IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Warburton, jun., of Sandal, near Wake-
field, in the County of York, Commission Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 18th September 1868, and dated the 25th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Warburton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th March 1868.
I, JAMES WARBURTON, jun., of Sandal, near Wakefield; in the County
of York, Commission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of steam engines known as
"rotary engines," and the improvements consist in the construction
and employment of a circular cylinder or a segment thereof, such
cylinder being of any desirable form in cross section, but by preference
circular, and having a slit or slot on its inner periphery. Also a piston
of suitable form to fit the cylinder fixed on the periphery of a circular
plate, which having a central boss is mounted on a rotary shaft
supported in bearings concentrically within the circular cylinder so

page_text: that the piston when revolving will pass through the cylinder, the
plate of the piston fitting steam-tight in the slit or slot of the said
cylinder by means of suitable packings. A slide diaphragm is intro-
duced into the cylinder which is worked in and out across the same
by a cam or cams fixed on the piston shaft, and which may be aided
by springs. This cylinder is constructed in two parts turned true
and bolted together and fixed on a bed plate, and is provided with
steam and exhaust ports, or when a segment of a cylinder is used the
ends are open. A valve is introduced into the steam pipe or inlet for
regulating the admission of and cutting off steam, which is operated
by a lever from a cam or tappet fixed on the piston shaft, such cam
being suitably formed or capable of adjustment to admit steam at the
proper time and cut off at any desirable part of the stroke.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Warburton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WARBURTON, jun., of Sandal, near Wakefield, in the County of York,
Commission Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Warburton, jun., Her special
licence that I, the said James Warburton, jun'., my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Warburton, jun".,
my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Warburton, jun'., my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under- my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: 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 James Warburton, jun., 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 and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that
is to say) :-
This Invention relates to that class of steam engines known as
"rotary engines," and the improvements consist in the construction
and employment of a circular cylinder or a segment thereof, such
cylinder being of any desirable form in cross section, but by preference
circular, and having a slit or slot on its inner periphery. Also a piston
of suitable form to fit the cylinder fixed on the periphery of a circular
plate mounted on a rotary shaft supported in bearings concentrically
within the circular cylinder, so that the piston when revolving will pass
through the cylinder, the plate of the piston fitting steam-tight in
the slit or slot of the said cylinder by means of suitable packings.
Also a slide diaphragm introduced into the cylinder which is worked
in and out across the same by a cam or cams fixed on the piston shaft,
and which may be aided by springs. This cylinder is constructed in
two parts turned true and bolted together and fixed on a bed plate,
and is provided with steam and exhaust ports, or when a segment of a
cylinder is used the ends are open. A valve is introduced into the
steam pipe or inlet for regulating the admission and cutting off of steam,
which is operated by a lever from a cam or tappet fixed on the piston
shaft, such cam being suitably formed or capable of adjustment to admit
steam at proper time, and cut off at any desirable part of the stroke.
In order that this my said Invention may be clearly understood, I
herewith give reference to a Sheet of Drawings of a steam engine
constructed in accordance therewith, reference being given to the figs.
and lottows marked theroon
Fig. 1 represents the side elevation, and Fig. 2 the end elevation;
Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the line A, B, in Fig. 2, and
Fig. 4 is also a vertical section taken through the line C, D, in Figs. 1

page_text: .
and 3; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken through the line E, F,
marked on the other Figs. G is the circular or annular cylinder, which
is made or constructed in two halves or parts, and bolted together
and formed so as to be fixed on a bed plate or other fixed bed, each
part being turned out true so as to form a circular section, as shewn
at Fig. 4; H is the piston which is fixed on the periphery of the circular
plate I mounted on the shaft J, which is supported in bearings on
stands or frames K, such shaft being placed perfectly concentric with
the cylinder, so that as the shaft rotates the piston will revolve in the
cylinder. To make a steam-tight joint betwixt the cylinder and piston
plate I, packing rings M are introduced which are pressed by springs N.
The piston plate is placed betwixt two bosses P fixed on the shaft J
and bolted thereto; these bosses fit to and clip on the outer sides of
the inner periphery of the cylinder, so as to move freely thereon, and
yet act as a stay to prevent expansion of the cylinder at that part. Q is
the steam port or pipe, and R the valve for regulating the admission
of steam to the cylinder. This valve is operated by a cam S fixed
an the shaft J, which acts upon one end of the lever T, the other being
in contact with the spindle R¹ of the said valve. U is the diaphragm
or slide plate to form a partition or division in the cylinder for the
steam to abut against when inserted. It is moved in and out at proper.
times by the action of the cams V and V₁ actuating the lever W, which
is connected by a rod X to the stem U₁ of the said diaphragm. Y is
the exhaust port or pipe by which the spent steam is carried off.
It will now be readily seen that when the diaphragm or slide plate
is inserted across the cylinder and steam admitted on the under side
of it at the port Z, it will drive the piston along the cylinder in the
direction of the arrow, until at arrives at and passes the exhaust port Y,
when the diaphragm is withdrawn by the action of the cam V to allow
the piston to pass, and immediately it is reinserted by the action of the
cam V'. The steam may be cut off at any desirable part of the stroke
or revolution of the piston by having the cam suitably formed or set
for that purpose, as will be understood. An ordinary fly wheel will
be required to be fixed on the piston shaft to carry the piston over from
the exhaust to the steam port, and to balance or regulate the motion of
the engine as usual. It will also be observed that the cylinder of the
engine I have shown and described need not be completely circular or
annular, but may be a segment of such if desirable, that is, the portion

page_text: of the cylinder between the exhaust port and the diaphragm being cut
away so that the open end of the cylinder becomes the exhaust port, but
I prefer the complete annular cylinder as shewn and described, a portion
being portable or moveable to get at the piston by which the exhaust
steam can be carried away to any convenient place of discharge.
Having thus fully described the nature of this my said Invention, and
shewn by Drawings the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical operation, I would have it understood
that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details of con-
struction or arrangement of the parts of the engine as herein set forth, as
various modifications may be made therein without departing from the
essential features of this Invention, which I consider to be as follows,
viz., the construction and employment in connection with steam engines
of curcular or annular cylinders and pistons capable of revolving therein.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Warburton, jun"., have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.
JAMES WARBURTON, JUN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within-named James
Warburton, jun., in the
presence of
J. W. TASKER,
Clerk to Wm. Tasker,
Patent Offices,
Halifax & Bradford.