubes O as are above
the level of the partition 32, before it can pass away through the suction
branches 30, 30, to the suction pipe 8 of the cold water pump. A constant
or nearly constant flow of cold water being thus kept up through the interiors
of the tubes O, O; will keep the thin metal of which they are composed very

page_text: cool, so that the steam which is introduced into the condenser from the upper.
eduction pipe R, or lower eduction passage 15, and which steam passes into
all the interstices between the tubes O, O, will, by impinging on their cold
surfaces, become cooled and condensed into water, which will precipitate itself
in drops and trickle down from the tubes to collect at the lower part of the
condenser 14, 15, from whence the water pump 5 will pump it up and drive it
through the long feeding pipe 49 to replenish the boiler. And note, the steam
may always be introduced at the upper part of the condenser, if it is thought
best that the steam should always descend downwards in its passage through
the condenser amongst or between the tubes O, O, whilst the flow of water in
making its passage through the interiors of those tubes is ascending upwards.
For this purpose the upper eduction pipe R does introduce the steam that
'comes from the top of the cylinder, when the piston is to move upwards into
the upper part of the condenser, and the steam which is to come from the lower
part of the cylinder when the piston is to move downwards, may be conveyed
by an ascending eduction pipe, or what is called a side pipe, from the lower
part of the cylinder, to join to the upper eduction pipe R, in order to intro-
duce that steam also into the upper part of the condenser, instead of into
the lower part 15 of the condenser, as represented in Figure 1. The outermost
side plates M, M, Figure 2, of the condenser must be capable of being removed
when required, in order to give access to the joints at the ends of the tubes 0, 0,
in the holes of the plates N, N, and also to give access to the interior of the
tubes O, O, the said plates M, M, may be fitted into rebated borders all around
the condenser L, L, to hold them very firmly all around their outer edges, and
they are fastened by screw bolts. The centre pins P for the great levers of
the engine may be formed in the said plates M, M, and project out horizon-
tally therefrom.
And another third part of my said improvements relates to the same kind or
class of steam engines as herein-before explained, viz., those which condense the
steam (with which they are worked) by application of cold water, which is not
allowed to mix with that steam, and all the water resulting from the condensa-
tion of the steam is returned to the boiler, so that the water which is used for
producing steam to work the engine is used over and over again, being made
to circulate continually through the engine, and it has also been herein-before
explained how occasional deficiency in that water is liable to follow from waste
steam blowing away at the safety valve into the open air, and how such blowing
away should be prevented (inasmuch as it can be) by drawing off from the boiler
into the condenser (and there condensing) as much steam as would otherwise
blow away in waste at the safety valve, and how such drawing off may be

page_text: done at discretion by opening the blowing through valve of the engine. Now
this third part of my said improvements is an improved apparatus or self-
acting escape valve for so drawing off steam for that purpose without any
discretion or attention, see Figure 7, Sheet II.; it is fixed upon any convenient
part of the boiler or of the steam pipe, into which the steam from the boiler
will be certain at all times to have free admissson. And it is a box A, A,
containing a valve a, very similar to a safety valve, and loaded with a weight b,
to keep the valve closed, but the side branch or waste pipe B, which, in an
ordinary safety valve is joined to a pipe for conveying the waste steam into the
open air, is in this case joined to a pipe leading into the condenser, in order that
any steam which may lift up the valve a, and escape from the boiler, may not escape
into the open air, but may go into the condenser and be there condensed, so as
to avoid the loss of that water which is contained in the steam that escapes in
waste from the boiler. Hence it follows that the space within the box A, A,
being exhausted of air and steam, the upper surface of the valve a, will have
no material downward pressure upon it, whilst the under surface of the same
valve is pressed upwards with the elastic force of the steam in the boiler. That
upwards pressure is counteracted partly by the weight 6, which is applied
around the stem d of the valve a, and partly by a force of atmospheric pres-
sure, which is caused to act downwards, on the stem d, by means of a hollow
inverted cylinder e, e, f, f, the flat circular top e, e, of which is fixed on the
top of that stem d, and the cylindrical part f, f, descends into a narrow cylin-
drical space that is left between two cylinders D, D, and E, E, which cylinders
form part of the box A, A, containing the valve a, viz. the innermost
cylinder D, D, may be formed in one piece with the box A; and the outer
cylinder E, E, is fixed by a flange around its base on the cover of that box, so
as to surround the inner cylinder D, D, (in the same manner as the steam case
of a steam engine cylinder surrounds that cylinder,) and leave a narrow cylindrical
space between the two fixed cylinders D, D, and E, E, which space receives the
inverted moveable cylinder f, f, which is fixed by its flat top e, e, to the stem d
of the valve a. A small quantity of mercury is contained in the said narrow
cylindrical space, and the cylindrical part of the moveable cylinder f, f, being
deeply immersed in that mercury, the atmospheric air is effectually excluded
from any entrance into the box A, and therefore air cannot get into the con-
denser through the pipe B, but, nevertheless, the external atmosphere presses
down upon the circular top e, e, of the moveable cylinder f, f, whilst the under
side thereof is liberated from pressure, in consequence of the space beneath the
top a, a, and withinside of the cylinder f, f, being exhausted by open
communication with the condenser through the pipe B. The consequence
R

