CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY AXLES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO STATIONARY AND MARINE STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EDWARD MCCONNELL, Civil Engineer, of Wolverton, in the County, of Bucking-
ham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the fifteenth year of Her
reign, did give and grant unto me, the said James Edward McConnell, my
exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said James Edward McConnell, my exors, adiñors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said James Edward McConnell, my
exors, adiňors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY AXLES,
PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO STATIONARY AND MARINE STEAM ENGINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Edward
McConnell, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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
enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent: And whereas
I, the said James Edward McConnell, in pursuance of the said condition in
the said Letters Patent contained, did, by a Specification, being an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: and did cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery on the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two: And whereas since the filing of
the said Specification I have been advised that the extending of the fire box
into the body of the boiler so as to shorten the tubes, as shewn in the
Drawings annexed to my said Specification, and the indenting that portion of
the boiler immediately over the axles so as to allow the weight and centre of
gravity of the engine to be lowered in proportion to the depth of such indenta-
tion, at the same time doing no injury to the boiler, as shewn at Figure 1 on
Sheet 5 of the said Drawings, (which said improvements are described under
the head of Chapter 5 in the said Specification,) were respectively not new at
the date of the said Letters Patent, as both the said improvements are fully
described in and by the Specification and Drawings annexed thereto of certain
Letters Patent granted by. Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen
Victoria to William Stubbs and John Isaiah. Grylls, both of Llanelly, South
Wales, Engineers, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, and bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of
June, in the year One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, which Specifi-
cation was, in pursuance of a clause to that effect in the said Letters Patent
contained, duly enrolled in Her. Majesty's High Court of Chancery on or
about, the Second day of December, in the year One thousand eight hundred
and forty-six.
NOW KNOW YE, THEREFORE, that I, the said James Edward
McConnell, by and with the leave of Her Majesty's Solicitor-General, do
hereby disclaim all the parts of the said Specification which relate to the
extending the fire box into the boiler so as to shorten the tubes, as shewn in
the Drawings annexed to my said Specification, and the indenting that portion
of the boiler immediately over the axles so as to allow the weight and centre
of gravity of the engine to be lowered in proportion to the depth of such
indentation, at the same time doing no injury to the boiler, as shewn at
Figure 1 on Sheet 5 of the said Drawings.
And I do also disclaim the fifth claim of the said Specification, and by and
with the leave aforesaid and for the reasons aforesaid, and also for the purpose
of causing the said Specification and this present Alteration and Disclaimer to
be more easily understood, I do hereby alter the said Specification so that the
same shall, with the aid of the Drawings therein mentioned, particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, in and by the words, letters, and figures
following, that is to.say

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Edward McConnell, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon.
Chapter 1. One of my improvements in locomotive steam engines, and
which is also applicable to stationary and marine steam engines, consists in
forming and constructing the pistons and piston rods of malleable iron or steel
in the following manner, and as shewn in Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings. The slab of wrought iron or steel to be used for the piston is
made by the ordinary steam hammer or otherwise to the size and form
required; it is then heated and placed in an anvil or matrix of the form shewn
at A, A, Figure 1, Sheet 1, and is swedged or forged to the desired shape,
leaving a shank or short length (B), as in Figure 3, on to the body of the
piston to weld the piston rod to, thereby forming both piston and piston rod
out of one piece of metal. The follower (c, c,) is also of malleable iron or
steel, and is screwed to the body of the piston, as shewn at the points D, D.
The stay bolts E, E, and plate F are intended to prevent the follower from
turning and to hold it firmly in its place; G, G, G, G, are the packing rings,
made of any suitable metal.
By reference to Figure 2, Sheet 1, which shews a plan of the internal con-
struction of the piston and distribution of the springs, it will be seen that the
packing rings G, G, are kept to their places and pressed against the surface
of the cylinder by the continuous undulating spring I, I, I, I, placed in the
space between the packing rings (G, G,) and the annular wall of metat
J, J, J, J, which is a part of the body of the piston. The set bolts K, K, K, K,
are tapped into the said wall immediately opposite that part of the undulating
spring which touches the annular wall J at the several points marked L, L, L, L.
