IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY ENGINES AND PUMPS APPLICABLE TO METERS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Leckie Graham Wright, of the City of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY ENGINES AND PUMPS APPLICABLE
TO METERS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS."
Sealed the 8th January 1869, and dated the 10th. July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Leckie Graham
Wright at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his.
Petition, on the 10th July 1868.
I, WILLIAM LECKIE GRAHAM WRIGHT, of the City of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature.
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY ENGINES AND PUMPS
APPLICABLE TO METERS FOR MEASURING FLUIDS," to be as follows, that is to
say:―
This Invention has reference mainly to the construction and arrange-
ments of the parts of rotatory engines, wheels, or mechanism by the
action and force of water or steam, or by other fluids or gases under.
pressure forced or passed through them for the production of motive.
power, and for the raising, forcing, and measuring of water, air, gas, or
A

page_text: other fluids mainly by the converse action of turning the wheel so as
to draw and force the fluid through it, and which improvements render
these wheels or mechanism more compact and efficient in many respects
and circumstances in their action for their respective purposes than such
rotatory machines have been as heretofore constructed.
And this Invention consists, under one modification or arrangement
as applied to the production of motive power, of a rotatory hollow
annular chambered or rimmed wheel, open on one side, by preference
nearly rectangular in radial cross section (although other sections may
be adopted), all tapering rather wider towards the open side, which is
closed in fluid and pressure tight over the edges of the two sides or
annular peripherys of the chamber, forming the rotatory cylinder or
motor proper, by a stationary flat-faced disc or ring firmly secured so
as not to rotate with the chamber wheel to the main framing or sole
plate supporting the two plummer block bearings of the main revolving
shaft, by preference placed horizontally (but it might be placed vertically
when preferred), carrying the annular recessed motive-power wheel keyed
or otherwise secured by its eye and open arms nearly central between
the two bearings. When this engine is made single acting it has only
one fluid induction and one eduction or exhaust duct or port formed
through the stationary cover, a short distance from each other, leading
into the centre of the annular space of the wheel, equivalent to nearly
the length of a piston or pressure abutting block or piece revolving with
and fixed into the annular recess, previously turned and polished on the
two sides and bottom or solid end opposite the stationary and pressure-
tight jointed separate end or cover, which has a loose steam "abutment,"
stop slide," or valve, or trap door, hinged or jointed in a stationary
recess opposite the steam port and in front or advance of the exhaust
port, disposed so that in acting it lies at an angle of about forty-five
degrees (or from that to ninty degrees) to the solid back end or face on
which the point bears down, and the two edges close up against the two
annular sides of the recess, all fluid and pressure tight (either with or
without metallic or other suitable packing, as desired), with its hinged
or jointed edge also made tight by a packing and lid screwed up from
the outside of a recess formed at the end nearest the exhaust port of the
chamber in the cover for receiving it back or open and flush with the
smooth faced side of the cover, out of the way of the revolving piston of
the chamber when it comes round, which having its advancing or front
Or "

page_text: end or face angled like the stationary hinged "stop" abutment, so as to
enter like a wedge and open it gently back into the recess. in the
cover, the back of the "abutting stop," or the inclined. face of the
revolving piston, or both, having an antifriction roller or rollers. or. a
spring to soften the first blow and friction of. opening, the stop.as. the
piston is passing. The abutting. pressure "stop" may also when desired
work or slide on edge into an angled or vertically disposed recess pushed
down close by a spring or springs and opened against the power of the
springs by the wedge side of the piston to allow it to pass; or in this
arrangement of the stops, which is rather more applicable to the
arrangements for pumps and meters, the "stop." may slide in and
revolve with the wheel, and the wedge pistons. may be fixed on the
stationary end and form the abutting blocks, while the slide shutters
would then form the revolving pistons. The first short motion of so
lifting the hinged stop abutment shuts off the steam by a connecting-
link, attaching it to a duplex piston or a double beat or other equilibrium.
or short cut off or balance valve, fitted by preference in a steam-or
supply valve chest, over or in front of the duct leading into the revolving
wheel from the chest, and through which duct direct, or through a:
stuffing box, when connected by a lever outside, the abutting stop is
connected to the valve rod to so work it.
The steam raised in any ordinary construction of boiler or generator,-
or when water, air, or other fluid is used, is conveyed from their sources.
of pressure supply by pipes into an outer or entrance branch of the
supply valve chest. The back end of the revolving piston has its highest
and short rear part working on the face of the stationary cover, made.
fluid and pressure tight by a metallic or other suitable packing, and so.
as to cover the exhaust port at the moment of opening the stop abut-
ment, and until the valve is shut, which just passes the exhaust port as
soon as its front inclined part has shut off the steam to the new space.
behind the stop and piston; the back end of the piston having an abrupt
slanting or curved end close behind the highest packed end, on passing
the front end of the stop abutment allows it to fall quickly down and
close up the area of the chamber or revolving cylinder behind the. piston.
and between it and the exhaust port, all without loss of steam, as the
stop abutment only opened or permitted the valve to be opened at the..
last short part of its fall, so as to admit the steam in front of itself and.
behind the revolving piston, so as to press the piston and its wheel

page_text: round with the pressure due to that of the steam on every square inch
of the piston in the chamber of the wheel over that of the pressure on
the front of the piston in the space or part of the wheel open to the
exhaust, and with an effective power due to that multiplied by the
velocity of the piston and the length of arm or radius of the wheel in feet
per minute divided by the foot pounds of the arbitrary denominator
desired to be taken. Equilibrium pressure steam valves, or nearly so,
are preferred, and when desired they may be made with spindles fitted
with pistons to take off or regulate the pressure of steam on the
back of the stop abutment; or the spindle may be made to work out
through a pressure-tight stuffing box in its chamber, and be loaded or
regulated to suit various pressures and circumstances by weighted levers
or springs; and also, when desired, be fitted with actuating levers to
be worked by hand or automatically by eccentrics or cams from the
motor itself.
Although only one piston and one set or arrangement of abutting stop
or steam chest valve and exhaust port has been described for one annular
revolving chamber, yet still two, three, or other number of these may be
employed when desired where the wheel is large enough to allow of
sufficient space between them in the cireumference, which will give a
corresponding increase of power in the same wheel, and when desired,
there may be one piston more round the annular chamber than there is
stops or abutments, and steam and exhaust ports round the stationary
end or cover, which will, when properly disposed and divided round the
wheel cause all the others pistons to be in full action while any one is
passing the dead or inactive point of opening the pressure stop or abut-
ment and shutting off the steam and exhaust ports in front and closing
the stop abutments down and opening the steam and exhaust inlets again
behind the piston, and thus have no dead point whatever, but have a
constant rotatory motion and power in the wheel at all times when in
action independent of momentum.
⚫ For engines that require to be reversed the pistons may have inclined
wedge-acting surfaces on both sides of the end packing, with double sets
of ports and valve arrangements, so that one set may be used for working
the wheel in one direction and the second set for working it in the other
direction, the valves and ports not in use being shut off by a hand lever
or other equivalent mechanical arrangement for the purpose; or otherwise
a second annular groove with pistons, ports, and valves, all formed and