page_text: is, that the downward pressure of the atmosphere on the circular top e, e,
(which top should have nearly the same area as the valve a,) will act on the
valve a as an addition to the weight b, wherewith that valve is loaded, and
whatever deficiency of downward pressure there may be on the top of the
valve a in consequence of the space within the box A being exhausted, that
deficiency will have no effect on the valve a, because there is a like deficiency
of upwards pressure beneath the under surface of the top a, a, and hence
whatever may be the state of exhaustion within the condenser, the valve a
will be lifted by the steam beneath it, so as to open and alow steam to escape
from the boiler into the condenser as soon as ever the steam in the boiler
exceeds the atmospheric pressure by some certain amount in pounds per square
inch, which amount will be according as the valve is loaded by its weight b
and by the weight of its moveable cylinder e, e, f,f, and the said weight on the
valve a must be regulated to about three or four pounds per square inch less
than the ordinary safety valve of the boiler is loaded in order that the valve a
may be lifted up by the steam before the same becomes sufficiently elastic to
lift the ordinary safety valves with which the boiler is to be provided as usual,
but which are only intended to prevent danger of accidents, because in the
ordinary course of proceeding with the apparatus, Figure 7, the valve a is
intended to discharge all the waste steam from the boiler into the condenser,
where it will be cooled and condensed, and the water proceeding from its con-
densation will be returned into the boiler. And note, whereas it is not a new
invention to apply a self-acting valve for the above purpose of admitting
surplus steam to escape from the boiler into the condenser, I do not make
claim to the invention thereof, but only to the improvement I have made in
such kind of valve as herein-before described, wherein the force of the steam in
the boiler is brought to act immediately beneath the valve a, with a tendency
to open the same, but that valve is kept closed by a suitable weight or load upon
it until such time as the elastic force of the steam in the boiler enables it to
overcome that weight and lift the valve so as to make its escape in the same
manner as would be the case with an ordinary safety valve which allows the
steam to escape from it into the air, and although the space A, A, above the
valve a, into which it must emit steam when it is lifted thereby, is open to the
condenser, and consequently kept exhausted of air and steam to the same
extent as within the condenser (and although that extent may vary greatly at
different times), nevertheless by virtue of the arrangement herein-before
described that exhaustion will have no effect to increase or diminish the
pressure by which the valve is kept closed, because the said exhaustion, to
whatever extent it may operate, is equally operative beneath the under surface
نا

page_text: of the top e, e, of the moveable cylinder e, e, f, f, as it is operative above the
upper surface of the valve a
And another fourth part my said improvements is not confined (as in the
three foregoing cases) to the particular class of steam engines herein-before
mentioned, but is equally applicable to any kind of steam engines which
operate by applying steam to give an alternating or reciprocating motion to a
moveable piston, which is fitted into a steam cylinder. It is thought desirable
in such engines to cut off the supply of steam from the boiler to the cylinder by
the time that the piston' has been impelled by that supply through a portion of
the course or stroke which it has to perform in that cylinder, in order that the
piston may be impelled through the remainder of the said course or stroke by
the expansive action or inherent elasticity of the quantity of steam which has
been previously supplied from the boiler to the cylinder. This mode of working
is now commonly practised in steam engines of the most improved construction,
and is performed by means of different kinds of stop valves, called expansion
valves, which are opened and shut by different modes, in order to intercept the
entrance of steam into the cylinder when required, or in other cases the same
is performed by suitable construction, proportion, and adjustment of the slide
valves, by which 'steam is admitted into and exhausted from the cylinder, all
which is well known; and this fourth part of my improvements is a new mode
of producing the same effect; but with the advantage of admitting of a ready
adjustment of the extent of expansive action which shall be used, that is to
say, the steam may be admitted from the boiler into the cylinder in order to
impel the piston therein during a greater or lesser portion of the whole course
or length of strokes that the piston is to make in the cylinder, and that greater
or lesser portion can be regulated or adjusted at pleasure, even during the
working of the engine, without stopping the motion thereof, for making the
alteration or adjustment. For this purpose the apertures through which the
steam is caused to pass in its way from the boiler to the cylinder are to be fitted
with some kind of suitable sliding or sluice valves, which can close those
apertures or open them. Those valves being so situated that they will intercept
the steam just before the same arrives at the usual sliding or distributing valve
by which steam is to be admitted into the cylinder, and the said sliding or
sluice valves are to be moved alternately up and down against (or opposite to)
the apertures which they are intended to close or open; by a motion derived
from that of the piston in its cylinder, so as to give an alternate or reciprocating
motion to the valves that will correspond in time and direction with the alter-
nate or reciprocating motion of the piston, but on a very reduced scale as
respects the extent of such motion of the valves compared with the length of