In cases where the piston is large I prefer to cut the undulating spring
at intervals at the points marked C and D' in the direction of the blue lines.
Figure 4 shews a plan of the spring at the points (E and F¹), also shewing
the manner of joining or locking the springs together. Figure 5 is the form
of handle used for screwing up the follower.
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2, represent another form of my improved piston,
differing somewhat from the former in the shape of the annular wall J, J, J,
the inner surface of the said wall being circular, and the outer surface six
sided or hexagonal, or of any number of sides, as the case may be, but
depending on the size of the piston to be formed, and also the number of

page_text: springs that may be necessary for the purpose of pressing out the rings. The
angular spaces formed by the several sides of the outer surface of the said metallic
wall are appropriated for the reception of the bolts (m, m, m), for bolting the
follower or piston cover to the body of the piston. The said bolts for the
springs are, tapped through the thinner parts of the annular wall, as are
severally shewn at the points (n, n, n, n, n,
each set bolt having a squaro
or six-sided head, and also the same form of lock nut. The upper surface of
each will nearly come in contact with the inner surface of the cover or
follower, as shewn at the points marked (O, O,) in Figure 1, thereby pre-
venting the bolts or nuts from turning, and ensuring a permanant and uniform
tension of each spring, also preventing any derangement of the piston while in
motion.
Chapter 2. Another of my improvements in steam engines consists in the
formation of steam cylinders with their valve faces, steain and exhaust ports,
steam chest, or casings and cylinder covers of wrought iron, as is shewn in
Sheet 3, Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 represents a section of an ordinary loco-
motive cylinder, covers, and glands, and also steam chest and passages, all being
made of malleable iron. A, A, is the steam cylinder; B and C, the cylinder
covers; D, D, the steam passages; E, the exit or exhaust port; F, the valve;
G, G, the steam or valve chest. Figure 2, represents a half section and
outside view of the cylinders and steam chest, with their connections. The
cylinders, steam or valve chests, cylinder covers or valve faces, and ingress
and egress passages for the steam being formed out of malleable or wrought
metal, the saving of weight will be considerable.
Chapter 3. Another of my improvements in steam engines consists in
making or forming the several parts of steam engines shewn under the names
of valve rods, piston rods, connecting and eccentric rods of wrought or
malleable iron or steel, and tubular or hollow. Figures 1 and 2 represent
sections of two forms of tubular or hollow connecting rods for steam engines;
Figures 3 and 4 represent two views of my improved hollow or tubular piston
rods for steam engines; Figures 5 and 6 represent two views of my improved
hollow or tubular eccentric rods. It will be seen by reference to the several
Figures that I have two methods of attaching the solid part of these several
rods to the tubular parts, either by screwing as is shewn at A', or by welding
as is shewn at B', in the several Figures.
Chapter 4. Another of my improvements consists in applying wrought metal
tubular framing to locomotive steam engines, as is represented in the Figures
7, 8, and 9. The several tubular rods or frames may be either made of
wrought iron or of cast or shear steel, or of wrought iron, and converted into

page_text: steel while in the tubular form, the principal aim being to get greater strength
with less dead weight of material in the construction of such steam engines as
these several improvements are applicable to.
Chapter 5. Another of my improvements in steam engines, and which is
represented in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 5, consists in supplying atmospheric air
to the fuel or flame in the fire box of the boilers of locomotive engines by
means of tubular stays. It being a well-known fact that a very large propor-
tion of the gases evolved or given out from the coke is not burned up for the
want of a sufficient supply of oxygen, a large portion of the gas so evolved
being carbonic oxyde, which is given out from the coke, only require to be
mixed with about one-fifth of its whole bulk of atmospheric air to produce
perfect combustion, which without this is a noncombustible gas. The air
necessary for this purpose is supplied to the flame by means of tubular stays
a', a¹, a', a¹, screwed into the inner and outer plates forming the water space
of the boiler, and placed at convenient distances between the other solid
stays ',,, . The quantity of air to be admitted in through these several
stays may be controlled by caps or valves over each, to be acted on at pleasure
by the engine driver.