page_text: capable of being shut while a cock in a small "blow through" steam
pipe for the purpose is opened into the exhaust side, pushes the pistons
past the abutting stops, and when so doing the cock or valve for letting
off any water of condensation from the wheel may be opened, placed on
the steam side for that purpose, and for stopping their momentum
quickly a friction brake and lever arrangement may be in some cases
employed. When this engine is fixed on the main shaft of a paddle
steamboat or traction or road engine, the two paddle wheels or the
driving and traction wheels respectively are preferred to be loose on the
shaft and coupled thereto by feather and groove clutches and actuated
by levers to assist in turning the boat or carriage quickly in a short
space. And for road engines the motive wheel is made considerably less
in diameter than the driving or traction wheels so as to clear any obstacle
-on the ground, and the fore bearing wheel or wheels as preferred would
be worked by the swivel or turn frame by any of the usual hand steering
gear used for such purposes. When this arrangement is employed as a
pump or meter it is preferred to work it with a single annular recess or
cylinder (though more might be employed) with one or three pistons and
-one or two abutting stops respectively made to slide in narrow parallel
-close recesses either in the stationary cover with the induction and
-eduction branches placed close up to them furnished with corresponding
inlet and outlet valves, or these stops may work in recesses in the wheel
as pistons with the wedge-shaped blocks made fast on the end cover as
abutting pressure-stops between the inlet and outlet branches; or when
-desired the shaft of these rotatory pumps or meters might be made hollow
with a division in the centre, so that the fluid to be forced could enter at
the one end of the shaft and go out by the other through hollow arms
sor pipes directly fitted and leading to and from the orifices on each side
of the sliding or wedge-shaped block pistons in the close revolving
chamber of the wheel. When applied or used as a rotatory meter
these wheels might either be driven by the pressure of the fluid or be
actuated by a weight and cord-and-pulley movement, or by motive
power, according to their size, and an ordinary index reducing arrange-
ment suited to the cubical capacity of the cylinder driven from the shaft
would indicate the units, tens, hundreds, and thousands of feet on the
several dials, or with a slow driven barrel and covered with ruled
Indicating paper and a screw spindle and spring, soft metallic point or
pencil would give the quantity passed through the wheel, and measured
visibly on paper set at limited intervals.

page_text: Another part of this said Invention has reference to an improved
construction of rotatory engine of the annular rim class with a seg-
mental loaded loose gravitating piston within it, which forms the
equivalent for the fixed or non-revolving pressure abutting stops in the
modification of rotatory engine described under the first part of these
said improvements, and consists in adapting the simple hinged abutting
pressure stops of the former engine to this class of engine as the
actuating pistons, revolving and hinged in the inner periphery, or a
chest bolted on to it for the purpose, and double piston or short cut-
off or regulated balance valve directly connected by a link through
the steam entrance duct from the valve chamber or seat, or by a rod
working through a stuffing box in the recess of the inner web or
the chest before named when the valve is to be worked by a lever and
a rod passing out through the outer end of the valve steam chest
secured to the inner web or the recessed box or cover into which
the hinged steam pressing piston folds back out of the way of the
abutting gravitating piston on the reaction side of the wheel. The
branch of the exhaust pipe enters the chamber or cylinder of the wheel
close behind the hinge of the acting valve piston which works in a
widened segmental part of the web chamber between the arms, thus
forming a valve face at about an angle of forty-five degrees across the
open chamber, against which the face of the valve piston presses
fluid-tight when shut down, which it does as soon as it passes the lower
end of the weighted piston, so as to admit the steam between itself
and the end of the weighted piston which it passed by the last short
part of its fall before touching the face, at the same time (either by
a spanner or lever on its spindle passing out through a stuffing box,
or by a return link from the top of the steam valve spindles) opening
a cock or equilibrium pressure valve in the exhaust branch at the last
part of its motion, all so that as the close valve piston reaches the
top of the wheel it comes in contact with two strong angled springs
screwed on the top end of the semicircular gravitating piston, which at
the first motion closes the exhaust and the steam valves, but just before
that took place the opposite lever hinged valve piston had in like
manner to the first cleared the lower end of the weight and shut it
and opened the steam and exhaust on the different side, which continues
the complete rotatory motion of the wheel. The entrance and exhaust
steam passes up and down nearly radially disposed pipes to the two
opposite inner parts of the shaft close up to the arms of the wheel,

page_text: turned to any desired angle for guiding the carriage by a segmental
or complete spur wheel on the rim with the balls securing the swivel
frame to the carriage frame, worked by a pinion on the lower end of
a vertical shaft passing up through a column or other standard sur-
mounted at the top by a proper hand steering wheel. When preferred
a vertical steering wheel and horizontal shaft with a chain barrel may
be employed by the two ends of the chain from the barrel being passed
down round pulleys at the level of the swivel frame, on to which they
are led and fixed on opposite sides, which arrangement would also make
a good and powerful guiding or steering gear for this rotatory wheel.
The journals of the shafts of these fast and heavy rotatory motors might
in many cases be made to revolve in sets or rings of round balls set
properly in a recess formed in the bearing blocks for the purpose. In
some cases when this engine is so used as a traction wheel, the outer cir-
cumference is preferred to be covered by a strong hooping of wood having
a recessed part at one place for inserting the two ends of a broad flat
band passed round the whole periphery of the wood formed of leather or
india-rubber and canvas, or a combination of any of these, such as that
used for heavy straps for driving machinery either with or without a layer
of cork between this and the wood, the two ends being fixed by the
insertion of a broad wedge over and between them and the sides of
the recess secured by bolts; or other equivalent means may be employed
to fix the ends of the elastic hooping in the groove, and if found
necessary round the periphery at other parts, which hooping will ensure
a better holding and noiseless effect on the ground, and have a less
distructive effect on the engine itself.
Another improvement as applied to this class of rotatory engine when
used as a traction wheel as described, in which the axle and wheel has
to turn on the vertical axis of the swivelling and guiding frame, consists
in leading the steam to the engine and the exhaust steam from it (say
to the chimney of the boiler or cistern to heat the feed water for it)
by a short double chambered chest, with a turned stuffing box and
glands at each end in the same axial line erected over the centre of
the wheel through the axle and in the axial line of the swivel frame
so as to turn round with them and the steam and exhaust pipes led
up from the branch connections at the stuffing boxes of the hollow axle
or chests before described, to lateral branches in the respective top and
bottom steam and exhaust chambers of this vertical axially disposed

page_text: chest into the respective stuffing boxes of which the end of a single
steam pipe from the boiler enters and the exhaust pipe from the
chimney or hot feed water chest also enters. When the jointed sides
or covers of the cylinders are made in one ring or piece, as described
and preferred, small doors are formed in them at the parts where it
is convenient to get at the stop valves or packings, the joints of which
are formed by a half check or open "rebate" all round the entrance,
and the face edges of the door piece planed and faced so as to allow
the face of the door when jointed into the half check by screw pins
from the outside to be true and "flush" with the working face of
the main cover at the part of the joint passing through into the interior.
And to prevent vibration and loss by friction in the action of the
floating or gravitating segmental piston it is preferred to fit two or more
antifriction rollers into recesses sunk across the periphery, which would
roll smoothly on the internal surfaces of the chamber or cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Leckie Graham Wright in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LECKIE GRAHAM WRIGHT, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
of
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Leckie Graham Wright, Her
special licence that I, the said William Leckie Graham Wright, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Leckie Graham Wright, 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 ROTATORY ENGINES AND PUMPS
APPLICABLE TO METERS POR MEASURING FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst

page_text: others) that I, the said William Leckie Graham Wright, my executors or
administrators, 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 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 Leckie Graham Wright, 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 in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying four Sheets of Drawings, and to the several figures and
respective reference letters and numerals marked thereon, which as far as
possible are made to represent the same and equivalent or like parts in
all the Figures, all which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of
showing the best modifications and arrangements for practically per-
forming or carrying the several improvements contained in my said
Invention into effect or practice, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists mainly in certain new or improved forms
of rotatory engines, wheels, or mechanism, and in the construction and
arrangement of their parts actuated by the force of water, steam, or
other fluids or gases under pressure, forced or passed through them
for the production of motive power; and for the raising, forcing, and
measuring of water, air, gas, or other fluids, mainly by the converse
action of turning such said engines or wheels, so as to draw and force
the fluid through them; and which improvements render these improved
wheels or machines more compact and efficient in many respects and
circumstances in their action for their respective purposes than such
rotatory machines have been as heretofore constructed.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3 on Sheet 1, which are respectively a
side elevation partially in section, and two transverse angular sections,
taken on or near the irregular lines 1, 1, 1, and 2, 2, 2, on Figures 1
and 2 respectively, all showing one arrangement and form of the parts
of a rotatory motive-power steam engine or machine constructed in
accordance with and illustrative of one modification of my said Invention,
acting as a double power or pair of high and low pressure
expansion "
engines, worked in both directions, forward or backward, as indicated by
the black and red arrows in the Figures respectively.

