A NEW STEAM PISTON FOR HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ENGINES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Antonio Pelez, of 9+, Mortimer Street, Cavendish
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A NEW STEAM
PISTON FOR HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ENGINES."-A communication.
Sealed the 9th August 1858, and dated the 3rd April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Antonio Pelez at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd April
1858.
I, ANTONIO PELEZ, of 94, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
STEAM PISTON FOR HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ENGINES," (a communication,) to be
as follows:-
1st, A, the body of a piston, with laterals cross-quartered by five mouldings
joined together by five grooved embossments, to receive the springs H, and
guide the pivots I and J, showing in the lower portion of the vertical line a'
conical hole, in which is fitted the axle of the "came de cintrage" E.
2nd, B,-four segments, forming two circles raised to an upright on the face
fitted to the scales of the body of the piston, which are raised to an angular
position, at the part receiving the pressure of the wedges C bearing at one of
the extremities of their spokes a crossing or recovering plate D fixed by a
small screw with a plaited head (Fig. 1st and 2nd.)

page_text: 3rd, C, ten wedges, turned and carved in a circle, fitting themselves
according to the oblique form of the segment B, which they are made to join
hermetically, and placed at the four closing ends of the cut parts, and in the
centre of the quarter of the circumference of the segments B. These segments
in the position they occupy, cross each other, having two objects to accomplish,
namely, four of them which are pressed by springs, cross below the cut part of
the segments, while the covering or crossing plates cover and preserve the top
and sides of the open parts which separate the four segments.
The other four plates, also pressed by springs, are called upon to give elasticity
to the segments placed together by two and two, closing wedges on one side,
wedges to give elasticity on the other; they thus mutually support each other,
and secure an action which must be independent.
4th, D, four recovering or crossing plates, serving to moderate the pressure
of the steam on the wedges, in the old state, as in the new, a pressure which
from the openings which separate the segments may cause them to give way,
and thus facilitate the entry of steam. These plates are only attached to the
segments by the medium of two small screws with plaited heads; the holes
which are made in them are of an oval form to allow the plates to rise, for the
segments have at one end of their extremities where the plates are fixed,
notches, in one of which (Fig. 1st) the plate is secured by a screw; the other
one at the bottom takes the shape of an oblique line, and the plate when the
segment opens withdraws its self with the left-hand segment, which is held by
the above mentioned screw, and then following the oblique plane of the right-
hand segment, it rises according to the obliquity, which makes it retain in the
interior the exact course of the diameter of the piston. The Figure 2nd repre-
sents only two dotted plates D, for as it shows the piston not separated, only
two parts of the segment are represented.
5th, E, a came, used only in horizontal engines, to arch the body of the
piston according to the axle of the cylinder, made with a screw on its axle; it
forms a joint against the scale of the body of the piston, to maintain the conical
portion of the axle in a close and hermetical condition.
Its exterior represents a certain number of facets, separated one from the
other, the number of which cannot be defined, as it depends entirely on the
wear or work to be given to the segments.
6th, F, an axle of the "came," whose conical head is fitted like the key of a
tap, to avoid the passage of steam through the orifice, shows a square hole to
receive the key, enabling it to turn in the curve (Fig. 3.)
7th, G, a support of the "came," crossed on each side by two soldered sheets
of iron having at each of their extremities two feet resting on two of the

page_text: wedges C, right and left (Fig. 1st), to distribute equally the weight of the body
of the piston on the two lower segments.
8th, H, eight spiral springs, concealed in the body of the piston, and giving
elasticity and tightness.
9th, I, ten trunions, eight of which are edged, and the other two plain, guide
the wedges C with the centre of the holes of the body of the piston, and
crossing the wedges, hold each segment in its proper position (Fig. 1st.)
10th, J, four trunions fixed to the closing wedges by one of their screwed
extremities, and centralising them with the holes of the springs H (Fig. 1st,
Sd, 4th.)
11th, K, a conical shaft of a piston, driven into the middle of the body of
the piston, having a nut at the extremity (Fig. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.)
12, L, a conical ring, composed of two separate pieces, which, under the
pressure of the nut, tightens at the same time the cylindrical part of the shaft,
and in the conical portion of the body of piston (Fig. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.)
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Antonio Pelez in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANTONIO
PELEZ, of 9, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Antonio Pelez, Her special licence that I, the said Antonio Pelez,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Antonio
Pelez, 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 "A NEW STEAM PISTON FOR
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ENGINES," (a communication,) upon the condition'
(amongst others) that I, the said Antonio Pelez, my executors or adminis
trators, 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