page_text: the stroke made by the piston, and according as the said sliding valves may be
adjusted they operate. For instance, when the piston has moved through a
certain proportion of its course or length of stroke, one of the sliding valves
having moved through a like proportion of its diminished course, will then close
the aperture to which it belongs, so as to stop any further admission of steam
through that aperture into the cylinder. One sliding valve performs 'in that
manner when the piston is moving in one direction, and the other sliding valve
when the piston moves in the other direction, and the proportion of the length
of stroke at which the said closing of the aperture by the sliding valve will
take place is determined by the relative position that the valve bears to its
sliding connecting rod and parts by which it derives its aforesaid motion from
the motion of the piston. For if the sliding valve is so. placed and connected
with its said rod as that it will close its aperture when that rod has completed
one half of its motion, that motion being cotemporaneous with the motion of
the piston, it follows that the supply of steam from the boiler to the cylinder
will be intercepted or cut off at half stroke, that is to say, when the piston has
reached the midway of its course. But if the sliding valve is removed along
its rod from the above-mentioned position a distance equal to one-fourth of the
extent of motion that is given to the said rod, then the sliding valve will close
its aperture by the time that the piston has moved through one fourth of its
course; that will be the case if the valve is removed a distance as aforesaid
along its rod in one direction, but if it is removed that aforesaid distance along
the rod in a contrary direction, then the valve will not close its aperture until
the piston has moved through three fourths of its course, and so on of any
other proportions of the length of stroke at which it may be desirable to cut
off the further supply of steam from the boiler to the cylinder. Each sliding
valve is connected with its said rod by the spiral threads of a screw, which is
formed on that rod, and which screws into and through a prominence at the
back of the sliding valve, so that by turning the rod round about its own axis
its screw will remove the valve along it in order to produce the above-men-
tioned effect. And if both the sliding valves are moved by the same rod pro-
longed, then the same must have two such screws formed upon it, one for each
valve, but the spiral threads of the two screws must have contrary obliquities,
that is to say, one of them must be a right-handed when the other is a left-
handed screw, because the motion that the two valves require to make along
the rod for the above-mentioned purpose will be one contrary to the other.
The said rod which so moves the sliding valve or valves is that which passes
through a stuffing box in order to communicate the requisite motion from the
mechanism without to the valves which are included within the steam passages,

page_text: and the rod admits of being turned round in its suffing box for the
purpose of
making the requisite adjustments of the valves by means of its screws, in
manner aforesaid. The manner of carrying this fourth part of my improve-
ments into effect is represented in Figures 1 and 6, Sheet I., wherein 35 is the
steam passage at the front of the cylinder, into which steam from the boiler is
conveyed by the steam pipe, the usual kind of throttle valve being placed in
that steam pipe to give the means of regulating the admission of steam into
the space 35. 36 and 37 are the apertures through which the steam has to
pass from the space 35, in order that it may be admitted, by action of the large
double sliding valve S, S, cither from the aperture 36 into the top of the
cylinder through its upper branch T, or else from the aperture 37 into the
bottom of the cylinder through its lower branch V, according as the said valve
S, S, (being either in its elevated or in its depressed position,) will place its
sliding faces t and v either above or below the apertures of those branches T
and V. The said sliding valve S, S, is flat at its said faces t, v, which apply to
those apertures T, V, and semicylindrical at its opposite sides w, w, to which
sides packings of hemp a, a, are applied in suitable cells formed in the steam
case wherein the sliding valve S, S, is contained, and wherein it is moved up
and down by means of a sliding rod y, which passes up from it through a
stuffing box, and is connected by two side links with a pair of levers W that
project out from the axis 3, which extends horizontally across the framing of.
the engine, being supported in bearings affixed to that framing, and having a
lever handle fixed on one of its ends to enable a man (or men) to give the
requisite motion to the valve S, S, when the engine is to be started or stopped,
and the axis 3 also has a lever or crank X fixed on that one of its ends in
order to receive motion by the usual rod from the excentric circle on the main
crank axis of the engine, and by means whereof the sliding valve S, S, is moved
alternately up and down in its steam case, all which being just as usual in such
steam engines does not require further description, and so of the sliding valve
S; S, which is hollow within to receive steam, but its upper end, as well as its
lower end, are closed by partitions p and q, at each of the faces t and v. The
spaces at the top and at bottom of the steam case, wherein the valves S, S, is
included, are always kept in open communication with the condenser, vizt, so
much of the top space as is above the packing a and partition p of the valve S
communicates with the condenser by the upper eduction pipe R, and so much
of the bottom space as is below the packing a and partition q of the valve S,
communicates directly with the eduction part 15 of the condenser, or other-
wise (as herein-before mentioned) by an ascending eduction pipe or side pipe
to join to the upper one R. The interior hollow of the upper valve S, S,

