AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING AN ENGINE FOR PRODUCING POWER AND MOTION
Year: 1827

page_text: PARKINSON, of Barton-upon-Humber, in the County of Lincoln, Gentleman,
and SAMUEL CROSLEY, of Cottage Lane, City Road, in the county of Middlesex,
Gas Apparatus Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the First day of August, in the eighth year of His reign, did give and
grant unto us, the said William Parkinson and Samuel Crosley, our exors,
adiñors, and assigns, His special licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that we, the said William Parkinson and Samuel Crosley, our exors,
adñiors, and assigns, during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING AN ENGINE FOR PRODUCING POWER AND MOTION;" in
which Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging us, the said William
Parkinson and Samuel Crosley, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the saine is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, to be enrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
relation being thereunto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
William Parkinson and Samuel Crosley, do hereby declare that the nature of
our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are

page_text: particularly described and ascertained in and by these presents, and in and
by the Drawings hereunto annexed and hereby referred to.
The power of our improved engine is to be produced by heating and cooling
air. The air is to be heated and cooled in an air-tight vessel, which we term a
differential vessel, a portion of which is exposed to external heat and a portion
to external cold. Within this vessel is contained another, which we call a
transferrer. The transferrer being moved from the hot to the cold parts of the
differential vessel, and from the cold to the hot alternately, thereby transfers
the air, and subjects it to the heat and cold as it passes along the internal
surface of the differential vessel, and thus by the expansion and contraction of
the air produces force for giving motion to machinery.
We do not claim originality in producing power by expanding and contract-
ing air, nor in the application of heat and cold for that purpose. Various
forms of vessels have been employed for the purpose of heating and cooling
air; but the peculiarity of our method consists in transferring the air to the
hot and to the cold parts of the differential vessel by means of a transferrer
which is solid, and which may fill a great portion of the differential vessel, but
the transferrer may be hollow, if made of sufficient strength to present its
collapsing.
We shall now proceed to describe one of the forms which we use, and
which will render evident the construction of that part of the engine; and we
refer to the Drawings hereunto annexed, Figures 1, 2, and 3, in explanation
thereof. These Drawings are made on a scale of one inch to a foot, and the
power communicated to the engine will depend upon the degree of heat and
cold applied to the differential vessel, and the density of the air within the
differential vessel. In these Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 shew the front and
end elevations of so much of an engine as is necessary for explaining our
Invention, and Figure 3 is a shaded section of a differential vessel and its
transferrer, shewing also a mode of heating and cooling the differential vessel.
The same letters in each Figure where they occur refer to the same parts.
The differential vessel A, A, is of the form of a hollow cylinder closed, with
convex ends, of such a length as to preserve an essential difference in the
temperature between one end and the other, and nearly one half of it being
subject to a hot, and nearly the other half to a cold medium. The differential
vessel has a stuffing box F, fitted at one end, and at the other and heated end
an opening or pipe L, M, or L, N, for the purpose of forming a communica-
tion with the working cylinder and piston. The transferrer B, B, is in this
instance made a hollow vessel, air-tight, of a similar form with the differential
vessel, and so much shorter as to leave a sufficient space in the differential

page_text: vessel for containing a volume of air, which when expanded by heat, and
passing through the pipe L, M, or L, N, will also fill the working cylinder,
and force the piston from one end of it to the other, and so much less in
diameter as to admit of its being moved from one end of the differential vessel
to the other with freedom, and in this instance allowing the air to pass along
the sides of the transferrer from one end of the differential vessel to the other.
To one end of the transferrer is affixed a rod E, passing through a stuffing
box F, for the purpose of moving it from one end of the differential vessel to
the other, thereby causing the air to pass in a thin stratum against its hot
and cold parts alternately, thus producing the force or power to be employed
against the working piston. The rod G, Figure 3, which is fixed in the upper
part of the differential vessel, is intended to guide the transferrer in its proper
direction by means of a tube which is inserted in the upper end of the trans-
ferrer for that purpose, the lower end of which is made air-tight. A differen-
tial vessel constructed on our plan may be applied to the working of a single
engine acting only on one side of the working piston after the manner of the
well-known steam engines called single or atmospheric engines, but in most
cases we prefer the use of two of our differential vessels as pointed out in the
Drawings, Figures 1 and 2, directing the power alternately on each side of
the working piston after the manner of the steam engines called double
engines. Motion is given to the transferrer or transferrers by means of the
eccentric O, on the shaft P, being connected with the beam R, which beam is
connected to the rod or rods E, of the transferrers by the links S, S, or the
rods may be connected to the engine by any other well-known mechanical
contrivances for the working of valves in steam engines. The working cylin-
der H, with its piston, side rods, crank shaft, fly wheel, and eccentric motion,.
being constructed in a similar mauner to those commonly used in steam
engines, we do not claim them as any part of our Invention. The pipe L, M,
communicates the differential vessel No. 1 with the top of the cylinder, and
the pipe L, N, communicates the differential vessel No. 2 with the bottom of
the cylinder. The operation of the engine will be as follows:-Supposing the
eccentric disconnected from the beam R, and the upper parts of the differential
vessels heated and their lower parts cold, and the transferrers of the two
differential vessels placed by hand in the situations shewn in the Drawing, and
the volume of air occupying the hot part of the differential vessel No. 2, and
being increased in elasticity in proportion to its temperature, whilst the volume
of air in the differential vessel No. 1 is occupying the coldest part, the work-
ing piston will be forced upwards by a power corresponding with the difference
of elastic force of the air in the two differential vessels, and when the working