page_text: The main driven shaft A is shown as carried in a usual form of
journals and bearings A¹ and "
plummer blocks "A bolted to the main
framing A³, secured by columns and sole plate to any strong suitable
foundation where the engine is to be worked, but having the journal
bearings A' as close to and equidistant from the motive power wheel B
as possible, which is formed in two parts bolted together by their disc
webs B', keyed or otherwise secured by strong eye B and radial arms B'
on the centre of the shaft A, shown as arranged to revolve on a hori-
zontal axis, but it might also be made to revolve on a vertical axis, and
work as a horizontal motor when desired. In this arrangement there
are two smaller annular recesses C, C', and two larger ones c, c', forming
the high and low pressure engine steam spaces or cylinders relatively
and respectively, one of each C and c, and C₁ and c formed by
turning " them laterally in each half or face of the wheel B are
open on the outer sides (and by preference) nearly rectangular in their
radial cross section, or slightly tapered on the circumferential inner
faces of the rims 6 widest toward the outer open sides (although other
transverse sectional forms of the recesses may be adopted) which are
closed in, steam or fluid pressure tight, over the edges of the rims b
of the annular peripherys of the chambers C, c, and C¹, c', and whole
ends and central spaces 6', between the arms B³ of the wheel B from
periphery D to eye D, by the strong stationary flat-faced discs D, D',
strengthened by feathers on the back, and screwed together by bolts D
passing through snugs round their perimeter beyond the sheet-iron
cylindrical casing D", having its edges secured in grooves and soft metal
or other packing in the covers D, D¹, so as to envelope the motive
wheel B, and make its steam recesses C, c, tight by these bolts D and
the screws d for tightening up the three set of double packing rings d'
with soft metal, wire, cloth, or other suitable packing or springs between
them, fitted in grooves d³ in the facing of the cover D, D', opposite
the edge 6 of the steam spaces, which may be faced with metal ring
surfaces of different hardness in proportion to their rubbing effect,
the outer large rims being proportionally hardest, and provided with
grooves to break the continuity of the rubbing surfaces and escape if
any; further secured at the eye B³ of the wheel and covers D by a
packing and ring, as at D™ when desired, or a "thrust" or tightening
discs a fixed on the shaft A and fitted with a ring of antifriction
rollers a bearing up against the eye of the covers D, tightened up at
pleasure by pinching screws a³ and a loose bearing plate a", or instead

page_text: of a circle of rollers four or six might be used having journals working
in a duplex ring frame at their ends, which being loose in the disc a
could turn with the rollers a¹. This arrangement of a ring of antifriction
rollers might be applied to the bearing blocks and journals, as also to
other parts of rotatory engines, where high speeds are required, shown
in various parts of the other Figures and modifications to be herein-after
referred to. Ring ends might, when preferred, be used instead of the
discs D described; in either case these ends D firmly secured so as not to
rotate with the motive wheel B to the main framing A³, or sole plate
supporting the two plummer block bearings A¹ of the main revolving
shaft A, as by the brackets D' at the extreme sides of the cover made
to rest on the top of the frame A³, or other equivalent, as links or
rods attached to the frame. When this form of annular wheel is made
for working only as a single-acting engine it has only one steam or
fluid induction port E, and one eduction or exhaust duct or port F
formed through the stationary cover D at a short distance from each
other leading into the centre of one annular space or cylinder C of the
wheel B equivalent to nearly the length of a moving piston H (or
pressure abutting block or piece) revolving with and fixed into the
annular recess C previously turned and polished on the two sides b, b,
and bottom or solid end B¹ opposite the bearing stationary fluid pressure
tight jointed part separate end or cover D, which has also one loose
hinged steam abutment or stationary piston I, trap-door valve, or it
might be a valve or stop slide hinged or jointed in the stationary
recess J opposite the steam port E, and in front or advance of the exhaust
port F, and disposed so that when in action it lies at an angle of about
forty-five degrees (or from that to ninety degrees as preferred) to the solid
back end or face B' on which its front edge or point I' bears down, as also
that of its two edges I" close up against the two annular sides b, b, of
the recess C, all steam and fluid pressure tight, either with or without
metallic or other suitable equivalent or break grooves or packing such as
shown in several Figures, or other equivalent means, and as in the
fixed and moving piston bearings therein shown, and having its hinged
or jointed edge I also made tight by the packing blocks and soft
metal or fine wire k in the recess of the cover D, and secured or
tightened up from the outside of the small removable packing plates
and cover k, through which the tightening screws " act, near the
exhaust port F of the chamber or recess J in the cover D, over and for
receiving the piston I back or open "flush" with the smooth faco

page_text: In some cases a
side of the main cover D, out of the way of the revolving piston H
in the chamber C, when it comes round to this "dead point," the
moving piston having its advancing or front end or acting face H¹
angled in the same manner as the back of the stationary hinged stop
abutment I, so as to enter like a wedge and open the stop I gently back
into the recess J in the cover. The inclined face H¹ of the revolving
piston H, or it might be the back of the abutting stop I, or both,
may have antifriction rollers H and I respectively,, as shown in
Figure 3, to relieve friction and tear and wear.
spring H³, shown in Figures 1 and 3, may be used to soften the
first blow of opening the stationary piston I as the piston H is
passing it. The first short motion of so lifting the hinged stop
abutment I shuts off the entering steam by the connecting link.
or links L attaching it to the cylindrical or piston slide valve L!
(but it might be any other suitable arrangement of duplex piston,. or
a double beat or other equilibrium or short cut off or balance valve,
such as shown in the other Figures) fitted by preference in a steam.
or other supply annular chambered and short ported valve chest L
close over or in front of the duct and chamber of the cover D,, for
receiving back the hinged abutting piston I, leading into the channel C.
of the revolving wheel B, from the main steam pipes M, M', leading
into the chest L, and through which duct direct the abutting stop I
The
is connected to the piston valve or its rod to so work it.
steam raised in any ordinary construction of boiler or generator, or
when water, air, or other fluid is used, is conveyed from their sources of
pressure supply by pipes to the union stopping and reversing entrance
two-way pipe and cock M leading into the entrance pipe and branch M
of the supply valve chest L. The highest short bearing back end H
of the revolving piston H works on the face of the stationary cover D.,
and is made fluid pressure tight by a metallic plate H" working in
a groove, pressed out by springs or other suitable packing and broad
enough and set so as to cover the exhaust port F at the moment
of opening the stop abutment I, and shuts the steam valve L' as it
passes and opens the exhaust port F to the new space behind its
back short slanting end H', which is furnished with a spring H³ on
the abrupt slanting or curved end close behind the highest packed
bearing end H", which on passing the front end of the stop abutment. I
allows it to fall quickly and softly by falling over the spring, and close
up the area of the chamber or revolving cylinder C behind the piston

