IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Barclay, of Kilmarnock, in the County of
Ayr, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES."
Sealed the 15th May 1868, and dated the 19th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Barclay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
November 1867.
I, ANDREW BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates in the first place to certain improvements in single-
acting engines, whereby the consumption of steam and therefore fuel is
economised, is based upon another similar Invention for which Letters Patent
were granted to Andrew Barclay, dated the 22 day of February 1861, and
numbered.
To effect the economy above referred to two steam cylinders are employed,
one being of much greater capacity than the other. The small cylinder is that
into which steam is first admitted, this being let in on the under side of the

page_text: piston raises it, and when at the end of the stroke a valve is opened by which
the steam filling the space on the under side of the piston is admitted to the
upper side, therefore the piston descends through the weight or load attached
to it, the whole of the steam passes to the upper side of the piston, the part
of the cylinder above the piston thus constituting a receiver or reservoir for
the steam by which it had been lifted and wherein it is contained until a fresh
upstroke takes place. When the piston has descended to the bottom of its
stroke the admission valves are reversed, and the full pressure of steam again
admitted to the under side of the smaller piston, and at the same instant the
valve closing the passage between the upper end of the small cylinder and the
lower end of the large cylinder is opened, so that the steam contained on the
upper side of the piston of the small cylinder instantly escapes and expands
into steam of a lower pressure in the large cylinder, wherein it acts and lifts
the piston therein. The steam after it has expanded and lifted the larger
piston may escape direct into the condensor, or in place of passing at once
thereinto it may be passed to the upper side of the piston, thus keeping the
cylinder as warm as possible by imparting its own heat to the metal until the
instant a fresh admission on the under side of the piston takes place, when
the passage between the upper end of the cylinder and the condensor is
opened.
The second part of this Invention relates to the application of a screw and
link motion for adjusting the amount of opening of the admission and exhaust
valves of this class of engines; for this purpose the link is suspended at one
end, and by turning the adjusting screw the valve rod or rods to which it is
coupled may be shifted to any part of the link and the amount of throw of
the valves thus adjusted.
A similar mode of working steam expansively by a double-acting engine
may be used in connection with the overhanging beam set forth in the
Specification of Letters Patent herein-before referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Barclay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Andrew Barclay, Her special license that I, the said Andrew Barclay,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew
Barclay, my executors, administrators, or 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 MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Andrew
Barclay, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Barclay, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which relates in the first place to certain improvements
in single-acting engines, whereby the consumption of steam and therefore
fuel is economised, is based upon other Inventions, for which Letters
Patent were granted to me, dated the 22nd day of February 1861, and
numbered 458.
To effect the economy above referred to two steam cylinders are employed,
one being of much greater capacity than the other. The small cylinder is
that into which steam is first admitted, this being let in on the under side of
the piston raises it, and when at the end of the stroke a valve is opened, by
which the steam filling the space on the under side of the piston is admitted
to the upper side, therefore the piston descends through the weight or load
attached to it, the whole of the steam passes to the upper side of the piston, the
part of the cylinder above the piston thus constituting a receiver or reservior
for the steam by which it had been lifted and wherein it is contained until a
fresh upstroke takes place. When the piston has descended to the bottom
of its stroke the admission valves are reversed, and the full pressure of steam

page_text: again admitted to the under side of the smaller piston, and at the same instant
the valve closing the passage between the upper end of the small cylinder and
the lower end of the large cylinder is opened, so that the steam contained on
the upper side of the small cylinder instantly escapes and expands into steam
of a lower pressure in the large cylinder, wherein it acts and lifts the piston
therein. The steam after it has expanded and lifted the larger piston may
escape direct into the condensor, or in place of passing thereinto at once it
may be passed to the upper side of the piston, thus keeping the cylinder as
warm as possible by imparting its own heat to the metal until the instant a
fresh admission on the under side of the piston takes place, when the passage
between the upper end of the cylinder and the condensor is opened.
The second part of this Invention relates to the application of a screw-and-
link motion for adjusting the amount of opening of the admission and exhaust
valves of this class of engines; for this purpose the link is suspended at one
end, and by turning the adjusting screw the valve rod or rods to which it is
coupled may be shifted to any part of the link, and the amount of throw of
the valves thus adjusted.
A similar mode of working steam expansively by a double-acting engine
may be used in connection with the overhanging beam set forth in the
Specification of Letters Patent herein-before referred to.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or
under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,
reference being bad for the sake of more complete elucidation to the letters
and figures upon the three Sheets of Drawings which I have hereunto appended,
that is to say:-
Figure 1, Sheet 1, shows one arrangement of my improved steam engine
for pumping or raising water from mines or elsewhere in which the admission
as well as the exhaust valves are so arranged that the engine is driven on a
combined expansive system.
To accomplish the objects of the present Invention two cylinders are used,
one of the cylinders A, in which the force of the steam is first utilized, being
of smaller diameter and shorter stroke than the cylinder B, in which the steam
is expanded to a larger volume than it occupies in the first cylinder, and is
utilized a second time. The piston rod C of the lower pressure cylinder B is
connected direct to the outer end of the "rocking beam" R, and the higher
pressure cylinder A is situated at a convenient distance from it, so as to admit
the pump rod D being placed between two cylinders. The inner end of the

