CERTAIN NEW MECHA- NICAL COMBINATIONS, BY MEANS OF WHICH ECONOMY OF POWER AND OF FUEL ARE OBTAINED IN THE USE OF THE STEAM ENGINE
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TAYLOR, of Duke Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that in consequence of a communication
from abroad, I was in possession of an Invention for "CERTAIN NEW MECHA-
NICAL COMBINATIONS, BY MEANS OF WHICH ECONOMY OF POWER AND OF FUEL ARE
OBTAINED IN THE USE OF THE STEAM ENGINE," and Her said Majesty being willing
to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public
good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great
Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-third day of May (One thousand eight hundred
and forty-four), in the seventh year of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, to give and grant unto me, the said John Taylor, my exors, admors, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I or
they, by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or
such others as I or they should agree with, and no others, during the term of
fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part of Her
Baid Majesty's Dominions called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney
A

page_text: Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, in
such manner as to me, my exors, admors, and assigns, shall seem meet, and as
that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising, by rea-
son of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years; and for
that end Her said Majesty requires and strictly commands all Her subjects
whatsoever, within England, Wales, and Berwick, and the Islands and
Colonies and Plantations aforesaid, that they shall not, neither directly nor in-
directly, make, use, or put in practice my said Invention, or any part thereof,
nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addi-
tion thereto, or subtraction therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or them-
selves, to be the inventor or inventors thereof: and whereas the said Letters
Patent contain a proviso obliging me, the said John Taylor, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said 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
John Taylor, do hereby declare that the said Invention is described and ascer-
tained in manner following, and by the aid of the Sheet of Drawing hereunto
annexed (that is to say):-
The said new mechanical combinations relate to the working of certain
water scoop machinery (for raising water) in combination with (and by the
power of) a steam engine of the kind termed double acting, and which is worked
by high pressure steam, used with a great extent of expansive action of that
steam in one cylinder, the expanded steam being afterwards condensed, in order
to obtain an exhaustion or partial vacuum in that cylinder. The said water scoop
machinery being adapted for raising large quantities of water to small heights,
as is required in cases of draining fen lands; or for the purposes of irrigating land;
or for supplying wet docks with as much water as will keep them filled to the
highest level of varying tides; or for supplying salt works with salt water; or
for making up deficiencies of the ordinary supply of water for water mills having
low falls; or for supplying water to turn water wheels in situations where
there is no natural fall of water; and for other purposes where large quan-
tities of water are required to be raised to small heights; in all which cases
the ordinary system of pumps, such as are commonly applied to steam engines
of the above description, for raising water to considerable heights, would be:
very inconveniently large and objectionable, and the water scoop machinery.

page_text: (herein-before mentioned) is to be preferred, from the simplicity of its con-
struction and the facility of its action. Each water scoop belonging to the
aforesaid water Scoop machinery, consists of a wide and shallow trough or
scoop, of wood or metal, whereof one end is closed and the other end is left
open, and the open end of the scoop is supported on a fulcrum, for the centre
of motion about which the scoop is to move, with an angular motion upwards
and downwards alternately; and that fulcrum or centre is sustained upon the
wall of the reservoir or canal into which the water is to be raised, the said
centre being somewhat higher than the level of the water in such reservoir or
canal, and the closed end of the said trough or scoop is suspended, so as to be
lifted up and let down alternately, with an angular motion of the scoop about
its said centre of motion as aforesaid, by means of any suitable mode of con-
nection with the piston of a double acting steam engine of the kind before-
mentioned, which engine is to be combined with two such water scoops, for
operating alternately in raising water in such manner as that the motion of
the piston in its cylinder shall communicate an angular motion to each of the
said scoops about their respective centres of motion; but the angular motion
so given to one of the scoops being in a contrary direction to the angular
motion which is at the same time given to the other of the scoops; so that
when the closed end of one scoop is lifted up, the closed end of the other scoop
will be lowered down, and vice versa. And the aforesaid connection with
the piston is so arranged as that when the piston has moved through the
full length of its stroke, and has arrived at the end of that stroke, it will by
that time have raised the closed end of one of the scoops so far upwards, with
an angular motion about its said centre of motion, as that every part of the
bottom of that scoop will have become raised so much above the level of the
water in the reservoir as is requisite for causing all the water that may
be contained in the said scoop to run out therefrom at the open end thereof
(which is at or near to the centre of motion) into the reservoir or canal; and
also the aforesaid connection between the piston of the steam engine and the
water scoops is so arranged that when the piston has returned through the full
length of its stroke and arrived at the opposite end of that stroke, it will by
that time have lowered the closed end of the same scoop (viz., the scoop last
last mentioned) so low downwards, with an angular motion about its said centre
of motion as to immerse the said closed end of the scoop into the water, which
is to be raised and immersed to a sufficient depth therein, for taking a supply
of water into that closed end, and wherein there are apertures with valves
opening inwards into the scoop, which valves open very freely as the closed end
of the scoop descends into the water so as to allow that closed end to become

page_text: filled with water, which water will afterwards be raised up in the scoop, when
the piston of the steam engine reverses its motion again, and begins to raise up
the closed end of the scoop, for then the said valves close and prevent the
escape of the water from the scoop through the said apertures at which it
entered. And in proceeding through its stroke the piston will raise up the
closed end of the scoop, together with the water contained therein, by an
angular motion of the scoop about its centre of motion, until (as already men-
tioned) by the time that the piston has again arrived at the end of its stroke,
every part of the bottom of the scoop will have become raised so high above
the level of the water in the reservoir or canal as is requisite for causing all the
water that is contained in the scoop to run in a direction from the closed end
thereof towards the open end (which end is at or near the centre of motion)
so as to discharge itself out at that open end into the reservoir or canal. And
the two water scoops of the aforesaid kind, which are combined, as aforesaid,
with the double-acting steam engine, will (as already mentioned) have contrary
motions one to the other, and therefore whenever one of those two scoops is
descending empty in order to be refilled, the other of those scoops will be
ascending with the water it has taken up. And at every time when the piston
arrives at one end of its course, one of the two water scoops will be then raised
to its highest position for emptying out into the reservoir the water it had taken
up, and at the same time the other of the two scoops will be lowered down to
its lowest position, with its closed end immersed in the water that is to be raised,
in order that the said end may become filled with water through its valves.
And afterwards, when the piston has arrived at the opposite end of its stroke,
then that scoop which was lowered to its lowest position will have become raised
to its highest position, and vice versa, that scoop which was raised will have
become lowered. And in that manner by an alternating motion and action of
the two scoops a continual repetition of the action of raising water is kept up,
but with a sufficient pause of the motion at every time that the piston has
arrived at the end of its stroke (before it begins to return) for the complete
emptying of one scoop and filling of the other, to take place during such
pause.
Note, water scoops answering to the terms of the above general descrip-
tion are well known, as being described in old books on mechanics amongst
various machines for raising water, although such scoops have been rarely
used in practice, and only on a small scale, and worked by manual labor. And
it has also been proposed to combine one large water scoop with a single acting
steam engine, to be worked by high pressure steam, with a great extent of
expansive action, and the moving parts of such engine being loaded with a

page_text: heavy weight so applied as that the said weight should be raised by the action
of the steam on the piston during the working stroke thereof, and the water
scoop being lowered downwards empty during that working stroke, at the same
time whilst the said weight would be so raised; and then by the subsequent
descent of that weight during the returning stroke of the piston the scoop was
to be lifted with the water contained therein. Whereas my said new mechanical
combinations comprise two (or even four or more) water scoops combined
together, and combined (in manner herein-before described) with a double-
acting steam engine (of the kind herein-before mentioned) for acting alternately
in raising the water, and also comprise certain means (herein-after described)
which are to be incorporated as part of some of those new combinations (for the
purpose of counteracting, in part, the effect of the unequal impelling force that is
exerted by the piston of a steam engine of the kind herein-before mentioned,
during its progress through the length of the stroke. And my said new
mechanical combinations also comprize certain stops (herein-after described),
which are to be incorporated as a constituent part of those new combinations
for the purpose of ensuring that the motion of the piston of the steam engine
shall not reverse itself or recoil, or begin its return, immediately after it has
arrived at (or near to) the end of its stroke, by which time the piston should
have raised up one scoop, sufficiently high for causing the discharge of all the
water from that scoop, through the open end thereof into the reservoir, and
should, at the same time, have let down the other scoop sufficiently low into the
water that is to be raised for causing the closed end of that scoop to take in as
much water through its valves as it is intended to do. And the said stops, by
preventing any recoil of the piston, will ensure that the water scoops shall
remain motionless in those said positions respectively during a sufficient space
of time or pause for the water to run out of one scoop, and to run into the
other. And although the nature and cause of the aforesaid inequality of the
impelling force is well known to engineers conversant with steam engines of
the kind herein-before mentioned, it will be useful, for the clearer understanding
of this Specification, to explain as follows:-That at the commencement of the
stroke the piston is urged with a great impelling force by a supply of high-
pressure steam proceeding from the boiler, which steam is then in the act of
being admitted (through the opened steam valve) into the cylinder, but
after the piston has been moved by that impelling force of high-pressure
steam, through a short portion of the whole length of the stroke,
then the steam valve is closed so as to cut off the said supply of high-
pressure steam, and thereby prevent the entrance of any more such
steam from the boiler into the cylinder during the remainder of the stroke;