page_text: and between it and the exhaust port F, all with little or no loss of
steam, as the stop abutment only opens the valve L' and permits the
steam to enter at the last short part of the fall so as to enter, expand,
and increase the space in front of itself and behind the revolving
piston H and thus press the piston and its wheel B round with the
pressure due to that of the steam on every square inch of the piston
in the chamber C of the wheel over that of the pressure on the front
of the piston H in the space or part of the wheel open to the exhaust,
and with an effective power due to that multiplied by the velocity of
the piston in feet or circumference due to the length of arm or radius of
the wheel in feet per minute, divided by the foot pounds of the arbitrary
denominator desired to be taken. Although I have so far, for simplicity,
only described this arrangement as a single-acting engine, as it might
be made with only one cylinder C and one revolving and one stop
piston, yet still it will be seen on referring particularly to Figure 1, that
there are two stationary pistons I, and three revolving pistons H, so
fitted and worked in each of the cylinders C, c', and C', c, the two in
the small high-pressure cylinder C at the back receiving the actuating
steam for the main pipe and two-way cock or valve M by the two
induction pipes and branch M³, valve chests L, L, and induction
port E, E, from which it exhausts out through the two ports F, F,
and pipes G, G, into the induction ports e, e, of the outer low-pressure
cylinder c on the diagonal opposite front side both transversely and
in front elevation (but they might exhaust into the low-pressure
cylinder on the same side in like manner if preferred), whereby its
further and similar action and expansion in the cylinder c¹, and passing
finally exit out and relieve the pressure through the exhaust ports f, f
through the two exhaust pipes g, g, and union pipe, cock, or valve g³
(arranged in a much similar manner to the entrance steam pipes M) into
the main pipe g³ leading into any ordinary condenser or other usual
chamber or chimney for utilizing the spent current. The passage of the
steam through the several pipes and two cylinders C, c', in this way (say
the forward direction) is indicated in black arrows, and generally through
the revolution of the wheel, the steam would act on the back of two of
the three revolving pistons H in front of the two stationary pistons I and
always on one, when any one of the three was passing the other stop
piston I and inlet and outlet ports E and F, and thereby have no "dead
point," thus with the mean effective power of the whole all generally
and substantially as herein-before described in reference to the single

page_text: piston and engine. For driving the engine in the backward direction
the steam and exhaust cocks M and 9 respectively are for reversing
by any convenient simple hand lever arrangement coupling both to
move at once so as to admit the steam from the two pipes Mч into the
two set of engines or chambers of the opposite diagonal-cylinders C and c
(all as described in reference to the forward engines), and in the direction
indicated by the red arrows, the exhaust finally passing off in this case
by the two pipes g¹ to the main pipe g³ leading to the condenser. In
this modification piston valves L' have been shown and applied to the
initial steam chests I of the high-pressure engines only which insure
their closing, so that the low-pressure engines c or c¹ which have no.
valves L or valve chests L' on their pistons I are furnished with
springs to insure their being pressed down after the revolving pistons H
pass them, although when preferred valves L' and chests L might be also
applied to the low-pressure engines. In reversing these engines the
stationary pistons I of those not in use for the time being are held up
into their recesses J in the cover by an arrangement of steam cylinder
and spring attached to each piston (shown in blue lines in Figure 1 as
applied to a condensing one), and which consists of a lever i fixed on
and projecting out from the ends of the joint spindle i of the piston I,
passing out through stuffing boxes in the packing recess ¹ of the hinge,
the levers, ¹, being connected through their free ends by a long spindle
which is attached by the long slotted link to the piston 23 of a small
cylinder, secured to the cover D' connected by a small steam pipe to
the inlet steam chamber I of the engine running in the reverse direction
to that of the engine of the piston I to which the piston of the small
cylinder is attached, all so that when the steam enters the chest L of
the engine to be set on by the reversing of the steam and exhaust cock
as before stated, it acts on the piston and raises the piston I into the
recess J out of use, as long as that engine is on against the power of
the spiral spring ; directly connected by the link j¹fixed by its pro
tecting box to some part of or projection from the cover D', all tending
to keep the piston I down close to its steam-tight working position,
when there is mo piston valve L', as in this case of its attachment to a
low-pressure engine in addition to or for counterbalancing or regu
lating the pressure of the steam on the back of the valve I when toc
strong, and both free to do so as in the high-pressure cylinders. In
some cases a small cock may be fitted to a part of the pipe so as to
admit steam direct from the main pipes by hand when desired for further

page_text: regulating or holding the piston I, which when working does not move
the little piston, as the connecting cross spindle 2 works to and fro in
the long slot of the link ". In some cases a second spring might be
used to hold the slides out of action, or an eccentric, cam, or lever action
might be made to throw the particular set out or into working position
by the action of the lever which reversed the two-way valves or cocks M
and g, or other equivalent reversing and holding mechanical motion.
Other forms of valves L' and their chests I for admitting the steam to
these cylinders, such as the hollow cylindrical valves shown in the
modifications in Figures 4 to 21, on Sheets 2, 3, and 4, or other equivalent
or approximate equilibrium pressure valves or nearly so, which I prefer.
so as to take off or regulate the pressure of steam on the back of the
stop abutments I, either fitted with spindles and balancing springs and
pistons or not as desired. In some cases the spindle or spindles of each
sliding piston, whether that may be a revolving piston H or a fixed
one I, may be made to work out through pressure-tight stuffing: boxes.
in its chamber J of the fixed part D, D¹, or revolving wheel B, and/ bb
loaded or regulated to suit various pressures and circumstances by
weighted levers or springs, or be fitted. with.crosshead. Ku, rod, and lever,
and work by cams on the motive shaft A, or on the fixed body D, D',
according as it was in the stationary or movable piston I or H respec-
tively which were to be so. moved, and which motion might also work.
the inlet and outlet valves E and F of either or both the high and low.
pressure cylinders C, c, all as shown in the various modifications, Figures 4:
to 13, on Sheets 2 and 3. And these pistons H and stops I may work.or.
slide: on edge into a vertical (or it might be angled) recess J in their
wheel B or case or covers D, D¹, and have packing plates with springs;.
pinching screws, and antifriction rollers where they work on the rubbing
surfaces, and opened against the power of the springs tending to keep
them shut by the wedge side H of the revolving piston H to allow it
to pass, as shown in one arrangement in Figures 12 and 13, on Sheet 3.
(which is rather more applicable for pumps and meters than some of the
arrangements of stops shown), or the stop piston I may in. some cases
slide into and revolve with the wheel B as a piston H, and the wedge-
shaped piston may in that case be fixed on the end periphery part b, D,
of the stationary sides of the wheel, and form the stop or abutting blocks
or pistons I, while the slide shutters would then form the revolving.
pistons, and be opened by it and closed by a spring or the pressure of the.

page_text: steam, all as shown in the various modifications in these said Figures on
Sheets 2 and 3.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5 on Sheet 2, which are respectively a
half side elevation and plan, shown half in section on the right-hand
side of another modification of my said Invention (somewhat analogous
to that shown in Figures 1 and 3), and which is as follows:-The wheel B
is cast in one piece, and has its two tapered and turned annular high-
pressure cylinder spaces C, C¹, opening laterally with the edges of the
broad double-faced walls or side rims 6 at the extreme outer periphery,
working steam-tight on the packing rings d', in the two recesses d³ of
the back end D¹ and front cover D, which is rigidly secured at its
periphery by the bolts D³ to a flange on the strong outer casing Du
formed in one with the end D¹ and sole plate or frame A³, D³, in this
case, and the central space 6' is made tight at the shaft A by the stuffing
boxes D, which may be also made to form the supporting and working
bearings of the shaft by having long bushes or antifriction rollers in a
part of the recess for the packing between collars or rings. A ring or
edge running antifriction rollers d is inserted in each groove of the
outer rim 6 to relieve the constant friction of the packing rings 6',
making the fluid-tight joint between the high and low-pressure steam
annular recess C, C¹, and c respectively, the former of which have two
revolving pistons H (but there might be three or more of them) set
opposite each other in the recesses C, C³, and common to both, and each
set of two flat-ended fixed pistons I. The pistons H extend across from
end to end D and D¹, and are each actuated radially within a recess j
formed across the recesses, and dividing them into two equal chambers or
cylinders C, C¹, and through their inner rim 6 and centre web B¹, by two
rods H passing through stuffing boxes in the cover H' into the chamber b',
where the rods H' are connected by one cross head H", and actuated by
the free ends of two levers H³ fulcrumed to snugs H at each side
of the rim 6 at the other, and by pulleys H on them running in
grooves formed in the ends D, D', which as they come round to the
two cam pieces H' inserted from the outside covers in the grooves H¹¹
draw in the pistons H so as to pass the fixed pistons I in succession at
section of the
the proper time. These pistons I filling the cross
chamber C, C, are fixed in recesses in the ends D, D¹, with covers k³
formed by the flanges of the chests I and screws k³, k", k, passing out
through them for tightening up the pistons I, and their side and end

