IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC AND OTHER ENGINES FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, AND FOR COMPRESSING AND MEASURING FLUIDS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ramsbottom and Thomas Blackburn, both of
Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Hydraulic Engineers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC AND
OTHER ENGINES FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, AND FOR COMPRESSING AND
MEASURING FLUIDS."
Sealed the 16th June 1865, and dated the 21st December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ramsbottom and
Thomas Blackburn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 21st December 1864.
We, JOHN RAMSBOTTOм and TномAS BLACKBURN, both of Blackburn, in the
5 County of Lancaster, Hydraulic Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
cur said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC
AND OTHER ENGINES FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, AND FOR COMPRESSING AND
MEASURING FLUIDS," to be as follows:-

page_text: Though these improvements are mainly intended to utilize the columnar
pressure of water obtained from elevated sources of supply, yet they are
equally applicable to and form a very cheap, portable, and compact engine
or pump, if driven by fluids or vapours obtained from other sources. In
ordinary engines of this nature, in consequence of the comparative low
velocity of water compared with that of elastic fluids, a high motion has not
been readily attainable, except at the expense of excessively large valves and
port ways, the pressure and counteraction of which has thus absorbed a high
per-centage of the motive power.
These improvements comprise such an arrangement and combination of
parts, as well as new features as will enable us to obtain high velocities,
greater freedom from counteraction, and a compact as well as economical
machine well adapted for extending advantageously the use of water in
motive-power engines.
In the first part of our Invention we erect a pair of cylinders diagonally or
at right angles to each other upon a pair of trunnions affixed to a plate of
cast iron, on the upper portion of which plate a boss is cast projecting back-
wards. Through this boss a shaft passes, which carries a crank at one end
and a pulley at the other. The piston rods are attached and give motion to
the said crank, which transmits the said motion by means of the pulley to the
machinery required to be driven. The motion of the pistons causes the
cylinders to oscillate, and the trunnions on which they move are constructed
so as to form the valves of the engine, the fluid supplying them both enters and
escapes from behind the plate to which they are secured. When the cylinders
are situated parallel with each other, either vertically or horizontally (as in
certain cases we require them to be), the trunnion valve is made double, and
secured by the middle portion thereof to a bed plate; through this bed plate
and middle portion of this valve the fluid passes, and distributes itself into
two branches (one to each trunnion), each of these branches is again
divided by a midfeather extending through the entire valve from end to end,
and by this latter division the fluid returns and escapes through the middle
portion of the valve, and the opposite end of the bed plate. This double
trunnion valve may be connected with the cylinders, either in the middle
portion of their length or at their end plates; this arrangement causing au
increase of length and a decrease of breadth of the machine; we purpose
also that this double-cylinder oscillating engine should in some cases give
motion to a pump for compressing air or discharging water, which pump may
be attached to an additional crank, and be provided with a valve. Where the

page_text: engine is required for reversing duty, as for hoisting goods or other material,
an additional valve is required, for which this Invention is peculiarly appli-
cable to be worked by a hand lever; a strengthening piece running along the
plate, to which the engine is connected, contains two passages, one for the
feed and the other for the exit ways, and upon a boss or neck leading to or
connected with these passages, we attach the inlet and outlet pipes in opposite
positions to each other, these positions being at or near right angles to those
of the passages in the plate; the valve works in a recess of the neck or boss,
and a section in the direction of its length would shew the valve to be a
cylinder divided into two compartments, the inlet leading into one, and the
outlet from the other; the neck or boss forms the seating for the valve, which
also, besides its inlet and outlet passages, has two others running transversely
in those of the plate, and changing the direction of the fluid from one to
the other as the valve is moved by the hand lever.
We purpose in some cases to construct a vessel in connection with the
engines as a concentrator, into which air or other fluid may be compressed for
the purpose of transmitting motive power or otherwise.
The motion of the engine is as follows:-On the tap being turned the fluid
enters the valve or valves and passes to the cylinders, causing the pistons to
move backwards and forwards, as well as producing oscillation of the cylinders
in which they move, and driving the shaft and crank; this oscillation causes
the port ways to be reversed without any motion of the valve itself, and as the
cylinders are of small diameters in proportion to their length, a large arc of
vibration is obtained, admitting through the ports a proportionately large
quantity of water to obtain the velocity required.
The registration of the amount of fluid passing through the cylinders,
valves, and ports is obtained by means of a pin on one of the cylinders
working a rocking lever, which lever actuates a catch taking into a wheel
connected with the indices.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Blackburn, Her special licence
that we, the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Blackburn, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Ramsbottom
and Thomas Blackburn, our 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC AND OTHER ENGINES FOR OBTAINING
MOTIVE POWER, AND FOR COMPRESSING AND MEASURING FLUIDS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Blackburn,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas
Blackburn, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Though these improvements are mainly intended to utalize the columnar
pressure of water obtained from elevated sources of supply, yet they are equally
applicable to, and form a very cheap, portable, and. compact engine or pump
if driven by fluids or vapours obtained from other sources. In ordinary
engines of this nature, in consequence of the comparative low velocity of
water compared with that of elastic fluids, a high-motion-has not been readily
attainable, except at the expense of excessively large valves and port ways,
the pressure and counter action of which has thus absorbed a high per
centage of the motive power.
Theseimprovements comprise such an arrangement and combination of parts
as well as new features as will enable us to obtain high velocities,greater free-
dom from counteraction, and a compact as well as economical machine, well
adapted for extending advantageously the use of water in motive-power engines.