page_text: the said remainder of the stroke must consequently be performed with a con-
tinually diminishing impelling force, exerted by (what is called) the expansive
action of the steam, which has been previously supplied to, or admitted into the
cylinder. For although the steam valve is closed, and the supply of high-
pressure steam cut off as aforesaid, nevertheless the piston continues to be
afterwards pressed by that steam which has been already supplied to or ad-
mitted into the cylinder, and which is contained therein, at the moment when
the further supply is cut off by the closing of the steam valve, because the said
steam so contained in the cylinder dilates and expands itself therein, as the
piston moves through the said remainder of the stroke. But whereas, the said
steam in so dilating and expanding itself necessarily diminishes in its pressure
against the piston, therefore the piston is urged with a continually diminishing
impelling force, by the expansive action of the steam. In the ordinary mode
of working steam engines by high-pressure steam, with a great extent of ex-
pansive action (those engines being applied chiefly in Cornwall, for raising
water by pumps from great depths out of deep mines) the diminishing and
enfeebled pressure, that the expanding steam does exert against the piston
during the later and concluding portion of the stroke, is enabled to cause the
continuation of the motion of the piston through the remainder of the stroke,
by assistance derived from the energy of moving force of the moving parts
of the engine, and of the pit work (that is, the long vertical pump rods which
descend into the deep pit of the mine, and the moving parts of the pumps
which are worked thereby), and the weight of the moving parts of the
pit work is in great part balanced by balancing weights, applied at the ends of
balance levers, whereof the opposite ends are connected with the vertical pump
rod, and the said moving parts of the engine and pit work, together with their
balancing weights, constitute a very great mass of matter, which is so con-
nected with the piston of the engine as that the said mass must be put into
motion whenever the piston moves, and with a corresponding motion, and must
be brought to rest every time that the piston arrives and stops at the end of
its stroke. Those parts are all at rest at the commencement of the stroke, when
the steam valve is first opened to admit a supply of high pressure steam from
the boiler to act against the piston, and by their inertiae those parts oppose
their state of rest to the excess of force wherewith the piston is then impelled
by the supply of high-pressure steam beyond what is required for performing
the work the engine has to do; and in consequence of that excess of impelling
force, the said moving parts are put in motion with an accelerating motion
beginning from rest, and becoming quicker and quicker and quicker, as the
motion proceeds, until they have acquired a rapid rate of motion or velocity,

page_text: by the time that the piston it about the midway of its stroke, and which acce-
leration continues until after the steam valve is closed, so as to have cut off
the further supply of high-pressure steam from the boiler. From and after
that time of cutting off, the expansive action of the steam commences, and
operates (as already stated) with a continually diminishing pressure, so as only to
urge the piston with a rapidly diminishing impelling force, which force in the
course of so diminishing soon becomes less than what is required for performing
the work that the engine has to do, and then the energy of motion of the
moving parts becomes operative, to make up for the deficiency of impelling
force, and assist in continuing the motion of the piston to the end of the stroke.
In so assisting, the said parts lose their motion by degrees by a continually re-
tarded rate of motion, until they come to rest at the end of the stroke; for
inasmuch as they do so assist, their previously acquired velocity is diminished
and retarded by rapid degrees as they give more and more assistance, for
making up the encreasing deficiency of impelling force which is attendant upon
the continuance of the expansive action of the steam, to a great extent of such
action; and at the end of the stroke when they have come to rest their energy
of motion will have become wholly exhausted. Therefore, to repeat the
aforesaid explanation in somewhat different terms, it may be said that the
inertiæ of the moving parts operates during the early portion of the stroke
to absorb the excess of impelling force that is at that time exerting by the
supply of high-pressure steam then entering from the boiler into the cylinder,
and acting against the piston; and in so absorbing that excess, the moving
parts are put into motion with a rapid acceleration of velocity; but from and
after the time when the steam valve is shut and the supply of high-pressure
steam thereby cut off, the dilatation and expansive action of the steam contained
in the cylinder commences, and thenceforward continues with a decreasing
impelling force, which decreases more and more as it goes on decreasing fur-
ther from the time of shutting the steam valve until the end of the stroke.
The excess of impelling force and the acceleration of velocity consequent on
such an excess (which commenced with the opening of the steam valve) ceases
soon after the steam valve is shut, and the supply of steam thereby cut off,
and then a deficiency of impelling force commences, because the further dila-
tation of the steam is going on, and its pressure that it exerts by its expansive
action against the piston (and which expansive action constitutes the impelling
force) goes on continually diminishing as the expansive action proceeds further,
thus leaving more and more of the aforesaid deficiency of impelling force, and
under those circumstances the motion can only be continued and kept up by
aid derived from the energy of motion in the moving parts, which in so giving -

page_text: aid lose part of their motion from which the said aid is derived; so that they
diminish in their velocity until at the end of the stroke they come to rest,
having no velocity or motion then remaining because the whole thereof has
been expended and exhausted in making up for the greater and greater defi-
ciency of impelling force that was exerted by the steam in its expansive action
during the latter part of the stroke. Wherefore the earlier part of the stroke
is performed by a supply of high-pressure steam exerting an excess of impelling
force beyond what is required for performing the work the engine has to do,
which excess puts the moving parts into motion with an accelerated motion
until they acquire a great velocity; and the subsequent part of the same
stroke is performed, after that supply is cut off, by the expansive action
of so much steam as has been previously supplied from the boiler and
admitted into the cylinder, and as is contained therein; which expansive
action being a continually diminishing force, the aforesaid excess of
impelling force soon becomes less and less, until there is no such excess. And
from and after the moment when the said excess ceases the remainder of the
stroke is performed by the diminishing expansive action of the steam, all the
then deficiency of impelling force being made up by the aid derived from
the energy of the moving parts as they are in the act of being brought to rest,
with retarded motion or velocity, during all the interval intervening between
the period when there was no excess of impelling force as aforesaid (and at
which period the acceleration of velocity ceased, and retardation of velocity
commenced) until the end of the stroke, when the motion ceases. Note, the
aforesaid descriprion of the nature and cause of the unequal impelling force
that is exerted by the piston of a steam engine of the kind herein-before
mentioned, and the counteraction of that inequality, by the inertiæ and energy
of the moving parts, is necessary to be clearly understood and kept in mind
for a correct understanding of the means herein-after described for further
counteracting in part the said inequality, because the said means are to be
superadded in addition to all that the inertiæ of the moving parts can do
towards so counteracting such inequality. It is economical in respect to
consumption of fuel to work steam engines of the kind herein-before mentioned
with a great extent of expansive action, by cutting off the supply of high-
pressure steam at an early period of the stroke, because there is then a less
consumption of the steam, and there is more expansive action from that steam
which is consumed. But whereas the inequality of impelling force becomes
greater as a greater extent of expansive action is used, the aforesaid effect of
the inertiæ and energy of the moving parts for correcting the inequality of
impelling force will not counteract the same so effectually as to permit of any

page_text: great extent of expansive action being used, unless there is a very great mass
of matter contained in those moving parts, as is of necessity the case in
the steam engines used for draining deep mines in Cornwall, where, owing to
the great length of pump rods that is required for reaching to the bottom of
the deep pits, and the great strength required in such long rods, and likewise,
the heavy balance weight those rods require, the whole constitutes a very great
mass of moving parts. In the case of two water scoops, combined with a
double acting steam engine as herein-before described, there would not
necessarily be any such very great mass of moving parts. The weight of the
moving parts of the steam engine, and of the connecting parts between the
engine and the two water scoops, or between one of those scoops and the other,
as well as the weight of the two scoops themselves, and the weight of the water
contained in that one of them which is ascending, would constitute the mass of
moving parts; and the inertiæ and energy thereof will operate (according to
the extent of such mass) in the manner herein-before described for counter-
acting the inequality of impelling force, so as to admit of working with some
extent of expansive action; but such a mass of moving parts would not
counteract so far as to permit of working with the full extent of expansive
action that is desirable for economy in the consumption of fuel, and as
may be done by the addition of the following means of so counteracting the
said inequality; which means form part of my new mechanical combinations,
that is to say-
A heavy weight is to be applied and affixed to the great lever of the
steam engine, or to any other lever belonging to and forming part of the
connection between the steam engine and the water scoops, or any lever
forming part of the connection between one of the water scoops and the other.
to cause one of them to descend whilst the other is ascending; or the said
weight may be applied and fixed to each of the water scoops, in such manner
as that (in all or any of such cases) the said weight will be kept high up above
the fulcrum or centre of motion of the lever or water scoop to which it is
affixed, and so as to partake fully of all the angular or vibrating motion of the
lever or water scoop about such centre in the manner of an inverted pendulum,
which will be vertical or nearly vertical when the piston of the steam engine
is at the midway of its stroke or extent of motion, and consequently at the
commencement of that stroke the said weight or inverted pendulum will be
considerably inclined from the said vertical position to one side thereof, and at
the termination of that stroke the said weight or inverted pendulum will be
equally (or nearly equally) inclined to the opposite side of the said vertical
position. And such weight or inverted pendulum, when so inclining, will, by

