CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OSCILLATING ENGINES PUT IN MOTION BY STEAM AND GAS, RESULTING FROM COM BUSTION
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
ARMAND LE COMTE DE FONTAINEMOREAU, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighth day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty, in the thirteenth year of Her reign,
did, 'for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the said
Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, my exors, admňors, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I; the said
Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, my, exors, adñors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau,
my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in-the Islands of Jersey,
Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
OSCILLATING ENGINES PUT IN MOTION BY STEAM AND GAS, RESULTING FROM COM
BUSTION," communicated to me from abroad; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru
ment in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's

page_text: High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited 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
Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention communicated to me, and the manner in which the same is to
be performed, is particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
instrument in writing, reference being had to the letters and figures therein
contained, and to the Drawings thereunto annexed, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists,―
Firstly, in using for oscillating engines an annular capacity permanently
united to the horizontal arbor, and containing molten metals, which, by the
united forces of steam and gas being made to fall alternately on each side of
the engine, causes this last to oscillate.
Secondly, in disposing for oscillating engines the sliding valve, so as to
regulate the admission of the motive power, and causing the said sliding valve
to operate without excentric..
Thirdly, in the mode of regulating in oscillating engines, by the suction of
the engine, the sufficient and necessary quantity of atmospheric air to produce
from the combustion the most useful and possible effect. Admitting that the
dynamic form of the gases are in proportion to their volumes under the same
pressure, experience demonstrates that the motive power of gaseous products
generated by the combustion is, for every pound of burnt coal, about three
times larger than the corresponding steam power obtained in a common
generator. On the other side the useful effect, by the best known engines,
represents to the utmost but the seventy-hundredth parts of the forces which
the engine spends; it naturally follows, that if the power generated by the
combustion of the fuel be so represented by hundred, the corresponding steam
power generated in the boiler is represented by one third of one hundred, or
at most by thirty-five, and the force of the engine is 25 per cent. to the utmost.
The apparatus herein-after described lessen the loss just pointed out, which loss
of combustible amounts to 75 per cent., or to three fourths of the burnt com-
bustible, in the best constructed steam engines yet known. In the improved
apparatus herein-after described, the flame acting conjointly with the steam
allows the volume of the boiler to be considerably lessened, while on the
other hand it simplifies, to a very great extent, the whole of the machinery.
It is of a very simple and economical construction. It does not require a
solid piston, and by its oscillating motion gives, without excentric and stuffing
box rod, to the sliding valve the motion by which this last regulates the

page_text: admission of the gaseous products, and finally causes them to act according
to their expansive power. The gases generated by the combustion are use-
fully employed in the engine, and they egress into the atmosphere only after
having given up their excess of caloric to the steam which enters after
them, and they work conjointly. The steam is made to operate by expansion
at a very high temperature, though its elastic force be equal to that in
the generator, and without any mixture of liquid water. The engine, perform-
ing itself the suction of the smoke by which it is surrounded, forces the
atmospheric air through the incalescent fire, and causes that air to ingress in
an efficient and necessary quantity; consequently the combustion of fuel is
not alimented, as is the case in the present boiler, by too large a volume of air;
the excess of which occasions naturally a considerable waste of caloric which
is lost uselessly into the atmosphere. The suction of the engine being
powerful, the air is forced into the fire, and can pass through all kind of fuel;
even in a state of dust, or through combustible in a state of liquidity, and in
both cases it quickens and completes the combustion. To render the improve-
ments communicated to me more easily understood, when applied to railways
and steam boats, a single engine will be described.
In the Drawing 1, the Figure 1 represents a section through the boiler and
engine, drawn by a plan perpendicular to the oscillating axis A, B. Figure 2
of the same Drawing is an horizontal plan, and Figure 3 of the same
Drawing 1 is a vertical section through the same axis A, B. The same letters
of reference in the several Figures of the two Drawings represent parts which
are similar. The boiler, which may be made of various shapes, is divided in
two compartments, F, H, H, Figures 1 and 2, Drawings I and II., having
one common casing or envelope E, E, E, E. The fireplace F is surrounded
by water, as well as the smoke chamber H, HI, containing the engine. P is
the door through which the combustible is introduced on the grate G. The
door P is made to keep air-tight by means of a flange which presses an asbestos
matting in a groove cut round the frame q, q. The door S of the ashpit is
disposed like the herein-before described door P. When the fuel is lighted,
the door P being closed and the door S being open, the flame passes through
the apertures M, M, into the compartment H, H, where it heats the engine,
and also the surrounding water, before being educted through the chimneys
C, C, which are set on the right and left of the steam chest D, D. The
body of the engine is composed of an annular cast-iron chest maintained
between two cylinders U, U, and V, V, having one common oscillating axis,
and the same bases Q, Q, and O, O, parallel to each other. This annular
capacity or chamber is divided by a partition m, m, into two chambers or

