CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MODES OR METHODS OF OBTAINING POWER FROM THE USE OF STEAM
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE
ESEN
SHALL COME, 1, JOHN
JONES, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of October, in the fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant' unto me, the said
John Jones, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, Her especial licenéè, full power,
sole privil and authority, that I, the said John Jones, my exors, adiiors,
and assigns, and every of them, by himself and themselves, or by his and
their deputy and deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said
John Jones, my exors, adññors, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend my said Invention within that part of Her said United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, in such manner as to me, my exors, adñiors, and
assigns, or any of them, should in my or their discretions seem meet, and
that I, the said John Jones, my exors, admors, and assigns, should and lawfully
might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage
from time to time coming, growing, accruing, and arising by reason of my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MODES OR
METHODS OF OBTAINING POWER FROM THE USE OF STEAM;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Jones, shall cause a full
and particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and the manner

page_text: in which the same is to be performed, under my hand and seal to be enrolled in
Her said Majesty's 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
John Jones, do hereby declare that the nature of my said invented improve-
ments, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
set forth and described in the following Specification thereof, reference being
had to the several Drawings hereunto annexed, marked A, B, C, D, E, and
to the letters and figures thereon, that is to say :-
.....
The first branch of my said improvements relates to the class of steam
engines commonly called oscillating engines, and to those of that class which
are worked by high-pressure steam; and the nature of this branch of the said
improvements consists in causing the steam to pass into and out of the working
cylinder through certain valves and steamways peculiarly constructed and
situated, and to act simultaneously on two or more arms affixed to a shaft
or shafts passing through the centre of such cylinder opposite to or at con-
siderable angles to one another, which arms serve the purposes of the ordinary
steam piston. The Drawings marked A, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 4, 43,
represent an oscillating engine, constructed on this plan, with a two-armed
piston, Figure 1 being a front elevation of the principal parts of the engine;
Figure 2, a separate view of the eccentric gearing for working the valve;
Figure 3, a transverse sectional plan of the cylinder and piston; and Figure 4,
a longitudinal section of the cylinder and piston. In Figure 1, a, a, represents
the framing; b, plumber block for bearings of the piston shaft; c, cylinder;
d, induction steam pipe; e, eduction steam pipe; f, crank on the end of
the piston shaf g, rod connecting the crank with h, the fly wheel;
i, driving shaf; j, plumber block for bearings of the working shaft;
k, k, eccentric gearing for working the slide or steam valve. Figure 2 is a
separate view of the eccentric gearing, in which i respresents the driving shaft,
k the eccentric and connecting rod, and e the case of the valve v. In Figure
3, p, p, represents the piston shaft, having the two arms r,.r, projecting
therefrom; b, b, two stuffing boxes in which the shaft oscillates; c, c, c, c,
cylinder; w, w, apertures or steamways formed in and. through the shaft,
through which the steam passes alternately into and out of the cylinder c, as
regulated by the steam abutments or blockings shewn in Figure 4 and herein-
after described; s¹, s', are coiled springs inserted in the arms which act upon
t, t, two tongues intended to keep the metallic packing steam-tight; and s, s²,
are similar springs, which also assist to keep the packing tight." "In Figure 4,

page_text: p represents the piston shaft"; c, c, cylinder; Q and Q are chambers, into
which the cylinder is divided by the triangularly, shaped abutments or blockings
o, o v, valve in the case of the cylinder with passages 21, 22, in the adjoining
blocking for the admission of the steam from the induction pipe (d) and its escape
through the eduction pipe (e); w, the steamways in and through the
piston shaft; i, screw and coiled spring to keep the packing tight against the
piston shaft (the opposite side having a spring for the like purpose; t,'t,
tongues to keep the packing steam-tight; r,r, the two arms of the piston
shaft p; ; 1, metallic packings; Figure 42 and 43 are separate views of the
valve v. Figure 42 is a vertical section, and Figure 43 is a top plan. a, a, in
Figure 42 are the passages at each end for conveying the steam to the
opposite sides of the valve as alternately admitted into the passages z' and 2²,
In Figure 4³ the passages a, a, are denoted by the dotted lines and arrows; va, v³,
are the partitions' between the passages; d is the induction pipe, and e the
eduction pipe. The action of the engine is as follows:-Supposing the valve
r, at starting, to be in such a position that both the passages z¹ and z² are open..
