IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cleveland Hicks, of New York, United
States of America, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 14th July 1865, and dated the 19th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cleveland Hicks
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th January 1865.
I, WILLIAM CLEVELAND HICKS, of New York, United States of America,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My improvements in steam engines consist in a novel arrangement of the
cylinders, pistons, and valves, whereby the piston and valve are combined, and
are also inclosed within the same cylinder. I am enabled thus to dispense
with all external valves, valve gear, and steam chests, and retain all the
principles of operation found in the ordinary slide valve engines, securing
thereby simplicity, economy of construction and repairs, portability, and

page_text: durability. I prefer to employ in the arrangement four cylinders, the pistons
in which receive the pressure of the steam or other fluid in one direction only,
ór are what is called single-acting. In the annexed Drawings these are shown
as standing at right angles to each other, or in the form of a cross, the inner
ends being open and having a crank in the centre, or equidistant from each
of the inner ends, and as shown in Figure I, in which a is the first cylinder;
b, the second; c, the third; and d, the fourth. The cylinders are connected
with each other by two steam channels e and f, one of which, e, is for direct
steam, and the other, f, for the exhaust, although in reversing the engine e
becomes the exhaust and f the steam passage. The pistons are cylindrical,
and take up sufficient space to lap over the openings of the steam channels e
and f, where those enter the cylinders, and are shaped as shown at g. In
the sides of the piston channels or recesses are cut on opposite sides, proper
to meet the steam passages when the piston is moved along the cylinder, so
that they shall stand over their openings. It is to be understood that the
valve does not operate the steam for its own cylinder, but always for the
cylinder next preceding it. Thus the valve in the cylinder a regulates the
flow of steam to and from the cylinder b, and 6 for c, c for d, and d for a.
There are six steam openings into each cylinder, viz., e and f, leading from b
to c, and e¹ and f¹, leading from a to 6 on the opposite side, and so likewise
for the other two cylinders, and lying in the same plane. The other two
openings enter on opposite sides of the cylinder, at a right angle to those first
named, and as shewn by the dotted lines h, h¹, and i, 2, in cylinders a and b.
The openings h, h', as also the similar openings in the other cylinder, all
lead to one common receiving pipe for the admission of steam, as shewn at k,
Figures 1 and 2, being the branch pipe for connecting all the cylinders with
it. The openings i, , also lead in like manner to one common exit pipe l,
through in like manner. The valve j, Figure 2, is shewn as closing both
pipes, and the engine is accordingly at rest. The valve on each piston acts
precisely as the D-slide valve of ordinary engines. At n, m, are recesses on
one side of the valve g; one of these, n, passes round one quarter of the
circumference of the cylinder on the under side, while m extends in like
manner one quarter on the opposite or upper-side. It will be thus seen that
when the piston g has moved along so that the channel n stands opposite e it
will also be over the opening h, so that steam will pass at once into the
cylinder e. The same is also true of m, for when that recess is opposite f it
will also stand over the opening i, and the steam can flow out of the cylinder c,
as shown. On the opposite side of the piston g there is another opening for
receiving and discharging the steam according to the working of the valve

