1865 Patent. '2865. To William Esplen, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, and James Clarke, of the same place, Master Mariner, for the invention of "improvements in steering gear for navigable vessels."'[1]
1867 Patent. '730. To William Esplen, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, and James John Briggs Bland, of the the same place, Architect, for the invention of " improvements in signalling apparatus, and in the liquid to be used therewith, and which liquid not being subject to congelation may be used as a vehicle for communicating power."'[2]
1871 Patent. '342. To Henry Wilke, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, and William Esplen, also of Liverpool aforesaid, Engineer, for the invention of "improvements in safety valves for marine boilers."'[3]
1874 Patent. '4189. To William Esplen, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, for the invention of "the utilization of steam from the deck engines of ships, and apparatus employed therein."'[4]