Chapter 6. Another of my improvements consists in adapting a peculiar
form of apparatus to the smoke box of a locomotive steam engine for heating
the water before it enters the boiler, by means of the heated gases passing
through the smoke box and the exhaust steam before it leaves the blast pipe.
The water is forced into and passes up the coils of pipe B, B, B, and enters
the annular space C, C, which is around the blast pipe E, passing down the
annular casing and into the boiler through the pipe D. By this arrangement
I effect a double object, (videlicet) by forcing the water first through the coils
of pipe a portion of the heat from the heated gases passing through the
smoke box is taken up, and as the water passes down the annular space
around the blast pipe another portion of heat from the exhaust steam of the
engines is taken up, thereby saving much of the heat that now passes into the
atmosphere, and reducing the consumption of coke necessary to maintain the
power of the engine.
Chapter 7 Another part of my Invention consists of certain improvements
in axles used on railways for locomotives, tenders, and carriages. That part
which relates to the axles of locomotive engines is represented in Sheet 6,
Figures 1, 2, 3. Figure 1 is an ordinary wrought-iron crank axle, with steel
welded on to the journals or bearings; Figure 2 represents a portion of a
straight axle for locomotive tenders or railway carriages, with steel welded on
to the journals. The mode I adopt for welding the steel on to the journals

page_text: is by first getting the axle and its journal down to the size required in either
the lathe or slotting machine, or both, and then bending or lapping thin steel
around said bearings or journals, and welding them by means of clean fires
and the free use of fluzes composed of borax and pounded sillica combined or
separately, thereby "steeling" the journals or bearings of crank or straight
axles for locomotive steam engines or railway carriages, the steel being repre-
sented by the dark blue margins on the journals of bearings of both straight
and crank axles, as is shewn in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 6. Figures 3, 4, 5,
and 6 represent several improved forms of tubular or hollow axles adapted
either to locomotives, tenders, or railway wagons and carriages. Before
describing these several Figures it will be necessary to refer to the Figures
on Sheet 7, which relates to the mode of producing such improved tubular or
hollow axles. The tubular axles heretofore used on railways, as, for instance,
those manufactured in the manner prescribed in the Specification of certain
Letters Patent granted to John Oliver York on or about the Twenty-first day
of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-
one, and the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-two, are defective and objectionable by reason of the
want of uniformity of the metal and structure throughout, which consequently
renders the axles liable to fracture. The mode which I have invented of
manufacturing hollow or tubular axles avoids these and other effects, and
produces axles of greater uniformity and density of structure throughout than
any mode to my knowledge heretofore practised. I take a piece of iron plate
according to the size and strength of axle required. Figure 1 represents a
transverse section of the piece of iron of the precise shape as rolled before
being turned up to form the tube. The process of producing strips of iron
of this shape is by first passing them through rolls of the form or shapes
shewn either in Figures 4 and 4, Sheet 7, which are turned to the shape
necessary to the producing of the pieces of iron with their bevelled edges, as
represented in an enlarged view in Figure 1, as is well understood. The iron
having been rolled into the shape as represented in Figure 1, it is thren turned
up by the ordinary process used in making of lap-welded tubes, as shewn in
Figure 2, and then heated to a welding heat and passed between a pair of
rolls, as shewn in Figure 3, and welded in a straight tubular form, and then
passed from these rolls (all the same heat) between the shaping plates, as
represented in Figures 5 and 6, which consist of a bottom stationary shaping
plate A, A, and a top, representing plate B, B, the under side of the upper
and top side of the lower plates being corrugated or formed to the shape
uccessary to the rolling out of the journals of the axles at cach cud, as well

page_text: as tapering them towards the centre from each end. Another arrangement
of shaping plates is represented in Figures 7 and 8, where the upper and
lower plates A, A, and B, B, both reciprocate alternately; the bottom plate
A, A, reciprocate on the carriage C, C, C, C, rolling on the stationary plate
D, D, D. By the mode of manufacture above described the defects of the
hollow axles manufactured by swaging or hammering are avoided, and axles
may be produced having a perfect lap weld of a uniform thickness and density
of metal throughout each transverse section of the axle while its longitudinal
shape will correspond in thickness to the variable diameters, as is fully
represented in Figures 5 and 3, Sheet 6.
