A NEW ROTATIVE STEAM ENGINE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Jean Bouwens, of Malines, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Architect, for the Invention of "A NEW ROTATIVE STEAM
ENGINE."
Sealed the 10th October 1856, and dated the 19th April 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Jean Bouwens
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th April 1856.
I, FRANÇOIS JEAN BOUWENS, of Malines, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of tho said Invention for "A NEW
ROTATIVE STEAM ENGINE," to be as follows:-
My new rotative steam engine acts on the same principle as, and is an
improvement on, the rotary engine for which British Letters Patent were
granted to me, bearing date 24th October 1854. The improvements are
represented in the annexed Drawings; Figure 1 being a side view of a portion
of the engine, partly in section and partly in elevation; Figure 2 is a trans-
verse section, and Figure 8 a plan of the same, shewing the pistons fitted
with jointed caps; and Figure 4 a plan, and Figure 5 a section of the same,
with pistons fitted with expansion caps. The most important difference
between the present engine and that previously patented by me consists in
this, that instead of having the pistons separated, as before, I place them

page_text: together, removing the separations between them, and I allow them to meet
at their extremities in the channel or space L of the motor or rotating part,
and the further ends of the pistons terminate either in a jointed cap, as shewn
at H, Figures 2 and 3, or in an expansion cap, as shewn at I, Figures 4 and 5.
A is the engine shaft; B, motor or rotating part; C, inner circumference,
and D, outer circumference of the channel in which the pistons work, con-
nected by ties E, E; K, K, are the pistons, terminating at their further ends
in jointed caps H, as in Figures 2 and 3, or in expansion caps I, Figures 4
and 5; L is the channel for the active steam in the motor B; M, abutments,
forming fulcra for the propulsive force exerted by the steam, fixed in the
channel L, which is encased by the ring N; 0, 0, are the sides of the pistons
against which the propulsive force is exerted; P, P, chambers, into which
steam is admitted to neutralize or counterbalance the pressure on the ends of
the pistons, so that the propulsive force may only act against the sides O; Tis
the outer casing of the engine; U, U, are grooves in the casing, which form
guide ways for the guides G of the pistons to travel in throughout their
stroke; Q, spaces between the pistons and expansion caps I, containing high-
pressure steam, which prevents the pistons being thrown out of their proper
position; the casings T and N are fixed and immoveable; S, S, are springs
and packing for keeping the chambers P, P, steam-tight when the ends of the
pistons pass in and out; R, R, R, induction pipes for admitting steam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Jean Bouwens in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th October 1856. :
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
JEAN BOUWENS, of Malines, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
François Jean Bouwens, Her special licence that I, the said François Jean
Bouwens, my, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said François Jean Bouwens, 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

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW
ROTATIVE STEAM ENGINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
François Jean Bouwens, my executors or adıministrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 'should particularly
5 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 François Jean Bouwens, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of a new rotative steam engine, which acts on the
same principle as, and is an improvement on, the rotary engine for which
British Letters Patent were granted to me, bearing date on or about the 24th
day of October 1854. The main object sought to be accomplished is to avoid
loss of power; and the chief characteristic of the Invention consists in the
mechanical application of reservoirs of power to the motor or rotating part of
the engine, by arrangements analogous in principle to those patented by me
on 24th October 1854. The most important feature of difference between the
present engine and that previously patented by me consists in placing the
pistons together (instead of apart, as before), removing the separations between
them, and allowing them to meet at their extremities in the channel or space
of the rotating part or motor. The further ends of the pistons terminate either
in jointed caps or in expansion caps.
The manner in which I carry my Invention into effect is represented in the
Drawings annexed. Figure 1 is a vertical section of a part of a rotary steam
engine constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2, a transverse section
of the same; Figure 3, a horizontal section through the line A, B, of Figure 2.
In these Figures the pistons are represented as terminating in jointed caps.
In Figure 4, horizontal section, and Figure 5, transverse section, the pistons
terminate in expansion caps. E', E', is the motor or rotating part; E², the
engine shaft. The inner circumference and outer circumference of the channel
in which the pistons work are connected by ties. C, C, are the pistons, which
are fitted in grooves in the motor E³, and terminate at their further ends either
in jointed caps F, F, as in Figure 3, or in expansion caps F, F, as in Figure 4.
K is the channel for the active steam in the motor; J, induction pipe for ad-
mitting steam into the channel K; D', casing or ring by which the channel K

page_text: P, P, are
D
is the
is encased; X, X, grooves in the casing, which form guide ways for the guides
G, G, of the pistons C, C, to travel in throughout their stroke; D, D, are
abutments, forming fulcra for the propulsive force exerted by the steam; these
abutments are fixed in the casing D', and project into the channel K. M, M,
are the sides of the pistons against which the propulsive force is exerted;
N, N, are chambers or reservoirs, into which steam is admitted to counter-
balance or neutralize the pressure on the sides or ends O, O, of the pistons, so
that the steam may only exert a propulsive action against the sides M, M;
these chambers are charged with steam similarly to the channel K.
induction pipes for admitting steam into these chambers N, N;
outer casing of the engine. The casings D¹, D³, are fixed or stationary. S¹, S',
are springs and packing for keeping the chambers N, N, steam-tight, when the
ends of the pistons pass in and out. In Figures 4 and 5, S, S, are spaces
between the pistons and expansion caps F, F, into which spaces high-pressure
steam is admitted through the pipes R, R, in order to prevent waste of steam
as the pistons travel in their guide ways. All the induction pipes are provided
with suitable taps or valves. The pistons C, C, have a reciprocating action.
Steam enters through the pipe J into the channel K, and there acts or exerts
active pressure or propulsive force on the surfaces M, M, of the pistons; this
action being communicated to the toothed or grooved periphery of the motor
E, E', thereby imparts rotary motion to the shaft E³, and works any machinery
in connection therewith; meanwhile the pressure exerted by the steam on the
other surfaces 0, 0, of the pistons is neutralised or counterbalanced by the
pressure of the passive steam admitted into the chambers N, N, which are
the reservoirs of force intended to keep them in equilibrium. The jointed caps
F, F, follow the inclined direction imparted to them as the pistons travel
in the guide ways X, X. The expansion caps F, F, are expanded by the ad-
mission of steam into the spaces S, S. The jointed and expansion piston caps
counteract the oblique direction that the pistons would otherwise take, as
indicated by the arrow 1. The jointed piston, Figure 3, is centred on the guide
G, which acts like a crank, and tends to make the piston slide in the proper
guide way. The expansion piston caps, Figure 4, work thus:-When the
piston passes between the abutment the steam chamber S is closed, but when
the piston has passed the abutment the chamber S is opened by means of the
action of the guides in their guide ways. As it commences to open, steam at
a higher pressure than that in the spaces N and channel K is forced into it
through the pipes R, whereupon the pressure in the direction indicated
by arrow 1 is counterbalanced by that indicated by arrow 2; that indicated by
arrow 3 by that of arrow 4; and the piston C being free to move in the

page_text: direction of its length, the pressure of arrow 4 tends in the direction of motion
and neutralizes the pressure exerted in the direction indicated by arrow 5.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the improved
rotary engine herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Jean Bouwens, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Ninth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
F. J. BOUWENS. (L.S.)