IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANTONIN
PIEUX DE RIGEL, of Vienna, but now residing at Beaufort Buildings, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, 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 Fourteenth day of October, in the first year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Antonin Pieux
de Rigel, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the
said Antonin Pieux de Rigel, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Antonin Pieux de Rigel, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that I, the said Antonin Pieux de Rigel, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled 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
Antonin Pieux de Rigel, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, aro fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
It is familiar to every one that the direction in which a steam vessel
moves is determined by the rudder only, whilst the ship is propelled by the
paddle wheels, both of which are made to move with great velocity and force.
The management of these two separate powers, the steering and the propelling
power, are under the control of two different persons, who receive directions
from a third. It is manifest that great facilities would be obtained by placing
the entire management of these two forces under the immediate control of
one person, instead of the three which are at present necessary for the purpose.
As the propelling power is equal on both sides, the vessel moves in a straight
line; and whenever the power called into action by shifting the rudder is
applied, it has to contend with that of the paddle wheels. Thus both power
and velocity are lost. It is the special object of the present improvement to
enable the steersman to command or control the power of both wheels, or of
either in succession at pleasure, and thus, by alternately increasing or dimi-
nishing the velocity and force of either wheel, he will be enabled to use the
wheels alone for the purposes of steerage, in addition to their use as a pro-
pelling power. He will be able, without the aid of any other person, to retard
or increase the velocity to the extent of the power of the machinery, and to
stop the vessel whenever he shall think fit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT.
A, a table proposed to be constructed nearly in the centre of the vessel
under shelter; B, place for the captain; C, C, two mariners compasses; D,
lamp for night use; E, a chronometer on the right of the captain; F, a dial
on the left of the captain, put in action by the supply of steam to the
cylinders; G, a strong metallic quadrant turning on the centre a: its cogged
edge is proposed to be moved by the small rack-wheel b, which is turned by
the handle c; H, machinery proposed to be placed on the table A; d, pipe from
the generator conveying the whole of the steam from the boilers; e and f
are lateral branches distributing the steam between the cylinders on either
side; g is the top of a cylindrical box containing a valve which opens or closes
the steam-way from the generator; h is a valve which directs the supply of
steam to the cylinders on one side or the other, or allows its passage equally to
both. These two valves are opened or shut at pleasure, on the surface of the
table A, by two handles c and i. The valve in the interior of the cylindrical

page_text: box g is opened or shut by the handle i, which turns the rack-wheel k, (see
Figures H. and I.,) and thus moves the sextant G, whose centre turns the valve
in the cylindrical box g. I is a side view and section of the Figure H; K is
a side view of the table A; L is the plan of the vessel; m, m, are the
cylinders, which work alternately; n, n, the axles of the paddle wheels; o, o,
are the plummer blocks; p, p, are the wheels; q, q, the boilers; r is the
funnel; s, the steam pipe.
These Drawings are intended to shew and explain the principles which I
have in view. The details of execution would admit of great modifications,
and the employment of pieces already in use, if it should be deemed desirable.
In witness whereof, I, the said Antonin Pieux de Rigel, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-eight