MODES OF CONSTRUCTION BY WHICH STEAM OR OTHER. VAPOUR OR GAS MAY BE USED AS A SOURCE OF MOTIVE POWER FOR SOME. PURPOSES MORE CONVENIENTLY THAN HITHERTO, AND MORE SUITABLY FOR LOCOMOTION ON COMMON ROADS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Tuckey, of the City of Cork,
Barrister-at-Law,,
for the Invention of "MODES OF CONSTRUCTION BY WHICH STEAM OR OTHER.
VAPOUR OR GAS MAY BE USED AS A SOURCE OF MOTIVE POWER FOR SOME.
PURPOSES MORE CONVENIENTLY THAN HITHERTO, AND MORE SUITABLY FOR
LOCOMOTION ON COMMON ROADS."
Sealed the 23rd May 1856, and dated the 23rd November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Tuckey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
November 1855.
J, THOMAS TUCKEY, of the City of Cork, Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "MODES OF CONSTRUCTION BY WHICH STEAM.
OR OTHER VAPOUR OR GAS MAY BE USED AS A SOURCE OF MOTIVE POWER FOR SOME
PURPOSES MORE CONVENIENTLY THAN HITHERTO, AND MORE SUITABLY FOR LOCOMOTION
ON COMMON ROADS," to be follows:-
I propose to produce lightness and freedom from dangerous consequences of
explosions by such a construction of engine, that the steam or gas used may
act in a large volume of little density, and not, as at present, in a cylinder of
comparatively small diameter, requiring considerable density of the steam or
gas to give the necessary force; and as a cylinder and piston wide enough to
work with steam of little density would produce too much friction, I propose
apparatus in the form of bellows, which shall be worked by alternate injection.

page_text: and escape of steam or gas into and out of them, producing alternate dilatation
and contraction of each side of the apparatus; and I prefer that form of
bellows which consists of three circular discs, joined by leathers of cylindrical
form, or by oil cloth, or any other flexible impervious material of like form, the
external discs being fixed, and the middle one moving to and fro from one
external disc to the other, being, pushed by the alternate injections into the
flexible vessels or cylinders on either side of it, while arms or pins projecting
from the outer edges of the moving disc will move rods connected with a crank
for giving motion to machinery. In this way, discs of three or four feet or
more in diameter, equivalent in force to pistons of equal diameter, may be used
in land locomotives without inconvenience, containing steam of perhaps not
more than one-half pound to the square inch, and admitting the use of a boiler
or generating apparatus of very thin and slight materials, which, if even it
should burst, would cause no violent explosion.
Or the middle disc may be fixed and the external ones moveable, so as that
the latter, by pins at their edges and ropes connected therewith, may pull
cranks on the same axle, giving motion to machinery, and thus avoid any
inconvenience arising from the rigidity of rods.
These forms may each be worked with a condenser, if the flexible material
be prevented from collapsing laterally, by hoops or ribs, like those of bellows.
In these contrivances, the loose valve of bellows is to have no place; and
the steam or gas may be admitted and expelled by the means at present in use
with respect to the pistons and cylinders of steam engines, the pipes, valves,
and cocks for such purpose being connected with the fixed discs.
Globular bags of the before-mentioned material may be used without discs;
for if one point of such a bag be fixed, and the opposite. point have a rope
fastened to it, the bag being longer when empty than when inflated, will, when
shortened by inflation, pull the rope, which by its movement may set machinery
in motion, and another similar bag may, in the same manner, continue the
movement, and so alternately, one being dilated while the other is collapsing.
Alternate inflations and contractions may also be produced in the following
manner: A hollow belt or bag of the same material, pressed between rollers
like those of a rolling press, will, if inflated at each end alternately, tend to pull
itself out from between the rollers, turning them at the same time, and thus,
going to and fro between the rollers, can, with its extremities, exercise pulling
forces, which may be turned into circular ones by the usual methods; or, an
arni fastened at right angles to the axle of one of the rollers, can, by its oscil-
lations, draw to and fro a rod connected with a crank, and so give motion to
machinery; the induction pipes-should be flexible and partake of the motion..

