AN IMPROVED STEAM MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolphe François Caron, Engineer, and Edouard Julien,
Merchant, both of Paris (France), for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STEAM
MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE."
Sealed the 4th October 1878, and dated the 9th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolphe François Caron and
Edouard Julien at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th
May 1878.
ADOLPHE FRANÇOIS CARON, Engineer, and EDOUARD JULIEN, Merchant, both
of Paris (France). "AN IMPROVED STEAM MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE."
Our Invention has for its object the construction of a simple, compact, inexpensive,
and easily managed steam engine, particularly adapted for use where a small amount
of power is required, as for working sewing machines, and the like.
The apparatus consists of a boiler with its fittings, a single-acting cylinder with
crank shaft, fly wheel, and feed pump, and a surface condenser from which the water
of condensation is returned to the boiler to generate steam again.
The boiler consists of a copper vessel of deep basin form suspended freely within
an iron casing containing the fire, which may either consist of fuel burned on a
grate, or of a gas or other burner or set of burners having their flame directed on
the lower part of the boiler. The boiler is provided with a safety valve, water
gauge, and pressure gauge, and a steain pipe furnished with a stop-cock or valve
leads from it to a port governed by a valve at the one end or bottom of a horizontal
cylinder. This valve is kept closed by a spring, and is opened by the action of a
cam on the engine shaft at the time when the piston is at the bottom end of the
cylinder. Steam thus admitted propels the piston, and the cam is so formed that
the steam is cut off by the closing of the valve when the piston has performed part
of its stroke. As the piston approaches the end of its out stroke the projecting stem
of a valve on the piston meets the cylinder cover, whereby the valve is opened,
allowing steam to pass through the piston, and to escape by a pipe leading to the
condenser.

page_text: The return stroke of the piston is effected by the momentum of a fly wheel on the
crank shaft, and during this return stroke the valve in the piston is kept open by a
spring. As the piston approaches the end of its in stroke the piston valve meets a
spring projecting from the cylinder bottom, this spring being adjusted by a screw so
as to have greater force than the spring which keeps the piston valve open.
The piston valve being closed by the said adjusted spring, and a fresh supply of
steam being admitted to the cylinder, the piston again makes its out stroke, the
valve in the piston being kept closed by the steam pressure until it is again opened
towards the head of the out stroke. The piston thus worked has a rod and con-
necting rod working in the usual way, a crank shaft, on which is the cam for
working the steam valvo, a fly wheel to give the required momentum and regularity,
and a crank or eccentric which works a feed pump.
The steam discharged, as described, from the cylinder is led by a pipe to the
surface condenser, which consists of a vessel immersed in a tank of water, and having
projecting upwards from it a number of tubes, surrounded by the water of the tank.
These tubes are open at the top, being capped over to prevent access of dust.
The water of condensation flows from the bottom of the condenser to the feed
pump, by which it is forced into the boiler by a feed pipe, which enters the boiler at
the top, and descends nearly to the bottom, a spring check valve being fitted in it
just above the boiler cover. The pipe joints are all made by screw unions, and all
the parts exposed to water or steam are of copper and gun metal, or other metal not
readily oxydisable.
The feed of the boiler being drawn from the condenser no fresh supply of water
is required, except such a small amount as is necessary to make up for leakage.
'
Instead of steam the vapour of alcohol or other spirit or volatile liquid may be
employed to operate in the manner described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adolphe François Caron and Edouard Julien in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th October 1878.
ADOLPHE FRANÇOIS CARON, Engineer, and EDOUARD JULIEN, Merchant, both
of Paris (France).
"AN IMPROVED STEAM MOTIVE-POWER ENGINE"
Our Invention has for its object the construction of a simple, compact, inexpensive,
and easily managed steam engine, particularly adapted for use when a small amount
of power is required, as for working sewing machines and the like.
The apparatus consists of a boiler with its fittings, a single-acting cylinder with
crank shaft, fly wheel, and feed pump, and a surfaco condenser from which the water
of condensation is returned to the boiler to generate steam again.
The boiler consists of a copper vessel of deep basin form suspended freely within
an iron casing containing the fire, which may either consist of fuel burned on a grate,
or of a gas or other burner or sot of burners having their flame directed on the lower
part of the boiler. The boiler is provided with a safety valve, water gauge, and
pressure gauge, and a steam pipe furnished with a stop-cock or valve leads from it
to a port governed by a valve at the one end or bottom of a horizontal cylinder.
This valve is kept closed by a spring, and is opened by the action of a cam on the
engine shaft at the time when the piston is at the bottom end of the cylinder.
Steam thus admitted propels the piston, and the cam is so formed that the steam is
cut off by the closing of the valve when the piston rod has performed part of its
stroke. As the piston approaches the end of its out stroke the projecting stemn
of a valve on the piston meets the cylinder cover whereby the valve is opened,
allowing steam to pass through the piston, and to escape by a pipe leading to the
condenser.
The return stroke of the piston is effected by the momentum of a fly wheel on the
crank shaft, and during this return stroke the valve in the piston is kept open by a
spring. As the piston approaches the end of its in stroke the piston valve meets a
spring projecting from the cylinder bottom, this spring being adjusted by a screw
so as to have greater force than the spring which keeps the piston valve open.
The piston valve being closed by the said adjusted spring, and a fresh supply of
steam being admitted to the cylinder, the piston again makes its out stroke, the
valve in the piston being kept closed by the steam pressure until it is again opened
towards the end of the out stroke. The piston thus worked has a rod and con-
necting rod working in the usual way, a crank shaft on which is the cam for
working the steam valve, a fly wheel to give the required momentum and regularity,
and a crank or eccentric which works a feed pump.
The stean, discharged as described from the cylinder, is led by a pipe to the
surface condenser, which consists of a vessel immersed in a tank of water, and
having projecting upwards from it a number of tubes surrounded by the water of
the tank. These tubes are open at the top, being capped over to prevent access
of dust.
The water of condensation flows from the bottom of the condenser to the feed
pump, by which it is forced into the boiler by a feed pipe, which enters the
boiler at the top and descends nearly to the bottom, a spring check valve being
fitted in it just above the boiler cover. The pipe joints are all made by screw unions,
and all the parts exposed to water or steam are of copper and gun metal, or other
metal not readily oxidisable.
The feed of the boiler being drawn from the condenser no fresh supply of water is
required, except such a small amount as is necessary to make up for leakage.
Instead of steam the vapour of alcohol or other spirit or volatile liquid may be
employed to operate in the manner described.