page_text: it
receives steam from the two apertures 36, 37, but there is a partition 38 at
the mid height of the valve S, S, which divides the interior hollow thereof into
two compartments, an upper and a lower one, when the large sliding valve S, S,
is moved down by action of the excentric to its lowest position, as in the Draw-
ing, then all steam which is allowed to pass through the aperture 37 into the
lower compartment with the valve S, S, will pass from thence by the lower
branch V into the bottom of the cylinder to act beneath the piston and urge
upwards therein. At the same time the steam above the piston is exhausted
from the top of the cylinder through its upper branch T, which is now in open
communication, by the upper eduction pipe R, with the condenser. But by
the time that the piston reaches the top of its course, and is required to be
impelled downwards in the cylinder, the excentric will have moved the sliding
valve S, S, upwards, so that the action above described will be reversed,
viz, the two faces t, v, of the sliding valve S,, S, will be above the aper-
tures of the branches T, V, respectively, whereby the steam which is admitted
through the aperture 36 into the upper compartment within the valve S, S,
I will pass therefrom by the upper branch T, into the top of the cylinder, to
act above the piston and urge it downwards therein, at the same time that the
steam beneath the piston will be exhausted from the bottom of the cylinder
through its lower branch V, which is then in open communication with the
condenser through the lower eduction passage 15. These particulars of the
construction and action of the sliding valve S, S, being understood (they being
no part of my Invention), the application thereto of this fourth part of my
improvement is as follows:-The apertures 36 and 37
37 are each provided with
a sliding valve 39 and 40, which is adapted to close or to open the said aper-
tures 36 and 37 respectively; those valves are both connected with an upright
sliding rod 41 by means of a right-handed screw for one valve, and a left-
handed screw for the other valve, which screws are formed upon that rod 41,
and it also passes through a stuffing box in the partition 38, which divides the
hollow of the valve S, S, into two compartments, and it likewise passes up
through a central hollow through the sliding rod y, by which the valve S, S, is
moved up and down, as before mentioned, and there is a stuffing box 42 at the
upper end of the hollow sliding rod y, in order to make a tight junction, with
the rod 41. The upper end of the rod 41 is suspended by two links 43,
from the ends of the two levers 44, which are both fixed fast on the axis 4,
which has been already described, and in fact the two levers 44 are represented
as being formed in the same pieces with the levers K, K, before described, sce
Figure 5, but that is an immaterial circumstance, provided that the levers 44
are fixed fast on the axis 4, which being, as herein-before explained, a part of the

page_text: parallel motion of the engine, and moving with due correspondence to the
motion of the piston, the levers 44 will cause the rod 41, together with the
two sliding valves 39 and 40; which are connected to it, to be moved up and
down with a short motion, which is in every respect correspondent with the
longer up and down motion of the piston in its cylinder, excepting as to extent
of motion, it being in fact the true miniature representation of the motion of
the piston. The rod 41 has a cross handle 45 fixed fast on the upper end of
it, just below the joint by which, it is suspended from its links 43, and, the rod
41 can be turned round by the handle 45, and thereby its right and left-handed
screws, by which the two sliding valves 39 and 40 are connected with it as
aforesaid, will regulate the positions of those two valves 39, 40, in respect to
the rod 41, so that in the course of the up and down motion which is given
to them by the rod, they will close the apertures 36, 37, to which they belong
respectively, by the time that the piston has run through a portion of the length
of its stroke, but what portion of the stroke that will be, depends, as herein-
before explained, upon the position of the two valves 39 and 40 upon their
common rod 41, which position can be regulated at pleasure by turning the
handle 45, and that can be done, if required, whilst the engine continues_at
work, without stopping its motion for the purpose of so regulating the extent of
expansive action. Note, the lever F, 9, 9, Figure 1, herein-before described,
is fitted loose upon the axis 3, and has no other connection with that axis,
except that the axis serves as a fixed centre of motion for the lever to move
upon. And note, the small steam cylinder, A, Figure 1, may have safety valves
fitted to the upper and lower ends of it, as represented at 48, 48, in Figure 1,
to permit of the escape of water from it without doing mischief in case any
water should by accident get into it.
And another fifth part of my said improvements relates to any kind of steam
engines which are or may be used on board vessels, and is an improved kind
of what is called a governor for regulating the speed of the motion of the
engine, and which will not depend (as the governors heretofore constructed do)
upon the action of gravity, and will not therefore be impeded or deranged in.
its operation by the agitation to which it must be exposed on board a vessel
at sea. Figures 8 and 9, Sheet II., explain the construction of a governor
which is constructed according to this part of
my said improvements. A, A, is
the perpendicular revolving axis,, which is turned round with a continuous
rotary motion corresponding to that of the main axis of the steam engine.
or engines to which it is applied. That motion may be communicated by
means of a bevil wheel B fixed on the main axis D of the crank of the
engine, and turning a smaller bevil wheel E on the upper end of the upright.

