IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PREVENTING THE SUDDEN BURSTING OP STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1858

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Jeffries Kingsley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st July
1858.
I, JEFFRIES KINGSLEY, of 52, Great Coram Street, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Lieutenant on Half-pay, Her Majesty's 3rd Regiment of Dragoons,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MECHANICAL
ARRANGEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PREVENTING THE SUDDEN BURSTING OP STEAM
BOILERS," to be as follows:-
A
This Invention consists of the following mechanical arrangements:-A large
aperture may be cut anywhere in the upper region of the boiler, assume
10 inches in diameter, or other suitable measurement; a lid, say 12 inches
in diameter, that is supposing the diameter to be 10 inches as aforesaid, its
upper surface, being an inclined plane, rests closely upon the aperture, so as
to prevent the escape of the steam until an explosion may be dreaded.
suitable weight is laid upon the inclined plane, which weight may be furnished
with rollers to facilitate its moving off the inclined surface aforesaid, or a less
weight may be used by applying it in the proper position on the customary
lever. One extremity of a wire rope, chain, or rod is fastened to the weight
or to its lever, the other extremity is loosely attached to the customary safety
valve. A tube is firmly fitted upon the customary aperture in the boiler, its

page_text: height being determined by the range of temperature of the steam, assuming
the working pressure of the engine 50 lbs. on the cubic inch, that number is
marked at the base of the tube. Again, assuming that an explosion is almost
certain at a pressure of 150 lbs., that number is marked 6 inches higher on
the tube, the range of the scale terminating at that measurement. The rope,
chain, or rod aforesaid is loosely attached to the valve at, say, 4 inches, as in
some cases a boiler might happen to give way at a lower temperature, whilst
in other cases it might not. If no doubts are entertained on this head, let
the boiler give way or not, the aperture must act by letting the over-heated
steam pass off. Here it may be observed that the tube confines the steam
within a narrow boundary, causing the safety valve to be raised up higher, by
which the scale denoting the range of temperature may be enlarged or con-
tracted. The customary safety valve is finally placed within the tube, a stud
or other mechanical contrivance being attached and adjusted thereto, being
under the control of the captain of a steamer or superintendent of a manu-
factory, as may be deemed fit. From the above verbal description it is
obvious, that as soon as the stud which is fixed in the safety valve is raised
upwards 4 inches in the tube, that the rope, chain, or rod must be detached
therefrom; the weight being then let loose must descend the inclined plane of
its own accord. The lid being thus relieved of its great weight must be raised
upwards by the pressure of the steam, by which it will be also removed; in
such case the steam may easily effect its escape, whereby the sudden bursting
of boilers may be prevented. The foregoing is the description of the nature of
the Invention, which may probably be varied in its details.