AN IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FOR USE AS AN AIR, WATER, OR OTHER FLUID MOTOR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fenner Ballou Taylor, of Newton Terrace,
Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
Sealed the 9th July 1875, and dated the 10th March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fenner Ballow
Taylor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th March 1875.
I, FENNER BALLOU TAYLOR, of Newton Terrace, Westbourne Grove,
Bayswater, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE, ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR USE AS AN AIR, WATER, OR OTHER FLUID MOTOR," to be as
follows:-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar and novel construction and
arrangement whereby I am enabled to provide a steam or other fluid
motor engine, which will be very compact, simple to manufacture, and
very efficient, convenient, and economical in use.

page_text: Tho peculiar feature of my said Invention is the rotation of ordinary
cylinders and pistons and parts connected therewith around a stationary
crank, to which the said pistons are connected. I may use two or more
of the said cylinders.
I prefer that my improved engine should have two cylinders arranged
opposite each other around a shaft or axis, and carried by a rotating
case, drum, or wheel, which is supported by suitable brackets or standards
fixed on a strong bed or foundation plate. The said cylinders are pre-
ferably cast in one piece with the said case or drum. The said shaft
or axis has a crank or arm, and the said shaft and crank are fixed or
stationary, and the pistons of the said cylinders are connected by suitable
rods to a block which is fitted to turn upon the wrist pin of the said
crank. The said block is formed with recesses for the reception of cross
heads in the said rods. The pistons are preferably of the trunk form, so
that they will be properly guided without any external guides, and the
said pistons are packed in the ordinary manner. The said rods are con-
nected to the pistons by a joint piece formed with jaws, through which a
pin is passed, and also formed with a shank which screws into the bottom
of the piston.
The said cylinders are arranged radially around the said shaft, and
on opposite sides of the same, and in line with cach other. The steam
or other fluid is admitted to the outer end only of each chamber,
the said outer ends being provided with a close and tight cover secured
by screw bolts or otherwise. The said fixed shaft is secured in one
of the aforesaid brackets or standards, and the case or drum is con-
structed with a suitable boss, which is fitted to turn freely on the said
shaft. At the opposite side the said case or drum is provided with a
shaft which rotates with the said drum, and is therefore fitted to turn
freely in the other standard or bracket. The latter is provided with an
adjustable piece or block, through which the steam is admitted to the
ports or passages of the cylinders. The said block has its inner face
fitted accurately and closely to the side of the drum or port face, and as
the ports or passages in this face pass over and away from the apertures
in the said adjustable piece or block the steam is alternately admitted to
and discharged from the said cylinders. The said adjustable piece may
be turned partially around on the shaft to reverse the engine, and for
this purpose it is provided with a suitable lever or other convenient
means (or adjustment. The said adjustable piece or block is accurately

page_text: fitted and made steam-tight in its bearing or case, and to this latter the
steam and exhaust pipes are attached.
The said crank may be arranged in any desired position upon its shaft,
but I prefer that it should extend downward from the said shaft, as when
so arranged it will be found very convenient for lubrication, the oil or
other lubricant being conducted from a cup or vessel down a tube or
channel to the crank.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Fenner Ballou Taylor in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FENNER
BALLOU TAYLOR, of Newton Terrace, Westbourne Grove, Bayswater,
Civil and Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Fenner Ballou Taylor, Her special licence
that I, the said Fenner Ballou Taylor, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Fenner Ballou Taylor, my
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 "AN
IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR USE AS AN AIR, WATER, OR OTHER
FLUID MOTOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Fenner
Ballou Taylor, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Fenner Ballou Taylor, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar and novel construction and
arrangement whereby I am enabled to provide a steam or other fluid
motor engine, which will be compact, simple to manufacture, and very
efficient, convenient, and economical in use.
The peculiar feature of my said Invention is the rotation of ordinary
cylinders and pistons and parts connected therewith around a stationary
crank, to which the said pistons are connected. I may use two or more
of the said cylinders.
I prefer in some instances that my improved engine should have two
cylinders arranged opposite each other around a shaft or axis, and
carried by a rotating case, drum, or wheel, which is supported by
suitable brackets or standards fixed on a strong bed or foundation plate.
The said cylinders are preferably cast in one piece with the said case or
drum. The said axis or shaft has a crank or arm, and the said shaft and
crank are fixed or stationary, and the pistons of the said cylinders are
connected by suitable rods to a block, which is fitted to run upon the
wrist pin of the said crank. The said block is formed with recesses for
the reception of cross heads in the said rods. The pistons are preferably
of the trunk form, so that they will be properly guided without any
external guides, and the said pistons are packed in the ordinary manner.
The said rods are connected to the pistons by a joint piece or block
formed with jaws, through which a pin is passed, and also formed with
a shank which is screwed into the piston.
When engines are required for stopping and reversing I employ more
than two cylinders in order to obviate "dead centres." The said cylinders
are arranged radially around the said shaft and on opposite sides of the
same and in lino with cach other. The steam or other fluid is admitted to
the outer ends of the cylinders only, the said outer ends being provided
with close and tight covers secured with bolts or otherwise. The said
fixed shaft is secured in one of the aforesaid brackets or standards, and
the case or drum is constructed with a suitable boss, which is fitted to
turn freely on the said shaft. At the opposite side the said case or drum

