AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER BY THE ACTION OR AGENCY OF HEAT, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THAT POWER TO PURPOSES OF Loco- MOTION OR NAVIGATION
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
GORDON, of Fludyer Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Member
of the, Institution of Civil Engineers, send greeting.
G
WHEREAS Her present inost Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Third day of March, in the eighth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander
Gordon, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Alexander Gordon, my exors,
adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Gordon, my
exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER BY THE ACTION
OR AGENCY OF HEAT, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THAT POWER TO PURPOSES OF Loco-
MOTION OR NAVIGATION;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a pro-
viso that I, the said Alexander Gordon, 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 in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar montlis
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the saine, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: about the same proportion for every additional degree of temperature. It:
follows that if the temperature of a permanently elastic aeriform body be aug-
mented by about four hundred and eighty degrees, the bulk of that body will
be doubled, or if conversely it is retained within the space it originally occu-
pied, its pressure must be doubled. It is by availing myself of this law of
expansion by heat, and the new arrangement of particles in the close furnace,
that I propose to cause hot aeriform or gaseous or fumific matters to act
directly and at once upon the body or bodies to be put in motion, or on the
medium or media in or on or through which the ship, or vessel, or carriage, or
machine is to be moved or impelled. In the case supposed in the Drawing,
Figure 1, water has to be raised from one level to another, say from K to N ;
J' is a cylindrical working chamber, which has been nearly filled with water
from the reservoir K through the pipe k, and communicates at top with the
pipe H; when the hot products of combustion enter J, their pressure on the
water closes the inlet valve L of the pipe k, and forces the water up the pipe'
M to the higher level N; from N a portion of the water is returned back by
the channel o to actuate a water wheel O, which works the blower D; the
same water wheel also works the valves Q and S, afterwards mentioned.
When the water has been depressed by the fumific pressure to the level J¹,
the water wheel O opens the valve Q of a waste pipe R, to permit the escape
of the now expanded aeriform products, and closes simultaneously a valve h,
which commands the mouth of the pipe II; the working chamber J is now
refilled with water from the level K, by the superior pressure of the water in
the direction of the pipe kand valve L, and as soon as refilled (or nearly so)
the water wheel again opens the valve h, and the process of forcing up the
water to N, above described, is repeated. On the top of the water in J there
may be a float in one or more pieces of stone, wood, or hollow metal P, to
prevent or lessen the splashing of the water; and at the bottom of the chamber
J there should be a trap door b, through which the ashes, cinders, and other
solid matters which collect there may be from time to time withdrawn. When
only one close furnace B and one working chamber J are employed, it is
necessary that the blast of atmospheric air should be also regulated by the
water wheel O, or by manual or by other power; but I prefer to work
with two close furnaces, two working chambers, and two blowers, whereby a
continuous action of the fumific pressure will be obtained; and in this latter
case one water wheel is sufficient for blowing the air and working the valves.
"A representation of this arrangement is given in the plan Figure 2. The
air driven into B for support of combustion must, of course, be driven in
against the pressure of the hot aeriform bodies in B; for supposing the latter

page_text: is
are at the temperature of about 500°, there will be two atmospheres of pressure
against the blower, and it will then be found that the water wheel o will, to do
its work, require about one half the power generated by the heat. I consider.
that when the capacity of the working chamber J be represented by:2, the
capacity of the blower should be about 1, when working with an equal number.
of strokes per minute. To start the engine (Figure 1), it will suffice to use"
some water from the higher level N, to set the water wheel O and
blower Dagoing. But should there be no water in the higher level N,
then I inject, by a small pump or hopper, a few cubic inches of water into the
fire, which flashing into an aeriform state gives the first stroke or strokes to
the engine; or, instead of the water, I inject a solution of nitre, which I also
find very useful in getting the fire into greater activity. A branch pipe from
the rising main M may be laid,so as to deliver some of the water (just forced
up) upon the water wheel. The combustion of the fuel employed may be
accelerated, and also an additional source of heat be supplied, by injecting
from time to time, by means of a blower, or the blower D, into the close fur-
nace, some coal dust, or duff, or powdered resin, or other pulverized com-
bustible or supporter of combustion. A very good mixture for this purpose
one composed of one part powdered charcoal, and two or three parts of nitre;
but whether such materials are blown in singly or together, they should be
fed to a cold part of the blast pipe. I prefer that they should be blown into
the close furnace above the fire, and not up through it. Of all these auxiliary
materials, coal dust or duff will perhaps be found the best to employ, for it can
be readily obtained, and as it inflames rapidly there is consequently a rapid
augmentation of the volume of heated air and vapours. Sometimes I intro-
duce these said auxiliary materials into the close furnace by means of a hopper,
which may be kept air-tight by means of a double mouth-piece, or which
may deliver the said auxiliary materials by means of a cock half perforated, or
a fluted roller. One or more short tubes T are fixed in the upper part of
each furnace, with eye-pieces of tale for the purpose of looking through to see
the state of the fire. The bonnets or valves C and C¹ can be opened as often
as necessary, in order to clear the fire grate, or to supply fresh fuel; and I.
sometimes lute these bonnets with a mixture of asbestos, and white or red
lead; sometimes I use a close hopper or hoppers, with double mouth-piece,
for supplying the fuel or combustibles to the close furnace; and I sometimes.
find it advantageous to wet with water the fuel so supplied by the said
hopper. The proportions between the area of the fire grate or fire space,,
and the area of the pipe H leading from the same, which I prefer, arc
about the proportions at present adopted by makers, of marine steam,