page_text: axis A, A. At the lower end of the upright axis A, A, two horizontal arms
F, F, are fixed, projecting out from the axis, and on those arms the two heavy
balls G, G, of the governor are fitted so as to be capable of sliding freely
thereon, and if desired, small rollers may be fitted to the balls G, G, to run
on the arms F, F, with diminished friction. The balls G, G, are continually
urged towards the axis A, A, by action of two long blade springs H, H, which
are jointed to the balls G, G, at their lower ends, and their upper ends are
made fast to the sliding collar I, which is fitted on the upper end of the
upright axis A, A, so as to be capable of moving freely up and down thereon.
When the governor is at rest the action of the two springs II, II, draws the
balls G, G, towards the the axis A, as is represented in Figure 8, but when the
axis A, A, and the whole governor is turned round, the centrifugal force of the
two balls causes them to slide outwards along the arms F, F, and to overcome
the elastic force of the two springs H, H, but by the bending of the same they
acquire more force to urge the balls towards the centre of the axis A, whilst
the balls acquire more centrifugal force to swing out from the axis A, where-
fore by the result of the centrifugal force of the balls, and the counteracting
or centripetal force of the springs, the balls will of themselves assume a place
on the arms F, F, at a suitable distance from the axis A, to correspond with
the rapidity of the rotation of the axis A. If that rapidity is increased, the
balls. (by the consequent increase of their contrifugal force will fly out farther
from the centre of the axis A, or if the rapidity is diminished, the consequent
diminution of their contrifugal force will permit the springs II, H, to draw the
balls in nearer towards the centre of the axis A. The sliding collar I will be
drawn downwards upon the axis A as the balls G, G, spring out or recede from
the axis, and will be raised upwards on the axis as the balls approach nearer
towards the axis A. The sliding collar I is embraced by a fork at the end of
the lever K, so as to give a suitable motion to that lever, and the motion of
the lever K is communicated to the throttle valve of the engine, in order to
close the same a little, when the balls G, G, fly further out from the axis A
and raise up the collar I, in consequence of the engine as well as the governor
going quicker. Or if, in consequence of the engine and the governor going slower,
the springs H, H; draw the balls nearer towards the axis A, A, so as to lower
the collar I on the axis A, that motion will open the throttle valve a little
wider, all which is the same action as that of an ordinary governor, excepting
that the centrepetal force whereby the balls are drawn in towards the axis A
in oposition to their centrefugal force, is produced by the springs H, H, instead
of by the gravity of the balls, as is the case when those balls are suspended
from the upright axis by links, in the manner of pendulums, as is usual for

page_text: governors; and in order to ensure that the two balls G, G, shall both recede
equally from the axis A, A, they may be coupled together by two links to
each ball, as is shewn in the horizontal plan, Figure 9, where those links are
markel L, L, M, M; each pair of links L, M, or L, M, is jointed to a sliding
piece N and O, and those two pieces are fitted to slide freely along two hori-
zontal arms P, P, fixed to the axis A, A, at right angles to the arms F, F, but
in the same plane therewith, the sliding picces N and O, by sliding along the
arms P, P, cause the two balls G, G, to recede equally along their arms F, F,
from the axis A, by action of their links L, M, L, M, and spirally curled
springs may, if required, be applied round the arms P, P, to react against
the two sliding pieces N, O, and urge them along the arms P, P, outwards
from the axis A, which action will tend to draw the two balls G, G, inwards,
along their arms F, F, towards their axis A, in the same manner as the two
blade springs H, H, do, so that the said curled springs will act in concurrence
with the said blade springs, or the blade springs H, H, may be merely jointed
to the sliding collar I, instead of being fixed fast thereto, in which case they
will act merely as connecting links from the balls G, G, to that collar I, and
the two curled springs around the arms P, P, being made of suitable strength,
must perform the required office of urging the two balls towards the axis A,
with a centrepetal force; the four extremities of the arms F, P, F, P, may be
all fixed to a circular hoop, as shewn in Figure 9, to keep them all firmly
united.
Another sixth part of my said improvements relates to the construction of
boilers, furnaces, and stoves, and is applicable for any kind of furnaces, or
steam boilers, or stoves which are to be supplied with bituminous coals for
fuel; such coals evolve considerable quantities of inflamable gas during their
combustion, but in the usual kind of furnaces such gas is only imperfectly con-
sumed, and, owing to the great rapidity of its evolution from the raw coals
when they are suddenly thrown on to the hot fire, that gas carries away with
it a considerable quantity of carbonaceous matter in the form of smoke,
whereof the greater part escapes unconsumed. In order to make the most
of the coals this sixth part of my said improvements is to subject the raw
coals to a distilling process in retorts, nearly in the same manner as is done in
gas works for illumination, and to convey the gas which proceeds from those
retorts, in or beneath any part of the boiler, furnace, or stove to which it is
required to give heat by the flame proceeding from the combustion of that
gas, or the gas may be conveyed beneath the burning fuel on the fire grate, in
order that it may
burn' up in jets of gas flame through the interstices amongst
that fuel, which fuel may be for the most part the coke that has been obtained

