IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND MANAGEMENT FOR CULTIVATING AND MANURING THE SOIL, AND IN TREATING THEPRODUCTS THEREOF
Year: 1850

page_text: HODGE'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, the said
PAUL RAPSEY HODGE, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, of 9, Adam Street,
Adelphi, in the City of Westminster, and County of Middlesex, 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 Third day of July, in the fourteenth year of Her reign, did give and
grant unto me, the said Paul Rapsey Hodges, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns,
Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Paul Rapsey Hodge, my cfors, adiñors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Paul Rapsey Hodge, my exors, adñiors, 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, that partly by invention of his own, and partly by
communication from abroad, he is in possession of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN
DESCRIPTIONS OF STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND MANAGEMENT FOR
CULTIVATING AND MANURING THE SOIL, AND IN TREATING THE PRODUCTS THEREOF;'
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, that I, the said Paul
Rapsey Hodge shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her 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, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Paul Rapsey Hodge, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are 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,
that is to say-
My Invention consists of Improvements in certain Descriptions of Steam
Engines, and in the Apparatus and Management for Cultivating and Manuring
the Soil, and in Treating the Products thereof; which are fully shewn in the
following description and accompanying Drawings.
CHAPTER I.
One of my improvements in certain descriptions of steam engines is appli-
cable to those engines generally described as stationary, locomotive, and rota-
tory, and consists of a new method for cutting off the steam in its passage
from the boiler to the cylinder at any portion of the stroke by the steam
valve without the use of a secondary expansion valve, by means of an en-
gaging and diengaging apparatus being placed between the steam valve and
lifting rod. Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, is a sectional elevation and plan of the
ordinary double beat valve, with its rod and plan of the disengaging machinery
and the lifting rod. A, the lifting rod; B, the lifter; C, the sliding piece;
D, the spiral spring for forcing out the sliding piece; E, the socket head,
which is fixed into the valve stem; F, the cam piece; G and H, the screw
and nutt, which elevate and depress the cam picce F; I, the cross bar, for
parallelizing the valve stem and disengaging machinery; J, the valve stem;
K, the valve; L, the hydraulic check; M, a cock attached thereto, for the
purpose of charging the cylinder of the hydraulic check with water when
necessary. Figure 3 is also a section view of the disengaging apparatus with
the sliding picce C releasing itself from the socket head E, thereby allowing the
steam valve to fall to its seat. The peculiarity of this motion is as follows:-
While the ordinary eccentric or cam motion is used to lift, the steam and
exhaust valves alternately at and in the same time, it follows that without the
intervention of some contrivances between the lifter and steam valve, there
would be no cut "off." There is generally used another cam or eccentric
motion for the steam valve, rated at a different time of motion from that of