page_text: compartments; not having in their upper parts any communication with each
other. When the engines are of a large dimension, the external cylinder U, U,
herein before mentioned, is made of sheet iron, rivetted on the edges of the
partition m, m; with the lateral parts Q, Q, Q, Q;. of the cast-iron cylinders
V, V. The annular capacity, herein-before described, could also be composed
of a certain number of equal and circular tubes, having the sanie dimensions,
and set close to each other on their mutual oscillating axis. Each of those
several tubes or rings would be composed of two equal parts, having their
lower extremities fixed air-tight on the right and left sides of a chamber;
serving to each of them as a common recipient. Their upper extremities
would be also fixed on the right and left sides of another common recipient;
divided into two compartments or chambers by a partition similar to the
herein-before described partition m, m, of Figures 1 and 2, Drawings I and II;
The lower half of the annular capacity herein-before described is filled with a
liquid which does not boil but at a very high temperaturë, or with a fusible
metal or metals, such as, for instance, a mixture of molten tin and lead. The
oscillating shaft A, B, is permanently fixed to the apparátus by means of the
arms n, n, n. It is supported by two bearings a, a, and b, b, and it passes
through the box or casing L, L, in which the distribution of the motive power
takes place. The sliding valve I., Figures 3 and 4, Drawings and II., works
over thrée apértures x, y, and z, purposely prepared in the parts f¹ and g' of
the shaft A, B, which bears a flat and perfectly even enlargement; as repre-
presented. In the two said Figures 3 and 4. of the Drawings, the latter
Figure 4 is double the size. To set the engine at work the fuel is lighted;
and the external air, entering by the door S of the ash. pit, is compelled to pass
through it. When the steam of the water surrounding the chambers: E and
H, H, Figures 1 and 2 of the two Drawings, has acquired sufficient power, the
fusible. metal is completely melted. To set the engine. in motion it suffices to
open the admission valve T,. Figure 1, by means of the rod 'R, then the steam
of the reservoir D immediately flows out through the pipes 1, 1, Figures 1
and 3, into the box L, L, in which it is confined. by the annular segments c, c;
and d, d, made either of tempered steel or cast-iron. The steam presses in
the distributing valve I, which is also maintained by a spring e, e, Figure 4,
jointed to the said sliding valve I; Figures 3 and 4: The extremities of the
herein-before mentioned spring e, e, slide on the lower surface of a steel band
fg, fixed by its bent extremities f, g, to the arbor A, B., In the position
represented in the said Figure 4, the sliding valve I' is made to uncover the
aperture of the arbór A, B, and the steam egressing through it passes
through X, X, into the top of the upper part of the compartment of the

page_text: annular chest, on the left side of the herein-before described partition m, m,
Figure 1. There its elastic power lowers to o', the level o of the molten metal
(or metals), which then rises to I¹ to enable it to be in equilibrium with the
steam; and this last presses the partition m, m, either under the aforesaid
pressure of the steam, or by the weight of the molten metals raised by it.
The partition m, m, is then made, as well as the shaft A, B, and the sliding
valve I, to turn towards the left. The sliding valve I, Figures 3 and 4,
is provided with a rod p, p', for the purpose of regulating its motions.
As soon as the rod p meets the projection z', made in the thickness of
the before described box L, L, at the ingress of the steam, the sliding
valve I stops, but the shaft A, B, continuing to revolve, the sliding valve
I is compelled to move backward in the direction of x, by the inclination
of the plane f, g'. Then the orifice is shut while z communicates with y,
and the steam acts by expansion, after which z is made to close, and the
communication is restored between x and the opening y, through which the
steam, after having performed its action, .egresses into the atmosphere by the
pipe Y, when at the same moment the elevated liquid falls, and 'on account of
the velocity it has acquired descends below the stationary level I, Figure 1,
and the place which it has left vacant is instantly filled up with smoke. This
smoke, which surrounds the engine, introduces itself into it through a metallic
cloth.r, r, Figure 3, by causing the valve h to open. The sliding valve I,
Figure 4, continuing its motion, enables to communicate again with y by
uncovering ; then the steam passes .immediately through Z, Z, into the
annular space on the right of the partition m, m, Figure 1, and closes the
valve h, Figure 3; the elastic force of the steam, in addition to that of the hot
gases which it saturates, lowers in m, i, Figure 1, the molten metals, which
rise on the opposite side to m, o, and which side m, o, 'becoming heavier, causes
the engine and its axis A, B, to turn in a reverse direction. When the sliding
valve I has performed about two thirds of a complete oscillation, it is stopped
by the projection a³, Figure 4, wliile the shaft A, B,,continuing its motion, its
plane surface f, g,.is.made to incline, and causes the sliding valve I-to retro-
grade in the direction of 2, which closes during the time that and y;are-in
communication; then the motive gases begin to dilate until the.communication
being restored between and y enables them to escape into the atmosphere
through the. pipe Y, Y. At the same time the molten metals, raised on the
left side of the partition 'm, m, Figure 1, fall down, leaving a vacuum'-into
which the smoke enters by opening the corresponding valve h, and not, seen, in
the 'Drawing, a little before a, Figure 4, becomes uncovered, to permit the,ingress
of steam through X, X, and so onialternately. The duration of the expansion of