page_text: gas
by distilling a previous charge of raw coals in one of the retorts, and which
coke being withdrawn from that retort as soon as the has been distilled
off from it, is transferred to the fire-grate in order to be burned thereon, and
then the retort is charged anew with raw coals, from which, when hot, in-
flamable gas will be emitted, and that gas is to be burned in aid of the coke.
There must be two or more retorts to each fire-grate, in order that one retort
may be discharging its coke, and recharging with raw coals, whilst the other
retort is going on distilling gas away from its charge of raw coals, and assisting
the combustion of the coke by flame of that gas. The retorts are to be set
suitable ovens which are contained within the boiler above the usual internal
fire-place thereof, and are surrounded by the water and steam therein.
A sufficiency of heat is derived from the burning fuel on the fire-grate to
surround the retort in its oven, and render the same sufficiently hot to produce
the required distillation of the volatile part of the coals.
in
Sheet III. of the Drawings hereunto annexed represents a steam boiler which
is constructed according to this sixth part of my said improvements; the same
letters of reference are used to denote the same parts in all the several
Figures in that Sheet. A, A, is the external case of the boiler, containing
water and steam, and having also fixed within it two internal fire-places, with
two ovens over them, each containing two of the aforesaid retorts, and also
having within it a series of internal flues for conducting the flame, heated air,
and smoke, proceeding from the fires, through the water by a long course before
it escapes into the vent or chimney. B, B, are the two internal furnaces, fixed
side by side within the external case A, A, at the lower part thereof, reaching.
into it nearly half its length, and joining to its front end; they leave narrow
spaces all round them and between them for water. G, G, are the two fire-
grates, placed in an inclining position within the internal furnaces B, B. ˚C, C,
are the two ovens, disposed over the furnaces B, B, so as to occupy the upper
part of the external case A, A, reaching into it not quite so far as the furnaces
do, but joining like them to the front end of that case; the ovens leave narrow
spaces under them, and at their sides, and between them, for water, and over
them for steam, in the upper or highest part of the external case A, A. The
ovens C, C, are placed so much above the furnaces B, B, as to leave spaces for
water between them, but each oven C is joined to the furnace B which is im-
mediately beneath it, by four small upright hollow necks a, a, a, a, which conduct
flame and beat upwards from the upper part of the furnace into the lower part
of the oven.
Each oven C, C, has two retorts E, F, E, F, placed within it,
one over the other, and occupying nearly all the interior of the oven, except a
narrow space all round each retort for the admission of flame and heat. The

page_text: far ends of the furnaces B, B, join to the far end of the two ovens C, C, by a
narrow vertical flue D, which is so broad crossways that it occupies nearly, all
the width of the external case A, A. The farther ends of both furnaces B, B,
and the farther ends of both ovens C, C, open into that vertical flue D, which
receives and carries upwards the current of flame and heated air that proceeds
backwards from the farther end of both fire grates G, G, and that current, in
ascending, has free access to the far ends of all the retorts, where they reach
through to the far ends of their ovens, and has also access to the narrow spaces
which are left as aforesaid around and between the retorts within their ovens.
The farthermost vertical surface of the vertical flue D has the ends of a great
number of small horizontal tubes I fixed into it, as shewn in Figures 2, 6,
and 7, the other ends of which tubes H are fixed into the corresponding vertical
surface of another large vertical flue I, which is disposed crossways within the
far end of the external case A, A. The current of heated air which, as before
mentioned, ascends in the flue D, passes through the interiors of all the small
tubes II, which, being surrounded by the water in the boiler, and that water
occupying the interstices between the tubes I, it receives heat from them, and
steam is thereby produced, which steam ascends from amongst the tubes up
through the water into the upper or highest part of the external case A, A.
The two ends of each of the small tubes H are inserted into holes in the afore-
said vertical surfaces of the two flues D and I, and the said ends are made quite
fast and tight in such holes by the means usually employed for that purpose in
the boilers for locomotive engines for railways, and the orifices of both ends of
each tube H are quite open in the flues D and I, in order to admit the free
passage of flame and heated air through the interiors of all the tubes H. The
lower part of the vertical flue I joins at one side to the farthest end of an
under flue K, Figure 8, which brings the current horizontally forwards beneath
one half of the set of tubes H, at one side of the lower part of the internal
case A, A, nearly as far as the flue D, then returns and conveys the current
horizontally back again at L, beneath the other half of the set of tubes H, and
then the farthest end of the flue L continues through the farther end of the
external case A, A, to go to the vent or chimney.
Note, when the retorts E, F, E, F, are removed from their places in the
ovens C, C, access can be had to the orifices of the foremost ends of the tubes H,
and to the joints around those orifices, by which the foremost ends of the tubes
are joined to the vertical surface of the flue D; and the flue I is large enough
to admit a person into it, in order to examine and repair the like joints around
the orifices of the farther ends of the tubes. The retorts E, F, E, F, are made
of iron plates, rivetteed together; they are of an oval shape in their transverse