page_text: engines in the fire grates, and main, steam. pipes of their steam engines.
My furnific impeller can, however, be worked with a smaller proportional
size of furnace. A safety valve, (or safety valves) should be made to act on or
near to and in immediate and direct communication with the close furnace;.
and I sometimes prefer having the bonnets or valves C and C' to act as safety.
valves; they may be loaded with weights, or by means of springs. At Figure 10
I show an enlarged section of an upper bonnet fitted as a safety valve. The
spring n by pressure keeps the valve close, the joint p permits its rising, and
the joint q permits its being swung round away from the heat to be luted
afresh. Sometimes I prefer working my fumific impeller with a succession of
blasts or concentrated expressions from the close furnace and discharge pipes,
and in such cases I prefer having a comical or disc valve, suitably arranged,
adapted to pipe H, which may be worked by hand or other power.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent an application of my "fumific impeller" to a
ship or vessel floating in water. Figure 3 is a longitudinal view of the mid-.
ships and afterpart of the ship, with the midship part shewn in section. Figure 4
is a plan of part of Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a cross section of the same.
I have, in describing Figures 1 and 2, explained what are the functions,
actions, and mutual relations of the close furnaces B, B, the bonnets or
valves C, C, the blowers D, D, the cocks or valves E, h, L, Q, and S, the
air pipes F and G, and the pipe II which leads off the "fumific impluse "..
from the close furnace. I have also described how the products of combustion
are made to put water in motion; and from what I have said it will be readily
understood that where I have to move a vessel floating in water, the working
chamber J (shewn in Figures 1 and 2) may be dispensed with. The products
of combustion, or impelling forces intermingled with any dust, ashes, or other
solid matters, are caused to rush along the pipe H on each side of the ships
(see Figures 3, 4, and 5), and through one or other of the valves U or V
directly into or upon the water. If on the larboard side the valve U be open
and the valve V shut, while the valve U on the starboard side is open and the-
valve V shut, the products of combustion must then rush out at the discharge
pipes W, W, and by their impact on the water the inertia of the mass is over-
come, and this continous flow of fumific power from W continues the onward
movement of the ship. The ship having been set in motion, a fan or screw X
fixed in the dead wood of the ship is, by the motion obtained by the ship, caused
to revolve, and its shaft Y to give motion to the blowers or air pumps at D, D.
If the two after valves U. U, be shut, and the two fore valves V, V, be open,
the ship will be impelled backwards. If the valve U on the one side and the
valve V. on the other side of the ship be the only valves open for the delivery,

page_text: of the fumific power, then the ship will be turned round or put about. A paddle
wheel or wheels or floats may be used to give to the air pumps part of the
motion acquired, or a screw, or fan, or other suitable sub-marine instrument
or appropriator of power, may be placed at any one or more of the numerous
other convenient parts of the ship, and may be made to ship and unship, if
required. I recommend that such screw or fan, or paddles, or floats should
be made of larger dimensions than calculation would assign, in order that they
may the better appropriate power to work the air pumps. The air, if not all
required for the close furnace, may be turned to waste. The pipes branching
from the valves U, U, and V, V, (Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6,) may be kept inside
of the ship, and made to terminate where the moulding of the bottom bilges, or
other submerged parts of the ship may interset them. There may be pipes
from the valves U, U, and V, V, placed diagonally or athwart the submerged
portion of the ship, by forcing the fumific impulse, through which the ship may
be more easily turned in any required direction. Z, Z, is a folding chimney,
with a sliding part at the lower end for carrying away the smoke and vapor
when the bonnets or valves C and C are opened. Figure 6 shews a plan of
the interior of the discharge pipes leading from the valves U, U, and V, V.
The curved partitions t, t, are useful to direct the fumific impulse forward or aft,
as may be required. Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent the application of my
"fumific impeller" to locomotive or railroad purposes; Figure 7 being a
longitudinal section, Figure 8 a plan, and Figure 9 an end view of an engine
on this principle. The arrangement of the close furnaces, air pumps, pipes,
valves, &c. is generally similar to that first before described. But here there is a
continuous tube or pipe laid between the rails, similar to that employed
in atmospheric railway communication, and through an opening or slit in the
upper part of this tube the pipe H is made to discharge the hot products
of combustion by one or other of the limbs of the fork. U and V. If discharged
through U, the effect is to impel the locomotive forward, and if through the
valve V, the effect is to impel it backward. The use of the pipe E in this case
is principally to prevent or retard the lateral escape of the impelling forces, at
it may be made of metal or tiles, or even constructed of wood, or masonry, or
brick. Instead of the continuous tube E, a continuous trough or canal
of water, laid between or alongside the rails, may be made to serve the same
purpose by so adjusting the pipe II and delivery pipes W, W', that they shall
act under the surface of the water, whilst the weight to be carried, the close
furnace, the wheels, machinery, running and other apparatus or parts are
transported or borne on the rails or carriage way. It will be further obvious,
that even without the aid of any such continuous tube or canal, a carriage fitted