page_text: beam is jointed to a vertical vibrating and supporting frame E, which
oscillates in the plummer blocks F, while the radius and parallel rods G
preserve the parallelism of the piston rods. The engine is provided with an
air pump H and condensor I of the usual or other construction. The supply
and exhaust steam valves are actuated by means of the air pump rod K,.to
one side of which a bar L is attached, having tappets a and b fitted one on
each side, which strikes the curviform levers c, d, as the pump rod moves
up and down. The levers c and d are fitted on the rocking shafts e and f
respectively, each shaft being fitted with a crank to which the jointed
rcds 9,
h, are connected. To the rod g bell cranks and links 1, 2, are con-
nected, which operate the respective valves 1 and 2; and to the rod / bell
cranks and links 3, 4, and 5, which operate the respective valves 3, 4, and 5.
The order of working the valves is as follows:-The engine represented in
the Drawing is on the down stroke, as indicated by the arrows placed at the
sides of the piston rod at or near the end of the stroke, the tappet a strikes
the lever d, causing the rocking shaft f to turn and push forward by means of
the crank the rod 9, which again actuates the bell cranks 1 and 2, coupled by
a rod shown in the Drawings, thus closing the valves 1 and 2 respectively.
The lever c, which is connected by a rod to the plunger i of a cataract, falls
down immediately the support of the cam k is withdrawn from the cam I.
The falling of the lever c draws back the rod h which actuates the cranks
the
8, 4, and 5, and the respective valves are opened. The valve 3 opens
connection between the upper part m of the valve casing and the steam
passage M communicating with the under side of the piston in the cylinder A,
causing it to make a stroke upwards, at the end of the up stroke of the
pistons the valves are reversed by the tappet b raising the lever c, so that the
valves 3, 4, and 5 are closed, and the valves 1 and 2 take the position shown:
on the Drawings, when the piston has begun its down stroke the steam. which
has forced the piston up returns to the chamber n of the valve chest,..passes
through the open valve 1 to the chamber o, and enters by the steam. passage N
When the piston is about
to the upper side of the piston in the cylinder A.
to begin the next up stroke the valves 1 and 2 close, and 3, 4, and 5 open;
by this means fresh steam enters the under side of the piston in the cylinder A,.
and the steam which fills the upper part of the cylinder returns by the
passage N to the chamber o, thence through the open valve 4, and by the
steam passage O to the under side of the piston in the cylinder B, where it is
utilized a second time in raising the piston in that cylinder. At the end of
the up stroke the valves being reversed, 1 and 2 open, and 3, 4, and. 5. close,

page_text: and the steam which has raised the pistons passes by the valves 1 and 2 to
the upper sides of the pistons in the respective cylinders; on the next up
stroke the cylinder A is supplied with fresh steam on the under side of the
piston, and the steam which had passed to the upper side of the piston
during the preceding down stroke now passes to the under side of the piston
in the cylinder B, and the steam which fills the cylinder B on the upper side
of the piston returns by the passage P, and is exhausted by the air pump
into
the condenser I; as the working of the engine is continued the same succession
of actions is repeated.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, slows another arrangement of a pumping engine com-
prised under this Invention. In this modification the pump rod A is
connected to the outer end of the beam B, which is balanced by the counter-
weight C placed on its inner end; D is the high-pressure cylinder, and E the
low-pressure cylinder; F, the valve chest; G, the air pump, and H, the con-
denser; the mechanism for working the valves as well as the valves them-
selves being the same as in the preceding modification. This engine is
operated in the same manner as herein-before described in reference to the
Drawing on Sheet 1, that is to say, the steam is first used to raise the piston
in the cylinder D, thence it passes during the down stroke to the upper side
of the piston; it then passes to the under side of the piston in the cylinder E
to assist in performing the next up stroke, thence to the upper side of the
piston during the down stroke, and during the next up stroke it is withdrawn
to the condenser, or in non-condensing engines it is allowed to escape into the
atmosphere. It is to be understood that this Invention may be applied to
double-acting engines, in which case the steam used in the up stroke of the
small piston is used in the down stroke of the large piston, and the steam
used in the down stroke of the small piston would be used in the up stroke of
the large piston, the steam passages and valves being accordingly arranged to
allow these interchanges of the steam to take place.
The second part of this Invention is shown on Sheet 3. Figure 1 is a
side elevation of one modification of valve gearing as applied to the class of
engines herein-before referred to, and shown upon the two preceding Sheets
of Drawings. A is the valve chest; B, the valve; and C, the valve spindle,
which is attached by links D to the lever E fitted on the rocking shaft F
supported in brackets G fixed to the column H. The long arm of the lever E
is attached to the link I by means of a pin projecting on one side of the
bush J, which is fitted in the slot of the link I, and is capable of being moved
to any position in the slot by means of the screw a and hand wheel b. One

