CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE CONNECTED THEREWITH, FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO FORCING, LIPTING, AND MEASURING WATER
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HICK, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifth day of December in the seventh year of Her reign, and in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Hick, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
John Hick, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as
I, the said John Hick, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE CONNECTED THEREWITH, FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO FORCING, LIPTING, AND MEASURING WATER;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John
Hick, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Hick, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):—
These improvements apply, firstly, to that particular class of steam engines
called "rotary engines," and consist in a novel and peculiar construction and
arrangement of the working parts of the engine which (by the application of
steam, air, water, or other fluid) produce a rotary motion with diminished
friction and greater simplicity of arrangement. The engines thus made are
equally suitable for stationary, locomotive, or marine purposes.
Secondly, my improvements apply to the construction of slide valves em-
ployed for the admission of steam into the cylinders of all steam engines
where valves are used, and consist in removing a great proportion of the
pressure from the valve face by sustaining it on rollers or other bearings, as
hereafter shewn and described, and thereby diminishing the friction of the
valve.
Thirdly, my improvements apply to the coupling or connecting steam engines
or other driving power with shafts and machinery, and disconnecting the same in
such a manner as to modify the intensity of the first impulse of the driving
power that is gradually to transmit or withdraw the motion of a primary
moving power to or from machinery to be started or stopped at intervals, and
they consist in a simple arrangement of apparatus (which may be readily mo-
dified and adapted to suit the various situations in which it may be employed)
for tightening and slackening the friction straps or slips ordinarily in use for
stopping and starting machinery by a more simple and perfect arrangement
of mechanism than has hitherto been employed for such purposes, and thus
avoiding the serious inconvenience frequently arising from machinery being
thrown suddenly into or out of geer.
Fourthly, my improvements apply to forcing, lifting, and measuring water
and other fluids; and consist, firstly, in the application of a similar construction
or arrangement of apparatus to such purposes as that above mentioned to be
employed as a rotary steam engine; and, secondly, in a novel and simple arrange-
ment of mechanism designed to be employed as an hydrometer or machine for
measuring and registering the flow of water or other fluids.
Having now described the nature and object of my improvements, I will
proceed to shew the manner in which the same are to be performed, and in
order that my Inventions may be clearly set forth I have attached to these
presents two Sheets of Drawing representing my improvements in several views,

page_text: complete and in detail, and have marked the same with figures and letters of
reference corresponding with the following description thereof:-
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved rotary engine,
with the front or side plate removed in order to shew the working parts of the
engine clearly. Figure 2 is a vertical section of the engine taken in the
reverse position and through about the middle of the engine. Fig. 3 is an
exterior side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the inner
cylinder detached, exhibiting the mode of packing the piston therein. These
Figures represent about an eight-horse power engine, and are drawn to the
scale of about one inch to the foot; similar letters of reference are marked
upon corresponding parts in all these Figures. a, a, a, a, is an outer case or
annular cylinder bored out perfectly true, having one end or side b, b, cast fast
or screwed on by bolts as may be most convenient. c, c, is a smaller annular
cylinder occupying the larger portion of the space within the cylinder or case a,
as regards its diameter, and made to fit accurately at both ends, and so placed
that one portion of its periphery is always in contact with the outer case or
cylinder;
to this is connected the driving shaft d. e, e is a loose cover or end,
which may be removed at pleasure so as to examine the interior working parts.
f is a centre or fulcrum, round and upon which the vane, wing, or piston
g, g, freely revolves, and is packed at its outer extremity with metallic or other
packing so as to prevent the escape of steam; and at its sides on a swivelling
block or packing i, i, metallic or other elastic packing may also be adapted at
the sides though it is not absolutely necessary, as the cover e, e may be ground
up if the vane or piston is lessened by wear. In the upper part of the outer
cylinder a, a, as shewn in Figure 1, are thoroughfares or openings h, h, for the
admission or exit of the steam or other fluid, and each of these may be used
for either purpose (or in order to cause the rotative or driving shaft d to
revolve either way), and which is accomplished by means of the slide valve j,
which is to be worked by rods and levers z, z, as usual. This valve is of
further use in preventing the steam passing from the ingress and through the
egress openings at the moment when the vane or piston is moving between the
two. This valve is opened and shut at proper intervals by an excentric fixed on
the shaft d. The mode of action is as follows:-Steam being admitted by the
pipe k, and through the opening h, acts upon such portion of the vane or
piston g as is exposed in the excentric space between the two cylinders a, and
thus forces the interior cylinder round until the vane has reached the exhaust-
ing opening when the steam is shuft off by the valve j, and so remains until the
vane has passed the entrance thoroughfare, the motion being kept up by the
momentum previously given to the fly wheel 1, which may also serve as a