page_text: packing blocks, springs, and bearing plates I, I, I, and springs and
antifriction rollers I, I, all as shown in half side view and section,
detached in Figure 6. The low-pressure revolving pistons are also
two (but it might have one more or less to correspond to the high-
pressure ones) disposed and fixed to the turned outer periphery of the
rim 6 of the wheel B in the same radial plane as the high-pressure ones H,
extending and filling the whole cross section of the low-pressure recess c,.
and having packing blocks, springs, and cross edge "lapped or
"tongued "bearing pieces ³, h", and h¹, for making the piston tight on
the inner turned periphery of the outer case D" and screws h³, blocks h*,
springs, and with the journal plates and rollers against the ends D
and D' at D", all as shown in the detached sectional side view, Figure 7.
In this arrangement there is two fixed pistons K (analogous in con-
struction to the revolving pistons H), which work in the narrow recess J
of the inlet and outlet valve chest fixed by flanges and bolts to the.
case D", each piston K being actuated by a central spindle K*passing:
out through a stuffing box in the cover K, and connected to the centre
of a crosshead K", either rigidly or with a spring K; so as to keep it
shut against the outer circumference 6 of the wheel B fórming the inner
surface of the chamber c, until the crosshead K" shuts the two high
and two low-pressure valves L' and P, connected by return rods L and l,
to and actuated by the same cross head which is actuated by the two side
rods L attached to it, reciprocating on an antifriction guide rol
in guides formed on the flange frame part of the duplex steam chests L
of the liigh-pressure cylinders C or C³, one on each side of the stationary
pistons I; the inner ends of these rods L³ being connected to the
arrangement of knee link L' and lever L arrangement, fulcrumed on a
stud L, the cam "tappets" or curved raised parts of the cam L® being.
so fixed and set as to act at the proper time on an antifriction roller on
the lever L as to remove the piston K out of the way of the pistons.
and allow them to pass, and at the same time shut and open all the
valves and ports L', ', and E, F, and e, f, to their respective ducts. The
pistons H and K which reciprocate and make their change of letting off.
the exhaust steam, and admitting fresh steam. as they come near the
pistons I, I, and the pistons h, h, pass the pistons K. on the opposite
sides of the machine on the horizontal plane through the axis of the
shaft A; these pistons H and K having packing plates and springs h¹, ";
with pressing and journal bearing blocks and rollers k, k", k, respec-.
tively tightened up by screws II' and ', working out through the

page_text: covers H and K* in close removable guide caps for ease of tightening,
but other simple packing and means of tightening the same might also
be used instead of those shown in those several pistons. An admission
and reversing slide valve N is used in this case for admitting the steam
from the boiler through the main pipe M into the chest N¹, as set, and
shown, so as to allow the steam to enter by the front and back induction
pipes M, M, and their valve chests L, valves L', and ports E, and
out through the ports F, and valves L, and chests I of the exhaust of
the high-pressure engines up the pipes N", N", and through the valves N
down into the induction pipe m", port, e, valve chest and valve and
of the low-pressure engine c, and finally out through the exhaust valve l,
chest, and port f of the low-pressure cylinders c into the eduction
pipe n", and out through the eduction port and branch N2 of the chest N¹
into any arrangement of condenser or exhaust apparatus desired, all as
indicated by the black arrows for the forward direction, and as by the
red arrows for the backward direction for that half of the engines shown
in elevation on the left-hand side of Figure 4. Another similar valve
arrangement could be placed on the other side, and the two coupled
and worked by the same lever, or the one made large enough in the
branches to receive all the steam and ducts from the engines on the
right-hand side of the machine.
Figures 8 and 9, on Sheet 3, are respectively a sectional side elevation
and transverse section of another arrangement of my said Invention with
one annular cylinder or recess C, but otherwise with four revolving
pistons H bevelled on two sides having the bearing and packing plates,
springs, and screws through the rim 6 for tightening them up from the
inside through a door z in the ends D, D', with annular packing at d¹
and stuffing box a¹ at the eye on the shaft A, with their fixed sliding
abutting piston I right across the whole recess C with an inlet and outlet
valve on each side of each piston I, and with bearing facing carrying
the case D, D', D, all lettered, and of much the same construction as
that described in reference to the former modifications. In this case the
high pressed steam from the boiler is admitted by the branch M', and
simple reversing cock M to the advance or right-hand engine, and inle
valve and chest L' and L, and induction port E of the top abutting
stationary piston I by its back branch, and after actuating the firs
piston H of the wheel B, after entering the chamber C, escapes by the
front branch or rear eduction port F of the second right-hand engine

page_text: "
and fixed piston I, from which it exhausts into the front of an exhaust
and reversing piston valve chest O by the branch Fb and pipe fb, and
from the chest O along the two inlet pipes Gb, Go, into the front branches
Eb and E to the advance side or engines of the piston Ib and I°
respectively, and finally exhaust from the back branches, and a similar
arrangement of pipes F, F, (on the other side for going in the reverse
direction), a similar exhaust chest O' behind the piston valve direct into
the centre chamber 6' of the wheel, which in this case is formed into a
condenser, and has these chests O, O¹, bolted to them convenient for
making short pipes leading to the condenser, all as indicated in black
arrows, and red arrows for running in the forward direction, the con-
ducting pipes generally being shown in all the Figures by red and blue
lines. The pistons I are of much the same construction as described in
the last modification on Sheet 2, and are each worked outside along with
their valves L, L, by the four-armed cross head K" and two side rods L³,
the lower end of which work through guides L", and are each actuated
by a roller L working in the four " 'tappet or raised grooves of the
cam L formed in two parts L', L', bolted together, and so keyed and
set one on each side of the shaft A as to raise each of the three pistons I
at the moment each of the four pistons H are passing them and their
inlet and exhaust valves; a side view of the interior of the cam L' is
shown detached with the one side or ring removed in Figure 10. The in-
jection water is led in through the two ends D, D', of the case near where
the steam exhausts into the chamber 6', and both are drawn off through
the lower part of the ends D and D¹ by the ducts P, and led into the
bottom of two ordinary air pumps P', cast in one with feed P2 and cold
water plunger pumps P" on each side, forming a parallel guide for the
working of the whole by the one cross head P³, by the eccentric strap Pu
linked direct to the cross head P' by a short arm, the whole being worked
by the straps P rolling on a circle of small rollers P', working half in
a groove formed in the periphery of the eccentric P which actuates
them, and half in a groove in the straps P¹¹¹. The journal A¹ and
plummer block bearings A2 of the shaft A. are also here shown as
working on a ring of such rollers a', similarly kept in their proper
position by grooves as within the collars of the journal A'. The two
pistons of the opposite exhaust reversing chests O, O¹, are actuated by
the two levers O linked together by a rod O" attached by a pin or link
to the same lever 05, whicli reverses the high-pressure cock at such a
position from its fulcrum as to open or shut all the pipes on the one side