page_text: In the first part of our Invention we erect a pair of cylinders diagonally or
at right angles to each other upon a pair of trunnious affixed to a plate of cast
iron, on the upper portion of which plate a boss is cast projecting backwards;
through this boss a shaft passes which carries a crank at one end, and a pulley
at the other. The piston rods are attached, and give motion to the said crank,
which transmits the motion by means of the pulley to the machinery required
to be driven. The motion of the pistons cause the cylinders to oscillate and
the trunnions on which they move are constructed so as to form the valves of
the engine, the fluid supplying them both enters and escapes from behind the
plate, to which they are secured. When the cylinders are situate parallel
with each other, either vertically or horizontally, as in certain cases we
require them to be, the trunnion valve is made double, and secured by the
middle portion thereof to a bed plate; through this bed plate and middle
portion of this valve, the fluid passes and distributes itself into two branches,
one to each trunnion, each of these branches are again divided by a midfeather
extending through the entire valve from end to end, and by this latter
division the fluid returns and escapes through the middle portion of the valve
and the opposite end of the bed plate. This double trunnion valve may be
connected with the cylinders either in the middle portion of their length or at
their end plates, this arrangement causing an increase in length, and a decrease
in breadth of the machine. We purpose also that this double cylinder oscil-
lating engine should in some cases give motion to a pump for compressing
air or discharging water, which pump maybe attached to an additional crank,
and be provided with a valve. Where the engine is required for reversing
duty, as for hoisting goods or other material, an additional valve is required,
for which this Invention is peculiarly applicable, to be worked by a hand lever.
A strengtheuing piece running along the plate to which the engine is
connected contains two passages, one for the feed, and the other for the exit
ways, and upon a boss or neck leading to or connected with these passages we
attach the inlet and outlet pipes in opposite positions to each other, these
positions being at or near right angles to those of the passages in the plate.
The valve works in a recess of the neck or boss, and a section in the direction
of its length would shew the valve to be a cylinder divided into two com-
partments, the inlet leading into one, and the outlet from the other, the
neck or boss forms the seating for the valve, which also, besides its inlet
and outlet passages has two others running transversely in those of the
plate, and changing the direction of the fluid from one to the other as the
valve is moved by the hand lever.

page_text: We purpose in some cases to construct a vessel in connection with the
engines as a concentrator, into which air or other fluid may be compressed
for the purpose of transmitting motive power or otherwise.
The motion of the engine is as follows:-On the tap being turned the fluid
enters the valve or valves, and passes to the cylinders, causing the pistons to
move backwards and forwards, as well as producing oscillation of the cylinders
in which they move, and driving the shaft and crank; this oscillation causes
the portways to be reversed without any motion of the valve itself, and as the
cylinders are of small dimensions in proportion to their length, a large arc
of vibration is obtained, admitting through the ports a proportionately
large quantity of water to obtain the velocity required.
The registration of the amount of fluid passing through the cylinders,
valves, and ports is obtained by means of a pin on one of the cylinders
working a rocking lever, which lever actuates a catch taking into a wheel
connected with the indices.
Such being the nature and object of this our said Invention, we will now
proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be
or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that the
same may be distinctly understood we have hereunto annexed Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with letters of
reference corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof
similar letters of reference corr being placed upon corresponding parts of
the apparatus in the various Figures.
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section of the machine, the cylinders A, A, are
supported by the valve B on one side, and by the brackets C on the other
side, the crank shaft E carries a pair of cranks D, with which the piston
rods F, F, are coupled, and also at one end it carries a pulley P. G is the
framing; across the base plate H is a support K for the trunnion valve B,
which support contains the passages leading to and from the valve, the inlet
being at one end of this base plate, and the outlet at the other; a midriff at
the centre of the valve and support divides these passages. L is a rocking
lever for working the indicating apparatus contained in the box M, such
indicating apparatus being of ordinary construction.
Figs. 2 and 3 shew the inlet and outlet passages I and O in the valves,
N being ben the midriff or division plate, the said midriff extends the whole
length of this double cone valve, and by the oscillating action of the cylinder
or cylinders the portways R in the seating thereof communicate alternately
with the feed and exit passages.

