AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM ENGINE APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM ENGINE
APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER."-A communication from
Samuel Huse, of the United States of America.
Sealed the 12th May 1859, and dated the 11th March 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th March 1859.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM ENGINE
APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of rotary engine for generating
power, and raising water economically. The central axle is mounted in fixed
heads, the space between which is covered in by an outer case; within this case,
and concentric with it and the axle, is fixed a hollow cylinder, the flange at
the ends of which are secured to the fixed heads, and carry the outer casing.
A straight partition extending from one flange to the other, in a line parallel
with the axis of the cylinder, divides the space formed between the cylinder and
the outer case, and a helical partition starting from one flange winds half
way round the outside of the cylinder to the other flange. 'Both these

page_text: partitions are steamtight, and form steam chambers outside the cylinder.
Within the cylinder two face cams are fitted, the same being secured one to either
fixed head, and steain passages are formed through them, and through the
cylinder. Keyed to the central axle is a hub, which carries two discs, and
is slotted radially and longitudinally to receive sliding pistons or valves, which
work through the discs and bear against the face of the cams. In the
periphery of the outer case of the engine, and at opposite sides of the case,
openings are made for the induction and eduction steam. When the steam has
entered the outer case, it passes through a passage open to it in the cylinder
and through the corresponding passage in the cam; on emerging from this
passage it enters a space between two pistons or.valves, and bounded by the
cam on one side and a disc on the other. Here it exerts its force on the
forward sliding piston or valve presented to its action, driving it forwards (and
consequently the axle which carries the pistons or valves) until it has arrived
at an exit port. The steam then escapes to the outside of the cylinder, and
at the back of that partition whose front was presented to the same steam on
entering the cylinder, and it eventually passes out of the engine by the eduction
pipe in the outer case. When this arrangement is to be used as a pump, it
may be driven by a belt on a pulley keyed to the central axle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord 1859, in the twenty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my
_executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, 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 "AN IMPROVED

page_text: CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM ENGINE, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE RAISING OF WATER," being a
communication from abroad by Samuel Huse, of the United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, a portion of the outer shell or casing being
broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line a, x, of
Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, the outer shell and cylinder being both removed to
show the parts within. Fig. 4, detail to be referred to hereafter.
In the Drawings A, A, are heads supported on feet a; the shaft B to which
the power of the engine is applied being passed through these heads in suitable
stuffing boxes. Between the two heads A, A, is a cylinder C, the flanches b
of which are attached to the heads by screws c; over the periphery of the
flanches & fits an outer shell or casing D, an annular space or steam chamber
being thus formed between the shell and the cylinder C. This annular steam
chamber is divided into two portions e, e, by a longitudinal partition f at the top
of the cylinder, which extends along on the outside of the cylinder C, from one
flanch 6 to the other, and also by a partition g, which starts from a point 5 on
one flanch 6, and winds spirally half way around the outside of the cylinder to
the other flanch at the opposite end of it. These partitions are. steamtight,
and the spaces e, e³, communicate, the one e with the induction pipe at h, and
the other e, with the eduction or exhaust at i, as indicated by the arrows,
Fig. 2. The heads A, A, and cylinder C are stationary, the parts which form
the valves and pistons being connected with the shaft B, and revolving within
the cylinder, as will now be explained.
.
"
To the heads A, A³, are secured on the inner side, and projecting into the
cylinder: C, screw cambs E, E², of the form shown in Fig. 3, and detached in
Fig. 4; the camb E on the head A being placed with its thickest or.highest
portion 6. opposite to the thinnest portion 7 of the camb E on the head A³.
The shaft B, carries a heavy cylindrical hub.F, the ends of which are-recessed
into and revolve in the space k (Fig. 4), in the middle of the cambs E, E;.

page_text: to this hub F are secured two rings or heads m, m³, of such a diameter
that they shall revolve steamtight within the cylinder.' C, whilst the face or
side of each runs in close contact with the higher portion 6 of the cambs E, E
This leaves a steam space between each: of the heads m,.m², and the inclined
face of the adjacent camb E or E, the space gradually enlarging towards the
thinner portion 7 of the camb. Three grooves are cut radially in the hub F
for the whole of its length, corresponding slots being cut through the
heads m, m²; into each of these grooves and slots are inserted two pistons or
valves 'n, n², which slide longitudinally in the grooves, their outer ends being
kept in close contact with the faces of the cambs E, E², by a spring 1, placed
between the two valves (see Fig. 8). These valves are of such a width that
the inner edge rests on the bottom of the groove in the hub F, and the outer
edge projects out on a line with the periphery of the heads m, m³, as shown
in Fig. 2.
+
As before stated, the cambs E, E³, are so placed with respect to each other*
that the thick part of one shall be opposite the thin part of the other, the
distance in a straight line parallel to the shaft B, from different portions of the
face of one camb to the face of the opposite camb being equal. The valves n, n²,
will, as the shaft B and hub F are revolved, remain in contact with the surfaces
of the two cambs and also with the inner surface of the cylinder C.
Steam is not admitted into the space between the two heads m, m³, but only:
between these heads and the faces of the cambs E, E²; each of these cambs
has cut in it on the thicker side, holes o, p, which enter from the edge which
is in contact with the cylinder C, and come out on the face of the camb
(Fig. 4), forming steam and exhaust ports. Corresponding holes o', p', in the
cylinder C, establish a steam communication between the spaces e, e³, on the
outside of the cylinder C, and the spaces 8, between the heals m, m²; and the
cambs E, E. The spiral partition g allows the holes p' at the opposite ends of
the cylinder C to both outlet into the space &, although placed on opposite
sides of the cylinder, and in the same way the holes o' to communicate with
the space 6.
The operation of this engine is as follows:-Steam enters through the inlet,
pipe to the steam space e; thence through holes o', o, to space 8, between
the head m and camb E, and behind the valve n, which happens to be in
position to receive the pressure of the steam, by which this valve is driven in
the direction of the arrow on the head m, Fig. 3, and the shaft B is revolved;
the steam continues to act on this valve n, until cut off from it by the next
valve passing the port o. The valves are thus acted upon in succession by the
steam, and as each one passes the port p, the steam exhausts through this.

page_text: port into the space e², on the ouside of the cylinder C, and thence through the
eduction pipe i, as indicated by the arrows. A similar state of things is going
on at the opposite end of the cylinder except that the valves are in an inverse
position. The engine is reversed by changing the current of steam, and causing
it to enter at the pipe i, and exhaust at the pipe h, in the customary manner.
This engine, like many others of its class, is adapted for use as a pump or
water engine. I have heretofore spoken of this engine as constructed with
three sets of valves n, n²; it may, however, be made with a greater or less
number, as circumstances may require.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above recited Letters Patent I claim the cains E, E², with their steam and
exhaust ports in combination with the heads m, m³, pistons n, n², and
cylinder C, operating in the manner substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.B.)