page_text: its gravity, tend to oppose the motion of the piston at the commencement and
during the early portion and first half of the stroke whilst the high-pressure
steam is being supplied from the boiler to the cylinder, because the said weight
must be raised higher up as it is moved away from its inclining position
towards its vertical position, and in so opposing, the said weight or inverted
pendulum will act in aid of the inertiæ of the moving parts to assist in
absorbing the excess of impelling force that is then exerted by the piston; but, by
degrees, as the said weight or inverted pendulum approaches towards its vertical
position (and also as the piston at the same time advances towards the midway of
its stroke), the said opposing effect of the weight will diminish until it becomes
null on arriving at the said vertical and midway position, and afterwards in
passing further onwards, beyond the said vertical and midway position, the
tendency of the gravity of the same weight or inverted pendulum will be to
assist the energy of the moving parts in continuing the motion of the piston
during the deficiency of the impelling force that is then exerting by the expanded
and expanding steam, because the said weight must descend lower down as it
moves away from its vertical towards its inclining position. Wherefore,
during the first half of the stroke the said weight or inverted pendulum will,
by its gravity, tend to oppose the motion of the piston, but with a diminishing
tendency, which becomes diminished to nothing at the midway of the stroke,
and afterwards, during the latter half of the same stroke, the same weight
will, by its gravity, tend to assist the motion of the piston, but with
an increasing tendency, beginning with nothing at the midway of the
stroke, and increasing more and more until the end of the stroke. And
the said effect of the gravity of such a weight or inverted pendulum
being wholly additional to the effect of the inertiæ of the moving parts for
counteracting the inequality of impelling force exerted by the piston, the
said addition will counteract such inequality so much the more effectually as
to enable the engine to be worked with so much more of such inequality as
will be consequent upon working with a greater extent of expansive action
(and thereby with more economy of fuel) than could be done, without the
addition of such a weight or inverted pendulum as aforesaid: And the
inertiæ and energy of motion of such weight or inverted pendulum is opera-
tive in the same manner as the inertiæ or energy of any other of the moving
parts of the engine, or water scoops, or connecting parts, is operative; because"
the said weight forms an addition to the said moving parts, and operates as
one amongst those parts independently of, and in addition to, the action of
its gravity as herein-before described. And whereas the gravity of the said
weight or inverted pendulum will produce a greater effect in counteracting.

page_text: the inequality of the impelling force, if its angular motion about its centre of
motion is greater than if that angular motion is smaller; the said weight or
inverted pendulum may be applied and affixed to an intermediate lever,"
forming part of the connection between the steam engine and the two or
more water scoops, or forming part of the connection between one of those
two water scoops and the other of them (in order to cause one of those two
scoops to be ascending whilst the other is descending, as aforesaid), and the
two arms of the said intermediate lever being of a shorter length or radius
than the arms of the great lever of the steam engine, or than the length or
radius of each of the water scoops from their respective centres of motion,
then in such case the angular motion of the said intermediate lever about
its own centre of motion will be greater than the angular motion of the
great lever or of the water scoops about their respective centres of motion;
and in consequence of that greater extent of angular motion the said weight
or inverted pendulum which is applied and affixed to such intermediate lever
so as to fully partake of all the angular motion thereof, the gravity of the said
weight or inverted pendulum, when so applied, will be so much the more
efficacious for counteracting. the unequal impelling force of the piston, because
the said weight or inverted pendulum will be more inclined from its vertical
position when the piston is at either end of its stroke, and in consequence
the weight will be raised higher in moving from its inclining position to the
vertical position during the first half of the stroke of the piston, and also the
subsequent descent of the weight will be greater. in 'moving onwards from.
or beyond its vertical position to its opposite inclining position during the
latter half of the same stroke; wherefore the said ascent and descent will be
greater than would be the case if the weight or inverted pendulum' were.
to have a lesser extent of angular motion, and the weight will have more'
effect for counteracting the inequality of impelling force. And one such
weight or inverted pendulum may be applied and affixed to the said interme-.
diate lever, and another such weight or inverted pendulum to the great lever
of the steam engine, and another such weight or inverted pendulum to each
of the water scoops, if thought desirable, and all the said weights or inverted
pendulums will concur together in their said effect of counteracting the
inequality of impelling force as well by their gravity as by their inertiæ and
energy of motion. And the material whereof the said intermediate lever
or the great lever is composed, whether a beam of wood or a lever of cast
iron, may, if convenient, be disposed wholly above the centre of motion of
such lever, so as that the weight of the material will act in aid of and as a
part of the inverted pendulum, in consequence of the centre of gravity of:

page_text: the mass of material of wood or cast iron that is contained in the lever being
immediately above the centre of motion. And as to the weight itself, or
inverted pendulum, the same may be a large and heavy mass of cast iron
firmly affixed to the upper end of an upright stem of wood or of cast iron;
or the stem and the weight may be formed in one piece of cast iron, and
the lower end of such stem being applied upon and fastened to the lever at
the mid-length thereof, immediately over the centre of motion, then the weight
at the upper end of the stem must be secured by braces of iron, or wood, or
both, extending obliquely downwards each way, from the weight to each end
of the lever, and by means of such upright stem and oblique braces the
weight will become firmly connected to the lever, so as to operate in the
same manner as if it were one piece therewith, as in fact might be the
case if it were convenient, for the lever and the weight, with its upright stem
and oblique braces, might be all cast together in one piece of cast iron. The
cast iron constituting the weight may be in the form of a hollow box or deep
trough of cast iron, of very thick metal, and weighing only as much as the
least weight that can be expected to be suitable for counteracting the inequality
of impelling force, and if required, masses or pigs of cast iron can afterwards
be put into the hollow of the weight, in order to increase it to such a weight
as may be found most suitable, and the said hollow or trough being deep
enough to retain the pigs or loose weights of iron securely within it, more or
less of such pigs or loose weights may be put in or taken out from time to
time, as may be required. And such a weight or inverted pendulum will
operate the more efficaciously as it is situated higher up above the centre of
motion of the lever to which it is applied and affixed, because it will have a
greater extent of motion, and will consequently move more rapidly and
with greater energy of motion, when the piston is at the midway part of its
stroke. And two very strong stops should be firmly fixed in positions very
near to the two places to which the said weight or inverted pendulum will
move when the piston is at the ends of its stroke, so that those two stops will
prevent the said weight or inverted pendulum from moving any farther either
way than it ought to do. And another means of counteracting, in part, the
effect of the aforesaid unequal impelling force that is exerted by the piston of
a double acting steam engine of the kind herein-before mentioned, which is
working with a great extent of expansive action, when such an engine is com-
bined with two or more water scoops, acting alternately (that is, one scoop
ascending with water in it for raising that water, whilst the other scoop is
descending empty in order to be re-filled with water), is as follows; viz. to
form the bottom of each of such water scoops with a concave curve instead