Chapter 7. A mode of thickening a straight tubular axle in parts required'
to be of larger diameter is represented in Figures 4 and 7, Sheet 6, where
E, E, E, represents the straight part of the tube in section, and F, F, the
thickening pieces, which are drawn on to the first tube by any means most
convenient, and afterwards welded or contracted to the straight portion-of the
axle.
Chapter 8. Another part of my Invention consists in casing a solid iron
axle with steel to effect greater strength as well as stiffness with a less
amount of metal now used in railway axles, which is represented in Figure 6,
Sheet 5, where A, A, represents the body of the axle formed of wrought
iron; B, B, B, the steel casing. The process by which I form this kind of
railway axle is by first forming a solid axle of the diameter required, and
then drawing over its outer surface a tube of steel and afterwards welding
or contract the two together, forming at the same time the journals or bearings
at each end.
: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed; I wish it to be understood that I claim as of the
Invention whereof the exclusive use is intended to be secured by the said
Letters Patent as follows:-
Firstly, the constructing, forming, and shaping the pistons of steam engines.
of malleable iron or steel, as herein-before described in Chapter 1.
Secondly, I claim the construction of steam cylinders with their valve forces,
steam and exhaust ports, steam chests, and casings, and also their cylinder
covers, out of wrought iròn, as herein-before described in Chapter 2.
Thirdly, I claim the construction of several parts of steam engines' known
under the names of valve rods, piston rods, and connecting rods, each of
wrought or malleable iron or steel, tubular or hollow, as herein-before described
in Chapter 3.
Fourthly, I claim the supplying atmospheric air to the fuel or flame after it

page_text: has left the surface of the fire, by means of tubular stays inserted in and
adapted to the fire box, as above described in Chapter 4.
Fifthly, I claim the adaptation of an apparatus so placed in the smoke box
of a locomotive boiler for heating the water before it enters the boiler, both by
the heated gases that pass through the smoke box as well as by the exhaust
steam, as herein-before described in Chapter 6.
Sixthly, I claim the "steeling" of the journals of railway axles, and also the
manufacture of hollow axles from lap-jointed tubes, welded, rolled, and formed,
as herein-before described in Chapter 6..
Seventhly, I claim the manufacture, of hollow axles of increased thickness at
certain points from lap-welded tubes, rolled and shaped, as herein-before
described in Chapter 7.
Eighthly and lastly, I claim the manufacture of a solid iron axle incased
with steel, as herein-before described in Chapter 8.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edward McConnell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1858, the aforesaid James Edward McConnell came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Disclaimer
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Disclaimer aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EDWARD MCCONNELL, Civil Engineer, of Wolverton, in the County of
Buckingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the fifteenth year of Her reign, did give
and grant unto me, the said James Edward McConnell, my exors, adñiors, and
assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said James Edward McConnell, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such
others as I, the said James Edward McConnell, my exors, adññiors, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times hereafter during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY AXLES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE
TO STATIONARY AND MARINE STEAM ENGINES;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso, that if I, the said James Edward McConnell,
shall not particularly 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 cause the same to be enrolled in Her

page_text: said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, that then
the said Letters Patent, and all the privileges and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void, anything
therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding,
as by the said Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Edward McConnell, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon.
Chapter 1. One of my improvements in locomotive steam engines, and
which is also applicable to stationary and marine steam engines, consists in
forming and constructing the pistons and piston rods of malleable iron or steel,
in the following manner, and as shewn in Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings The slab of wrought iron or steel to be used for the piston is made
by the ordinary steam hammer or otherwise to the size and form required; it
is then heated and placed in an anvil or matrix, of the form shewn at A, A,
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, and is swedged or forged to the desired shape, leaving a shank
or short length (B), as in Fig. 3, on to the body of the piston, to weld the
piston rod to, thereby forming both piston and piston rod out of one piece of
metal. The follower (C, C,) is also of malleable iron or steel, and is screwed
to the body of the piston, as shewn at the points, D, D. The stay bolts E, E,
and plate F are intended to prevent the follower from turning, and to hold it
firmly to its place. G, G, G, G, are the packing rings, made of any suitable
metal.
