IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR PUMPING OR FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE A RECTILINEAR MOTION IS REQUIRED
Year: 1862

page_text: LEITERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR PUMPING OR
FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE A RECTILINEAR
MOTION IS REQUIRED."-A communication from abroad by Wellington Lee,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th January 1862.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer; do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR FUMPING
OR FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE A RECTILINEAR MOTION
IS REQUIRED," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in engines to be employed for pumping
or forcing air or water, or for other purposes where a rectilinear motion is
required, relates to various improvements upon, and novel applications of an
Invention of an improvement in steam pumping engines, for which Letters
Price 8d 1

page_text: Patent, bearing date September 28th, 1861, No. 2422, have been granted
to John Adams Knight, and which Invention was communicated to him by
Mr. Wellington Lee, from whom the present Invention was communicated
to me.
One feature of the present Invention consists in the application (to the
purposes of forcing air or creating a blast, as in blowing machines, or apparatus
or other purposes where a rectilinear motion is required) of a similar arrange-
ment of parts to that referred to in Mr. Knight's Provisional Specification, as
employed for pumping or forcing water. It will of course be understood,
however, that although for these different purposes the principle of construction
of the apparatus will be similar, yet it may be necessary to make various
modifications in the form and mode of operating some of the parts, as for
instance, in the dimensions and proportions of the ports of the pumping
cylinders and size of the valves; but such modifications may be made as con-
venience may suggest by any skilled person, and inasmuch as they constitute
no part of this Invention, they need not be particularly described.
The present Invention also relates to certain novel modes of constructing and
working the parts of pumping or forcing engines, and in carrying out these
improvements there are two steam or working cylinders and two pumping
cylinders, and the pistons of the pumping cylinders are connected to the
pistons of the steam or working cylinders. Each working cylinder is provided
with separate valve arrangements, and steam ports, but the working gear of
these parts is so arranged that the induction ports of one cylinder are opened
by tappet arms on the piston rod of the other cylinder being made to come
against levers connected by suitable rods with the valve stem of the first
cylinder. The induction ports of the second cylinder are in like manner
opened by means of tappet arms on the piston rod of the first cylinder, but
the reverse action of the valves (that is for closing the induction ports, and
opening the exhaust,) is effected for each cylinder by its own piston rod being
made to act on the stem of its own valve by means of suitable arms and levers.
The tappet arms which operate upon both the induction and eduction ports
are attached to blocks, which are adjustable at any point on the piston rods,
it will therefore be seen that the combined action of the working cylinders
and pumps may be regulated and controlled at pleasure.
Another improvement consists in employing different ports for the induction
and eduction steam, so that the induction steam should never enter the cylinder
through the eduction ports, or vice versa. To this end there are five ports, em-
ployed instead of only three as is usually the case. There are two passages; that
is one induction and one eduction passage communicating with each end of the

page_text: steam cylinders, and there is a central eduction port as usual, and which is
common to both the eduction passages alternately. These passages are also
so arranged that the piston will cut off the eduction steam before it arrives at
the end of the stroke, so as to confine a certain portion of the steam between the
piston and the cylinder head, and thus form a steam cushion. Another mode of
obtaining a cushion of steam between the piston and end of the cylinder, in order
to prevent the former from over-reaching or striking against the end of the
cylinder, is to cause the piston to act on a valve so placed as to admit steam
into the cylinder just before the piston reaches the end of its stroke.
Another improvement relates to a mode of constructing a double action
pump, which consists of a rectangular or other conveniently shaped case,
which may be made of cast iron, and divided internally by a longitudinal
partition into two separate pumps. These separate compartments are pro-
vided with a partition in which is fitted a ring or metallic bearings to receive
a long hollow reciprocating cylindrical box or piston, which is provided, with
a piston rod that passes through a stuffing box in one end of the rectangular
box or casing. The lower or under side of this box or case has a water cham-
ber secured thereto, and has a number of holes made therein, and which
are covered with puppet valves made to open inwardly. A similar chamber
is adapted to the other or upper side of the box or casing, and is similarly
provided with holes, which being furnished with puppet valves opening out-
wardly, form so many exit apertures from the interior of the chamber. The
operation of the machine is as follows:-Supposing the casing to be full of
water, the piston in whichever direction it advances will force out the
water before it, through some of the upper valves, and at the same time
will draw in behind it, through some of the lower openings, water to fill the
vacuum that would otherwise be created. Upon the return stroke of the
piston, water will be forced through the exit openings on the other side, and
water will rush in to supply the vacuum on the receding side, so that at every
motion of the piston in either direction, the pump will be both drawing
in and forcing out water. It will also be understood that as the case is
divided longitudinally into two compartments there will be a combination.
of two double acting pumps working in connection with each other, and these
double acting pumps may be worked by means of steam cylinders provided
with the valve action described under some of the first improvements.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or .such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR PUMPING OR
FORCING AIR OR WATER, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE A RECTILINEAR MOTION IS
REQUIRED," being a communication from abroad. by Wellington Lee, of New
York, Engineer, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said. William
Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto annexed;
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of improvements in engines to be employed for pumping or
forcing air or water, or for other purposes where a rectilinear motion is
required, relates to a novel or improved mode of arranging and working the
valve gear of the steam cylinders of such engines.
In carrying out the Invention it will be found convenient in practice to
arrange the working of the pistons in such a manner that when one piston is
at mid or half stroke the other piston shall be at the end of the stroke. The