page_text: of being straight, in order that the water which is taken into the closed end
of the scoop when the same is at its lowest position (and which water will be
contained in the scoop whilst it is ascending) shall, during the later portion
of that ascent, begin to flow from the closed end of the scoop towards the
centre of motion and open end of the scoop, at an earlier period of the ascent,
and with a nearer approach towards that centre than would be the case (at
the same early period) if the bottom of the scoop were straight, and inasmuch
as the water by so flowing will approach nearer towards the centre of motion
during the later portion of the ascent, the resistance that the weight of the water
opposes to the motion of the piston of the steam engine will become so much
lessened during the later portion of the stroke, and at the same time, when
the impelling force exerted by the piston has also become lessened in conse-
quence of the dilatation of the steam during its expansive action. Also in
consequence of the water flowing (in manner aforesaid) at an earlier period,
and nearer towards the centre of motion of the scoop, during the later portion
of the stroke than would be the case if the bottom of the scoop were straight,
the water will be the more promptly discharged therefrom at the open end of
the scoop into the reservoir, after the scoop has been raised to its highest
position, than if the bottom of the scoop were straight; because, in the latter
case, the water would have to run along the greater part of the length of the
scoop in a direction towards the open end thereof after the scoop was raised
to its highest position, whereas when the bottom of the scoop is curved with a
concave curve as aforesaid, the water will begin to flow towards the open end of
the scoop during the ascent thereof, that flow commencing by the time that the
scoop has become raised to about its midway height, and so as to become ap-
proached nearer towards the open end during the later portion of the stroke, before
the scoop is raised to its highest position, than would be the case if the bottom
of the scoop were straight, for in that case the water in the scoop would remain
near to the closed end thereof during almost the whole of the ascent of the
scoop, and it would not have moved far from that closed end towards the open
end of the scoop until after the same had been raised very nearly to its highest
position, and then the water would begin to run all at once with rapidity
towards the open end, and would have a considerable distance to run in order
to discharge itself from the scoop into the reservoir; whereas, with a curved
bottom, although the water will remain near to the closed end of the scoop
during the early portion of the stroke, nevertheless, by the time that the
scoop has been raised nearly to the midway of the whole height to which it
is to be raised, the water will by that time have begun to flow gradually from
the closed end of the scoop towards the open end thereof, so as to approach

page_text: towards the centre of motion of the scoop; and during the later half of the
stroke the water, by so flowing towards the open end and centre of motion, will
have advanced nearer towards the same than would be the case if the bottom
of the scoop were straight, consequently with the curved bottom the water will
be discharged more quietly and more promptly from the scoop after the same
has been raised to its highest positon, because the water will have less distance
to run along the scoop in order to become discharged. And note, with a
curved bottom the scoop will require to have a greater extent of angular
motion given to it by the steam engine, so that the closed end will be lifted
higher up in case of the bottom being curved than if it were straight.
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing hereunto annexed represent a double acting
steam engine, of the kind herein-before mentioned, combined with two water
scoops for acting alternately according to the new mechanical combinations;
but the said representation and the following description thereof is only given
by way of example and illustration of what has been herein-before described,
for the construction may be greatly varied from the representation in the
Drawing without departing materially from the mode of operation of the new
combinations that has been herein-before described. Figure 1 is a lateral
elevation of the new mechanical combinations. E is the steam cylinder, and
L, L, the great lever of the double acting steam engine. V, the lever wall on
which the centre of motion of the lever is sustained. M, the spear or con-
necting rod by which the end of the great lever L, L, is connected with the
end of another lever A, A, from the two ends of which the closed ends of the
two water scoops B' and Dd are suspended by the connecting links e and f, so
that when one scoop ascends the other must descend with equal and contrary
motion, and the actual weight of the scoops themselves (supposing neither of
them to contain any water), is balanced one by the other. N is the weight
applied to the lever A, A, to constitute an inverted pendulum as herein-before
described, and O is a similar weight applied to the great lever L, L, of the
steam engine. 6 and d are the centres of motion of the water scoops B and D
respectively, those centres resting on the tops of the walls of the reservoir or
canal into which the water is to be raised; and a flap of leather should be
applied to the open end of the water scoop to lay loose upon the wall of the
reservoir so as to prevent leakage of water. When the piston is at the upper
end of its stroke (as is represented in Figure 1) then the scoop B is at its
lowest position, and its closed end is immersed in the water that is to be raised,
and the valves g, g, in that closed end are opened by that water, which is
thereby admitted into the scoop so as to fill the closed end thereof (as appears
in another section, Figure 3.) The other scoop D is at the same time at its

page_text: C
highest position, and the water therein is in the act of running out at the open
end d thereof and discharging itself into the reservoir or canal. Each scoop
may be made of oak plank, and the two sides of the scoop being made with
that plank edgeways upwards, will give strength to the scoop, and there may
be one or two or more such sides disposed edgeway upwards (as shewn at
m, m, in the middle part of the breadth of the scoop B), for additional strength,
those sides will divide the interior capacity of each scoop into two or three
portions, but such division will make no difference in the action, as there will
be valves (such as g, g.) in each such portion. The oak planks for the bottom
of the scoop may be disposed with the lengthway of the planks across the
breadth of the scoop, and the bottom may either be straight (as the scoop D
is represented), or may be curved as is shewn by the dotted line y for the
purpose herein-before described, viz, that the water may commence its flow or
progress from the closed end g towards the open end d of the scoop D, by the
time that the scoop has been raised to about the midway of the whole height
that it has to be raised, whereby the water will have less distance to run in
order to be discharged at that open end d after the scoop has been raised to its
highest position, and the water will in consequence be more quietly and
promptly discharged than if the bottom of the scoop were straight; and also,
in consequence of the water approaching towards the centre of motion of the
scoop during the later half of the stroke of the piston, the weight of the water
contained therein will cause less resistance to the motion of the piston, at the
same time when the piston is only urged by the expansive force of the steam
alone, and when the impelling force is diminishing by the dilatation that the
steam is then undergoing. The separate section, Figure 3, shows the same
as the dotted line y, but more plainly.
And note, if the bottom of the scoop is curved, as shewn by the dotted line
y, the scoop must (as already mentioned) be raised higher, when it is at its
highest position, than is requisite for the scoop to be raised if the bottom is
straight; the lever A, A, should for that purpose be a little longer than is.
represented in the Drawing, but the spear M remaining jointed to the lever
A, A, at the same distance from the centre thereof, as is represented, also
the lower ends of the two connecting links e and f should be jointed to the
closed ends of the scoops B and Dd, somewhat nearer to their centres of motion
b. and d respectively than is represented in the Drawing, in case of the bottoms.
of the scoops being curved, as shown by the dotted line y; or for the same
purpose; that end of the great lever L, L, of the steam engine, to which the
spear or connecting rod M is jointed, may be somewhat longer from its centre
of motion than is represented in the Drawing if the bottoms of the scoops are

page_text: curved as aforesaid; or instead of using oak, plank of any other wood may be
used for making the scoops, or they may be made of iron plates, such as are
used for making the boilers of steam engines, and rivitted together. The
dotted lines Y, Z, shew how a weight may be applied and affixed to each
water scoop above the centre of motion b or d, with a stem Z, to form an
inverted pendulum of the kind herein-before described, the stem Z of which
must be strongly connected with the sides of the scoop, and braced by suitable
oblique braces therefrom; and in case of using such an inverted pendulum at
Y, Z, it may be well to form the sides of the trough of cast iron, with the
stem Z of the inverted pendulum and the oblique brace in one piece or in
pieces of cast iron strongly united together. The additional weight of mate-
rials that would be consequent upon the use of cast iron sides to the scoops
will not be objectionable, because the weight of one scoop will be balanced
against that of the other scoop, and the weight of both will form part of the
mass of moving parts, which mass will operate, by its inertiæ and energy of
motion, for counteracting the inequality of impelling force exerted by the piston
in the manner herein-before explained. And as to the steam engine itself, the
same may be constructed in the usual manner of double acting engines, which
are worked by high pressure steam with a great extent of expansive action
thereof, and that steam afterwards condensed. The boiler for such engine may
be of any of the kinds of high-pressure steam boilers which are commonly used,
and the high-pressure steam which is generated in such boiler, is conveyed by
a suitable steam pipe to the nosels or boxes containing the two steam valves,
by means of which valves the steam is to be admitted at times through one of
the steam valves into the upper end of the cylinder, and then at other times
admitted by the other steam valve into the lower end of the cylinder, those
admissions being given alternately according as the steam is required to act
(for the time being) above or beneath the piston for the purpose of urging the
piston downwards or upwards in the cylinder. Also there are two exhausting
valves, through one of which (and suitable eduction passages and pipes) the
steam is to be drawn off and exhausted from the upper end of the cylinder,
and then through the other exhausting valve from the lower end thereof
alternately, the steam so exhausted passing by an eduction pipe h, to a suitable
condenser, having an air pump connected therewith; all which are the ordi-
nary parts of steam engines, and may be constructed in various ways, which
are so well known as to require no further description, except as to the manner
in which the two steam valves aforesaid may be made to operate alternately, each
in its turn, by means of what is called the working gear, so as to close that
steam valve which for the time was opened, and thereby cut off the supply of

