IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF, AND IN ENGINES FOR, APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anthony Bernhard Baron Von Rathen, of
Wells Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF, AND IN ENGINES FOR, APPLYING
MOTIVE POWER."
Sealed the 22nd September 1853, and dated the 6th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anthony Bernhard
Baron Von Rathen at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 6th June 1853.
I, ANTHONY BERNHARD BARON VON RATHEN, of Wells Street, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF, AND IN ENGINES FOR,
APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows:-
I make use of a set of rotary engines commonly called engines with
revolving pistons turning in a fixed cylinder or cover. My Invention
consists in particular arrangements or contrivances in the interior of
this revolving piston, by which I obtain a larger area for the working
power than is attainable in any engine hitherto constructed.

page_text: I have no valves alternately opening or shutting. The supply valve
of power (such as steam, compressed air, or any elastic gas), if once
opened, remains open so long as the engine is in motion, and also the
exit valve, which, however, allows only a very small portion of the
steam, air, or gas to escape, except when the engine is to be stopped
or reversed, then the supply valve or cock is closed, and the exit pipe
fully opened. By this arrangement I obtain, in proportion to the
larger working area and the small opening of the exit valve, much
larger working power or efficiency than can be obtained from any
equally small amount of escaping power in any other known engine.
The same motive power working upon a larger area, and allowing only
a small part to escape, is retained longer in work than in any other
known engine, and the fresh supply is more needed to restore any lost
elasticity by refrigeration or wear and tear and want of tightness in the
parts than would be wanted for the small escape. I use, with nearly
equal advantages, steam, heated or compressed air, or any other elastic
force. By the nature of this Invention I cannot reverse the same
engine or revolving piston, and must for that purpose fit up two
engines, one to work in one way, the other in an opposite direction,
one of them always standing idle. I have succeeded in applying the
internal circumference of the fixed cylinder or cover as a permanent
area of resistance or support.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von Rathen in the
Great Seal Patent Office, on the 6th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ANTHONY BERNHARD BARON VON RATHEN, of Wells Street, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von Rathen, Her

page_text: special licence that I, the said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von Rathen,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von Rathen, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF, AND ENGINES FOR, APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von
Rathen, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von
Rathen, 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 thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My Invention consists, first, in improvements in the mode of
applying motive power; and, second, in improved constructions of
engines for applying motive power according to the mode herein-
before mentioned. I include as motive power, to which my Invention
applies, all kinds of elastic forces, and even such as are only partially
elastic, as hydraulic power. Thus, I can use steam, compressed or
heated air, compressed or heated gases, or compressed water or columns
of water, as motive power; but according to my latest calculations I
have found that the advantages, conveniences, and economics of using
these agents will vary considerably; and, in my judgment, compressed
air will in general be preferable to other agents as a source of power.
One of the noveltics in my mode of applying power is this, that whereas
in steam, air, and gas engines, as at present constructed, an alternate
escape and fresh supply of steam, air, or gas is required, and, therefore;
valves or other means are rendered necessary to provide for such

page_text: alternate supply and escape. According to my Invention the supply
of power is constant, and the supply pipe remains constantly open, and
the escape pipe constantly closed, while the engine is in motion, and
the supply pipe is only closed and the escape pipe opened to stop or
reverse the engine. These arrangements enable me not only to work
with a permanent power, but also to obtain from a given supply results
far superior to what have been obtained by any of the methods of
applying power hitherto known. And as the exit pipe is kept closed,
the moving forces being permanent, the fresh supply of motive power
will only be required to such an extent as is necessary to maintain the
moving force at a regulated and uniform degree of elasticity, and to
supply the amount lost by leakage or refrigeration. The engines which
I employ. for the purpose of carrying my Invention into effect arc of
the description called "rotary engines," and one of the principal
novelties of my mode of applying motive power in such engines consists
in introducing the motive agent into the fixed casing or cylinder by a
permanent uninterrupted supply in such manner as to give motion to
a revolving wheel or piston placed in such casing. The open supply
pipe of the cylinder being in constant connection with a steam boiler,
compressed air receiver, or other source of motive power, the motive
agent in the cylinder or casing will therefore be constantly maintained
at a nearly uniform degree of pressure. In some cases I employ power
regulators, such as those described in the Specification of my Patent
of 1841 for compressed air locomotion, for the purpose of regulating the
working power to an equal degree. The principal novelty in the con-
struction of my rotary engines consists of arrangements and contrivances
by which the permanent motive power in the casing will be constrained
to exercise its propelling effect in one direction only, and thus turn the
internal wheel or piston constantly in the same direction. According
to this arrangement the same engine cannot be reversed, except in the
case described in Figures 8, and 9; but when the power is required to
be exerted in an opposite direction, two engines are fitted up on the
same shaft, one constructed to run in the one direction, and the other
in the opposite direction, and one of them always runs idle with the
other at work. For the purpose of letting out, from time to time, as