page_text: section, Figure 5, and lay flatways one above the other in each oven; their fore-
most ends are contracted from the said oval section to a circular neck, the
foremost end whereof is the mouth or opening into them; and those mouths are
closed by valve doors, luted with clay, and held in place by screws, in the usual
manner of gas-making retorts, all which being well known, is sufficiently evident
from the Drawing. At the upper part of the said circular neck of each retort
a gas pipe is joined thereto, to carry away the gas which is produced from the
coals within it. The gas pipes e, e, from the uppermost retorts E, E, turn
down and descend by the sides of the circular necks of the lower retorts F, F,
and the gas pipes f, f, from those lower retorts, descend at the opposite sides.
The lower ends of all the said four gas pipes e, f, e, f, are joined by luted socket
joints to a horizontal cross bearer bar g, which is fixed across the width of the
front open end of each furnace, and is hollow within to give passage to the gas;
and to the farther side of each of those cross bars g, g, four long inclined grate
bars G, G, are joined by their front ends, and are hollow within in order to
convey gas that they receive from the hollow cross bearer bar g, and distribute
the same to all parts of the fire-grate. The said four long hollow bars G, G,
have small holes, perforated in rows, through their vertical sides, as shewn in
Figure 2, in order to emit the gas in small jets, which turn up at each side of
each bar G, and burn with flame over all parts of the grate. The intervals
between the said four hollow bars G, G, are occupied by two ordinary grate
bars, to complete the grate for receiving the burning fuel. But the uppermost
front end of the gate, for some distance from the fire door, has the spaces
between the four long bars G, G, completed filled up by plates, to form a dead
plate or imperforated surface at the front end of the grate for the reception of
a mass of hot coke when it is first withdrawn from the mouths of the retorts
above, and which mass is not required to be all burned away rapidly at first,
but only by degrees, as it is wanted on the grate; and as it is pushed backwards
and downwards on to the grated part thereof, where air is admitted to ascend
from the ash pit beneath the grate through the interstices between the several
bars thereof, in order to support the combustion of the coke on the grate, and
that combustion is aided by the flames of gas which ascend, as before mentioned,
in rows of jets at each side of each bar G, amongst the burning coke and through
the interstices therein. The fire doors at the front ends of the fire-places are
adapted to close the spaces above the front ends of fire-grates, leaving the spaces
below them open for the admission of air into the ash pits beneath the fire-
grates. The fire doors may have their hinges at their lowermost sides, in order
that when either fire door is turned down into an inclined position, it may serve
to catch and introduce into the fire-place all the hot coke which is drawn out

page_text: from the mouth of either of the retorts E or F, immediately above, which may
be then opened for the purpose of withdrawing the hot coke from it, and that
coke falling down on the said inclined fire door, will be easily transferred into
the fire-place, where it is to be consumed on the fire-grate. And note, the hollow
within each of the cross bearer bars y has a partition in the middle of its length
to divide that hollow into two parts, wherefore one part receives gas by the de-
scending gas pipe e from the upper retort E, and distributes that gas to two of the
four long hollow grate bars G, and the other part receives gas by the descending
gas pipe f from the lower retort F, and distributes that gas to the other two of the
four long hollow grate bars G. And note, the upper part of the furnaces over the
fire-grates are lined with fire-bricks or tiles, as well as the insides of the several
necks a, a, a, a, and also the interior surfaces of all the ovens C, C, in order to
moderate the action of the heat against the metal, and consequently the transmis-
sion of heat through the same to the surrounding water, and a sufficiency of heat
will be carried up from the fire-places B, B, through the necks a, a, a, a, into
the ovens C, C, to give as much heat to the retorts E, F, in those ovens as is
requisite for distilling gas from the coals which are contained in those retorts.
At the front end of the boiler a screen or advanced front P, P, is fixed up at a
small distance therefrom, so as to enclose the mouths of the retorts in a space
or antichamber, which will retain the smoke or dust or gas that will issue from
them when their doors are opened for charging them with raw coals or dis-
charging them of hot coke. The said screen P, P, has doors in it as shewn at
P, P, Figure 1, opposite to the mouths of the several retorts, which doors are
sustained by hinges at the upper sides of the upper ones p, and at the lower
sides of the lower ones q, and only so many of those doors are opened at once
as is requisite for giving the necessary access to the mouths of those retorts
which are then to be opened. The lower part of the front screen P, P, has
openings in it opposite to the fire doors and to the entrances into the ash pits.
A small flue is conducted from the said antichamber or space between the
screen P, P, and the upper front end of the boiler at the highest part of that
antichamber in order to carry away the aforesaid smoke, dust, and waste gas
into the vent or chimney. The mode of proceedure with the retorts being the
same as is usually practised in making gas for illumination, does not require
much explanation. The raw coals are filled into one of the retorts, one at a
5 time, and the door thereof closed, and in due time after the gas has been dis-
tilled off from the charge of coals, and has been burned in jets of flame in the
fire, the door of the retort is to be opened again and the hot coke withdrawn
from it and let fall down on to the inclined fire door, which, as already men-
tioned, conducts the coke into the fire-place at the front part thereof, and the