page_text: and close those on the other, opening to the condenser 6' through the
-chests O.
Figure 11 shows a half sectional elevation of a wheel B with one
annular steam recess C, divided by three revolving pistons H, and two
stationary hinged pistons I (somewhat of the construction as shown in
Figures 1 to 3) at top and bottom of the casing D", one on each side of
a vertical plane through the axis, and having their hinges i working as
close back to back as possible parallel to the axis of the wheel B, and
having their points and under faces falling down on a checked flat
face Ju lying at an angle of about 45° down in towards the wheel on the
sides of the chambers J, for the piston working up out of the way of the
pistons H passing, and so that the points I' rest steam-tight on these
faces by a loose bearing spring face piece I", and their spindles i
-have levers ¹ on them to be connected to the small piston is and
-cylinders (as in Figure 1), in connection with the opposite steam
chest L and piston I in use, so that the pressure of steam on that side
*would keep down its own piston and keep the other up for running in
the opposite direction; an outlet disc or conical valve F is fitted on the
outer end of each of the inlet valves L', which by a light spring below
it raises it on the side which has been turned off to the exhaust, and
closes it on the side opened to the steam, all as indicated by the red arrows
in this Figure, but which would all be reversed in the corresponding
⚫ opposite position from that shown, when the main steam cock, as M in
the other Figures, was reversed to make the actuating fluid enter at the
reverse set of pipes, and exhaust through the others for driving the wheel
forward, as indicated by the black arrow.
Figures 12 and 13 show a side and edge view, both respectively
partially in section, of another modification of my said Invention, with
one annular recess between the turned periphery of the wheel B and
case Du, divided into two compartments C on the wheel by the
pistons H, having radial ducts E and F opening out close on each
side of the reverse angled faces H¹ and centre web B¹, running down
to an annular recess F close to the eye B2 opening outwards on each
side, each turned out with a collar or "shouldered" stuffing box
recess, into which is fitted the truly turned annular steam or other
fluid chamber Q open at the end inserted into the recess F of the
wheel and close on the outer end, having an inlet or outlet pipe, or
conduit G or g, attached to each chamber Q, which is jointed by stuffing

page_text: and a single or double rimmed packing gland and ring Q¹ and Q' by
bolts making a fluid-tight joint with the eye B2 of the wheel, and
the large stuffing box eye Du on the end cover D, all respectively
so that the inward and outward flow of the fluid through the pipes
and wheel when driven in the backward direction is as shown and
indicated as running in this direction in the Figures by red arrows.
In some cases the one or both ends of the shaft A might be made
hollow for the inlet and outlet, instead of having the annular chambers.
The stationary pistons I are here made to slide up into enclosed cross
recesses or chambers, four in number, formed on the case D", two
screw spindles only from each passing out through stuffing boxes I¹¹¹,
the spindles having round caps on their outer end form guides I*,
and are the tightening up screws of the packing plates, springs,
and rollers which are mounted on each side of the working face of
the piston to save friction and assist it in rising up the incline
surface H of the revolving piston H against the power of the
springs R, which are worked above the caps I of the spindles I³ in
protecting spring cases R', and secured and tightened up by a cap
and tightening screw R at will.
Figure 13 is a sectional clevation of a slightly modified form of
wheel shown in Figures 12 and 13 suitable as a simple expansion
engine having two high-pressure recesses C formed virtually into one
by openings cut through the web B¹ near the inlet ducts E and e,
to equalize the pressure across to both recesses C, and one low-pressure
one c, each having two revolving pistons H, h, and two stationary
ones I, I, and K, K, one only of each at the upper side of wheel
being shown. Each revolving piston H of the recess C and stationary
piston K of the recess c sliding into their recesses j and J in the
wheel B and case D", and having the pistons I and h secured to the
covers D and D', and to the periphery of the wheel B, all respectively
much as shown and described in reference to Figures 4 and 5, on
Sheet 2, the sliding pistons H and K. being pressed out of the recesses C
and c by the wedge-shaped faces of their actuating pistons I and h,
as they pass them, by acting on perforated links 1, 2, connected and
hinged to them, and the body of the cylinder B and case Du near
the chambers j and J, into which they are so pressed against the
power of springs R inserted between them and the ends of their
chambers, which press them out as soon as the piston H and h pass.

page_text: The steam is admitted by the duct and port E from the hellow shaft A
(or it might be the chamber Q) from one side of the wheel into the
high-pressure cylinders C, and after passing through it passes by the
openings F and cross branches G¹ into the low-pressure cylinder c, on
the other acting side of its near stop piston K, so as to drive the
wheel, all as indicated by the red arrows, and finally exhausting out
after acting in both cylinders C and c by the port finto any common
pipe, controlled by a reversing cock as g³, in Figure 1, to any desired
condenser, while another main steam cock, as in the same Figure,
would on being reversed along with g, reverse the wheel and cause
the steam to enter by the duct e, and finally exhaust the port f¹
to the condenser through the cock g³, for turning the engines in the
opposite direction to that indicated by the arrows, all without valves I',
as in the other modifications. When single engines of these kinds
are made with a "dead point" and might stop on that point, they
are constructed with a cock or valve on their exhaust outlet
branches F capable of being shut by hand, while a cock in a small
blow-through steam pipe and jet for the purpose is opened into
the exhaust side or chamber, so as to push the pistons H past the
abutting stops I, and when so doing the usual cock or valve placed
on the steam side for letting off any water of condensation from the
wheel may be opened to give exhaust on the steam side for the
⚫ moment. And for stopping the momentum of these engines or wheels
"quickly a friction break and lever arrangement may be judiciously
employed in many cases for use while suddenly reversing the engines
and for winding purposes.
When one of these engines is fixed on
the main shaft of a paddle steam boat, or traction or road engine,
the two paddle wheels or the driving and traction wheels respectively
are preferred to be loose on the shaft and coupled thereto by feather
and groove, or other equivalent clutch arrangement, and actuated by
levers to assist in turning the boat or carriage quickly in a short
space. For road engines these motive wheels are made considerably
less in diameter than the driving or traction wheels so as to clear any
obstacle on the ground; and the fore bearing wheel or wheels and
-axle, as preferred, would be swivelled with the turn frame by any of
the usual hand steering gear used for such purpose. When any one
<of these arrangements or modifications of them is employed as a pump
.or meter it is preferred to work it with only a single annular recess
or cylinder (though more might be employed) with three acting

page_text: pistons H and compartments C in the wheel, and two abutting stops I
respectively, made either hinged or to slide into their narrow close
parallel recesses J, either in the case D" or in the wheel B, with
the induction or eduction branches or ducts E and F placed close up
to them, either furnished with corresponding inlet and outlet valves
or not as desired. And when applied or used as a rotatory meter,
these wheels might either be driven by the pressure of the fluid or be
actuated by a weight and cord and pulley movement, or by motive
power, according to their size, and any ordinary index reducing and
indicating arrangement suited to the cubical capacity of the cylinder,
driven from the shaft, would indicate the units, tens, hundreds, and
thousands of feet on the several dials; or with a slow driven barrel,
and converse with ruled indicating paper, and a screw spindle, and
spring soft metallic point or pencil, would give the quantity passed
through the wheel and measured visibly on paper, which could be
renewed and set at limited intervals when desired.
Another part of my said Invention has reference to an improved
constructon of rotatory engine of the annular rim class with a segmental
loaded loose gravitating piston within it which forms the equivalent for
the fixed or non-revolving pressure abutting stops or pistons I in the
improved rotatory engines herein-before described under the first part of
my said Invention.
Figures 14 and 15 on Sheet 4 are respectively side and end sectional
elevations taken nearly at right angles to each other through the central
axis of the wheel and opposite revolving pistons H, H, and actuating
spindles set in this position for the purpose of showing the sliding and
opening action of the pistons H, H, and inlet and outlet valves E, E,
and F, F, as they come round to and recede from the upper and lower
ends respectively of the loaded gravitating piston I, all constructed in
accordance with and illustrative of one modification of my said Invention
as applied to this class of motive-power wheel, as designed also for
the purpose of the traction and steering fore wheel of road carriage or
traction portable engine car. Figures 16 and 17 are horizontal sections
of the same taken on or near the irregular lines 1, 1, 1, 1, and 2, 2, 2,
in Figures 14 and 15, and corresponding to Figure 14.
Figure 18 is a side view of the stuffing-box end of the hollow shaft A,
and Figure 19 is a side and end view of the packing or rubbing plate s
of the two-packed end of piston detached, which is also shown in