page_text: may be required, any cooled or condensed steam, air, or gas, a pipe
and cock is placed at the lowest part of the cylinder or casing, which
may be opened when required.
Figure 1, of the Drawings annexed is a transverse section of a rotary
engine constructed according to my improvements; and Figure 2, is
a longitudinal section of the same. This engine consists of a closed
cylinder or casing supported and fixed on any suitable base or founda-
tion, in the interior of which casing works a revolving wheel or piston,
composed of two seginentally shaped casings, which are attached to the
axle or shaft of the engine on opposite sides thereof, and balance each
other; the curved external parts of the casings being concentric with
the internal circumference of the cylinder. The segmental casings are
closed in at their ends by two circular plates or covers V, V, which are
fixed to the casings and to the axle, and turn with them. The radial
plates between the segmental casings marked A, A, form what I call
the working surfaces or areas, and the sides or fronts of the said
casings, marked C, C, I call the opposing areas. In the interior of
such casings are formed cylindrical or square recesses, in which are
fitted sliding pistons or plates, such as are seen at D, D, which are
made air-tight by a band of hemp, cloth, or leather, or other suitable
means, as indicated in the Figures at I, I. The pressure against the
surfaces of the pistons or plates D, D, is transmitted against circular
rails H, H, fixed to the interior of the cylinder by means of rods F, F,
attached to the back of the pistons or plates D, D, and passing through
stufling boxes G, G, fitted to the curved parts of the segmental casings.
To provide against the accidental leakage of steam, air, or gas accumu-
lating in the spaces behind the pistons or plates D, D, those spaces are
made to communicate with the hollow part m, of the shaft or axle by
means of apertures J, J. The ends of the shaft pass through both the
fixed external covers of the cylinder S, T, and are made steam-tight
by any suitable means. An aperture L, is made in the cylinder, or in
one of the covers of the cylinder, for the admission of the steam, air,
or other motive agent, which also serves for the occasional exit of the
same when the engine is required to be stopped.
The working of this engine is as follows: the steam, air, or gas
being admitted to the cylinder or closed casing has free access to all the

page_text: exposed parts of the revolving piston or wheel; the internal circum-
ference of the cylinder serving as the area of resistance or point d'appui.
The pressure of the moving force against the working areas A, A,
tends to give the piston revolving motion, but this would be counter-
acted by an equal force being also exerted against the opposing
areas C, C, the whole area of which is equal to that of the working
surfaces A, A; but as the force exerted against the areas of the sliding
pistons or plates D, D, is negatived or diverted against the circular rails
fixed to the interior of the cylinder by means of the rods F, F, and
as the pistons or plates D, D, are detached from the engine or wheel,
and merely slide in their curved cases, and have no force to counteract
the motion of the wheel or engine, it follows, therefore, that the equi-
librium of the wheel being thus destroyed, the engine will be caused to
revolve in the direction of the arrow a, z, and will continue in revolu-
tion so long as there is a supply of steam, air, or gas kept up in the
cylinder. I have denominated a triangle the Figure which the two
surfaces of the working area A, A, and that of the opposing area C, C,
form with the part or segment of the internal circumference of the
cylinder. The two before-named surfaces would represent two sides of
a rectangular triangle, and the segment of the circle enclosed by them
the curved hypothenuse. As this denomination of a triangle is pre-
served in all the following Figures and in the claims, I have thought
it well to mention it here.
Figure 3, is a transverse section, and Figure 3, a longitudinal
section of a modification of the engine, shewn in Figures 1, and 2, and
just described. In this case the ends of the rods F, F, instead of
bearing against rails fixed to the interior of the cylinder, are provided
with friction rollers, which run against the interior circumference of the
cylinder. In this arrangement the interior of the cylinder must be
bored out correctly to produce a smooth surface for the friction rollers to
run on, but in the former case the interior of the cylinder requires only
to be superficially rounded, but the surfaces of the rails must, of course,
be turned truly circular and smooth. The other parts of this engine are
precisely the same as before described, and its action is also the same
as before explained.
In both of these constructions of engines the main axle or shaft

