IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Higginson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Higginson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1870.
<
ANDREW HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object to provide simple, durable, and efficient engines
to be operated by steam, air, or other fluid under pressure.
In carrying my Invention into practice I proceed as follows:-I employ one,
two, or more, preferably three, rectangular chambers provided each with a piston
attached direct to a crank. Steam or other fluid acts on one side only of the
pistons which are free to reciprocate and oscillate in the chambers so as to give
motion to the crank and crank shaft. Steam or fluid is admitted to cut off
from and allowed to exhaust from the chambers by means of ports or passages
cut in the pistons and chambers, such ports or passages being opened and closed at
the proper times by means of the reciprocating and oscillating motion of the
pistons.
For reversing two ports or passages are provided in each chamber, one for the
inlet and the other for the exhaust. A valve is used to direct the steam or fluid to
one or other of the said ports or passages, according as it is desired that the engine
should move in one direction or the other.
Instead of admitting steam or fluid to operate the said pistons by means of ports
or passages in the pistons and chambers, the said steam or fluid may be admitted
past valves operated by a cam on the crank shaft, or otherwise operated.
I prefer that the said chambers should be arranged radially around the crank
shaft when more than one is used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Andrew Higginson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th January
1877.
ANDREW HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object to provide simple, durable, and efficient engines
to be operated by steam, air, or other fluid under pressure.
In carrying my Invention into practice I procced as follows:-I employ one,
two, or more, preferably three, rectangular chambers provided each with a piston
attached direct to a crank. Steam or other fluid acts on one side only of the
pistons, which are free to reciprocate and oscillate in the chambers so as to give
motion to the crank and crank shaft. Steam or fluid is admitted to cut off
from and allowed to exhaust from the chambers by means of ports or passages cut
in the pistons and chambers, such ports or passages being opened and closed at
the proper times by means of the reciprocating and oscillating motion of the
pistons.
For reversing two ports or passages are provided in each chamber, one for the
inlet and the other for the exhaust. A valve is used to direct the steam or fluid to
one or other of the said ports or passages, according as it is desired that the engine
should move in one direction or the other.
Instead of admitting steam or fluid to operate the said pistons by means of ports
or passages in the pistons and chambers, the said steam or fluid may be admitted
past valves operated by a cam on the crank shaft, or otherwise operated.
I prefer that the said chambers should be arranged radially around the crank
shaft when more than one is used.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front section and Fig. 2 a side section of a reversing engine to be
worked by steam or clastic fluid constructed under my Invention.
Fig. 3 is a view of the reversing valve.
Fig. 4 is a side view and Fig. 5 a front view of one of the pistons.
1, crank shaft; 2, disc; 3, crank pin; 4, balance weight; 5, rocking recipro-
cating pistons; 6, packing rings; 7, segments on pistons fitting against the crank
pin 3, and held in position by the ring 8; 9, 9ª, ports in the framework 10 which
Icad from the valve 11 to the sides of the square chambers 12; 13, ports in pistons
opening to the ports 9, 9a, and to the end of the chambers; 14, steam pipe; 15,
exhaust.
In the position shown; steam enters at the back of the valve 11, and passes by
the ports 9 to the face of the pistons 5, it then passes according to the position of
the pistons through one or other of the ports 13, and into one or other of the
chambers 12, so as to act in turn on the back of each of the said pistons and cause
them to move in the direction of the arrows; during the return stroke the ports 13
by means of the oscillating motion of the pistons are brought in turn over the
ports 9a, and steam exhausts from the back of such pistons through the ways 16 in
the valve 11, to the centre 17 of the chambers, and thence to the exhaust pipe 15.
Instead of first exhausting into 17 the steam might be led direct to 15. By moving
the valve 11 so as to uncover the ports 9a and open the ports 9 to the exhaust,
the motion of the engine is reversed.
When it is desired to use the steam more expansively than can be done under
the above arrangement, the ports 9, 9ª, are divided longitudinally into two or more
channels, so that only one or more of such channels may be open to the admission
of steam, thus hastening the cut off. The whole of the channels of the exhaust are
left open to allow of the engine exhausting during the whole of the stroke.
Fig. 6 is a front section, and Fig. 7 a side section of a non-reversing engine
constructed under my Invention. Like letters denote the same parts as in
÷

page_text: Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Here the reversing valve 11 is dispensed with, and the
steam or elastic fluid exhausts from the ports 13 into the recesses 18, and thence
out through the pipe 15. The expansion of the steam is regulated by the size of
the ports 9. The arrows show the direction of motion of the engine and steam or
elastic fluid.
Fig. 8 is a front section, and Fig. 9 a side section of a modification of engine
constructed under my Invention in which only one chamber is used.
19 piston; 20 crank shaft; 21 cam on crank shaft operating the valve 22, so as
to adinit steam undernath the piston through the port 23. The quantity of steam
admitted is regulated by the cam 21, the position of which is controlled by the
governor 27, 28, way which allows of the exhausting of the steam or elastic fluid
into the space 29 during the down stroke of the piston; 30 exhaust pipe. The
arrows show the direction of motion.
It will be obvious that the engines above described may be arranged to operate
with water, and that the number of cylinders may be varied without departing
from my Invention.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim-
First. Constructing motive-power engines substantially as set forth.
Second. Constructing motive-power engines having a piston or pistons recipro-
cating and oscillating substantially as set forth.
Third. The arrangement of the ports and passages for the admission and emission
of the motor fluid substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The construction and arrangement in combination with engines con-
structed as above described of the reversing valve 11 substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Higginson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES JOHNSON.
Witness,
ANDREW HIGGINSON. (L.S.)