page_text: steam depends on the difference of breadth in the parts p and p', Figures 3 and
4, of the rod p, p, and which parts are successively stopped by the projections.
and . The extent of separation between the projections x and ¹ determines
the extent of the oscillations, which, according to the Drawing of the first
engine, is equivalent to a quarter of the circumference, and in the engine seen
in the second Drawing the oscillation amounts only to one sixth. I do not
confine myself, however, to these precise limits, as I may ad libitum, or
according to circumstances, increase the extent of the oscillation, which in all
cases must be always proportionate to the amount of separation existing
between the said projections x and 2¹. The transmission of the alternate
motion, or its conversion into a rotative, is effected by known means; for
instance, to the extremities of the oscillating shaft A, B, a fly-wheel is per-
manently fixed on one side, and on the other side an arm B, B', is set, as seen
in Figure 3. This arm B, B', serves to put in motion a connecting rod, in
communication with a beam, or with the crank of rotary motive arbor. The
carbon contained in the smoke prevents the oxydation of the metallic bath
contained in the annular capacity herein-before described. However, for a more
certain prevention, both levels o and i are covered with a layer of hydro-
chlorate of ammonia, tallow, or pitch produced from the distillation of coals;
that coating is for the purpose of preserving the molten metals from being in
contact with the oxygen of the atmospheric air contained in the smoke. As
pitch, although volatile in a very small degree, is nevertheless little by little
carried off by the steam, it is desirable to have the engine feeding itself with
it. For that purpose, in the thickness of the shaft A, B, two conduct pipes
K', N, Figure 2, are bored. Each of the said pipes K', N¹, is provided with a
valve K, N, communicating with the summit of the apparatus at each side of
the partition m, m, at K' and N¹. When a vacuum is obtained by the falling
of the molten metals, the space left empty by the falling metals is instan-
taneously filled by the smoke and the atmospheric air, which by their ingress
cause the opening of the valve K or N, Figure 2, of the conduct pipe, cor-
responding with the space where the vacuum was obtained as herein-before
described; the air draws out with it a part of the pitch contained in the
horizontal part of the conduct pipes K¹ or N'. In order to aliment the
pipes K', N¹, two orifices of communication a¹, a¹, and 6', 6', are pierced
in the extremity of the shaft A, B, and these apertures a¹, a',. and b¹, b',
reach a central canal W. This canal W, which is conical, serves as a top
receiver to a hollow tap or key (not seen in the Drawing), which termi-
nates a tube communicating with an upper reservoir of liquid pitch. The
herein-before described tȧp (not seen in the Drawing) is pierced with two

page_text: orifices, which communicate alternately with the before-mentioned correspond-
ing apertures a¹, 61, of a box, so as to permit the pitch to run into K' at the
same moment as the tap closes the entrance of N¹; and thus reciprocally.
the quantity of air introduced, as herein-before described, is regulated by the
valves K and N, and the quantity of pitch by means of the tap with which
the alimentary reservoir is provided. If the tap be too large or open to its
full extent, or again, if the supply of pitch be too great,' the layers of pitch will
fill up, after a few oscillations, about one eighth of the annular capacity above
the levels o and I' of the molten metals, which consequently make no further
vacuum in falling; then the steam which has set the engine in motion
continues to work alone. By these means a great economy is still effected, on
account of the steam acting in a state of complete dilatation and being free
from water, and also because its high temperature increases considerably its
volume, without adding to its elastic force, which force is always limited by
the temperature of the water in the boiler and the safety valves. When the
alimentation is properly effected, and the falling of molten metals leave an
empty space or vacuum as herein-before described, that empty space in which
the smoke is made to enter through the valve h attracts at the same time a
volume of air varying in magnitude in proportion to the size of the valve
K, N, or to the extent they are allowed to open. If a considerable quantity of
cold air is sucked in, instead of allowing the gases which have performed their
action in the engine to escape into the atmosphere, they may be conducted
into the fireplace through the pipe T"; the fireplace is then in part áli-
mented by a mixture of hot, air and smoke, saturated with water, steam, and
pitch. To have that operation effected, as herein-before described, it suffices
to close the valve S" of the egress pipe S', S', Figure 1, Drawing II.
STEAM BOATS.
The engine herein-before described is, as may be easily seen, applicable to
steam boats. To effect this application, the compartments F of the generator,
in Figures 1 and 2 of both the Drawings, contains several and distinct fire-
places, the flames of which proceed through the openings M, M, into the
general vaporising chamber H, H, of the same Figures. That chamber
contains two engines equal in dimensions, without fly-wheels, but disposed like
the connected engines of the locomotive shewn in Figure 1, Drawing II.
LOCOMOTIVES ON RAILWAYS.
The Figure 1, Drawing II., represents a longitudinal section of the engine.
Figure 2 is a horizontal plan; Figure 3 is a vertical section, through the axes
of the two connected engines; and Figure 4 represents, on a double-size, the
transversal section of one of the two.equal distributing boxes L, L. The steam