page_text: must, of course, be provided with the necessary gearing for communi
cating its motion to the machinery to be driven; and when two engines
are employed in conjunction for working in opposite directions, both of
them are fitted up on the same shaft or axle, as, for instance, in locomo-
tives on the axle of the driving wheels, or in steam vessels on the screw
or paddle-wheel shaft, then, as aforesaid, the one not exerting its
power, turns round in the direction of the working engine. To reverse
the motion of the engine it is only needful to allow the motive power
to escape from the one engine, and turn the supply of power on to the
other engine, the method of doing which, being known to every
engineer, need not here be described.
Figure 4, is a transverse section of an engine which differs only from
the foregoing engines shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3, in the construction
of the revolving wheel or piston. The mode of applying the power
through a constantly open supply to a closed casing similar to a cylinder
with covers, in which the moving agent surrounds the revolving wheel
on all sides, is exactly the same as aforesaid, and in this case also the
moving power is permanent, and no escape or destruction of the work-
ing power is necessary. The internal circumference of the cylinder;
which requires only to be superficially bored or rounded, serves here
also as the point d'appui or surface of useful, resistance for the moving
force, which, by the total of its pressure upon all the surfaces' or areas
A; A, formed upon the radius plates B, B, produces the constant
rotation of the wheel in the direction of the arrow a, .
The areas
or, surfaces A, A, I call the working areas, and the surfaces of the
plates C, C, I call the opposing areas. The plates C, C, are placed in
a perpendicular position with reference to the areas A, A; but merely
touching them without being fixed to them. They might be placed at
any other angle of inclination with reference to these areas.
opposing plates C, C, were fixed to the wheel or to the two radius plates
B, B, between which each of them stands, the force exerted upon the
plates A, A, would be balanced, and no motion could be produced. To
prevent this opposition the plates C, C, are disconnected from the
wheel and from the two internal covers V, V. And all the pressure
exerted on C, C, is received upon the short radius plates F, F, on
If the

page_text: which the plates C, C, would turn but for the curved arms G, G, fixed
to the surfaces of the short radius plates F, F, which bear the surplus
pressure on the larger sides of the plates C, C, and transmit it upon
the plates F, F. All the radius plates B, B, are fitted to and turn
with the end covers V, V, and shaft, but the plates C, C, are not thus
connected to the covers V, V, but reach only so close to them that the
meeting parts may be readily made steam or air tight. It is an
essential condition that no steam or air should pass to and accumulate
behind or at the reverse side of the plates C, C; but to provide
for such an accidental occurrence small holes b, b, are made in all the
radial plates at the outer side of the ring or drum E, H, which holds
them together, and is concentric with the main axle, and a small tube
is fixed in such a position as to carry this steam or air from the drum
into the hollow axle, as shewn at m, m. By these arrangements all, or
nearly all, the pressure on the plates C, C, is transmitted to the short
radius plates F, F, which pass through slots in the ring or drum H, H,
which are made steam-tight by any suitable means;
and all the pressure
upon the radius plates F, F, in the direction of the centre, is trans-
mitted to the central ring R, which is fixed to the axle and revolves
with it. As there is, however, exactly opposite to each radius plate F, F,
another similar plate pressing with equal force against the ring R, it is
evident that these two opposite pressures can produce no effect upon
the axle or central ring, and therefore not any or only a very slight
resistance to the turning of the wheel, which must consequently revolve
in the direction of the arrow a, z, being urged by nearly all the force
exerted on the working areas A, A, by any permanent motive power
which may be enclosed within the casing S, T. This casing is best
seen in Figure 5, which is a longitudinal section of Figure 4. V, V,
shew the internal covers of the wheel, which turn round with it, and
are fixed to the axle or shaft. The shaft is made air-tight where it
passes through the end covers of the cylinder in any convenient
manner, and must of course be provided with gearing to enable it to
communicate its motion to the machinery, which is required to be
driven as herein-before mentioned.
I have not thought it necessary to describe minutely and by Draw-

