CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ANNE
BIRD BYERLEY, of 147, Strand, in the City of Westminster, and County of
Middlesex, Widow, and JAMES COLLIER, of the same place, Civil 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 West-
minster, the Thirteenth day of November, in the second year of Her. reign,
did give and grant unto us, the said Anne Bird Byerley and James Collier,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that we, the said Anne Bird Byerley and James
Collier, our executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by
ourselves and themselves, and by our or their deputy or deputies, servants or
agents, or such others as we, the said Anne Bird Byerley and James Collier,
our 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 of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Inven-
tion of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER;" in which said
Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging us, the said .Anne Bird
Byerley and James Collier, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said. Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after. the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Anne Bird Byerley and James Collier, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention to consist in the use of steam or gas, or both united, in con-
junction with the application of the hydrostatic paradox, to produce motive
power. And in further compliance with the said proviso, we, the said Anne
Bird Byerley and James Collier, do hereby describe the manner in which our
said Invention is to be. performed, by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawing or Engraving annexed to this Specification,
and the figures and letters marked thereon, consisting of Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6; and in which several Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the same letters are
employed to mark and designate the same parts of the machine or apparatus;
and which said Drawing or Engraving we desire may be deemed and considered
part of our said Specification and description of our said Invention (that is
to say):
:-
Fig. 1 répresents a plan of the framework of the machine, following the line
of elevation P, P (Fig. 5).
Fig. 2 is a similar plan, following the line of elevation S, S (Fig. 5).
Fig. 3 is a plan of the upper iron plate, by the line T, T (Fig. 5).
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the side of end of the machine.
Fig. 5 is an elevation or front view of the machine.
Fig. 6 is a section of the stuffing box herein-after mentioned, and the details
of a new piston with a square piston rod.
forks of the beam
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as far as they respectively shew the different
parts of the machine. Fig. 1: A, A', A", A", plate of cast iron, on which four
pillars K, K', K", K (Fig. 5), are placed. D, D, plan of the steam boiler,
in the centre of which is adapted the gas apparatus E. E, the gas apparatus,
the ascending pipes for gas or steam from which are indicated by the letters I, 1.
F, F, the beam, with its axis adjusted on the axis G, G, which is fixed on the
pedestal or supporter W (Fig. 5). H; H', H", H,
carrying at each extremity the axis of the joints h, h, h, h.
which are jointed to the forks H, H', &c., by h, h, &c.
seen a transverse section of the rods j, j (Fig. 5):
Fig. 2: B, B, B", B, plate of cast iron (Fig. 5), on the four pillars
K, K', &c.; at each angle of the plate is seen the section of the pilasters k, k, k, k.
M, M, M, section of three cogged wheels working on each other, and put in
motion by the rods j, j, which are fixed by their lower axis to the beam F, F,
and by their upper axis to the cranks L, L (Fig. 4 and 5), by which means
I, I, the cylinders,
Between the forks are

page_text: .
the alternate motion of the beam is changed to a rotatory motion. N, N,
caps for the axes of the wheels, which caps are fixed on the plate B by bolts.
X, X, the pipes which form part of the hydrostatic paradox.
Fig. 3: C, C¹, C, C, plan of the upper plate. V, V, V, V, section of
one of the pyramids by its base. These pyramids are strongly screwed and
adjusted by their base to the plate C, C', &c., by bolts. O, condensation pipe,
to which the condensing apparatus is attached, which apparatus communicates
by a pipe with the steam boiler at any convenient part of its upper surface.
Fig. 4 W, pillar or supporter of the beam F, F. I, left-hand cylinder, as
seen in (Fig. 5), in front. Z, Z, fixed piston, through the centre of which
passes the pipe X, X, X, called the paradoxal pipe, and which piston is fixed by
its supporter Z, Z, Z, Z, (within which the pipe X, X, X, is enclosed, and
which supporter Z, Z, &c., is bolted to the plate B, B¹, &c. L, crank at the
upper end of the rod j, j, to which it is fastened by screws, also indicated by
the dotted lines in Fig. 5. k, k, pilasters (bolted), with their wedges on the
plate B, B', &c., as shewn in Fig. 2. M, the cogged wheel, on the left hand,
as seen in Fig. 5. C, C¹, C, C, upper plate (Fig. 3), on which the
pyramids V, V, &c., are placed, and of which the left-hand pyramid is shewn,
as also seen in Fig. 5. Each of these pyramids supports a globe U, which
surmounts them, and each paradoxal pipe X, X, X, enters the bottom of the
globe U, in the interior of which it stands about an inch high, in order that a
small quantity of water may always be retained in the bottom of the globe U.
