ARRANGEMENTS OF IMPLEMENTS AND MECHANICAL POWERS APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, PART OF WHICH MACHINERY MAY BE APPLIED TO OTHER USEPUL PURPOSES
Year: 1802

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, James
SHARPLES, Portrait Painter, of Lansdown Place, Bath, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
January, in the forty-second year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said James Sharples, His especial licence that I, the said James Sharples,
during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might use,
exercise, and vend, within England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my invented "ARRANGEMENTS OF IMPLEMENTS AND MECHANICAL
POWERS APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES, PART OF WHICH MACHINERY MAY BE APPLIED
TO OTHER USEPUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said James Sharples, by an instrument in writing.
under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Inventions, and in what manner the same are to be performed, to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar month
after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same
(relation thereunto being had) may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Sharples, do hereby declare that my said Inventions consist :-
First, in certain arrangements of implements and mechanical powers for the
purpose of giving motion to rollers and drum wheels within cylinders or parts
of cylinders by means of the same portion or body of water or other fluid

page_text: forced by the pressure of steam against the said drum wheels or cylinders, or
against valves, wings, buckets, or other resisters attached thereto.
Secondly, my Inventions consist in certain arrangements of implements and
mechanical powers for the purpose of counterpoising the atmospheric pressuro
upon the pistons in what is called Newcomen's engines, by a counter pressure of
atmospheric air or steam upon other pistons within cylinders, or by a counter
weight upon the piston rod at the end of a pendulum attached thereto or to
the cranks of any axle, by the vibrations of which the action against the said
cranks is equalised during their revolutions, or by a counter weight, being a
flywheel or ballance, attached to the piston rod or arm of the crank to which
the piston rod is joined.
Third, my Inventions consist in certain arrangements of implements and
mechanical powers applicable to steam engines for the purpose of giving loco-
motion to carriages of every description, and to vessels floating on the water.
Fourthly, my arrangements of boilers, air pumps, condensers, and pistons,
the Drawings of which are in the margins, and are hereafter more fully
described.
Most of my first arrangements are represented in the first twelve Figures,
and as the letters of reference are the same, the explanation of Fig. 1 will
explain most of the others. S and V are inclosed vessels; Da drum wheel
moveable within a cylinder; A, B, C, d, valves or cocks; R, R, resisters
opened and closed by the force of the fluid; O is a stopper or valve fast with
the cylinder. The vessels S and V have each pipes to admit and carry off the
steam, as at Fig. 6. If S and the space round the wheel is full of water, and
steam is admitted above it in S, it will be forced to flow in the direction of the
darts into the vessel V, and will carry the wheel round with it. If a vacuum
is then formed in S, and steam admitted into V, the water in V will flow
through the valve C, in the same direction as before, into the vessel S by the
valve B. The double drum wheels, Fig. 2 and 3, are connected by the wheels
Fig. 5 on their axles, by which the resisters R, R, Fig. 2, always meet and
fall into the grooves X, X, as the wheels revolve. The drums at Fig. 3 gain
the power by being placed on false centres, for if water-is-forced-through the
pipe A, it will act upon D and E with a power that is as the difference of the
dotted lines. Z is a sliding partition which fits into grooves in the bottom and
top of the double cylinder, and is moved backwards and forwards by the drums.
When D advances to the point X the power of resistance increases, and as it
advances to Z its power decreases in the same ratio, one drum being at its
maximum when the other is at its minimum, so that the power, by means of the
connecting wheels, Fig. 5, is nearly equal in every point of the revolution.