page_text: 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 I, the said Antonio Pelez, 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
This new steam piston for horizontal and vertical engines is an entirely new
combination without assemblage of plates, and with an encircling cam inside;
for horizontal machines with conical segments, and without an encircling cam
- for vertical machines with conical segments, having at one of their extremities
plates for the crossing of the pieces cut in the shape of a circular conical wedge
with a jointed rod with two inclined cones.
Art. 1. The body of a piston (crossed laterally by five ribs), joined together
by five grooved embossments, to receive the springs and guide the pivots,
having in the lower portion of the vertical line a conical hole, in which the
axle of the encircling cam is fitted.
Art. 2. Four segments, forming two circles in a straight line with the scales
or plates of the body of the piston; they are raised to an angular position at
the part receiving the pressure of the wedges, bearing at one of the extremities
of their spokes a crossing plate fixed by a small screw with a plaited head.
Art. 3. Ten wedges turned and cut in a circle, fitting themselves according
to the oblique form of the segments which they are made to join hermetrically,
and placed at the four closing ends of the cut parts, and in the centre of the
quarter of the circumference of the segments. These segments, in the position
they occupy, cross each other, having two objects to accomplish, namely, four
of them, which are pressed by springs, cross below the cut part of the segments,
while the crossing plates cover and preserve the top and sides of the open parts
which separate the four segments.
The other four plates, also pressed by springs, are called upon to give
elasticity to the segments placed together two and two; closing wedges on
one side, and wedges to give elasticity on the other; thus they mutually
support each other, and secure an action which must be independent.
:
Art. 4. Four crossing plates, serving to moderate the pressure of the steam
on the wedges, in the old state, as in the new, a pressure which from the
openings which separate the segments may cause them to give way, and thus
facilitate the entry of steam.
These plates are only attached to the segments by the medium of two small
screws, with plaited heads; the holes which are made in them are of an oval

page_text: form, to allow the plates to rise, for the segments have at one end of their
extremities, where the plates are fixed, notches, in one of which the plate is
secured by a screw; the other one at the bottom takes the shape of an oblique
line, and the plate when the segments open withdraws itself with the .left-
hand segment, which is held by the above mentioned screw; and then follow-
ing the oblique plane of the right-hand segment, it rises according to this
obliquity, which makes it retain in the interior the exact course of the diameter
of the piston; only two dotted plates are represented in the plan, as the piston
is not separated, only two parts of the segments are represented.
Art. 5. A cam used only in horizontal engines to arch the body of the piston,
according to the axle of the cylinder. Made with a screw on its axle, it form
a joint against the plate of the body of the piston, to maintain the conical
portion of the axle in a close and hermetrical condition.
Its exterior represents a certain number of facets, separated one from the
other, the number of which cannot be defined, as it depends entirely on the
wear or work to be given to the segments.
Art. 6. An axle of the cam, whose conical head is fitted like the key' of a
tap, to avoid the passage of steam; through the orifice a square hole is shown
in which the key is inserted, enabling it to turn in the curve.
Art. 7. A support of the cam, crossed on each side by two soldered sheets of
iron, having at each of their extremities two feet resting on two of the wedges
right and left, to distribute equally the weight of the body of the piston on
the two lower segments.
Art. 8. Eight spiral springs, concealed in the body of the piston, and giving
elasticity and tightness.
Art. 9. Ten pivots, eight of which are edged, and the other two plain,
guiding the wedges with the centre of the holes of the body of the piston, and
crossing the wedges, holding each segment in its proper position.
Art. 10. Four pivots, fixed to the closing wedges by one of their screwed
extremities, and centralising them with the holes of the springs.
Art. 11. The conical rod of the piston, fixed in the middle of the body of the
piston, having a nut at its extremity.
Art. 12. A conical ring composed of two separate pieces, which, under the
pressure of the nut, tightens at the same time the cylindrical part of the rod,
and in the conical portion of the body of the piston.
In conclusion, we must observe that it is impossible to give any specified
size, as the diameter of the piston depends always on the force required to be
given to the machine; the constructor himself can therefore only determine the
obliquity and thickness of the wedges.

page_text: It is the same with the plates crossing the cut parts of the segments. These
plates can be taken from our system and applied to forms said to belong to the
public. The form of these plates is therefore only a secondary point, it being
reserved to ourselves to apply them should occasion require.
The springs and the pivots are the only parts of our piston in public use,
therefore we are enabled to say that this combination is entirely new.
If must also be remarked, that a linen stuffing can be introduced between
the segments and the wedges, in order to prevent the greasy matters from
entering, and thus preventing the elasticity of the springs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Antonio Pelez, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 4th day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
ANTONIO PELEZ. (L.S.)