IMPROVE- MENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th September 1865.-A cominunication from abroad by Nicolas
Chenet and Pierre Jean Lacoste, both of No. 39, Faubourg St. Martin,
Paris, France.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," a communication to me from abroad by Nicolas
Chenet and Pierre Jean Lacoste, both of No. 39, Faubourg St. Martin,
Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a novel construction of steam engine which by
the suppression of certain parts permits the production of engines at a much
cheaper rate than usual, the power being equal.
On reference to Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of the accompanying Sheets of
Drawing forming part of this Provisional Specification, it will be seen that in
this arrangement a cylinder is used, open at its two ends, and divided in the
middle into two parts M and M' by a partition G, G. The piston is
composed of two pistons P and P¹, united in an invariable manner by a rod A,
which passes through G, G. The pistons P and P¹, shewn in front view at
Figure 2 (Sheet 1), and in elevation at Figure 3 (Sheet 1), are composed of
segments A, and have tightening nippers C, worked by a screw coming from
the other face of the piston, this screw having a conical point which takes
into the centre g. These nippers C enter by their tail end into notches E. At

page_text: the same Figure may be seen the parting sockets B, and the supporting
screws D, which serve to regulate the centre of the pistons within the
cylinders.
In Figure 1 the pistons shew their principal plate D', the segments E', and
the assembling plates F¹. The connecting rod C, Figure 1, is jointed to the
rod A as indicated by B. A metallic packing composed of three pieces
H, H, H, embraces the rod A where it passes through G, G, (the piece in
the middle of this packing is of iron or steel, the others of any metal.)
Plates J, J, serve to tighten and retain the packing. The entrance of the
steam takes place in the one and the other of the cylinders M, M', by means
of openings made right and left of the partition G, G, the thickness of which
serves to form the expansion gear and the distribution of steam by the inter-
mediation of the spindle J' of the steam chest K. The distribution. takes
place as follows:-The steam arrives directly from the boiler into the steam
chest, (see Figures 1 and 2, Sheet II.,) by the opening A, from whence it
passes into one or other of the cylinders M or M₁ by the openings D or D",
which correspond with those D' or D¹¹ of the cylinders (see Figure 1,
Sheet I.) The entrance of the steam into the cylinder is regulated by means
of the cock E, E, of the steam chest K. This cock (see Figure 2, Sheet II.)
in its alternate circular movement presents its opening O at one time before
the opening D of the steam chest, and consequently before the opening D¹ of
the cylinder M, and at another time before the opening D" of the chest, and
consequently before the opening D₁ of the cylinder M'. The escape of the
the
steam from the cylinders at the end of each journey will take place
openings L" or L' placed near the extremities. Two elbow pipes B and B
in the steam chest serve to complete the escape by the effect of the orifice C.
The cock E, E, is governed by an arrangement of two conical pinions P and Q,
(Figure 1, Sheet II.,) the first is mounted on the head of the cock E, E,
and the second on the distributing shaft A'; this shaft is composed of two
parts, the gearing or throwing out of gear of which by means of a clutch box
and a cone M¹ instantly regulates the distribution; this putting in and out of
gear is governed by a small lever L which may oscillate round a fixed hinge
B, (shewn Figure 4, Sheet I.,) this lever is united by a piece G' at the end of
a rectangular lever D, G, H, the end H of which follows the ascending and
descending movement of the clutch box K of the regulator R. The movement
of the regulator is transmitted by the conical pinions S and T.
This Invention also comprises another method of distribution,, offering
great advantages. The steam is distributed by the opening A, (Figure 2,
Sheet 8,) which goes to the right and then to the left over the inlets B and C

page_text: of Figure 1. A shaft E, F, (shewn Figure 3) passes in the square opening
G, (Figure 2), and in the circular opening H (Figure 1), it is this shaft
which gives motion to the distributor (Figure 2). L and K indicate a metallic
packing. The escape of the steam takes place by the opening N (Figure 1)
which is in the hollowed part V. This part V and that M (Figure 2) are
represented at P and Q (Figure 3). The steam issues by the pipe R
following the conduit S.
The action of the pistons in this Invention will be readily understood.
Suppose P¹ at the end of its journey (see Figure 1, Sheet I.) at the extremity
of the cylinder M, there is then an escape of steam by the opening L' and
tube B, of Figure 2, Sheet I., and ingress of steam by D, into the cylinder M¹
then the piston P under the action of the steam goes to the end of M', drawing
with it the piston P', to which it is united in an invariable manner, and when
P is at the end of its journey the escape is produced by L", and so on
continuously.