AN ENGINE OR MACHINE TO BE WROUGHT BY STEAM OR OTHER POWER
Year: 1812

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ONIONS, of Paulton, in the County of Somerset, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty George the Third, by His Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-third day of January
now last past, did give and grant unto me, the said William Onions, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, His special licence, full power, sole
privilege, and authority, that I, the said William Onions, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in His Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "AN ENGINE OR MACHINE TO BE WROUGHT
BY STEAM OR OTHER POWER;" in which Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said William Onions, under my hand and seal to
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
(relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Onions, do hereby declare that my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, is fully described in manner following, and

page_text: by the Drawings hereunto annexed, with the explanations thereof (that is to
say):-
―
The parts of the engine are so made, arranged, and combined as to admit
into a part or parts of it some ponderous fluid or metal, as quicksilver or
mixture of metals, or any other substance or substances which may be
applicable to the purpose, and which will or can in the engine be kept in a
fluid state by any means whatever. The aforesaid substance or substances are
so introduced, disposed, and applied within the moving parts of the engine as
by their gravity to form a proper resistance to the steam or whatever may be
used instead thereof as an active power or force.
ployed acts on the aforementioned substance or
state, and at the same on a certain part or parts of the engine, and thereby
gives motion to the engine, so that the part or parts of the engine which the
power or force acts against shall recede from that part of the fluid on which
the power or force acts.
The power or force em-
substances when in a fluid
Sheet 1, Figure 1, is a side view of the engine. Figure 2, Sheet 2, is a transverse
section of the same, supposing it to be cut in a direct line through the Y shafts
seen at 2, 2, in the side view. (N.B. In the side view of the transverse section
the same parts which are seen in each are marked and numbered with the same
letters and figures.) This engine consists first of a cast iron or other metallic
hollow horizontal shaft, the hollow part of which is seen at 22, 22, in the
transverse section. C, C, C, C, is the outside of the shaft.
e, e, e, e, are four
ribs on the same. f,f, in the side view shews the end of the ribs. c, c, c, c, are
the bearings of the shaft. d, d, is a projecting rib on the middle of each
bearing to prevent the shaft from working endways. A and 13 in the shaft
are passages through the bearings of the shaft to communicate with the pipes
connected with each end of it. The inside of this shaft is divided into two
parts by a vertical partition seen in the transverse section at 23, 23, with a
space in the middle for admitting the rod which connects the two Y shafts to
pass through, and which rod is seen at 5, 5, 5. The shaft is supported at each
end by means of cast iron carriages, seen at 21, 21, with friction wheels 20, 20,
or may be supported by any other method. The one end of this shaft is con-
nected with a boiler, or may be connected with any other vessel in which the
power or force to be employed is contained by means of a pipe or pipes A,
which are made steam and air tight at the shaft by means of a stuffing box
and packing, as seen at B, or may be done by means of faces on the shaft and
pipe, ground tight, or by other means. a, a, dotted lines, shews the thickness
of metal in the pipe. A cock is so fixed at 41, between the shaft and boiler
or vessel in which the power or force is contained, as to regulate the power or

page_text: force employed, and also to stop the engine if required, by shutting off the
power or force, or a valve, or more than one cock or valve, may be employed.
The other end of the shaft on the other side of the vertical partition, which is
for conveying off the power or force which has been employed, is connected in
this Drawing to a vessel 15 (which may be fixed in any situation, and which
may or may not be used at pleasure), by means of the pipe 14, which is kept
tight at the shaft by a stuffing box and packing as at the other end, or may be
done by other means. 25 is a pillar of masonry, on which the vessel 15 is
fixed. Water is intended to be conveyed into this vessel 15 by means of the
pipe 18, and caused to flow over the partition 16, dotted lines, and fall down
into the vessel on the other side of the partition. The pump which supplies
the boiler with water may be connected with this vessel, and the boiler supplied
with hot water. This pump may be connected at pleasure to the engine; the
water which is not taken off by this pump will go off at the waste pipes 19.
When a condenser is made use of this part of the shaft may be connected
with it by a pipe or pipes, and the condenser placed in any convenient
situation, and an air pump may be wrought from the engine shaft or
otherwise at pleasure. 17 is a pipe which is open to the atmosphere, and
communicates with the vessel 15. This pipe will convey off the power or
force which has been employed in the engine when intended to be let off into
the atmosphere. 12, 12, are two hollow metal rings which go between the
packing in each of the stuffing boxes in the shaft; these rings are to be
filled with oil or grease through a hole in each stuffing box, into which a pin
must be fitted tight to prevent the oil or grease running out when the engine
is at work. The oil or grease in these rings will supply the packing, and oil or
grease those parts of the pipe which fit into the stuffing boxes. b, b, are the screw
bolts for screwing down the packing in the stuffing boxes. 26 and 28 are two
walls for the pieces of timber 27 and 29 to rest upon, on which the carriages
for supporting the shaft are fixed. 39, 39, 39, is a space between the two walls
for the rim of the engine to work in. On the horizontal shaft is a centre piece
with pipes F, E, and H, G, which open into separate parts of the shaft, the
openings of which are seen in the transverse section at F, H, on each side of the
vertical partition; these pipes join the pipes L, N, and M, O, and form a con-
nection with the hollow circular rim and the separate parts of the shaft by
means of the openings seen at dotted lines n and o in the rim. F, E, L, N, are
the pipes which convey the steam or other power to be employed from the shaft
to the circular hollow rim, and the pipes O, M, G, H, are for conveying the
power or force which has been employed in the rim from it to the other end of
the horizontal shaft, and which is afterwards conveyed off by the pipe 14