the steam flows through from the induction pipe into that part of the chamber
Qand q, and through the piston shaft by the steamway into that part
of the chamber Q2 marked q2; and thereby acts simultaneously on both arms
of the piston, but on' opposite sides of these arms. As the arms of the piston
are carried round by the force of the steam, any steam or air left in the
portions of the two chambers Q¹ and Q³, marked q¹b 92b, is expelled through
the piston steamway w²; the blocking passage z, and the valve v, into the
eduction pipe e, and when the arms' have completed one oscillation the
position of the valve 'v is 'at that instant, by the action of the eccentric
gearing k, k, changed so as to cut off the communication between the in-
duction piped and passage z¹, but to open that passage to the eduction
pipe e, while on the other hand, and by the same change of position, the
passage zis shut off from the eduction pipe, but opened to the induction
pipe; whereupon the steam; flowing in upon the sides of the arms opposite to
those first acted upon through the passage 22 and w², produces the return
stroke of the piston, and so the arms continue to oscillate as long as the supply
of steam is kept up. In Figure 5 A is shown the mode of constructing
an oscillating engine with a three-armed piston, the said Figure being a
longitudinal section of the cylinder and piston and their appendages. a is
the piston shaft b, "b, the cylinder; c, c, c, three steam chambers in
cylinder formed by the blockings d, d, d, as previously. described; e, e, e, e, e, e,
the steamways' in and through the steam shaft; ff, f, screws and coiled
springs, and 9, 9, g, tongues and coiled springs, both similar to those
.

page_text: before described and intended to serve the like purposes; h, h, h, metallic
packings; k, k, k, the three projecting arms of the piston shaft. In Figures
6 and 7A is shewn the mode of constructing an oscillating engine with a
four-armed piston, Figure 6 being a sectional plan, and Figure 7 a transverse
section thereof. In this case, instead of one shaft there are two shafts made
use of, that is to say, a shaft consisting of two separate parts; one of which
takes into and revolves in a socket in the end of the other, and instead of the
blockings by which the cylinder is divided into chambers being made steam-
tight on the shafts, as in the engines before described, with two and three
armes pistons, open spaces o, 0, 0, 0, (Figure 7) are left between the blockings
and the shafts. In Figure 6, a represents one of the shafts projecting half
way into the cylinder, with a socket at its inner end, into which the inner end
of the other or opposite shaft b fits exactly, but yet so as to revolve freely
therein; c, c, (Figure 6) are two of the arms projecting from the shaft; d, d,
one of the arms projecting from the shaft 6 (the arms on the two shafts being
placed at different angles); e, e, the cylinder; f. f, stuffing boxes of the
shafts a and b; g, crank on the end of the shaft a, and h, crank on the end of
the shaft b: the two cranks being placed at different angles; i, i, steamways in
and through the shafts. In Figure 7, a represents one of the shafts as before
described; c, c, two of the arms of the shaft a; d, d, two of the arms of the
shaft b; e, e, cylinder. The arrows shew the directions in which
the arms move alternately; m, m, m, m, four blockings, by which the
cylinder is divided into the four steam chambers n, n, n, n; i, i, steamways in
and through the shafts a and b; and p, case with valves and passages for ingress
and egress of the steam into and out of the steam chambers. And I declare
that what I claim as of my Invention under this first branch of my said
improvements is, the method or system herein-before variously exemplified of
causing the steam to pass into and out of the working cylinder, in such manner
as to act simultaneously on two or more arms fixed opposite to or at con-
siderable angles to one another on the piston shaft or shafts. And I further
declare that I do not claim the exclusive use of any of the separate parts of
the combined apparatus herein-before described or referred to, except so far
as the same is or may be used for the purpose of causing the steam to act in
an oscillating engine, according to the method or system herein-before variously
exemplified; and excepting also the valve v, which I claim as new, and
whether the same is employed in an oscillating engine of any of the forms
before described, or as applied to any other sort of engine.
