A NEW OR IMPROVED ENGINE OR APPARATUS IN WHICH STEAM OR UNCONDENSABLE GAS IS TO BE USED AS THE MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Augustus Soul, of No. 101, Leadenhall
Strect, in the City of London, Consulting Engineer for Patents
and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED ENGINE
OR APPARATUS IN WHICH STEAM OR UNCONDENSABLE GAS IS TO BE USED AS THE
MOTIVE POWER."-A communication from abroad by Messieurs Hartog
et Cie, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Augustus
Soul at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th June 1874.
I, MATTHEW AUGUSTUS SOUL, of No. 101, Leadenhall Street, in the
City of London, Consulting Engineer for Patents and Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
ENGINE OR APPARATUS IN WHICH STEAM OR UNCONDENSABLE GAS IS TO BE USED
AS THE MOTIVE POWER," a communication to me from abroad by Messieurs
Hartog et Cie, of Paris, in the Republic of France, to be as follows:-
1st. A new arrangement of the cylinders of compound steam engines,

page_text: namely, that instead of being as heretofore in juxtaposition they are set
in succession on a common axis, whether vertically or horizontally, and
in such a manner as their capacities might be put in communication as
required instantaneously through a diaphragm (which is their common
bottom) provided with multiple openings in the form of grates, closable
by means of sliding plates of similar or corresponding conformations.
The object of this new arrangement is to do away entirely with pipes
or other channels, as usually employed for carrying steam from one
chamber into another, heretofore a great drawback from the power
expended in such performance, such spaces being from such loss of
power hurtful spaces." From the entire absence of the spaces this
new engine is called "asolena or "without channels."
**
"
The simplest arrangement for obtaining such a result is, as for example,
that of two cylinders (high and low pressure) laid on a foundation plate
connected by a common base or diaphragm and open at the other ends.
The pistons have consequently one face enclosed for better lubricating
and keeping in order, and their rods are connected together by cross
heads and external side bars in the usual manner, one or other of the
cross heads, as may be arranged, receiving as it were the whole of the
power exerted by the engine to be transmitted by the connecting rod to
the crank shaft.
This specimen being that of the application of this Invention to the
"Woolf engine" is completed by a condenser put in communication
with the large cylinder by means of a sliding grate similar to that
establishing communication between the two cylinders. There may
likewise be set one large cylinder at each end of the small one, thus
realizing in succession instead of side by side the "Woolf's three-
cylinder engine." In this case the piston of small cylinder is provided
with a rod projecting on each side and common to both of the large
pistons, and as it passes through the diaphragms it is provided with
metallic stuffing boxes.
.
This system may also be adopted to engines closed at both ends, but of
course this cannot be done without partly abandoning the advantage of
the same, as recourse must be had to some kind of pipes or steam
channels to carry off the steam from the outside face of the large pistons
to the condenser,

page_text: 2nd. The second feature of this Invention is a new mode of intro-
ducing the steam from the boiler on to the first presented face of the
pistons.
'
This new mode is derived from the principle of the sliding grate, with
this difference, that the multiple openings are disposed, instead of
parallel, in a radial disposition somewhat similar to that of a stove
valve, opening and closing by the circular motion of a perforated disc
against another disc.
The motion of the sliding disc in this Invention is either continuous
or intermittently rotating, but always in the same direction, and this
motion must be in perfect accordance with the speed of the crank shaft
so as to cause all the orifices to open and close in the interval of a stroke,
advancing one division at each turn of the crank. In other words, the
number of such orifices in the disc is the divisor of the speed of the
crank shaft to be applied to the speed of the disc itself.
The chief advantage of such a mode of introducing the steam into a
cylinder is the facility of admitting the steam at the highest pressure
without the ordinary struggling through narrow spaces, as in common
slide valves, and also of interrupting the admissions suddenly for the
greatest benefit of the expansion. This last phasis is performed by
means of a third circular plate of similar conformation, herein-before
mentioned, but provided with an oscillating instead of a rotary motion.
This, as it may be called " expansion disc," is acted upon by the
governors of the engine or by hand in locomotive engines, and conse-
quently constituting the best governor ever realised, and it must be
understood that the circular valve or multi-pierced disc either for
admitting or regulating steam as applied to any kind of steam or gas
engines is an important feature in this Invention.
This Invention may be said to consist,―
1stly. In the introduction of steam into cylinders through large
orifices, insuring admission at the highest pressure by means of multi-
pierced plates opening wide and instantaneously.
2ndly. In the instantaneous expansion of the steam from a cylinder
into another of larger area by means of its introduction through direct
and multiple orifices, avoiding "hurtful spaces," the absence of which
constitutes the novelty of this system called "asolena engine."

