IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Wymer, Engineer, of 7, Saint
Ann's Row, Newcastle-on-Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 7th July 1863, and dated the 28th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Wymer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th January 1863.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM WYMER, Engineer, of 7, Saint Ann's Row, Newcastle-
on-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam engines. For
these purposes two cylinders are used, one, the smaller cylinder, is a high-
pressure cylinder, whilst the other, the larger one, is a low-pressure cylinder,
combined in such manner that the steam from the high-pressure cylinder is
passed into and expanded in the larger cylinder, as is well understood; it is
preferred that the larger cylinder should be the lower one of the two, and that
the smaller cylinder should be formed on the upper end or cover of the larger
cylinder. The piston rod of the smaller cylinder passes through a stuffing box
in the cover of that cylinder, and is fixed to the middle of a cross head. The
piston in the lower and larger cylinder has two piston rods, which respectively
work through stuffing boxes formed in the upper or end cover of the larger

page_text: cylinder, in such manner that the piston rods are outside of the smaller cylinder,
and their ends are fixed to the ends of the cross head above mentioned. There
are also two piston rods to the piston of the larger cylinder, which descend through
the lower end cover and work through stuffing boxes formed therein. The
lower ends of these two piston rods are fixed to a cross head, the ends of which
slide or move between guides fixed to the columns or hollow supports on which
the larger cylinder is fixed. These columns or hollow supports are to be con-
structed and arranged in a suitable manner to act as condensers, either by
injection or surface condensation. The hollow columns or supports are fixed
to a suitable bed plate, and the main or driving shaft of the engine is placed
between the columns or hollow supports. Motion is communicated to the
driving shaft by means of a connecting rod from the lower cross head, from
which also motion is communicated by a beam or lever to the air and water
pumps, which are, by preference, arranged on the base plate outside of the
columns or hollow supports. In some cases the high and low pressure
cylinders, in place of being one over the other, as above described, are con-
structed side by side, and both act in an inverted position. In this arrange-
ment, as in the one above explained, the two cylinders are supported by hollow
columns or supports fitted to act as surface or injection condensers. The piston
rods of the two cylinders give motion to the beam or lever, which has its fulcrum
or axis carried in bearings supported on one of the hollow supports or columns,
the end of the beam beyond its fulcrum or axis being arranged to give motion
to the air pump, whilst other of the pumps receive motion from the beam. The
beam at a point between the points where the piston rods of the two cylinders
are connected to it by a connecting rod gives motion to the crank of the main
or driving shaft which is between the hollow columns or supports of the
cylinders. In place of the high and low-pressure cylinders, when arranged
side by side, being arranged to work in an inverted position, they may be
arranged to work in a horizontal position one above the other, the smaller or
higher pressure cylinder being by preference uppermost. In this arrangement
it is also preferred that each cylinder should have two piston rods, and that
each pair of piston rods should be connected to a cross head, and that tne
ends of the two cross heads should be arranged to give motion to a beam
moving on a fulcrum or axis at or near one of its ends. This beam gives
motion to the main or crank shaft by a connecting rod connected to the beam
at a point intermediate of the points where the piston rods of the two cylinders
give motion to the beam. The air and other pumps may receive motion from
the cross heads, or from the beam, or otherwise

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis William Wymer in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WILLIAM WYMER, Engineer, of 7, Saint Ann's Row, Newcastle-on-Tyne, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Francis William Wymer, Her special licence that I, the said Francis
William Wymer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Francis William Wymer, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Francis William Wymer, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Francis William Wymer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam engines. For
these purposes two cylinders are used, one, the smaller cylinder, is a high-
pressure cylinder, whilst the other, the larger one, is a low-pressure cylinder,
combined in such manner that the steam from the high-pressure cylinder is
passed into and expanded in the larger cylinder, as is well understood. It is
preferred that the larger cylinder should be the lower one of the two, and that
he smaller cylinder should be formed on the upper end or cover of the larger
ylinder. The piston rod of the smaller cylinder passes through a stuffing box
the cover of that cylinder, and is fixed to the middle of a cross head. The
iston in the lower and larger cylinder has two piston rods, which respectively