page_text: in a. This opening is seen at o, and extends through the narrow channel o¹
up and through the piston, thus communicating with the steam space between
the piston and the head of the cylinder.. As shewn, it overlaps the two ports
e and f, and acts in that respect like an ordinary slide valve. The crank is
placed in the opening in the frame at the inner ends of, the four cylinders, as
seen at p, that being the crank pin. Four connecting rods, each attached to
one of the four pistons, are joined to the crank pin. As the cylinders stand at
right angles to each other there is necessarily always one or two pistons in
action upon the crank, so that when any pair of pistons which stand opposite
to each other are at the end of their strokes, the other two will be at the half
stroke of theirs. Thus the piston in a is at half stroke, moving towards the
crank'; c is also at half stroke, retreating from the crank; and band d at the
extremity of their respective strokes. Now it is when the pistons are at half
stroke that the valves begin to operate upon the steam for the preceding
cylinder, either to admit or exhaust the steam, as may be required. It will
be seen that the recess n¹ in the valve in cylinder a is just ready to lap the
channel e and cover the opening h¹, thus admitting steam at once to the
cylinder above its piston g.
This channel will be kept open until the piston
in a hás completed its stroke and returned back to the half stroke, for then the
piston g will have completed its stroke and be ready to return; it must there-
fore be allowed to exhaust its steam. The recess m² will now have come to
the opening and channel f', thus at once exhausting the steam, for the two
hálf strokes of the piston in a are just equal to the whole stroke of g. The
The piston in
piston g acts in like manner for the valve for the cylinder c.
'the latter is returning for a new stroke, and is accordingly exhausting its
steam; the channel f is accordingly in connection with the escape passage
through the recess 'm, as shewn, and the same operation takes place, for the
cylinders c and d. Thus it, will be understood that, in each cylinder there is
contained beside the piston a valve operated directly by the piston to admit.
and exhaust the steam to and for the next cylinder. The valve.j is for the
purpose of starting, stopping, and reversing the engines. When the valve is
drawn so that the steam admitted at k passes from the top of the valve into k¹
the steam will be exhausted through by the under side of the valve, and vic
versâ, the crank turning according to the direction the steam takes in these
two. pipes..
2
Figures 3rand 4 are enlarged views of the crank, shewing, the manner of
attaching the connecting rods. As the cylinders all lie in one plane, the ends
of the connecting rods all meet and abut upon the crank pin, some device
must be resorted to to keep them there. The end of each of the connecting

page_text: rods terminates in a cross piece (9¹) on the connecting rod (9) and (¹) on
the opposite rod (r). Each cross piece on its face is hollowed out to fit the
crank pin, and press against it. These faces are less than a quarter of a circle,
in order to leave room for the vibration of the rods, as seen in Figs. I and 3.
The connecting rods are kept pressing up to the crank pin by means of two
rings, which embrace the whole four of the cross arms, one ring being between
the crank and the connecting rods, as seen at (8), Figure 4, and the other above
the rods, and extending out to the end of the crank pin, as at (S'), Figs. 3.
and 4. These rings are kept in place by a cap (t). Fig. 4, screwed to the end
of the crank pin (p).
The operation is as follows:-Steam being admitted through (k), the
valve () is drawn so as to allow it to flow through k', whence it will pass
by the branch pipes to each of the cylinders (a, b, c, d). The piston (9) is
just at the end of its return stroke, and in the position ready to receive steam.
The position of the recess (n³) of the valve in the cylinder (a) is just at the
edge of the port or opening into the channel (el), and likewise at the steam
aperture (h). So soon as the said recess passes these openings a continuous
chanuel is at once formed, and the steam' flows through o into the cylinder
(b) above the piston, and accordingly drives the latter towards the crank. At
the same time that the piston in (b) is receiving the effect of the steam
admitted through the cylinder (d); the piston in (b) is performing the office
of regulating the flow of steam into and from c; the piston in this latter
cylinder having performed its stroke is exhausting its steam, and it will be
seen by the direction of the arrow flowing back through (f, m, and i) to the
final discharge (). The lower face of the narrow channel (0¹) forms a "cut-off"
by lapping over the port in (e¹) as soon as the piston has performed one half
of its stroke, in which position it is shewn in cylinder c.
This lap may be
made adjustable as to length by a sliding piece, and therefore regulates the
expansion to any degree desired.
Several variations can be made in my engine. It is not necessary that the
channels (f) and (e) be separate; they may be included in one, and may
terminate in the cylinders above the pistons, so as to omit the passage (o) and
(¹); the cylinders need not also stand in the position shown in the Drawings,
but may be placed parallel to each other.
:
Steam has been described as the fluid used for the motive power, but water,
gas, or other fluid may be employed, and the engine also be employed as a
pump.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Cleveland Hicks in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th July 1865.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLEVELAND HICKS, of New York, United States of America, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Cleveland Hicks, Her special licence that I, the said
William Cleveland Hicks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Cleveland Hicks, 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 William Cleveland Hicks, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 William Cleveland Hicks, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and'
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My improvements in engines consist. in a novel arrangement of the cylinders,
pistons, and valves, whereby the piston and valve are combined and are also
enclosed within the same cylinder. I am enabled thus to dispense with all
external valves, valve gear, and steam chests, and retain all principles of
operation found in the ordinary slide valve engines, securing thereby simplicity,
economy of construction and repairs, portability and durability.
I employ in the arrangement four cylinders, the pistons in which receive the
pressure of the steam or other fluid in one direction only, or are what is called
single acting. In the Drawings these are shown as standing at right angles

