IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Robinson, of St. Helen's, Lancashire, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 4th May 1860, and dated the 17th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Robinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
November 1859.
I, THOMAS ROBINSON, of St. Helen's, Lancashire, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam engines. For
these purposes the cylinder or cylinders are fixed to the shaft or axis, and
when two cylinders are used, they are fixed to the shaft or axis at an angle to.
each other, and so that the cylinder or cylinders will rotate with the shaft or
axis. When only one cylinder is used, a fly wheel should be employed, in
order to carry the cylinder over its centres. In each cylinder there is a piston.
and piston rod of the ordinary construction. The piston rod of each cylinder,
is fixed by a cross head to a slide rod or bar, which is guided by suitable
guides fixed to the cylinder. The slide rod or bar carries a stud or pin to
which one end of a connecting rod is attached, the other end of such con-,
necting rod turning on a pin or axis fixed to the side framing or other suitable.
fixed point. The valve or valves of each cylinder may be worked by an

page_text: excentric, or by other convenient means. By this arrangement the pressure
of the steam on the piston will cause the sliding rod or bar to be moved, which
being retained by the connecting rod will be prevented moving outwards,
except by causing the cylinder with the shaft or axis to rotate,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
17th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBINSON, of St. Helen's, Lancashire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Robinson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Robinson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Robinson, 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 STEAM
ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Robin-
son, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Thomas Robinson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam engines. For
these purposes the cylinder or cylinders are fixed to the shaft or axis, and
when two cylinders are used, they are fixed to the shaft or axis at an angle to
each other, and so that the cylinder or cylinders will rotate with the shaft or
When only one cylinder is used, a fly wheel should be employed, in
axis.

page_text: order to carry the cylinder over its centres. In each cylinder there is a piston
and piston rod of the ordinary construction. The piston rod of each cylinder
is fixed by a cross head to a slide rod or bar, which is guided by suitable
guides fixed to the cylinder. The slide rod or bar carries a stud or pin to
which one end of a connecting rod is attached, the other end of such con-
necting rod turning on a pin or axis fixed to the side framing or other suitable
fixed point. The valve or valves of each cylinder may be worked by an
excentric, or by other convenient means. By this arrangement the pressure
of the steam on the piston will cause the sliding rod or bar to be moved,
which being retained by the connecting rod, will be prevented moving
outwards, except by causing the cylinder with the shaft or axis to rotate.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section or elevation; Figure 2 is a front elevation ;
Figure 3 is a plan; Figures 4, 5, 6, are enlarged views of the cylinder and
valve, showing the steam passages in detail.
A is the steam cylinder attached to the fly wheel shaft, and fitted with the
moveable piston and rod B, B; C, C, are the slides, in which work the slide
block D. Projecting from this block is a stud E for receiving one end of the
connecting or radius rod F; the other end of this rod works in the radius
stud G, which is held fast by the bracket or stand H. This bracket is bolted
fast to the foundation plate J; this plate is bedded on a suitable foundation of
wood or stone, K is the fly wheel shaft working in plummer blocks L, L;
M is the fly wheel; N are the steam passages into the cylinder; O is the
steam valve bolted to the foundation plate, and held up to the face of cylinder
by bolts P passing through the front pedestal L; this valve is divided into
two parts by an iron partition, one-half R with the pipe attached being for the
inlet of the steam, and the other half S for the exhausted steam, with pipe also
attached. When the steam is turned on through the pipe R, it is conveyed
through the thoroughfares N to the piston, which is forced forward in the
cylinder, and restrained by the radius rod F attached to the fast stud G; as
the piston moves out a rotatory motion is communicated to the cylinder and
fly wheel shaft. When the piston gets to the end of the stroke, the thorough-
fare has arrived opposite the exhaust pipe, and the steam port of the valve has
arrived opposite the passage to the opposite end of the cylinder, and the same
process is continued, producing a continuous rotatory motion. It will be
evident to an engineer that more than one cylinder may be used.

page_text: What I claim as my Invention is, the arrangement by means of a radius or
connecting rod, by which the cylinder is made to revolve on an axis at right
angles with its own length.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robinson, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
THOMAS ROBINSON. (L.S.)