page_text: high-pressure steam to the cylinder; by the time that the piston has moved
through only a short portion of its stroke (whether that be the ascending or the
descending stroke) in order that the remainder of the same stroke may be per-
formed by the dilatation and expansive action of the steam that has been pre-
viously supplied to (and which is contained in) the cylinder at the time of
closing the steam valve and cutting off the supply. And also as to the man-
ner whereby the working gear causes the engine to work with a pause or
short interval of rest between the succeeding strokes; that is to say, at every
time when the piston arrives at the end of its course (whether it be at the top
or at the bottom of the cylinder), then the piston will make a short pause
before it begins to return or reverse its motion; such pause being very useful
for giving time for the scoops to fill and empty themselves completely with
water; that is to say, the scoop which is raised to its highest position will
(in consequence of such pause) have time for the water to run out from the
open end of it into the reservoir, and the other scoop, which is lowered down to
its lowest position, will (in consequence of the same pause) have time to
become properly filled with water, through the valves in its open end. The
working of steam engines with such a pause intervening between the successive
strokes is a common practice in engines for pumping water in Cornwall, and
is done by starting the working gear into action at the proper time by means
of an apparatus called a cataract and which may be adopted for the present
purpose, with some modification, to suit a double acting engine, the engines in
Cornwall which are worked by a cataract being commonly single acting
engines. The working gear for the present purpose should have four of those
axes, which are commonly called Y shafts), each of those four axes having a
working handle affixed to it, and adapted for being moved either by the hand
of the man who attends the engine when required for starting or stopping the
engine, or else to be moved by chocks affixed to what is called the plug rod of the
working gear, (or affixed to the air pump rod of the engine), such chocks being
operative on the handles in the regular course of working the engine by its own
self-action, without assistance of the man; and each of the four said axes
having a suitable connection, by means of levers and connecting links, with
one of the four valves of the engine, so as to open and shut the valve when-
ever the handle is moved in a suitable direction by the hand of the attendant,
or whenever the handle is moved as aforesaid by its own proper chock on the
plug rod, or moved (as herein-after next mentioned) by action of a weight. Also
each axis has a weight applied to a lever affixed on the axis in such manner
as to move the handle and open the valve whenever the weight is allowed to
operate; and likewise a catch, which will catch and take hold, by itself, of a

page_text: lever affixed on the axis whenever the weight is raised and the valve is closed,
and then the catch will retain the axis and the handle from moving by action
of that weight (and thereby opening the valve), until the said catch is dis-
engaged, and then the weight will operate instantly to move the handle and
axes, and thereby to open the valve. All this is the usual system of working
gear of engines in Cornwall. The valves are closed by the several chocks of
the plug acting in due succession against the several handles, and moving the
same, and raising the corresponding weights in so closing the several valves;
and thereupon the corresponding catches take hold, and prevent the weights
from acting to open the valves again, when the chocks leave and quit contact
with the handles; but in due time, when the valves require to be opened again,
then the catches corresponding to the valves which require to be opened arc
disengaged. In some cases that is done by action derived from the axes of
other handles which are then moved by their chocks on the plug; in other
cases by action of the cataract; but the instant that the catches are so dis-
engaged the weights open the valves suddenly. The single acting engines
have three valves worked in that manner, but double acting engines have four
valves worked in that manner; and four valves, with the working gear suitable
for them, are to be adopted in the present case, with two cataracts of the same
kind as those commonly used in engines in Cornwall. Such a cataract operates
by means of a small moveable cistern, which is immersed in water, contained
in a larger fixed cistern; the said moveable cistern of the cataract being affixed
to the lower end of an upright rod or stem, so as to move up and down there-
with; and that rod or stem being suspended from one end of a balance lever,
the other end of which is loaded with a weight sufficiently heavy to over-
balance and pull up the moveable cistern and its upright stem when the
cistern is only partly filled with water. The moveable cistern has a hole
through the bottom of it, covered with a valve opening upwards, which valve
will admit water into the moveable cistern of the cataract so as to nearly fill
the moveable cistern, when the same is forcibly pushed downwards into the
water, so as to overcome the said balance weight, which forcible pushing down
is done at the proper time by a chock on the plug rod of the working gear
acting on one end of the balance lever; and on the retreat of the said chock
therefrom, the balance weight resumes its action, but will not be able to lift up
the moveable cistern with the water then contained in it, except inasmuch as
that the said water is allowed to escape gradually at an aperture through the
bottom of the moveable cistern; and as fast as the water does so escape from
the moveable cistern the latter is overbalanced, and raised up, by action of the
balance weight, with a slow and steady ascending motion. The opening of the

page_text: said aperture can be adjusted by means of a plug and a setting screw, so as to
enlarge or diminish that opening, in order to allow the water to escape with
more or less rapidity, and according to the adjustment of the opening of the
aperture of the cataract, so the aforesaid slow and gradual rise of the moveable
cistern will be more or less slow. The upright stem of the moveable cistern
partakes of its motion, and when it has risen with the aforesaid slow and
gradual motion to a certain height, then a pin affixed to the stem comes in
contact with and lifts up and disengages the catch by which the steam valve
was detained from opening; and thereupon the steam valve is instantly opened
by its weight, so as to admit a supply of high-pressure steam from the boiler
into the cylinder, in order to cause the piston to make its stroke; and when
the piston has moved through only a portion of its stroke, then a chock on the
plug rod comes in contact with and moves the handle of the said steam valve,
so as to close that steam valve and cut off the supply of steam. Also towards
the latter end of the stroke another chock on the plug rod comes in contact
with the end of the balance lever of the cataract, as before mentioned, and,
overcoming the balance weight of that lever, pushes down the moveable cistern
of the cataract into the water in the large cistern thereof, so that it becomes
filled with water through its valve, as before explained; and after that, the
piston having reached the end of its stroke, and having (after due pause) com-
menced its return, then on the retreat of the said chock from the end of the
balance lever, the moveable cistern and stem of the cataract will commence
the slow and gradual rise before mentioned, in preparation for a repetition of
its action in manner aforesaid, to lift the catch, and cause the steam valve to
be opened again for giving a fresh supply of steam for making another stroke.
And by adjustment of the opening of the aperture at the bottom of the
cataract, in manner aforesaid, its said rise can be made as slow as may be
desired; and also the pin affixed to its stem by which it lifts the catch may
be so regulated that it will not come in contact with the catch, to disengage
the same, until after the cataract has risen a certain distance; and the rising
of that distance will occupy a certain time, which time will somewhat exceed
the time of the piston having completed its return, and being ready for making
another stroke, and therefore the piston will have to wait or make a pause
during the time after it is so become ready, and before the time when the
cataract lifts the catch. The cataract only operates on the catch belonging to
one steam valve; and for a double acting steam engine, which has two steam
valves, two such cataracts must be used, one for operating (in manner aforesaid)
on the catch belonging to each of the steam valves respectively, so that one cata-
ract will regulate the time of opening the upper steam valve for supplying steam

page_text: to make the downward stroke of the piston, and the other cataract will regulate the
time of opening the lower steam valve for supplying steam to make the upward
stroke of the piston; but the operation of each cataract is independent of that of
the other cataract, and that operation will be the same as above described, and
the same as is the common and well known operation of an ordinary cataract,
such as is used in engines in Cornwall. And each of the two cataracts must
be regulated so as to cause the piston to pause at each end of its stroke for
an adequate time, for the complete emptying of the water out of that water
scoop which has been raised to its highest position and the complete filling
of the other water scoop which has been lowered down into the water to its
lowest position to take place; which pauses, and the mode of regulating them,
will be performed in manner above described, and which is the same as is'
commonly practised in working engines in Cornwall, and therefore does not
require any more minute explanation. It is essential to the operation of the
water scoop machinery that the piston should always work with its full intended
length of stroke, so as to raise one of the water scoops completely to its bigliest
position, and at the same time to lower the other of the water scoops com-
pletely to its lowest position; because if the piston were to stop short of
completing its full intended length of stroke, then that water scoop which
would in such case be raised to less than its full intended height would not
empty itself of the water it had brought up (or would only partly empty itself
thereof), and the other water scoop, which would in the same case be lowered
down to less than its full intended depth into the water, would not fill itself
(or would only partly fill itself) with water; and therefore, in such case the
operation of both the water scoops would fail, or would be imperfectly per-
formed. The working gear of the double acting steam engine, which is to be
combined with two such water scoops in manner herein-before described,
must be so arranged as that (notwithstanding the aforesaid action of the
cataracts) it will restrain the engine from proceeding to make another stroke
in any case when the piston has failed to move to the full extent of its stroke;
that is to say, the pause which is intended to be made at every time that the
piston has arrived at the end of its stroke, and before it begins to return,
must be rendered permanent, so as to become a total suspension of the motion
of the engine in any case when the piston stops short, and does not move far
enough to arrive at the very end of the stroke. In case of the piston stopping
short of the full intended length of its stroke, the handle belonging to that
one of the two exhausting valves which is at that end of the cylinder towards
which the piston is then moving will not have been pushed far enough by
that chock on the plug rod which is provided for moving the said handle to