By reference to Fig. 2, Sheet 1, which shews a plan of the internal.con-
struction of the piston and distribution of the springs, it will be seen that the
packing rings G, G, are kept to their places and pressed against the surface of
the cylinder by the continuous undulating spring, I, I, I, I,.placed in the.space
between the packing rings (G, G,) and the, annular, wall, of metal J,.J, J, J,
which is a part of the body of the piston. The set bolts K, K, K, K, are
tapped into the said wall immediately,opposite that part of the undulating
spring which tonches the annular wall J, at the several points marked L, L, L, L.
In cases where the piston is large, I prefer to cut, the undulating spring at
intervals at the points marked C₁ & D', in the direction of the blue lines.
Fig. 4 shews a plan of the spring at the points (E¹ and F¹), also shewing. the

page_text: manner of joining or locking the springs together. Fig. 5 is the form of handle
used for screwing up the follower.
Figs. 1 & 2, Sheet 2, represent another form of my improved piston,
differing somewhat from the former in the shape of the annular wall J, J, J,
the inner surface of said wall being circular, and the outer surface six-sided or
hexagonal, or of any number of sides, as the case may be, but depending on the
size of the piston to be formed, and also the number of springs that may be
necessary for the purpose of pressing out the rings. The angular spaces formed
by the several sides of the outer surface of the said metallic wall are appro-
priated for the reception of the bolts (M, M, M), for bolting the follower or
piston cover to the body of the piston. The said bolts for the springs are tapped
through the thinner parts of the annular wall, as are severally shewn at the
points (N, N, N, N,N, N), each set bolt having a square or six-sided head,
and also the same form of lock nut. The upper surface of each will nearly
come in contact with the inner surface of the cover or follower, as shewn at the
points marked (0, 0,) in F. 1, thereby preventing the bolts or nuts from
turning and ensuring a permanent and uniform tension of each spring, also
preventing any derangement of the piston while in motion.
Chapter 2. Another of my improvements in steam engines consists in the
formation of steam cylinders, with their valve faces, steam and exhaust ports,
steam chest or casings, and cylinder covers of wrought iron, as is shewn in
Sheet 3, Figs. 1 & 2. 'Fig. 1 represents a section of an ordinary locomotive
cylinder, covers, and glands, and also steam chest and passages, all being made
of malleable iron. A, A, is the steam cylinder; B and C, the cylinder covers;
D, D, the steam passages; E, the exit or exhaust port; F, the valve; G, G,
the steam or valve chest. Figure 2 represents a half section and outside view
of the cylinders and steam chest with their connections. The cylinders, steam
or valve chests, cylinder covers or valve faces, and ingress and egress passages
for the steam being formed out of malleable or wrought metal, the saving of
weight will be considerable.
Chapter 3. Another of my improvements in steam engines consists in
making or forming the several parts of steam engines, shewn under the names
of valve rods, piston rods, connecting and eccentric rods, of wrought or malleable
iron or steel, and tubular or hollow. Figures 1 and 2 represent sections of two
forms of tubular or hollow connecting rods for steam engines; Figures 3 and 4
represent two views of my improved hollow or tubular piston rods for steam
engines; Figures 5 and 6 represent two views of my improved hollow or
tubular eccentric rods. It will be seen by reference to the several Figures
that I have two methods of attaching the solid part of these several rods to the

page_text: tubular parts, either by screwing, as is shewn at A¹, or by welding, as is shewn
at B', in the several Figures.
Chapter 4. Another of my improvements consists in applying wrought
metal tubular framing to locomotive steam engines, as is represented in the
Figures 7, 8, and 9. The several tubular rods or frames may be either made
of wrought iron, or of cast or shear steel, or of wrought iron and converted into
steel while in the tubular form, the principal aim being to get greater strength
with less dead weight of material in the construction of such steam engines as
these several improvements are applicable to.