page_text: operations of the valves and the arrangements of the ports for the induction
and eduction steam are also so contrived(as will be hereafter explained) that
the exhaust of the steam from the cylinder may be arrested at such a point of
the stroke as will prevent the pistons from overreaching or striking against
the heads of the cylinders. By this means the cranks, excentrics, and fly-
wheels usually employed in steam engines may be dispensed with; and when
the Invention is applied to pumping engines a more uniform and equal flow of
water or other fluid at all points of the stroke is effected; the pistons will also
be allowed to pause at the end of each stroke, thereby permitting the valves
of the pumping cylinders to close more gently and with less shock than they
otherwise would.
This Invention relates also to a mode of constructing a double-action pump,
which consists of a rectangular or other conveniently shaped case, which may
be of cast iron and divided internally by a longitudinal partition into two
separate pumps. These separate compartments are provided with a partition
in which is fitted a ring or metallic bearing to receive a long hollow recipro-
cating cylindrical box or piston, which is provided with a piston rod that passes
through a stuffing box in one end of the rectangular box or casing. The lower
or under side of this box or case has a water chamber secured thereto, and
has a number of holes made therein, and which are covered with puppet valves
made to open inwardly. A similar chamber is adapted to the other or upper
side of the box or casing, and is similarly provided with holes which, being
furnished with puppet valves opening outwardly, form so many exit apertures
from the interior of the chamber. In carrying out the improvements there
are two steam or working cylinders and two pumping cylinders employed, and
the pistons of the pumping cylinders are connected to the pistons of the steam
or working cylinders. Each steam or working cylinder is provided with
separate valve arrangements and steam ports, but the working gear of these
parts is so arranged that the induction ports of one steam cylinder are opened
by tappet arms on the piston rod of the other steam cylinder, being made to
come against levers connected by suitable rods with the valve stem of the first
cylinder. The induction ports of the second steam cylinder are in line manner
opened by means of tappet arms on the piston rod of the first steam cylinder.
The reverse action of the valves (that is for closing the induction ports and
opening the exhaust) may be effected for each cylinder by its own piston rod
being made to act on the stem of its own valve by means of suitable arms and
levers. The tappet arms, which operate upon both the induction and eduction
ports, are acted on by blocks which are adjustable at any point on the piston
rods; it will therefore be seen that the combined action of the working cylin-

page_text: ders and pumps may be regulated and controlled at pleasure. The eduction
passages are so arranged that the piston will cut off the eduction steam before
it arrives at the end of the stroke, so as to confine a certain portion of the
steam between the piston and the cylinder head, and thus form a steam
cushion for the piston to strike against.
Another mode which it is proposed to employ in connection with blast
engines for obtaining a cushion of steam between the piston and end of the
cylinder, in order to prevent the former from overreaching or striking against
the end of the cylinder, is to cause the piston to act on a valve so placed as to
admit steam into the cylinder just before the piston reaches the end of its
stroke, as described with respect to a pumping engine patented by Mr. John
Adams Knight, the Specification of which Patent was enrolled subsequently
to the application for the present Patent.
.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews, in longitudinal vertical
section, the improved engine constructed for pumping water, the section being
taken through one of the steam cylinders A and water chambers A¹; Fig. 2 is
a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken in the
line 1, 2, of Figures 1 and 2, through the two water cylinders or chambers A¹;
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the water chambers shewing the cylindrical
or trunk pistons working therein.
The induction ports of each of the two steam cylinders are opened by means
of tappets, on the piston rods of the other cylinder, being made to act against
levers connected by suitable rods with the valve stem of the first cylinder; but
the reverse action of the valves, that is, for closing the induction ports and
opening the exhaust, is effected for each cylinder by its own piston rod being
made to act on the stem of its own valve by means of suitable arms and levers.
A, A, are the steam cylinders; A', A', the pumping cylinders or chambers;
B, B, the pistons of the steam cylinders; and B', B', the cylindrical pistons
of the water cylinders or chambers C and C; (Fig. 2) are the piston rods
on which are keyed cross heads I, 1', which carry tappets h, h, and are further
provided with guide rods J, J, which are attached to the steam pistons and
work in stuffing boxes in the cylinder heads. The pistons of the steam cylin-
ders and the cylindrical or trunk pistons B1, B¹, of the water chambers are
fixed on the same rods C, C¹. The pumping chambers A' are provided with
water chambers E and F, which are each furnished with puppet valves i, i, j. j¹;
the valves i, i, from the chamber E open towards the chamber A¹, and the
valves of the chamber F open from the chamber A¹. These chambers are-
severally divided by a vertical partition G into two compartments, and the
trunk pistons. B work in properly packed bearings or stuffing boxes adapted

