IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLI- CABLE TO ENGINES ACTUATED BY AIR OR GAS AS A MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLI-
CABLE TO ENGINES ACTUATED BY AIR OR GAS AS A MOTIVE POWER."-A
communication from abroad by Pierre Joseph Guyet, of 20, Place
Lafayette, Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer.
Sealed the 5th July 1864, and dated the 9th January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
January 1864.
I, WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO ENGINES ACTUATED BY AIR OR GAS AS A MOTIVE POWER,"
communicated to me from abroad by Pierre Joseph Guyet, of 20, Place
Lafayette, Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, to be as
follows:-
The improvements, as communicated to me, consist, firstly, in regulating the
quantity of steam, air, or gas admitted into such engines by means of the

page_text: exhaust from the cylinder, producing variable expansion therein and perfect
regularity in the speed of the engines.
I will proceed to describe the nature of this part of the Invention as applied
to a steam engine, the same being also applicable to engines actuated by air
or gas.
Upon the steam chest of the engine, and upon the steam pipe, is affixed an
equilibrium valve in a suitable valve chest. There is also affixed by flanges
or other means to the exhaust pipe a chest or case, which may be called the
exhaust chest, in which is a diaphragm or disc or surface attached to an axis
capable of an oscillating motion within the exhaust chest. This axis passes
outside the exhaust chest and carries a lever connected with the equilibrium
valve by a connecting rod. On the disc axis is fixed a double lever, on one
arm of which is an adjustable weight, and its other arm works upon a buffer
which may be raised or lowered by hand, or by the governor of the engine.
The engine being put in motion, the exhaust steam meets with the disc in the
exhaust chest, and causes it to fall backwards, the disc, axis, the levers, and
the equilibrium valve follow the motion, and steam is admitted to the engine
by the equilibrium valve, which is thus opened, and this admission of steam
continues during the whole time of the passage of the exhaust steam. As
soon as the exhaust steam has escaped, the weight on the lever arm causes
the disc to fall forwards into its first position and to close the equilibrium
valve, and the steam is consequently shut off during the remaining part of the
stroke of the piston. When steam is again discharged from the engine it will
again effect the same admission to the engine, and the same shutting off, and
this intermittent action will continue as long as the engine works. The
admission of steam is regulated by the duration of the escape of steam from
the engine, and the raising or lowering of the buffer (effected by hand or by
the action of the governor) limits the stroke of the lever arm of the disc, and
consequently the extent to which the equilibrium valve is opened, and the
time which it remains open; and as the load on the engine or the amount of
resistance opposed to its action varies, variable expansion of the steam is
obtained, and at the same time perfect regularity of speed to the engine.
The Invention consists, secondly, in an improved arrangement of the
cylinders and pistons of steam engines and engines actuated by air or gas, by
which to obtain a considerable reduction in the weight of such engines and in
the number of working parts thereof. In suitable bearings is fixed a hollow
axis, the middle of which is made solid so as to divide the interior of the said
axis into two cylindrical chambers, the ends of which communicate respectively
with the steam pipe and exbaust pipe. Upon this said axis, and so as to be

page_text: capable of oscillating motion thereupon, is placed a casting, which may be
called the "distributing box," to each end of which is attached a cylinder,
in which works a piston. A piston rod, one end of which is connected to a
crank on the crank shaft of the engine, passes through the two cylinders, and
the "distributing box," and a suitable aperture in the solid part of the hollow
axis, and is attached to both pistons working in the two cylinders. The steam
chamber and the exhaust chamber of the axis are both provided with apertures
or ports for the admission of steam to and its exhaust from the cylinders, and
the "distributing box" which oscillates upon the said axis is also provided
with ports opening on to the other surface of the axis and communicating
through suitable channels or passages to the ends of each cylinder, and these
ports are so arranged that when the pistons have arrived at the end of their
stroke a port in the steam chamber of the axis communicates with the port
on the distributing box, so as to admit steam above the pistons. At the same
time the port ou the exhaust chamber of the axis opens into the exhaust ports
of the "distributing box," and allows the steam from below the pistons to pass
off to the condenser or into the air. When the pistons have arrived at the
other end of their stroke the oscillation of the said cylinders will have brought
the ports of the distributing box communicating with the passages to below the
pistons into position corresponding with another steam port of the axis, and
steam will be admitted to below the pistons, and the exhaust from above the
pistons will pass into the exhaust chamber of the axis, the exhaust port of
which will at the same time correspond in position with an exhaust port on
the "distributing box," and thus the continued oscillations of the engine will
cause the steam ports alternately to communicate with the passages to above
and below the pistons in order to admit steam thereto, and the exhaust ports
will at the same time open the passages for the escape of the steam. The
upper cylinder has a suitable cover provided with a stuffing box for the piston
rod, and the end of the lower cylinder is closed in the ordinary way. The
distributing box is also provided with two stuffing boxes which are filled from
the outside, and it may be tightened on the axis by set screws or other means.
When it is required to reverse the engine there is applied upon the port,
surface of the distributing box a moveable plate having apertures therein
corresponding with the steam port of the distributing box and the port of the
steam chamber of the axis; a simple movement of the moveable plate suffices
to effect the reversion of the engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Brookes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer
and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Brookes, IIer special licence that I, the said William
Brookes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Brookes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO ENGINES
ACTUATED BY AIR OR GAS AS A MOTIVE POWER," communicated to me from abroad
by Pierre Joseph Guyet, of 20, Place Lafayette, Paris, in the Empire of France,
Civil Engineer, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Brookes, 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 Brookes, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say :--
The improvements, as communicated to me, consist, firstly, in regulating
the quantity of steam, air, or gas admitted into such engines by means of the
exhaust from the cylinder, producing variable expansion therein, and perfect
regularity in the speed of the engines.
I will proceed to describe the nature of this part of the Invention as applied
to a steam engine, the same being also applicable to engines actuated by air
or gas.

