CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN ATMOSPHERIC PROPULSION AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,. PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF COLUMNS, PIPES, AND TUBES, AND OTHER PARTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE EXHAUSTING AND IMPELLING OF AIR AND OTHER FLUIDS GENERALLY
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BESSEMER, of Baxter House, Old Saint Pancras Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
power,
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifth day of December, in the ninth year of Her reign, did,.
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry.
Bessemer, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Henry Bessemer, my exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Bessemer, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times 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, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ATMOSPHERIC PROPULSION AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,.
PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
COLUMNS, PIPES, AND TUBES, AND OTHER PARTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE EXHAUSTING
AND IMPELLING OF AIR AND OTHER FLUIDS GENERALLY;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Henry Bessemer, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court..

page_text: of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Bessemer, hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described in and by
the present Specification thereof, reference being had to the Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, marked A, B, and C, that is to say:→
My said Invention consists, firstly; in the employment of a direct-acting
pumping engine to exhaust the main tube of atmospheric railways (or any
series of vessels that may be used in combination therewith) of the description
represented in Sheet A, and partly in Sheet C, of the said Drawings, and in
the application of the said engine to other exhausting purposes.
Figure 1, Sheet A, is an end elevation of the engine; Figure 2, a side
elevation; Figure 3, a cross section through the air pump; Figure 4, a longi-
tudinal section through the centre of the engine; and Figure 5, a plan or
bird's-eye view. In the last of these Figures some of the parts are omitted,
in order to shew more clearly others which are of greater importance. a is a
cast-iron frame or rectangular box, strengthened on the outside by pilasters,
and on the inside by ribs (6); this box is divided into three spaces or com-
partments by partitions c, Figure 4, which extend right across it. d is a steam-
cylinder, cast with a broad outside flange e, projecting from the middle of it,
by which it is bolted to the frame a, so as to cover the compartment a¹ of the
rectangular box. The outer end or cover (24) of the cylinder has a rib 25
projecting from it, which is also bolted to the frame a. To the opposite cover
(26) there is a stuffing box (27) and gland (28), fitted in the usual manner, so
as to render the piston rod (1) steam-tight. On the opposite end of the frame
(a) there is fixed an air cylinder (g) with jacket or casing (h), which cylinder
has also a projecting flange i, by which it is bolted to the frame, and covers
the upper part of the rectangular box or frame a³. The two cylinders are so
placed that their centres coincide so exactly that a right line drawn through
the axis of one will, by being extended, pass through the axis of the
other. The glands of both cylinders are lined with tin to prevent them from
wearing. The steam cylinder (d) has a metallic piston j fitted to it, and
the air-pump cylinder (9) has also a metallic piston k, and the two pistons
are worked by one rod common to both. The exterior of each end cover of
the air cylinder is divided horizontally by a rib m, which is bolted down to the
frame (a), and angularly by strengthening ribs n; n. The two halves of the
cover
have each twenty valves, of which eight, marked 1, are of a large size;

page_text: eight, marked 2, are smaller, and four, marked 8, are of an intermediate size.
The only reason for varying the sizes of these valves is that the most may be
made of all the spaces between the strengthening ribs (n). Attached to these
ribbs n, n, are three half rings of irons, with cylindrical projections p, through
which the spindles of the valves 1, 2, and 3 slide freely. The twenty valves
in the upper half of the cover g, seen in Figure 1, open outwards from the
cylinder, and those in the lower half, 4, 5, and 6 (shewn only in Figure 4)
open inwards to the cylinder. The other cover r of the air cylinder is fitted
with valves 7, 8, 9, and 10, 11, 12, precisely like those already described.
The cover (r) has a stuffing box s and gland t, packed with hemp in the usual
manner. A pipe u supplies cold water to the space v between the air cylinder and
its jacket, and another pipe w conveys away the water after circulating round
about the cylinder. In the compartment a³ there is an opening a, to which is
attached a pipe leading to the vessel or tubes to be exhausted.
The steam cylinder d is fitted with a slide box A, and two slides B
and C, sections of which in different planes are given separately in Figures
6 and 7. This slide box is supplied with steam through a pipe y. The
slides B and C, besides being provided with the usual hollow chamber
D, have openings E and F, which pass entirely through them; they are
also made true on their upper side, for the purpose of fitting accurately
with the small expansion slides G and H. The slides B and C are moved
by a slide rood I, which is rendered steam-tight by passing through the
gland 29 and packing 30. J is a rod to work the expansion slides, which
is also made steam-tight by working through the gland 81 and packing 32.
The steam cylinder d is provided with two ports K and L, but instead
of being close to each end of the cylinder, as usual, they are at a little
distance from it. It has also two eduction passages or waste ports M and N,
which extend round both sides of the cylinder, and pass out through the
central flange e, so that their contents are at once ejected into the compartment
a', and may pass from thence by a pipe attached to the aperture Z. A friction
clutch O is attached to the slide rod I, and is fitted to the piston rod at its
other extremity. Side and end end elevations of this clutch are given separately
in Figures 8 and 9, where I represents the slide rod, and (2) the piston rod.
There is a piece O' fitted to the piece O by a hinge P, and through the lower
part of both pieces bolts Q are passed, under the head of which are small but
powerful spiral springs R, R. By tightening the nuts of these bolts the springs
may be further compressed, and the clutch thereby caused to have a firmer
hold of the piston rod (t). S¹ and S³, Fig. 4, are stout iron stays, which
extend across the frame, and are secured to it by lugs S³. Immediately under