Chapter 5. Another of my improvements in steam engines, and which
is represented in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 5, consists in supplying atmospheric
air to the fuel or flame in the fire box of the boilers of locomotive engines by
means of tubular stays. It being a well-known fact that a very large proportion
of the gases evolved or given out from the coke is not burned up for the want
of a sufficient supply of oxygen, a large portion of the gas so evolved being
carbonic oxide, which is given out from the coke, only require to be mixed
with about one-fifth of its whole bulk of atmospheric air to produce perfect
combustion, which without this is a non-combustible gas. The air necessary
for this purpose is supplied to the flame by means of tubular stays a', a', a', a¹,
screwed into the inner and outer plates, forming the water space of the boiler,
and placed at convenient distances between the other solid stays b¹, b¹, b, br.
The quantity of air to be admitted in through these several stays may be con-
trolled by caps or valves over each, to be acted on at pleasure by the engine
driver.
Another of my improvements consists in a transverse indentation of the
water space of the bottom of the boiler, forming, as it were, a bridge wall,
thereby allowing the centre of gravity of the boiler to be lowered. The extending
the fire box into the body of the boiler so as to shorten the tubes (as shewn
in the accompanying Drawings) has been patented by Mr. Joseph Harrison.
My Invention is confined to indenting that portion of the boiler immediately
over the axles, so as to allow the weight and centre of gravity of the engine to
be lowered in proportion to the depth of such indentation, at the same time
doing no injury to the boiler, the line or curve of indentation being shewn by
the letters A, A, A, Figure 1, Sheet 5.
Chapter 6. Another of my improvements consists in adapting a peculiar
form of apparatus to the smoke box of a locomotive steam engine, for heating
the water before it enters the boiler, by means of the heated gases passing
through the smoke box and the exhaust steam before it leaves the blast pipe.
The water is forced into and passes up the coils of pipe B, B, B, and enters

page_text: the annular space C, C, which is around the blast pipe E, passing down the
annular casing and into the boiler through the pipe D. By this arrangement
I effect a double object, (viz) by forcing the water first through the coils
of pipe, a portion of the heat from the heated gases passing through the smoke
box is taken up, and as the water passes down the annular space around the
blast pipe, another portion of heat from the exhaust steam of the engines is
taken up, thereby saving much of the heat that now passes into the atmosphere,
and reducing the consumption of coke necessary to maintain the power of the
engine.
Chapter 7.-Another part of my Invention consists of certain improvements
in axles used on railways for locomotives, tenders, and carriages. That part
which relates to the axles of locomotive engines is represented in Sheet 6,
Figures 1, 2, 3. Figure 1 is an ordinary wrought-iron crank axle, with steel
welded on to the journals or bearings; Figure 2 represents a portion of a
straight axle for locomotives, tenders, or railway carriages with steel welded on
to the journals. The mode I adopt for welding the steel on to the journals is,
by first getting the axle and its journals down to the size required in either the
lathe or slotting machine, or both, and then bending or lapping thin steel
around said barings or journals, and welding them by means of clean fires, and
the free use of fluzes, composed of borax and pounded sillica, combined or
separately, thereby "steeling" the journals or barings of crank or straight
axles for locomotive steam engines or railway carriages, the steel being repre-
sented by the dark blue margins on the journals of barings of both straight
and crank axles, as is shewn in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 6. Figures 3, 4, 5,
and 6 represent several improved forms of tubular or hollow axles adapted
either to locomotives, tenders, or railway wagons and carriages. Before
describing these several Figures it will be necessary to refer to the Figures on
Sheet 7, which relates to the mode of producing such improved tubular or
hollow axles. The tubular axles heretofore used on railways, as, for instance,
those manufactured in the manner described in the Specifications of certain
Letters Patent granted to John Oliver York, on or about the Twenty-first day
of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-
one, and the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-two, are defective and objectionable by reason of the
want of uniformity of the metal and structure throughout, which consequently
renders the axles liable to fracture. The mode which I have invented of
manufacturing hollow on tubular axles avoids these and other defects, and
produces axles of greater uniformity and density of structure throughout than
any mode, to my knowledge, heretofore practised. I take a piece of iron plate

page_text: according to the size and strength of axle required. Figure 1 represents a
