IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF PNEUMATIC, HYDRAULIC, OR STEAM PRESSURE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE APPLICATION OF PNEUMATIC, HYDRAULIC, OR STEAM PRESSURE."
A com-
munication from abroad by John Wesley Hyatt, of Newark, New Jersey,
United States of America, Engineer.
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 26th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March 1878.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF PNEUMATIC, HYDRAULIC, OR STEAM
PRESSURE." [A communication from abroad by John Wesley Hyatt, of Newark,
New Jersey, United States of America, Engineer.]
These improvements relate to that class of machines in which power is to be
developed without the use of a piston; and it is the object of these improvements
to obtain a simple and efficient engine applicable to a great variety of purposes, and
not involving either the original cost or the cost of repairs attending the use and
fitting of parts that are essential in the class of machines to which these improve-
ments relate, as heretofore constructed, and to this end the Invention consists in a
novel method of constructing the chambers and connecting the plates which consti-
tute the cylinder.
To form these chambers I use two series of circular plates of strong elastic metal,
one series being stamped or cut out of so much smaller size than the intended
outside diameter of the cylinder as to allow their outer edges to be turned down
and overlapped; and I use a second series of similar plates, except that they are of
less diameter than the diameter of the intended cylinder by twice the thickness of
the plate. I perforate the plates having the larger diameter centrally with a flushi
hole, the diameter of which is greater than the desired diameter of the opening

page_text: within the finished cylinder by twice the thickness of the plate. The series of
plates having the smaller diameter I punch centrally so as to make a hole of the
desired diameter through the finished cylinder, each of the series of plates being so
punched as to have around the central perforation a depending flange. The flush
holes are larger than the flanged holes by so much as is necessary to let the larger
plates fit snugly around the central flanges of the smaller plates. The outer edges
of these centrally flanged plates are plane, while the outer edges of the larger plates
are flanged and the centres plane.
A metallic plate serves as a basis to this new cylinder. I form on its edge a
groove in which I insert the turned down edge of the flange provided externally on
one of the series of plates, and on the inuer edge of such plate I turn down and fix
the flange provided internally on the other series of plates; and in this manner I
superpose alternately these plates until a sufficient height is realised to form the
required cylinder, covering the same with a solid plate, which is attached to the
upper plate of said composing plates in any well-known tight manner. All the
chambers of such a cylinder communicate together, and on a fluid under pressure
being introduced into the same the elasticity of their construction allows of their
expansion in such a manner that a crank being connected to the same, rotary motion
may be imparted to a crank above; for this purpose it is not necessary that the
said connecting rod be jointed to the cylinder cover, because the latter, independently
of this faculty of expanding and contracting, will also yield laterally to the extent
of the angle required for the said connecting rod to rotate the crank.
With the view of economizing the fluid working the cylinder I propose filling
partly the central space of the same with a core of any appropriate material.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
September 1878.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF PNEUMATIC, HYDRAULIC, OR STEAM
PRESSURE." A communication from abroad by John Wesley Hyatt, of Newark,
New Jersey, United States of America, Engineer.
These improvements relate to that class of machines in which power is to be
developed without the use of a piston; and it is the object of these improvements
to obtain a simple and efficient engine applicable to a great variety of purposes, and
not involving either the original cost or the cost of repairs attending the use and
fitting of parts that are essential in the classes of machines to which these improve-
ments relate, as heretofore constructed, and to this end the Invention consists in a
novel method of constructing chambers and connecting the plates which constitute
the cylinder.
In the Drawings above referred to,-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a cylinder embodying the improve-
ments contracted; Figure 2, a similar section of the same extended.
Figure 3, a diametrical section of one of the externally flanged plates with its
flange upwards; Figure 4, a plan or top view of the same.
Figure 5, a diametrical section of one of the centrally flanged plates with the
flange upwards; and Figure 6, a plan view of the same.
The cylinder A consists of a solid bottom or bed plate a, a top plate b, which
may be either flat or dished, as shown, and which affords attachment for a connecting
rod or platen, and a series of intermediate extending and contracting metallic
chambers.
To form these chambers I use two series of circular plates of strong elastic metal,
one series being stamped or cut out of so much larger size than the intended
outside diameter of the cylinder as to allow their outer edges to be turned down
and overlapped, as will presently be described; and I use a second series of similar
plates, except that they are of less diameter than the diameter of the intended
cylinder by twice the thickness of the plate. I perforate the plates having the
larger diameter centrally with a flush hole, the diameter of which is greater than
the desired diameter of the opening within the finished cylinder by twice the
thickness of the plate. The series of plates having the smaller diameter I punch
centrally so as to make a hole of the desired diameter through the finished cylinder,
each of the series of plates being so punched as to have around the central
perforations a depending Hange, as seen inverted in Figures 5 and 6. The flush
holes are larger than the flanged holes by so much as is necessary to let the larger
plates fit snugly around the central flanges of the smaller plates. The outer edges
of these centrally flanged plates are plane, as seen inverted in Figures 5 and 6,
while the outer edges of the larger plates are flanged and the centres plane, as seen
inverted in Figures 3 and 4.
Upon the upper surface of the bed plate a I turn a hub or boss, the diameter of
which is less than that of the intended cylinder by twice the thickness of the metal
of which the plates above referred to are composed. A circumferential groove is
turned in this hub or boss to afford a hold for the flanged edge of the adjacent
flexible plate, which edge is to be overlapped and closed down in the groove to
make a tight joint, as will be presently described. This will form between the bed
plate and the flexible plate a chamber, but this chamber will only have about
one-half the movement of the other chambers, which are formed in the following
manner :-
A proper number of plates being prepared as herein-before stated, one of the
centrally flanged plates c, Figure 5, is placed with its flange' downwards against the

