IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TURBINES AND OTHER HYDRAULIC ENGINES OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND FOR MEASURING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ramsbottom, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Hydraulic Engineer, and Thomas Massey Pearce, of Bradford, in the
same County. Yarn Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF TURBINES AND OTHER HYDRAULIC ENGINES OR APPARATUS
FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND FOR MEASURING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ramsbottom and
Thomas Massey Pearce at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd May 1867.
We. JOHN RAMSBOTTOM, of Leeds, in the County of York, Hydraulic
Engineer, and THOMAS MASSEY PEARCE. of Bradford. in the same County,
"In.
Yarn Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TURBINES AND OTHER HYDRAULIC ENGINES
OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND FOR MEASURING THE FLOW OF
FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
These improvements comprise two arrangements, one intended to work
water-tight and ander the influence of pressure, and the other as an improved
turbine or turbine meter working by the velocity of flow. The water engine
Price 1

page_text: girdle"
is best adapted for pressures of one hundred feet upwards, and the other for
pressures from one hundred feet downwards. The object being to so adapt the
machinery to the circumstances as to enable the use of water to be more widely
extended with advantage for purposes of motive power. The distinguishing
character of this turbine consists in the more complete manner which the
principle of opposite action and reaction are obtained, so that the yield of
mechanical effect will be the greatest obtainable from velocity of flow. I
construct a circular vessel, close inside which I place a hollow
tapering towards its inner circumference; this girdle into which the water
first passes from the supply pipe contains a number of orifices through which
the fluid is ejected so as to strike upon vanes constructed near to the periphery
of a wheel arranged to work within the aforesaid girdle without being in
contact with the same; this wheel has closed sides and its vanes are arranged
to be in a line with the jets of the girdle, so that the water in issuing front
the jets upon the vanes of this wheel is made to return almost directly,
backwards, the breadth of the wheel being greater than the breadth of the
jets to admit of the escape of the fluid on each side of the girdle, and from
thence outwards; and as action and reaction are equal and opposite in dynamic
forces the wheel is thus driven round on its shaft in a more efficient manner
than if otherwise constructed; registering apparatus to be driven from a worBa
on the turbine shaft is intended to be applied for measuring the water passing
through the instrument when it is required for use as a water meter. The
arrangement for working as a water engine under excessive pressure I construct
as follows: affix or cast four cylinders on a bed plate two at each end,
parallel with each other, and in a line with the two opposite cylinders. In each
pair of cylinders a ram is placed of sufficient length to extend from cylinder
to the other; these rams being made water-tight by packing rings placed in
each of the cylinder covers. and on the rams betwixt these covers is fixed
a pair of stud pins to drive connecting rods to give motion to a pair of cranks
on a shaft situate at the extremity of the bed plate aforesaid. as well as to
work the valve gear. The cranks are constructed at right angles to each
other and the valves are placed in the middle of the bed plate. The valve
box is cylindrical and contains two valves worked from each end of the
box by rocking levers actuated by the studs attached to the rams before
mentioned. In this valve box are four passages, two for each valve, each
of these passages continues downwards and passes through the bed plate
to each of the four cylinders. The valves are much like an ordinary plug tap
in appearance, being cylindrical, a divisional midfeather separating feed from
exit ways. The rocking of these valves opening alternate communication

