IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES."-A communication from abroad by
Philander Higley Roots, of Cornersville, in the State of Indiana, United
States of America.
Sealed the 23rd July 1867, and dated the 23rd April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1867.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OP BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to the construction of the two rotating inter-
locking abutments of a rotary blowing engine having concave and convex
surfaces, and so proportioned that in revolving together the contact between
them is substantially preserved during their entire revolution in order to
prevent the backward escapement of air or other fluid. Each abutment consists

page_text: of two pistons and two recesses; each piston as it enters its corresponding
recess displaces and forces forward an amount of air or other fluid equal to
its dimensions and is thus enabled to produce the desired effect.
This Invention relates also to the peculiar construction of the case which
encloses the rotating abutments. The case is of oval or elliptical form in its
transverse section.
It is fitted with strips of wood or metal faced with leather
and placed longitudinally with the cylinder at suitable distances apart to serve
as an adjustable packing. These strips are brought into contact or as closely
as desirable to the external surfaces of the pistons.
And, finally, this Invention relates to an economical method of renewing
the boxes which support the shafts when by wear such renewal becomes
necessary.
The method in which the pistons and recesses are constructed is as
follows: Two points which are the centres of the rotary shafts are taken at
any desired distance apart, according to the size of the machine proposed to
be constructed. On these centres two circles forming the piston bosses are
described with equal radii, which radius may consist of one-fourth of the
distance that the centres are apart; these centres however may be described
with a radius greater or less than that stated and may also be made operative
with unequal radii. These circles constitute the centre cylinders of the
abutments. The radius for the pistons is the distance from the centre of
one of these circles to the nearest point in the periphery of the other circle;
on the circle formed with this radius two arcs are taken, each consisting of
about ninety degrees and on opposite sides of the circle. From the extremities
of these arcs circular lines are made to the periphery of the piston boss, so
that in the revolution of the abutments their points may pass without
friction. When dense fluids are to be acted upon considerable space must
be between the extreme points of the pistons thus forming large concave
portions in the abutments. The pistons may be considerably recessed without
lessening the volume of water or other non-elastic fluid discharged at each
revolution. It is not absolutely essential that the two co-acting abutments
should be alike; for instance, the pistons of one abutment may be made
with the pistons consisting of arcs of one bundred and twenty degrees and
its recesses of sixty degrees, in which case the corresponding abutment must
have its pistons consist of arcs of sixty degrees and its recesses of one hundred
and twenty degrees. Abutments may be formed with a recessed periphery
when the interior surface of the enclosing case is sufficiently true continuously
more than ninety degrees. The shafts on which the abutments are constructed
are geared together by suitable cog wheels. By inserting the packing strips

page_text: lengthwise of the cylinder, and at suitable distances apart, the case is rendered
practically air-tight, while the parts between the strips may not fit accurately
to the pistons; these strips may be secured by bolts or set screws or in any
convenient manner, and adjusted so to be in contact or closely to the peripheries
of the pistons. To facilitate the renewal of the boxes in which the abutment
shafts work the limbs on the end plates of the case are recessed to receive
tubular bearings for the shafts; these tubes are made of any suitable metal
for bearing boxes and are kept in position by set screws. The tubes may
also be made in two halves cut longitudinally and kept in proper position by
set screws or other suitable manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 23rd October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as 1, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BLOWING AND PUMPING
ENGINES," being a communication from Philander Higley Roots, of Corners-
ville, in the State of Indiana, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under iny, or their, or one of their
bands 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
The chief object of this Invention is to produce at a cheap rate a case or
chamber for blowing and pumping engines constructed on the principle of the
Invention patented in the name of William Edward Newton, on behalf of
the present Inventor, and bearing date May Ninth, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six. Instead of making the case which is elliptical true
in the lathe, so that the rotating "abutments" will fit sufficiently close to
prevent practically the passage of fluid between them and the inner periphery
of the case it is now proposed to fit the case with packing strips, the use of
which will involve a difference in the form of the "abutments" or the pistons
which they carry, it being requisite that the abutments shall span so much
space between the packing strips as to offer an effectual obstruction to the
passage of the fluid past instead of its moving with the moving pistons.
The Invention also relates to an economical method of renewing the boxes
or bearings which support the shafts of the abutments, when by wear such
renewal becomes necessary.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a section of a blower constructed
according to the Invention, taken at right angles to the shafts of the abutments;
Fig. 2 is a section taken at right angles to Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side view
of the same; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of an arrangement, wherein the
abutments are of a form suitable for acting upon dense fluids, such as water;
Fig. 5 is a transverse section, and Fig. 6 is a side view of the same.
In Fig. 1, A, B, represent two double-acting abutments mounted on
shafts C, C, which have their bearings in hubs cast with the side plates D*
of the case D; these abutments have each two pistons a, a, and two inter-
vening recesses b, b.
The method by which the pistons and recesses are constructed is as
follows: Two points which are the centres of the rotary shafts C, C, are
taken at any desired distance apart, according to the size of the machine
proposed to be constructed. On these centres two circles e, e, (forming the
piston bosses) are described with equal radii, which radius may consist of
one-fourth of the distance the centres are apart; these circles however may
be described with a radius greater or less than that stated, or they may be
made with unequal radii. These circles constitute the centre cylinder of the
abutments. The radius for the pistons is the distance from the centre of