page_text: under side of the top plate b, and brazed or otherwise secured to the top plate, as
seen in Figures 1 and 2, its turned downed central flange being in the proper
position for the addition of the next plate. An externally flanged centrally
perforated plate d is next placed over the depending central flange of the plate c,
the circumferential flange of the plate a being turned downwards. The central
flange of the plate c is now turned over upon the plane edge of the central opening
in the plate d, and a tight overlapped joint or seam is thus formed all around the
central opening. This plate d is the top of one flexible chamber of the cylinder.
To complete this flexible chamber another centrally flanged plate c with its flange
downwards is placed upon the plate d, its plane edge resting against the inner
surface of the flange around the circumference of the plate d, and this flange is
turned over upon the plane edge of the plate c, and a tight overlapped joint formed
all around the cylinder. The plate c is the bottom of the flexible chamber, of which
the plate & is the top. This alternation of centrally flanged and circumferentially
flanged plates, and of tight joints around the central openings and the exterior of
the chambers respectively is continued until the desired number of chambers are
formed, when it only remains to complete the cylinder by connecting the top plate
of the lowermost chamber to the hub or boss of the bed plate a, as already described,
so as to close the cylinder with a tight joint, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. It will
be seen that in this construction all the chambers communicate with each other
through the central opening, and permit such access of the admitted pressure to the
central opening upon each of the surfaces of each chamber as will give the fullest
effect to the exertion of the pressure upon the largest posible area within the
cylinder, and bring into play in a corresponding degree the elasticity of the plates
in extension and retraction.
The top plate is formed in such manner as to admit of the insertion in it,
centrally, of a connecting rod, or the application to it of a platen, according as the
cylinder is to be used as a pump, or engine, or as a press; and provision is made for
the regulated introduction of the motive fluid and escape of the exhaust at one end
of the cylinder, as shown in the bottom plate a, Figures 1 and 2, and as is well
understood.
In practice I contemplate using a central metallic core made of conical form, and
of as large dimensions as is consistent with the free supply of motive fluid to the
chambers, said core to be attached to the under side of the top plate b, as shewn in
dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, for the purpose of preventing waste of motive fluid
in the extension and retraction of the cylinder when in operation.
In the Drawings I have shown the cylinder applied to a crank for imparting
rotary motion, and it will readily be understood that a platen would be moved
vertically upon being properly connected with the cylinder.
The operation of this cylinder is that under pressure exerted by a motive fluid, as
steam, compressed air or water under pressure, admitted through the induction pipe
and acting upon the top plate b, the flexible compound chambered cylinder will
extend in the direction of its length more or less, according to the number of the
chambers and the flexibility of the metal plates; and upon the release of pressure
by the escape of the motive fluid the cylinder will contract with the resiliency of
the metal plates, thus giving a corresponding movement to the connecting rod or
platen, or holding a platen until the pressure is released where such operation is
desired.
This cylinder has a construction which may be likened to that of an accordeon,
and in addition to its longitudinal movement this cylinder, like an accordeon, will
have such a range of lateral deflection that, if desired, a connecting rod may, as in
the instance shown, be attached directly to the top plate, and the angularity induced
by the attachment of the connecting rod to the crank is accomodated by the
lateral flexibility of the cylinder.
In forming the joints at the centre and circumference of the cylinder as above
described I contemplate using any of the suitable well-known devices for bending,
overlapping, and seaming sheet metal; and I propose to use, when necessary, solder

page_text: or brazing or welding fluxes, according to the character of the metal employed. I
also contemplate interposing rings of vulcanized rubber or other equivalent material
between the plates, where from the conditions of construction or operation it may
be necessary or more economical as a means of seaming the requisite tightness of
the joints.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention is, the flexible chambers composed of elastic metal
plates connected alternately, centrally, and circumferentially, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WITT TH KATALI
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (Li
(L.S.)