page_text: with the cylinders causes the rams to be forced forwards by the pressure.
and the opposite ends of the rams at this time forcing the water through
the delivery ports and outwards, and as when one ram is in the middle
of its stroke the other is at this time commencing its return stroke, a constant
motion is thus obtained which is transferred to the driving shaft by means of
the connecting rods before mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Massey Pearce in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st. November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
RAMSBOTTOM, of Leeds, in the County of York, Hydraulic Engineer, and
THOMAS MASSEY PEARCE, of Bradford, in the same County, Yarn Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven. in the thirty-first year of Her reign.
did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Ramsbottom and Thomas Massey Pearce, Her special licence that we,
the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Massey Pearce, our executors.
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Ramsbottom
and Thomas Massey Pearce, 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 TURBINES AND OTHER HYDRAULIC ENGINES OR
APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER AND FOR MEASURING THE FLOW OF
FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Rams-
bottom and Thomas Massey Pearce, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Massey
Pearce, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
These improvements comprise two arrangements. one intended to work
water-tight and under the influence of pressure, and the other as an improved
turbine or turbine meter working by the velocity of flow. The water engine
is best adapted for pressures of one hundred feet upwards, and the other for
pressures from one hundred feet downwards, the object being to adapt the
machinery to the circumstances as to enable the use of water to be more
widely extended with advantage for purposes of motive power. The dis-
tinguishing character of this turbine consists in the more complete manner
in which the principle of opposite action and reaction are obtained so that
the yield of mechanical effect will be the greatest obtainable from velocity
of flow. We construct a circular vessel close inside which we place a hollow
"girdle tapering towards its inner circumference. This girdle, into which
the water first passes from the supply pipe; contains a number of orifices
through which the fluid is ejected so as to strike upon vanes constructed
near to the periphery of a wheel arranged to work within the aforesaid
girdle without being in contact with the same; this wheel has closed sides.
and its vanes are arranged to be in a line with the jets of the girdle so that
the water in issuing from the jets upon the vanes of the wheel is made io
return almost directly backwards, the breadth of the wheel being greater.
than the breadth of the jets to admit of the escape of the fluid on each side
of the girdle, and from thence outwards. And as action and reaction are
equal and opposite in dynamic forces, the wheel is thus driven round on its
shaft in a more efficient manner than if otherwise constructed. Registering
apparatus to be driven from a worm on the turbine shaft is intended io. be
applied for measuring the water passing through the instrument when it is
required for use as a water meter. The arrangement for working as a water
engine under excessive pressure we construct as follows:-We affix or casi
four cylinders on a bed plate, two at each end parallel with each other, and
in a line with the two opposite cylinders. In each pair of cylinders a ram
is placed of sufficient length to extend from one cylinder to the other, these
rams being made water-tight by packing rings placed in each of the cylinder
covers. And on the rams betwixt these covers is fixed a pair of stud pins to
drive connecting rods to give motion to a pair of cranks on a shaft situate
at the extremity of the bed plate aforesaid as well as to work the valve
gear. The cranks are constructed at right angles to each other and the
valves are placed in the middle of the bed plate. The valve box is cylin-
drical and contains two valves worked from each end of the box by rocking
.

page_text: In
levers 'actuated by the studs attached to the rains before mentioned.
this valve box are four passages, two for each valve, each of these passages
continues downwards and passes through the bed plate to each of the four
cylinders. The valves are much like an ordinary plug tap. in appearance.
being cylindrical, a divisional midfeather separating feed from exit: ways,
the rocking of these valves opening 'alternate communication with the
cylinders causes the rams to be forced forwards by the pressure, and the
opposite end of the rams at this time forcing the water through the delivery
ports and outwards, and as when one ram is in the middle of its stroke the
other is at this time commencing its return stroke. a constant motion is
thus obtained which is transferred to the driving shaft by means of the
connecting rods before mentioned.
Such being the nature of our said Invention we will now proceed to
describe the same fully, and in order that the same may be clearly under-
stood we have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference.
We construct a circular
vessel, inside which we place a hollow girdle with slotted apertures or jets
tapering towards its inner circumference. into the cavity of this girdle the
water first passes from the supply pipe, and is intended by means of said
jets or slots to dispose the fluid to strike upon vanes constructed near to the
periphery of a wheel arranged to work within the aforesaid girdle without
being in contact with the same. The vanes of this wheel or turbine are of
such a form, relatively to that of the jets or slots of the girdle, that the
fluid in issuing therefrom upon these vanes shall be diverted in a direction
almost directly backwards, and by the forces of action and reaction operative
in the fluid. the wheel is thus caused to be driven round on its shaft with
greater effect than if less diversion of the current were obtained.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the turbine as applied mainly for measuring
water, shewing the inlet orifice D and the outlet orifice E. The casing A is
circular and turned out to receive the girdle B which is also turned on its
inner circumference to receive the turbine wheel C: the shaft. of which passes
upwards to work the indicating mechanism in the box or case situated on
the cover of the meter. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the girdle jets and turbine
vanes intended to shew the direction and manner in which the water operates
in passing through the instrument, no novelty is claimed for the indicating
apparatus, which may be of the usual construction, the fluid enters the
turbine in the direction of the arrow D. and passing first through the dirt
protector H. and then through the taper jets or slots shewn by dotted lines
impinges on the vanes affixed to the turbine disc, giving motion thereto as