page_text: to the partitions G. It will therefore be understood that when the piston B¹,
Fig. 1, moves forward in the direction of the arrow, the lower valves i, i,
which have admitted water from the chamber E in front of the piston, will
close, and the upper valves j¹, 7, communicating with the chamber F, will
open and allow the water, when pushed forward by the advancing piston, to
flow out into the chamber F, and from thence to the exit pipe H. On the
return stroke of the piston B¹, the reverse action will take place, that is,
the upper valves ¹, i, at the right-hand end of the piston will close, and
the lower valve i, j, below them will open to admit water behind the piston B¹
from the chamber E, while the piston is forcing the water on the other side
into the chamber F above, and from thence to the exit pipe H. Precisely the
same operation takes place in the adjoining pumping chamber A¹, which also
communicates with the exit pipe H. On the piston rod of one cylinder is a
block or tappeth or h', which acts on the valve gear of the other cylinder, for
the
purpose of opening the induction valve for the admission of steam on either
side of the piston. The tappet of each rod serves also to cut off the steam of
the cylinder to which that rod belongs. This will be more clearly understood
by following the operation of the parts, which is as follows:-Upon the
advance of the piston B, Fig. 1, in the cylinder A, in the direction of the
arrow, the tappet h on the piston rod C will strike against the lower end of
the lever g, which is mounted on one end of the rocking shaft f¹, Figures 1
and 2. On the other end of this shaft is an arm e, connected by means of a
link i with the valve stem c¹ of the other cylinder. By pushing forward this
valve stem c¹ steam will be admitted to the cylinder A*, Fig. 2, and the piston
therein (which had reached the end of its stroke) will be driven back. Upon
the piston in the other or first cylinder A continuing to advance, the tappet h
will come against the end of the arm k, which is connected at its upper end
with the valve stem c of its own cylinder, and will thereby close the same. In
the meantime the piston of the cylinder A* will have reached about midway
of its return stroke, and will bring the tappet h¹ against the end of the lever g',
and will thereby act on the valve stem c of the cylinder A, and admit steam
behind the piston of this cylinder for the return stroke. By continuing the
return stroke of the piston of the cylinder A*, its tappet h¹ will be brought
against the lower end of the lever 1, and will thus cut off the steam in
its own cylinder. The same operation will in turn take place in the other
cylinder.
It is only necessary to add that the levers g and g¹ are for the admission of
steam to both ends of both the cylinders A and A*. One lever is acted on by
the tappet h, and the other by the tappet ', and by moving the levers g or g¹

page_text: in one direction, steam will be admitted to one end of the cylinders, and by
moving them in the opposite direction it will be admitted to the other end of
the cylinders. The levers, k; are for cutting off the steam at one end of the
cylinder, and the levers 1, 1, for performing the same operation at the other
end.
I would here remark, that when the improved pumping apparatus above
described is intended to be applied to the obtaining of a blast of air for furnaces
&c., it may be requisite to modify the proportions of the valves by enlarging
their area, but, the relative proportions of the valves to the other working parts
will readily suggest themselves to any skilful mechanic practically acquainted
with the requirements of such machinery.
In order to form a cushion of steam in front of the pistons at the end of the
stroke when driving blast engines, the exhaust ports are closed before the
piston reaches the end of the cylinder by the arrangement shewn at Figures 5
and 6, in which it will be seen that there are five steam ports b, b, b1, b', and b³.
The ports b, b, are the induction ports for admitting steam to the ends of the
cylinders. The steam is supplied to the valve chest D in the ordinary manner,
but the supply pipe is not indicated in the Drawing in order to avoid com-
plexity of parts; b', b', are the eduction passages, which by means of the hollow
space in the valve d communicate with the central eduction passage b³,
which is common to both the passages b', b¹. It will therefore be understood,
that instead of using the same port alternately as an induction and eduction
passage, as heretofore, the ports b, b, are used only as induction passages, and
the ports b, b¹, are always used as eduction passages, as indicated by the
arrows. By this arrangement of ports, the piston as it arrives near the end of
its stroke is made to close the eduction passage b', as shewn in Fig. 5, and
thereby confine a cushion of steam between the face of the piston and the end
of the cylinder, as the induction passage b will not be opened until the piston
has rested for a second of time, so as to give time for the valves to be changed.
The induction passage b will then be opened by the piston of the other cylinder
moving the valve d, and on the admission of steam from the piston B will be
driven-back. The same operation takes place at both ends of each cylinder,
and therefore there will be no danger of the piston. knocking against the ends
of the cylinders.
Having now described this Invention of improvements in engines to be
employed for pumping or forcing air or water, or for other purposes where a
rectilinear motion is required, and explained the manner of carrying the same]
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim arranging two or more steam cylinders and the valve

page_text: gear for working the same, in the manner shewn at Figures 1 and 2, and for
the purpose herein set forth.
I also claim, arranging the steam passages of engines employed in working
blast engines, in the manner herein set forth.
And, I further claim, the novel combination of parts above described, con-
stituting the pumping portion of the air or blast engine.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have 'hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)