page_text: the exhaust valve. My contrivance is to accomplish the "cut off" at any
portion of the stroke with the one valve, eccentric or cam, and same lifting
rods and rock shaft. This is effected by making the lifter B in two pieces,
as represented by B and C, the end of C passing into a socket in B, behind
which is a spiral spring D always pressing it towards the hole in the socket
head E. Intervening between these is placed the cam piece F, having a
curved slide next to the lifting head, so that when the lifter raises to lift the
valve the one end of the sliding piece C is in the slot or hole in the lifting
head E, but as it raises the curved side of the cam piece F, draws it out of
the socket hole, and releases the valve; it then falls by its own weight, and
closes the steam port. Figure 3 represents the disengaging, motion, and the
Another of my improvements in certain descriptions of steam engines is
applicable to those engines generally described as stationary, locomotive, and
marine, and is in that part of steam engines called the boiler or gencrator.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, Sheet 2, are several views of a boiler arranged for a
portable locomotive engine suitable for agricultural purposes. Figure 1 is a
sectional clevation; Figure 2, a transverse section of the smoke box;
Figure 3, a section through the cylinder part of the boiler, shewing the
tubes, steam, and exhaust pipes; Figure 4, a back view of the furnace part
of the boiler, shewing the fire door and steam drum, with the funnel or
chimney passing through it. A, the furnace; B, B, B, B, the lower flues
or tubes; C, C, the smoke box; D, D, D, D, the return flues or tubes;
E, F, the upper smoke box; F, F, the funnel or chimney; G, G, the
steam chambers or drum; H, H, the steam pipe; I, the steam cylinder;
J, J, the exhaust pipe; K, blast pipe. The peculiar advantages gained by a
boiler of this construction are, first, that the flame is retained for a much
longer period, and a greater amount of heat is transmitted to the water in
consequence. Secondly, that the funnel or chimney being carried through
the steam in the steam chamber or drum, the, steam is partially discharged
by the heat from the lower end of the funnel or chimney, which would be
otherwise lost. I take my steam as in the ordinary way through the steam
pipe H, out into the smoke box C, and before entering the cylinder I carry
the steam through a coil of pipe around the smoke box, as is represented in
Figure 2. This I call a searching apparatus by exposing this coil to the action-
of the flame in the smoke box. Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, are front and
side elevations, shewing three other methods of distributing the searching

page_text: pipe through the smoke box. The advantages obtained in surcharging steam
in this way is over thirty per cent. gain in the pressure of steam from the
transit leaves the boiler until it reaches the cylinder; as, for instance, the steam
in the boiler may be taken at 30 lbs. to the square inch, which is equal to 270°
temperature, it only requires an addition of 39 degrees to make the pressure
equal to 60 lbs. to the square inch; or steam at 20 lbs. = 260°, while steam at
40 lbs. = 288°, an increase of temperature only of 28°. It would be useless to
pass steam at so high a temperature into the steam cylinder without main-
taining a heat equal, or even greater, in and around it. For this purpose
I have adopted the following method:-I place a coil of pipe around the fire
box in immediate contact with the fire, as is shewn marked a, a, in Figure 1,
or in a coil above the fire door, as shewn in Figure 9; the water flows up the
flow pipe b, b, circulates in the space around the cylinder c, c, and returns to
the bottom of the coil by the return pipe d, d, which operates precisely on

page_text: surcharging chamber placed at some convenient spot between the boiler and
cylinder; E, the space around both the surcharging pipe and steam dome;
F, a furnace having a coil of pipe a, a, a, a, around it; precisely on Perkins'
principle, which is carried up and into the steam surcharger D, D, the return
pipe d, d, passing down to the bottom of the coil in the furnace in the ordinary
way. I cannot describe this part of my insertion better than saying it is
Perkins' hot water apparatus applied to surcharge steam between the boiler
and steam cylinder, having a valve intervening between the boiler and sur-
charger.
Figures 17 and 18 are two forms of placing as applying the surcharger and
coil, and are marked with the same letters of reference as in Figure 16.
Figure 19 is another method of maintaining a high temperature around the
steam cylinder by means of hot air, which is circulated around a hot air jacket
by means of an ordinary fan. For the purpose of illustration, I take my hot
air from the furnace A, in Figure 16. The hot air passes through the
pipe B, B, around the hot air casing C, C, down through the pipe D, D, to
the fan machine E, and into the bottom of the furnace through the grate
bars by the pipe G. By this means I am enabled to maintain a high tem-
perature around the cylinder with hot air and regulate its intensity by the
velocity of the fan.

