IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Warsop, of No. 9, Burton Street,
Nottingham, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINES."
Sealed the 15th September 1871, and dated the 3rd August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Warsop at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1870.
I, GEORGE WARSOP, of No. 9, Burton, Street, Nottingham, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam engines.
In place of employing a condenser and air pump, as is usual, I cause
the exhaust steam to pass into a large condensing cylinder in which
a piston works; this piston has a slight lead of the steam piston,
so that when the exhaust passage opens there is already a vacuous
space in the condensing cylinder ready to receive the steam, and this
space by the motion of the piston in the condensing cylinder increases
as the exhaust steam flows into it. When the stroke of the condensor

page_text: piston is nearly complete an injection valve on the side of the con-
densing cylinder opens and throws a spray of water into it. As soon
as the piston in the condensing cylinder has commenced its return
stroke it receives on the other side of it the exhaust steam from the
other end of the steam cylinder, which is similarly condensed. The
water resulting from the condensation and the injection, together with
air, is forced out of the condensing cylinder by the piston at each end
of the stroke, flap valves being provided to allow it to escape. The
end of the condensing cylinder and the faces of the piston are inclined
that the water may flow freely to the outlets. One injection valve only
is employed. The exhaust steam from both ends of the steam cylinder
enters one exhaust passage, and piston valves direct it alternately to the
one end and the other of the condensing cylinder.
Condensing cylinders with pistons working within them as above set
forth, or similarly, are especially applicable for use in combination with
engines working with air together with steam, and their application in
such combination forms a part of my Invention..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Warsop in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WARSOP, of No. 9, Burton Street, Nottingham, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Warsop, Her special licence that
I, the said George Warsop, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Warsop, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 George Warsop, my

page_text: executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 George Warsop, 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.
In place of employing a condenser and air pump, as is usual, I cause
the exhaust steam to pass into a large condensing cylinder in which a
piston works, this piston has a slight lead of the steam piston, so that
when the exhaust passage opens there is already a vacuus space in tlie
condensing cylinder ready to receive the steam, and this space by the
motion of the piston in the condensing cylinder increases as the exhaust
steam flows into it. When the stroke of the condenser piston is nearly
complete an injection valve on the side of the condensing cylinder opens
and throws a spray of water into it. As soon as the piston in the
condensing cylinder has commenced its return-stroke it receives on the
other side of it the exhaust steam from the other end of the steam
cylinder, which is similarly condensed. The water resulting from the
condensation and the injection together with air is forced out of the
condensing cylinder by the piston at each end of the stroke, flap
valves being provided to allow it to escape. The end of the condensing
cylinder and the faces of the piston are inclined that the water may
flow freely to the outlets. One injection valve only is employed.
The exhaust steam from both ends of the steam cylinder enters one
exhaust passage, and piston valves direct it alternately to the one end
and the other of the condensing cylinder."
Condensing cylinders with pistons working within them as above set.
forth, or similarly, are especially applicable for use in combination with
engines working with air together with steam, and their application in
such combination forms a part of my Invention.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shows a section of a portion of a condensing steam.
engine constructed according to my Invention. a, a, is the steam cylinder
with its piston, piston rod, slide valve, and other usual parts; b is the
exhaust passage therefrom, it leads into the chamber c of the piston
slide valve d, which controls the passage of the exhaust steam into the
condensing cylinder c. This cylinder contains a piston f, which by its
rod and a connecting rod is coupled with a crank on the main shaft of
the engine. This crank is nearly opposite to the driving crank, but as
is shown the condenser piston has a slight lead of the steam piston; g is
a valve worked by a cam or otherwise, and which opens for an instant to
admit a spray of water through suitable perforations immediately before
the piston reaches the end of its stroke in either direction; h, h, are
valves by which the water is expelled from the cylinder e at each end
of the stroke; disc valves may be substituted for flap valves if preferred.
The bottom and top of the cylinder e and of the piston are inclined so
that the water may drain towards the valves. The piston valve d is
worked by a cam which reverses its position when the piston f arrives
at the end of its stroke.
The Drawing represents the valve in mid stroke descending to admit
the exhaust steam over the piston by uncovering the upper port c¹, the
lower port e² being simultaneously closed. There are passages through
the pistons of the valve d allowing the steam to pass them freely.
Combined in an engine working with mixed steam and air the arrange-
ment described is especially advantageous, as with mixed air and steam
but little condensation takes place until the water injection is thrown in
so as to permeate the whole capacity of the condensing cylinder, and
hence much power is developed in this cylinder.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Warsop, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.