page_text: transverse section in Figure 20, taken on the line 3, 3, in Figure 14,
Figure 21 being a longitudinal and transverse section of a slightly
modified form of the same, making the tapered tightening bolt 8 of steel
in the form of blade springs so as to both tighten up the packing and
dispense with other springs 8". Referring to these Figures 14 to 20, this
arrangement consists of the main wheel B with a turned annular and
rectangular cylinder C and cover D for inserting the long heavy seg-
mental piston I which is made steam tight at both ends by the packing
plate springs and tapered wedge bolts 8, 8, 81, all as shown in detail, and
screwed up at pleasure through the covered hole Z provided for the
purpose, this piston I being divided into compartments and filled with
lead or other heavy material, as at I', and provided with antifriction
rollers I near the piston ends Iº, I, to relieve the wear on the packing,
the journal bearings of which are tightened up through the hand door 2.
The wheel B, which is also the outer case and wholly revolves has fitted
and adapted to it the two stop sliding pistons H on opposite sides so as
to revolve with it in slotted radial recesses J through the inner rim 6 and
across the chamber C into close chambers J each formed in one casting
with the chests I of the hollow cylindrical slide valves L' for controlling
the induction and eduction of the steam by the first short motion they
make through the narrow or short but circumferentially wide inlet and
outlet ports E and F and their respective pipes M³, M³, M', and m³, m³, m³,
leading from and back to the controlling and reversing slide valve and
valve chest N and N¹ into which the steam enters from the boiler by the
pipe M and is finally let off through the exhaust port and pipe m, all
through the opposite hollow ends of the main shaft A by the stuffing
boxes a, a', leading to the radial pipes M³ and m³, close to the sides of
the wheel B, all thus far respectively much in reference to the fitting
and action of the pistons H, as shown and described in reference to the
fittings of the pistons H or K, in Figures 4, 5, or I and H, K, in Figures
8, 12, and 13, with the spring and rollers R, i"; but they might also
be fitted with hinged pistons H working on valve bearing faces in their
chamber j, as shown and described in reference to those I in Figures 1
and 11, or as the hinged perforated plate l, in this case made to lie and
open at the opposite angle to raise or open both the pistons H and inlet
valves L' in front of it by the respective connecting links L and , and
have the spindles i of these hinged pistons I or H, as the case may be,
passing out through and connected outside by levers on them and con-
necting rods, and a spring for each or both combined or other equivalent

page_text: (all as shown in these Figures 14 and 15 for actuating the sliding
arrangement of pistons H, H,) with lever and rod connections to open
the exhaust port or valve immediately behind them at the same moment
as the steam is admitted in front between it and the back or lower end
of the piston I, having a "tappet" lever close in front which would
open the piston H as the lever / does if the loaded piston I fell back by
loss of pressure or vacuum acting on its opposite ends. The two pistons H
are jointed to each other by their rods H', H', passing out through
stuffing boxes in the covers H³ and coupled by the duplex stem and
socket sliding rod H", H", pressed assunder by the jam nuts H³ on each,
and the long spring H between them, all working in the duplex brass
protecting case H* made in pieces convenient for removal, all passed
radially out through the strong boss B of the shaft and wheel B cast in
one piece; but when desired the shaft might be made separate and the
pistons might be worked by individual elliptic blade springs R with the
close box J without rod or other connections outside of the wheel. The
pistons H have springs H³ in the bottom of their steam-tight and brass-
faced recess J for softening the stroke in shutting by the power of the
long spring H³ assisted by the weight of themselves and attachments
at the proper time this has to take place as they come to the low side
of the wheel or the back end of the piston I, and their actuating or
supporting hinged plate lever connected to them and the inlet valves L'
by the respective links L and A, and clears the strong angled spring or
springs I with antifriction roller I" secured to the lowest end of the
weighted piston I, all so as to open the two lower valves L' and admit
the steam through the inlet pipes M and port E by the short first motion
of the piston H between it and the back of the piston I, and let off the
used steam from the front of the piston H through the exhaust port F
and pipes m; at the same time or an instant or so later the upper end
spring Is of the piston as the wheel came round would open the upper
piston H so as to pass the loaded piston I and shut the upper valves L³
by its first short motion, and thus relieve the upper end surface of the
piston I of pressure to the exhaust outlet pipes, which action of the
steam in succession, all as indicated by the black arrows in the Figures
14 and 15, makes the wheel turn or roll in the forward direction, while
for turning the wheel B in the opposite direction the starting and
stopping hand levers of the valve N are reversing, which causes the
steam to enter at the opposite hollow end a¹ of the shaft A and exhaust
through the other a, when at this time the weighted piston I will come

page_text: round to the left-hand side of the wheel, and by the duplicate set of broad
levers and links L and lift and depress the inlet valves L' and admit
steam at the ports F and exhaust at the ports E (which were formerly
outlet and inlet valves) so as to actuate the wheel in the direction of the
red arrow. When the shaft is made solid the pipes M³, m³, may be
jointed to a steam and exhaust receiver F³ bolted or cast on the eye of
the wheel fitted with a stuffing-box piece in front which does not
turn round with the wheel, and so admits of the fixed steam and
exhaust pipes G, g, secured to branches on them leading to and from
these receivers, all as shown and described in reference to Figures 12
and 13 on Sheet 3.
Another part of these improvements consists in making this wheel B
capable of running backwards by fitting another double set of pistons H,
and steam and exhaust valves and their other details and fittings
connected with the same steam and exhaust inlet and outlet ducts M
and m between any two opposite arms, and angled and set to suit the
wheel B and weighted piston I, turning and passing round in the
reverse direction to that of the former set, the piston I being formed
the same at both ends, with buffing springs I*, and packed either at
both ends I, I, or in the centre I°. When desired, rollers may be
inserted in the working faces of the sliding pistons H, and when other
forms of piston were used the pressure on them might be balanced to
any desired extent by springs, or a piston in a small cylinder for the
purpose opened to the steam pipes; or the like arrangement might be
used for holding the duplicate pistons H out of action when such were
employed for turning the wheel B in the opposite direction (and as
described in reference to the piston 23 and spring in Figure 1). The
outer periphery of the wheel B has strong deep flanges all round the edge
with bars or feathers across dividing its perimeter into recesses or boxes,
into which wood blocks o are fitted tight and nailed through these
flanges B, and to each other, as shown at o¹ and o" respectively, making
up the complete wood rim o, which I prefer to cover with a thick strap
or band of composite canvas, or thin metal, and india-rubber, the under
inch and a half or so p¹ being of that character in layers of canvas and
india-rubber, such as used for strong driving belting, and the outer four
inches or so pч of one uniform band of as good elastic vulcanized india-
rubber as possible, such as used for springs, secured by splicing the
ends of the whole, as shown at p³, in the form of a great hoop or

page_text: may be
"tire" o by the knee and hinged iron buckles p, and lateral bolts p³
further secured by extra plates p and radial bolts p' near the splice,
which lateral plates with thin edges may either be inserted into openings.
left in the band, or inserted into. it while being made, and to prevent
the outer part of the splice opening and dirt getting in, it is preferred
to cover it over with a broad thin band of india-rubber, as shown at pb,
fixed at the side by the kneed plates p". Or other equivalent means
of splicing and fastening this composite india-rubber "tire"
employed, such as when it is made thinner, by having an opening at
one part of the wood ring o for inserting the two ends of a broad flat
band passed round the whole periphery of the wood, formed of leather,
india-rubber, canvas, or a combination of these, such as that used for
heavy straps for driving machinery, either with or without a layer of cork
between it and the wood, the two ends being fixed by the insertion of a
wood wedge over and between them and the sides of the recess, secured
by bolts or other equivalent means; or instead of these elastic bands,
for some purposes the wood "tire" o might be hooped with malleable
iron "tires," and have sharp studs screwed into it, or the wood. This
wheel B so constructed, when used as a traction and steering wheel, is
mounted by its two bearing plummer blocks A' on a strong wrought-iron
swivel frame, having a large annular hollow ring filled with round metal
balls or rollers, rolling upon or against an under strong ring firmly
secured to the malleable iron framing of the carriage supporting the
greater part of the weight of the boiler and carriage. The swivel frame
and motive wheel is turned to any desired angle for guiding the
carriage by a segmental or complete spur wheel on the rim, with the
balls or rollers (securing the swivel frame to the carriage frame) worked
by a pinion on the lower end of a vertical shaft passing up through a
column or other standard surmounted at the top by a proper hand-steering
wheel; when preferred, a vertical steering wheel and horizontal shaft
with a chain barrel may be employed by the two ends of the chain from
the barrel being passed down round pulleys at the level of the swivel
frame, on to which they are led and fixed on opposite sides, which
arrangement would also make a good and powerful guiding or steering
gear for this rotatory wheel.
Another improvement as applied to this engine when used as a
traction wheel, as described, in which the axle A and wheel B has to
turm on the vertical axis of the swivelling and guiding frame to which