page_text: end of the link I is suspended from the rocking shaft K by the rod L, and
the other end is connected by a link M to the wyper or crank c, shown dotted
on the shaft K. N is a lever, the short end of which is attached to another
valve, either an admission or exhaust valve, not shown in the Drawing, and
connected by a link O in the manner herein-before described in reference to
the link I. The link O is suspended at one end by the rod P, supported by
its eye encircling the shaft R, and connected to a wyper or crank on the
rocking shaft R by the link S. The valves are actuated by means of the
tappet rod T, on which the tappet rods d, e, are placed one on each side.
The operation of the valves by the link motion is as follows:--Taking the
case of the engine being on the down stroke and the tappet rod T to be
moving in the direction of the arrows. As it descends the tappet d comes in
contact with the curved lever U and depresses it, which causes the rocking
sbaft R to rotate and push that end of the link O to which the rod S is
attached. The link O being suspended at one end by the rod P on the
shaft R, as herein-before described, moves in an are about a centre f, and
according to the ratio which the distance of the nut 9 from the centre of bears
to the distance between the centref and the centre of connection 2 between
the rod S¹ and the link O, so the distance through which the ends of the
lever N attached to the nut g moves bears the same ratio to the throw of the
rod S. By this it is evident that the lift of the valve may be diminished or
increased at pleasure without stopping the engine. Thus if the nut g is set by
means of the screw a half way between the centres of the rods P and S, so
that the lift of the valve will be equal to one-half the throw of the rod S,
diminished in proportion to the ratio which the short arm of the lever N bears
to the long arm; if one-third from the rod P the lift will be one-third, and if
one-third from the centre of S the lift will be two-thirds the throw of S
diminished in the same ratio. When the lever U is pushed down, and
therefore partly rotates the shaft R, the cam W rotating with it, the support
of the cam W is withdrawn from the cam X, and the lever V is pulled down
by means of the rod h, one end of which is attached to the plunger i of the
cataract, and the other end to a crank k which is connected by a rod / to a
crank m fitted on the rocking shaft K; when the lever V is pulled down it
turus the shaft K, and the rod M which is attached to the wyper or crank c
pulls down the end of the link I, so that the long arm of the lever E is
depressed in the manner herein-before described in reference to the lever N,
and the link motion attached thereto, and the valve B is opened.
Figure 2 shows another modification of the link motion; Figure 3 a

page_text: detailed side elevation, and Figure 4 a plan. In Figure 2 the valve A is con
nected by the rod C to the lever D. The long end of the lever D is formed
with a slot, into which a sliding nut a is fitted, as shown at Figures 3 and 4;
on each side of the slotted end of the lever D there is placed a link E, the
side next the lever D having a groove formed in it of equal breadth to the
slot in the lever to receive a collar which is fitted on pins on the side of the
nut a, as shown dotted in Figures 3 and 4. On the outside of the links E
pins b, b, c, c, are formed, by which the links E are attached to the rods F, G.
The mode of operating with this modification is as follows:-The links E are
suspended at one end by the rod F and vibrate on the pins 6 as centres, the
other ends of the links are attached to the rod G by the pins c, c, when the
rod G is pulled down by the rotation of the rocking shaft by means of
the movements of the tappets and levers, in the manner herein-before
described in reference to Figure 1, the links E, E, vibrate upon the centres b
and take the position indicated by the dotted centre line d, Figure 8, and the
collars which slide in the grooves of the links being fitted on pins on the
nut a which is held in the slot of the lever D pull down the lever into
the position shown by the dotted line e, Figure 3, so that while the throw of
the rod G equals the distance c, f, the distance moved by the nut in the
lever D equals a, d. It is evident by shifting the nut a along the slot in the
lever D by means of the screw and hand wheel H the lift of the valve may
be altered at pleasure. Thus if the nut is moved towards the centre bless
lift will be given to the valve, and if the nut is moved towards c the lift will
be greater.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,
1
First. The general arrangement and construction of motive-power engines
as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The employment of steam in single-acting engines in such manner
that after doing work on the under side of a stea'n piston it thence passes to
the upper side of the same cylinder, acting as a reservoir for the steam until
the commencement of another up stroke, when fresh steam is admitted to the
under side of the piston of the smaller cylinder, and that steam used for the
former stroke passes from the smaller cylinder and is expanded into a larger
cylinder, in which it acts upon the piston therein doing the up stroke, thus

page_text: obtaining more of the mechanical effect due to the steam than in such engines
as hitherto constructed.
Third. The combination with the overhanging beam of; double-acting
cylinders arranged as berein-before set forth, and in which the steam is
expanded from the smaller to the larger cylinder.
Fourth. The construction and arrangement of link motion adjusted by a
screw for regulating the admission and exhaust valves, as herein-before
described and shown at Sheet 3 of the appended Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Barclay, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.
ANDREW BARCLAY. (L.B.)
ANDREW BARCLAY. (L.B.)