IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES & PUMPS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Higginson, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENGINES & PUMPS."
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 8th July 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Higginson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th July 1875.
I, ANDREW HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES & PUMPS," to be as follows:-
:-
The object of the said Invention is to provide engines and pumps.
which shall be inexpensive to make, simple in construction, economical
in operation, and occupy comparatively small space for the work done.
As means for obtaining the above object I construct an engine in the
following novel manner :-I attach a piston directly to a crank, and
cause the motor fluid, whether gas or liquid, to act alternately on two

page_text: faces of the said piston, such piston being capable of a combined
reciprocating and circular motion so as to act effectively on the crank
during the greater part of the revolution thereof.
The following are some of the methods for carrying the above improve-
ments into effect:-
(a). As means for obtaining a non-reversing motive-power engine I
employ a T shaped piston, of which the wide end reciprocates in a
chamber or well, the narrow end or tail part being attached by a bracket
or other suitable connection to the crank, and carried round in a circular
path thereby. Steam or other gas or liquid is admitted alternately to
the wide end, and to the side of the piston opposite to the crank; any
suitable valve and connections is employed for admitting and cutting off
the steam.
The above described engine can be used as a pump or blower by
giving motion to the piston through the crank.
The above described engine may be used equally well with the piston
in an upright or in a horizontal position.
(b). As means for obtaining a motive-power engine capable of reversing
I employ a cylindrical piston attached to a crank in the interior thereof.
The said piston is also provided with a tongue piece, which reciprocates
in a chamber or well. To keep the cylindrical portion of the piston in
steam-tight contact with the containing chamber I employ ribs or pro-
jections on the said piston.
The above described engine may also be used as a pump or blower.
If desired two or more of the above engines may be coupled or formed
together.
As means for supplying steam or operating fluid to the said engines I
make use of a slide valve operated through the governor by means of a
bevel cam.
The slide valve or its connections is or are held in contact
E

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Higginson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Andrew Higginson, Her special licence,
that I, the said Andrew Higginson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew Higginson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES
AND PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Andrew Higginson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Andrew Higginson, 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, that is to say :—
The object of the said Invention is to provide engines and pumps
which shall be inexpensive to make, simple in construction, economical
in operation, and occupy comparatively small space for the work done.
As means for obtaining the above object I construct an engine in the
following novel manner :-I attach a piston directly to a crank, and
cause the motor fluid, whether gas or liquid, to act alternately on two

page_text: faces of the said piston, such piston being capable of a combined
reciprocating and circular motion so as to act effectively on the crank
during the greater part of the revolution thereof.
As means for supplying steam or operating fluid to the said engines
I make use of a slide valve operated through the governor by means
of a bevel cam. The slide valve or its connections is or are held in
contact with the cam preferably by steam pressure.
The two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed contain views illus-
trative of various methods of carrying my improvements into effect.
Sheet I., Fig. 1, is a side elevation partly in section; Fig. 2, an end
view; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 4, a transverse section all
of a non-reversing engine constructed under my Invention.
a is the piston attached directly to the crank by the bearing c. One
end of the piston a is widened out at d, and fits in the well or chamber c.
f, cover to the piston chamber g, through which interior can be inspected,
and the piston removed, if desired. In operation steam enters through
the port or way h, and pushes forward the piston by pressing against the
end d. After the piston has reached the point shown in Fig. 3 steam
passes by the way i, and acts expansively on the face a of the piston
until it reaches the point shown by the dotted lines, when the steam
escapes past the end j, and passes by the way k into the space under-
neath the engine. The space 7 serves as a feed water heater; the arrows
show the direction of motion; m, packing pieces; the valve n, which
admits steam to the piston is operated by the cam o on the crank shaft p.
and the admission of steam for a greater or less portion of the stroke is
regulated by the governor balls q, which give a lateral motion to the
said cam o. To facilitate making and keeping tight I prefer to fit the
covers, as shown in Fig. 4, on packing pieces r; 8, fly wheel.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 a transverse section of a
pump constructed under my Invention. t is the piston attached to the
crack u; v, cover, also serving as air vessel; w, packing piece; this
may also be used in the engines; x, suction valve; y, inlet; =, outlet
for the fluid pumped.
Fig. 7 shows a combined engine and pump under my Invention.
A, engine; B, pump.

page_text: reversing engine constructed under my Invention. 1, piston, here formed
cylindrical, and containing the crank 2 in the interior thereof; 3, tail
piece working in the well or chamber 4; 5, valve for admitting steam,
operated as already described in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4; 6, ways for allowing
steam to pass from 4 to 5; 7, exhaust ports; 8, 81, exhaust valves.
According as the valve 8 or 8' is open so will the engine move in the
direction of the arrows, or vice versa; 9, packing ribs.
Having now described and illustrated my Invention so that others will
be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim, the improve-
ments in engines and pumps substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Higginson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
5 In the presence of
JAMES JOHNSON, .
Patent Office,
Clayton Square,
Liverpool.
ANDREW HIGGINSON. (L.S.)