A section of
Q, system of the valve on the left side, as seen in front in Fig. 5.
the steam inlet pipe more extensively shewn in Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 this plan or elevation, which represents the machine in its more com-
pleat view, will illustrate the whole of the above and remaining description.
The sliding valves, enclosed in the boxes Q, Q, have at their extremity q, q, a
rack, which works with a little toothed quadrant or segment of a circle r, r. This
quadrant communicates an alternate movement to the slide valve by means of
a rod fixed at the extremity of the lever R, R, and communicates with the
beam F, F, or with a crank adapted to the axis of one of the outer wheels M, M,
so that when the cylinder I is at its point of departure, the steam or gas, issuing
from the boiler D, D, enters by the valve 1 of the ascention pipe, through the
box Q into the pipe œ. o, o, outlet pipes from the globes U, terminating in O,
and are opened and shut alternately by the action of the slide valve. In the
above description it will be seen that the cylinders I, I, and the pipes X, X, X,
as connected with each other respectively, form that part of the machine in
which the hydrostatic paradox is applied.
Fig. 6 plan of the piston (full size) for the condensing pump. A, A, section

page_text: of the box of the piston, with a square piston rod working in, the stuffing-box
of the pump; B; B, piston rod; C, C, two circles, in brass, through the
centre of which the piston rod slides; D, D, strong spiral spring, serving to
hold the circles in their respective positions against the stuffing box; E, E, E,
the stuffing box; F, F, two plugs, in brass, which are strongly pressed against
the circles C, C, by means of a strong half-circular spring G, G, at the
diametral extremities of which are fixed the screws H, H, which communicate
the pressure of the spring to the plugs F, F. This piston of the condensing
pump forms, however, no part of our Invention. In constructing the machine
above described, care must be taken that the capacity of each globe U shall
be calculated with accuracy, proportionally to the capacity of the cylinder
I and the paradoxal pipe X, X, X, connected with it, so as that when in
the action of the machine the bottom of the cylinder has risen to the extent
of its course, so as to have emptied itself into the globe U, the water so
forced into the globe U shall occupy two thirds of its capacity only, and that
when the cylinder I is at the bottom of its course, and full, the water returning
from the globe U to the cylinder shall scarcely more than fill the cylinder, so
that the globe shall never exceed in capacity more than by one third the
capacity of the cylinder. The water is introduced by having the cylinder at
the top of its course, and pouring the water into the globe U so as to fill two
thirds of its capacity through the safety valve in the upper part of the globe,
and which operation must also be performed on the opposite side of the
machine.
.
The machine for carrying our Invention into effect having been thus de
scribed and prepared, we proceed to describe the mode of putting it into
action or operation, which is as follows:-The boiler D, D, being supplied
with water, and heated by means of the furnace, applied in the way usual in
steam boilers, to a sufficient degree, hydrogen or other suitable gas is to be
generated, by means of the apparatus E, in the following manner. The
stop cock, at the bottom of the globe E of the gas apparatus, being shut,
and the stop cock above E opened, a sufficient quantity of zinc shavings or
iron filings are introduced into the globe E by the vase or funnel above and
through the stop cock, and then a sufficient quantity of diluted sulphuric acid
is poured in upon the shavings or filings, so as to produce hydrogen gas.