page_text: the piston rod are two projections or stops S and S³, which are covered on the
inside with thick leather, and stand up towards the piston rod. Between
these stops the lower part of the clutch O is at liberty to move.
The distance
between the projections S* and S' is equal to the width of the clutch O, added
T is
for the distance which the slide valves B and C are required to move.
an iron beam, extending across the upper part of the engine, and secured by
bolts at T¹ to the top of the slide box (A), and at the other end (T) to the
cylinder jacket (h). Three plummer blocks U, V, and W are screwed to the
beam, and working in these plummer blocks is a "small shaft X, which is
attached to the slide rod (J) by means of the clutch (Y), so that the slide rod
is not forced round when the shaft X revolves. The shaft X is provided with
a pulley wheel 28, which is fitted loosely upon it, but has a projecting fillet or
feather, which takes into a corresponding recess or keyway in the shaft.
The object of this arrangement is to allow the shaft (X) to move endways
freely through the pulley (28), although the pulley cannot revolve without
carrying the shaft with it, the pulley being prevented from any movement end.
ways by the plummer blocks (U and V). On the shaft X there is also placed
a screw 13, to the end of which is fixed by bolts 14 a friction clutch 15,
which is made to embrace the shaft (✗) firmly by tightening the bolts (18)
and compressing the spiral springs (16). Fig. 2, a view of this clutch, is
given separately on an enlarged scale in Figures 10 and 11. The screw 18
may be made to slide lengthways along the shaft (X), but when the shaft
(X) is caused to revolve the screw is carried round with it by means of
the projecting fillet, which, as before explained, takes into the keyway cut
all along the shaft. Into the screw again there works a nut (17), a pro-
jection from which enters a groove or channel 19, cut in the under-
side of the beam T; this groove admits of the nut moving endways,
while it prevents it revolving with the screw. The piston rod (1) has an
arm 20 fixed firmly on it, the upper part of which is formed with an eye,
which surrounds but does not touch the screw (13). The arm (20)
at the part which surrounds the screw (18) is protected by a thick disc of
leather on both sides; so as to deaden the blow against the nut or screw
head. The action of the engine, the details of which have been thus described,
is as follows:-Steam having been admitted to the cylinder from the box A
through the passage F, L, and the expansion valve I being closed over the
aperture F, matters are then in the position represented in the Drawings
The remainder of the stroke has then to be performed by the expansive force
of the steam, while the waste steam on the opposide side of the piston finds its
escape, through the passage K, slide B, and port M, as before pointed out