page_text: A directly circular movement may be produced if the before-mentioned belt
or bag pass loosely round one of the rollers and have its ends fastened toge-
ther, for, by its expansion by steam or gas, it will drag itself through the
rollers turning them, and the ends of the bag being fastened together, the last
end will drag the first end in between the rollers again, and so continually, the
entrance of the steam or gas being suspended at the same moment, if neces
sary, while the induction pipe may be flexible, and be prevented from twisting
by a close metallic moveable joint.
To prevent the moving of the belt, the rollers and their frame may bo
carried round, instead of it, by fastening the frame to the ends of armis moving
round with an axle in the form of radii, in which case the belt must be fixed
immoveably at its edge or edges, especially at the part where its ends are
joined.
In the two last cases there should be an interruption in the framework of
the rollers to allow freo space for the induction pipe; or, for this purpose, ono
of the rollers may move on a spindle or axle supported at only one end.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Tuckey in the Great Scal Patent Office on tho
23rd May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
TUCKEY, of the City of Cork, Barrister-at-Law, send greeting.
)
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of ler
reign, did, for herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Tuckey, Her special licence, that I, the said Thomas Tuckey, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Tuckey, 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 "MODES OF CONSTRUCTION BY WHICH STEAM
OR OTHER VAPOUR OR GAS MAY BE USED AS A SOURCE OF MOTIVE POWER MORE CCN-
VENIENTLY THAN HITHERTO, AND MORE SUITABLY FOR LOCOMOTION ON COMMON ROADS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Tuckey, my

page_text: 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 Thomas Tuckey, 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:
The friction produced in steam engines by the motion of the piston and
piston rod being a serious disadvantage in general, and being greater if the
size of the cylinder and piston be greater, and the great weight of the boilers
at present in use being the chief impediment in the way of the application of
steam to the purpose of locomotion on common roads, I propose to substitute
for cylinders and pistons vessels or bags partly or entirely of flexible imper-
vious material, which shall be alternately dilated and contracted by the
entrance and departure of steam, the vessels or bags being of a size so large as
to expand with great force by the pressure of steam of little density, so little,
that boilers may be made much lighter and weaker than at present, and steami
carriages light enough to travel on common roads with profit, and dangerous
explosions rendered bardly possible. The flexible impervious material may be
leather, or cloth made of flax, silk, hemp, cotton, or wool, rendered impervious
with boiled linseed oil or other drying oil, and, if very great force be desired,
may be strengthened by enclosing the same within network, or metallic chain
cloth, composed of rings passing through each other, as formerly used for chain
armour.
To explain one form of this Invention, let H and I, Figure 1, in the accom-
panying Drawing, represent two circular boards, plates, or discs parallel to and
opposite each other, and fixed and unmoveable, the edge only of the disc I
being shewn. Let G be another similar disc, which I call the piston disc,
parallel to and between them, but moveable to and from each of the others.
To opposite edges of this let there be firmly fastened two projecting rods B and
B, having their ends respectively in grooves in the supports C and C. Let the
piston disc G and the disc H be connected together by a cylindrical broad belt
or tube of the flexible impervious material, represented by the letters a, a, a,
a, a, a, closely attached at its respective ends or edges to the respective edges
of the same discs, so as that when the belt is extended, by the approach of the
disc G to the dise I, it may form with the discs G and H a cylindrical vessel,

page_text: nearly as long as the distance of the fixed discs from cach other. Let the piston
dise G and the dise I be connected together in a similar manner by a similar
broad belt or tube, represented by the letters b, b, b, b, b, b, so as, when the belt
is extended by the approach of the disc G to the disc H, to form with it a cylin-
drical vessel, similar to that above mentioned. In the figure the flexible material
is represented with its corrugations, those between the discs G and I being more
distinctly marked than the others, as the disc G is represented nearer to I than
to II. Supposing then the piston disc G to be close to the disc I, if steam be
admitted through a hole in the latter, the former will be forced upwards to the
disc II, the flexible material between G and H corrugating, and that between
G and I extending itself. If, then, the steam be allowed to escape from the
cylindrical vessel, which it thus filled, and the ingress of more steam from the
boilor be turned from that to the other cylindrical vessel through an opening in
the disc II, the piston disc G will be forced back to the disc I, and so up and
down, or backwards and forwards, the rods B and B moving to and fro in and
along the grooves in the supports C, C, so as to keep the motion of the piston,
disc even.
But this latter may be effected by known contrivances for producing parallel
motion. Thus, the effect will be like the converse of that produced in blowing
bellows, the clastic fluid forcing the piston disc instead of being forced by it.
In order to introduce and cut off and let out the steam, as above mentioned, I
propose the addition of the usual pipes with cocks or valves, for the admission
and egress of the steam, fastened to and connected with the openings in the
fixed discs; as in ordinary steam engines, the same are fastened to and con-
nected with the ends of the cylinders. Thus, then, an alternate motion will bo
produced in the piston disc like the motion of the piston in present steam
engines. Let the rods A and A be firmly fastened respectively to the short rods
B and B, and be connected like the prongs of a fork with the rod E, which
works a crank F, and motion may thereby be given to machinery or to wheels,
the before-mentioned cocks or valves being opened and shut by the same,
methods and contrivances at present used in steam engines for driving steam
into and out of metallic cylinders.
The foregoing form of the machine may, if it be thought expedient, bo
worked with a condenser, if the flexible material of the cylindrical vessels be
prevented from collapsing laterally by hoops or ribs applied to them like those
of bellows.
The foregoing form may also be varied in this way, getting rid of the rods
A, A, and F, and substituting ropes or chains; the middle disc may be fixed and

