IMPROVEMENTS IN AND ·CONNECTED WITH MOTIVE POWER AND PUMPING ENGINES.” CONNECTED WITH MOTIVE POWER AND PUMPING E
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Higginson, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
·CONNECTED WITH MOTIVE POWER AND PUMPING ENGINES.”
CONNECTED WITH MOTIVE POWER AND PUMPING ENGINES."

page_text: steam-tight retention of the reciprocating end of the piston against the
tongue piece, I construct the steam chamber and piston pear-shaped,
thus allowing of the use of a longer tongue, piece for the reciprocating
end of the piston to work against. To prevent the reciprocating end of
the piston from leaving the tongue piece during exhausting of the steam
I provide the said tongue piece with a separate side fitting tightening
piece, which can be adjusted from the outside of the steam chamber by
a set screw or its equivalent.
Second. As means for obtaining a simple, durable, and efficient, valve
for admitting steam to engines constructed under my Invention I make
use of a hollow cylindrical valve fitting into a recess in the steam
chamber cover, such cylindrical valve being causéd to rotate by the
piston. During the revolution of the said cylindrical valve a passage
therethrough opens into a steam port cut through the cylinder cover.
Steam is thereby admitted and cut off as required.
Third. As means for obtaining variable expansion in engines con-
structed under the first and second parts of my Invention I make use of
a second hollow cylindrical valve fitted preferably inside the cylindrical
valve described under the above second head. The said expansion valve
has a steam passage cut therethrough. By adjusting the position of the
said passage with reference to the position of the steam port in the
cover any desired degree of expansion can be obtained. The expansion
valve is adjusted by means of a rod passing through a stuffing box, such
rod being operated by hand or by a governor.
Fourth. As alternate means of securing the advantages mentioned
ünder the above third head I employ in combination a gridiron valve,
actuated by a taper cam, to which a governor is connected. The said
cam is operated by or from the main shaft, and is arranged so as to slide
thereon by the action of the governor. The said governor is attached
to the main shaft or to the fly wheel. The to-and-fro motion given to
the cam by the governor serves to work the gridiron valve so as to admit
steam during a greater or less portion of the stroke.
1
Fifth. When my engine, with pear-shaped cylinder and piston aș
aforesaid, is used for pumping air, water, or other fluid I enlarge the
ports and work the piston by applying power to the crank shaft. Any
suitable valve may be used to prevent return of the fluid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Andrew Higginson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Andrew Higginson, Her special licence that I,
the said Andrew Higginson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Andrew Higginson, my executors, admini,
strators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
MOTIVE POWER AND PUMPING ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others).
that I, the said Andrew Higginson, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said Andrew Higginson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
This Invention relates to motive power and pumping engines which
work by means of or are operated through a piston contained in a
chamber when one end of such niston reciprocates and the other end`

page_text: :
.
First. As means for increasing the length of the crank attached to
the piston without enlarging the piston area, and also for facilitating
steam-tight retention of the reciprocating end of the piston against the
tongue piece, I construct the steam chamber and piston pear-shaped,
thus allowing of the use of a longer tongue piece for the reciprocating
end of the piston to work against. The tongue piece is provided with
an adjustable piece which can be operated from the outside to prevent
the reciprocating end of the piston from leaving the said tongue piece
during exhausting of the steam.
Second. As means for obtaining a simple, durable, and efficient valve
for admitting steam to the steam chamber I make use of a hollow
cylindrical valve fitting into a recess in the steam chamber cover. Such
hollow cylinder is caused to rotate by the piston. During the revolution
of the said cylindrical valve a passage therethrough opens into a steam
port cut through the cylinder cover. Steam is thereby admitted and cut
off as required.
Third. As means for obtaining variable expansion I make use of a
second hollow cylindrical valve, fitted preferably inside the cylindrical
valve described under the above second head. The said expansion valve
has a steam passage cut therethrough. By adjusting the position of the
said passage with reference to the position of the steam port in the cover
any desired degree of expansion can be obtained. The expansion valve
is operated by a rod passing through a stuffing box, and its operation
may be controlled by a governor.
Fourth. As alternate means of securing the advantages mentioned
under the above third head I employ in combination a gridiron valve,
actuated by a taper cam, to which the governor is connected. The said
cam is secured on the main shaft, and is arranged so as to slide thereon
by the action of the governor. The said governor is attached to the
main shaft or fly wheel. The to-and-fro motion given to the cam by the
governor serves to operate the gridiron valve so as to admit steam during
a greater or lesser portion of the stroke.
Fifth. When my said engine, with pear-shaped cylinder and piston, is
used for pumping air, water, or other fluid, I enlarge the ports and
operate the piston through the crank shaft. Any suitable valve may be
used to prevent the return of the fluid.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a section through A, A; Fig. 2, a section through B, B;
Fig. 3, a section through C, C; Fig. 4, a section through D, D; all
illustrative of an engine constructed under my Invention and illustrative
of the first and second heads thercof. Like letters denote the same
parts.
The first head is illustrated by the pear-shaped piston a and pear-
shaped chamber b; c, tongue piece; d, tightening piece operated by the
screw and nuts e.
The second head is illustrated by the cylindrical valve fitting into
the recess g. The valve f is operated by the link i; j, crank shaft; k,
packing; 7, steam port through valve; m, steam passage to cylinder;
n, exhaust port.
Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view illustrative of the third part of my
Invention; g, recess; f, first valve; o, second valve; l, m, p, steam
passages. It will be obvious that by adjusting the position of the valve o
the cut off of the steam will be regulated.
;
Fig. 6 is a view illustrative of the fourth head of my Invention
1, gridiron valve connected to the cam 2 by the tappet 3; 4, spring to
retain cam in position; 5, governor operating the cam 2 through the
links 6. It will be obvious that as the governor causes the cam to slide
nearer to or farther from the chamber 7 the valve 1 will be caused to
have a longer or shorter rest, and so cut off steam to a greater or less
degree. Either the pressure of steam or a spring opens the valve 1.
The above engine can be worked by air or gas.
i
Having now described and illustrated my Invention so that others
will be enabled to use the same, I claim,—
First. Constructing the piston a and chamber b, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Second. The valve f, constructed and operating substantially as de-
scribed and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: as described.
Fourth. The combination of the valve 1, cam 2, and governor 5, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The arrangement of parts.substantially as described under head
five..
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Higginson, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
In the
presence of
JAMES JOHNSON,
Patent Office,
Clayton Square,
Liverpool.
ANDREW HIGGINSON. (L.S.)