page_text: The passage K is not quite at the end of the cylinder, consequently the piston
in its progress passes entirely over this passage, and no more of the waste steam
can escape by it; but owing to the momentum of the piston and rod, the steam
enclosed in the space between the piston and the cylinder cover is subject to
considerable pressure, which effectually checks the piston, prevents its striking
'the cylinder cover, and by its elastic force produces a commencement of the
return stroke of the piston. Prior to this return stroke the friction clutch o
has been kept in contact with the stop (S4), while the piston rod has been
obliged to slide through it, but immediately that the piston rebounds in the
opposite direction, the clutch o, in consequence of the friction produced by the
pressure of the springs R, R, also returns with it, carrying the rod I and slides
B and C. By the time the piston has moved away from the passage K the
clutch O will have arrived at the stop s, and opening E in the slide B will
have come over the passage K, so as to admit full steam, while, simultaneously
therewith, the part D of the slide C will have established a free communication
between the waste port N and passage L, allowing the steam to escape from
that side of the piston. (This position of the slides is shewn in Figure 6).
The piston rod still continuing its course, slides through the clutch o without
producing any further movement of it; but the arm 20 is carried along with
the piston rod, sliding freely over the threads of the screw 13 until it comes in
contact with the nut 17, which now moves forward and carries with it the
screw 13 and shaft X, until the leather face top 21 on the end of the shaft X
comes in contact with the plummer block U; by which last series of movements
the shaft X and slide rod J are made to push the expansion valve G over the
opening E, whereby any further passage of steam into the cylinder is prevented,
and the rest of the stroke is left to be performed by expansion. (This position
of the slides is shewn in Figure 7.) Now that the shaft X can no longer move
in the direction of the piston rod while the pressure of the arm 20 still continues,
the screw 13 and friction clutch 15 are made to slide upon the shaft X during
the rest of the stroke; on arriving nearly at the end of the stroke a certain
portion of steam is again locked in, which forms an elastic cushion, whereby the
reversing of the motion is effected. The piston having commenced its return
stroke, carries with it the clutch O as far as the stop S, when full steam, will
be on, and after travelling a distance (equal in all cases to the space between
the nut 17 and the head of the screw 13, this carries the shaft X back until
the leather face of the stop or collar 22 comes in contact with the plummer
block V, and closes the passage F by the expansion slide H. It will be thus
evident, that the distance which the piston has to travel before the steam is
cut off must in all cases be equal to the space between the head of the

page_text: screw 18 and its nut 17 (deducting the thickness of the arm 20).
When,
therefore, the engine first commences pumping air from any vessel the quantity
of steam required to do the work will be a minimum, but as the air becomes
more rarified a greater quantity of steam must be admitted to overcome
the encreased resistance. Now this additional quantity of steam is at
cnce obtained by turning round the pulley 23 and causing the nut 17
to move further from the head of the screw 13, by which means a greater
part of the stroke will be performed before the expansion slides are closed.
In order that the encreased quantity of steam admitted shall be in pro-
portion to the increased labour to be performed, I use a regulating appa-
ratus of the description shewn on Sheet C, (Figures 8 and 9), and after-
wards particularly described. I have shown how the motion of the piston
is produced in the steam cylinder. It remains to show how motion is also
communicated by the rod / to the air-pump piston k.
From the section, Figure 4, it will be seen that the series of valves
10, 11, and 12, are open, admitting air from the box a³ into the cylinder,
while the valves 1, 2, and 3 are open to the atmosphere, allowing air to
escape from before the pistion. This sort of action continues until the
piston is reversed, when the spiral springs on the valve spindles, assisted
by the pressure of the air, close the valves 1, 2, and 8, and 10, 11, and
12, and a partial vacuum being formed, the valves 4, 5, and 6 open inwards,
and admitting more air into the box a³, whereby the pressure of air on
the rod side of the piston is so increased above that of the surrounding
atmosphere that the valves 7, 8, and 9, open outwards and allow the air to
escape. A continuous abstraction of air is thus kept up from the box a², so
as that by attaching the box to any pipe or vessel at the opening & that pipe or
vessel must speedily be exhausted of the air it contains. In order that the
valves may act freely, I make them of thin sheet metal, covered with soft
leather on the faces, and protected by a second plate of metal at the back,
which secures the edge of the leather like the covering of a button.
section of one of these valves on an enlarged scale is given in Figure 12,
Sheet A. The metal plates forming them are each stamped into a con-
cave of a semi-globular form, and when put together they contain the
globular end of the valve spindle, and so form what is known as a ball and
socket joint, which allows the valve to adjust itself accurately to its seat,
although the spindle of the valve may happen to get worn out of the true
perpendicular to that surface. As air gives out a great quantity of heat
under any sudden compression, and such heat (if not provided against) would
be apt to burn the leather faces of the valves, I surround the air cylinder g
A

