CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES, IN RESPECT OF THE BOILERS AND THE CONVEYING OF STEAM THERE FROM TO THE CYLINDERS
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
HAWTHORN and WILLIAM. HAWTHORN, of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the Town
and County of the. said, Town of Newcastle upon Tyne, Engineers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent "inder, the Great Seal of Great Britain, Bearing date at Westminster,
the Twenty-first day of November, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine,
in the third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unfòrns, the said Robert Hawthorn and William Hawthorn, Her
especial licence full power. sole privilege and authority, that we, the said
Robert Hawthorn and William Hawthorn, our exors, aquors, and assigns, and
such others as we. the said Robert Hawthorn and William Hawthorn, our
exors, admors; and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
bhe Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies
Fant Plantations abroad. our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE
AND OTHER STEAM ENGINES, IN RESPECT OF THE BOILERS AND THE CONVEYING OF STEAM
THERE FROM TO THE CYLINDERS". in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that we. the said Robert Hawthorn and William Hawthorn, or one of
is, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
'immédiately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
]
⋅

page_text: appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
. Robert Hawthorn and William. Hawthorn do hereby declare that the nature
of the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
is particularly described and ascertained in the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and by the following explanation thereof (that is to say):-
Our improvements in locomotive and other steam engines, in respect of the
boilers and conveying of steam therefrom to the cylinders, relate. first, to the
application of apparatus to a steam boiler in order to take the steam off in
numerous minutely divided streams, which extend over a considerable area, to
prevent or materially reduce the effect called priming: secondly, the Invention
relates to a mode of heating the steam of locomotive engine boilers after passing
from the boiler and before entering the cylinder or cylinders; and, thirdly, the
Invention relates to a mode of constructing locomotive steam engine boilers
with return tubes from the cylinder chamber or case, to conduct the heated
vapeurs back through the boiler. And in order to give the best information in
or power we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS!
Figure is a longitudinal section of a locomotive steam engine boiler as ai.
present generally used on railways (to which our improvements are applied).
Figure 2, a cross section through the fire box at A. A. Figure 3, a cross section
through the cylinder chamber or case at B. B. Figure 4 is the cross section
of a cylinder chamber or case, of a different arrangement. Figure 5, a
longitudinal section of the same. Figure 6. longitudinal section (through
C. C, Figures 7 and 8) of a locomotive engine boiler with two fire
boxes, shewing another arrangement of tubes. pipes. &c. Figure section
cut through the fire boxes at. D. D. Figure 8. a cross section of a cylin-
der chamber or case, at E. E. a. Figures 1, 2.. 8, 6. 7. and 8, represent
a steam pipe placed near to the top of the boiler, perforated with apertures or
holes, so proportioned and distributed that the particles of steam are admitted
into the said pipe directly, or as near as circumstances will admit, above where
they are generated. throughout the entire-length of the boiler, and conveyed
into the steam heating chamber: the said pipe may be shortened, as shewn in
Figure 6. or there may be two or more pipes, or such like ways. placed at or
near the top of the interior of the boiler; and it should be remarked that
although we generally use circular tubes, other figures or shapes may be em-
ployed, so long as the same extends along a considerable portion of the steam

