IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th January
1866. A communication from abroad by Alexandre Bobrownicki,
Engineer, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING
AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce motion in a direct manner
by means of the force developed in the interior of an apparatus by any
suitable steam or gas in a heated state. This constitutes an improved
motor serving to communicate continuous motion in a given direction by
means of the force of steam or any suitable gas. As compared with other
steam engines this Invention presents the following distinctive features →
1st, the motive power exerts a continuous pressure, acting not only on the
exterior but also on the interior of the moving parts, while in ordinary
engines the pressure acts alternately on each side of the piston and is
always on the exterior of the object to be moved. 2ndly, the fulcrum
or resistance to the motive power is contained in the apparatus itself,
especially in its moving piston, which is charged with a sufficient pressure
of atmospheric air, for example, or other medium in which the apparatus
works. The exterior pressure may be increased by the introduction of

page_text: the water resulting from the condensation of the steam after it has
expended its motive force. The first system, which has reference to
charging the piston at the atmospheric pressure only, may be applied when
employing gases, and the second when steam is used. Both systems
however represent but one principle, differing from that adopted in the
construction of ordinary engines. 3rdly, in this improved motor the
working and locomotion of the machine is operated continuously by the
direct pressure of the heated gas. This motion is produced when said
pressure exceeds that of the external resistance. In producing the desired
continuous motion in this apparatus I dispense with a crank, wheels, or
other means of transmitting motion, the steam alone serving the purpose
desired, as herein-after described. 4thly, this improved apparatus com-
bines in a very simple manner all the indispensable mechanical conditions
for obtaining motion, and at same time produces a working result
(relatively to the power of the motor) superior to that of ordinary steam
engines. This apparatus serves for imparting a continuous rectilinear
motion in a vertical inclined or horizontal direction, as also a continuous
rotary motion. 5thly, an important feature in the improvements consists
in the elimination of most of the accessory parts of ordinary engines in
propelling, such as paddles, screws, friction wheels, and others; hence this
improved motor is rendered less costly, very simple, and capable of almost
universal application. In the accompanying Drawings the same letters
of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
Fig. shows an end view of the apparatus K, K; Fig. 2, a vertical
section on line Z, Z; Fig. 3, a transverse section on line M, M. These
three Figures represent the first arrangement of the apparatus with the
internal disposition of the parts. The ambient air or medium in which
the motor acts exerts a certain amount of pressure on the piston F, F,
ff, which works in cylinder K, K, k, k, and becomes by this means a
point of resistance on which the motive power may act
A, inlet passage
for the steam, which is admitted at sufficient pressure from the boiler into
the apparatus; B, space between the cylinder and its casing by, b, for
'containing the steam, which should during its action be kept at a constantly
uniform temperature. On the contrary the steam may pass direct by
means of passage A to cylinder K, K. C, opening in the side of the
cylinder for the admission of the steam; d, d, space between the lateral
surface of the piston and the interior of the cylinder, for the admission of
steam therein during its motion and when working at full pressure; e, e,
packing ring of piston for closing aperture C, and cutting off the admission

page_text: of steam when working expansively. The length of the ring in the
direction of the axis of the pişton depends on the degree of expansion,
which in this case could not exceed one-half of the entire stroke of the
piston. If under certain conditions it would be of advantage to employ a
greater degree of expansion the aperture C should be closed externally,
as in ordinary steam engines, but which would rarely be required, con-
sidering that too great expansion is ordinarily of but little advantage.
ff passages made in the piston serving to connect space d, d, with f,,
Ic, k, in which the steam acts; g,g, passages in the piston for permitting
of the escape of steam from space f, f, k, k, and so disposed that the
escape may take place at a suitably determined rate; the branch passages
of
which are arranged either perpendicular or obliquely to the axis
of the piston, may terminate on the lateral face F, F, f,f, by round openings,
or preferably may abut in a single annular channel in the lateral surface of
the piston, in order to afford free passage for the steam, notwithstanding
the possible deviation between the piston and its cylinder K, K, k, k.
H, H, longitudinal openings, three in number, in the exterior surface of
the cylinder, for the passage of the steam after its action in space J; J.
The length of these openings in the direction of the axis of the cylinder
depends on the degree of expansion of the steam. J, J, space around the
cylinder for receiving the exhaust steam, and where it is kept at a suitable
pressure as uniform as possible. N, opening made in the outer casing
of the apparatus at any suitable point, at which the steam passes out; either
into the atmosphere or to a condenser, or it may pass with the feed
water into the boiler if desired, and according as it is wished to. utilize
the whole of the remaining force of the steam after its action in the
cylinder. It should be remarked that the uniformity of the pressure in
space J, J, depends on its dimensions, which should correspond to the
specific volume of steam escaping. This object may be very readily
obtained by the application of a valve suitably weighted and arranged in
such manner that the surplus steam may escape into the space, or in some
cases even the external air may be admitted to increase the pressure in
space J, J. F, F, outer end of the piston, of increased diameter to the
inner end ff, in order to balance the pressure of the working steam in
space ff, k, k.
The part F, F, should be carefully adjusted in the
interior of cylinder K, K, in order to obtain a perfect vacuum in space V,
which is formed as in an air pump by the reciprocating motion of surface
ff, to and from surface k, ki. M, m, sheet-iron casing of suitable
strength united to cylinder K, K, k, k, so as to form a general casing for

page_text: n, n,
the apparatus, and render it as much as possible impervious to heat.
ordinary packing or it may be grease boxes. The steam or any suitable
heated gas after entering the compartment k, k, f, f, expands, and then.
escapes by the pressure of the moving piston f,f, F, F, which should be
sufficiently charged to produce resistance to the caloric force. By this
improved arrangement it will be seen that there are two active forces
existing in the compartment k, k, f,f, one resulting from the atmospheric
pressure, the other from the caloric force. The atmospheric pressure
serves to counterbalance that formed by the vacuum in space v, which is
opposed to the movement of the part K, K, k, k. In the other case the
caloric force becomes free to overcome the external resistance to the
useful effect. The charging of the piston f;f, F, F, may be effected in
different manners according to the requirements of each case. In the
present description I have stated as a special example that the piston may
be charged by the pressure of the medium in which it acts, but in applying
this improved motor to different purposes, I would exercise the right of
charging the piston f, f, F, F, in any desired manner, the same principle
being retained, viz., that of obtaining motion directly by means of power
developed in the apparatus by any suitable heated gas.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show a modified arrangement of the apparatus, Fig. 4
being a face view of the apparatus K, K, Fig. 5 a vertical section on line
'Z, Z, and Fig. 6 a transverse section on line M, M. In this arrangement
the principle of action is the same as the foregoing, having for its object to
utilize the remaining force of the steam and the inertia of the condensed
water which escapes at the rear by the passages N, N, in order to increase
the resistance of the external medium, which is exerted as in the preceding
arrangement on the motive piston F, F, ff. The parts marked by the
letters A, B, C, d, e, f, F, K, k, M, m, n, and V are the same as those
before described, and need no further explanation; G is a piston working
steam-tight in cylinder i, h, i, on which the steam in space f,f, K, K,
acts; h, valve closing outwards and serving to retain a certain portion of
atmospheric air in the small cylinder i, h, i, above the piston G, and
by this means maintain the exhaust steam at a necessary and uniform
pressure.