page_text: with a jacket h, and keep cold water flowing through the pipe u, that it may
absorb the heat given out by the compression of the air. This water so heated
is carried away by the pipe W₁, and may be used to supply the boiler by
employing for the purpose a small engine and pump, which I deem preferable
to fitting a water pump to the engine, because the engine will be required only
at intervals, whereas it will be most economical to supply the boiler at the
time when the air pump is not at work.
I will now proceed to describe the apparatus, to which I have before
referred, as being employed to regulate the expansion valve, and as being
represented in Figure 8 (in elevation) and Figure 9, in section, of the
Drawings on Sheet C. a is a cast-iron cistern in the centre of which is
placed the pipes b and c, secured by flanges to the bottom of the cistern,
and connected by a bent piece d. The pipe 6 is perforated with holes near
its base for the admission of water from the cistern, and the pipe c has a
small branche leading to the tube or vessel to be exhausted. The piece
of pipe d has a spindle f passing out of it through a stuffing box g, and
this spindle carries a pulley ; there are also two guide pulleys i and j
placed in the upper part of the pipe. A line k, which is passed once
round the pulley h and over the guide pulleys i and j, has attached to it at
the end which hangs in the pipe b a float m, and to the other end, and which
hangs in the pipe c, a counterweight n. When the branch e leads to a vessel
or tube containing air at atmospheric pressure the water will necessarily stand
inside the tube at the same level as on the outside, but in proportion as air is
extracted from such vessel or tube the pressure will be reduced in the pipes b
and c, and the water will ascend and carry with it the float, then by means of
the counterweight and line the pulley h and the spindle f will revolve. Now,
on that part of the spindle f which is on the outside of the tube I fix à pulley,
and passing a line round it carrie that line round the pulley 23 (Figures 2 and
4, Sheet A), and as the rate of exhaustion increases, so by means of the rota-
tion of the pulley 23 the nut 17 is carried further from the head of the screw
13, and a greater quantity of steam thereby allowed to enter the cylinder, as
before explained. As soon as the equilibrium of pressure is restored after the
passage of a train, the water will resume its original level, and the nut 17 be
again brought nearer to the screw head, so as to be in readiness for a fresh
exhaustion.
From what has been stated, it will be obvious that this direct-acting
pump engine may be applied to various other purposes beside atmospheric
propulsion, as, for example, to the blowing of blast furnaces, to the venti-
lation of mines, and generally where air and are form fluids. are required to

page_text: act or to be acted upon. I must observe, however, that when it is desired that
the engine should be employed to compass and not to exhaust, the whole of
the valves of the air cylinder must be reversed, that is to say, those that have
been herein-before described as opening outwards must then open inwards, and
those shewn as opening inwards must open outwards. The great points of
difference between the air-pumping engine and those hitherto in use are,
first, that its action is direct, that is to say, the same rod which receives the
impulse from the steam also gives out that power in a right line to effect the
exhausting or compressing of air without the intervention of any cranks, levers,
parallel-motion rods or fly wheel; second, that it is so constructed that it can
be worked at a much higher velocity than is admissible where a working beam
is employed, and that consequently an engine of this construction or of small
dimensions will perform a duty far beyond what can be effected with equal-
sized cylinders on the old plan; and third, that its great simplicity renders
it cheaper to construct and cheaper to keep in working order.
My Invention consists, secondly, of another description of apparatus or engine
for exhausting and compressing air, but which I consider more particularly
applicable to the rapid and partial exhausting of such tubes or trunks as may
be employed for the conveyance of letters or parcels by atmospheric pressure
within the said tubes. I combine together for this purpose a rotary air fan with
a rotary engine, of the class commonly known by the name of emissive engines,
to which compound engine I give the name of the rotary air and steam engine.
The details of this engine are represented in the Drawings, Sheet C, Figure 1
to 7, both inclusive. Figure 1 is a front elevation of the entire apparatus;
Figure 2 is a section of it, parallel with the axis of the fan; Figure 3 is a side
elevation; and Figure 4, a section at right angles to the axis of the fan.
Figure 5 is a part of Figure 2 on an enlarged scale; Figure 6 is an elevation
of the fan removed from its casing; and Figure 7 is an elevation of the steam
emissive arms in the reverse position to that which they occupy, in Figure 6.
a is a circular cast-iron case, with a partition b, which divides it vertically into
two chambers; c is a cover, fitted into the case a, and firmly bolted to it, having
an opening d in the centre. On the opposite side there is a similar cover X,
from the centre of which projects a tubular sort of mouthpiece f, Fig 5, which
.is fitted with a bell-metal bush g, and a gland h, to keep down the packing i.
The gland may be forced further up when required by the adjusting screw j,
which is rendered steam-tight by passing through a stuffiing box m, tho
gland n of which is kept close to its packing by a cap l, screwed on the outside
of the small cover K. O is a steam pipe, which conveys steam from any
convenient source of supply into the chamber p, whence it finds a ready