page_text: cause the said exhausting valve to be completely closed, so that its catch will
take hold in order to keep that valve so closed; and the said catch for the
exhausting valve must be connected with the corresponding catch for the
steam valve at the same end of the cylinder, so that the last-mentioned catch
for the steam valve will not be released unless the first-mentioned cor-
responding catch for the exhausting valve has got hold.
And in such case the
steam valve will remain catched, so as to be prevented from opening by its
weight, notwithstanding that the action (herein-before formerly described) of
the cataract may take place for lifting the catch of the steam valve, because
that said catch which is lifted by the cataract (as herein-before formerly
described) is another or duplicate catch for the steam valve, quite distinct from
that catch (lately mentioned) for the same steam valve, as being connected with
the corresponding catch for the exhausting valve at the same end of the cylinder.
All this being the same as in the ordinary arrangement of the working gear for
engines used for draining mines in Cornwall, does not require more minute
explanation. And in case of the piston stopping short of its full intended
length of stroke, and the engine becoming in consequence permanently stopped,
the engine man must open the steam valve at the opposite end of the cylinder
to that end thereof at which the piston has stopped short, so as to admit as
much more steam from the boiler into the cylinder as will move the piston
further in its cylinder and carry it to the full extent of its stroke; and he must
also hold fast the handle of the other steam valve, to prevent that valve from
opening as soon as the piston arrives at the full end of its stroke, which it might
otherwise do in case the cataract has already lifted the duplicate catch of the
last-mentioned steam valve; in which case there would be nothing else to
detain that valve from opening the instant that the piston reached the end of
its stroke and caused the handle of the exhausting valve to be moved far
enough for closing that valve, and catching for keeping the same closed, which
catching is attended with a releasing of the corresponding catch of the steam
valve, as already explained, so that there would be an immediate return of the
piston, unless the man detains the handle of the steam valve by his hand, which
he must do, for such a pause after the piston has arrived at the full end of its
stroke as will enable the water scoop which is then raised to its highest position
to empty itself, and the other water scoop, which is then lowered to its lowest
position, to fill itself, and then, letting go the handle which he had detained, the
steam valve will be instantly opened by its weight so as to admit a supply of
steam to cause the piston to return in commencement of its next succeeding
stroke.
And another part of the said new mechanical combinations is a stop to

page_text: prevent the piston of the engine from recoiling or immediately returning
(by action of the weight of water contained in that water scoop which
is raised) after the piston has made its stroke (whether the full intended
length of that stroke, or short thereof), and before the water has had
time to run out from the scoop, and before the cataract has operated (after due
pause) to permit the steam valve to be opened for admitting a new supply of
steam from the boiler, and thereby producing the return of the piston in com-
mencement of its next succeeding stroke; for in case of working such an engine
as herein-before described with a great extent of expansive action of the steam,
the impelling force of the expanded steam may become so enfeebled at the
termination of the stroke by the dilatation which that steam has undergone,
that the expanded steam may be unable to retain that water scoop which has
been raised from recoiling or immediately returning a little way, by the weight
of the water it contains, notwithstanding that the said water scoop may have
been raised to its full intended height by the assistance derived from the energy
of motion of the moving parts, as herein-before explained, because that assistance,
although it may have raised the water scoop to its full height, will not of itself
be sure to retain the water scoop from returning again immediately after it has
been so raised, but a return might take place in consequence of the weight of
the water contained in the water scoop operating to cause such return, before
that water could have had time to have discharged itself at the open end of the
scoop; and such recoil must be prevented or else the water scoop, if allowed
to become only lowered a little way (by such return or recoil), would not
afterwards empty itself of the water, neither would the other opposite water
scoop (which would become as much raised by such return or recoil) fill
itself with water.
And note, the operation of the weight or inverted pendulum (herein-before
described), and of the curved bottom to the scoop (herein-before described)
being intended to counteract the inequality of impelling force, may be expected
to remove the tendency to such recoil or immediate return; but in case of
working with a great extent of expansive action those means (in the extent to
which they are used) may not be quite sufficient for the purpose, although they
may be nearly so; or they may not both be used, and the one which is used
may not be quite sufficient, in either of which cases the hydrostatic stop (now
about to be described) will be very useful to prevent any such recoil or imme-
diate return. The said hydrostatic stop is a cylindrical plunger, at the lower
end of an upright rod, which is jointed to the great lever of the steam engine.
That plunger being fitted into a stuffing box or collar of leather, at the top of
a working barrel or hollow cylinder containing water, and having a valve at the

page_text: bottom opening inwards, the lower end of the barrel being wholly immersed in
water contained in a cistern, whenever the piston of the engine moves in
the cylinder the said plunger will be moved in its stuffing box or collar of
leather; and whenever the plunger is moved upwards through the same it
will draw in water freely through the said valve at the bottom of the working
barrel (which is an entrance valve) so as to fill the space left in the barrel by
the drawing up of the plunger, which will in that case cause no material resist-
ance to the motion of the engine, except as regards the friction of the plunger,
in moving through its stuffing box or collar of leather; and whenever the said
motion ceases, whether the piston has proceeded to the full intended extent of
its stroke or has stopped short thereof, the said entrance valve at the bottom of
the working barrel will close and prevent the escape of any water therefrom,
and the water contained in the working barrel being completely confined
therein will effectually prevent the plunger from being moved downwards
through its stuffing box or collar of leather, and consequently the plunger and
its upright rod will act as a firm stop to the great lever of the engine, so as to
prevent any immediate recoil or returning motion of the piston and of the
water scoops in ease there should be any tendency to such immediate recoil or
returning motion for the reasons already mentioned. And near to the time
when the piston (after due pause has been made) is required to return in com-
mencement of its next succeeding stroke (but a very little before that time),
then the slow progressive rising motion of the upright stem of the cataract
(already explained) must, by a pin affixed to that stem and coming in contact
with and lifting up some suitable connection, cause another valve to be opened
at the bottom of the barrel (which valve is an exit valve), and when so opened
will allow a free passage for the exit and escape of the water from the barrel,
when the plunger is moved downwards through its stuffing box or collar of
leather, as it must be moved when the piston begins to return in commence-
ment of its next stroke, and during all the continuance of that stroke until the
end thereof, the said exit valve being kept open all that time; and the plunger
will in that case cause no material resistance to the motion of the engine,
except as regards friction, as before mentioned. And there must be two such
hydrostatic stops applied to the double acting steam engine, one beneath each
end of the great lever L, L, thereof, as is shewn at P and Q, Figure 1. one of
which stops, P, is to act (in manner above described) when the piston arrives
at or near to the upper end of its stroke, for preventing any recoil or imme-
diate return of the piston, and the other stop Q is to act in like manner when
the piston arrives at or near to the lower end of its stroke, for preventing any
recoil or immediate return of the piston; until (in either case) the piston

page_text: (after due pause has been made) is required to return in commencement of
another stroke, and then a very little before the time for beginning that return
one or other of the exit valves before mentioned must be opened by action of
one or other of the two cataracts, as already explained; the exit valve which
is so to be opened by action of one of the cataracts being in each case the exit
valve which belongs to that one of the two hydrostatic stops P or Q, whereof
the plunger will have to be moved downwards through its stuffing box or collar
of leather when the piston commences its said return; for, as already men-
tioned, there are two cataracts to the double acting engine, whereof one
cataract is for causing the upper steam valve to be opened, in manner herein-
before formerly explained (and which is the ordinary action of a cataract
in Cornwall), in order to commence the descending stroke of the piston;
and it is that one of the two cataracts which must operate, in manner aforesaid,
for causing the exit valve of the hydrostatic stop P to be opened, and that cata-
ract must so operate an instant before it acts in manner herein-before formerly
explained, with the ordinary action of a Cornish cataract, for causing the upper
steam valve to be opened; and the other of the two cataracts is for causing
the lower steam valve to be opened in order to commence the ascending stroke
of the piston, and it is that other cataract which must operate for causing the
exit valve of the hydrostatic stop Q to be opened, and that other cataract must so
operate an instant before it acts for causing the lower steam valve to be opened.
It is necessary that each cataract should cause the exit valve of the hydrostatic
stop to be opened, as already mentioned, an instant before the same cataract
causes the steam valve to be opened; because, unless the exit valve be previously
opened, the hydrostatic stop would tend to prevent the returing motion of the
piston in commencement of another stroke, which returing motion is to be pro-
duced by the opening of the steam valve.
Figure 2 is a section of one of the hydrostatic stops, by way of example, for one
mode of the construction thereof, although that construction may be greatly varied
without departing materially from the mode of operation already described. P is
the cylindrical plunger, which is connected by a suitable joint to the lower end of
the upright rod p, whereof the upper end is jointed to the great lever L, L, of the
steam engine, as shewn at p and q in Figure 1; the upright rods p and q, being
so jointed to the great lever L, L, at any convenient distance from the centre of
motion thereof, so as that the plungers of the two hydrostatic stops will
not make less than half the length of stroke that is made by the piston of the
steam engine, and it is to be preferred that the plungers should make between
half the length and the whole length of the stroke of the piston. R, Figure 2,
is the working barrel of the hydrostatic stop, wherein the cylindrical plunger P