page_text: These drum wheels, as well as the others, may be applied to mills or pumps,
Fig. 4, H, W, at Fig. 6. T is the steam pipe, and H the one leading to the
condenser; the first is represented open into S, and the latter to the condenser.
C, C, are two floats which change the disposition of the cocks or valves, which
may be done by piston rods, see Fig. 7. This is a combination of the vessels in
Fig. 6; the valves open immediately upon the drum wheel. Fig. 8 is varied
by the condensation taking place only in one of the cylinders S, and air pressing
the water in the other. When a vacuum is formed in S the water in V will
be forced by the atmosphere round by the drum within E, in the direction of
the darts into the vessel S by the valve d; then, by a vacuum above the piston
B, the atmospheric pressure under B will take off half the pressure from P, and
the steam admitted upon the water in S will force it out at the valve C into the
vessel V. K is the pipe from the boiler, H the one to the condenser, I a valve
joined to X by its axis, X a counter cylinder and piston to balance the resist-
ance of the steam when the valve is closed. A balance is joined to the piston
rod, which is raised or depressed by a rod T on the side of the piston P. The
diameter of the small cylinder must equal that of the valve. In the situation
represented here, the lower side of the valve is pressed down by the steam;
and if it were six inches diameter it would require a force of two lb. to raise
it from its situation, and another force of two lb. to retain it in the upper
socket were it not balanced by the atmospheric pressure under the piston X;
but that it may be more effectually retained in its situation the weight W,
noveable on the ballance, will recede from the fulcrum when the end at T rises,
and approach the fulcrum when it falls. If the vessel S is situated 16 feet
above the vessel V, and the ends of the pipes C and d are inserted with their
valves into another tube that shall communicate with the vessel S, the incumbent
water will answer the purpose of the counter cylinder and piston, see Fig. 4.
In this case the vessel V must be closed except a hole at top. Fig. 9 is another
variation of the principals before explained. The lower compartment of the
vessel is the boiler; W water; T a steam pipe in form of a syphon to prevent
the water in the vessel Z from flowing into the boiler which passes into the
drum at Y. This is divided into two parts, each of which has two valves. The
vessel and drum are filled with water to the line near the top, and the whole is
inclosed. When steam passes through the syphon it insinuates itself above the
water at S, forces the valve A open, shuts B, and drives the wheel round till A
arrives at the situation C; the steam then rises above the water, and passes
to the condenser through the pipe P. Fig. 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, & 28 are
similar in principal to those before described; that is, a portion of the same
fluid is forced by steam upon drum wheels in one continued direction. The

page_text: "
same letters of reference answer-to all the four first. A is the steam pipe, B
the condensing pipe. ; The wheels.D. and E are connected either by a chain,
as at Fig. 10, or by wheels as at Fig. 12. Let steam enter at A, and it will
press the resisters G, G, by which means the wheels E and D are put in
motion, so that the water at H will press to the side I on the under side of the
wheel D, and the same bulk of steam will pass on the upper side to the side H;
and by the pipe B into the condenser. The connecting wheels, or the pullies
on which the chain passes, must be so proportioned as that the wheel D may
return as nearly as possible the same quantity of water as is passed round by
the drums. The spokes of the wheel being equally pressed it will require no
greater a force to keep it in motion than what is necessary to overcome the
friction. When the water is not passed from H to I as fast as it rises on
the side H, it will raise the float at S, and shut the condensing pipe, and the
steam that is passed over will force the water back by the pipe F to its level
ou the side I, and the descent of the float will open the valve or cock of the
condensing pipe. Fig. 18 is the same contrivance used to raise; water: W is a
bucket wheel to give motion to the wheel D; p, a pipe to the well; V.a valve.
Let steam press on the side I whilst any person puts the water wheel in motion,
and water passing under the wheel D, from the side,Ḥ to I; will be forced
through the spout S upon the buckets, whilst the steam will pass off between
the
upper spokes of the wheel D to the condensing pipe B. Fig. 28 is a varia-
tion from the last described. In this the steam may pass in at the tubated
axle S, and out at the tubes p. into the condenser B. The tube A is open at
top, and the atmospheric air on the water resists the steam, and as the resisters
pass the point D a condensation takes place, and the ponderous elastic fluids,
pass over the wheel in the vacuities under the resisters, or if the steam enters
by the tube C there will be no need of the tubes. S or p, p. A previous
vacuum must be made in the condenser, or the steam at first admitted through
the pipe R whilst the cock at S is shut. Fig. 19 is another variation. A, B,
& C, are three cylinders. A is open at top, B is open to A at D, and C is
open to B at E. A tubated axle 16 feet long (or a tube communicating with
the cylinder C or part of the tubated axle) is inserted in the end of the.
cylinder C, and by means of the cap and pipe H is continued to the vessel T,
in which an alternate plenum and vacuum is to take place. When there
is a vacuum in T the atmospheric air in. A forces the water into B, when the,
resister R, which is fast with the cylinder C, must give way, because r is locked.
against the edge of the great cylinder A. The lower end of the catch S will
then quit the ratch on the cylinder, and fasten into another ratch that is fast
on the axle, which it will drive round in the direction of the darts till R arrives