page_text: passage through the openings h¹ in the gland h, and through the main axis q,
which is made hollow for that purpose as far as the arms r, from the bent
extremity of which it escapes. The axis q as well as the bush g has another
bell-metal bush z to revolve in, and this is fixed into a boss in the centre of
the partition b. The axis after passing through this bush z, is keyed into the
bosss of the fan. This fan consists of two discs of plate iron t1 and t2,
which are seperated by twelve thin iron plates t3, which radiate from the
centre, and are inclosed at the ends in a band or cylinder y, formed of pierced
iron or copper (similar to the articles known as perforated zink), or of wire
gauze. The perforated cylinder y is in close contact with the discs t1 and t 2,
and also joined to the twelve iron plates + 8. The disc t 1 has an additional
thickness u round the opening in the centre, forming a projecting ring, which
is turned accurately, and comes as close to a similar projection on the mouth
of the outer cover c as is possible without rubbing against it. The case a is
provided with two other openings, one of which v, in the lower part of the air
compartment, is intended for the escape of air, and the other W, in the lower
part of the steam compartment, is for the escape of waste steam. The action
of the apparatus is as follows:-Steam being admitted by the pipe O, flows
through the hollow axis 9 into the arms r, whence it escapes in opposite
directions at the two extremities, causing them to revolve in an opposite
direction to that of the effluent steam. The fan, having one common axis with
the steam arms, revolves of course along with it, and the air contained in the
spaces between the twelve plates t3 is, by the centrifugal force produced by
such rotation, forced through the openings of the perforated case (y), and
thereby increases the pressure in the case (a), and causes the air to flow out
of the opening (v), while the partial vacuum which has been formed in the
centre of the fan by the expulsion of the air is again supplied with more air
through the central opening (d). The perforated band which forms the
peripherey of the fan acts as a shield to prevent the radial plates (3) from
receiving any further resistance from the air which has once diffused itself
through the perforations; the two discs t1 and t2 also help to form a complete
barrier between that part of the case a in which the air is above atmospheric
pressure and that part of the fan where a partial vacuum exists. When it is
required to exhaust any vessel or tube, a communication is made between the
central opening (d) by a pipe, and the air is drawn in from such vessel and
expelled at (6); and when the apparatus is required for compressing air for
any purpose, the apperture (d) is left open to the atmosphere and the escape
pipe (v) delivers the air under pressure. From the steam emissive engine and

page_text: air fan being thus combined, there results a great advantage in power. If we
suppose the two bearings on which the machine revolves to belong to the
engine, it follows that the fan must revolve (whatever the rate of speed)
without any friction of bearings whatever. The emissive engine being applied
direct to the resisting force without the intervention of any power-consuming
train of drums, shafts, straps, &c., affords a most efficient means of obtaining a
small amount of power at high velocities, while the common cylinder engine
for small powers at high velocities loses no inconsiderable part of its ordinary
advantages, in consequence of the great amount of power absorbed in bringing
up its speed to the required pitch through the intervention of complicated
gearing. The form given to the combined air and steam engine gives further
great facility to the access of air to its centre, as there is neither shaft, nor
radial arms, nor plummer blocks to obstruct its ingress. The power to drive
it is also materially lessened by the perforated cylinder shielding the
extremities of the radial vanes from constantly impinging against the air on the
outside of the fan. And again, there is no loss from the compressed air in the
annular space outside the fan coming past the ends of the vanes into the
exhausted central part, because the two discs t, t, effectually prevents its
passage. A very high amount of exhaustion or compression of air cannot
speedily be produced by the common steam engine, in consequence of the
difficulty of obtaining the requisite speed, while with the rotary air and steam
engine, before described, a velocity from three thousand to four thousand
revolutions per minute may be easily. obtained.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in an improved form of valve for the longi-
tudinal slit or opening in atmospheric traction tubes, and in an improved
method or means of sealing and re-sealing such valves. Instead of making
the valve to open at one side only, I make it to rise entirely out of its seat;
and instead of re-seating it after each passage of a carriage or train, by
causing a heater to pass over the broken-up composition of fatty matters, by
which the valve was previously closed, an operation hitherto attended with
very indifferent success, in consequence of the contact between the heater and
the composition being necessarily but momentary, I pass the raised up valve
through proper guides, which scrape or plane off the fatty composition from it
and cast it aside into a vessel to be melted for future use, and then press the
valve down again into the opening of the tube by running of a wheel over it.
immediately after which I re-seal it, by ejecting the fatty composition in a hot
and perfectly fluid state into and upon the two sides of the valve, where it
rapidly cools, and becomes in a few minutes quite solid, rendering any access

