IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Frearson, of Smethwick, Mechanical Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frearson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th April
1854.
1..
I; JOHN FREARSON, of Smethwick, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES" to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object a peculiar combination of the parts of a
steam engine and its piston. The framing of this engine is peculiarly formed;
it consists of a bed plate, two inclined pillars and entablature, all cast in one.
The pillars are hollow, and are arranged for the induction and eduction ways
for the steam. The steam cylinder is fixed in an inverted position on the
entablature. The throttle valve is in the entablature. The base plate carries
the bearings or carriages for the shaft or axis of the engine, and the governor
and driving gear is also carried by the base plate. The piston is packed by
means of spring rings, one within the other, each spring ring being composed
of a bar which is thickest in the middle and tapering from the middle towards
she ande
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Frearson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th October 1854...
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Frearson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th October 1854...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, JOHN
FREARSON, of. Smethwick, Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Frearson, Her special licence that I, the said John Frearson, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said John Frearson,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Frearson, 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 per-
formed, 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.
t
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Frearson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what inanner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object a peculiar combination of the parts of a
steam engine and its piston. The framing of this engine is peculiarly formed;
it consists of a bed plate, two inclined pillars, and entablature, all cast in one.
The pillars are hollow, and are arranged for the induction and eduction ways
for the steam. The steam cylinder is fixed in an inverted position on the
entablature. The throttle valve is in the entablature. The base plate carries
the bearings or carriages for the shaft or axis of the engine, and the governor
and driving gear is also carried by the base plate. The piston is packed by
means of spring rings, one within the other, each spring ring being composed
of a bar, which is thickest in the middle, and tapering from the middle towards
the ends.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention,_I_will_proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation; Figure 2, a transverse section of an engine
constructed and combined according to my Invention; Figure 3 is a plan;
Figure 4 is a plan of the entablature on a larger scale, and partly in section;

page_text: Figure 5 is a transverse section of Figure 4; and Figures 6, 7, and 8 are
detail views of a valve and apparatus for shutting off or regulating the in-
coming steam. In these views the same letters are used to indicate the same
parts. a is the steam cylinder, which is inverted, and fixed on the upper surface
or plate of the entablature. The cylinder a with its slide valve is of the ordinary
construction, and, separately, is not of my Invention. The cylinder is surrounded
by a jacket b, which in itself is not new, but it opens into and is in connection
with the hollow entablature at c; hence, the steam flowing from the cylinder
passes through the jacket, and thence into the entablature, and thence into tho.
hollow pillar d. The supply of steam comes through the pillar e into the en-
tablature, and thence into the valve box f. The slide valve is actuated by the
connecting rod g, put in motion by the excentric h. The piston rod, by the
cross head and connecting rod i, gives motion to the crank on the shaft or
axis j, which, by means of bevilled wheels, give motion to the governor k, works
the throttle valve l, which is in the entablature, as is shown. The cross head
by the rod m gives motion to the pump rod n. On the main shaft or axis j
are fixed the fly wheel o and driving drum or pulley p. The bed plate, the
hollow pillars, and the entablature are cast in one piece, and the entablature
is hollow and divided into compartments, one communicating with the hollow
pillar & and the other with the hollow pillar e. The incoming steam is shut
off or regulated by the valve q, which is moved by the screw and wheel r, as
shown. By this arrangement a very compact steam engine is constructed,
the hollow framing being used as the steam ways.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any of
the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details shown and described;
but what I claim is, the construction and combination of steam engine herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Frearson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
JOHN FREARSON. (L.s.)