page_text: Upon the steam chest of the engine, and upon the steam pipe, is affixed an
equilibrium valve in a suitable valve chest. There is also affixed by flanges
or other means to the exhaust pipe a chest or case, which may be called the
exhaust chest, in which is a diaphragm or disc, or surface, attached to an axis
capable of an oscillating motion within the exhaust chest. This axis passes
outside the exhaust chest and carries a lever connected with the equilibrium
valve by a connecting rod: On the disc axis is fixed a double lever, on one
arm of which is an adjustable weight, and its other arm works upon a buffer,
which may be raised or lowered by hand or by the governor of the engine.
The engine being put in motion, the exhaust steam meets with the disc in the
exhaust chest and causes it to fall backwards, the disc axis, the levers, and the
equilibrium valve, follow the motion, and steam is admitted to the engine by
the equilibrium valve, which is thus opened, and this admission of steam con-.
tinues during the whole time of the passage of the exhaust steam.
As soon
as the exhaust steam has escaped the weight on the lever arm causes the disc
to fall forwards into its first position and to close the equilibrium valve, and
the steam is consequently shut off during the remaining part of the stroke of
the piston. When steam is again discharged from the engine it will again
effect the same admission to the engine and the same shutting off, and this-
intermittent action will continue as long as the engine works. The admission
of steam is regulated by the duration of the escape of steam from the engine;
and the raising or lowering of the buffer (effected by hand or by the action of
the governor) limits the stroke of the lever arm of the disc, and consequently
the extent to which the equilibrium valve is opened and the time which it
remains open; and as the load on the engine or the amount of resistance
opposed to its action varies, variable expansion of the steam is obtained, and
at the same time perfect regularity of speed to the engine.
The Invention consists, secondly, in an improved arrangement of the
cylinders and pistons of steam engines and engines actuated by air or gas, by
which to obtain a considerable reduction in the weight of such engines and in
the number of working parts thereof. In suitable bearings is fixed a hollow
axis, the middle of which is made solid, so as to divide the interior of the said
axis into two cylindrical chambers, the ends of which communicate respectively.
with the steam pipe and exhaust pipe. Upon this said axis, and so. as to be-
capable of oscillating motion thereupon, is placed a casting, which may be
called the distributing box," to each end of which is attached a cylinder in
which works a piston. A piston rod, one end of which is connected to a crank.
on the crank shaft of the engine, passes through the two cylinders and tho