page_text: through the opening in the shaft 13 into the vessel 15, and off through the pipe
17 or otherwise. The centre piece is fixed on the shaft and made fast and tight
by cement, or other means, a space for which is seen at h, h. D, D, is the socket
part which fits on the shaft. g, g,g, g, are grooves through the socket part
which admit the centre piece to go over the ribs on the shaft. I, I, I, I, and
J, J, J, J, J, J, are flat parts of the centre piece. K, K, K, K, are parts of
the same, which form a groove seen at 24, 24, in transverse section, for the rod
5, 5, 5, to work in. i, i, i, i, are ribs for strengthening the projecting parts of
the centre piece and the flanches. The circular hollow rim is for the most part
of the circle made double or cased, so that a heated body or bodies may be
applied round the inner rim, but other kind or formed rim may be used at
pleasure. In the circular hollow rim, in the parts which I call nozzles, are placed
two circular valves, which I call regulating valves, and which are placed on opposite
sides of the rim, and which are shewn at dotted lines P, P, and are for the
purpose of closing and opening the main apertures in the circular hollow rim
seen at dotted lines m, m, and also for opening and closing the apertures which
communicate with the shaft so as to admit the power or force employed into
and out of the rim; the apertures for admitting into the rim are seen at n, n,
and those for letting out at o, o. S, S, are bonnets, which may or may not be
used, for enclosing each end of the valves, and which are kept tight by means
of the screw bolts r, r, r. Q, Q, Q, Q, are boxes cast on the nozzles and
joining to the valve seats, and into each a rack is fitted, which works into a
wheel fastened on the end of each valve. p, p, are bonnets on the outer ends
of these rack boxes, which are made tight by the screw bolts q, 9.9.9. The rods
9, 9, are fastened to the racks which are inside these boxes, and the rods work
through the stuffing boxes R, R, screwed on the ends of the rack boxes by the
bolts q, q. To these rods are connected two others, 8, 8, by adjusting joints. The
rods 8, 8, are connected at the other ends to the levers 7, 7, which are fixed on
the shafts 2, 2. These Y shafts are connected together by the levers 6, 6,
which are fastened on them, and the rod 5, 5, 5, which is connected to the levers.
Motion is given to these Y shafts, and consequently to the valves, by the
handles 3, 3, which are fastened on the Y shafts. In the transverse section
30, 30, is a grooved frame of cast iron or other materials, forming part of a
circle, the radius of which is from the centre of the shaft. This frame is fastened
to the wall 28 by screw bolts through the flanch parts 40, 40, 40.
36 is a
pin which each handle strikes against every revolution of the engine, and by it
thrown back so as to pass it; at the same time, by means of the rod 5, 5, 5,
the other handle is thrown into the position this handle had, and made ready
to strike the pin, and thus it will be seen that at every half revolution of the