page_text: Fig. 1 represents a vertical section partly in elevation of an engine and boiler
according to this Invention, the section being taken on two different places to shew
the internal construction of the boiler and of the working cylinder.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the condenser.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the engine with the valve box in section.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the feed pump.
A is the boiler of basin form, which may be fed with any vaporisable liquid, such
as water, alcohol, ether, or the like; it is brazed to a disc plate B forming the top of
a cylinder C, at the bottom of which is the fire, or gas, or other flame. The boiler is
fed by the pipe a, which communicates through a check valve c kept up by a
spring & with a pipe b, that descends almost to the bottom of the basin. The boiler
being attached only at its upper edge is free to expand or contract; it is provided
with a water gauge D and pressure gauge E.
The steam or vapour from the boiler passes by the side branch F and pipe G to
the engine. On the pipe G is fitted a safety valve N, of which with its lever O a
side view is shewn in Fig. 5. The cylinder H' is single-acting. When the piston
reaches the end of its stroke to the right a cam e on the crank shaft M acting on
the spring rod g opens the valve f, whereby steam or vapour from the pipe G is
admitted through the port / to the cylinder, causing the piston to make its forward
stroke, the pressure closing a valve i in the piston in opposition to a spring j. At a
certain point of the stroke the cam ceases to hold the valve fopen, and the rest of
the stroke is effected expansively. At the end of the forward stroke the tappet stem
of the valve i meets the cylinder cover, whereby the valve is opened, allowing the
steam or vapour to pass through the piston to the discharge pipe H, the piston
making its return stroke with the valve i kept open by its spring j, until at the end
of the return stroke the valve i is closed by meeting the spring buffer k, and the
valve fis again opened for a fresh stroke. The spring k is held by a screw q which
allows the spring to be moved or replaced without taking off the casing . The
piston rod I is linked by a connecting rod J to the crank pin K of the disc L fixed
on the shaft M which carries the fly wheel V.
The exhaust from the cylinder is led by the pipe H into the condenser, consisting
of a vessel P surrounded by water in a tank Q, Q', several pipes R. extending
upwards from P to the exterior of Q, and being grated over to prevent entrance of
foreign matters. The liquid of condensation is led by the pipe S to the feed pump T,
the plunger U of which has at its end a hardened caoutchouc cup packing m secured
on it by a screw n and is driven by a connecting rod X from a crank pin on the fly
wheel V. The pump valves o and p are contained in the valve box U¹, which com-
municates with the boiler by the pipe a.
The pipe joints are throughout made with screw unions.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we claim,-
First. The herein-described construction of boiler in the form of a basin, sus-
pended by its upper edge within a casing in which the products of combustion play
round the boiler.
Second. The construction and arrangement of the single-acting cylinder with its
piston and spring valves operating as herein described.
Third. The herein-described construction of condenser, consisting of a vessel sur-
rounded with water, and having free communication by pipes with the external
air.

page_text: Fourth. The combination of the boiler, engine, and condenser, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Adolphe François Caron and Edouard Julien,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-third day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ADOLPHE FRANÇOIS CARON.
(L.S.)
EDOUARD JULIEN.
(L.S.)
Witness,
JULES ARMENGAUD, Jeune,
of Paris, Bd de Strasbourg 23,
Civil Engineer.