page_text: ings any modification of the engine shewn in Figure 4; such, for
instance, as where the radius plates might touch the internal circum-
ference of the cylinder, and turn air and steam tight on it. Nothing
more would then be required than to admit the moving agent from the
spaces between the internal and external covers, by apertures in the
internal covers to cach of the triangular spaces formed around the
wheel or piston. To produce this figure it would only be needful to
elongate the radial plates B, B, till they reach the circumference of the
cylinder.
Figure 6, is a transverse section; and Figure 7, a longitudinal
section of an engine, very similar in construction, and in the mode of
supply and working, to that shewn in Figure 4; the difference lies in
the form of the working area A, A, in the form of the opposing area
C, C, and in the means introduced to resist the pressure on the lesser
part of the opposing area, by steam or any other moving agent. The
working area A, A, is shewn in an inclined position, and fitted to the
lesser part of the opposing arca C, C. The upper part of C, C, being
in the same perpendicular direction to the radius plates B, B, as in
Figure 4, on the face or front part; but at the back part forming a
chord of a circle concentric with the outer cylinder. The steam in the
spaces N, which I call the lower spaces under the short radial plates
F, F, is introduced in all such spaces through apertures in the internal
covers, but it might also be introduced by any known means from an
external source of supply at a higher degree of pressure, if required; but
no steam (under which denomination I comprehend any motive agent
that may be used) must come to the upper spaces in which the arms G,
are placed. The short radial plates F, F, may, if necessary, be secured
by tie rods to the radial plates of the working area in such manner
as to allow the moving agent to pass between them. As it is essential
that no steam should enter at P, in the upper part of the opposing
area plates, means must be employed to make them steam-tight; but if
steam should enter through accidental untightness, it should be quickly
removed, and for this purpose I have the several spaces 0, 0, connected
together by small tubes b, b; and at a convenient place near the central
ring R, is fitted a conduct pipe to lead away the steam or other

page_text: elastic force to the hollow axle m, m.
The working of this modified
engine, and all the other parts of it, are similar to Fig 4, and 5, to
which I refer for further details.
In Figures 8, and 9, I have shewn a particular construction of
engine for obtaining the same object from a permanent power, which
differs from all those previously described. In this case a permanent
power is preserved in one of the spaces between the inner and exterior
covers, which spaces are respectively marked X, and Y. The piston of
this engine must, from its construction, work in close contact with and
slide on the internal surface of the fixed external cylinder, which is
properly bored out for that purpose. A, A, are the working areas for
turning the wheel in one direction; but if the engine should be required
to be reversed, steam is admitted to the spaces of the working areas
A', A', and allowed to escape from A, A; as herein-after more parti-
cularly explained. The opposing plates are here divided into two
parts; one of these, C, is fitted so that, as in the other Figures, it would
turn, if left free, round the head of the short radial plate F; the
larger part of C, rests against the working area, and gives it an increase
of moving force, and the shorter arm reaches close to the perpendicular
resisting plate C'. The effect of the plate C, extending from the
working area to the opposing plate will indeed be more favorable to
the revolution of the piston-than antagonistic to it, as.the force which
presses against the axle is resisted by that of another short radial plate
F, which, being directly opposite, counterbalances or negatives it. And
the force exerted perpendicularly upon the plate C, has a tendency to
produce motion in the same direction as the force upon the working area
A. The plate C', might with greater propriety be called the opposing
plate. This plate has a separate shaft K, round which it would turn, if
not prevented by the tooth or projection H, which is fixed to the axle
of the engine. The separate shaft K, is fitted firmly at both ends into
the internal covers V, V, between which the plate C', could move
through its whole length, it not being connected with them, but only
brought close enough to be easily made air-tight. The pressure of the
moving forces against the plates C', would by their effect on the shafts
K, turn the wheel in an opposite direction, the covers being fixed to
....