page_text: is provided with a shaft, which is fixed to and rotates with the said drum,
and is therefore fitted to turn freely in the other standard or bracket.
The latter is provided with an adjustablo piece or block, through which the
steam or other fluid is admitted to the ports and passages of the cylinders.
The said block has its inner face fitted accurately and closely to the side
of the drum or port face, and as the ports or passages in the face pass
over and away from the apparatus in the said block or adjustable picco
the steam or fluid is alternately admitted to and discharged from the said
cylinders. The said adjustable piece may be partially turned round on
the shaft, by which the position of the passages will be changed and the
rotation of the engine will be reversed, and for this purpose it is pro-
vided with a suitable lever or other convenient means of adjustment.
The said adjustable piece or block is accurately fitted and made steam-
tight in the bearing or case, and to this latter the steam and exhaust
pipes are attached.
The said crank may be arranged in any desired position upon the
sbaft, but I prefer that it should be extended downwards from the shaft,
as when so arranged it will be found very convenient for lubrication, the
oil or other lubricant being conducted from the cup or vessel down the
tube or channel to the crank.

page_text: Figure 7 is a section of the said adjustable block or pieco; Figure 8 is
a side view of the same.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the bed plate, which is of any desired form; B is a pedestal, in
which is fixed the stationary shaft of the crank; O is the pedestal for
supporting the opposite side of the drum, and on which is formed the
case for the adjustable block, and to which are attached both steam and
exhaust pipes; D is the drum which carries the said cylinacrs, and
which is preferably cast in one piece with them; E is the stationary
shaft; F, the crank; G, the wrist pin, preferably made in connection
with the said crank and shaft, or in one piece therewith; I, I, are the
cylinders made and bored in connection with the drum; H, H, are the
pistons made in the trunk form and packed in the usual manner with
metal rings or otherwise; J, J, are the connecting rods; K is the shaft
fixed to and rotating with the drum; this shaft is for the purpose of
transmitting power from the engine for any required purpose, either by
pulleys or gear wheels affixed thereto, or by connection with a line of
shafting. The power can also be taken direct from the drum as from
other drums or pulleys. L is the adjustable block or piece, through
which are made the passages for the distribution of steam or other fluid,
the same being received first into a channel or chamber and then
delivered through a passage direct to the port face of the drum con-
taining the cylinders. The steam passage in this block is made long or
short, according as a greater or lesser expansion of steam in the cylinders
is required.
M is a radial block fitted to the wrist pin of the crank, and to which
the connecting rods are attached. It is constructed in two halves or
pieces in order that the cross heads made fast to the connecting rods
may be readily put in their places. I use this block only when three or
more cylinders are used in the said engine. N is the connecting block
or piece for connecting the piston rods to the piston. It is made fast
to the piston by a screw joint, and provided with cars or jaws for holding
the rods by a pin.
O is a head or piece made separate from the drum, and made fast
thereto by means of screws or bolts. Upon this piece is a boss, which
is fitted to turn freely on the stationary crank shaft. This piece is made

page_text: separate from the drum to facilitate the placing of the crank into position
together with the radial block and connecting pins.
P, P, are the cylinder heads fitted and secured to the cylinders by
bolts or screws, and turned together with the drum. a, a, are pins
connecting the rods with the pistons; b, b, are the cross heads or T pieces
formed on the end of the connecting rods; c, c, are passages for the
admission of steam or other fluid to the cylinders; d is the exhaust
chamber and passage in the pedestal; & is the exhaust passage in
the adjustable block; e is the steam "passage in the said adjustable
block.
As
. The operation of this engine is extremely simple and totally different
from that of other piston and cylinder engines, the crank or fulcrum
point being fixed and the drum and cylinders revolving round the main
axis, and the pistons revolving around the secondary axis or crank pin.
The difference of diameter of the circles described by the pistons and
the ends of the cylinders is the measure of the stroke of the engine.
the moving parts revolve around fixed centres a more perfect state of
equilibrium can be attained than in ordinary engines, and the wear and
tear is diminished in proportion. The steam or other fluid is controlled
and regulated as in ordinary engines, and being admitted through the
passages to the end of the cylinders the expansive force acting through
the pistons and rods upon the fixed crank and upon the cylinders, which
are free to turn on their axis, a rotative movement is produced around
the main axis or shaft, with a motive force corresponding with the
pressure of steam and travel of the piston, as in other engines, and a very
high speed may be attained.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. An engine with cylinders and pistons so arranged in combina-
tion with a stationary or fixed crank that the action of the pistons on
the crank will cause the rotation of the said cylinders around the shaft
of the said crank.
Second. Two or more pistons cast on or otherwise fixed upon a drum
or wheel surrounding a central stationary or fixed crank, and which
cylinders are provided with passages for the admission and exhaust of
the steam or other fluid, so that the steam or other fluid acting on the

page_text: said pistons will effect the rotation of the said drum and cylinders around
the said stationary crank, as herein set forth.
Third. The combination of the said pistons with the connecting rods,
and the block fitted to turn upon the wrist pin of the stationary or fixed
crank, as hercin set forth and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The engine constructed as shewn in the accompanying
Drawing, that is to say, with four cylinders mounted upon a drum that
rotates on a suitable shaft or axis around a stationary or fixed crank,
and which cylinders are provided with pistons connected with the block
that rotates on the pin of the said crank, and are provided with suitable
admission and exhaust apertures, and arranged in combination with
devices for controlling the admission of the steam or other fluid, and for
reversing the direction of the engine's motion, the whole being mounted
upon a suitable bed or foundation plate, and operating as heroin set
forth.