page_text: work through stuffing boxes formed in the upper or end cover of the larger
cylinder, in such manner that the piston rods are outside of the smaller
cylinder, and their ends are fixed to the ends of the cross head above
mentioned. There are also two piston rods to the piston of the larger
cylinder, which descend through the lower end cover and work through
stuffing boxes formed therein. The lower ends of these two piston rods are
fixed to a cross head, the ends of which slide or move between guides fixed to
the columns or hollow supports on which the larger cylinder is fixed. These
columns or hollow supports are to be constructed and arranged in a suitable
manner to act as condensers, either by injection or surface condensation. The
hollow columns or supports are fixed to a suitable bed plate, and the main or
driving shaft of the engine is placed between the columns or hollow supports.
Motion is communicated to the driving shaft by means of a connecting rod
from the lower cross head, from which also motion is communicated by a
beam or lever to the air and water pumps, which are, by preference, arranged
on the base plate outside of the columns or hollow supports.
Figure 1 is a side view of a steam engine, constructed according to my
Invention. a is the high-pressure steam cylinder, and 6 the low-pressuro
cylinder, of larger size; these cylinders have valves arranged and applied in
such a manner that the steam may first work in the small cylinder and then
expand into the second or larger cylinder, as is well understood. The rod a¹
of the piston of the high-pressure cylinder passes out through a stuffing box in
the cover, and is fixed to the cross head c, and to the two ends of the same
cross head are attached two piston rods d, d, of the larger or low-pressure
cylinder; on the other side of the large piston there are two other piston rods
e, e; these pass through the cylinder cover by stuffing boxes, and beyond are
fixed to the cross head f, which slides in guides on the columns or hollow
supports g, on which the larger cylinder is carried. These columns or hollow
supports g are the condensers of the engine; they may be arranged internally
either as surface condensers or as condensers to work with injection, as is
more common. The crank shaft h is supported in bearings on the foundation
plate i between the two columns or hollow supports g, and is driven from the
cross head by a connecting rod. The air pump k is worked by a lever
(the centre line of which is shown in red) turning on a fulcrum at ; the
lever is linked to the cross head f, and at its outer end it carries a weight to
counterbalance the pistons and other parts.
In some cases, according to my Invention, the high and low pressure
cylinders, in place of being one over the other as above described, are constructed
side by side, and both act in an inverted position. In this arrangement, as in

page_text: the one above explained, the two cylinders are supported by hollow columns or
supports fitted to act as surface or injection condensers. The piston rods of the
two cylinders give motion to a beam or lever, which has its fulcrum or axis
carried in bearings supported on one of the hollow supports or columns, the end
of the beam beyond its fulcrum or axis being arranged to give motion to the
air pump, whilst other of the pumps also receive motion from the beam; or
the pistons of the pumps may be connected by rods directly with the pistons
of the steam cylinders or with the cross heads. The beam between the points
where the piston rods of the two cylinders are connected to it gives motion by
a connecting rod to the crank of the main or driving shaft, which is between
the hollow columns or supports of the cylinders. In place of the high and
low pressure cylinders when placed side by side being arranged to work in an
inverted position, they may be arranged to work in a horizontal position one.
above the other, the smaller or high-pressure cylinder being, by preference,
uppermost. In this arrangement it is also preferred that each cylinder should
have two piston rods, and that each pair of piston rods should be connected to
a cross head, and that the ends of the two cross heads should be arranged to
give motion to a beam moving on a fulcrum or axis at or near one of its ends.
This beam gives motion to the main or crank shaft by a connecting rod con-
nected to the beam at a point intermediate of the points where the piston rods
of the two cylinders give motion to the beam. The air and other pumps may
receive motion from the cross heads, or from the beam or otherwise.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a pair of engines thus constructed; Figure 8
is a plan partly in section of the same; and Figure 4 is a vertical section on
one side; it is taken through the larger or low-pressure cylinder, and on the
other through the smaller or high-pressure cylinder. a, a, is the foundation
plate of the engines, and 6, 6, columns or hollow supports thereon, which, as
in the engine already described, are arranged internally, to serve as the con-
densers of the engine; c, c, are the high-pressure, and d, d, the low-pressure
cylinders; a high and a low-pressure cylinder are conveniently formed in one
casting, and this is supported on two of the columns or hollow supports b, the
space between which it spans as a girder. Each piston is furnished with two
rods, the rods of the high-pressure cylinders c being fixed to the cross heads e
and those of the low-pressure cylinders d to the cross heads f; these cross
heads work between suitable guides, as is shewn; 9, 9, are beams or levers,
one to each compound engine; they turn on axes at g', g', and are connected
by links with the cross heads e and f of the steam cylinders, each beam or
lever being linked with one high-pressure and one low-pressure cylinder, as the
Drawings shew. The levers g at their further ends carry counterpoise weights.

page_text: Each of the levers g, at a point intermediate of the links from the two cylin-
ders, carries a connected rod h, which conveys the motion to the crank shaft i,
the bearings of which are upon the foundation plate a. k, k, are the air pumps,
their piston rods are attached to the cross heads f; and I, I, are feed and other
pumps, their plungers are attached by rods to the cross heads e.
the excentrics on the crank shaft; by means of ordinary link motions they
work the valves, which may be of ordinary construction. n is a hand wheel,
on the axis of which is a worm, and this by a worm; arc, and an arm and con-
necting rod, as the Drawings shew, traverses the links for reversing the
engines.
The engines above described are applicable more especially to driving screw
propellers; in paddle engines it is convenient to place the crank shaft i above
the levers g.
of
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Wymer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
year
FRANCIS WILLIAM WYMER. (L.B.)