page_text: piston has been forced to the top the situations of the transferrers should be
reversed by hand, so that the air in the differential vessel No. 1 will occupy
the hot part, and communicate its force to the upper side of the working
piston, and thereby produce a returning stroke, and the eccentric being then
by band re-connected with the beam, the alternate expansion and contraction
of the air in the two differential vessels will keep the engine in motion. Thus
the engine may be put in motion or stopped by working the transferrers in
the same way as the valves in steam engines.
We shall now proceed to describe our peculiar mode of applying heat to
the differential vessels. For this purpose we use inflammable air or gas, first
explaining that we do not claim the first application of gas or inflammable air
to the working of a power engine, or as a means of producing heat generally,
but only its peculiar use in combination with our machinery for heating
externally the differential vessels. The advantage of applying gas to our
engines will be evident from the facility of procuring it in all the principal
towns of the kingdom, and by using gas compressed into portable vessels our
engine will be rendered more applicable to locomotive purposes. As the
street mains during the day-time, although charged, are generally charged
at so light a pressure that the supply would be inadequate, the machine
commonly called a gas-meter may be employed as a rotatory pump for
obtaining a supply by connecting with its axis a train of wheel work with a
spring or weight to be wound up after the manner of clocks or time-pieces,
giving to the meter a rotatory motion. The mechanism of clocks or time-
pieces being so generally understood, it is unnecessary to describe it here. It
should, however, be observed, that as the axis of the meter is below the surface.
of the water in the meter, one end of it should project through a stuffing
box in order to protect the mechanism from corrosion. The instrument
called a gas governor should be added to the meter, for the purpose of correcting
any irregularity in the flow of the gas. We do not claim by the Patent
granted to us or by this Specification the Invention of the gas-meter or gas
governor, for which Patents have been obtained, nor the first combination of
the gas-meter with clock-work or with the gas governor; but we claim that
combination of the gas-meter with clock-work or with the gas governor for
the obtaining of a supply of gas from the street mains which is made up by
them with parts of the machinery of our engine, subject to the rights of the
Patentee of the gas-meter and gas governor. The use of gas to our engine,
and the application of the means we have described for obtaining a supply,
enable us to furnish a compact power engine, not requiring the constant
attendance of a fireman, and adapted to situations where sufficient space could