page_text: distributing box and a suitable aperture in the solid part of the hollow axis,
and is attached to both pistons working in the two cylinders. The steam
chamber and the exhaust chamber of the axis are both provided with apertures
or ports for the admission of steam to and its exhaust from the cylinders, and
the distributing box, which oscillates upon the said axis, is also provided with
ports opening on to the outer surface of the axis and communicating through
suitable channels or passages to the ends of each cylinder, and these ports are
so arranged that when the pistons have arrived at the end of their stroke a
port in the steam chamber of the axis communicates with the port on the
distributing box so as to admit steam above the pistons. At the same time
the port on the exhaust chamber of the axis opens into the exhaust ports of
the distributing box and allows the steam from below the pistons to pass off to
the condenser or into the air. When the pistons have arrived at the other
end of their stroke the oscillation of the said cylinders will have brought the
ports of the distributing box communicating with the passages to below the
pistons into position corresponding with another steam port of the axis and
steam will be admitted to below the pistons, and the exhaust from above the
pistons will pass into the exhaust chamber of the axis, the exhaust port of
which will at the same time correspond in position with an exhaust port on the
distributing box; and thus the continued oscillations of the engine will cause
the steam ports alternately to communicate with the passages to above and
below the pistons in order to admit steam thereto, and the exhaust ports will
at the same time open the passages for the escape of the steam.
The upper
cylinder has a suitable cover, provided with a stuffing box, for the piston rod,
and the end of the lower cylinder is closed in the ordinary way. The dis-
tributing box is also provided with two stuffing boxes which are filled from
the outside, and it may be tightened on the axis by set screws or other means.
When it is required to reverse the engine there is applied upon the port
surface of the distributing box a moveable plate having apertures therein
corresponding with the steam port of the distributing box and the port of the
steam chamber of the axis; a simple movement of the moveable plate suffices
to effect the reversion of the engine.
Having explained the nature of the said Invention as communicated to me,
I will proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation, partly in section, and Figure 2 in plan, an
apparatus constructed according to the first part of this Invention, for regu
lating the quantity of steam admitted to a steam engine, and for producing

page_text: variable expansion of the steam therein, and perfect regularity in the speed
thereof. The same letters are used to indicate the same parts in Figures 1
and 2.
A is a chest or case, which may be called the exhaust chest, affixed by
flanges B, B', to the exhaust pipe X, X', (Figure 2) of the engine; L, L, is
an equilibrium valve chest containing the equilibrium valve K, K, attached
by its flanges M, N, to the steam pipe M', O, (Figure 2) of the engine. In
the inside C of the exhaust chest A and attached to the axis D is a thin plate
or disc E which is capable of an oscillating motion upon its axis D as indicated
by the dotted lines E'. The axis D passes through the side of the exhaust
chest to the outside, and is prolonged or has affixed to it a shaft G upon which
is a crank or lever H communicating through the connecting rod I with the
rod J upon which is the equilibrium valve K, K. Upon the axis G there is
also a double lever P, on one arm Q of which is an adjustable weight R to
balance the different parts of the apparatus and the other arm S of the said
lever Pis prolonged so as to come in contact when in its lowest position (as
shown in the dotted lines Figure 1) with a buffer T upon a rod U attached to
a lever U¹ which is actuated by the governor W of the engine, as herein-after
explained. The engine being put in motion, the exhaust steam passing from
the said engine enters the exhaust chest A and meeting with the disc E
causes the said disc to fall backwards to E', as shown in the dotted lines
Figure 1. The disc E in its motion causes its axis D and the axis G with
the crank H to rotate partially, and the crank H acting through the connecting
rod I upon the rod J causes the equilibrium valve K, K, to open and thereby
to admit steam to the engine, and this admission of steam continues during
the whole time of the passage of the exhaust steam through the exhaust
chest A. As soon as the exhaust steam has escaped, the weight R on the
lever arm Q causes the disc to resume its former position at E and closes the
equilibrium valve K; and the steam is consequently shut off from the engine.
When steam is again discharged from the engine it will again cause the disc E
to rotate on its axis D to E¹ and steam will be again admitted to the engine
through the equilibrium valve K, K; W. represents the collar of the,
governor
of the engine actuated in the usual way by means of balls rotating round the
axis W. When the speed of the engine increases the collar W is caused to
rise, and when the speed of the engine decreases the said collar W is lowered.
The lever U¹, which is capable of motion round the fixed point U", is connected
to the collar W and at its other end is jointed to the lever U carrying at its
lower end the buffer T. When the speed of the engine increases the collar W
rises and with it the levers U₁ and U and the buffer T, which will lessen the

