IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR COUPLING STEAM ENGINES, TURBINES, OR OTHER APPARATUS EMPLOYED AS MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolf Wilhelm Prèger, of Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR COUPLING
STEAM ENGINES, TURBINES, OR OTHER APPARATUS EMPLOYED AS MOTIVE
POWER." A communication from abroad by Ludwig August Riedinger,
of Augsburg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolf Wilhelm Preger
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th January 1865.
I, ADOLF WILHELM PREGER, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED ARRANGE-
MENTS FOR COUPLING STEAM ENGINES, TURBINES, OR OTHER APPARATUS EMPLOYED
AB MOTIVE POWER," being a communication to me from abroad by Ludwig
August Riedinger, of Augsburg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, to be as follows:―
This Invention relates to the coupling together two steam engines, or a
steam engine and turbine or other motive powers, and the following description
of the mode of coupling two motive powers together will apply to all similar
Burposes

page_text: One of the motive powers, such as a steam engine or turbine, is connected
by gearing to a toothed wheel fixed to a hollow shaft, having fixed to it one half
of a clutch box, and the other motive power is connected by gearing to a solid
shaft which passes through the interior of the aforesaid hollow shaft without
touching it, and has fixed to it the other half of the clutch box. The two
motive powers can work independently of each other, but if from a deficiency
of water or other cause one power is lessened, or if it be required to have
an increase of power the two shafts can be connected by the clutch box, and
thereby enable the combined effect of two engines or two motive powers to be
obtained by simply moving the clutch lever without stopping either of the
engines or motive powers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Adolf Wilhelm Preger in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ADOLF
WILHELM PREGER, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, 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 Adolf Wilhelm Preger, Her special license that I, the said Adolf Wilhelm
Preger, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Adolf Wilhelm Preger, 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 "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR COUPLING STEAM ENGINES, TURBINES, OR
OTHER APPARATUS EMPLOYED AS MOTIVE POWER," being a communication to me
from abroad by Ludwig August Riedinger, of Augsburg, in the Kingdom of
Bavaria, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Adolf Wilhelm
Preger, 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

page_text: 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 Adolf Wilhelm Preger, 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 (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in improved arrangements for coupling together
two steam engines or a steam engine with a water wheel or turbine, or any
other apparatus employed as motive power.
These improvements will be clearly understood by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the figures and letters on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 2 an end
elevation; and Fig. 3, a plan of the mode of coupling the shafts of two motive
powers. One of the motive powers is connected or geared with the toothed
wheel a, fixed upon the hollow shaft b, on one end of which is fixed one half
of a clutch box c. The other motive power is connected to the shaft d, which
passes through the hollow shaft b without touching it, and carries the other
balf of the clutch box c, and as the two parts of the clutch box are in or out
of gear the motive powers are connected or disconnected. It is evident that
instead of clutch boxes friction plates or cones can be employed for the same
purpose, and also that this system of passing a shaft through a hollow shaft
can be applied to all descriptions of motive powers for coupling them together,
either at their main shafts or other intermediate shafts. The motive powers
can work independently or conjointly, and as they can be connected or dis-
connected by moving the sliding half of the clutch box or friction plate or
cone without stopping either of the motive powers or shifting any of the
wheels, the ordinary loss arising from the stoppage of the works is prevented,
and as the line shaft does not require to be separated at the clutch box, as is
the case with the ordinary coupling, there is great solidity and strength capable
of transmitting the fullest extent of power. It is evident that this system of
placing a solid shaft through a hollow shaft without touching it, and placing
on each shaft one half of a clutch box or friction plate or cone, can be
employed for coupling together any two shafts through which power is
transmitted.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention as
communicated to me, I desire it to be understood that I claim for coupling
steam engines, turbines, or other apparatus employed as motive power, the
system of placing the main or other shaft of one motive power through the
main or other shaft of another motive power, so that by means of clutch boxes,

page_text: friction plates,. or friction cones the shafts can be connected or disconnected as
required, and also the application of this system of coupling to any two shafts
through which power is transmitted.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolf Wilhelm Preger, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day. of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Adolf Wilhelm
Preger, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ADOLF W. PREGER.
L.S.