page_text: generator is divided into three compartments .E, H, H, and H, H³, provided
with one general envelope E, E, E, E, as herein-before described. The last
compartment HI, H, is composed of a cluster of the fire tubes H. The fire-
box F, the smoke chamber or compartment H, HI, and the tubes H", H", are
surrounded with water. P is the door through which the combustible is
introduced on the grating G. During the combustion, the atmospheric air:
runs in through the door S of the ash-pit, and the flame accumulates in the
smoke chamber H, H, through the apertures M, M, Figure 2, where it .heats
the 'two engines, as well as the surrounding water, before it flows through the
tubes H, H, into the chimney C, C. Each engine is provided with a dis-
tributing box L, L, for the motive power. "The two oscillating axes are
supported on one side by a common bearing P₁, P, fixed to the middle of the.
chamber H, Figures 2 and 3, and on the other side by the external bearings.
a, a, b, lb. The locomotive engine is set on six wheels and three axletrees,
C, D, E. The axle C of the motive wheels is terminated by two cranks
C, U¹, and C, V; these cranks are united by the connecting rods U, A, and.
V₁, B; to the cranks A, A, B,'B', which terminate the two oscillating axes.
Thus the two oscillating engines being combined effect the working of the
motive wheels, so that when one enginė moves with a small force towards the
extremities of its oscillation, the:motion of the. other is its maximum of action.
The oscillating motion being the same as in the engines already described,.it
will suffice to explain the mode of reversing the motion which is indispensable.
to 'locomotives and steam boats. The distributing box L, L, Figure 4, Draw-
ings 1 and II., at the height, of the slide valve I, is crossed through a rod-
m', n', which passes also through a stuffing box. L'. When it is required to
change the direction of the motion, it is only necessary to force m³, n¹, into.
L, L, as far as the projection which stops at L'. In that situation, the
extremity m², being more advanced than 2', meet with the rod p, p', of the
sliding valve I, which it stops, and by that means causes the orifice z to be
uncovered before the engine has attained the extremity of its oscillating
motion; then the steam, entering at Z, Z, reverses the motion of the oscillating
engine, and changes the direction of the locomotive. The rotative movement
having been thus changed, it is continued in the new direction on account of
the motion which brings back the rod m³, n, to its accustomed position
immediately after having performed the action on the rod p, p'. The pumps
for alimenting the steam boilers have not been shewn in the Drawings, because
their construction is generally known, as well as the different modes of putting
them in motion.
...
And having now described, the nature of the Invention communicated to me,
and the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do

page_text: not claim, as the Invention communicated to me, the introduction of molten
metals or of a liquid boiling at a very high temperature in steam engines, as
I am well aware that attempts have been previously made of the same; nor
do I claim any of the several component parts of the engine, or apparatus
herein described, taken separately, nor do I confine myself to the precise details
of dispositions and construction also herein-before described, provided the
general features be retained to carry out the principles of the Invention.
But what I claim as the Invention communicated to me, and intended to be
protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is,
Firstly, the use as a motive power of steam and gases raised to a very high
temperature, and in a state of dilatation as herein-before described.
Secondly, the constructing oscillating engines composed of an annular
capacity divided into compartments, as herein-before described, reference
being had to the Figures of Drawings 1 and II.
Thirdly, the mode of disposing the sliding valve in oscillating engines, for
regulating the admission of the motive power, as herein-before described,
reference being had to the Figures 3 and 4 of both Drawings.
Fourthly, the regulating or oscillating engines, by the suction of the engine
itself, the necessary and sufficient quantity of the atmospheric air to produce by
the combustion the most useful and possible effect, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine-
moreau have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
P. DE FONTA (L.s.) INEMOREAU.