page_text: of air into the tube through the valve impossible. The great waste of engine
power now consequent upon leaks will thus be entirely obviated. Tho
composition used to secure the valve may be either that now employed for the
purpose or any other suitable composition, and its melting point may be raised
or lowered by means of suitable intermixtures, according as changes of
temperature or other circumstances may render advisable. The sort of valve
that I consider best adapted for the purpose is one composed of strips of thick
leather rivetted together, and the form which I prefer to give to it is that of a
wedge with sides slightly inclined (see Figure 7, Sheet B). The opening into
the tube is also to be slightly wedge-shaped to correspond with that of the
valve. An exceedingly accurate fit may be made with the valve by passing it
(after it has been rivetted up) between revolving cutters properly shaped,
similar to the method employed in planing floor boards by machinery. By.
adapting this form of valve the eccentric flanges usually cast on the outside of
the traction tube may be dispensed with, as a collapse of the tube cannot take
place, owing to the valve lying between and not upon the opening of the tube,
like the valves now in use. I employ to melt the fatty matters a furnace
attached to the piston carriage, and in order that they may not be overheated
at any time, I place the furnace apart from the melting vessel, and establish a
communication between them by means of a flue, in which there is a door
leading direct to the chimney, so that the whole or any part of the heat
generated may pass direct up the chimney without communicating with the
melting vessel. There are two sets of copper tubes, which extend from end to
end of the melting vessel; down one set of these tubes the beat flows from the
furnace, while by the other set it returns aft to the chimney. The fatty
matters lay among these tubes in the same way as the spaces between the
tubes in a locomotive boiler are occupied with water. The melted fat is
injected into the valve joints by a small rotary pump, placed within the melting
vessel, and made to turn by a tooth wheel on the axle of the piston carriage
wheels. If, therefore, during one single revolution of the carriage wheels the
pump is made to deliver the quantity of melted, grease requisite to cover the
joints for a distance equal in length to the circumference of that wheel, it
follows, that at whatever speed the carriage may be moving the action of the
pump must in every case correspond to the speed of the carriage, and that
will let out precisely the quantity of grease required for the space travelled
over, and no more; so also will the quantity of cold grease scraped off the valve
and returned to the melting vessel bear its exact proportion to the quantity
required for the supply of the pump.