page_text: enters at the steam pipe C, circulates around one half of the annular steam
chest B, as far as the steam openings F, F, and exhausts, into the other half of
the annular steam chest through the exhaust openings G,G, and thence through
the exhaust pipe D. It will be readily seen that as the faces on the ends of
the cylinder H, H, in Figure 24, and the faces I, I, on the annular steam chest,
Figure 23, work in close contact, that by the oscillation of the cylinders on
their axis or journals the steam parts and exhaust parts and exhaust and steam
parts are placed opposite each other alternately, the faces being made so as to
cut the steam from each, there being a partition between the steam and exhaust
part to cut off communication between the steam and exhaust sides of the
steam chest, as marked J, J, in Figures 23 and 25; Figure 25 being another
form of steam chest on the same principle; instead of being circular it is
rectangular, the upper horizontal pipe communicating with the steam parts,
and the lower pipe running parallel with it communicating with the exhaust
Another or my improvements in certain descriptions of steam engines is
applicable to stationary, locomotive, and marine engines, and is shewn at
Figure 26, Drawing No. 3. This Figure 26 represents the section of a stuffing
box gland of a cylinder cover for the piston rod to work through, in which is
placed annular rings made of a new material, composed of cotton wool and
vulcanized india-rubber or a solution of vulcanized india-rubber and plumbago,
or carturett of iron, mixed also with cotton wool. I take fine coulton wall,
and card it in bats of the desired thickness. I then saturate it with the solu-
tion as before described; I then take another layer of the same and lay the
fibro crosswise or transversely across the former layer, and then saturate this
second layer with either of the above solutions; and I proceed thus with alter-
nate layers and solutions intervening until I obtain the desired thickness, when
it is prepared by baking in the ordinary way. This substance is then cut into
annular rings and placed in successive layers in the stuffing box, and pressed
down with the follower or gland in the ordinary way. Another method of
compounding these rings is to use cork dust and the solutions of india-rubber,
cither with or without the plumbago or carburett of iron, as before described.
Or I use either of the above materials mixed with the fluid india-rubber made
by the kneading process, and vulcanized either by pure sulphur or sulphurous
acid gas, and then baked or boiled at a high temperature. Figures 27 and 28
represent a plan and elevation of the vulcanized packing rings.

page_text: My improvements in the apparatus and management for cultivating and
manuring the soil consist in the application of steam power to the working or
digging of the soil with or without manure previously spread thereupon.
Figures 29 and 30 represent an elevation and plan of the digging machine;
A, A, the wheels; B, B, the carriage platform; C, C, the moveable transverse
platform; D, the boiler; E, the steam cylinders; F, the steam pipe; G, the
eghaust pipe; H, the main driving shaft, which has affixed at its extreme ends
the pinions I, I, working into and driving the wheels J, J, which are affixed
with the ends of the crank shaft K, K; L, L, L, L, the four connecting rods,
working alternately the four spades or shovels, which are worked at the back
end of the machine, and are placed at any angle to suit the nature of the soils
required to be dug. The helves or handles of the spades M, M, M, M, are in
two parts; the part to which the spade is affixed is a hollow tube, in which is
placed a spiral spring, and shewn in detail in Figure 32 marked in, the tension
of which is equal to the greatest amount of force ever required to penetrato
the soil; but should the spade come in contact with stones or rocks of any
kind the spring will yield, and that part to which the spade is affixed will slide
up on the stem (s), and return again to its position the succeeding stroke, and
is stopped by the cotter (1). N, N, N, N, are four pairs of mitre wheels and
two angular shafts to convey motion from the crank shaft (K, K,) to the
tipping shaft (0, 0,); this tipping shaft revolves at the same velocity as the
crank shaft, and is placed immediately under the lower part of the handles or
helves of the spades, such handle or helve resting and sliding on cam pieces
P, P, P, P. These cam pieces are so formed as to allow the spade to be forced
into the earth, then to be drawn up again with its sod until the crank is per-
pendicular, when the point of the cam piece P tips" or jirks the sod, throwing