The stop cock above E is then closed and that below it opened, whereby the
gas generated will pass into the upper part of the steam boiler, and be ready
to act with the steam. The machine being thus ready for action, the air
contained in one of the globes U must be extracted by means of the condensing
apparatus, and escapes therefrom into the atmosphere with the surplus of

page_text: condensed water, whereby the movable cylinder I, communicating by the
pipe X, X,,X, with the exhausted globe,, will move. upwards so as to force
the water it contains through the pipe X, X,,X, into the exhausted globe;
and at the same time the corresponding cylinder I, on the opposite side of the
machine,. will descend, motion being thereby given. to the beam F, F, and
then the sliding valve in the box Q, connected with the exhausted globe U,
must be opened immediately by moving the lever R, R, whereby a rush of
steam and gas will enter the globe U,,and, by its pressure on the water, force
the cylinder I, connected with it, down to the extent of its course, the effect of
which motion will be to make the corresponding cylinder I on the opposite
side rise and discharge the water it contains into the globe U. above it, the air
in which globe will pass through the outlet valve. through 0 into the con-
densing apparatus, and escape as above mentioned. It is: here necessary to
observe, that when one inlet valve in the box. Q on the side is open, the outlet
valve on the other side is also open, and vice. versa. Thus an alternate
action in the two globes U, U, is created, and will continue so long as the
force of the steam and gas is kept up, and as the cylinders I, I, alternately rise
and discharge their contents, as before described, into the globes U, U, above
them respectively. The steam and gas in the globes pass through.the outlet pipes
connected with them into the condensing apparatus, and by its pump, which
is kept in action by being attached to the beam F, F, in the way well known
to engineers, will be re-conducted. or thrown back into the steam boiler.
This condensing apparatus is not shewn in the Drawing or Engraving annexed,
as it does not constitute any part of our Invention, but is attached as already
mentioned to the pipe O (Fig. 5), and, communicates with the upper part of
the boiler by a pipe. This alternate action of the cylinders, by which the
beam F is set in motion, communicates motion to the two outer wheels M, M,.
by means of the two rods j, j, and the cranks L (Figures 4 and 5). These
two outer wheels M, M, move in opposite directions, and thereby. concur in
turning the centre wheel M, which is between them, continually in the same
direction, and it is to this centre wheel M that the gear is to be connected which
communicates with the resisting force or the power to be overcome, whether'
for the purposes of locomotion, navigation, raising water, or any other purpose
to which steam engines are applicable. This gear is applied at the opposite.
end of the shaft. in which the centre wheel M moves, (viz.) at Y. (Fig. 4)..
The beneficial operation of the hydrostatic paradox in contributing to the
action and power of the machine arises from the velocity of the water in
the paradoxal pipe X, X, X, as compared with its velocity in the cylinder I
when the cylinder I is descending; for, supposing the velocity of the water in

page_text: the paradoxal pipe X, X, X, to be at the rate of nine feet in a second of time,
the velocity of the water in the cylinder, supposing its diameter to be three
times greater than that of the pipe, would be only three feet in a second;
consequently, as it is the mass multiplied by the velocity which produces the
effect, the change of velocity from the pipe X, X, X, to that of the cylinder I
produces the paradoxal action. It may be here stated, that the proportions
of all the parts of the machine in the Drawing or Engraving annexed are
preseved with reference to the construction of machines for use. Machines
may of course be constructed of various sizes. If it should be wished to use
high-pressure steam instead of effecting condensation, as explained above, the
steam and gas must be allowed to escape into the atmosphere, and either
system may be used at pleasure. In the machine above described the para-
doxal pipe is taken at eight feet nine inches in height, and the whole machine,
when constructed, would be calculated to be applied to navigation, locomotion,
or all the purposes of a stationary engine. With a paradoxal pipe of eight
feet nine inches in height, a paradoxal action may be obtained, according to
the pressure of the steam and gas, varying from a quarter of an atmosphere
to about three atmospheres and a half, or perhaps something more.
In very
small engines mercury might be used in the paradoxal process, either alone or
with a portion of water, which would greatly lessen the requisite height of the
paradoxal pipe. The machine would of course be supplied with the necessary
safety valves in the steam boiler and globes U.
Now whereas as regards our said Invention we do not claim any specific
part of the machine above described, but we claim, by means of the said
machine and its manner of action, the mode of producing.motive power by the
use of steam or gas, or both united, in conjunction with the application of the
hydrostatic paradox, as particularly described in this our Specification. And
such our Invention being, to the best of our knowledge and belief, entirely new,
and never before used in that part of Her said Majesty's United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, or Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed; we do hereby declare this to be our Specification of
our said Invention, and that we do verily believe this our said Specification
doth comply in all repects, fully and without disguise, with the proviso in
the said herein-before recited Letters Patent contained; wherefore we do
hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to our said Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said Anne Bird Byerley, and James Collier,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.
ANNE BIRD BYERLY. (L.S.) JAMES COLLIER. (L.s.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirteenth day of May, in the
second year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Anne Bird
Byerley and James Collier came before our said Lady the Queen in Her
Chancery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every
thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the
Instrument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made
in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-nine.