page_text: the barrel R, but when
may be a double valve
moves up and down, but without actually touching the interior cylindrical surface
of that barrel, but at the upper end thereof there is a stuffing box or collar of
leather 2, 7, which is a circular cell, or recess, or box, around the said upper end
of the barrel for receiving a packing of hemp or a collar of leather, to
surround and fit very close to the external cylindrical surface of the plunger P,
so that no water can make its escape between the said packing or leather and
the said cylindrical surface, which latter is made very true and smooth, so
that it can move up and down very freely through the packing or leather with
but little friction. s is the entrance valve at the lower end of the working
barrel R, which valves will lift up, to admit water freely into the barrel R
whenever the plunger P is drawn upwards, but the valve s will close of itself,
and prevent any return of any water out of the barrel R, so as to prevent any
descent of the plunger P, as already mentioned, unless the water is permitted
to escape from its confinement within the barrel R by some other passage
than that which is covered by the entrance valve s. S is the exit valve, which,
when opened, permits the water to escape freely from
closed prevents any such escape. The exit valve S
consisting of two conical valves, formed on the same upright stem or spindle,
and fitted into two corresponding conical apertures, each of which will be
opened when the double valve is lifted up so as to permit the exit of the water
through both the apertures at the same time, in order to give a very free
passage for the exit of the water. The upright stem of the two valves S
(which stem is common to both valves) is loaded with a weight u, which tends
to close the two valves and to keep them both closed whenever it is intended
that there shall be no exit or means of escape of water from the barrel R.
The uppermost of the two conical valves S is somewhat larger in diameter
than the lowermost; and any hydrostatic pressure which the water that is shut
up and confined within the barrel R may be subjected to, will act with that
pressure upwards beneath the uppermost valve, tending to lift up and
open both valves; and that same pressure will at the same time act with
the same intensity downwards above the lowermost valve, tending to press
down and close both valves, but, owing to the larger size of the uppermost valve,
the upward pressure will predominate over the downward pressure, so that the
two combined valves S will have a tendency to be lifted up by any hydrostatic
pressure that may become operative on the water that is shut up and confined
within the barrel R, but that upward tendency is overcome by the said weight u
wherewith the common stem of both valves is loaded, so as to keep them both
closed against a very considerable intensity of pressure of the water within the
barrel R, so that when the hydrostatic stop is required to operate (in the

page_text: manner already explained) for stopping any recoil or immediate return of the
piston after the piston has arrived and stopped at or near to the end of its
stroke in the ordinary and regular course of working, then the pressure that
will be occasioned on the water contained in the barrel R by the action of the
plunger P on the said water, in the act of so stopping any recoil, will not be
great enough to lift the load of the weight u upon the exit valves S and open
those valves to allow the water to escape from its confinement within the
barrel R, and under those ordinary circumstances the water will sustain the
plunger, and enable it to act as a sufficiently firm stop for preventing recoil.
Nevertheless, if by any accident or mismanagement the steam valve should be
opened before the exit valve S is opened, so that a very unusually great pressure
should become operative upon the plunger P, to force the same down into the
barrel R (which pressure would be consequently exerted upon the water that
was then shut up and confined within the barrel R), such an unusually great
pressure would overcome the weight u, and lift up the two exit valves S, so as
to allow the water to escape through them, but only slowly and gradually, so
as to retard the rapidity of motion wherewith the piston would otherwise move,
without absolutely stopping or preventing the motion, which, if actually stopped
under such circumstances, might exert so great a force as would endanger the
breaking of some parts of the engine. The compound exit valves S therefore
act as loaded safety valves, to restrain the water from escaping under ordinary
circumstances, but so as to allow of gradual and easy escape, and consequent
gradual motion of the plunger P and of the piston, in case of any very un-
usually great pressure becoming operative by any accident; and when the
compound exit valves S are intended to be fully opened, for permitting the free
escape of the water from the barrel R (in manner already explained), and
which is, at the time when the plunger R is, to be allowed to descend freely into
the barrel whilst the piston is making its stroke, then the weight u is to be
suddenly pulled upwards, and overcome by means of a still heavier weight W,
which is then brought into action. The weight W is, for that purpose, applied
at one end of a lever T, the opposite end of which is connected with the
upright stem of the compound exit valves S, and their weight u. The loaded
end of the lever T (to which the weight W is affixed) is adapted to be catched
and held up by an elbow catch W, which will sustain the said loaded end
and weight W, and for so long as that is the case the other end of
the lever T has no effect whatever on the stem of the compound exit
valves S, or on their weight 2, but leaves the said valves and weight
at liberty to act (in manner as herein-before described) for preventing any
escape of water under ordinary circumstances, but nevertheless to permit

page_text: of a gradual and restrained escape (in the manner of loaded safety valves) in
case of any unusually great pressure becoming operative. The elbow catch w
bas an arm extending out horizontally towards the upright stem of the cataract,
so that a pin which is affixed (as before mentioned) to that stem will, when
the said stem of the cataract has risen to a certain height, come in contact
with and lift up the said horizontal arm of the catch w, and thereby disengage
the hook of the catch w, from the loaded end of the lever T. Then the weight
W will overbear, and lift up the weight u, together with the compound exit
valves S, so as to open them both, and offer free passage for the escape of the
water from the barrel R, in preparation for the piston making its next stroke
which it will commence (in the manner herein-before formerly explained)
immediately after the said opening of the compound exit valves S, in conse-
quence of the upright stem of the cataract (in rising still higher up), then
bringing another pin (herein-before formerly mentioned), which is affixed to
that stem, in contact with the catch of the steam valve, so as to lift up and
release that catch, and allow the weight belonging to the steam valve to open
the saine, in order to begin to admit a supply of high-pressure steam from the
boiler into the cylinder, to act therein against the piston, and commence the
stroke thereof; and the cataract having previously caused the compound exit
valves S to be opened, the hydrostatic stop will not cause any material resist-
ance to the motion of the piston during the stroke, although before the
exit valves S were so opened the said stop would act as an effectual stop
to prevent any recoiling or returning motion of the piston after it had made
its preceding stroke and before it had made its intended pause, so as to be
ready for returning in commencement of its next succeeding stroke; and
when the piston has moved very nearly through the extent of that stroke, and
consequently when the plunger P has descended nearly to its lowest position
in the barrel R, then a pin, which projects out from the rod p of the plunger
P, acts (by intervention of any suitable connection) upon the end of the
lever T, to press that lever down and raise up the loaded end and weight W,
thereby allowing the compound exit valves S to close by action of their weight
u, and thereupon the hook of the elbow catch w catches, and holds up the
loaded end W of the lever T, in which state the other end of that lever
leaves the weight u and the stem of the compound exit valves S quite at
liberty to act by their own weight and action from pressure of the water,
without any interference from the lever T, and the compound exit valves
S being thus closed, they remain so whilst the piston returns through its
next stroke, during which the plunger P will be drawn up, through its
stuffing box or collar of leather, out of the barrel R, and water will enter

page_text: freely into that barrel through the entrance valve s, but the compound
exit valves S remain closed, and when the piston has arrived at or near
to the end of its said next stroke, then the hydrostatic stop will be ready
for acting in the manner of a stop, to prevent any recoil or immediate
return of the piston until after it has made due pause, and after such pause
has been made then the cataract will act, first, to cause the compound exit
valves S to open, and immediately afterwards to cause the steam valve to open,
in manner already fully explained. And note, the two hydrostatic stops are to
be both alike, and are to operate one in the same manner as the other (as
herein-before explained), but to operate in that manner alternately. And note,
the collar of leather which is applied in the cell at r, r, around the upper end
of the barrel R may be of the kind commonly used in hydrostatic presses and
termed double cupped leathers, which are formed like the cuff of a coat sleeve,
such leather causing very tight fitting around a plunger, and without liability to
leakage.
And respecting the combination of the several parts herein-before described,
each of those parts with the others of them. The double-acting steam engine
of the kind herein-before mentioned, and partly represented in Figure 1, and
the two water scoops Bb, and D d, having either straight bottoms or curved
bottoms, and so connected one with the other and (both of them with the
steam engine) as that they will move with contrary motions one to the other, in
order to operate alternately for raising water, the steam engine pausing every
time that its piston has arrived at (or near to) the end of its stroke in manner
herein-before described; also the two hydrostatic stops P and Q being applied
to the great lever L, L, of the steam engine. The said parts combined together
and operating in concert in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described, constitute a new mechanical combination, by means of which economy
of power and of fuel are obtained in the use of the steam engine, because such
combination enables a more economical kind of steam engine to be used than
the kind of steam engines heretofore commonly applied to the raising of large
quantities of water to small heights, videlicet:-It is a double acting steam
engine worked with high pressure steam used with a great extent of expansive
action of that steam in one cylinder, and the expanded steam being afterwards
condensed, as herein-before explained. Such engines (or single acting engines
of a similar description) have been hitherto applied for raising water from great
depths by means of pumps, which pumps are not applicable with convenience
or advantage or economy for raising large quantities of water to small heights,
as is the case with the new mechanical combination herein-before described;
and the number of water scoops may be increased to four or six in the same