page_text: chamber or upper part of the boiler, and has numerous small openings through
which the steam may pass into the tube or such like apparatus, and by which
the steam may be conveyed to the steam heating chamber: the object in thus
collecting and conveying the steam, whether to a heating chamber or direct to
the cylinder or cylinders of the engine, is to prevent what is technically termed
priming; further, it does away with the necessity of domes or any other cum-
hersome projection on the top of such description of boilers. It may here be
stated that in ordinary steam boilers, the siçam being conducted therefrom at
one orifice. the steam generated has to rush from every part of the surface of
the water to such orifice, and the effect of a body of steam thus forcibly collecting
and rushing to one point, is that much water is caused to be carried up therewith.
We are, however, aware that although, as above stated, in most cases only one
opening is used for the passage off of steam, some boilers have two eduction
pipes communicating with a common steam pipe, have been used. Now, the
object of the first part of the Invention is to apply one or more pipes, or such
like apparatus, perforated with small openings, through which numerous
streams of steam may pass and be collected in the apparatus or pipe employed,
and thus, by causing the steam to be taken at an infinite number of places,
reduce the liability if not wholly prevent priming. In perforating the tubes
we do so with holes of about one-eighth of an inch diameter, and we perforate
that end of the pipe. or the ends of the pipes if more than one is used, in such
manner, as to prevent the steam flowing off by the shortest direction, which
would be the case if all parts were equally perforated; therefore. near the point
of exit of the steam from the boiler, we only use a few holes, gradually encreas-
ing as the distance encreases from that point at which the steam ultimately
passes from the boiler; and we have found, that by having the total or combined
area of all the holes equal to about one fourth more than the sectional area of
the steam pipe, that there is a highly beneficial result produced, and so far as
we have experienced, the fullest result is produced by that arrangement; but
it will evident that this may be varied.
We will now describe the second part of our Invention, which relates to a
mode of heating the steam coming from the boilers of locomotive engines
before such steam passes into the engines. b, b, Figures 1. 3. 6. and 8. repre-
sent the steam heating chamber, which is made or formed in the upper part of
the cylinder chamber or case; it may be made a separate vessel, and placed so
within the cylinder case that the caloric which is given out by the flue tubes
may act around the whole of its surfaces; or where a still greater heating
surface is required, the chamber may be formed as shewn in Figures 4 and 5,
with projecting branches c, c. longitudinal pipes d, 'd, &c. and vertical pipes e, e,

page_text: &c; all of which pipes answer the purpose of stays to the chamber as well as: of
increasing the heating surface; the steam may also be heated by a series of
chambers or tubes, separately or combined, of whatever form or howsoever
placed, so that the same or similar result be obtained, the apparatus having for
its object to heat the steam and evaporate any water which may be carried from
the boiler by the rush of the steam; and although this apparatus is more par-
ticularly applicable to the old construction of locomotive steam boilers, where
much priming takes place, we also use it in addition to our first improvement,
as above explained.
We will now describe the third part of our Invention. 1. f, f, &c., Figures
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8, represent what we call the return tubes. To make the
different tubes more clearly understood we will designate those between the fire
box and the cylinder chamber or case the direct tubes, and those between
the cylinder chamber or case and smoke box the return tubes, through
which the caloric or heated vapours, after passing through the direct tubes, is
again made to pass through the boiler into the smoke box g. Figures 1 and 6,
immediately below and in connexion with the chimney i. g, Figures 1 and 6,
represents the smoke box at the fire end of the boiler, which, instead of being
so placed, may be fixed inside and at any intermediate part of the boiler, and
the return tubes reduced in length to correspond; the said return tubes may
be placed partly in the water and partly in the steam space, or altogether in
either the one or the other. i, j, &c., Figures 1, 2, 3, the direct tubes between
the fire box and the cylinder case, as also shown and represented by the same
letters in Figures 6, 7, and 8. ,, Figures 1 and 2, the fire box, differing
from those in general use by being arched at the top instead of being made
flat, by which the strength of the roof of the box is uniformly preserved, with-
out the cumbrous iron bars and bolts which are unavoidably used when the
roof is flat, and which is frequently the cause of destroying the plates, by pre-
venting the free action of the water on these surfaces. The arch top has
another advantage over that of the flat one, by not admitting the deposit of
any sediment over the part of the box where the action of the fire is most
intense, and which frequently causes a speedy failure of the plates by prevent-
ing the proper action upon them. In Figures 6 and 7 the same letters
represent a double fire box, each arched at the top, which, by dividing the fire
and by that means lessening the intensity of the heat, will be found in many
cases to be very advantageous to the durability of the boxes, as well as affording
a greater surface for the radiating heat to act upon. 1. 1, Figures 1, 2, 3,
represent the blast pipe through which the steam is discharged from the
cylinder or cylinders into the chimney; the same letters in Figures 4 and 5