page_text: to each other, or in the form of a cross, the inner ends being open and having
a crank in the centre or equidistant from each of said inner ends, and as
shown in Fig. 1, in which (a) is the first cylinder, (b) the second, (c) the
third, and (d) the fourth. The cylinders are connected with each other by
two steam channels (e) and (f), one of which (e) is for direct steam, and the
other (f) for the exhaust, although in reversing the engine (e) becomes the
exhaust, and (f) the steam passage. The pistons are cylindrical and take up
sufficient space to lap over the openings of the steam channels (e) and (f),
where those enter the cylinders, and are shaped as shown at (9). In the sides
of the piston are channels or recesses cut on opposite sides proper to meet the
steam passages when the piston is moved along the cylinder; so that they shall
stand over their openings. It is. understood that the valve does not operate
the steam for its own cylinder, but always for the cylinder next preceding it.
Thus the valve in cylinder (a) regulates the flow of steam to and from cylinder
(b), and (b) for (c), (c) for (d), and (d) for (a). There are six steam
openings into each cylinder, viz. (e) and (f) leading from (b) to (c), and
(e) and (f) leading from (a) to (b) on the opposite side, and so likewise for
the other two cylinders and lying in the same plane. The other two openings
enter an opposite side of the cylinder at a right angle to those first named, and
as shown in the dotted line (h, h',) and (i, ',) in cylinders (a) and (b). The
opening (h) and (h¹), as also the similar openings in the other cylinders, all
lead to one common receiving pipe for the admission of steam; as shewn at
(k) Figs. 1 & 2, (k) being the branch pipe for connecting all the cylinders
with it. The openings (i,,) also lead in like manner to one common exit
pipe (7), through () in like manner. The valve (j), Fig. 2, is shown as
closing both pipes, and the engine is accordingly at rest. The valve on each
piston acts precisely as the D-slide valve of ordinary engines. At (n, m,) are
recesses on one side of the valve (9). One of these (n) passes around one
quarter of the circumference of the cylinder on the under side, while m extends
in like manner one quarter on the opposite or upper side. It will be thus
seen that when the piston (9) has moved along so that the channel (n) stands.
opposite (e), it will also be over the opening (h), so that steam will pass at
once into the cylinder (e); the same is also true of (m), for when that recess
is opposite (f), it will also stand over the opening (i), and the steam can flow
out of the cylinder (c), as shown. On the opposite side of the piston (9) there is
another opening for receiving and discharging the steam, according to the working
of the valve in (a).. This opening is seen at (o), and extends through the narrow
channel (o',) up and through the piston, thus communicating with the steam space
between the piston and the head of the cylinder. As shown, it overlaps the