page_text: with an engine similar to that last herein-before described (Figure 7, 8, and 9)
may be moved along any surface, whether a railway or common road, or even
on sand, gravel, turf, or snow, the lower part of pipe H, and the discharge
pipes W, W', being kept higher up, the carriage being put and maintained in
motion by the projection of the impelling products of combustion backwards
when the carriage is to be impelled forwards, and forwards when the carriage
is to be impelled backwards. In such cases, however, it may be found
advisable not to drive the products of combustions wholly into the surrounding
atmosphere, but diagonally downwards, so that impact may be in part
had upon
the road or way; and in all cases of land locomotion the air pump or pumps
may
be actuated by the revolution of the axle or axles. The fuel used in my
fumific impeller may be either coals, or coke, or charcoal, or wood, or turf, .or
peat, or any other body which in the act of combining with any supporters of
combustion will produce heat. I prefer coal, or other hydro-carbons. By the
term "supporters of combustion" I mean all such bodies as combining with
any combustible matter evolve, produce, or generate heat..
The mode in which I prefer constructing my close furnace is to make it and
shape it in two pieces of fire-tile or fire-brick material, strengthening the same
by an outer case of iron made to fit accurately; or to build it up on the inside
in fire tiles or bricks, and to enclose the same in a strong and well fitting
wrought iron case; or the iron case may be first made and fitted, and then an
inner case of fire bricks or tiles be added, and made good with fire-clay. It
must in any case be made strong and tight enough to resist the pressure from
within. The close furnace might be made altogether of iron, but without the
inner case it would not withstand for any length of time the temperature
to which it must necessarily be exposed. The valves of my fumific impellers
may be of iron or of Wedgwood ware, or of any suitable metal or material:
and in the arrangement for pumping liquids I prefer short conical valves or disc
valves to slide valves; I prefer also that for such purposes the valves should be
opened by a tappit motion.
:
And having now-described my improvement or improvements in producing
motive power by the action or agency of heat, and in the application of that
power to purposes of locomotion or navigation, and in such manner that I
believe any persons conversant with the construction, actions, and mutual
relations of close furnaces, air pumps, and pneumatic apparatus.may readily
practice the same, and so also that workmen of ordinary intelligence may
construct and apply the same, I declare that I do not claim as of my Invention
either the making or using of a close furnace, or the supplying of air to the

page_text: same by means of an air pump or blower, or the injection of water into or upon
the fire enclosed in such furnace. But that what I claim is,
First, the causing the fumific impulse of any or of all the products of
combustion of suitable substances in a close furnace, or aeriform bodies which
have been heated in such close furnace, or the heat produced or generated
by the combustion, to act at once and directly on the medium or media in or
or
through or on which may be the carriage, ship, vessel, or other body which
it is intended to move.
!י
And, second, the blowing or injecting into close furnaces of coal dust, duff,
or other carbonaceous substances in a pulverised state, in order to accelerate
and encrease the production of heat from such furnaces in manner and for the
purposes aforesaid.
And I declare that I claim the direct action or agency of heat as aforesaid,
whether it is applied to the putting in motion of solid bodies, as a carriage or
ship, or of fluid bodies, as water in a mine, or in drainage operations, as before
exemplified and explained.
...
And, finally, I declare that I do not limit myself to the use of the particular
materials, forms, quantities, temperatures, and proportions which have been
herein before expressed or indicated, or any of them; but that I claim a right
to modify and vary the same in any way and to any extent which may be found
calculated to give better effect to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander, Gordon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
ALEXANDER (L.s.) GORDON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of September, in
the year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid Alexander Gordon came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.