IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MCINTOSH, of Glasgow, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
June, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the twelfth year of He:
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John McIntosh, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her especial license, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said JohnMcIntosh, my exors,
adniors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said John M°Intosh, my exors,
adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times 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, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
MOTIVE POWER;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I,
the said John McIntosh, should cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Ifer
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John M Intosh, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
My Invention consists of certain novel arrangements of engines to be
worked by steam or other fluids, and for propelling fluids. And in order that
my Invention may be most fully understood, and readily carried into effect, I
will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a vertical section of an engine; and Figure 2 shows a
transverse section thereof. This engine is intended to be worked by steam in
order to obtain motive power thereby. a, a, is a fixed steam cylinder, which
is closed by two covers b, b, one at each end. c, c, are two parts of an inner
cylinder, which are respectively fixed to or form part of the covers b, b. These
two parts of an inner cylinder do not come close together, but leave a narrow
opening between them, between which the stem d of the piston works. d¹ is
the piston which nearly fits the space between the outer and inner cylinders a, c,
leaving a space for the flexible band or belt e, as is shewn. The flexible band
or belt e I make of very strongly woven fabric of linen or cotton, or other
flexible band might be employed; and the same is securely fixed at f between
the steam passages or ports g, g; and I increase the thickness of the band or
belt e at the parts e¹ in order to give additional stiffness to those parts. The
steam is supposed to be flowing in at the upper port, and the other port is
open to a vacuum by the valve h, and i is a valve to close the entrance of
steam into the valve box while tho piston is passing the ports; and the same
may be used when working the steam expansively. Supposing the valve h to
be reversed, the steam would flow into the opposite port, and the direction of
the working of the piston would thus be reversed. In place of the steam
passing to a vacuum, it might pass to the open air. This engine, though
described as being worked by steam, is equally applicable to be worked by
water or other fluid allowed to flow through it from a suitable position, and by
causing the axis to be put in motion by any suitable power the engine becomes
a pumping engine. The interior of the cylinder c, c, is to be supplied with
lubricating matter, so that the piston may constantly be lubricated; and, in
some cases, to prevent the rubbing of the piston on the surface of the band or
belt, I employ a second band of thin metal within the first band. This second
band would not be fixed; in which case the sliding friction of the piston will
be against the metal band.

page_text: Figure shews a section of another engine, constructed for the most part
similar to that above described, but differing thereto, inasmuch as in this
engine the piston reciprocates, and there is a slide box at each end to admit
the steam alternately on one side and the other of the piston.
What I claim in respect of the above-described engines is, the use of one or
two bands or belts as explained.
Figure 3 shews a vertical section, and Figure 4 a transverse section of
another engine for obtaining motive power, and consists of the use of a flexible
tube placed within a cylinder, within which a piston roller on the main shaft or
axis revolves. a, a, is the fixed cylinder. is the main or driving shaft of the
engine. c is a roller which acts as a piston. This roller is carried by the
arms c'. Affixed to the main shaft of the engine d, d, are the ports; e, the
valve box; fis the slide valve for changing the direction of the steam. 9 is a
flexible valve for cutting off the steam, when desired. This valve is peculiar
in its construction, and is caused to act by its flexible character. It is fixed at
one end as at g', the other end being fixed to the slide rod g², as shewn. This
valve may be made of thin metal, or other strong flexible material, capable of
sustaining the degree of pressure required; and in order to give it support, it
comes against a grating as shewn. This arrangement of valve is applicablo
wherever the power of a fluid is to be resisted, and regulated in its flow, so as
adjust its motive power; and such is its peculiar character that it requires but
very little power to move it. The two ends of the flexible tube h are fixed
over the ports, as is shewn, by means of the plates i, i, and screw bolts; and
the tube h is fixed between the ports, as shewn. It will be evident that if
steam be allowed to flow in at either port, it will force round the roller piston,
and drive round the main axis which carries that roller, and such will be the
case in respect to water or other fluid. If the same flow through the tube h,
it will keep the roller piston and the main shaft of the engine revolving; and
if, on the other hand, motion be given to the piston by applying power to the
main or driving shaft, then the engine will become a pumping engine. In
making the flexible tube h, I prefer to use a tube of vulcanized india rubber,
clothed or covered over by winding round the same a cord or band, and then
interlacing the cord or band so as closely to cover the tube, by which strength
would be given to the tube to resist the internal pressure, and it will be found
that vulcanized india rubber tubing, similarly prepared by binding, is applicable
n cases where it may be desirable to apply the tube exterior of a cylinder,
with the ball working on the outside, as described in the Specifications of other
Patents granted to me.
I would remark, in respect to this arrangement of engine, that where it is

page_text: intended for a pumping engine I should have the roller piston wide enough to
close or press on two widths of the tube h, and then I should cause the two
ends of the tube to pass each other-one end leading to the source of the
fluid, and the other to the place where it is to be delivered. By this arrange-
ment there would be a constant flow through the tube h, by the rotation of the
shaft and roller piston within the cylinder formed by bending of the tube h.
What I claim in respect to this engine is the mode of using a tube h. And
I also claim the mode of constructing a flexible valve, as above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John McIntosh, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.