page_text: downward motion of the lever S at the next discharge of steam from the
engine, and this decrease in the downward travel of the lever S will give a
corresponding decrease to the opening of the equilibrium valve for the
admission of steam to the engine, and less steam will be admitted thereto, and
in consequence the speed of the engine will diminish. When the speed of
the engine diminishes the collar W of the governor falls and with it the
levers U, U, and the buffer T. In this case the downward stroke of the
lever S will increase and at the same time the valve K, K, will be opened to
a greater extent and a greater quantity of steam will be admitted to the
engine at the next discharge of steam, producing thereby an increased speed
to the engine, or if preferred the stroke or travel of the lever S may be adjusted
by hand or other convenient means. The regulating apparatus above
described may be applied to every kind of steam engine or engine actuated
by air or gas.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a steam engine constructed according to the
second part of this Invention, Figure 3 being a longitudinal section, and
Figure 4 a transverse section of the same, the same letters are used to indicate
the same parts in Figures 3 and 4.
In suitable bearings a, a, is fixed the hollow axis b, 1, divided in the
middle by a solid partition & into two cylindrical chambers b, b', the ends of
which communicate respectively with the steam pipe c, c, and the exhaust
pipe d, d. Upon the axis b, b', and so as to be capable of oscillating motion
thereon, is placed a casting e, e, which may be called the distributing box, to
each end of which is attached a cylinder f, f, in which work the pistons g, g',
is the piston rod connected at one end to the crank i on the crank shaft i of
the engine and passing through the two cylinders f, f', and the distributing
'box e and the solid part 6" of the axis b, b', which is formed to receive it as
'shown, the said piston rod his attached to both pistons g, g'. In order to
conduct the steam to and from above and below the pistons 9, g', and give a
reciprocating motion thereto, the cylinders f, f', are each provided with
channels f, fs, corresponding with the channels f³ and fo, in the distributing
box e, e, which distributing box has also two other channels f and f8,
opening directly into the cylinders. The channel f³ communicate with the
channel f, and the channel f° communicates with the channel f. The
channels f and f³ have apertures f' and f" which correspond alternately
with the apertures or ports 63, 6, of the steam chamber 6 of the axis and with
the ports. of the exhaust chamber of the axis . The working of the engine
is as follows:-When steam is admitted to the steam chamber b it passes
through the port 63 and-channel f' and through the channels fand fs to

page_text: behind the pistons g, g'; the said pistons move forward and cause the
crank i to rotate, and the cylinders oscillate round their fixed axis. b,. b,
and reverse the motion, that is to say, when the pistons have completed
their half stroke and have arrived at the top of the cylinder the channel f10
opens on to the port of the steam chamber 6 and the steam "passes
through the said port and channel f into the channels f, f³, and f",
and is conducted above the pistons g, g', causing them to return to the bottom
of the cylinders; at the same time the port 65 of the exhaust chamber 6' has
opened on to the channel f10 and the steam from below the pistons 9, 9,
escapes through the channels f³, fs, and f10 to the port 65 and the exhaust
chamber of the axis b'; when the motion is again reversed the exhaust steam
from above the pistons will escape through the channels f, f', and f to the
: exhaust chest b¹. This engine, as shown Figures 3 and 4, has applied to it
the regulating apparatus forming the first part of this Invention. The
different parts thereof being marked with the same letters as in Figures 1
and 2 will be readily understood from the description of the said Figures 1
and 2. Any other convenient mode of regulating the steam to and from this
engine may be used in connection with it. This engine may be made
vertical, horizontal, or inclined, and may be applied to locomotives, marine
engines, and any other kind of engine. When it is desired to work the
engine expansively one of the cylinders may be made larger than the other,
and the steam from the smaller cylinder may be made to expand in the larger
cylinder.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and the manner which is
preferred of putting the same into practice, I wish it to be well understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details above described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of the Invention, but what I claim as the
Invention is,
First, the regulating apparatus herein-before described for regulating the
quantity of steam, air, or gas admitted to steam engines or engines actuated
by air or gas, and for producing variable expansion therein and perfect
regularity in the speed thereof, that is to say, causing the exhaust steam, air,
or gas from the engine to regulate the feed thereof to the said engine by
acting through suitable agency upon an equilibrium or other suitable valve in
order that the duration of the escape of steam, air, or gas from the engine may
regulate the admission of steam, air, or gas to the said engine in substance as
described.
Second, the mode of causing the governor of the engine to regulate the

page_text: amount of steam, air, or gas supplied to steam engines or engines actuated by
air or gas by the regulating apparatus above described, that is to say, causing
the governor of the engine by acting upon the regulating apparatus herein-
before described to diminish the amount of steam, air, or gas supplied to the
engine when the speed thereof increases, and when the speed of the engine
decreases to increase the amount of steam, air, or gas supplied thereto in
substance as described...
Third, the arrangement and combination of a steam engine or engine
actuated by air or gas composed of two cylinders of equal or unequal capacity
connected together by a casting or distributing box as described, the said
casting or distributing box being mounted and oscillating upon a fixed hollow
axis, and the oscillations of the distributing box upon the said axis producing
automatically, the admission and escape of steam or air or gas to and from
above and below the pistons in substance as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brookes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.S.)