page_text: it off the spade, at the same time turning the grass, or what may be called the
upper surface, downward. Figure 33 is a detail elevation of the helve or handle
with the spade affixed; also shewing the position of the tipping shaft and cams.
Figure 34 is another mode of constructing the helve or handle of the spade, so
as to form a less angle with the surface of the ground, for the purpose of holding
the sod unto the spades before the cam pieces P tip" or jirk it. I effect this
by means of another shaft (Q) and crank motion and connecting rod (L), the
end of which operates upon a joint in the heiver or handler of the spades, as
marked (R), which bends the handle or helve down at a less angle, the distance
of which is equal to the whole motion of the crank Q, the effect of which is
shewn by the red dotted lines in this diagram; this crank motion holds the
handle down until it is operated upon by the cam P, when it returns again to
its place for another stroke. The traversing platform C, C, to which is affixed
the whole of the machinery, is moved off the centre on either side of the car-
riage B by means of a rack and pinion, or screw motion, so to bring the whole
weight of the carriage clear of the loose soil previously dug. Another method
of effecting this is shewn in Figure 31, where the upper platform moves on a
centre, which centre is the centre of the boiler; this enables the operation to
throw the spades off at a greater distance from the line of the lower carriage
then in the unvious
I now come to that part of my Invention which relates to improvements in
treating the produce of soil, which I confine as to part of my improvements to
the treatment of farinaceous grains; and as to other part of my improvements
to the treatment of wheat and barley produce only, as herein-after described.
All these improvements are exhibited in Figures 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47,
48, 49, and 50.
Figures 41 and 42 represent a side elevation and section of a mill for
stripping and grinding of grain. A, the first mover or driving shaft ; at the
back end of which is affixed a wheel, which works into a pinion on the rod of
the cylinder shaft B. This cylinder is made of any suitable grinding material,
such as burr, stone, peak, or granite; but I have preferred to use a new
material, to which I shall refer hereafter. C, C, C, C, represent the mode of
constructing my grinding cylinder and concave, in sections, each section being
held and kept to its place by means of the bars D, which are passed through a
groove, one-half of which is cut into each section, as represented in Figure 43,
the whole being held together by the flanges E, E, on the ends, as shown in
"Figure 44, there being suitable holes in each flange for the bars to pass through;

page_text: the bars are then rivetted over or held in their places by screws or in any other
suitable way. F is a concave casing made of cast iron, and is filled in with the same
grinding material which the cylinder is made of; the curve of this concave
casing is concentric with that of the cylinder, and are both cut with suitable
groves to present the best possible angles for grinding. The grain is passęd
in at the hopper G, and is fed through the groves in the revolving cylinder H,
and down through the space between the cylinder and concave. The con-
cave casing F has a transverse traverse motion, and slides on the lower
carriage I, I; this traverse motion turns the grain over while it is grinding,
and has a tendency to strip the bran or hull in larger flakes; the traverse
motion is produced by means of a cam (J), on the main driving shaft (A).
There is a pin affixed to the bottom of the traversing platform or concave casing,
and works into a grove in the cam J, thereby producing a motion backwards
and forwards at every revolution of the main driving shaft (A). The meal is
then passed into the bolting screen K in the ordinary way.
Figures 45 and 46 represent a machine to catch and separate from wheat and
barley grain the long and short straws that come from the thrashing machine,
so as to prevent the choking of the screens in the shoe of the winnowing
machine. This screen can be applied either to the thrashing or winnowing
machine. A is a revolving wire screen made of wire gauze or cloth of the
suitable mesh. This screen revolves on four friction rollers (B, B, B, B,) each
end of the screen being formed of iron or wooden rings or hoops C, C. The
motion to this may be conveyed through the shaft D, D, and the chain or cord
E. By passing the grain in at the upper end of the screen (F) and giving it
a slight inclination, the grain falls through the mesh, and the straws and dirt
work gradually out at the other end.
Figures 47 and 48 represent a section and outside elevation of a machine
for cleansing the dirt and smut balls from wheat or other grain, and for tipping
the dark ends of rice. A, the shaft; B, an iron inverted conical casing or
drum, which is filled in with bars, peak, granite, or any other suitable cutting
material, in sections, precisely as that of the mill described in Figure 43, and is
shown again in Figure 49 marked C, C, C, C; or I use my new grinding com-
position hereafter described. The outer concentric conical casing D, D, is also
provided with recesses F, F, for the reception of stone or grit or any other
suitable composition, as before described; intervening between which are placed
bars at such a distance from each other as not to let out the grain. The grain is
passed in at the hopper (F), passes down between the conical revolving cylinder
B and C, and the outside casing D. By the drum revolving at a high velocity,
the grain is also revolved at a high velocity and on their axis or shortest