page_text: not be appropriated for an engine requiring a boiler and coal house, and where
the smoke of such engines might be deemed a nuisance. A mode of applying
gas for heating the differential vessel is shewn in the Drawing, Figure 3:-
D, D, is a hollow ring surrounding the differential vessel, and communicating
with the tube by which the gas is supplied; this ring is perforated for the
emission of jets of gas to flow when ignited all around and against the
differential vessel, or nearly so. C, C, is an iron casing for directing the heat to
the differential vessel, which casing is open at the bottom for the admission of
air, having also an opening at the top to serve as a chimney or flue. K is an
outer covering of polished metal of about two or three inches more in diameter
than the casing C, C, for the purpose of lessening the radiation of the heat.
The working cylinder H may be kept hot by means of a current of heated
air being conducted to it from the flues of the differential vessels, the arrange-
ment for which being so easily understood it is purposely omitted in the
Drawings. In Figure 3, T, T, represent the differential vessel as placed in a
cistern of cold water, with a constant current running in at the bottom U,
against the differential vessel, and passing off at the top V. In situations
where a sufficient quantity of water cannot be obtained for procuring the
desired effect in this way, other well-known means of cooling vessels may be
resorted to. We have said that the power of the engine will in some measure
depend upon the density of the air in the differential vessel. If therefore it
is desired to increase the power of the engine by increasing the density of the
air, a common forcing pump, to be worked by the engines, and connected with
the differential vessel, must be applied; and as some leakage of air may be
anticipated at the high pressures, the addition of the pump is necessary, and
may be connected with the differential vessel by the tube J. This pump may
be of the usual construction of forcing pumps, and must be provided with any
of the well-known means of adapting the length of its stroke to the loss of
air by leakage. In starting the engine, this pump may be disengaged from
the engine, and worked by hand, for charging the differential vessels with
air of the density intended. The degree of pressure may be indicated by
a mercurial guage of the usual construction, connected by a branch from
the tube J. A safety valve should be connected with the differential vessel,
and adjusted so as to let off any excess of air above that which is required,
after the manner of a safety valve in a steam engine boiler. The speed or
power of the engine may be regulated by increasing or diminishing the supply
of gas or other source of heat, by connecting a governor similar to that used
in steam engines with a valve or stop-cock on the pipe supplying the gas, or
with a damper placed in a flue, or with valves placed in the pipes L, M,

page_text: and L, N, regulating the ingress or egress of the rarified air to and from the
working cylinder. The differential vessels and transferrers may be constructed
upon our principle of various forms, either cylindrical, cubical, or spherical.
For example, it will be evident that instead of the transferrer moving per
pendicularly by the rod, as before described, the transferrer may be made the
whole length of the differential vessel, but occupying about one-half of the
space, and of the form a semicylinder, to be moved by an axis, communicating
through the stuffing box F, in a rotatory manner. With this transferrer it is
evident the heat and cold must be applied to the opposite sides of the
differential vessel instead of the ends. This is, presuming the cylindrical vessel
to stand perpendicularly; but it may be placed horizontally, in which case the
heat and cold will be applied to the upper and lower surfaces; but in this case
the cylinder should be of considerably larger diameter than length. It is also
evident, that instead of the differential vessel being cylindrical it may assume
the form of a sphere or similar shape, and its transferrer of corresponding
form. Again, the differential vessel may be made of the form of a hemisphere
or segment of a sphere, the transferrer corresponding, it being necessary to
provide, whatever shape is taken, a sufficient space at one end or side of the
differential vessel for containing the necessary volume of air for working the
engine, and the motion of the transferrer will be either rotatory or reciprocating,
according to which of the forms is adopted; but in all these cases the
transferrer must be solid, or if hollow then air-tight. We have particularly
described a mode of applying the heat to a differential vessel by means of gas.
Gas may be applied to the other differential vessels we have referred to, by
adopting a similar arrangement to that before described, with such deviations
as are necessary in consequence of the alteration of shape in the differential
vessel, as will be naturally suggested by our description. And although we have
thought it necessary to describe only the use of gas for heating our differential
vessels, on acceunt of the simplicity of the combination and the facility of
using it, yet it is also evident that any other well-known sources of heat
capable of being regulated may be adopted. Steam may be employed in
some cases as a medium of communicating the heat. The differential vessels
and transferrers may be constructed of various metals (we prefer copper); and
the various parts of our improved engine may be made of such materials or
substances as are suited to the nature of the work to be performed, and the
degree of strength, power, or durability required. We have described various
plans of manufacturing our improved method of constructing and working an
engine for producing power and motion; but the one first described and referred
to in the Drawings is that we think preferable in most cases. It is unnecessary

page_text: to enter into detail of the particular dimensions applicable to various cases,
attention to the general remarks we have made being sufficient to lead any
person conversant with the manufacture of steam or power engines generally
to adapt the dimensions to any particular case; and the arrangement and
construction of many of the minor parts may be modified according to the
size of the engine, the situation in which the apparatus is placed, and the
circumstances governing the same, without at all deviating from our Invention
as we have defined the same. And lastly, although we have described many
parts of the engine which are not new, but in common use, we disclaim those
parts, for we have merely described them for the purpose of rendering our
Invention more clearly understood, and shewing the different combinations of
the parts.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Parkinson and Samuel
Crosley, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the First day of
February, in the ninth year of the reign of King George the Fourth,
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-eight.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the First day of February, in the
year of our Lord 1828, the aforesaid William Parkinson and Samuel Crosley
came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the First day of February, in the year of our Lord Onc
thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.