page_text: Figure 1 of the Drawings on Sheet B is an end elevation of an atmo-
spheric railway tube and traction carriage, embodying the different improve-
ments which form the subject of this branch of my Invention; Figure 2, is
a side elevation of the same; Figure 3, a cross section on the line A, B;
Figure 4, a longitudinal section on the line C, D; Figure 5, a longitudinal
section on the line E, F; and Figure 6, a plan or bird's-eye view, with part of
the floor of the carriage removed, to shew in section of some of the parts below
it. Figure 7 is an enlarged section of the traction tube and valve; and Figures
8 and 9, enlarged views of the plough, or apparatus for scraping off the com-
position from the valve. a is the body of the piston carriage; b, b, the timbers
constituting the frame; and c, an additional piece of timber, which runs length-
ways of the carriage, and carries the plate d, to which the piston e is attached;
ff, are the longitudinal sleepers on which the rails g are fixed; h, h, the car-
riage wheels; i, the axles; j, the axle guards; h, the traction tube, which is
secured by the feet to the transverse sleepers m. The slit or opening in the
upper part of the tube is, as before stated, made of a wedged shape, and has a
slightly projecting shoulder on each side to support the valve n, and prevent
the pressure of the atmosphere from forcing it into the tube. The lower part
of the valve has two small angles cut into it, so that it may descend between
the shoulders, and form a continuation of the inner circle of the tube. The
upper surface of the valve is also cut away at each side at r, r, so as to form
be
recesses to receive the melted fat; or in lieu of this, the upper surface may
left entire, and a thin coating of melted grease be allowed to flow over the
whole of it, so as not only to make it air-tight, but to protect it effectually from
the action of the weather. The plate & has a projecting part dl a few inches
above the mouth of the tube, which projecting part is curved, as shewn in
Figures 2 and 5, and is hollowed out so as to receive and fit the valve which
passes through it; above this valve is the plane or plough 9 for clearing the fat
off the valve; it is attached to the plate d by the joints s, and passes under the
guide staple t, and at its extremity it is joined to a rod u, which passes through
a nut vand into the carriage. The nut v is formed by the boss of the handle
w, by turning which handle the plane q is brought into contact with the upper
side of the valve, and prevents it from jerking out of its seat. When it is
required to disengage the valve from the apparatus, the handle W is turned
the reverse way and the plane lifted off the valve, which may then be removed
from the apparatus. The plane (9) is shewn on an enlarged scale in Figure
8, an external view, and Figure 9 (section). The piece x, which projects from
the face of the plane, forms a sort of a guard little in advance of the scraping

page_text: part. The plane is here shewn as in the act of cutting, and the grease as being
forced from each side of the side of the plane through the opening of the plane
into the melting vessel A. This vessel is attached by the rods B to the car-
riage frame, and is covered with wood on the exterior to prevent radiation of
heat. The fire is made in a small furnace C, the metal of which is protected
from the action of the fire by an interior lining of fire-brick D. E, E, are the
fire bars; F, the bent flue, leading to the melting vessel, (the lower end of
which the heated vapours from the furnace enter the copper tubes G, passing
along which they impart a portion of their caloric to the fatty matters in the
vessel A. At the end of the tubes G the heated vapours pass into the cross
flue E, and thence into the series of copper tubes I, passing along which they
give off more heat to the fatty matters contained in the vessel A. On
escaping, from the return tubes I, the heated but now nearly-exhausted
vapours pass up the chimney J, which is also lined by a tube of fire brick.
At K there is a door in the flue, which is shewn as shut, but when a train
has to stop for any considerable period of time at a station it will be advisable
to open this door K, when the edge of it will drop into the recess L, and
intercept the passage of further heat to the copper tubes, and at the same time
establish a direct communication between the bent flue F and the chimney J.
The handle M and rod N communicate with the hinge P,.on which the door K
moves, so that the conductor from within the carriage can open the door K as
much as will be required at all times to keep up the requisite temperature in
the melting vessel A. The fuel is supplied through the door Q, and that part
of the carriage floor R which is in front of the furnace is sunk below the
general level in order to give easy access to the furnace. On the upper part
of the flue H is placed a common rotary pump S, the construction of which is
well understood. This pump has a pipe T, by which the melted fat is drawn
into it, and another bent pipe U, through which the fluid fat is made to pass.
The pipe U has a double orifice at V, by means of which two distinct streams
of liquid fat are ejected into the recess r, r, in the top surface of the valve.
The rotory pump is turned by a tooth wheel Y, attached to the axis i of the
running wheels, which wheel Y works into another tooth wheel Z on the axis
of the pump, thereby ensuring a supply of fat exactly equal to the space
travelled over, without reference to the velocity with which that distance may
have been accomplished. The melting vessel A has a man-hole at A', with
a door or cover at 1, by which ready access is obtained to the interior, or
through which it may have a supply of fresh materials.
In Figure 3 the fatty matters are shewn at 2 as falling into the vessel A