page_text: diameters, the long ends being presented to the cutting material, both in conical
drum and casing, as before described.
Figure 48 is an outside view of the machine, and Figure 50 a top view of
the same.
The new grinding compound alluded to above, and which I prefer to use in
each of the machines described and shewn in Figures 42, 43, 44, 47, and 49,
is made as follows:-
I take any of the compositions of which china or porcelain is composed, such
as decomposed feldtspar, siles, or silecates of allumina or Cornish stone, and
mix either of these compounds to obtain what is termed parian china or stone
china, which substance is very hard, and when well vitrified is much harder
than the burr stone of France. I first take or vitrify a certain quantity, I then
granulate or break it up to the desired size, and then mix it again with some
of the same plastic material of which it was previously composed before being
vitrified. It is then put into inoulds of the desired shape, and afterwards dried
and baked or burned in a kiln at a suitable heat; the double vitrification of this
matorial, after being granulated and mixed as before described, making hard
and soft alternate surfaces, the hard granulated particles presenting their barbed
sharp corners to the grain or other material to be ground. The advantage in
the use of this material over burr stone is, that its being nearly of the same
nature, equally hard and sharp for cutting, that by mixing and revitrifying as
is obtained

page_text: Firstly, I claim as part of my Invention and as new, the method of cutting
off the steam in its passage from the boiler to the cylinder at any portion of the
stroke by the steam valve, without the use of a secondary expansion valve, by
means of the engaging and disengaging apparatus being placed between the
steam valve and lifting rod, substantially as herein-before described in
Chapter I.
Secondly, I claim as part of my Invention and as new, the construction of
a returned flue boiler of the shape and form represented and described in the
Figures alluded to in Chapter II., for locomotive and portable engines, having
the chimney passing through the steam drum, as fully shewn in the said
Figures; and also the apparatus for surcharging the steam in the smoke box,
and for maintaining the heat in the cylinder at the same high temperature as the
surcharged steam. All is substantially herein-before described in Chapter II.
Thirdly, I claim as part of my Invention and as new, the constructions,
apparatus, and means severally and respectively herein-before described in
Chapter III., for the purpose of surcharging the steam in use by and when work-
ing steam engines, and for the purpose of maintaining a high temperature in-
and around the cylinders.
Fourth, I claim as part of my Invention and as new, the method and con-
struction, substantially herein-before described in Chapter 4, of oscillating
cylinders with annular steam chests working in close connection and communi-
cation, as before described, so as to dispense with separate and detached steam
valves, now in universal use, for charging cylinders with steam and exhausting
the same.
Fifth, I claim as part of my Invention and as new, the construction of
packing rings for the glands or stuffing boxes of steam engines, composed of
the materials herein-before described in Chapter V.
Sixth, I claim as part of my Invention and as new, the construction of the
outer side of flat surfaces of boilers of steam engines with undulated forms or
ribs, as herein-before described in Chapter VI. with the referred to Drawings.
Seventh, I claim as my Invention and as new, the improved steam digging
machine for cultivating the soil and mixing manures therewith when previously
spread on the soil, as substantially described in Chapter VII. and the referred
to Drawings.
Eighth, I claim as my Invention and as new, the several machines or
apparatus herein-before described for treating certain products of the soil
herein-before enumerated or mentioned, constructed substantially as herein-
before described in Chapter VIII., with the new composition of stone or material,