IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY ENGINES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR WATER
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Tetley, of Thurlow Villas, Dulwich, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY
ENGINES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR WATER."
Sealed the 20th October 1854, and dated the 3rd August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Tetley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd August
1854.
I, CHARLES TETLEY, of Thurlow Villas, Dulwich, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY
ENGINES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR WATER" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in rotatory engines worked
by a jet or jets passing from a hollow arm or arms on a hollow axis. In these
descriptions of rotatory engines it has been usual so to construct and combine
tlie parts, that the pressure interior of the rotating axes has had a tendency to
move the axes endways, by which much friction has been caused when work-
ing, by the collars or projecting surfaces on the rotating axes pressing against
the sides or parts of the carriages or bearings. Now, part of my Invention
consists of causing the two ends of each rotating hollow axis to be subjected
to the pressure of the atmosphere, or when one of the outer ends of a rotating
hollow axis is subjected to the pressure of the steam or water, the other end
of the axis is to be subjected to a like pressure, thus keeping the axes of such
engines in a state of equilibrium in respect to endway pressure when rotating;
and another part of the Invention consists of applying a cylinder or hollow
vessel, open at both ends, to surround each of the arms from which a jet
issues.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Tetley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
TETLEY, of Thurlow Villas, Dulwich, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Tetley, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Tetley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others. as 1, the said Charles
Tetley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter. during the
term therein expressed, should, and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY
ENGINES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM (OR. WATER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Tetley, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what, manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that. I, the said Charles Tetley, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what, manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention has for its object improvements in rotatory engines worked
by a jet or jets passing from a hollow arm or arms on a hollow axis. In these
descriptions of rotatory engines it has been usual so to construct and combine
the parts, that the pressure interior of the rotating axes has had a tendency
to move the axes endways, by which much friction has been caused when
working, by the collars or projecting surfaces on the rotating axes pressing
against the sides or parts of the carriages or bearings. Now, part of my
Invention consists of causing the two ends of each rotating hollow axis to be
subjected to the pressure of the atmosphere, or when one of the outer ends of
a rotating hollow axis is subjected to the pressure of the steam or water, the
other end of the axis is to be subjected to a like pressure, thus keeping the.
axes of such engines in a state-of-equilibrium-in-respect to endway pressure

page_text: when rotating; and another part of the Invention consists of applying a
cylinder or hollow vessel, open at both ends, to surround each of the arms from
which a jet issues.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describo
the manner of performing the same..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section, and Figure 2 an end view, of a rotatory
engine with the stuffing box removed, constructed according to my Invention,
to be worked by steam; Figure 3 shows a vertical section, and Figure 4 an
end view, of a rotatory engine constructed according to my Invention, to be
worked by water; Figure 5 is a section of the curved arms which carry the
hollow axis round; Figure 6 is a vertical section, Figure 6* a side elevation,
of another arrangement of rotatory engine to be worked by steam; Figures 7
and 8 show, two vertical sections, at right angles to each other, of the cylinder
or case between the discs. The dotted line in Figure 8 shews the inner
margin of the flange. Figure 9 shews an end view of the pedestal and steam
box, with the cover or lid e removed; and Figure 10 shews a vertical section
of the wheel; the arrows shew the direction of rotation. In this Figure the
wheel is supposed to be of cast iron, for the purpose of weight, so as to operate
as a fly. The machine would, however, when desired, be cheaper without a
fly, so as to have only hollow arms. Two of the spokes are solid, but the
other two are hollow, and each of the hollow ones (the number of which may
be varied) has a short curved pipe, screwed in steam-tight, and fastened with
flanges and set screws, through which curved pipes steam is discharged, and
the outer ends of which are somewhat contracted by removeable couplings.
In Figure 6, a, a, are two induction pipes, which bring steam from the boiler,
the upper ends of each of which are represented as broken off. These pipes
may be conducted separately to the boiler, and each provided with a valve to
turn the,steam on or off, in like manner to that practised in other engines;
but I prefer that these two pipes should be joined together in the manner
shewn in Figure 3, by which means one valve will answer. b is a pedestal,
with a foot plate c, for the purpose of bolting to a foundation, and having a
steam box d on the top; e is a moveable lid or cover; o, o, in the Figures
are stuffing boxes, of which there is one in the inside of the steam box d, and
through which latter one the end of a hollow rotating axis or shaft markedf,f,
énters in a steam-tight manner. The eight small circles e' represent studs for
screwing on the cover e. In all the Figures the parts colored yellow repre-
sent brass bushes or other suitable bearings. 9 is a pulley fixed on the