The second branch of my said improvements consists in working steam
expansively in that class of oscillating engines in which the pistons are enclosed

page_text: and oscillate within circular or other curvilinear cases or chambers. Figure 1,
A, A', represents the principal parts of an engine constructed on this plan.
The interior of the cylinder b, b, is divided by blockings c', c², into two steami
chambers, numbers 1 and 2. The piston a', a², a³, consists of semicircular-
shaped boss with two arms, attached to a shaft that passes through the centre of
the cylinder, which boss may be encreased or diminished in size according to
the extent to which it is desired to work the engine expansively. Each of the
two steam chambers has a separate set of induction and eduction steam
passages (g, h, and i, and g, h, and j) which are opened and closed by means
of a sliding valve pipe f.f.f, common to both; and the steam, after being
worked first at high pressure and then expansively in each chamber, is dis-
charged into a condenser k, also common to both chambers, supposing the air
to have been blown out of the engine, and steam only to have admission. The
action is as follows:-The steam, being admitted at a high pressure from the
boiler on to the upper side (as the Figure is drawn) of one of the arms of the
piston (which may be supposed to be a in the chamber No. 1) through the
passage g', carries that arm round to the blocking c¹, and with it the semi-
circular boss a', in proportion to the size of which boss the area of the chamber
No. 1 is of course for the amount diminished simultaneously with the arm a²
completing its stroke. The valve pipe f, f, f, advances, and, cutting off the
steam from the passage 9', causes it to flow through the pipe f.f.f, and up the
passage g on to the upper side of the opposite arm (a) in the chamber No. 2,
which arm is in its turn carried round to the blocking c', but on the reverse
side, and the area of the chamber No. 2 diminished in proportion to the space
occupied by the semicircular boss. So soon as the piston arm in chamber
No. 2 begins to advance towards the blocking c', the other arm being necessarily
propelled in the opposite direction, the steam left in the chamber No. 1
begins to be expelled back through the passage g', whence it escapes up the
passage h, and acts on the reverse side of the arm a²; but in this instance
expansively, for the semicircular boss being by the return stroke of the arm a³
carried back out of the chamber No. 1, the area of that chamber is encreased
in the same proportion as it was before diminished. When the arm (a³) in
No. 2 has reached the blocking c', and that (a) in No. 1 has receded to the
blocking c, the valve pipe f, f, f, slides back to its original position, whereby
the steam from the boiler is cut off from the chamber No. 2, and let on again
through the passage 9¹ to the upper side of the piston arm in the chamber
No. 1, and at the same time a passage i is opened to the condenser k. The
high-pressure steam, now acting on one side of the piston arm of No. 1, carries
it round a second time to the blocking c', while the steam on the other side

page_text: escapes through passages and i into the condenser, and consequent on these
operations, and simultaneously with them, the steam left in the chamber No. 2
is expelled from it back through the passage 9 and up the passage h³, and acts
expansively on the other or under side of the piston arm in the chamber No. 2.
The valve pipe f. f, f, is thereupon moved forward again, whereby the commu-
nication between the boiler and the chamber No.-1 is once more cut off, and that
between the boiler and the chamber No. 2 is reopened, and a passage j opened
from the chamber No. 2 to the condenser k, and by these means the piston arm
of No. 2 is in its turn acted on by the high-pressure steam on the' one side,
while the expanded steam on the other side escapes into the condenser, and so
the piston will continue to oscillate unintermittingly as long as, the supply of
steam is kept up, the steam acting on each piston arm first at high pressure
and then expansively, and after that being condensed. And I declare that
what I claim under the second branch of my said improvements is, the method
or system exemplified by the oscillating engine last herein-before described of
working expansively oscillating engines of the class last above mentioned.
The third branch of my said improvements consists in the method of
imparting a rotary motion from oscillating or reciprocating engines represented
in the Drawing marked B. a represents the cylinder of such an engine; b, the
shaft of the piston; c, c, stuffing boxes for piston shaft; d, a boss on the
piston shaft, to which is attached a rod e, having an oscillating or reciprocating
motion corresponding with that of the shaft, and connected with two.cranks
ff, whereby rotary motion is given to y, g, two horizontal driving shafts.
