AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM ENGINE, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Alfred Jefferson, of 30, North Street, St
John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, Wood Carver, and Matthew
Jefferson, of 49, Crown Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex,
Designer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM
ENGINE, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER."
Sealed the 27th September 1860, and dated the 31st March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Alfred Jefferson
and Matthew Jefferson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 31st March 1860.
I, RICHARD ALFRED JEFFERSON, of 30, North Street, St. John's Wood, in
the County of Middlesex, Wood Carver, and MATTHEW JEFFERSON, of 49,
Crown Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Designer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
STEAM ENGINE, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of rotary engine for generating
power and raising water economically, The central axle is mounted in a
fixed cylinder, which is steam-tight, and of the shape or similar to A in the
Drawing. To the hub B is fixed a piston, which extends in a line from the
hub to the inside periphery of the cylinder. The letter C denotes four par-
titions or slides, which are hinged to the outside of the ends of the cylinder
(as shown in Drawings); in the ends of the cylinder are cut four slots (two
+

page_text: in each end), extending from the hub on the axle to the inside periphery of
the cylinder, which cylinder is so shaped as to form portions of a circle struck
from the centre of the hinges, by which arrangement the hinged partitions or
slides passing through the ends of the cylinder meet and ferm a steam-tight
partition inside the cylinder as an abutment. D represents two cams fixed
on the axle and rotating with it. These cams are so constructed that one half
of each cam shall be at right angles with the axle; the other halves are
thrown outwards from the cylinder (as represented in the Drawings); on the
periphery of these cams a groove is cut to receive the blocks attached to the
partitions; by this arrangement the piston inside the cylinder is always passing
the slides or partitions when they are open, and as it recedes the partitions or
slides close behind by the time it has made one quarter the circumference from
that partition, so as to be closed at one quarter of a turn and remain so for
the next half, during which time the cams have opened the other slides or
partitions, allowed the piston to pass and close just as the cams commence
again to open the first partitions or slides. The steam passing through the
axle enters the cylinder behind the piston, acting against the slides or abut-
ment, forces the piston round half a turn; the other slides or partitions having
closed the same action continues, there being no dead point. The eduction
port is situated at the other side of pisten, and passes out at the other end of the
axle. To reverse the engine it is only necessary to throw the steam on the
other side of the piston. This engine may be worked by an ordinary or
circular slide valve. For the better durability we purpose the use of bearings
so formed as to allow of the brasses being forced within a tapered or wedge-
like space by means of screws so as to tighten upon the axle. When this
arrangement is to be used as a pump it may be driven by a belt on a pulley
keyed to the central axle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Alfred Jefferson and Matthew Jefferson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
ALFRED JEFFERSON, of 30, North Street, St. John's Wood, in the County of
Middlesex, Wood Carver, and MATTHEW JEFFERSON, of 49, Crown St.,
Finsbury, in the County Middlesex, Designer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord One

page_text: thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Richard Alfred Jefferson and Matthew Jefferson, Her special licence that
we, the said Richard Alfred Jefferson and Matthew Jefferson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Richard Alfred
Jefferson and Matthew Jefferson, our executors, administrators, 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 "AN
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM ENGINE, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF
WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Richard Alfred
Jefferson and Matthew Jefferson, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 we, the said Richard Alfred Jefferson and Matthew
Jefferson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
This Invention of a novel construction of rotary steam engine relates
principally to the manner in which the slides are fixed to the covers, and the
form of the cylinder rendered necessary to work therewith, there being four
slides passing through the covers and meeting together within the cylinder,
two and two alternately, forming steam-tight abutments, also two latteral cams
fixed on the central axle to withdraw and replace the slides, and the arrange-
ment of the brasses for keeping the axle permanently in its place, by. which
combination we have an engine of the same power in all positions of the piston,
and without any loss of steam.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section parallel with
the plane of rotation of an engine constructed according to the present
improvements; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with the bearers and brasses,
the plate and screws for tightening the brasses up being removed; Fig. 3.
exhibits an end view of the axle, hub, and piston, with the entrance and exit.
ways for the steam; Fig. 4 represents an adaption of the same Invention, in

