IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE Power from SteAM AND OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS. AND In Engine
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Nicholas John Contarini, of Con-
stantinople, but now residing at Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
MOTIVE Power from SteAM AND OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS. AND In Engines to
Sealed the 12th April 1873, and dated the 19th October 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Nicholas
John Contarini at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 19th October 1872.
I, ALEXANDER NICHOLAS JOHN CONTARINI, of Constantinople, but
now residing at Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER FROM STEAM AND OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS, AND IN
ENGINES TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-

page_text: To effect the first object of my Invention I raise the steam in an
ordinary boiler and conduct it by a suitable channel to an engine which
I construct on the rotatory principle. This engine is placed-over the flue
of the furnaco, or is otherwise heated so that the fluid therein attains
much more clastic force than the steam or other fluid in the boiler, and
it then acts to produce rotatory motion, a suitable valve worked by the
engine preventing the back pressure. Having thus acted on the piston,
the highly heated steam or other fluid passes from the engine to a vessel
which communicates with the boiler, into which it flows or is driven
by a moveable flap or piston in the said chamber, and so on, the engine
being charged from the boiler, and returning the steam or other fluid
thereto.
The rotatory engine I construct in the following manner :-Two
cylinders are placed side by side, or it may be one cylinder with a par-
tition, each of which is provided with a piston fixed on a shaft,
and acting against a hinged flat capable of turning upward to the
interval circumference of the cylinder. The shaft I form with two
longitudinal channels, which as they revolve expose openings to the
cylinders through which the steam or other fluid to act upon the pistons
flows.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Nicholas John Contarini, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 19th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
NICHOLAS JOHN CONTARINI, of Constantinople, but now residing at a
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Alexander Nicholas John Contarini, Her
special license that I, the said Alexander Nicholas John Contarini,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alexander Nicholas John Contarini, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others from time to time

page_text: 33
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 OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER FROM
STEAM AND OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS, AND IN ENGINES TO BE USED THEREWITH,"
upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Alexander
Nicholas John Contarini, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and scal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Nicholas John Contarini,
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
Drawings, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in a method of using steam or other
elastic fluid, whereby I effect an economy in fuel; and secondly, in a
peculiar arrangement of rotatory engine.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents in a perspective
view the general arrangement of apparatus I employ for the purposes
of my Invention; and Fig. 2 is a geometrical view in section of certain
important working parts; but I will in the first place describe the
construction of engine I use, and the superheating of the steam thercin.
At 1 is a cylinder divided into two parts in the direction of its length,
and provided with an axis 2, which carries a rotating piston 3 for each
compartment. This cylinder has jointed to it two flaps 4, one for each
piston, and capable of turning upon a centre 5, into a space 6, formed
in the said cylinder, which space is in communication with two steam
pipes 7, 8, leading from the boiler A. At 9 are valve boxes within
which arc valves 10, turning upon centres 11, so as to be capable of
closing at certain times the steam pipes 7, 8, and at 12, 13, are the
exhaust pipes. According to the position shewn the steam entering
through the space 6 is forcing the piston 3 in the direction of the
arrow, and when it arrives at the opening of the pipe 12, the valve 10
closes the inlet port so as to prevent the escape of steam; after this the
revolution of the piston lifts the hinged flap into the space 6, and then
by leaving it allows it to fall into the position shewn, and the valve 10

page_text: again allows the steam to act upon the piston 3 as above described.
At 3*, 3**, is shewn a hinged piece the part 3* of which first arrives
in contact with the flap 4, and the part 3** then turning upward acts
upon the outer part of the flap 4, but the piston 3 may act directly as
first described. I have above-mentioned that there are two pistons on
the shaft 2, and they are placed on opposite sides of the centre in order
to get a continuous action of the steam.
The engine abovo described rotates in one direction only, but reversing
gear of ordinary construction may be adapted between the engine and
its work.
An important feature of my Invention consists in heating the
steam while it is in the cylinder, and will be explained by reference
to Fig. 2, and the diagram Fig. 3, in which 14 represents a flue leading
from the boiler furnace, and passing under the cylinder 1, after which it
returns along 15 which carries the chimney 16. The heated products of
combustion therefore flow in contact with the cylinder and heat the steam
therein before they arrive at the chimney 16. At 17 is a damper which
when closed causes the effect just described, but when opened the pro-
ducts of combustion pass direct to the chimney 16, and thus the amount
of heat imparted to the steam may be regulated.
Another part of my Invention is also shown at Fig. 3. At 18 is a
triangular vessel within which is a hinged flap or disc 19, extending to
each side and to the circular end, and being caused to vibrate on its
centre 20 acts as a piston. The eduction steam pipe 12 opens into the
vessel 18 through a clack valve 21, and at 22 is another pipe also provided
with a valve 23. At 24, 25, are two other pipes furnished in like
manner with valves 26, 27, the former being for the introduction of
water, and the latter for the eduction thereof. The exhaust steam
entering upon the pipe 12 becomes cooled and condensed by contact with
the water which has flowed through the pipe 24, and the piston turning
downward forces it out through the valve 23 into the boiler, and then
when the piston turns upward it forces the water through the valve 27,
and thus the operation continues. The water for condensing the steam
may circulate backward and forward through the pipes 24, 25, or be a
fresh supply each time.
The above description gives the details of my Invention, and Fig. 1
shews a goneral view with similar numbers of reference marked thereon.

page_text: The valves 10 and pipes 7 are of course in duplicate as two pistons are
employed, and the said valves are worked by cams on the shaft 2. The
piston 19 is worked by a crank 30 connected to a lever 31, and the con-
densing apparatus is also of course in duplicate. The Drawing shews
the pipes 24, 25, passing into channels 32, 33, in which the water
circulates and becomes cooled.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, the arrangements of engine and apparatus for
heating the steam therein; also the arrangement for condensing the
exhaust steam and returning the same to the boiler substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Nicholas John Contarini,
have hereunto set my hand and scal, this Eighteenth day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-three.