IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th March
1865. A communication from abroad by Auguste Gerin, Manufacturer,
of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 52, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a means of utilizing the expansion of gases and
vapours at all pressures and temperatures by combining the rectilinear to-
and-fro motion of several pistons united together for the production of rotary
motion therefrom, and so as to obtain motive-power acting constantly in the
same circular direction without the aid of intermediate parts which absorb a
large part of the motive power through friction or otherwise.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 of which
shows a front elevation of a rotary engine constructed according to these
improvements, having sixteen coupled pistons; Fig. 2 being a a side view of
the apparatus. The same letters serve for both Figures.
A, A, standards mounted on a suitable foundation plate, and carrying &
shaft B, on which the whole apparatus is mounted, viz., the engine C properly
so called, and the pulley, gearing, or other parts for transmitting the power to
any point; C, rotary apparatus, consisting of a circular disc keyed on axis B.
This disc has an external annular flange c, in which are formed sixteen tubes
c, c, each at an angle with the radius of the disc, and forming small cylinders
in which the pistons D slide freely, or they may be provided with packing

page_text: if desired. Each of these pistons is connected to the one diametrically oppo-
site, so that motion is imparted to both simultaneously. The pistons are
provided with metallic or other packings; E, E, links, coupling every two
pistons together, two links only are shown in the Drawing to avoid confusion;
G, chamber, fitted steam-tight on the inner face of the annular flange c, on
which the latter turns, the steam enters by pipe H, and passes by means of
channel under the piston which is at the moment opposite its orifice, this
piston in rising carries with it the piston connected to the opposite end of link E,
the cylinder or channel in which it slides being in communication with the exit
channel i made in chamber G, in connection with escape pipe I. This action
of the steam produces the partial rotation of disc c, and the next cylinder in
succession then presents itself, the steam acting the same as before each time
for producing the rotation of the apparatus. Each action of the steam is
augmented by the weight of the piston moving outwards from the centre, the
steam expanding more or less according to the length of stroke; H, pipe
for introduction of steam or other gaseous motor, which passes thence to
channel h of chamber G; I, pipe, serving for the escape of the steam or
other gases passing out at channel i after having acted on the under sides of
the pistons.
The Invention thus consists in improved rotary apparatus to be driven by
steam, gases, or other elastic agents, and distinguished by the employment of
any suitable number of pistons arranged in pairs round a circular disc in the
manner described with a view to act one on the other, and thus increase the
motive power by removing the weight of the pistons from the centre of
rotation.