page_text: at r.
Steam is then admitted into the vessel T above, and forces the water
through "the cylinder C into B, and the resister will then force the axle in
the same manner as before, without any retardation of velocity.
Fig. 14 is my arrangement to supply the counter weight and balance in New-
comen's engine, by an additional cylinder and piston N, B, which, by their dia-
meter being suitably proportioned, may be made to sustain any portion of the atmo
spheric pressure on the piston P, for if any air is above the piston B, it will be
driven out at the valve S, when it rises, and sustain the atmospheric pressure
when it descends. At X is perceived the mode in which the cylinders are joined.
Fig. 15 shews a variation only in the disposition of the cylinders. The effect
produced is always the same, when the atmospheric pressure on one of the
piston's resists the atmospheric pressure on the other. All my counterpoising
arrangements are adapteil to pumps, particularly to my compressing pump,
Fig. 38, to raise water from great depths. In this arrangement is seen my
invented chain or rope, ratchet, X and Z, fixed on the piston rods, are two
catclies, one of which fastens to the chain or rope as it ascends, and the other
as it descends, by which means the wheels N and S are continued in motion.
Fig. 16 exhibits another variation by two counter pistons and cylinders, to
which is attached my pendulum balance, which may be used with or without
the counter cylinders. The piston rod is connected with one arm of the double
crank K, and the pendulum with the counter weight S to the other. The
pendulum rod is joined by a joint to another rod which slides up and down in
sockets or grooves.
In the rise and fall of the piston the pendulum both
counterbalances its descending force and equalizes its action on the crank
during its revolution. If the cylinder is open at top, it must have a double
crank; but if the cylinder is open at bottom, a single crank is only necessary,
as at Fig. 17 and 18. The pendulum may be fixed at any length upon the
crank or rods by means of a double socket and scrue S, and the weight is
moveable on the rod in the same manner.
The Fig. 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, are my arrangements for giving locomotion
to carriages of every description by means of steam, which gives an equable
motion to the load by an alternate impulse upon the fore and hind wheels. Let
A, Fig. 22, he the load, supported upon the axis of one of the joints of the fram-
ing S, and a cylinder and piston fixed between it and the wheel B, and the load
A will be put in motion, but the wheel B will have double the velocity to the
load; or if the piston was to move outwards the same effect would be produced
on the wheel C, for the prop Z prevents the wheel B from moving back, as X had
prevented C in the first stroke. By this means the load has a continued motion,
whilst one set of wheels are at rest and another set are moved with a velocity

page_text: double to that of the load; and it is evident that the power of the piston is as
great as if the end of the rod were fixed to a post fast in the earth. The
principals of all the figures are the same. Two of the jointed frames S, sce
Fig. 20, are connected together by cross bars or stays, and the load, sustained
upon another cross bar of wood or iron from one of the joints at H to the
opposite one, must be as near a balance as possible. To this cross piece the
cylinders and pistons are fixed, and also the framing for the rest of the appa-
ratus, see Fig. 21. This framing has another framing mortised to it at L, L,
extending to T, which is made to slide upon the hind axletree B, and a pole W
is fixed on the opposite side of the same frame to slide on the piece over the
bed of the fore axle, to which the ends of the jointed supporters are fixed, to
prevent the motion of the load from straining the supporters; K, K, are
gudgeons that support the weight. To stop the carriage down hill scrues and
levers V, Fig. 21, are used, or a pulley and scrue, to which a chain is connected
that may be drawn up by any person sitting in the carriage. The piston rods
are made fast in the hind axletree bed, and pass through it to form part of the
framing; ratchets and catches Y, Y, Fig. 20, are used instead of the prop Z
& X, Fig. 22. At Fig. 23 the load is supported on the joint A. At Fig. 24
it is supported upon the axles of rollers fixed between two frames, one moveable
within the other, as B, B, and C; Z is one of the rollers toothed, which falls
between the teeth of two racks, one above and another below the roller. The
frame B, B is fixed to the hind axletree bed, the other to the carriage bed over
the fore axletree bed. To the frame A the cylinder and piston is fixed, so that
when it is forced outwards the frame A will give way, and the toothed wheel Z
will push forward the framing C and the fore wheels W double the distance,
whilst the hind ones are stationary; and by the motion of the piston backwards
and forwards, a continued motion will be given to the load and frame A. At
Fig. 24, B and C are fixed to different axles, and slide in each other; two
rollers at Z support the carriage framing at A, and the rod of the piston X acts
on the toothed wheel Z, and as it rises or falls elongates or approximates the
wheels N and W. The pully S upon the end of the frame B_runs_on_the
frame C, and answers the purpose of the double framing B, B, Fig. 24.
Fig. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, are arrangements for moving floating vessels by means
of steam. The three first consist of two or more sails A, A, fixed or moveable
frames C, C, but to turn on axles of their own; these pullies are made to perform
one revolution on their own axles during one revolution of C, by means of a notched
chain which connects them with the stationary pully p, of half the diameter of
the large pully B, or by connecting wheels p, X, B, by which means they are
kept at the best possible balance arrangements. The cylinder 28 is out of its