page_text: the axle of the wheel; but as an equal pressure acts in favor of the
motion of the wheel in concert with the working areas, the opposition
is thereby entirely or nearly entirely nullified. Therefore, as not any
or only a very slight resistance is produced by the opposing plates C',
the wheel must revolve in the direction of the arrow a, z, with a
power equal to the pressure on the working surfaces A, and a part of
that on the plates C. It is shewn in the Drawing that both the
opposing plates C¹, C', can press backwards or forwards on the pro-
jections H, on the axle of the wheel; and it is evident that these plates
will serve both for propelling the wheel in one direction and reversing
it in the opposite direction. It is, therefore, unnecessary to describe
the working when the engine is reversed and the motive power
admitted into the spaces A¹, A¹.
I will now proceed to describe the mode of supplying the motive
agent both for propelling and reversing this engine: the power iş
supplied (say, through the aperture L,) to the space between the
internal and external covers marked Y, and by suitable apertures Q, in
the adjacent cover admitted into the closed spaces A, A, of the wheel
or piston, which spaces are closed in on the other side by the circular
plate or cover next the space X. If the wheel should be wanted to be
reversed then the opening which had served for the supply of the
motive agent into the the space Y, is left open for the escape, and the
supply of power is. turned on through L', to the space X, where also
the circular plate V, turns steam-tight against the circumference of the
cylinder, and no other apertures are found but those at Q', through the
internal cover, which lead to tho spaces A', A', of the working. arca.
By this means the reversing of the engine can be at once effected.. I
have not considered it necessary to describe or shew any arrangement
for working the valves for turning off and changing the supply of steam
in case of reversing the engine, as such contrivances are sufficiently
well known to every practical engineer.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I claim
as my Invention is as follows:-
First, I claim as an improvement in the mode of applying motive

page_text: power the constant uninterrupted supply of the said power to a fixed
cylinder or cylindrical casing, having at the same time the opening for
the exit or escape of the motive agent entirely and constantly closed,
except at the time of stoppages, as herein-before described.
Second, I claim the mode of obtaining, preserving, and using in the
casing of my rotary engines a permanent motive power for giving
motion to the rotary wheel placed inside the casing, whether the rotary
wheel works without contact with the circumference of the casing, and
is surrounded on all sides by the moving agent, as in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, and 7, of the Drawings annexed, or whether the said rotary
wheel or parts thereof slide steam-tight on the circumference of the
cylinder, and the steam is only standing permanently between the
internal covers of the wheel and the external cover of the cylinder,
and from there introduced into the working spaces of the rotary wheel,
as represented in Figures 8, and 9, of the Drawings annexed, and
herein-before described.
Third, I claim as an improvement in the construction of engines for
applying motive power the exclusive use of the triangular shaped
spaces, the first side of which is formed by a radial plate, which I call
the working area (as shewn at A, A, in all the Figures); the second side
is formed by a plate or surface standing perpendicular or at any angle
of inclination to the working area, and which plate or surface I
call the resisting or opposing area; and the third side, which may be
called the curved hypothenuse, obtained by a segment of the cylinder
or casing.
Fourth, I claim specially the various arrangements for or modes of
balancing or negativing the opposition to the motion of the rotary
wheel, as shewn in all the Figures of the Drawings hereunto annexed,
whether the revolving wheel does or does not work in immediate con-
tact with the circumference of the cylinder or casing.
Fifth, I claim generally and particularly as essential parts, constitu-
ting two sides of the so-called triangular spaces herein-before men-
tioned, the radial plate or surface called the working area, shewn at A, A,
in all the Figures of the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the segment
or portion of the fixed circumference of the cylinder or casing, called,

page_text: for better distinction, the curved hypothenuse, or the useful area of
resistance; and this I claim in all cases, whether the circumference
of the cylinder is or is not in immediate contact with the rotary wheel
or piston.
Sixth, I claim particularly, as essentially differing from all the fore-
going described modes and constructions, the engine represented in
Figures 8, and 9, of the Drawings annexed, and herein-before described,
in its general construction and mode of working.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anthony Bernhard Baron Von
Rathen, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day
of December, One thousand cight hundred and fifty-three.
ANTHONY BERNHARD VON RATHEN. (L.S.)