page_text: which only two slides are employed; Fig. 5 is a side view of the friction
wheels and cam for the same. Similar letters of reference denote like parts
in each of the several Figures, and the dotted lines the reverse position of the
several parts.
A is the cylinder, the periphery of which is of the form of portions of a
circle struck from the centre of the hinges of the slides, as shewn in Fig. 1,
the ends or covers being contracted towards thire centres, leaving a steam
channel somewhat of a triangular form; in each cover are two slots radiating
from the hub on the axle to the periphery of the cylinder; on the covers are
also the stationary parts of the hinges; they may be cast with the covers or
fixed thereto. B is the hub keyed firmly to the axle, its thickness must be
regulated by the breadth of the cylinder and the depth of the slides; its form
at its periphery is immaterial if the slides be made to fit it when they are
within the cylinder; to the hub is fixed a piston, which in Fig. 1 occupies
the space marked P. C, C, and C*, C*, are four slides; each slide is fixed
to or may be cast with the half circular piece E, Fig. 2; the ends of the half
circle, together with the projections on the covers, form the hinges (they may
be placed nearer to or farther from the hub, if the other parts are arranged
accordingly); they are of great strength, having to bear the entire force of the
steam when the abutment is formed, and are wide apart to ensure steadiness;
F is the axle, it is hollow from the ends to the hub, a portion of the axle
being left solid; two holes are made in the hub, one on each side of the
piston, marked O and O*, in Fig. 3, the hole O having connexion with the
hole in one end of the axle, and O* with the hole in the other end; D, D,
represent two latteral cams fixed on the central axle and rotating with it;
these cams are formed of a single plate, one half of which is at right angles
with the axle, the other half is bent outwards from the cylinder, in Figs. 1
and 2 they are placed between the hinges, but they may be placed otherwise,
as in Fig. 4, and connected to the slides by rods; these cams may be either
with a groove on thire periphery to receive the blocks, or with a plain edge
and the blocks lapping over each side. The blocks marked X, Figs. 1 and 2,
are attached to the tops of the half circles of the slides, and are fitted on a
pin to allow them to give to the form of the cams; if fitted with friction
wheels the pin may be dispensed with. The axle passes through the ends of
the cylinder and is supported in bearings G, G, in two standards Y, Y; the
brasses are divided into three or more pieces, and are of the form of wedges,
the part which lyes to the standard being flat, the thick ends project without
the tapered space in the standards, and over them is a plate T, Fig. 1, with
four screws, which, when tightened, force them inwards, and contracting on

page_text: the axle keep it firm (the spaces in the standards are tapered inwards towards
the axle, and left square from 7 to 1, Fig. 2, the brasses being also square
to fit).
In Fig. 4, which is a plan of an engine of that kink, H is the principle
standard and back plate; it carries one set of brasses, and has the cylinder A
screwed to it; the cam D is removed further from the cylinder and placed
outside the other standard Y. The friction wheels j, j, and j*, jx, are fixed
in two frames Z, Z; one end of the frames are attached to the slides by a
broad piece forming a hinge, the rods at the other ends of the frames work
through guide holes in the small standards N, N. The friction wheels and
the formation of the hinge is shewn plainer in the side view, Fig. 5, j, j, being
the friction wheels; Z, the frame; D, the cam; F, the axle; E, a portion of
the half circle, and C, the slide attached to the frame by the hinged joint S.
To ensure the perfect formation of the abutment it may be requisite that the
edge of the slide, or one of the slides when two are used to form an abutment,
be made with a groove to receive a piece of packing, which packing to project
slightly beyond the edge of the slide, kept outwards by springs and prevented
from falling out of the groove by two pins or rivetts, supposing the rivetts are
firm in the slide, the hole in the packing through which they pass must be
slotted, that when the slides meet together the packing adjusting itself to the
edge of the other slide is pressed within the groove.
The various parts being packed steam-tight, we will now describe the action.
The slides C, C, being within the cylinder, and the piston at P, Fig. 1, the
steam enters through the axle and through the hole O in the hub, it there
exerts its force against the slides C, C, and the piston, and the piston makes
about one quarter of a turn, the cams D, D, haveing during that motion
placed the other two slides C*, C*, within the cylinder, and the hole O being
behind the piston they now bear the pressure, and the piston makes half a
turn, during which time the cams have withdrawn the slides C, C, allowed the
piston to pass, and replaced them again. As soon as the cams commence to
open the slides the steam rushes between them and through the hole O*,
which is before the piston, through the other end of the axle either to the
condenser or escapes to the atmosphere. From the time the abutment is
broken untill it is again formed the slides have no weight of steam on them,
consequently there is little wear or friction on the hinges.
To reverse the engine we use a four-way cock or some such contrivance, as
it is only necessary to through the steam on the other side of the piston; the
engine may be stopped and set again in motion in any position, there being
at all times an abutment formed.

page_text: When the Invention herein described is to be used as a pump the arrange-
ment will be the same, makeing the injection a ejection ways as large as
possible, and driveing it by a pulley fixed on the central axle.
Having described our Invention and in manner it is to be performed, and
having explained the method of carrying the same into effect, we claim as
our Invention the manner in which the slides are attached by hinges to the
covers, and the form of the slides, cylinders, and covers required to work
therewith.
In combination with the above we claim the latteral cam or cams rotating
with the axle, when used for the purpose of working slides fixed to the covers,
as herein set forth.
In combination with the whole of the above we also claim the arrangement
of the brasses whereby they are forced up flat inclined plaines lying parallel
with the axle, for the purpose of keeping the axle firm and in its proper place,
as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Alfred Jefferson and Matthew
Jefferson, have hereunto set our hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty.
RICHARD ALFRED JEFFERSON. (L.S.)
MATTHEW JEFFERSON.
(L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN JEFFERSON.