CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING AND OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, AND IN PUMPS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WC, SAMUEL
EDWARDS, JAMES ANSELL, and PATRICK HEYNS, of Shadwell, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent bearing date at Westminster, the Seventh day of
November, in the fourteenth year of Her reign, did give and grant unto us,
the said Samuel Edwards, James Ansell, and Patrick Heyns, our exors,
adiñors and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that we the said Samuel Edwards, James Ansell, and Patrick Heyns,
our exors, adiiors, and assigns, and such others as we, the said Samuel
Edwards, James Ansell, and Patrick Heyns, our exors, adñors, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of the United Kingdom of.
Great Britain and Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, during the term of years therein mentioned, our Invention
of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING AND OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, AND
IN PUMPS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging
us, the said Samuel Edwards, James Ansell, and Patrick Heyns, to cause
a particular description of our Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's'
High Court of Chancery within six-months from the date of the said Letters

page_text: Patent, as in and by the said Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be fully described and ascertained
hereby, reference being had to the Drawings hercunto annexed, that is
to say:
Our Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of machinery
forming steam engines as motive power machines, and also in the construction
of pumps employed in the raising and forcing of water and other fluids. The
first of these several improvements consists in the construction of a peculiar
kind of rotary steam engine, in which the pressure of the steam employed acts
against the surface of a piston attached to the periphery of a wheel fixed to a
central shaft and moving concentrically within an outer case which encloses it.
This construction we show in the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 of which
represents a sectional elevation of the engine taken through the case at a right
angle to the direction of the axis of the shaft; it consists of a cylindrical case A,
the ends of which are closed by covers of a flat, semi-globular, or other shape,
which are bolted and secured to the cylindrical case in a steam-tight manner;
a shaft B passes concentrically through the case A, and also through the covers
B, which are provided with stuffing boxes, through which the shaft passes, and
by this means the passage of steam is prevented. Upon this shaft, outside the
steam case or cylinder, a spur wheel, drum, or pulley, or other means of
communicating the power and motion may be placed, the shaft being supported
by and revolving in pedestals in the ordinary manner. Upon this shaft, inside the
steam case A, is fixed the wheel C₁, extending the whole length of the cylinder
or case A, between the covers or ends thereof against the inside surfaces of which
the wheel bears; upon the periphery of this wheel at one point is fixed the
piston D, which is provided with a metallic packing to make it in steam-tight
contact with the interior of the cylinder or case and the ends of it, and it is
the steam acting against this piston which gives motion to the shaft B. E, E',
the passages to and from the interior of the cylinder or case for the induction and
eduction of the steam thereto; these pass from the ports F, F', in the cylinder
to the tumbler or regulator G, which is a peculiar construction of cock, by
which the admission of the steam into the cylinder can be regulated, or the
supply entirely cut off when desired; the action of this tumbler enables also
the direction of motion of the engine to be reversed with facility. F", the pipe
from the steam boiler for supplying the steam to the engine, and F, the exhaust
or eduction pipe, by which the steam, after exerting its force upon the piston
within the cylinder, is conveyed away to the condenser or the atmosphere, as the

page_text: case may be, in the position of the plug of the tumbler, as shown; the steam
enters and leaves the cylinder in the direction of the arrows, giving motion
to the piston in the cylinder in the direction of the arrows, and when it is
desired to reverse its motion nothing more is requisite than to alter the position
of the plug of the tumbler, when the steam will then enter the cylinder
through the passage now shown as the eduction passage.
H is a steam stop
or shutter, which passes through the stuffing box upon the top of the cylinder,
the inner edge bearing against the periphery of the wheel C and the covers or
ends of the cylinder in a tight manner so as to prevent the passage of steam
past it; when the piston D, during its revolutions in the cylinder, arrives at this
point, and requires to pass the shutter, the shutter is withdrawn from the
cylinder to allow it to do so; the piston then passes, and the shutter again
returns to the cylinder, taking its former position, and acting as a stop to
sustain the reactionary pressure of the steam. The movements of the shutter
into and out of the cylinder may be effected at the proper times by means of
any known means, as for example by means of a cam or an excentric fixed
upon the engine shaft; the edges of the shutter are to be provided with metallic
packing of any ordinary construction for allowing for wear and maintaining
steam-tight contact between it and the wheel and the cylinder.
The Drawing Fig. 2, represents a modified construction of the above
described engine, in the construction of which the principle of action is no
longer circular or rotary as before, but semi-rotary or reciprocating. In this
case the wheel C has two leaves or pistons fixed to it; they are placed
diametrically opposite to each other, and the steam admitted to the cylinder
acts with its pressure against them simultaneously. The cylinder or case A
is provided with two partitions or permanently fixed stops H, H, which
occupy the place of and serve the same purpose of being a stop for the action
of the steam as the moveable sliding shutter in Fig. 1. On cach side of these
shutters, or rather permanent stops, II, II, are placed the steam ports F, F,
which communicate by means of the passages E, E', with the tumblers G, G,
of which there are two, one placed on each side of the cylinder, and admitting
steam to the cylinder, on each side of the pistons and stops. The plugs of these
tumblers are in this modification only single way, and are worked by an excentric
or by any other convenient means, so as to reverse the induction and eduction of
the steam to opposite sides of the pistons alternately as they arrive at the termi-
nation of their semi-circular stroke. F, F, the pipes for supplying the cylinder
with steam from the boiler, and F, F, are the eduction pipes to the condensor
or the atmosphere. The movement obtained by the action of the engine thus
described being semi-rotary only, it becomes necessary, when employed for the.