page_text: engine the apertures in the valves will be alternately shut and opened. This
pin which the handles strike against is fixed into the sliding piece 31, to which
the rack 32, 32, is connected, and in which the pinion 33 works; this sliding
piece and pin is moved backwards and forwards, as may be required to adjust
it, by turning the handle 35 and spindle 34, or may be moved by other means.
38 is a plate fastened against the wall 28, for the spindle 34 to work in, and
which may form an index plate which will shew what distance the sliding part
and pin is moved by turning the handle. 37 is a hole through the wall to
admit the spindle. The regulating valves P, P, in the circular hollow rim as
before mentioned, instead of being wrought by the racks inclosed in the nozzle
parts, may be wrought by simple levers placed on the end of spindles projecting
from the valves and passing through the bonnets which inclose them, and
which spindles may be made tight by means of stuffing boxes on the bonnets,
or they may be wrought by other means, as may also the working geer, which
may be varied in form and regulated as required; other valves or cocks, or
valves and cocks, may be made use of and caused to open and shut as required.
T, T, are bonnets for closing the ends of the passages, which are made round
the circular hollow rim, for communicating with the apertures o, o, in the
valves P, P, and the pipes O, M, G, H; these bonnets are made tight by the
screw bolts S, S, S. The dotted lines V, V, &c., seen in the side view round the
whole of the rim, shew the internal cavity or hollow thereof; the outer case of
the rim is shewn at t, t, &c.; W, W, &c., are pipe arms. which join to branch
pipes X, X, which support the rim of the engine, and at the same time supply
the space between the inner and outer rim or case with steam or other
heated body, or this space may be supplied by other means at the dis-
cretion of the engineer. These arms W, W, &c., are supplied with such
heated body from the shaft by means of the pipe Z, Z, and Y, Y. The pipes
Y, Y, are fastened to the branch pipes which project from the pipe arms at
w, w, w, w, by means of screw bolts u, u, u, &c. The pipes Y, Y,
also carry one end of each Y shaft, which are fitted into the brasses 4, 4.
On the other side of the pipe arms, opposite the branch pipes w, w, w, w, are
projecting parts with a flanch on each, to which two plates similar to the pipes
Y, Y, are fixed; and in the same way, for supporting the other end of the Y
shafts, the pipes Z, Z, are made tight in the center piece and shaft with cc-
ment or other means in the sockets v, v, v, v. These pipes are made so as to
project into the inner part of the shaft, as seen in the transverse section, for
the purpose of preventing any improper substance going into them out of the
shaft. On the side of each pipe, near the end, is an opening forming a com-
munication with the shaft; Z, Z, &c., in the side view, are cocks which may be

page_text: opened at pleasure to form a circulation of steam or other heated body or
bodies betwixt the inner rim and outer case, and also to let off the water
arising from the condensed steam, but one cock will effect the purpose if a
communication be made round the whole rim. u, &c. are the flanches for
joining the parts of the engine together, the joints of which may be made in
the common way, and the flanches fastened together by screw bolts. k, k, &c.
are ribs and brackets for strengthening the pipes and flanches. x, x, on pipes
M and L are projecting flanches which may be screwed together for strength-
ening the pipes. y, y, is a space between these flanches which is supposed to
be filled up. Into the cavity or hollow of the inner rim of the engine is put a
substance or substances, as before mentioned, in sufficient quantity that when
in a fluid state shall, by gravity, form a proper resistance to the power or force
applied, so that the surface of this substance or substances on which the power
or force acts, shall never be impelled so low as the lowest part of the line
described by the upper side of the cavity or hollow of the inner circular rim;
the upper and lower terminating surfaces of the fluid substance or substances
are seen in the side view at the dotted lines U, U; this is supposing the power
or force to be acting on the lower surface and against the valve in which the
main aperture at m, m, is shut, and the apertures n and o open. The aperture
n admits the power or force which is acting equally on that side of the valve
and the lower surface of the fluid substance or substances while the upper
surface thereof is exposed only to the pressure of the atmosphere, the aperture
o being open. Now, it must be evident that the power or force which is acting
between this valve and the lower surface of the fluid substance will cause the
engine to revolve till the valve comes in contact with the upper surface of the
fluid substance, and would still continue to do so till it had formed an equili-
brium by pressing down the upper surface, provided the fluid substance could
not escape through the aperture o, but supposing this valve to have moved from
that place where the valve now is, whose main aperture is open, and apertures n
and o shut, it will be seen that this last mentioned valve must have passed over
the whole of the fluid substance from U to U, and one of the handles which move
the working geer and valves must have struck, or be about striking, the pin 36,
as seen in the transverse section, and by this means close its main aperture and
admit the power or force at its aperture n, as before, at the other valve, and let
off the power or force which has been employed, and which remained on the
other side of the valve by the aperture o. The aperture 2 and o are also closed
in the other valve, and its main aperture opened, and thus the engine must keep
revolving till the last mentioned valve has passed over the fluid substance substance
as before described, and now the other handle will be about striking the pin, and