page_text: they are fixed consists, in leading the steam to the engine and the
exhaust steam from it (say to the chimney of the boiler or cistern to
heat the feed water for it) by the short double chambered chest O
(Figures 14 and 15) with a turned stuffing box and glands O¹, O", at
each end in the same axial line erected over the centre of the wheel B
through the axle A and in the axial line of the swivel frame so as to
turn round with them, and the steam and exhaust pipes M' and m³ led
up from the branch connections at the stuffing boxes a, a', of the hollow
axle A or chests before described to the lateral branches 0 in the
respective top and bottom steam and exhaust chambers of this vertical
swivel chest O, into the respective stuffing boxes of which the end of a
single steam pipe M¹ and exhaust pipe m² enters. When the jointed
sides or covers D of the cylinders B are made in one ring or piece D, as
described and preferred, small doors as Z are formed in them at the parts
where it is convenient to get at the stop valves or packings, the joints of
which I prefer to form by a "half check" D' all round the entrance and
face edges of the door piece Z planed and faced so as to allow the face
of the door when jointed into the half check by the screw pins D¹¹ to
be true and "flush" with the working face of the interior of the
cylinder C. And although this engine has been shown and described
as a traction engine it is also suitable like the other engines for motive
power purposes generally and the raising and measuring of liquids.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe and delineate, as many variations may be
made therefrom without departing from the main or essential features
thereof; neither, on the other hand, do I claim the having invented
many of the details of mechanical constructions and motions which I
have had occasion to describe for the purpose of making my Invention
properly understood by themselves, as many of these have heretofore
been used in various forms in other rotatory engines and machines, nor
do I claim the mere principle or use of having revolving and sliding or
hinged pistons passing each other in such rotatory machines and having
the steam reversing on each side for forward and backward motion, as
I am aware that such has been tried with partial success, excepting in
so far as any of these have been combined with or form part of the

page_text: several improvements or features of and for the purposes of my said
Invention; but what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. The general construction and arrangement of the parts of the
several concentric annular rotatory engines or machinery substantially
in the new or improved manner and for the purposes herein described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The construction and arrangement of rotatory machines with
two or more concentric annular cylinders enclosed at their open sides by
stationary ends, and either with or without an outer stationary cylin-
drical hollow case having one or more revolving and stationary pistons
bisecting these cylinders into compartments, the pistons either made
to turn on hinged joints or slide back into recesses, all substantially in
the new or improved manner herein described for working by a single
current pressure or on high and low pressure principle expanding
from one annular cylinder into the other, or when only one annular
cylinder is used expanding from one compartment into the other com-
partments of same cylinder, either with or without the use of inlet
or outlet valves or having the central space of the wheel as a condenser
or not, and in reference to the several Figures 1 to 13" on Sheets 1, 2,
and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The construction and arrangement of inlet and outlet valves of
rotatory machines having hinged or sliding pistons worked so as to open
and shut the inlet and outlet ports by or at the time of the first short
motion of closing or opening the pistons respectively, by the action of
the pistons or by other automatic means, all substantially in the new or
improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Fourth. The construction and use of a double set of hinged pistons,
which may either revolve or be stationary, as applied to the wheel or
fixed case for actuating rotatory machines each in reverse directions and
means of holding the set not required out of action by a piston and
fluid pressure cylinder or spring automatically or by hand, all sub-
stantially in the new or improved manner herein described and shown
in reference to Figures 1 and 11 of the accompanying Drawings, or any
merc modification thereof.

page_text: Fifth. The actuating of the sliding pistons of rotatory machines by
double-hinged angled levers attached to the pistons within the cylinders
by the double-bevelled ends of the non-sliding pistons, or by cams in
both directions, whether they have springs on their rods or in their
recess, or actuate inlet and outlet valves or not, all substantially in the
new or improved manner herein described and shown in reference to
Figures 13 and 14 on Sheets 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
Sixth. The construction and arrangement of the packing blocks,
springs, rubbing plates, rollers, and modes of tightening the same, of the
rubbing and fluid-tight parts of the pistons of rotatory machines, all
substantially in the new or improved manner herein described and shown
in the accompanying Drawings, and particularly in Figures 6 and 7, or
any mere modification thereof.
Seventh. The construction and use of inlet and outlet stuffing box
casings cast or bolted on to near the eye of rotatory machines, on one
or both sides, either having pipes leading to and from it or them to the
annular cylinders outside, or ducts in the arms or web of the wheel itself,
all substantially in the new or improved manner herein described and
shown in reference to Figures 12 and 13 of the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
Eighth. The construction and arrangement of the parts of a gravitating
piston rotatory machine for the purpose of obtaining motive power, or the
raising, forcing, and measuring of fluids generally, and as a motive-power
engine, traction and steering wheel, all combined, substantially in the
new or improved manner herein described and shown in reference to
Figures 14 to 21 on Sheet 4 of the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
Ninth. The construction and use of sliding or hinged pistons for
gravitating piston and or other annular rotatory engines having resting
valve faces all round the cross section of the channel, as in sluice and
"clack" valves, all substantially in the new or improved manner herein
described and shown in. reference to Figures 11 and 14 of the accom-
panying Drawings, or any, mere modification thereof.
Tenth. The construction and use of gravitating pistons of rotatory
engines having their wedge-acting spring pieces, and the parts on which
they act for opening and closing the sliding pistons and their valves, made
of the same shape at both ends, and on both sides of the wheel, so that the

page_text: gravitating piston will act the same on both sides for turning the wheel
in either the forward or backward direction, the gravitating piston having
a long packed fluid-tight piston in the centre, or a short one at each end,
with antifriction rollers adjacent thereto in either case, all substantially
in the new or improved manner herein described and shown in reference
to Figures 14 to 21 on Sheet 4 of the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
Eleventh. The construction and use of a swivel stuffing box coupling
pipe placed and turning in nearly the same vertical axis as that of the
motive rotatory wheel, with or on its steering or swivelling frame, for
conveying the steam or other fluid to the motor, or to and from it, all
substantially in the new or improved manner herein described and shown
in reference to Figures 14 and 15 of the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
Twelfth. The application and use of small doors Z, z, through the ends
and sides of the annular chambers and cases of rotatory engines for the
purpose of lubricating and tightening up their working surfaces and
parts, all substantially in the new or improved manner herein described
and shown in reference to Figures 1, 2, 4, 8, and 14 of the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Thirteenth. The use of a condenser within the centre space of annular
rotatory engines, or the application thereto of any other arrangement of
condenser and pump, or other form of pump or injector or ejector, for
the purpose of exhausting the steam and condensed water from such
annular rotatory engines, all substantially in the new or improved
manner herein described and shown in reference to Figures 1, 4, 8,
and 9 of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Fourteenth. The construction and use of "tires" made of wood or of
composite india-rubber bands, or both combined, for the traction wheels
of rotatory portable engines or carriages, all substantially in the new or
improved manner herein described and shown in reference to Figures 14
to 17 on Sheet 4 of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modifi.
cation thereof.
Fifteenth. The construction and arrangement of cocks, slide and
piston many-ported valves for the purpose of stopping, starting, and
reversing the fluid currents of duplex, expansion, annular, cylinder, or
high and low pressure expansion engines, and of single-acting engines
with gravitating pistons, all substantially in the new or improved

page_text: manner herein described and shown in reference to Figures 1, 4, 8, 9,
and 14 of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Leckie Graham Wright,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of January
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine years.