page_text: purpose of communicating" rotary motion to machinery of any kind, to convert
this semi-rotary movement into a rotary one, and this we effect in the manner
described, as follows:-Upon the shaft B, outside the case or cylinder A, upon
any convenient part of it, is fixed a crank or lever of some length, to the end
of which an ordinary connecting rod is attached; the other end of this is
connected to another and shorter crank upon a horizontal shaft, so that as the
pistons make their semi-rotary movements in each direction alternately the
longer lever upon the engine shaft will have the same motion, the distance of
the traverse being that of a revolution of a smaller crank upon the horizontal
shaft, and thus the rotary motion is effected.
The next inproved construction of steam engine, which we will now
describe, is likewise of the class last described, being of a reciprocating rotary
kind; the arrangement and mode of operation of it are shown in Figs. 3, 4,
and 5, which represent respectively, Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional elevation
of the engine, and Figs. 4 and 5, two plans of the pistons and their connecting
lever or beam. Those portions of the engines of this construction in which
the pistons work, and which for the purposes of explanation may be turned the
cylinders, no longer occupy nearly the whole circle as in the modification before
described, but only portions of about one fourth part each, as shown in the
Figure at A, A; in their cross sections they are also circular, as shown in
Figures 4 and 5, and in the direction of the motions of the pistons contained
within them they are curves struck from the centre of motion of the beam or
lever to which the pistons D, D, are attached; these are of the circular form
of the cylinders shown, and are provided with metallic packing to maintain a
steam-tight contact between them and the interior surfaces of the cylinders. The
passages E, E', allow the induction and eduction of the steam to and from the
cylinders upon each sides of the pistons alternately as before described; the
regulation of that induction and eduction and its consequent change of direction
being effected by tumblers of the construction before described, placed at the
parts G, G, the plugs of these tumblers being worked by any convenient
means, as before described, for giving the requisite movement for effecting
the proper supply of steam to the cylinders alternately to each sides of the
pistons; the pistons D, D, are fixed to the ends of the beam, or double-ended
lever L fixed upon the shaft B, the length of the beam corresponding to the
curvature of the cylinders. The beam passes through slots in the inner curve
of the cylinders, these being necessary to allow the pistons to traverse their
strokes from end to end of the cylinders. The tumblers affixed to this engine
are to be worked by any convenient means so as to reverse the supply of
steam to each ends of the cylinders alternately. The shaft B, upon which

