IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING WATER, STEAM, COMPRESSED OTHERQUIDS GASES FOR DRIVING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sholto Douglas, of Blairgowrie, in the County of
Perth, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE
POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING WATER, STEAM, COMPRESSED
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sholto Douglas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd May 1866.
I, SHOLTO DOUGLAS, of Blairgowrie, in the County of Perth, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING WATER, STEAM,
COMPRESSED AIR, AND OTHER LIQUIDS AND GASES FOR DRIVING THE SAME," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention, which has for its essential object a certain peculiar arrange-
ment of machinery or apparatus to be actuated by water, steam, compressed
air, or other liquids or gases, consists as follows:-A wheel is carried on an
axle which works in water, air, or steam-tight bearings fixed in the side of a
cylinder or case. The cylinder or caso is so constructed that the wheel
revolves freely within it and in such manner that as little wear as possible may
result from the movement of the wheel therein. On the circumference of the
wheel several curved passages are fixed; these passages are so formed that
the water, steam, compressed air, or gas entering therein leaves the passages

page_text: by returning therefrom to the same direction that it entered, that is to say,
the passages are bent into a curved or U-shaped figure, and by the resistance
opposed to the passage of the water, steam, compressed air, or gas as it issues
from the return end of the passages additional power is obtained over and
above what would be due to the pressure of the column of water, steam,
compressed air, or other fluid under ordinary circumstances.
It is to be understood that the number of such passages will be varied to
suit any particular circumstances, and it is found preferable and advantageous
to unite two of these passages together at their exits, so that the sectional
area of the exit is equivalent or thereabouts to the area of the inlet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sholto Douglas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SHOLTO
DOUGLAS, of Blairgowrie, in the County of Perth, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Iferself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Sholto Douglas, Her special license that I, the said Sholto Douglas, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Sholto
Douglas, my executors, administrators, or 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
MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING WATER, COMPRESSED AIR,
AND OTHER LIQUIDS AND GASES FOR DRIVING THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Sholto Douglas, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sholto Douglas, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its essential object a certain peculiar arrange-
ment of machinery or apparatus to be actuated by steam, water, compressed:
air, or other liquids or gases, and consists as follows:-A wheel or wheels is
or are carried on an axle or axles which rotate in water, air, or steam-tight
bearings fixed in the sides of a cylinder or case. The case is so constructed
that the wheel revolves freely within it and in such manner that as little wear
as possible may result from the movement of the wheel therein. On the circum-
ference or in the body of the wheel several curved passages are made; these
passages are so formed that the water, steam, compressed air or gas entering
therein leaves the passages by escaping therefrom to the same direction or
approaching to the same point on the wheel that is entered, that is to say, the
passages are bent into a curved figure, and by the ristance opposed to the
passage of the water, steam, compressed air, or gas as it issues from the return.
end of the passages additional power is obtained over and above what would
be due to tho pressure of the column of water, steam, compressed air, or other
fluid under ordinary circumstances.
It is to be understood that the number of such passages employed may bo
varied to suit any particular circumstances.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shalb
now proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or
under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,.
reference being bad to the several Figures upon the two explanatory Sheets of
Drawings which I have hereunto appended, and in which similar parts are-
indicated by corresponding letters of reference, that is to say:—
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 is a side elevation of one form of the improved motive-
power engine; Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line a, a, Figure 1;
Figure 8, Sheet 2, is a transverse section on the line b, b, Figure 2, Sheet 1,.
and Figure 4 is another transverse section on the line c, c, Figure 2. In all
the Figures the casing of the engine marked A is, by preference, made of cast.
iron and bolted to the sole plate B, as shown, the halves of both the casings.
themselves being held together by through bolts c, c, and when thus united
forming the cavities o, f, g, & h, between them in which the wheels of the
engine revolve. The wheel C' in this modification (which is a compound
engine having four wheels) are keyed on to, the two cross shafts. D and E

page_text: which pass through the central parts of the casings, and are held in position
so as to revolvo in bearings F and G. From the central part of one wheel to
the central part of the other wheel on the same shaft a tubular or annular
passage extends through which the water or other liquid or fluid employed
passes through the system until it is finally discharged at the last wheel C'.
The arrangement of the shaft will be fully understood from Figures 1
and 2, as well as the mode of fixing the tubular passage H between each
pair of wheels. The tubes are secured to four thin projecting pieces running,
longitudinally between the wheels C', C, C³, and C, as more particularly
seen in transverse section at Figures 3 and 4; the tubes H have also their
ends fixed into the boss of the wheels, as at a, Figure 2.
As it is necessary to maintain a joint without leak at those points where
the shafts and tubular passages pass through the casings, this is effected by
the introduction of the collars or face rings L, which are arranged to slide
freely on the shafts as well as on the tubular passages, and they are carried
round with the shafts and passages by means of small projecting pieces.
Behind the rings L packing rings M are introduced, and these, preferably,
consist of thin bands of vulcanized india-rubber, or they may be made of any
other suitable elastic material; these are attached to the outside of the shafts and
passages; those on the shafts have a firm abutment against the fixed collars c,
while those on the passages abut against the central projecting piece t, the
clasticity of the packing when compressed causing the face rings L to be
pressed continually against the faced bosses of the casings. The pedestals N
which carry the bearings for the shafts D and E are held to the sole plate B
by bolts; the wheels themselves are made either of cast iron, brass, or other
suitable metal or material. When employed for actuating machinery, either a
belt, pulley or pulleys, pinions or spur wheels, a crank or cranks may be fixed
on any of the shafts for transmitting motion and force, as may be required.
It is to be understood that besides being used as a stationary engine it
may also by suitable arrangement be made to fulfil the functions of a loco-
motive or marine engine in a most efficient manner. By the introduction of
suitable connections to the travelling wheels of the former and the pro-
pulsive apparatus of the latter, as such an arrangement is at once evident
to the practical engineer or mechanic it is not necessary herein to further
describo it.
I now proceed to set forth the mode or manner in or under which my
improved motive-power engine is operated. The motive agent employed,
whether it be steam, compressed air, gas, water, or other liquid or fluid,
is admitted into the casing by the passages p, whence it passes into the curved

page_text: passages of the first wheel c¹ being separated so as to fill all the passages and
completely surround the wheel by means of the divisions p, p, Figures 3
and 4, causing by its action on these passages a revolution of the wheel C'.
Passing from the central end of the curved passages it passes by the tubular
passage H to the central part of the other wheel, whence by centrifugal
action it is impelled to the outside ends of the passages, leaving which it
passes from the second wheel C³, Figures 2 and 4, over and under the
diaphragm t, to the third wheel C, on which it acts similarly to the first
wheel, the motive agent, whether it be a fluid or a liquid, is directed along the
second central passage to the fourth wheel C, on escaping from which it is
carried off by the duct v.
Although I have shown a fourfold system of engine it is to be understood
that I include, under this Invention, the use and employment of single-wheel
engines as well as engines in which the number of wheels is increased to
whatever number may be necessary. I wish howover to explain, that in
increasing the number of wheels the speed is diminished and the power
increased in a corresponding ratio, so that in cases where high speed is
required it will be found advantageous to use a single wheel, whilst in other
cases where greater power and less spoed suffice it is better to multiply the
number of wheels.
.
With engines constructed according to the Specification and accompanying
Drawings I have obtained an efficiency as high as 84 per cent., which I
believe is the highest efficiency ever obtained from any existing motive-power
engine.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would
observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the arrangement and construction of motive-power engines,
as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sholto Douglas, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Sixteenth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.