page_text: contents of one retort will nearly fill up so much of the front part of the fire
place as has a dead plate at bottom instead of an open fire grate. The fire
door being turned up and shut close will prevent a free access of air to tha
coke, and it will only burn gradually, just keeping up it previous heat, but as
the coke on the open part of the grate burns away it is to be replenished by
pushing back a suitable portion of the said mass of coke which is lodged or
the dead plate, and by the time that (in so proceeding) all that mass of coke
has been consumed, and a fresh supply is required, another of the retorts will
be ready for withdrawing coke from it in its turn, in the same manner as already
described. The instant that the hot coke is withdrawn from any one retort it
is to be immediately recharged with raw coals, so as not to leave the door open
any longer than absolutely necessary. It will not be requisite, or even advise-
able, to carry on the distillation of gas from the coals to the full extent which
is usually done in gas making for illumination, but only to carry the distil-
lation so far as to convert the most volutile part of the coals into gas, and
so that the coke resulting from it will burn without any material evolution of
smoke.
#
Having now described my said improvements, I, the said John Bourne, do
hereby declare that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use is granted to
me by the aforesaid Letters Patent, consists in the six following particulars,
viz:-
First, in the improvement herein-before described of applying a small steam
engine to work the cold or condensing water pump and the hot water or boiler
feeding pump of such steam engines as condense the steam, wherewith they
are worked by means of a flow of cold condensing water urged by that cold
water pump through the condensing apparatus without any mixing of that
condensing water with the steam, but the water resulting from the condensa-
tion of the steam is returned to the boiler, so as to be used over and over again
for producing steam to work the engine. The said small steam engine being,
by means of this first part of my improvements, capable of being disconnected
from the large steam engine or engines in order to be worked by itself, for
actuating the cold or condensing water pump and the hot water or boiler feed-
ing pump during the inaction of the large engine or engines, but the said small
engine being capable of being connected with the large engine or engines when
it is, or they are, to begin working as herein-before explained. And note, I
make no claim to any application of a small steam engine for working the hot
water or boiler feeding pump by itself without the working a cold or condens-
ing water pump also.
...
Secondly, in. the improvement herein-before described, in the condensing

page_text: apparatus of steam engines of the above description, and in which condensing
apparatus a number of small tubes are employed, by which second part of my
improvement the flow of cold condensing water is caused to pass through the
interior of such tubes, and the steam is applied to their outsides and in the
interstices between them as herein-before described.
:
Thirdly, in the improvement herein-before described in a waste steam valve
for steam engines of the above description, whereby the steam that blows away
in waste from the boiler will be admitted into the condenser, such valve being,
by virtue of this third part of my said improvement, rendered certain to let off
surplus steam from the boiler into the condenser whenever the elastic force of
the steam in the boiler exceeds the elastic pressure of the atmospheric air by
any given amount of pressure above the atmosphere, for which amount the
valve is loaded, the said valve being also rendered certain to keep closed, and
prevent any escape of steam to the condenser when the elasticity of the steam.
is less than that said given amount of pressure above the atmosphere, as herein-
before described.
Fourthly, in the improvement herein-before described in the apparatus for
working steam engines expansively by cutting off the supply of steam from the
boiler to the cylinder at any required proportion of the length of the stroke..
made by the piston in that cylinder, that cutting off being performed according
to this fourth part of my improvements, by means of a sliding stop valve or
valves, which is or are moved with a corresponding motion to the motion of
the piston, though in miniature, and which valve or valves is or are adjustable
even whilst the engine is in motion in order to regulate the proportion of the
length of the stroke at which the supply of steam shall be so cut off, as herein-
before described.
Fifthly, in the improvement herein-before described in the apparatus called
a governor, for regulating the velocity of the rotative motion of steam engines,
the governor being, by this fourth part of my improvements, adapted for use on
board steam vessels or boats, by rendering the collapsing or centripetal force of
its centrifugal balls independent of any action of gravity, and substituting the
force of springs, which are not liable to be affected by agitation for the force of
gravity.
Sixthly, in the improvement herein-before described in the construction of
boilers, furnaces, and stoves, which are to be supplied with bituminous coals
for fuel, and by means of which improvement such coals are first distilled in
retorts that are included in the boiler, furnace, or stove, and heated by heat of
the furnaces or fires therein, so as to produce inflamable gas, which is burned
with jets of flame in or beneath any part of the boiler, furnace, or stove to

page_text: which it is required to communicate heat, or may be burned with jets of flame
ascending in the interstices amongst the burning fuel on the grate, which fuel
may be coke previously made in the said retorts and withdrawn from them
after the distillation of gas from it, and the burning of that gas, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bourne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-nine.
Inrolled the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-nine.