page_text: well as to the shaft and recording apparains of the meter. It will be seen
that the water enters the interior of the turbine wheel on both sides of
the disc (as shewn by the arrows) and escapes therefrom by two orifices
leading to the outlet E, this property is important as it tends to preserve an
equilibrium of pressure on the turbine, thus enabling it to perform its duty
with greater sensitiveness and freedom from friction.
Fig. 3 is a modification of the above arranged exclusively for purposes of
motive power, and more particularly for low falls or pressures. It is in the
arrangement rather than the form of turbine here shewn for which novelty
is claimed, and more especially in the construction and application of the
regulating disc D which is placed beneath the instrument and arranged to
be raised or lowered by rods connected therewith and proceeding to the
upper framing of the turbine case, and there worked or adjusted by screws
and wheels actuated either by hand or by an ordinary governor. The outlet
or discharge is restricted when this disc is brought nearer to the outlet. vanes
of the turbine, and its reactive direction is also improved thereby. The
object of the regulating disc is to restrict the quantity of water flowing from
the turbine when the supply falls short of its maximum amount instead of
restricting the quantity leading to the turbine as is usually done. And this
method of diminishing the outlet orifices utilises more thoroughly the full
effective pressure with varying quantities of water, as well as regulates the
speed of the turbine. The fluid enters the casing A and is caused to take
a circular direction by the guide vanes B previous to impinging on the
turbine vanes C from whence it issues in an horizontal direction across the
edges of the disc D and outwards. In constructing the hydraulic engine
to be worked by pressure, we aflix or cast four cylinders on a bed plate.
iwo at each end, parallel with each other, and in a line with the two opposite
cylinders. In each pair of cylinders a ram is placed of sufficient length to
extend from one cylinder to the other so as to work within such cylinders;
these rams we make water-tight by means of packing rings placed in recesses
near to the cylinder covers, and on the rams betwixt these covers are fixed
stud pins to which connecting rods are attached to give motion to a pair of
cranks on a shaft situate at the extremity of the bed plate aforesaid, as well
as to work the valvular apparatus. The cranks are constructed at right angles
to each other, and the valve box is placed in the middle of the bed plate
betwixt the four cylinders; this valve box is cylindrical and contains two
valves worked from each end of the box by rocking levers driven from
In this valve box at each
projections fixed on the above-mentioned rams.
end are four passages, these' passages lead downwards through four corres-

page_text: ponding holes in the bed plate. and communicate with each end of the four
cylinders respectively: the valves are somewhat similar in appearance to an
ordinary plug tap, being cylindrical, with a divisional midfeather to separate
the feed from the exit side. Fig. 4 is a plan of the engine shewing the four
cylinders A with rams B contained therein. The glands C contain cupped
leathers or the usual hydraulic rings to form the water-tight connexion at
these points. The bed plate D extends lengthwise beneath the cylinders to
the journals E. carrying the shaft in one direction, and in the other to the
opposite extremity of the cylinders. G. are the stud pins: II. the connecting
rods: K, the cranks, and R. the rocking lever for the valves: M is a view.
of a winding drum and break pulley, as used for colliery and other purposes.
In the centre of the bed plate is shewn a square surface containing four
orifices, upon this surface the valve box is fixed. and it will be seen from the
dotted lines that the passages leading to the respective cylinders cross each
other causing the valves situate at one side of the valve box to communicate
only with the cylinders situate on the opposite side. Two of these cross
passages being constructed on the upper surface of the bed plate leading
to the rams and the other two cross passages being constructed beneath the
same so as not to intersect each other. By these means the ram which is
for the time being passing its centres has it valve worked by the opposite
ram which at this time is in full effect. D and G are the inlet and outlet
passages to the valve box. For the purpose of a winding engine and for
various other uses it is very important that the motion should be readily
reversed. and this engine as constructed admits of the accomplishment of
this object without the link motion or other excentric valve gear as usually
applied by the application of an additional reversing valve which is arranged
to change the direction of the fluid leading to and from the working valves.
or those immediately communicating with the rams by means of a reversing
lever to be worked by the attendant in charge. Fig. 5 shews an end section
of the valve box: Figs. 6 and are views of the valvular arrangement.
B.
a longitudinal section of the reversing valve: C. an end section of one of the
working valves, of which Fig. 8 shews a transverse section. On the supply, of
water through the inlet pipe D (Figs. 5. 6. and 7.) it passes through the
reversing valve in the direction of the arrows downwards, and through the
chamber E; Fig. 5 of the working valve to the port O leading to the
cylinders and giving motion to the rams communicating therewith, the fluid
leaving the opposite ends of which returns through P upwards and across
chamber and thence through the reversing valve to the outlet pipe G.
The reversing and working valves are similar in construction, and it will