page_text: iving pulley if required. As the peculiar construction or arrangement of
the slide valve constitutes the second principal feature of novelty in my
improvements, and is equally applicable to all steam engines, I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the detached Figures of the
valve, which are drawn upon a much larger scale for this purpose.
Figure 5 is a vertical section taken through part of a steam cylinder
and valve box, shewing the slide valve also in section. Figure 6 is a hori-
zontal section of the valve box, shewing the upper portion of the slide
valve as seen from above. Figure 7 is a representation of the interior of the
valve box, shewing the back of the slide valve complete; and Figures 8 and 9
are exterior representations of the slide valve as seen at the side and ends.
a, a, a, merely represents portions of the box containing the valve; b, b, is the
valve itself, having a loose back or cover c, to which are attached the rollers
d, d, by means of the shafts e, e, passing over and secured to the back of the
valve. These rollers move with the valve and bearing upon the projecting
ledges or rails 9, 9, planed true, and parallel with the face upon which the valve
slides; represents a packing ring, which is screwed against any kind of clastic
packing, so as to prevent the passage of steam. Thus it will be observed that
a great proportion of the pressure is taken from the valve face and is sustained
by the rollers d, d, bearing or running on the rails g, g, and thus diminishing
the friction on the valve face, and that this valve may be applied in place of the
ordinary slide D, or other valves at present in use for similar purposes, and in
steam engines of any description. With reference to the first and second
parts of my improvements, therefore, I desire it to be understood that I do
not claim as new the form of the before-described rotary engine or machine,
but I do claim the peculiar arrangement and combination of its working
parts so as to produce a rotary motion. And I do not intend to confine
myself to its use or adoption as a motive power, but it may also be used or
employed as a pump for lifting or forcing fluids, and in which case I should
make the openings much larger than when steam, &c., is to be used; and I
also claim its use as a water meter, and should register the quantities in any
convenient manner, but when used as a water meter I should apply two vanes
or wings so as to prevent any water passing without turning the central shaft.
My third improvement is shewn in Sheet 2 at Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which repre-
sent my improved driving apparatus, as applied to a pair of bevil or mitre
wheels driving a bleacher's mangle. The main driving shaft a has the wheel
6 keyed firmly on, and is working into the wheel c, prepared on its back with
a suitable projection d, and fitted with a pair of ordinary friction straps e, in
the usual way, and running loose on the cross shaft f, which has to be put in

page_text: motion. Instead of the bolts commonly used for tightening the friction straps
on the block at the back of the wheel there are two screws g, g, introduced
with right and left-handed threads, and having a toothed pinion h, h, on the
middle of each, working in between two jaws cast upon the driving arm j,
which arm is keyed fast on the shaft f. This driving arm is fitted with two
toothed quadrants k, k, geering into two toothed racks 1, 1; at the nearest point
to the centre of the shaft one end of each of these racks is screwed to a ring
m, which slides on suitable keys let into the shaft f, and is carried round with
it when in motion. This sliding ring is moved in and out by the usual levers,
&c., used for a common catch box. When the shaft f, and the driving arm j,
together with the toothed quadrants, pinions, right and left-handed screws, and
friction straps attached thereto are stationary, the wheels only are in motion,
the ring m attached to the racks 1, 1, will project out, say the length of the
rack, as shewn in the Drawing, then, by forcing up the sliding ring and racks
with the usual levers, motion is communicated through the quadrants to the
pinion and the right and left handed screws, thereby tightening the friction
straps and causing the mangle, or any other machine to which it may be
applied, to be gently and gradually put in motion, without any of those disagree-
able and injurious shocks consequent on using the common catch box. This
plan is especially adapted for starting bleachers' mangles, callenders' dash
wheels, and all other kinds of machinery where the common friction straps
and catch boxes are used, and has the advantages of all previous contrivances
that it may be applied to the existing geering of the before-mentioned
machines with little and in some cases no alteration, only the substitution of
the driving arm, with its racks, pinions, and quadrants, for the common catch
box. With reference to this part of my improvements, therefore, I claim the
method of tightening and slackening the friction straps (now commonly in use)
by the toothed rack quadrants and pinion in connection with the right and
left handed screws, or instead of these racks, quadrants, &c., levers and joints
may in some cases be used.
My fourth improvements consist in the following novel construction and
arrangement of apparatus constituting an hydrometer, or machine for mea-
suring and registering the flow of water, &c., through pipes, and is represented
in the accompanying Drawings. Fig. 4 shews a vertical section; Fig. 5, a cross
section; and Fig. 6, a front elevation of the apparatus. It consists of a spiral-
shaped wheel or hollow drum a, which is divided into separate compart-
ments b, b, each communicating with a central chamber c of the drum;
this drum is mounted upon a fixed stud d, in the side of a case or
box e, in which it can revolve freely, and through an opening in one