page_text: two ports (e, f) and acts in that respect like an ordinary slide valve. The
crank is placed in the opening in the frame at the inner ends of the four
cylinders, as seen at (p), that being the crank pin. Four connecting rods,
each attached to one of the four pistons are joined to the crank pin. As the
cylinders stand at right angles to each other there is necessarily always one
or two pistons in action upon the crank, so that when any pair of pistons
which stand opposite to each other are at the end of their strokes, the other
two will be at the half stroke of theirs. Thus the piston in (a) is at half
stroke moving towards the crank, (c) is also at half stroke retreating from the
crank, and (b) and (d) at the extremity of their respective strokes. Now it
is when the pistons are at half stroke that the valves begin to operate upon the
steam for the preceding cylinder, either to admit or exhaust the steam, as
may be required. It will be seen that the recess (n¹) in the valve in cylinder
(a) is just ready to lap the channel (e¹), and cover the opening (h',) thus
admitting steam at once to the cylinder (b) above the piston (g). This
channel will be kept open until the piston in (a) has completed its stroke, and
return back to the half stroke, for then the piston (g) will have completed its
stroke and be ready to return; it must therefore be allowed to exhaust its
steam. The recess (m²) will now have come to the opening (¹), and
chaunel (1), thus at once exhausting the steam, for the two half strokes of
the piston in (a) are just equal to the whole stroke of (g). The piston (g)
acts in like manner for the valve for the cylinder (c). The piston, in the
latter is returning for a new stroke, and is accordingly exhausting its steam;
the channel (f) is accordingly in connection with the escape passage (i),
through the recess (m) as shown, and the same operation takes place for the
cylinders (c and d). Thus it will be understood that in each cylinder there is
contained, beside the piston, a valve, operating directly by the piston to admit
and exhaust the steam to and for the next cylinder. The valve () is for the
purpose of starting, stopping, and reversing the engine. When this valve is
drawn so that the steam admitted at (k) passes from the top of the valve
into (¹), the steam will be exhausted through (7) by the under side of the
valve, and vice versâ, the crank turning according to the direction the steam
takes in these two pipes.
Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the crank pin, showing the manner
of attaching the connecting rods. As the cylinders all lie in one plane,
the ends of the connecting rods all meet and abut upon the crank pin. Some
device must be resorted to to keep them there. The end of each connecting rod
terminates in a cross piece (9¹) on the connecting rod (9) and (¹),. on the

page_text: '
opposite rod (r); each cross piece on its face is hollowed out to fit the crank
pin and press against it. These faces are less than a quarter of a circle, in
order to leave room for the vibration of the rods, as seen in Figs. 1 and 8.
The connecting rods are kept pressing up to the crank pin by means of two
rings, which embrace the whole four of the cross arms, one ring being between
the crank and the connecting rods, as seen at (s) Fig. 4, and the other above
the rods and extending out to the end of the crank pin as at (s³) Figs. 3 and 4.
These rings are kept in place by a cap (t) Fig. 4, screwed to the end of the
crank pin (p)...
The operation is as follows:- Steam being admitted through (k) the
valve () is drawn so as to allow it to flow through (/), whence it will
pass by the branch pipes to each of the cylinders (a, b, c, d.) The piston (g)
is just at the end of its return stroke and in the position ready to receive
steam. The position of the recess (n¹), of the valve in cylinder (a), is just
at the edge of the port or opening into the channel. (e), and likewise at
the steam aperture (¹).. As soon as said recess passes these openings a con-
tinuous channel is at once, formed and the steam flies through (o) into
cylinder (6) above the piston, and accordingly drives. the latter toward the
crank. At the same time that the piston in (6) is receiving the effect of the
steam admitted through the cylinder (a), the piston in (6) is performing the
office of regulating the flow of steam into and from (c). The piston in this
latter cylinder having performed its stroke is exhausting its steam, and it will
be seen by the direction of the arrow flowing back through (f, m, and i) to
the final discharge (l). The lower face of the narrow channel (0¹) forms &
"cut-off" by lapping over the port in (e), as soon as the piston has performed
one half of its stroke, in which position it is shown in cylinder (c). This lap
may be made adjustable as to length by a sliding piece, and therefore regulate
the expansion to any degree desired.
There are several variations which can be made in my engine. It is not
necessary that the channels (f) and (e) be separate, but may be included in
one, and may terminate, in the cylinders above the pistons, so as to omit the
passage (o) and (0²). The cylinders need not also stand in the position shewn
in the Drawings, but may be placed parallel to each other.
Steam has also been described as the fluid used for the motive power;
I contemplate the use of water, gas, &c. and that the engine also be employed
as a pump:
I claim the, piston and valves combined and operating within one and the
same cylinder in combination with several cylinders arranged in such relation

page_text: to each other that the valve in one cylinder shall govern the flow of steam to
and from one of the other cylinders of the series, substantially as described
herein.
I also claim the manner of attaching the ends of the connecting rods to the
crank pin by means of the binding rings and cross pieces on the ends of said
rods; substantially as described herein.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cleveland Hicks, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, A.D. One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, at the City of New York.
WILLIAM CLEVELAND HICKS. (L.B.)