page_text: immoveable, and without the addition of the short rods B, B, and the external
discs may be moveable; and these moveable discs may have their motions to
and from the central disc kept even and regular by rods like - piston rods
fastened perpendicularly to their centres externally, and moving in the
direction of their length within close metallic collars or tubes. Let the crank
axle have two cranks pointing in contrary directions; let ropes connect ono
of these cranks with two .knobs projecting from opposite edges of the more
remote of the moveable discs; then the movement of this disc from the fixed
or central disc by the force of steam will by means of the ropes pull the crank
through half a revolution, and the revolution may be completed by the other
moveable disc pulling the other crank by means of ropes in like manner, but
with this difference, that the latter ropes must have their direction altered by
pullies, that is, they must extend from the last-mentioned disc in a direction
towards the other and remote moveable disc, and, by passing round pulleys or
wheels attached to fixed supports, have their course altered to the contrary
direction, so as to reach the crank appropriated to them.
The latter form may also be worked with a condenser, with the provision of
ribs or hoops, as before mentioned; but in this case cach moveable disc must
not only be provided with the ropes connected with a crank, as before
mentioned, but also each must have a rope connected with the other crank, to
pull by the force of condensation in a contrary direction to that produced by
the pressure of steam on it, which rope may in each case be fastened to the
rod attached to the disc, and that rope, which shall be fastened to the rod
which points away from the cranks, must pass round a pulley or pulleys, in
order to have its direction changed, that it may reach its proper crank.
When the middle dise is fixed, the pipes and valves or cocks must be
attached to its edge, so as to admit and let out the steam into and from tho
cylindrical vessels alternately.
The use of ropes as above may be adopted if the rigidity of rods be found
objectionable on rough roads.
The crank may be carried on at the changes of direction of the force by
the usual means of another crank at a right angle to it on the same axle,
which must be impelled by a duplicate of the contrivance here recommended,
as in present steam engines, by another piston, or in suitable cases by a common
fly wheel.
By another form, a globular bag may be made to force, for when collapsed
it may be longer than when distended, and the distention of it by steam will
by shortening it enable a rope fastened to one end of it to drag a crank, and

page_text: another similar bag may be made to drag the crank the other way; but as
the force varies greatly, according to the degree of distention, a compensating
contrivance is necessary. Figure 2 shews the inflated bag A fixed at B, and
the empty bag C fixed at G, the former joined by a rope to the end of the
arm D, and the latter joined by a rope to the end of the arm E, and lying
along the curved side of that arm. These arms, inclined at a right angle with
each other, form one body, and turn on an axis at F, properly supported. The
Figure shews the inflated bag A after having drawn the arm D towards B, and
the bag C stretched to emptyness by the pull of the rope joining it to the end
of the arm E. Then the bag C being in its turn inflated, and the bag A
allowed to empty itself, the former will draw the arm E, which will draw the
arm D farther from B, and this will stretch and empty the bag A, the steam
entering and escaping at the proper times by the usual contrivances, and so
alternately, and the alternate motion of the arms may be turned into a rotary:
one by a rod connecting one of the arms with a crank.
The flexible material may be employed in other ways. Let C and D,
Figure 3, represent the ends of rollers working with their surfaces nearly
together, as those of a rolling press, and turning with axles which work in
holes in lateral supports, of which one A, B, is shewn. Let E, F, be a hollow>
belt or bag of flexible impervious material passing flatly and tightly between
the rollers; let steam be introduced at F through a flexible tube, it will
distend the belt, and the belt, by its pressure against the rollers, will tend to
drag itself out from between them, and by the turning of the rollers it will
succeed in doing so, pulling its loose part E, G, into which no steam has
entered, and thus turning the rollers. It is clear that the end of the bag at E
can be made to pull a crank by means of a rope attached to it, and by another
similar belt and rollers the crank may be drawn the other way, and a circular
motion produced; or the same may be done by the same belt and rollers by
inflating the other end of the former, or an arm fastened to and at a right
angle with the axle of one of the rollers, and communicating by a rod can be
made to turn a crank by its oscillations, the steam being admitted and let
out by the common contrivances attached to the ends of the flexible tubes.
If the belt have one end fastened to the other, a rotary motion may be
produced directly. Let the two rollers A and B, Figure 4, move with their.
surfaces together, as already shewn in Figure 3, and let a flexible bag or belt
of impervious material C, F, E, D, pass between them, and pass loosely round
one of the rollers B, and be connected by its aperture C with a flexible pipe:
for the admission of steam, and let there be another aperture in it at its other >