The fourth branch of my said improvements consists in certain new arrange-
ments and combinations for obtaining a rotary motion from the direct action of
steam. The Drawing marked C is a sectional end elevation of a rotary engine
constructed according to these arrangements. a is the framing; b, the piston
shaft; c, boss of ditto; d, eliptically shaped steam chamber; e, revolving piston;
fff, three slides acting in grooves of the piston g, and of two circular or
hexagon rings (there being one on each side of the piston), which act eccentri-
cally upon the slides f, f,f; h, h, metallic packings and coiled springs at each
side of the internal surface of the eliptically shaped steam chambers, which
packings press against the piston as it revolves, and are kept tight or regulated
by means of four screws i, i, two of which only are seen in the Drawing); j, the
case of the steam slide or valve; k, stuffing box of gearing for reversing motion;
1, handle of the gearing; m, induction steam pipe; 'n, eduction steam pipe; and
0, 0, 0, 0, passages for the ingress and egress of steam. And I declare that
under the fourth branch of my said improvements I do not claim any of the
separate parts of which the rotary engine last. herein-before described is com-

page_text: posed. But I claim the particular arrangement and combination of known parts
and apparatus last herein-before described and referred to, so far as the same
is applicable to obtaining a rotary motion from the direct action of steam.
The fifth branch of my said improvements consists in the addition to high-
pressure engines of a steam wheel, which may be worked by means of the waste
steam now. usually allowed to blow off, and an increase of power be thereby
obtained without any increased 'expenditure of water or fuel. 'The Drawings
marked D shews' the construction of this wheel. Figure 1'is a sectional plan.
a, a, is a tubular axle or shaft bound'round at the outer extremities f, f, with felt,
hemp, leather, or some other similar rough material; b; b, cast iron case bolted
together;c, c, cast iron plate, upon each side of which curved pipes d, 'd, d, d,
are fixed; ee; stuffing boxes and bearings on each side of the case for the axle
or shaft a; g, one of two pulleys on which the driving shaft h rests, the rims of
which pulleys are bound round with felt, hemp, leather, or some other suitable
rough material, in the same way as the ends of the tubular shaft, so that by the
friction between them motion may be given to h the driving shaft; i, plumber
block and carriage upon which the plumber block is moved backwards and
forwards by j, an adjusting screw carriage; k, k; steam pipes conically turned at
the inner ends to fit steam-tight into the ends of the tubular axle or shaft a,
and leading therefrom to a three-way steam cock (connected to the main
steam pipe), with a lever to reverse the motion of the steam wheel and admit
steam into the curved pipes on either side of the plate on which they are fixed.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of one side of the cast iron plate c.(Figure 1).
a¹ is the tubular axle ór shaft, and k, k, k, k, the curved pipes fixed upon the
plates, which pipes communicate at their inner ends with the tubular driving
shaft, through which the steam enters and gives motion to the wheel in the
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the other side of
the said cast iron plates. c and k¹, k, k, k, are the curved pipes fixed upon
that side of the plate, but turned the contrary way, so that on the steam
passing from the tubular driving shaft into these tubes motion is given to the
wheel in the direction of the arrows. In Figure 4 D is shewn a sectional side
elevation of a steam wheel, with another arrangement or modification of pipes.
a is the tubular axle or driving shaft into which the steam enters; b, b, b, b,
pipes-attached to and radiating from the nave of the wheel, and also fixed, as
may be required upon 'a disc or plate, upon the other side of which may be also
fixed another series of pipes in order to produce a reverse motion by the means
previously, described under Figures: 1, 2, and 3; c, rim of the wheel to and
through which the said pipes or spokes are fixed; d,.d; d, are nozles fixed at
the end of each pipe, which is stopped or closed at; the rim of the wheel.
direction of the arrows.