page_text: reverse the openings in each valve as before, and so on alternately, and by such
means a rotary or continued circular motion will be kept up. If any of the
fluid substance or substances made use of should make their escape by leakage
by valves into the shaft, as the hollow of the shaft is made larger at the middle
than at the ends, 'tis evident they will again return to the rim while the engine
is at work. It is to be observed that the diameter of the rim of this engine will
depend on the specific gravity of the substance or substances made use of, and
the power or force employed. One mixture of metals I mean to use is bismuth
five parts, tin two parts, and lead three parts, but do not mean to confine myself
to these proportions or to these metals, but consider myself at liberty to use
any bodies which are or can by any means be kept fluid.
Figure 3, Sheet No. 1, is a section of two segments, which form parts of the cir-
cular hollow rim and case of the engine. V, V, is the hollow or cavity of the inner
rim; a, a, a, a, is the thickness of the metal; b, b, b, b, is the space between the inner
rim and outer case; t, t, t, t, is the thickness of the metal in the case; x, x, are
the pipe branches which join to the pipe arms. Z, Z, are cocks opening to the
space between the inner rim and outer case, the openings of which are seen at
c, c; 1, 1, &c., are the flanches; k, k, &c., are brackets for strengthening the
flanches. Figure 4 is a view of part of the rim and case, supposing it to be
cut through near one of the flanches, and looking direct against that part in
which it is cut, and against the back of the flanch; 11, 11, &c., are holes for
the screw bolts which join the flanches together; the other parts are marked
the same as those in Figure 8. Figure 5 is a section of the pipe arms:
W, W, is the inside of the pipe; d, d, d, d, is the thickness of the metal; wis
the inside of the branch pipe, which forms a communication from the pipe
arm to the pipe y, seen in the side view; A is a part in the pipe arm made a
little taper, into which a picce may be fitted as far up as the branch w. Picces for
fitting into this space may be cast on the center piece which join the pipe arm.
1, 1, &c., are flanches; k, k, &c., are brackets and ribs for strengthening the
pipe arms and flanches. Figure 6 is a side view, or rather section, of one of
the parts of the circular hollow rim which I call the nozzles, which is cut
through the rack box and through the part inclosing the end of the valve, so
as to shew the rack and the wheel on the end of the valve on which the rack
works. Q, Q, is the rack box; 3, 3, is the rack; 2 is the wheel on which
the rack works, and which is fastened to the end of the valve by the screw
bolts 4, 4; 9 is the rod which is fastened in the rack, and which works
through the stuffing box R. The joint which is seen at the end of
the rod is to be connected to the rod which connects to the Y shaft
p is a bonnet to close up the outer end of the rack box; a, a, &c. is the

page_text: thickness of metal in the rack box, and round the valve seat; 5, 5, are
screw bolts for screwing down the packing in the stuffing box; N is the
branch pipe which admits the power or force to be employed in the rim;
O is the branch pipe which conveys the power or force off from the rim; C is
a part of the circular hollow rim, round the outside of which is a passage J, J,
forming a communication with the branch pipe O; B is a part on which a
bonnet is fastened, one on each side, to close up the ends of this opening,
which forms the passage; 1, 1, &c. are flanches; k, k, &c. are bracket pieces to
strengthen the flanches. Figure 9 is a view of the other side of the nozzle,
with bonnets and stuffing box off and the rack and valve out; D is the valve
seat is a larger part at the end of the valve seat for a plate to work in,
which is fastened on the end of the valve, in the same way as the wheel in
Figure 6; h is an opening which communicates with the pipe N; E is the
part which a bonnet fits on each side of the rim for closing the ends of the
valve seat; all the other parts may be seen marked with the same letters as
in Figure 6. Figure 7 is a section of the nozzle supposed to be cut in the
middle of the rim. P is the valve, the main aperture of which is shut, as
seen at m, m, and the two apertures nand o open; V, V is the hollow or
cavity of the circular rim; the branch pipe N communicates with the inside of
the rim by means of the passage g in the valve seat and aperture n in the
valve the pipe O communicates with the inside of the rim by means of the
passage J, J, round the outside of the rim, and the passage i, on the back
of the rim, and the aperture in the valve; the line e in the middle of
the valve shews that the valve is in two parts; a, a, &c. shews the thickness
of the metal; all the other parts will be seen by the same letters as Figure 6
and Figure 9. Figure 8 is a section the same as Figure 7, only with the
main aperture in the valve open and the other aperture shut.
The parts
of this section are lettered the same as Figure 7. Figure 10 is a section of
the valve seat, supposed to be cut through at the line G, G, Figure 7,
and looking towards the end flanch on the nozzle nearest to the valve
seat; the same parts of this are lettered the same as in the other views and
sections. Figure 11 is a section of the opening or passage round the rim,
supposed to cut through at the line F, F, Figure 7, and looking towards the
valve seat; the same parts of this are marked the same as in the other views and
sections. Figure 12 is a side view of one of the regulating valves P, looking
directly against the main aperture, which is seen at m; the other two openings
are seen at n and o. 6, 6, are two openings or spaces in the valve to admit of
packing, and which packing is pressed in by screwing on the wheel 2 and
Plate 10, by the piece 2 on the wheel, and piece 10 on the plate, which fit