page_text: shaft f, f, from which motion is to be communicated to any machinery to
be driven, and which may be replaced by a toothed wheel or screw, or such
other known mechanical arrangement as is now in use for similar purposes
in other machinery. f, f, is a hollow axis or shaft, which will be under-
stood by examining the Drawings; is a wheel securely fixed on
the
shaft f, f, by keys or set screws through the boss. It will be seen by
the Drawing that the boss of the said wheel is just the width to form
two collars or shoulders between the inner surfaces of the circular discs,
shortly to be described. This arrangement consists principally of three
castings, videlicet, two side discs with ribs and stuffing boxes cast on each,
between which discs is a cylinder or case marked i, i, having a branch circular
pipe p cast on at the bottom. The branch pipe p at the bottom is to join on
to a condenser when a condenser is used, or when no condenser is used such
branch may be brought to the top or to either side by turning the case partly
round, so as to convey the waste steam into a chimney or other outlet.
Figure 2 shows the right-hand end view circular disc of Figure 1. There are
eight ribs cach one inch thick, and seven of which, marked y, are three inches
broad towards the steam box, and taper to one inch at the circumference
of the disc, as seen in section by Figure 1. There is a man-hole shewn in the
Drawing, which is provided with a steam-tight lid, in the manner usual for
steam boilers. The perpendicular rib on the lower half, marked, is formed
into a bracket between the foot plate and the steam box, as seen in section by
Figure 1. The purpose of the ribs is for strength when a vacuum is formed
inside, and it is therefore obvious that when no condensation is used such ribs
are unnecessary, and the discs may be made altogether lighter, so as to make
cheaper machines; and it is also obvious, that when a vacuum is required, the
roquisite strength for such discs may be obtained, either with proportions varied
from the Drawings, or by other well-known modes of constructing machinery,
without such ribs. The steam box of Figure 1, and also the right-hand steam
box of Figure 6, have lugs cast on the outside the whole depth (like the teeth of
wheels), so as to admit of the model being drawn out of the sand, which lugs are
seen in end view in Figure 2, and have studs tapped in, as indicated by the
eight small circles, which have threads and nuts to bolt on either a cover, as in
Figure 6, or a stuffing box, as in Figure 1. Figure 11 shews the lid or cover for
the right-hand steam box of Figure 6. The manner in which I prefer to effect
the construction is as follows:-I bolt the two circular dises and the cylinder
i, i, together, and having previously fitted and secured the brasses, glands, and
covers in their places in the usual manner, I then bore the whole through with:
a rotary cutter, by which means all the rubbing surfaces are rendered truly

page_text: parallel with the axis. Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent a machine intended to
be worked by water, and in which, therefore, all the channels are larger. The.
arms are strengthened by two metal ribs or plates marked k, k. These Figures
will be understood by inspection after understanding the other Figures.
By way of example, I conceive these last-mentioned Figures to represent a
machine well adapted to be worked by a supply of water sufficient to charge
a six-inch pipe (internal diameter) descending thirty feet in perpendicular
altitude. The supply pipe, having a stop valve therein, is to be joined into the
socket marked L, in Figure 3. There is no case in this machine to enclose
the rotating arms, as I design to shew that when the issuing water would be a
nuisance, either the rotating part only or the whole machine may be enclosed
by brick, stone, or woodwork, to reduce the cost; and also, that if made to
revolve horizontally, it would be a superior machine for irrigating lands. This
mode, however, will only do for machines which are worked by steam when
no vacuum is required. In reference to Figure 6, steam is admitted by the
pipes a, a, into the steam boxes d, m, whence it passes in the direction of the
arrows into both ends of the rotating axis, and is discharged through the hollow
arms into the case in which the wheel revolves. This will produce motion
and a moving power. A condenser, similar to those now in use for other
steam engines, and provided in the usual manner with an air pump, may
be connected to the branch pipe p, by which means either a low pressure con-
densing engine or a high pressure condensing engine will be obtained, according
to the pressure of the steam used. If it be desired not to incur the expense
of a condenser, or if it has to be used where water for condensing cannot be
had, it will be a high pressure engine, if used without a condenser. The
pressure on the ends of the axis in this Figure and Figure 3 is balanced by
the two ends of the rotating hollow axis being subjected to the like pressure of
steam or water. Figure 1 differs from the last preceeding mentioned Figure
in respect that neither end of the rotating axis is subjected to the pressure of
the steam or water, but both are subjected to the pressure of the atmosphere
only, by which means a similar equilibrium of force endwise upon the rotating
axis is produced. It will be understood that the steam enters from the chest
d, through the aperture marked a, in the hollow axis, and traverses as in the
other Figures. Another mode of manufacture is to dispense with one of the
induction pipes a, a, (Figure 6,) because, although the steam or water would
be in such instance actually admitted from the source of supply into a box or
chest at one end of the axis only, yet an equilibrium will be produced by its
traversing into the close box at the opposite end through the hollow axis. I
prefer, however, to manufacture it, as previously described, in order to avoid

page_text: greater diameter of the hollow axis; I have introduced Figure 12 for the
purpose of contrast only. If a machine were so made, the pressure in the
box & would tend to move the rotating axis endwise, by which much friction
would be caused. For example, if the rotating axis be two and a half inches
diameter, and the pressure of the steam 50 lbs. per square inch, the total
effective pressure on the rotating axis endwise would be a little more or less
than 245 lbs., according to the state of the atmosphere at the time;. or, if it
were six inches diameter, such endwise pressure would be more than three
tons and three quarters. Now, if the velocity be such that the rotating axis
makes four hundred rovolutions per minute, the friction would be enormous.
I do not claim anything in respect of a machine so made. I have in some
cases used a cylinder open at both ends around the ends of the arms, as is
shown at Figure 18.. I have, however, not obtained that practical advantage
therefrom which my first experiments induced me to expect; I therefore
make no claim thereto, nor do I claim any exclusive right to any parts of
the machines herein-before described when separately considered, nor when
combined otherwise than according to my Invention; nor do I confine myself
to the precise details of construction herein shewn and described; but what I
claim as my Invention is, the combining the parts of rotatory engines to be
worked by steam or water in such manner that the pressure of the atmosphere
shall act on both ends of the axes of such engines; or when one of the ends
of a rotating hollow axis of such an engine is subjected to the pressure of the
steam or water, the other end of the axis shall be subjected to a like pressure,
thus keeping the axes of such engines in a state of equilibrium in respect to
endway pressure when rotating.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Tetley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
CHARLES TETLEY. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.