page_text: end D'for the escape of steam, and let both ends of this belt be firmly sewed
or fastened together at D; then, when it is distended by the admission of
steam, it will drag itself through the rollers, turning, them and pulling its
flaccid párt, and the latter, being fastened to the inflated end of the belt, will
pull it by the aid of a fly wheel through the rollers, so as to bring it forcibly
to the other side of them, or without a fly wheel, another similar belt lying
between the same rollers or other similar rollers moving with them by the.
interposition of cog wheels, but presenting its inflated end at a different time,
will force the inflated end of the former belt through and in its turn have its
own inflated end forced through by the latter, and so on reciprocally, and the
flexible induction pipe may be so placed as to be closed by the rollers before
the latter reach the first distended part of the belt, and being narrow can be:
closed with much less force than tho belt itself; or, if these arrangements be
inconvenient, the usual, expedient of suspending the flow of steam by a cock
or valve, and placing the escape aperture of the belt in a more advanced part
towards E, will enable the belt to discharge all its steam, and admit its first
end uninflated to pass between the rollers without force. Figure 5 shews a
side. view of this machine, A and B being the rollers, the upper one supported.
on axles, the lower one by an axle at one end, either fixed to it and turning in
the supports C and D, or fixed in the supports and penetrating the roller as a
spindle for it to turn on. E, F, is a cog wheel connected with the upper roller,
and intended to communicate motion to machinery, but a carriage wheel may
be on the same axle.
As the revolution of the belt will twist the induction pipe, the latter should
be connected with a moveable metallic joint, so as to turn round without
twisting, and as the belt may be liable to slip gradually out from between the
rollers, it should be bound along its inner edge to a ring or hoop of thick
leather or other similarly flexible substance which cannot enter between the
rollers. It may be convenient that the metallic joint, before suggested, should
be joined to and open into and carry round with it the metallic tube G, H, M,
having two right angles, and the shape of a winch and axle, the part of it H, M,
representing an axle turning in a collár in a fixed support L, K, and passing
through the collar, and at the other side of it turning with a close joint in a.
tube which brings the steam from the boiler.
To avoid this moving of the belt, the rollers may be made to move instead of
it, and the following arrangement may be adopted.. Let A, B, C, D, Figure 6,
represent double squares of the flexible impervious material, one lying over the
other, so as to exhibit only one in the Figure, and perforated by a hole repre-

page_text: sented by the inner circle; let them be suspended by the ropes A, E, and
B, F, and very loosely kept near their place by the ropes D, G, and C, II,
below; let them be strongly sewed together in the lines of the circles enclosing
a circular band, and also sewed in the line I, K, and let all the sewings be
impervious; let L, I, be a flexible induction pipe, introducing steam between
the circles, and let there be an aperture for its exit after passing round between
them near I, K; let an axle pass through the centre of the circles, having
arms and conical rollers M, N, attached to it, as more fully shewn in Figure 7.
This shews the squares edgeways, A, B, pressed between the conical rollers C
and D, which turn on points or axles supported by the arms P, E, F, G, H, K,
L, M, and N, O, which are attached to the main axle P, K; then when steam
is introduced at one side of the rollers it will force them, with the arms and
the main axle P, K, to which the arms are attached, round, until the steam
meet the aperture for its escape, and the entrance end of the circular band
between the sewings, when similar contrivances, as befor described in respect
of Figure 4, may be used for either suspending the entrance of steam or
forcing the rollers over the distended end of the band, and if this end be in the
sewing made tapering, or otherwise gradually widening, either in this or the
contrivanco shewn in Figures 4 and 5, the rollers may, perhaps, be easily
forced over the distention at its narrow part. It is obvious that the squares
must be so loosely held by the ropes at their corners as to admit of their
contraction by the inflation of the part which forms the circular band; the
turning of the axle P, K, Figure 7, can communicate motion by the crank or
cog wheel represented in that Figure, or a carriage wheel may be on the same
axle. If there be four sets of arms, with their respective pairs of conical
rollers attached to the main axle in the form of a cross, every pair of rollers
squeezing the squares, the band may be straight, and occupy the upper part
of the squares only, which in this case may be firmly fixed at the ends of the
band or belt with advantage, the corners being held by yielding springs.
I suggest, that when the pipes for the admission and escape of steam are of
flexible impervious material, the passage for the steam may be closed and
opened by the application and withdrawal of pressure on the outside of the
flexible pipes, instead of by means of cocks or valves; but I do not claim this
as part of my Invention.
I propose that the above Invention shall extend, so far as applicable, to airs,
gases, and elastic vapours generally, as well as to steam; howsoever, the same
may be generated or expanded, and in such cases that the lightness hereby
claimed for the boiler shall extend to the generating or containing vessels in

page_text: which such air, gas, or elastic vapour may be confined; but I claim no right
in the production or expansion thereof, but only in the application of the above
Invention thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Tuckey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
THU TUCKEY. (L.S.)