page_text: situation, in order to shew where its action takes place. The shaft X is fixed
in a socket at H, on which the frame turns; at G are two pullies with a cord to
draw up or let down the sail A, which is conducted on rods or cords K, K. The
shaft X is fixed at the bottom, by which it can be lowered to pass under bridges;
oars of wood or metal may be occasionally used (which are trimmed exactly in
the same manner as the forcing wind oars, which are either applicable to
manual force, by means of a ratchet or crank S, or to steam engines, see Fig. 29,
which exhibits the mode of applying them to my rotatory arrangement, Fig. 8.
The pulley A is fast with the shaft, and also the arm C, but the cylindrical
piece B is fast to the supporter D; the range of pullies E of different dimensions
are to increase or diminish the velocity of the oars. The arrangement, Fig. 33,
consists of a collapser moving on joints that shall run upon pullies along a
rope, chain, rod, or beam, extending along the side of a canal. At A and B are
two holdfasts that open both in the same direction. A rope passes from the
joint round the pully C to the arm of the balance G, and another from the
point E to the other arm of the balance. By the motion of the wheel H one
of the arms of the balance will draw forward either A or B in the direction of
the dart, and the other holdfast will resist the action of the piston rod by the
rope For S. Fig. 25, is one of my constructed boilers to increase the inten-
sity of steam by vacant interstices in the hottest parts of it, and to contain only a
small quantity of water at a time, that it may be no impediment by its weight
to my locomotive arrangements. The bottom is divided at alternate intervals
into containers and non-containers of water, either in seperate compartments
as at A, or one spiral vessel S, Fig. 12; the steam pipe is in the bottom.
The upper compartment C extends round the boiler, and may have a constant
supply of water by a very small rotatory pump by the drums Fig. 2. A tube
extends from one side the compartment to the other; one end of it is sodered up;
in the other a cock is fixed to let off the water; the shank of the cock passes
through the dome of the boiler at X. At Y is another tube communicating
with a joint and cap to the cross tube moveable by the shank Z, by which the
angular vessels are supplied with water; or the vessels may have communication
one with another, so as to be filled without the moveable tube. As water will
yield more steam when agitated, I have contrived the boilers Fig. 30. A is a
common pump which forces water from the hottest part of the boiler through
the perforated ball H. In the lower boiler D is a perforated vessel with
valves opening upwards, which is raised and depressed by a rod E passing
through the top, or the vessel D may be fixed and the water thrown upon it;
or the boiler may be cylindrical as at C, and perforated buckets raised in

page_text: succession. The boiler H is intended also to contain oil to the line S.; and
water, by a constant or intermitting stream injected under it by the pipe G (for
as oil will sustain a higher degree of temperature to make it boil than water),
will be converted into steam at a temperature at which the water will not de
decomposed:
-J
Fig. 31 & 32 are my arrangements of condensers and air pumps. By
the descent of the piston L, the water in the reservoir H follows it by the
atmospheric pressure through the cock I. When the piston L is at the bottom,
Fig. 31, or at top, Fig. 32, the cock A opens and I shuts, so that the
water in the barrel L is injected through the tube K into the condenser, and
follows the piston through the valve N to M, from whence it is thrown back
into the reservoir the next stroke of the piston, either upwards as in Fig. 32,
or downwards as in 31; in this manner a constant stream passes through the
condenser F from the reservoir H, and the permanently elastic fluids pass with
the water through the valve O. At p and S are seen a mode of supporting
the valve x in its situation, which is moved up and down by the nut against
the balances V, V.
Fig. 33 is one of my arrangements for using the fly wheel as a counter-
weight; it is joined at x to the piston rod by a socket in which its axis
turns, by the resistance of the pinion C to the ratch A, A; at the other
end of the axis another pinion falls into any wheel to which the general
machinery is connected. At a is a roller that passes on one side of a straight
bar of iron in its ascent, and on the other side in its descent, which keeps the
pinion in alternate contact with the ratches. The pinion B moves in a frame
which has joints at C, C, in a line that would form a tangent to the wheel and
pinion, Fig. 34 and 35. A is a fixed wheel, and B a moveable one on the
axis of the fly, which is here represented in a socket of the crank D. The axis
of the crank moves in the centre of the fixed wheel A, by the resistance of
which the wheel B and fly are continued in motion whilst the fly wheel is all
the while acting as a counter-weight upon the piston rod; instead of the wheels
A and B, pullies may be used, with a chain to connect them. Fig. 26 is my
contrivance of a piston, consisting of a metallic strap confined at top and
bottom between two plates. This strap may be cut out of a cylinder first
turned to fit the one on which it is to move. After the two plates are nearly
scrued together, packing must be rammed in at the top by which the strap
will be forced into contact with the outward cylinder; or the piston may be one
continued cylinder moving within a larger one, with a collar of spiral metallic
strap, which may be stuffed round between the outside and a larger cylinder

page_text: that surrounds it, so that the strap will be forced into contact with the cylin-
drical piston. M, Fig. 32, is the form in which a condenser may be made of
the lightest materials to sustain the atmospheric pressure.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Sharples, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and two.