IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND METERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Roberts, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Contractor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED
HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND METERS."
Sealed the 15th July 1862, and dated the 22nd January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
January 1862.
I, ISAAC ROBERTS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Contractor,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COMBINED HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND METERS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to that class of rotary engines and meters where the
cylinder is stationary, and the piston, main shaft, and radial wings or arms.
rotate, the said wings or arms receiving the direct pressure of the water.
The cylinder rests on suitable framework in a horizontal position, and on one
side thereof I form the inlet and outlet ports, between which there is an abut-
ment projecting inwards from the inner periphery of the cylinder, the said
ports being controlled, if desired, by slide valves or other "cut-off" gear.
The piston is also cylindrical, but less in diameter than the stationary cylinder,,
and has two or more longitudinal slots or openings therein for the radial.
wings or arms, and a boss or other arrangement for securing it to the main
shaft, which latter rests on bearings in or near to the cylinder ends. Inside.

page_text: the piston, and surrounding the main shaft, is an eccentric-shaped cam made
fast by keys or otherwise to the cylinder ends. This cam, with the assistance
of fitting pieces eccentric to the axis, guides the wings or arms which move
through the slots in the piston over the abutment above referred to, one end
of the said wings or arms bearing on the said cam, and the other against the
cylinder, the contact being maintained by springs fitted in the wings.
For measuring and indicating the quantity of water or other liquid passed
through the said combined engine and meter, it is simply necessary to place
on the main shaft, or any other working part suitable for that purpose,
pinions with worm wheel, and multiplying arrangements of wheels and 1
pinions, or any other apparatus for transmitting and recording motion, with
indices easily read, many modifications of which are well known.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isaac Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
ROBERTS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Contractor, send
.greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second 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 Isaac Roberts, Her special licence that I, the said Isaac Roberts,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Isaac
Roberts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agreè
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 Íslands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED HYDRAULIC
MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES AND METERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Isaac Roberts, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Isaac Roberts, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to that class of rotary engines and meters where the
cylinder is stationary, and the piston, main shaft, and radial wings or arms
rotate, the said wings or arms receiving the direct pressure of the water.
The cylinder rests on suitable framework in a horizontal position, and on
the side thereof I form the inlet and outlet ports, between which there is an
abutment projecting inwards from the inner periphery or internal surface of
the cylinder, the said ports being controlled, if desired, by slide valves or other
"cut off" gear. The piston is also cylindrical, but less in diameter than the
stationary cylinder, and has two or more longitudinal slots or openings therein
for the radial wings or arms, and a boss or other arrangement for securing it
(the piston) to the main shaft, which latter rests on bearings in or near to
the cylinder ends. Within and encircled by the piston, and surrounding the
main shaft, is an eccentric-shaped cam, made fast by keys or otherwise to the
cylinder's end or cover. This cam, with the assistance of fitting pieces
eccentric to the axis, guides the wings or arms, which move through the slots
in the piston over the abutment above referred to, one end or edge of the said
wings or arms bearing on the said cam, and the other against the cylinder,
the contact being maintained by springs fitted in the wings.
For measuring and indicating the quantity of water or other liquid passed
through the said combined engine and meter, it is simply necessary to place
on the main shaft, or any other working part suitable for that purpose,.
pinions with worm wheel and multiplying arrangements of wheels and
pinions, or catch and ratchet wheel, or any other apparatus for transmitting
and recording motion, with indices easily read, many modifications of which.
are well known..
And in order that my said Invention may be thoroughly understood, I have
hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory Drawings, which I have marked
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
statement of particulars :―
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved hydraulic engine; Fig. 2 is a
plan section of Fig. 1 at A, B; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section about the
centre of the same engine. The same letters of reference denote like parts in
all the views.
a represent the sole plate or framing; b, the cylinder; ; the ends or
covers of the cylinder; c, the ports, either of which may be used as inlet or

page_text: outlet by movement of the valve d attached to the rod e, which will be
provided with a lever or other suitable handle; the said valve d serves also
for shutting off the supply. f, the supply entrance; g; the discharge port;
h, the piston, the boss i of which is secured by keys j to the main shaft k.
The standard parts of the frame which would usually be employed (but which
are not indispensable) for carrying or bearing the main shaft; are not shewn in
the Drawings, the stuffing gland bearings k, fitted in the ends of the cylinder,
being made to serve the same purpose; 1, the wings or arms for receiving the
pressure of the fluid. In the Drawings, four of these wings are shewn, but
any convenient number not less than two may be used. m, the stationary
eccentric-shaped cam, for guiding the wings or arms, secured by screws n-to
the cylinder cover b¹; o, the guiding pieces for carrying the wings or arms
over the abutment p between the ports. These guiding pieces are plates of
metal let into or otherwise fastened to the cylinder and to the abutment p,
and when fitted in position are in the form of a crescent; two of them will be
sufficient for engines of an ordinary size, but any required number may be
used. The wings or arms move in slots or longitudinal openings in the
piston h; and one of the edges of each of the said wings or arms presses
against the inner circumference of the cylinder b, and on the crescent-shaped
fitting pieces o, and the opposite edges of each press against the 'eccentric-
shaped cam m. The contact of these surfaces is made tight and uniform; and
friction is reduced by bearing pieces q at both edges, at the back of which I
place springs of india-rubber or other material, or they may be made of
metal. Similar bearing pieces and springs, shewn by dotted lines s on the
Drawings, are used to keep the ends of the said wings or arms close up to'
the ends of the cylinder. To prevent the fluid from entering into the
space t, between the piston h and cam m, and to reduce the friction to a
minimum, I place friction pieces u in the piston h, at the back of which
friction pieces I also insert springs of a similar nature to those above-
named.
The mechanism for giving motion to the apparatus for registering the
quantity of water passed through this engine may be conveniently fitted on
the shaft at any of the points marked z, z, but as such apparatus is well
understood by mechanicians, it does not call for any lengthened description
here. It may consist of a tappet fastened to the shaft, which tappet at every-
revolution shall move a ratchet or other wheel; or it may consist of a worm
or screw, secured to or formed in such shaft gearing with a wheel. In both
of these, or in any other arrangement, the ordinary system of multiplying by
wheels and pinions could be used with suitable indices.

page_text: My combined engine and meter is specially suitable for use in large towns
and other places where there is a good head of water, the motion being.
exceedingly simple. The water is admitted through the port by movement
of the valve into the cylinder, where it acts on the wings or arms, and causes
them, the piston, and the main shaft to rotate, the motion being taken from
such shaft by means or apparatus suitable for the work to be performed.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be put into operation, I
would state, in conclusion, that I do not confine myself to every detail and
dimension laid down, as various alterations may be made without departing
from the nature of my said Invention; but what I claim is the arrangement
or combination of mechanism herein described, or any mere modification
thereof for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Roberts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ISAAC ROBERTS. (L.B.)
In the presence of
JOHN DAVIES,
Clerk to John Thomson King,
Patent Agent,
4, Clayton Square,
Liverpool.