transverse section of the piece of iron of the precise shape as rolled before
being turned up to form the tube. The process of producing strips of
iron of this shape is, by first passing them through rolls of the form or shapes
shewn either in Figures 4 and 4, Sheet 7, which are turned to the shape
necessary to the producing of the pieces of iron with their bevelled edges,
as represented in an enlarged view in Figure 1, as is well understood. The
iron having been rolled into the shape as represented in Figure 1, it is
then turned up by the ordinary process used in making of lap-welded tubes, as
shewn in Figure 2, and then heated to a welding heat and passed between a
pair of rolls, as shewn in Figures 3, and welded in a straight tubular form,
and then passed from these rolls (all the same heat) between the shaping
plates, as represented in Figures 5 and 6, which consist of a bottom sta-
tionary shaping plate A, A, and a top representing plate B, B, the under
side of the upper and top side of the lower plates being corrugated or
formed to the shape necessary to the rolling out of the journals of the
axles at each end, as well as tapering them towards the centre from each
end. Another arrangement of shaping plates is represented in Figures 7
and 8, where the upper and lower plates A, A, and B, B, both reciprocate
alternately; the bottom plate A, A, reciprocate on the carriage C, C, C, C,
rolling on the stationary plate D, D, D. By the mode of manufacture above
described, the defects of the hollow axles manufactured by swaging or
hammering are avoided, and axles may be produced having a perfect lap
weld of a uniform thickness and density of metal throughout each transverse
section of the axle, while its longitudinal shape will correspond in thickness
to the variable diameters, as is fully represented in Figures 5 and 3,
Sheet 6.
Chapter 7. A mode of thickening a straight tubular axle in parts required
to be of larger diameter is represented in Figures 4 and 7, Sheet 6, where
E, E, E, represents the straight part of the tube in section; and F, F, the
thickening pieces, which are drawn on to the first tube by any means most
convenient, and afterwards welded or contracted to the straight portion of
the axle.
Chapter 8. Another part of my Invention consists in casing a solid iron
axle with steel, to effect greater strength as well as stiffness, with a less
amount of metal now used in railway axles, which is represented in Figure 6,
Sheet 5, where A, A, represent the body of the axle formed of wrought iron;
B, B, B, the steel casing. The process by which I form this kind of railway
axle is, by first forming a solid axle of the diameter required, and then drawing

page_text: over its outer surface a tube of steel, and afterwards welding or contract the
two together, forming at the same time the journals or bearings at each end.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as of the
Invention, whereof the exclusive use is intended to be secured by the said
Letters Patent, as follows:-
12
Firstly, the constructing, forming, and shaping the pistons of steam engines
of mallable iron or seal, as herein-before described in Chapter 1.
Secondly, I claim the construction of steam cylinders with their valve faces,
steam and exhaust ports, steam chests and casings, and also their cylinder
coven out of wrought iron, as herein-before described in Chapter 2.
Thirdly, I claim the construction of several parts of steam engines, known
under the names of valve rods, piston rods, and connecting rods, each of
wrought or malleable iron or steel, tubular or hollow, as herein-before
described in Chapter 3.
Fourthly, I claim the supplying atmospheric air to the fuel or flame after
it has left the surface of the fire by means of tubular stays inserted in and
adapted to the fire box, as above described in Chapter 4.
Fifthly, I claim the indenting of a locomotive boiler immediately over the
crank axle, substantially as herein-before described in Chapter 4.
Sixthly, I claim the adaptation of an apparatus so placed in the smoke box
of a locomotive boiler for heating the water before it enters the boiler, both by
the heated gases that pass through the smoke box, as well as by the exhaust
steam, as herein-before described in Chapter 6.
Seventhly, I claim the "steeling of the journals of railway axles, and also
the manufacture of hollow axles from lap-jointed tubes, welded, rolled, and
formed as herein-before described in Chapter 6.
Eighthly, I claim the manufacture of hollow axles of increased thickness
at certain parts from lap-welded tubes, rolled and shaped as herein-before
described in Chapter 7.
Ninthly, and lastly, I claim the manufacture of a solid iron axle incased with
steel, as herein-before described in Chapter 8.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edward McConnell, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
JAMES EDWARD (L.S.) MCCONNELL.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid James Edward McConnell 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 tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Eurolled the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.