page_text: the beam L is fixed, is properly supported by pedestal bearings, and the
oscillatory or partially rotary motion thus obtained in the shaft is to be
converted into a rotary one by the adaptation to the engine of the means
before described, namely, a lever, connecting rod, and crank upon a horizontal
shaft, by which the rotary motion desired is obtained, and the length of stroke
of the pistons within the cylinders regulated in amount.
Our next improvement is the adaptation of the above described construction
of machinery for the purpose of raising and forcing water and other liquids,
acting as what is ordinarily called a pump: The arrangement and construc-
tion is shewn in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, which represent, Fig. 6, a front elevation of
the exterior of the pump; Fig. 7, a longitudinal sectional elevation through
the centre of the pump; and Fig. 8, a transverse section. The cylinder A is
of a circular annular form, shown in the section, and is formed in two
parts, bolted and secured together, forming, when so combined, the cylinder.
The shaft B passes through the centre, and has attached to it the wheel or
disc C, which passes into the annular space of the cylinder through its concave
side, the two parts forming the cylinder being at that part a distance asunder,
equal to the thickness of the disc or wheel C. To the periphery of the disc or
wheel C, are affixed the pistons or buckets D, D, D, which, are here repre-
sented three in number, though any other number may be employed as
desirable; E, the suction pipe, which descends to the source of supply whence
the water is to be obtained; and E', E', the discharge apertures. The shaft B,
which is duly supported upon pedestal bearings, has a wheel or pulley fixed
upon it, by which motion will be' communicated to it from any convenient first
mover; the action of the machine when employed for the purpose of raising
and forcing water being opposite to that when steam is employed in a similar
machine for obtaining motive power.
Our next improvement which we will describe in the construction of steam
engines is shown in Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12: Fig. 9 being a longitudinal
elevation of a direct acting trunk engine; Fig. 10, a vertical longitudinal
section; Fig. 11, a plan view of what we will call the cylinder; and Fig. 12,
a section of it. A is that which we may, by way of distinction call the
cylinder, though not of a form to warrant that term; it is of the elongated or
flattened form shown in the plan and section, Figs. 11 and 12; B, the piston,
which is of course of the same elongated form of the cylinder in place of the
ordinary piston rod; it is provided with a trunk C, fixed to the piston, and the
connecting rod D is attached direct to the piston itself, inside the trunk;
E, the crank to which the other end of the connecting rod is attached; and

page_text: F, the main driving shaft. The advantage of constructing the cylinder of the
sectional elongated form shown is, that there will be an equal aggregate
amount of pressure upon the piston upon every side of the trunk by reason of
their being an equal distance throughout the whole area between the exterior
surface of the trunk and the interior surface of the elongated cylinder.
Our next improvement consists in an arrangement of a pair of direct acting
trunk cylinder steam engines, adapted principally for marine purposes, for
driving stern propellors in steam vessels. This arrangement is shewn in
Fig. 13, which represents a longitudinal vertical section of the engines: A, A,
the cylinders, and B, B, the pistons; these are not circular, as before stated,
but of the elongated or flattened form represented in Figs. 11 and 12, and
before described; C, C, the trunks, and D, D, the connecting rods: both of
these latter are attached to one crank pin upon the crank E, which is fixed
upon the propellor shaft F, placed horizontally midway between the cylinder,
the pistons thereby acting in conjunction with each other.
The last of our present improvements, which we will now describe, is the
arrangement and adaptation of the tumblers, previously described, for regu-
lating the admission and emission of steam to and from the cylinders of steam
engines generally. One modification of this improvement is shown in Figs. 14,
15, 16, 17, and 18, of which Fig. 14 represents a vertical section of the
cylinder of an ordinary reciprocating steam engine, with our improved tumbler
adapted and applied thereto, also shewn in section. In this figure the piston
is ascending, and the tumbler is in such a position as to admit the steam to
the cylinder beneath the piston, the eduction being open to the cylinder above
the piston. Fig. 15 represents a similar vertical section; but in this figure
the piston is supposed to be descending, the position of the tumbler being
reversed and admitting steam to the cylinder above the piston, the reverse side
of it being open to the eduction. Fig. 16 represents a like sectional eleva-
tion; but in this the piston is supposed to be in a state of rest, the tumbler
being in such a position as to admit steam to the cylinder on both sides of the
piston at the same time, and therefore the pressure of the steam upon one side
counteracting that upon the other side. Fig. 17 is an outside view of the
tumbler, showing the indicator handle in the position the tumbler takes in
Fig. 14; and Fig. 18, a like ouside view, in which the indicator handle
indicates the position of the plug of the tumbler shown in Fig. 15. A, the
steam cylinder; B, the piston; C, the passages between the tumbler and the
cylinder; D, the tumbler; E, the plug of the tumbler; and F, the indicator
handle of it..

page_text: Having now described the nature of our said Invention of improvements,
and the mode of carrying the same into effect, we claim,―
First, the several improvements as herein-before shown and described with
reference to steam engines.
Secondly, the several improvements shewn and described with reference to
pumps employed for raising and forcing water and other fluids.]
In witness whereof, I, the said James Ansell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-one
Enrolled the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one.