page_text: from the valve, and in Figure 9 as being planed off the valve. In order to
force the valve again into its seat, the roller 4 works in between the bent
arms 5 of the lever 6; the roller or wheel revolves on an axis 7, and the
"lever 6 moves on a joint 8, and terminates in a handle 9, projecting upwards
into the carriage.
In order to cause the wheel 4 to press the valve firmly into its seat, the
lever 6 has a connecting rod 10 jointed to it, which rod passes through a
bracket 12, secured to the frame C, and terminates in a screw, on which is
placed the collar 18. A stout spiral spring 14 serves, by pulling the connecting
rod 10, to force the roller into the valve with a pressure proportionate to the
power of the spring, which power can be either increased or diminished by
screwing or unscrewing the nut at the end of the rod 10. It will be observed
that the pipe from which the melted fat is ejected immediately follows the
roller 4, and thus seals up the joint as soon as the valve is pressed firmly into
its seat. The piston e is provided with leathers 15 in the usual way, and is
counterbalanced by the weight 16. The pin 17 secures it to the plate d, and
thus establishes a communication between the piston and the carriage.
My Invention consists, fourthly, in an improved mode of manufacturing
the traction tubes for atmospheric railways, which is also applicable to the
manufacture of tubes, pipes, and hollow columns of all sorts. In the founding
of tubes for atmospheric railways, it is most essential that the interior thereof
should approach as nearly to a perfect cylinder as possible, but by the present
method of building the core for such tubes, the haybands which are wrapped
around the core bar frequently give way under the pressure of the metal, and
sometimes entirely break up, so as to destroy the cast.
Now, by my improved mode of manufacture these evils will be wholly
avoided. I first provide a cylinder of iron, or core bar, as it is technically
called, a little less than the interior of the required traction tube, and this core
bar I have cast with a series of projecting rings at short intervals on its external
surface, and with holes between these rings opening into. the interior. Instead
of putting haybands on this core to give it porosity, I cover it with a piece of
coarse wire gauze from end to end, and upon this wire gauze I put a coating
of loam; the whole is then mounted on its axes, and turned and finished in
the usual way. Instead of the wire gauze covering a sheet of iron may be
used, perforated with numerous small holes in such a manner as to leave what
is called a burr on the hole; the roughness so formed will effectually hold on
the loam, while the numerous perforations in the sheet-iron casing will allow
the air when expanded by the heated metal to pass through it into the spaces

page_text: between the rings, and from thence through the holes into the interior of the
core bar. An elevation of a core bar covered with wire gauze is given in
Figure 10 of Sheet C; Figure 11, same Sheet, an elevation of the core bar
before the gauze is put on; Figure 12 is an end view on a larger scale; and
Figure 13 is also an enlarged view, shewing the part A. in section, the part B
in elevation, and the part C covered with wire gauze. The cross arms D,
Figure 12, are for the purpose of carrying the axis E, on which the whole
revolves during the turning and finishing.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed in the different parts and modifications
thereof, I declare that what I claim as the improvements comprehended under
the said Invention are as follows:-
First, I claim the employment for the purposes of atmospheric propulsion,
and also for the exhausting and impelling of air and other fluids generally, of a
steam engine and air pump having their pistons connected and worked by the
rod common to both, as before exemplified and described.
Second, I claim the method of varying the supply of steam to. air-pumping
steam engines according to the degree of exhaustion or condensation effected,
as before described, that is to say, by causing the rise, and fall of a column
of water, mercury, or other fluid, communicating with the vessel which is to be
exhausted, to regulate the working of the steam slide valves, in manner before
described, and whether such air-pumping engines are employed for atmospheric
propulsion or for any other purpose.
Third, I claim the combined rotary air and steam engine, before described,
in the peculiar arrangement and combinaton of parts of which the same consists,
and for all such purposes as the same may be usefully applied to.
Fourth, I claim the addition to rotary emissive steam engines, whether they
are of the construction I have before described, or of any other construction of
air fanners, to be worked directly by the revolution of the steam engine shaft,
as before described.
Fifth, I claim the peculiar form of valve for the longitudinal slide or opening
of the traction tubes of atmospheric railways, before described.
Sixth, I claim the method of sealing and re-sealing the valves of atmospheric
railways, before described, that is to say, by attaching to the railway piston
carriage a furnace or melting vessel and other appliances, whereby the fatty
composition employed to close the valve can be constantly supplied in a hot
fluid state for the purpose, and the ejecting of such composition in a hot fluid
state upon the valve, and the regulating of the quantity of the composition

page_text: supplied according to the distance travelled, in manner before described, and
this, whether the form of valve I have before recommended for the purpose,-or.
any other form of valve is employed.
And, lastly, I claim the employment, in the founding or casting of atmo-
spheric railway tubes, and tubes, pipes, and hollow columns of all sorts, of a
core bar enclosed in a cover of wire gauze or perforated metal, as before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bessemer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.