Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-06-24
MR.. PERKINs's STEAM ENGINE


The following extract of from gentleman Of IN,
town, eminent for scientfcal aainments and merh,n
more clear and satisfactory account than we have wei
seen punished al Mr. Perknss important invention The
letter IS dated April &C. Boston. d. Adp
As many inquiries made concerning Mr. Perkins,
new steam engine before left Boston, without any salts
factory information being had, will attempt give YOU
some account oft Before begin YOU must free
your mimi from all notions OF common engine and call
Perkinss machine is steam engine hui that lis onera
ton Is so essentially different in its principle from all
machines under that heretofore known that yo
prepare for novelty, such an one as must in sbort
period throw out of use all the steam engines whatever
principles hitherto made: IL Monday day
after my arrival being the first time publicly exhibited H.
- IN ;e eJanon machines great mass of water is made
10 ooil violently In strong iron copper vessel called
boier upon the surface of which water thus boiling is
pipes to the working cylinder and thrown by opening and
Gos,g cocA alternately upon the upper and lower side Of
ne piston In Mr. Perknss nothing OF this kind takes
place, nor does the boil nor is any steam pro-
duced except the engine worked He confines in n very
strong vessel small quantity Of water keeping the vessel
constantly FULL which heated TO very considerable de-
gree This vessel corresponding ol fashioned boiler
he calls the generator and holds seven gallons in The
machine saw working Ii of iron, or rather bell
metal about three inches thick aud placed in another
all around Of eight inches Within this case the
stands ON grazing admit being placed un
uer u anu round tue Sides perhaps three inches
high To work his engine ali day about busbeI of coal is
necessary and on removing the iron in
tne Top OF the enclosing vessel, perceived
tan Is often seen in paor crate. The power Of
this engine is ten horses.
Jfhe cylinder which the piston work. h ,c
piston Is two inches diameter, having stroke of inc
ohy Near TINS cylinder stands the which
mucate WIN each other by sart strong nine
50 tht tue operating valve alternately closing shutting
ths communication is brought as possible 10 the
cyiindeT' When this valve is opened in common engines
the Steam passes from the boiler pistun but i'm Mr.
ietklSS, nothing but water, immensely compressed by
neat IS Pdssrd-and at the moment of passing the small
quantity which issues bursts into steam with great power
ms explosion OF water (and reason why il may
nor Oe SO ermed) immediately fills space between the
piston and Que end ofte cylinder and drives the pision Inc
conuense' and The same operation place from
the opposite end A small pump is moved to throw the
exceedingly small qGannty of water resulting from
condensation OF the steam, into the condenser strong
IRON Vesei standing near the generator from which IL Is
forced ny The same pump into the generator again Such
the general description Of MIR. Perkins engine
mas Tue power OF ten horses Mr. Perkins offered To bet
ne would make II do the work of fifteen horse mower
me wboe machinery weighs probably than ton and
he SAYS bis machines and whole apparatus for any power
say MY horses, will weigh only about wafer
atone III common engines of the power. is now
buung steam boat Of 500 TONS have two engines of
sixty horse power EACH the cylinders which will he only
seven inches diameter, with five stroke and the
Whoe WORK viii he below deck the bow boat
cuy true, in principle, that when the engine once
het no additional wafer is required. but owing
sn'll quantity inevitably escaping through Joints of
we tuoes, &cn small loss is sustained which sup
Pheu ny the pumps for this purpose he has
wafer ready From the compact FORM simplicity light
ness ana power Of his machines why steam
carriages should not especially good roads, in a very
rev years. supersede all other kinds OF land carriage
p coach soon be running between this place aud Liver
pool Mt the rate OF twenty twenty FIVE miles an hour