page_text: readily be seen that if a rocking motion be imparted to them by bringing the
midfeather C of these valves over the opposite portways it will change the
direction of the fluid thereby from one end of the rams to the other end, or
from one side of the working valve to the other side thereof as the motion
is changed in either the reversing or the working valve to effect these
objects.
Figs. 9. 10. 11. and 12 are views of a modification of this method of
valvular arrangement constructed to work with flat faces. The faces to be set
up water-tight against the valve box by means of screws and lock nuts
passing through the centre of a cross rail 2, (Figs. 11 and 12.) erected
10 receive screws. the object of this arrangement being to adjust the
tightness of the valve faces to the working pressure of the fluid used. In
this arrangement the reversing valve is not altered in its construction, but
remains as before, with its feed and exit supplying alternately as reversed,
the chambers For E. Figs. 9 and 11. It will be seen that these two
chambers are divided across their length or breadth by a broad midfeather S
having two ports therein, also extending through from side to side, and
two passages Y leading downwards therefrom through the interior of the box,
shewn in dotted lines, conveys the fluid to the ports O. O. On returning
the fluid enters through port P into chamber E. and thence by the side
passage in the direction shown by the lengthened arrow Fig. 9. and by the
dotted lines in Fig. 11 which shews the passages joining together at top and
entering the port in the reversing valve leading outwards. The orifices 1, 1,
and 2. 2. in the chambers F and E, also pass or extend from side to side to
receive on each valve face its respective working valve T. sections of these
are shewn aflixed to the valve faces in Fig. 11, and a plan of one is shewn
in Fig. 10 in which 3, 3, and 4. 4, are cavities to allow the fluid to pass from
the chambers E and F. (Figs. 9 and 11) through the orifices or ports of the
midfeather S by bringing these chambers alternately into communication with
the central port as the valve T is caused to rock or occilate from one chamber
to the other upon the rocking pivots or trunnions W constructed for this
purpose. R shews the situation of the rocking levers: those on the reversing
valve being in an horizontal position and those on the working valves in a
vertical one or nearly so as they vibrate across a limited arc. The action is
similar in both forms of valvular arrangement, the fluid being supplied
through them to each end of the rains successively and causing them to move
from end to end of the cylinders. The stud pins of the rams transferring
this motion to the crank shaft and machinery connected therewith and the
projections J, Fig. 4 on the rams working the rocking levers connected with

page_text: the valves change the port ways as in ordinary engines. The principal
peculiarity of action herein consisting in one ram rocking or reversing that
valve whose ports communicate with the opposite ram, such opposite ram
being at this time unable from its position to accomplish this object, but when
it has by these means been brought into full action again it then reverses the
valve communicating with the other ram, which is now also from its position
unable to effect this reversion and so the motion is continued.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature and particulars of
this our said Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Turbines
and other Hydraulic Engines or Apparatus for Obtaining Motive Power,
and for Measuring the Flow of Fluids," we would remark in conclusion that
we claim,-
Firstly, the arrangement of turbine as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, for the
purpose of measuring water and obtaining motive power.
Secondly, the combined arrangement of turbine and regulating disc as
shewn in Figure 3 for obtaining motive power.
And, thirdly, the arrangement of hydraulic engine and valvular apparatus,
as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Ramsbottom and Thomas Massey
Pearce, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Thirty-first day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-seven.
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Blackburn.
JOHN RAMSBOTTOM. (L.S.)
T. M. PEARCE.
(L.S.)