page_text: of its sides is introduced an inlet pipe f, through which the water or other
fluid to be measured is brought to the machine; the case e has a water-tight
cover g screwed on its top, and is filled with mercury (or some other fluid
specifically heavier than water) as high as the line 7, 1, this level being higher
than the top of the central hole in the side of the revolving drum, but below the
orifice of the inlet pipe f, through which the water is introduced; an outlet
pipe and cock is brought from any convenient part at the top of the machine,
as at h, and above the mercurial line 1, 1; this pipe is of a smaller bore than
that of the inlet pipe. Now, it will be seen that when water is introduced into
the machine by the inlet pipe f from a level higher than that of the machine it
will fill the space within the casing above the mercurial line 1, 1, and upon the
outlet tap being opened, will exert its pressure upon that chamber of the re-
volving drum the inner opening of which is communicating with the orifice of
the inlet pipe f. above the level of the mercury 1, 1, the outer orifice of the
chamber being below it, and the drum will then begin to revolve in the direc-
tion shewn by the , and continue to do so as the chamber fills with
water, until the inner opening of the next chamber rises above the line 1, 1, the
previous one having now descended below it; and each opening or chamber
thus successively communicating with the inlet pipe fat the centre will cause
the drum to revolve so long as the outlet pipe is open to take away the water
delivered from the successive chambers as they rise above the mercurial line
1.1. It is evident that so long
as the discharge pipe is of less bore than the
inlet one no water can pass through the machine without causing it to revolve,
and the speed at which it will revolve will be in exact proportion to that at
which the water is allowed to flow from the discharge pipe, and when the dis-
charge cock is closed the drum will cease to revolve, as the pressure from the
inlet pipes ceases at the same moment to exert any power upon the inside of
the chambers communicating with it. The mode of registering the quantity
of water which passes through the machine is as follows:-Fig. 6 shews this
part of the apparatus; a spur wheel 1, is fixed on the side of the revolving drum,
giving equal motion to another wheel 2, the shaft of which projects through a
stuffing box in the side of the outer casing e; upon this shaft is a pinion 3,
which gives motion to the wheel 4; this wheel has a finger attached to it
pointing to numbers of gallons marked upon the index, Plate 5, each gallon
passed through the machine corresponding with one gallon marked upon the
index.
With reference to this part of my improvements, lastly, I wish it to be
understood that I do not limit myself to four chambers, as shewn in the Draw-
ings, or to the particular form or dimensions of them, or to the shape of the

page_text: casing in which the drum revolves, or indeed to the particular mode of mount-
ing the drum upon a fixed stud, or that of communicating motion from the
drum to the index finger outside the machine, as these may be varied in prac-
tice according to the size and proportion of the machine. But what I claim
is, the application of a drum divided into compartments revolving within a
water-tight chamber containing mercury (or other fluid specifically heavier
than water), in such a manner that the drum is made to revolve by the pres-
sure of water or other fluid exerted upon its inner surface, thus causing in it
to register the quantity of water passing through it.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hick, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand