IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER FLUID
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Lawrence, of the City Iron Works,
Pitfield Street, in the County.of Middlesex, William Davison,
of. Halstead, in the County of Essex, and Alfred Lawrence, of
the City Iron Works, Pitfield Street, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE
WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER FLUID."
ealed the 22nd July 1853, and dated the 31st January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Lawrence,
William Davison, and Alfred Lawrence at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition; on the 31st
January 1853.
We, FREDERICK LAWRENCE, of the City Iron Works, Pitfield Street,
in the County of Middlesex, WILLIAM DAVISON, of Halsted, in the
County of Essex, and ALFRED LAWRENCE, of the City Iron Works,"
Pitfield Street, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE
WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER FLUID" to be as follows:-

page_text: The Invention consists of employing a vessel, the interior of
which is of the form known as epicycloidal or cardioidal which
possesses the property of all chords being equal which pass through
a certain point or focus, or of such like form which possesses or
approximates to such property. Within this vessel a piston revolves
about the point through which the equal chords pass, such piston
giving motion either to a crank in the interior, or giving motion
directly to an axle at the focus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Frederick Lawrence, William Davison,
and Alfred Lawrence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, we,
FREDERICK LAWRENCE, of the City Iron Works, Pitfield Street, in the
County of Middlesex, WILLIAM DAVISON, of Halstead, in the County
of Essex, and ALFRED LAWRENCE, of the City Iron Works, Pitfield
Street, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Frederick Lawrence, William
Davison, and Alfred Lawrence, Her special licence that we, the
said Frederick Lawrence, William Davison, and Alfred Lawrence,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Frederick Lawrence, William Davison, and Alfred Lawrence,
our 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

page_text: for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER FLUID,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Frederick
Lawrence, William Davison, and Alfred Lawrence, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Frederick Lawrence, on behalf
of myself and the said William Davison and Alfred Lawrence, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The Invention consists of employing a vessel, the interior of which
is of the form known as epicycloidal or cardioidal, which possess the
property of all chords being equal which pass through a certain
point or focus, or of such like form which possesses or approximates
to such property. Within this vessel a piston revolves about the
point through which the equal chords pass, such piston giving
motion either to a crank in the interior, or giving motion directly
to an axle at the focus. And in order that my said Invention
may be most fully understood, and readily carried into effect, I will
proceed to describe the Drawings.
Figures 1, 2, 3, shew an engine of the proposed construction.
Figure 1, is an elevation; Figure 2, longitudinal section, shewing
piston in a vertical position; Figure 3, cross section. The letters
in each Figure refer to the same parts. A, the cylinder bored of
the form shewn, which is a cardiode or epicycloidal curve, in which
all chords passing through the point F, or focus, are equal; B, B,
the piston formed with guide sides E, E, to clasp the disc D, D,
which is fixed to the sides of the cylinder at the focus F, thus com-
pelling the centre line K, K¹, of piston during its revolution always
to pass through F; G, the centre of the cylinder, at which there
is a stud or pin; H, the main axle, the centre of which is placed

page_text: equidistant from F, and C, having the crank H, I, upon it. The
connecting pin I, works in a bush at the centre of piston, as shewn
in the two sections. At certain positions of the piston the pin or
guide C, fixed on the sides of 'the cylinder at the centre, works in
small slots G, G, in the piston, as shewn by the red dotted lines
serving as a guide in those positions where the disc D, D, does not
act to advantage. The ends of piston are thus always made to touch
the form of cylinder, N, M, steam and eduction pipes respectively.
The action of the engine is as follows:-The steam entering at N,
exerts a pressure on the whole of the piston K, K', thus compelling
it to revolve round the point F, in the direction of the arrow, with
a power proportioned to the difference between the portions, K, F,
and F, K', on each side of the fixed point F, giving motion by its
revolution to the crank H; I; and main axle H, every revolution of
the piston causing the crank and axle to revolve twice. When the
piston reaches the position shewn by the red dotted lines, 'the steam
ceases to exert power, the portions of piston on either side of F
being equal, and the crank axle is at its "dead point." The axle
is propelled past this point either by a balanced wheel, as shewn in
Drawing, or by a piston at right angles working on the same shaft
in another cylinder, so that when the piston in one cylinder is at
its dead point, the piston in the other is in the most advantageous
position. The round ends or packing of the piston K, K¹, are made
to work steam-tight with the cylinder by springs L, L, or other
means. The packing at the sides of the cylinder is accomplished by
a moveable plate O, O, which is moved forward by springs or bolts
P, P, to allow for wear. The peculiar motion of the piston pro-
duces a nearly uniform wear of the sides. Figure 4, is a diagram to
illustrate the motion of the piston and crank during a revolution;
F, the focus, a point so situate that all chords passing through it are
equal, and through which the axis K; K₁, of piston is made to pass
by means of the guides before described; H, main axle; I, connect-
ing pin of crank; C, centre of curve; K, K¹, piston. The red and
black full and dotted lines shew the various positions of the piston
and crank during a revolution. Figure 5, shews another method