page_text: into the spaces 6, 6, on the packing. 4, 4, are the screw bolts for fastening
the Plate 10, and two similar ones screw on the wheel at the other
end of the valve; the valve is in two separate parts, dividing at the
lines seen between the main apertures and the spaces for the packing
in each of these parts between the main aperture, and the spaces for the
packing is a groove through each separate part of the valve, into which pieces
of iron, steel, or other proper metal, 7, 7, are fitted to keep each part of the
valve in its proper place. It will be seen, when packing is put in each end of
the valve and screwed down, it will have a tendency to separate the parts of
the valve and keep them tight in their seat. Figure 13 is a section of this
valve. 4, 4, 4, 4, are screw bolts for screwing on the wheel and plate; the
screw bolts screw into pieces seen at 8, 8, 8, 8, which are fitted into mortices
in the valve, the other parts are marked by the same letters and numbers as in
the side view. Figure 14, Sheet No. 2, is a side view of the frame, sliding part,
&c., seen at 30, 30, &c., in the transverse section. 40, 40, &c., are the flanch
parts for fastening the same. 30 is the part on which the sliding part moves;
31 is the sliding part into which the pin 36 is fixed, and which is moved by
the rack 32, and pinion on the spindle 34. A catch is seen at dotted lines
a, which prevents the rack moving when required to be stationary; this catch
may be lifted up at pleasure by turning the spindle 11, on which it is fixed, which
spindle may go through the wall, and have a lever on the outer end to turn it by.
Figure 15 is a side view of one of the carriages on which the shaft works, as
seen in the transverse section. 21, 21, are the standard parts of the carriage,
the other parts of it form a box seen at the dotted lines e, e, e; into this box
may be put any fluid substance for the edges of the friction wheels to work in.
20, 20, are these wheels; c, c, is the bearing of the shaft; d, d, is a projecting
rib on the bearings of the shaft, which work in a groove in or between the
friction wheels. A is the opening into the shaft through the bearing; when
required a gland with or without friction wheels may be put over the bearings
of the shaft to prevent its rising or working sideways.
More forms or shapes of the mechanical construction of my Invention might
be given, but as these already described are simple and easily understood, and
may be executed and varied in form at pleasure by an engineer or mechanic,
therefore I do not wish to give multiplied.descriptions. I have omitted to
describe the air-pump and condenser, with the other pumps which may be
necessary, and which are in common use in other engines, with the various
modes of working them, leaving them to be constructed, arranged, and con-
nected to the engine at the pleasure of the engineer. I have also deemed it
unnecessary to give auy description of the boiler or vessel in which the power or

page_text: force may be contained which gives motion to the engine, as any boiler or
proper vessel may be made use of, but the mode of connecting the engine to such
boiler or vessel is described. Suffice it to say that this engine may be wrought by
steam or other similar elastic power which may be hereafter thought proper.
In some cases it may be an advantage to connect two engines together, and
more than one rim may be made use on the same shaft, and the apertures,
connections, and communications to and from each may be made at pleasure.
Also the steam power or force which has been employed instead of being
conveyed off through the shaft may be let out of the rim of the engine at its
periphery in a reverse direction to the motion of the engine so as to give
some additional power to the engine. Also the whole of the engine, except
such parts of the shaft as may be necessary for connecting to machinery, may
be inclosed in a metallic or other case, and at the discretion of the engineer a
succession of heat or heated bodies may be caused to pass into it. When
motion is required to be given to machinery a wheel or wheels may be fixed
on the engine shaft by which another shaft or shafts may be driven, and any
kind of motion required may be given from the engine shaft by means of
proper connexions well known to engineers and millwrights.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Onions, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twelve
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of March, One thousand eight hundred and
twelve.