Improvements in Steam and other Engines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and other Engines.
I, CHARLES CAPEYRON of Bordeaux, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to steam and other engines, and is based upon a new
application of a well known geometrical principle which is as follows.
1
When a circle of any radius rolls upon the inside of another circle of double
the said radius, the two extremities of a diameter of the first or inner circle will
move upon diameters of the second or outer circle which are at right angles to
each other. It follows therefore, that the centre or axis of the inner circle will
describe a circle the radius of which is equal to the radius of the said inner circle,
and the centre of which is that of the outer circle.
If therefore to one of the extremities of a diameter of the first or inner circle
is pivotted the rigid connecting rod of a group or series of pistons and to the
other extremity of the said diameter the connecting rod of a second group or
series which is perpendicular to the first series it follows that the alternating rectilineal
movement of the pistons will transmit a circular inovement to a crank whose radius is
equal to that of the first circle and the centre of which is that of the second
circle.
The improved engine constructed according to the present invention therefore
comprised four fixed cylinders, the axes of which are at right angles to each other
and may be in the same plane, or in two parallel planes.
By reason of the application of the geometrical property above stated the stroke
of the pistons will be equal to four times the radius of the crank.
The engine can be either single or double acting, the cylinders being either made
all alike or on the compound or quadruple expansion principle.
The distribution of the steam or other fluid to the engine cylinders is preferably
effected by means of four slide valves which may or may not be equilibrated, and
which work with or without expansion, and may be set in motion by mechanism con-
stituting an application of a similar geometrical principle to that above described.
The said mechanism comprises a crank of any suitable length or radius; having
pivoted upon its pin two eccentrics which are of equal radius to that of the crank and
are placed opposite to each other. These eccentrics transmit to the above mentioned
slide valves an alternating movement, the length of which is equal to four times the
radius of the crank. Other known mechanism than that herein before described can
be employed for effecting the said object.
In the above described engine, provision can be made for condensing the exhaust
steam or other fluid.
This engine can be of any suitable form embodying the geometrical principle above
described, without departing from the nature of the said invention.
Dated this 15th day of March 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and other Engines.
I, CHARLES CAPEYRON, of Bordeaux, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to steam and other engines and is illustrated in the
accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 shows a diagram of the engine.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the engine, showing the latter partially in
section.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line A B of Figure 2.
The said invention is based upon a new application of a well known gemometrical
principle which is as follows:-
When a circle a Figure 1 of any radius rolls upon the inside of a another circle B
of double the said radius, the two extremities of a diameter c d of the first or inner
circle will move upon diameters K L and O R of the second or outer circle which
are at right angles to each other. It follows, therefore, that the centre or axis S of
the inner circle will describe a circle S V the radius Sn of which is equal to the
radius SC the said inner circle and the centre n of which is that of the outer
circle.
If therefore to one of the extremities of a diameter of the first or inner circle
is pivotted the rigid connecting rod of a group or series of pistous and to the other
extremity of the said diameter the connecting rod of a second group or series which
is perpendicular to the first series it follows that the alternating rectilineal movement
of the pistons will transmit a circular movement to a crank whose radius S n is equal
to that C S of the first circle a and the centre n of which coincides with that of
the second circle B. *
The improved engine constructed according to the present invention therefore
comprises four fixed cylinders, the axes of which are at right angles to each other and
may be in the same plane, or in two parallel planes. By reason of the application of
the geometrical principle above stated the stroke of the pistons will be equal to four
times the radius of the crank.
The engine can be either single or double acting the cylinders being either made all
alike or on the compound or quadruple expansion principle.
The distribution of the steam or other fluid to the engine cylinders is preferably
effected by means of four slide valves which may or may not be equilibrated, and
which work with or without expansion, and may be set in motion by mechanism con-
stituting an application of a similar geometrical principle to that above described.
The said mechanism comprises a crank of any suitable length or radius having pivoted
upon its pin two eccentrics which are of equal radius to that of the crank and are
placed opposite to each other. These eccentrics transmit to the above mentioned slide
valves an alternating movement, the length of which is equal to four times the radius
of the crank. Other known mechanism than that herein before described can be
employed for effecting the said object.
In the above described engine provision can be made for condensing the exhaust
steam or other fluid.
This engine can be of any suitable form embodying the geometrical principle above
described, without departing from the nature of the said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First The improvements hereinbefore described and represented in the Figures of
the accompanying drawing, substantially characterized by the arrangement of the

page_text: fixed cylinders with perpendicular axes in the same plane or in different parallel
planes.
Second-The application of an intermediate crank enabling a rotary movement of
the driving shaft to be obtained, the centre of which coincides with the point of
intersection of the perpendicular axes of the cylinders.
Third The application of eccentrics to the movement of alternating slides.
Dated this 14th day of December 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.