page_text: Figure 5 D is a sectional plan of the modification last described. a, the
tubular shaft, part in section; b, boss on the tubular shaft; c, stuffing box;
d, induction steam pipe; f, lever for reversing motion; g, one of four valves
fixed upon the tubular shaft, which valves are attached to rods fixed in the
sliding boss by the movement of which the valves admit steam into the curved
pipes of the steam wheel; h, h, h, h, four pulleys upon and between which
rest the ends of the tubular shaft, by the rotation whereof the said pulleys are
put in motion; i, i, sliding boss worked by lever f; j, j, stuffing box of sliding
boss; k, k, shafts upon which the four pulleys are fixed. Instead of the hollow
shaft through which the steam passes into the wheel having the pipes (curved
or straight) inserted into it, and revolving along with them in the manner be-
fore described, the shaft may remain stationary and the pipes only revolve, the
pipes being inserted in a revolving boss pitted upon the stationary shaft, and
cach pipe being supplied with steam from the hollow shaft as it comes round
to open passages provided for the purpose, and regulated, if necessary, by
suitable valves. And although a steam wheel of any of the forms described
under this head of my said improvements will be found particularly serviceable
as an adjunct to the ordinary high-pressure engine in order to turn to useful
account the steam now allowed to go to waste, it may be worked by steam
supplied direct from a boiler whenever that method is preferred; and in either
case the wheel may be made to revolve in a partial vacuum by the means
usually employed for condensing the steam that escapes from the cylinders of
steam engines. And I declare that under this fifth branch of my said improve-
ments I. do not claim any of the parts of which the said wheel, according to
either of the varieties of it before described, is composed separately, and by
themselves (excepting as is herein-after excepted). But I claim the several
combinations and arrangements of known parts and apparatus last herein-
before described, so far as the same are or may be applicable to the purposes
last herein-before expressed. And I declare that I claim generally the em-
ployment of curved pipes for the purpose of obtaining rotary motion, whether
applied to a wheel of the construction before described, or to a steam wheel of
any other construction.
The sixth branch of my said improvements consists of an improve cross
head for that class of steam engines commonly called cross head engines, and
is represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed, marked E, Figures 1, 2,
and 3; Figure 1 being a side elevation; Figure 2, an end elevation thereof;
and Figure 3, a side elevation of the improved cross head applied to two
cylinders, both of which may be worked with high-pressure steam, acting
expansively or not, and then condensed; or two cylinders, with low-pressure

page_text: steam, and then condensed. In Figure 1, a represents the cylinder; b, b, the
improved cross head, in the centre of which is c, a faced parallel aperture or
slot, in which d, a gudgeon, vibrates from one end of the slot to the other;
e, one of the two cranks (which form part of the driving shaft), to which the
gudgeon is fixed; f, the driving shaft; 9, 9, guide rods of the cross head.
The dotted lines shew the position of the gudgeon and crank e, at the top, bot-
tom, and half stroke of the piston. In Figure 2, a is the cylinder; b, the
improved cross head, the dotted lines shewing the gudgeon in the parallel
aperture or slot; e, e, two cranks forming part of f, the driving shaft; 9, 9, part
of one of the guide rods; h, eccentric on driving shaft for working the steam
slide. In Figure 3, a, a', are the two cylinders; b, b, b, the improved cross
head; C, the faced parallel aperture or slot; d, the gudgeon; c, one of the
two cranks; f, the driving shaft. And I declare that what I claim under this
sixth head of my said improvements is, the cross head, with the slot or groove,
and the gudgeon working therein in connexion with the cranks or driving
shaft of steam engines constructed with one or two cylinders, as represented
in the Drawings hereunto annexed, or with three cylinders.
The seventh branch of my said improvements in steam engines consists of a
new mode of construction, represented in Figure F of the Drawings hereunto
annexed. A and B are two small cylinders enclosed within a larger cylinder C,
each having a piston proper to it, and the whole of the pistons being worked
from the same cross head. The steam is admitted at a high pressure into the
small cylinders A and B, whence it passes into the larger cylinder C, and acts
expansively against the piston of that cylinder alternately from below and
above, the exhausted steain being conveyed after each stroke into the con-
denser. The necessary induction and eduction pipes, valves, &c., are all after
the common form, and need not therefore be here described.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh
day of April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Jones, in the
JOHN (L.B.) JONES.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid John Jones came before our said Lady the
Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification' aforesaid, and
all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.