page_text: Figs. 4 and 5 shew the seating, Fig. 4 being tilted on one side of the valve
midriff (shewn as in position in dotted lines), and exposing R¹ to the inlet;
oscillation in the contrary direction would evidently reverse the position of R¹
to the outlet, and R would then communicate with the inlet; Fig. 5 shews
the position of the seating when situated horizontally. The valves are ground
steam and water tight to a collar, and kept in close contact therewith by means
of, a screw and lock nut attached to the brackets C.
Fig. 6 shews the application of these improvements to a steam force pump,
the cylinder A being the steam cylinder, and A' the pump. The valves Bl
and B2 being single, and fixed to the framing G. S, S, shew the feed ways,
the exit ways being directly opposite, as shewn at Fig. 7. One crank ouly is
required in this arrangement, and a middle bracket or support C, with taper
screw, sets up the cylinders against the valve faces. The cylinders are of
diameters sufficiently dissimilar for the respective duties required of them.
The indicating apparatus applied to the pump cylinder will serve to indicate
the water discharged for boiler or other uses.
Fig. 8 is a view of a single cylinder engine working within a closed vessel,
either steam or air, adaptable as a steam engine, or if driven by machinery as
a force
pump, a stuffing box makes tight the joint or opening through and in
which the shaft carrying the pulley works. The valve is here shewn situate
at the end of the cylinder attached to the end plate.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a steam or water engine adapted for hoisting or
such uses as require the motion of the engine to be frequently reversed; a
pair of single valves are in this arrangement used, the one to supply water or
steam to the other, the handle T being employed to change the supply to the
different sides of the midriff as motion in either direction is required. The
feed valve worked by the handle T contains four passages, two, I and O com
municating with the body of this valve, the other two through its taper end
communicating with the trunnion valve. A spindle extending from the
midriff in the trunnion valve through a cavity in the midriff and end plate of
the feed valve to a nut and washer, which are exployed to keep the valve in
its position. This taper end piece is ground into a corresponding taper socket
in the trunnion valve, suitable orifices being constructed in both on either
sides of their respective midriffs.
Fig. 10 represents a form of engine with the support for the crank shaft
Detwixt the cylinders, adapted for working either as a meter exclusively, or
101 giving off motive power in addition (shaft for carrying driving pulley
shewn in dotted lines) it is here shewn within a closed vessel, and may be

page_text: arranged vertically or horizontally, a long narrow box is screwed upon the
base plate (see Fig. 12); this box is divided by the midriff N¹ running from
end to end. The said midriff forms a joint No upon the base plate in the
view shewn; this Figure represents our improvements applied to a flat valve
which may be double or single, as the cavities extend through from side to
side, or are open at one side only. The port ways R (see Fig. 2) traverse
across the midriff of the valve by oscillation of the cylinders at each side of
the valve faces, and as certain portions only of these faces project outwards,
the surface in contact is diminished, thereby enabling great extent of traverse
to be obtained with little friction. It is evident that when one of the cylinders
is vertical its port ways are covered by the midriff whilst its fellow cylinder
being at the same time tilted on one side by the position of its crank, which is
at right angles to the other, has its ports fully open, and as the centre of
oscillation is midway betwixt the ports or in the mean length of the cylinders,
and as the ports are segments of a circle having this common, centre, the
valvular action common to both cylinders on each side of this valve plate on
which they oscillate must be in perfect consistency. The respective portways
diminishing and enlarging with the greatest precision and accuracy, these
qualities being absolutely necessary where incompressible fluids are used. The
breadth of the valve midriff relative to the breadth of the port ways will be
determined by the use of the machine as a water or steam engine; in the
latter case it is made to cover excessively such port ways, while as a water
engine a very slight amount of cover is necessary. The piston packings are
also adapted for one or the other uses. When we compress air within an air
vessel, either by means of air alone or by water, for transmitting motive
power we employ a weighted ram in connection with such air vessel, so that
on the pressure therein exceeding the loaded ram, it will be thrust, outwards,
and give motion either to remove a strap from a fast to a loose pulley or cut
off supply by stop or throttle valve.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this our said
Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Hydraulic and other
Engines for Obtaining Motive Power, and for Compressing and Measuring
Fluids," together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, we would remark, in conclusion,
that we claim as our Invention' the peculiar valvular arrangementin connection
with the combination and arrangements of parts as a means of obtaining and
transmitting motive power, above fully described, and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, together with the means of actuating the apparatus

page_text: for indicating the quantity of water or other fluid used for the purpose above
mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ramsbottom, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, for and on behalf of myself and the said Thomas
Blackburn, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed and sealed by the within-
named John Ramsbotton in
the presence of
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Blackburn.
JOHN RAMSBOTTOM. (L.S.)