page_text: refer also to the blast pipe in the cylinder chamber or case, where it is usually
placed when the return tubes are not applied. m, Figures 6, 7, and 8. repre-
sents the blast pipe inside of the boiler. The principal advantages of the
improvements we have above described are, firstly; the preventing of water being
taken out of the boiler with the steam into the cylinder or cylinders, (techni-
cally termed priming.) by which not only a great saving in the wear and tear
of the engine will be effected, but also an increase of power will be obtained:
and it will be evident that although we have shewn this part of the Invention
only as applied to locomotive engines, that the same may be applied to the
boilers of marine and stationary engines; secondly, the heating of steam by the
sicam chamber or steam chambers or pipes, or both, separately or combined,
placed in the cylinder chamber or case of a locomotive engine, and heated by
the heat therein, much of which heat heretofore having been waste heat; and,
thirdly, the arrangement and application of the return tubes in connection with
the formation of boiler and with the direct tubes which are now generally used
in locomotive boilers; by the application of which improvements a very con-
siderable saving of fuel will be obtained.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the mode of per-
forming the same, we would remark that we are aware thai steam, after having
passed from the boiler in which it has been generated, has been subjected to
heat by various means. We do not therefore make any claim thereto gene-
rally, but confine this part of our Invention to the application of suitable
apparatus for heating steam in its passage from the boiler to the engine or
engines within the cylinder or engine case or chamber of locomotive boilers,
whereby the steam becomes heated by the highly heated vapours from the fire,
which all pass into such engine case or chamber before passing off by the
chimney or smoke funnel. And we are also aware that the boilers have before
been made wherein the tubes which constitute the flues have proceeded to a
given extent within the boiler and have then returned. We do not therefore
claim return tubes generally, but simply the arrangement and application of such
return tubes from the cylinder or engine chest of locomotive steam engine boilers,
and in such manner that one set of tubes having carried the heated vapours
directly from the fire through the boiler into the cylinder case or chamber of
such boiler, in place of having a chimney in direct connection with the cylinder
chamber, the heated air is conducted back towards the fire, and the chimney
is at or towards that end of the boiler. And we would have it understood that
what we claim is, first, the mode of constructing a steam boiler having a
pipe or pipes, or such like apparatus, within the upper part or steam compart-
ment of the boiler, perforated with many holes, and in such manner as to allow

page_text: of the passage of steam through an extended area, and ihus. by taking steam
in numerous minute streams into a separate chamber or chambers, the same
may flow off through the steam pipe to the engines without being liable to
carry off with it much water. Secondly, we claim the mode of conveying steam
from locomotive boilers to the engines by combining within the cylinder case
or chamber apparatus offering an extended or encreased area of heating surface
to what the ordinary steam pipe has heretofore offered, through which apparatus
the steam passes from the boiler to the engine, and whereby it becomes heated
by the vapours from the fire which are passing through the cylinder chamber.
And, thirdly, we claim the mode of constructing locomotive steam engine boilers
by the arrangement and application of the return tubes or pipes, as above
described, from the cylinder chamber, proceeding back through the steam
boilers, and thus causing the heated vapours to return from the cylinder
chamber of locomotive boilers, in place of having the chimney in direct con-
nection with the cylinder chamber.
In witness whereof, 1. the said Robert. Hawthorn, have hereunto sel
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand sich h
of the passage of steam through an extended area, and thus. by taking steam
in numerous minute streams into a separate chamber or chambers, the same
may flow off through the steam pipe to the engines without being liable to
carry off with it. much water. Secondly, we claim the mode of conveying steam
from locomotive boilers to the engines by combining within the cylinder case
or chamber apparatus offering an extended or encreased area of heating surface
to what the ordinary steam pipe has heretofore offered, through which apparatus
the steam passes from the boiler to the engine, and whereby it becomes heated
by the vapours from the fire which are passing through the cylinder chamber.
And, thirdly, we claim the mode of constructing locomotive steam engine boilers
by the arrangement and application of the return tubes or pipes, as above
described. from the cylinder chamber, proceeding back through the steam
boilers, and thus causing the heated vapours to return from the cylinder
chamber of locomotive boilers, in place of having the chimney in direct con-
nection with the cylinder chamber.
In witness whereof, 1. the said Robert Hawthorn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty.
ROBERT (..s.) HAWTHORN.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of May. in
the year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid Robert Hawthorn came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the icnor of the Statute made for that purpose.