page_text: combination, according to the size and power of the steam engine; those
scoops being coupled in pairs in the same manner as the two scoops B b, and
Dd, which two constitute one pair of scoops, and each such pair of scoops
being connected with the steam engine by any suitable means of connection,
which will cause each of the said pairs to move with simultaneous motions.
For instance, the axis of the lever A, A, may be a long and very strong
horizontal axis, on which two (or three) levers such as A, A, may be firmly
fixed, at proper distances asunder, for working two (or three) such pairs of such
scoops, as Bb, and D d, disposed in a row, one pair beyond the other, so that they
would conceal one another in Figure 1, and only one of such pairs would appear,
as is there represented by B b, and D d. One of the said two or three levers
being connected (by the spear or connecting rod M) with the end of the great
lever L, L, of the steam engine, both the said levers (or all three of them)
will be caused to move simultaneously by means of their common axis, on
which they are all affixed. And the ends of the said two (or three) levers
may be united together by horizontal beans, to give them greater strength
than they could derive from the axis alone. Or other mode of connection, of
two or more pairs of water scoops, may be adopted; for instance, each of
the levers, such as A, A, which belongs to each of two (or three) pairs of such
scoops which are to be worked in concert, may have an upright arm ascending
upwards from the centre of motion of each of the levers A, A, with braces
extending obliquely downwards each way from the upper end of that upright
arm to the two ends of the lever A, A, in a similar manner to what is repre-
sented above the lever A, A, in Figure 1, for sustaining the weight N, and
the said upper ends of those upright arms may be connected one with another
by long horizontal connecting rods; the said two (or three) levers, such as
A, A, and pairs of scoops, such as B b, and D d, being disposed in a row,
with the said two (or three) levers A, A, in the same plane, so that such two
(or three) pairs of scoops, and their said levers, would appear side by side in
Figure 1, as two or three repetitions of the one pair Bb, and D d, and
lever A, A, which is there represented; and the two (or three) pairs of scoops
which are so connected will be moved with simultaneous motions. And wher
two or more pairs of water scoops are combined together in manner last
mentioned (or in other suitable manner), in order to be worked by the same
steam engine, with simultaneous motion, one of those pairs of water scoops
may raise the water from the lowest level to an intermediate reservoir or level,
from which the next pair of water scoops may take the water and raise it again
a second time to a higher reservoir or level, which may be the uppermost
reservoir or canal, or may otherwise be a second intermediate reservoir, from

page_text: which (if required) the third pair of scoops (in case of a third pair being used)
may again raise the water a third time to the highest reservoir or level (or if
required a fourth pair, or even more, might be used in manner aforesaid). Or
one of the water scoops of any pair of scoops may raise the water from the
lowest to an intermediate reservoir, from which the other water scoop of the
same pair may take the water, and raise the same to the higher reservoir.
And such rising of water by means of such new combination as aforesaid being
performed by steam engines of an economical kind, as respects consumption
of fuel, the water so raised may be used in aid of (or in lieu of) natural
waterfalls of rivers or streams to turn water mills having water wheels, or
else having the newly introduced substitutes for water wheels brought from
France, and known by the name of turbines, which water wheels or
turbines may be used for turning any kind of machinery that is com-
monly turned by ordinary steam engines of the kind which operate by giving
continuous rotatory motion to cranks and fly wheels, but which last-
mentioned engines (as commonly constructed and used) consume so much.
more fuel in proportion to the mechanical power that they exert than is con-
suined by engines of the kind herein-before mentioned, which are used in and
as part of the new mechanical combination herein-before described, that the
said new combination by raising water into a reservoir or canal, which water
by its subsequent descent is to turn a water wheel or turbine, and thereby turn
any kind of machinery with rotatory motion, will do so with economy of power
and of fuel, which economy is obtained by means of the said new mechanical
combination bringing into use and application a kind of steam engines which
are more economical than the steam engines which could alone be employed
without the use of the said mechanical combination; and whereas it has been
already mentioned that the weights or inverted pendulums herein-before
described (and whereof an instance is represented at N and O and Y, Figure
1,) by counteracting the inequality of impelling force of the piston that must
result from working with a great extent of expansive action, will enable the
steam engine which forms part of the aforesaid new mechanical combination
to be worked with a greater extent of expansive action than could be done
without the aid of such weights or inverted pendulums as N and O and Y;
therefore those weights or inverted pendulums, being added to and included in
the said new mechanical combination, the whole wherein they are so included
will constitute another more complete new mechanical combination, by means
whereof still more economy of power and of fuel will be obtained than could
be obtained by the use of the more simple and less complete combination,
in which the said weights or inverted pendulums are not used.

page_text: Having now described the said new mechanical combinations, and the
manner whereby economy of power and of fuel are obtained in the use of the
steam engine by means of the said new mechanical combinations, I, the said
John Taylor, do hereby declare that what I claim as the new Invention
whereof the exclusive use is granted to me by the Letters Patent herein-before
mentioned, consists―
Firstly, in the new mechanical combinations herein-before described, of two
or more water scoops of the kind herein-before described, either with straight
or with curved bottoms, combined together so as to act alternately or in pairs of
scoops for raising water, and being also combined with and actuated by the
power of a double acting steam engine worked by high-pressure steam, used
with a great extent of expansive action in one steam cylinder, the expanded
steam being afterwards condensed, and the piston of such steam engine making a
pause or short cessation of motion every time that it arrives at (or near to) the
end of its stroke before it begins to return in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before described, videlicet, for allowing time for one water scoop (or pair
of water scoops) to become emptied of the water that has been raised, and for
the other water scoop (or pair of water scoops) to become filled with the water
which is to be raised; and also the above-mentioned parts, being combined with
what has been herein-before described as hydrostatic stops, applied to the great
lever of such steam engine, in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described, videlicit, for preventing the piston from recoiling or returning imme-
diately after it has arrived at the end (or near to the end) of its stroke, and
before the time when (after due pause has been made) the piston ought to
begin to return in commencement of its next stroke; the said hydrostatic
stops forming part of the said new combination hereby firstly claimed.
Secondly, in the new mechanical combination herein-before described, of
two or more water scoops with straight or with curved bottoms combined
together, to act alternately, and combined with a double acting steam engine
of the kind herein-before mentioned, and working with a pause, and combined
with hydrostatic stops, all those parts being the same and being combined in
the same manner as above set forth in respect to the new mechanical combi-
nation firstly claimed as aforesaid; but there being superadded to, and combined
with all that is so firstly claimed, those parts herein-before described and desig-
nated as weights or inverted pendulums applied and affixed, in manner here-
in-before described, to the great lever of such steam engine, or applied and
affixed to any other lever forming part of the connection between the engine
and the water scoops (or pairs of water scoops), or between one water scoop or
pair of water scoops and the other water scoop (or pair of water scoops), or

page_text: applied and affixed to each of the water scoops, such kind of weights or
inverted pendulums being applied and affixed to any one or more, or to all the
said several parts of the combination, in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before explained, vizt, to assist in counteracting the inequality of impelling
force that will be exerted by the piston of such a steam engine when worked
with a great extent of expansive action of the high-pressure steam, the said
kind of weights or inverted pendulums forming part of the new mechanical
combination which is hereby secondly claimed.
And note, I do not make claim to the use of one such water scoop, worked
by a single acting steam engine, raising a weight and lowering that scoop in its
empty state during the working stroke of the piston of such engine, and the
subsequent descent of that weight (during the returning stroke of the said
piston) raising the scoop with the water contained therein, and such engine
and water scoop making a pause or cessation of motion every time that
the piston arrives at (or near to) the end of its stroke before commencing its
return.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Taylor, have hereunto set my hand
and cool this Twenty-civth dov of August One thousand eight