page_text: 3rdly. The type disposition or peculiar arrangement by which is
realized the above described principles, where the cylinders are laid in
succession according to the same axis, and also any other disposition
realizing the same principle, let the setting of the cylinders be whatever
it may, whether horizontal, vertical, or oblique, according to application,
and whether for land or marine, locomotive or locomobile engines, it
being in all cases equally applicable.
4thly. In the sliding perforated register applicable to any kind of
intercommunication of steam gases or other vapours.
5thly. In the circular register or perforated disc founded upon the 1
same principle, acting either by uninterrupted rotations by wheels or
belts, or by intermitting jumps by means of cams.
6thly. In the system of variable expansion founded upon the same
principle, and realised by means of a circular register or perforated disc
oscillating under the action of the governor.
1
7thly. In all applications of the above-mentioned elements or con-
trivances of the "asolena" principle to any kind of engines or apparatus
where steam or uncondensable gases have to be transmitted from one
vessel into another by the means as described, avoiding the loss of
power which results from their expansion and contraction through pipes 2
and channels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Matthew Augustus Soul in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
AUGUSTUS SOUL, of No. 101, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer for Patents and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-sxith year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Matthew Augustus Soul,
Her special licence that I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, my exccu-

page_text: expended in such performance, such spaces being from such loss of power
"hurtful spaces." From the entire absence of these spaces this new
engine is called "asolena" or "without channels."
The simplest arrangement for obtaining such a result is, as for example,
that of two cylinders (high and low pressure) laid on a foundation plate
connected by a common base or diaphragm and open at the other ends.
The pistons have consequently one face enclosed for better lubricating
and keeping in order, and their rods are connected together by cross
heads and external side bars in the usual manner, one or other of the
cross heads, as may be arranged, receiving as it were the whole power
exerted by the engine to be transmitted by the connecting rod to the
crank shaft.
This specimen being that of the application of this Invention to the
"Woolf engine" is completed by a condenser put in communication
with the large cylinder by means of a sliding grate similar to that
establishing the communication between the two cylinders. There may
likewise be set one large cylinder at each end of the small one, thus
realizing in succession, instead of side by side, the "Woolf's three-
cylinder engine." In this case the piston of the small cylinder is pro-
vided with a rod projecting on each side and common to both of the
large pistons, and as it passes through the diaphragms it is provided with
metallic stuffing boxes.
This system may also be adapted to engines closed at both ends, but
of course this cannot be done without partly abandoning the advantage
of the same, as recourse must be had to some kind of pipes or steam
channels to carry off the steam from the outside face of the large pistons
to the condenser.
2nd. The second feature of this Invention is a new mode of intro-
ducing the steam from the boiler on to the first presented face of the
piston.
This new mode is derived from the principle of the sliding grate, with
this difference, that the multiple openings are disposed instead of parallel
in a radial disposition somewhat similar to that of a stove valve opening
and closing by the circular motion of a perforated disc against another
disc.
The motion of the sliding disc in this Invention is either continuous.
or intermittently rotating, but always in the same direction, and this

page_text: motion must be in perfect concordance with the speed of the crank shaft
so as to cause all the orifices to open and close in the interval of a stroke,
advancing one division at each turn of the crank. In other words, the
number of such orifices in the disc is the divisor of the speed of the
crank shaft to be applied to the speed of the disc itself.
The chief advantage of such a mode of introducing the steam into a
cylinder is the facility of admitting the steam at the highest pressure
without the ordinary struggling through narrow spaces, as in common
slide valves, and also of interrupting the admissions suddenly for the
greatest benefit of the expansion. This last phasis is performed by means
of a third circular plate of conformation, herein-before mentioned, but
provided with an oscillating instead of a rotary motion. This, as it may
be called "expansion disc," is acted upon by the governor of the engine
or by hand in locomotive engines, and consequently constituting the
best governor ever realized, and it must be understood that the circular
valve or multipierced disc, either for admitting or regulating steam, as
applied to any kind of steam or gas engines, is an important feature in
this Invention.
What is claimed as the Invention to be secured by the foregoing in
part recited Letters Patent, and in what this Invention may be said to
consist is,―
Firstly. In the introduction of steam into cylinders through large
orifices, insuring admission at the highest pressure by means of multi-
pierced plates opening wide and instantaneously.
"
Secondly. In the instantaneous expansion of the steam from a cylinder
into another of larger area by means of its introduction through direct
and multiple orifices, avoiding "hurtful spaces," the absence of which
constitutes the novelty of this system called asolena engine.
Thirdly. In the type disposition or peculiar arrangement by which is
realized the above described principles, where the cylinders are laid in
succession according to the same axis, and also any other disposition
realizing the same principle, let the setting of the cylinders be whatever
it may, whether horizontal, vertical, or oblique, according to application,
and whether for land or marine, locomotive or engines, it being in all
cases equally applicable.
Fourthly. In the sliding perforated register applicable to any kind of
intercommunications of steam gases or other vapours.

page_text: Fifthly. In the circular register or perforated disc founded upon the
same principle, acting either by uninterrupted rotation by wheels or
belts, or by intermitting jumps by means of cams.
Sixthly. In the system of variable expansion founded upon the same
principle and realized by means of a circular register or perforated disc
oscillating under the action of the governor.
Seventhly. In all applications of the above-mentioned elements or
contrivances of the "asolena" principle to any kind of engines or
apparatuses where steam or uncondensable gases have to be transmitted
from one vessel into another by the means as described, avoiding the
loss of power which results from expansion and contraction through
pipes and channels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
MATTHEW AUGUSTUS SOUL. (L.S.)