page_text: one of these circles to the nearest point in the periphery of the other circle;
on the periphery of the circle formed with this radius two arcs are taken,
each consisting of about ninety degrees and on opposite sides of the circle.
From the extremities of these arcs 9, 9, 9, 9, curved lines g, h, are drawn to
the periphery of the circle e, e, so that in revolving the 'points g, g, may pass
without friction. When dense fluids are to be acted upon considerable space
should be allowed between the points 9, 9, of the pistons and the concave
portions of the piston indicated by the lines g, h, g, h. The form of pistons
shewn in Fig. 4 may be used when water or non-elastic fluids are acted upon
without lessening the volume discharged at each revolution, but more or
less loss according to the pressure would be sustained if air or gaseous fluids
were acted upon by that form of piston. It is not absolutely essential that
the coacting abutments should be alike, for instance, the pistons of one abutment
may consist of arcs of one hundred and twenty degrees, and its recesses of
sixty degrees, in which case the pistons of the corresponding abutment must
consist of arcs of sixty degrees and the recesses of arcs of one hundred and
twenty degrees. The abutments shewn in Fig. 1 are constructed with a
metallic cross head, substantially like that claimed under the Patent for
Improvements in Rotary Blowers," before referred to.
At Fig. 1 the cross heads are shewn as covered with sheet metal, which
may be secured by rivets or bolts. Cross heads as thus represented may also
for many purposes be advantageously covered with wood, as claimed in the
aforesaid Patent, instead of with sheet metal. The shafts C, C, to which. the
abutments are keyed are geared together by suitable cog wheels, as shewn at
Figures 3 and 6. It is evident from the position of the abutments in Fig.
that when made to revolve simultaneously the contact will be preserved during
their entire revolution. The case D, D, as shewn in section at Fig. 1, is
constructed of two semi-cylindrical shells of equal dimensions. Fitted into
recesses cast in these semi-cylindrical shells in lines parallel with their axes
are the packing strips k, k, k, which are placed at suitable distances apart
according to the length of the arc of the pistons. The case is thus rendered
practically air-tight, although the parts between the strips may not fit accurately
to the surface of the pistons. These strips may be secured by bolts or set
screws, as shown, or in any convenient manner held in position; they are
made adjustable, so as to be brought in contact with or in close proximity to
the peripheries of the rotating pistons. Strips in like manner may be inserted
in the case opposite the ends of the abutments to render them tight in that
direction. On the same principle projections may be made in the case and
fitted so as to constitute places of contact with the pistons at suitable distances

page_text: apart. These strips may be made of wood or metal, and if desired may be
faced with leather or other suitable material.
An arrangement is shewn in Fig. 4 where the strips k are formed of angle
iron made fast by bolts at the case couplings. The case may be made of cast
iron or sheet metal, or of wood with staves for the cylindrical part, especially
where large volumes of blast are required. It is not essential that the parts
of the case surrounding the abutments should consist of half cylinders. Each
part may be made to consist of a little more than a quarter of a cylinder, as
shewn at Fig. 4, where the segmental form ceases at x, x. The case may, if
desired, be inverted so as to discharge the air at the bottom, or turned so as
to discharge at the side.
I would here remark that the above-described improvements in the blowing
or pumping engine do not involve the closing of the pistons or abutments
in the case, as the lower part of the case may be dispensed with, care being
taken that the packing strips extend so far as to embrace the abutments
from the point of one head or piston to the point of the other head or
piston.
m, m, Figures 3 and 6, represent the hubs cast on the side plates D, and
n, n, are the tubular boxes for receiving the ends of the shafts C, C. The
hubs are suitably recessed to receive the tubular boxes or bearings and permit
of their lateral adjustment therein. The bearings may be in one piece, as
shewn at Fig. 3, or cut in two halves lengthwise. These bearings are to be
kept in position by set screws o, o, or keys, which will allow for the accurate
adjustment of the abutments with respect to each other. In like manner a
rectangular or square recess may be made or cast in the end plates to receive
boxes of corresponding form, as shewn at Fig. 6, which are likewise kept in
position set screws or keys and susceptible of lateral adjustment. The boxes
or bearings may also be made by simply coring out a sufficiently large recess in
casting the hubs in the end plates, and the tubular bearings for the shafts may
be formed therein by pouring in molten zinc or any suitable metal or alloy
around an accurately fitted temporary metal core or mandril corresponding in
diameter with the shaft, being first placed in proper position for the fluid metal
to flow around. By these means the bearings may be very economically
renewed when necessary.
The operation of the engine is as follows:-When the abutments A, B, are
made to rotate in the direction of the arrows the air, or water, or whatever
fluid is acted upon will be carried forward as the pistons approach each other
And as the connection is kept up
and forced through the discharge pipe F.
between the abutments during their entire rotation there can be no back

page_text: escape. The volume discharged at each rotation is equal to the area of one
entire circle of the diameter of the abutments, deducting therefrom the area of
the centre cylinder. Operated in this manner this device is a blowing engine
or rotary pump.
By reversing the operation and acting upon the pistons by means of steam
or water the device becomes a rotary steam engine or a pressure water
wheel.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Blowing and Pumping Engines," as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First, constructing the case with strips or ribs for the abutments to work
against, in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
Second, making the abutments in the manner above described for working
in the improved construction of case.
Third, providing tubular boxes or bearings for the shafts of the abutments,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)