page_text: of guiding the piston so that its axis may always pass through the
focus; F, focus as before, at which there is a pin or stud; H, main
axle; H, I, crank; C, centre of cylinder; R, S, two pins placed
in the circle described by centre of crank pin I, and equidistant from
one another and the focus F; T, T, T, six short grooves in the
piston B, B. One of the three pins R, S, and F, is always in one or
other of the grooves T, T, one pin never leaving a groove until one
of the other pins has entered. The piston in the figure shews the
pin S; in its groove, acting as a guide. The black dotted lines shew
a position of piston with T as a guide, and the dotted red lines another
position with R as the guiding pin. In the above Figure three pins
are shewn as guides, but two or four or any number of pins may be
used, corresponding grooves being formed in the piston, their
centres all being placed in the circle described by centre of con
necting pin of crank. Figure 6, shews a method of driving a shaft
at the focus F, without the internal crank. The piston B, B, has a
groove in the centre, passing over the axle 'F, and working on
wheels attached to axle to prevent friction; C, is a pin at the
centre of curve, which acts as a guide to compel the ends of the
piston to describe the curve of the cylinder, thereby preventing any
friction on the cylinder from the sliding motion of the piston on
the axle, the pin C' producing that motion, not the curve.
The
steam compels the piston to revolve as in the previous case, thus
giving motion to the axle F. The black dotted lines shew the piston
in another position. In all the above engines the steam will work
the piston without valves; but should it be required to use the steam
expansively, or be considered advantageous, a slide or D valve may
be used for cutting off the steam when required, moved by a cam
or eccentric on the main shaft, and the motion of the engine may
be reversed by altering the position of the valve (as in an ordinary
engine) so as to change M into the steam pipe, and N into the
eduction pipe. All the preceding arrangements may be applied, if
required, to a piston working in a cylinder not a cardiode as shewn,
but any other curve approximating to such form or even to a circle;
but the departure from the true form or curve, the cardiode, must be

page_text: made up by a corresponding elongation or shortening of the piston
by means of expanding ends regulated by springs. Figure 7, is a
diagram shewing the principle upon which tools for boring or de-
scribing the cardioidal or epicycloidal curve for the cylinder can be
made; A, a fixed circle; D, E, an arm turning on the point F;
B, B, palettes, at right angles to D, E, touching circle A. On turning
the arm D, E, round F, the palettes B, B, working on the fixed
circle A, guide the arm so as to make it slide through F; and the
point G, or any other point on D, E, describes the cardioidal curve.
In boring it is necessary that the tool shall, during a revolution, be
at right angles to or at the same angle with the surface cut. This is
accomplished by another arm J, K, (with palettes B', B¹,) passing
through F, always being at right angles to D, E, and having a
centre I; the line H, G, I, passing through G, & I, is always a
normal (that is, at right angles) to the curve described by point H.
The point H will, therefore, describe the curve required for an
engine with a piston having a round end of equal radius to H, G,
and throw of crank equal to C, F, the centre of curb A being the
centre of the cylinder. If required a second boring tool or bar may
be placed at the other end K of the arm D, E, guided by a bar
L, K, I, passing through I, as shewn by black dotted lines. The
red dotted lines shew the boring apparatus in another position.
Figure 8, shews a second method of boring the curve; A a fixed
toothed wheel; B, another toothed wheel of equal diameter, which is
made to roll upon A; D, E, arm joining the centres of two wheels
A, and B; G, point in the wheel B. The point G, as the wheel
B rolls on A, describes the cardioidal curve, as shewn by the dotted
curve. In order to make the tool always cut at right angles to the
curve I, is a pin fixed on the arm D, E, equidistant between D, and
E, which guides the tool by means of the arm H, G, I, turning on
G, and passing through the pin I, causing the tool H always to be
at right angles to the curve cut. H, will describe the curve required
for a cylinder, of which the throw of the working crank is equal to
twice E, G, and the radius of the round end of the piston equal to
G, H. If required, a second boring tool may be placed at the point

page_text: G, on another circle B', opposite to B; or curves of various sizes and
various eccentricities may be bored by the same apparatus by
placing the tools at such points on the linė G, G¹, or G, G', produced
as may be found convenient. When two tools are used they must be
equidistant from the centre of line G, G¹. The normal motion
for guiding the tool so that it always cuts at right angles to curve
may either be produced by a pin I, as before described, or by a
guide pin at the centre of a bar always at right angles to G, G',
worked by a pair of wheels similar to B, and B', as indicated by the
dotted red lines on Figure 8. Figure 9, shews a third method of
boring the curve; F, C, two fixed points respectively at the focus
and centre of the curve required; A, B, and D, E, two arms crossing
at right angles fixed together; A, B, always passing through C, and
D, E, always through F. The point G, on the arm D, E, as the
cross A, B, D, E, revolves on the two pins will describe the curve
required. The red lines shew a similar cross, the arms of which
are respectively parallel to A, B, and D, E, having a pin or guide-
at I, through which the arm H, G, I, turning on G, always passes.
The point H describes the curve required for a piston, with a round
end radius equal to H, G; and the tool H is always kept at right
angles to the curve cut.
-
We claim, Firstly, the application of a cylinder of the form
known as a cardiodi or epicycloid for the purpose of producing a
rotatory motion in an axle or shaft.
Secondly, the use of a crank in an interior of a cylinder of what-
ever form worked by the revolution of a piston within the same.
Thirdly, for the various guiding motions described and shewn
in the Figures, by which the ends of the piston in the interior of
the cylinder are made to describe the curve to which the cylinder is
formed.
Fourthly, the various tools for boring a true epicycloidal curve
indicated by the Diagrams.
In the above description we have used the word ".cylinder" to de-
note that chamber within which the piston works for the convenience
of description; the word cylinder having been long used by engineers

page_text: to indicate that part of an engine, though its form be very
from a cylinder.
different
We propose to apply our Invention as an engine to be.worked by
steam, water, wind, gas, or any other vapour or fluid (when worked
by the wind a cylinder is not necessary.).
We also propose to apply such engines to the working of cranes,
lifts, or other machinery, either worked by steam, water, air, or gas.
Also as a meter for fluids or gases. As a pump for water, air,
gas; &c., and for all other purposes to which steam, water, air, or
gas engines are now applied.
い
:
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Lawrence, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
FREDERICK LAWRENCE. (L.s.)