IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINE CYLINDERS, AND IN THE MODE " OF USING MOTIVE POWER IN THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Eaton, of Portsea, in the County of Hants, for
an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINE CYLINDERS, AND IN THE MODE
"
OF USING MOTIVE POWER IN THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Eaton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1880.
HENRY EATON, of Portsea, in the County of Hants. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENGINE CYLINDERS, AND IN THE MODE OF USING MOTIVE POWER IN THE SAME."
My Invention relates to that class of engines in which one cylinder is used for
two pistons moving in opposite directions, and actuating either the same crank-
shaft or two different crankshafts.
My Invention consists in making the cylinder open at the ends, so as to dispense
with stuffing boxes for the piston rods, and admitting steam, compressed air, or other
motive fluid at or near the centre only. In the case of condensing steam engines,
the outward motion of the piston is effected by steam, and the return motion by
the atmospheric air acting against a vacuum.
If the engine has only one crankshaft, the latter may be actuated direct by the
front piston, while the piston rod of the back piston is provided with a cross head
running on guides, and connected with the mainshaft by connecting rods reaching
to the front of the cylinder.
My Invention is applicable to steam engines, gas or air engines, or water
pressure engines, the inlet and exhaust ports being in every case at or near the
centre of the cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Eaton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st April
1881.
"
HENRY EATON, of Portsea, in the County of Hants. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENGINE CYLINDERS, AND IN THE MODE OF USING MOTIVE POWER IN THE SAME.”
My Invention relates to that class of engines in which one cylinder is used for
two pistons moving in opposite directions, and actuating either the same crank-
shaft or two different crank shafts. My Invention consists in making the cylinder
open at the ends, so as to dispense with stuffing boxes for the piston rods, as well
as with cylinder covers, and admitting steam, compressed air, or other motive fluid
at or near the centre only. In the case of condensing steam engines, the outward
motion of the piston is effected by steam, and the return motion by the atmospheric
air acting against the vacuum.
If the engine has only one crankshaft, the latter may be actuated direct by the
front piston, while the piston rod of the back piston is provided with a cross head
running on guides and connected with the main shaft by connecting rods reaching
to the front of the cylinder. My Invention is applicable to steam engines, gas or
air engines, or water pressure engines, the inlet and exhaust ports being in every
case at or near the centre of the cylinder. The accompanying Drawings illustrate
an engine embodying my Invention, Fig. 1 being a side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan
partly in section; Fig. 3, partly a cross section and partly an end view. The
engine shown by the Drawings has four cylinders a, a, two valve chests c and c¹,
and two crankshafts D and D'. The four cylinders are cast in two pairs, each pair
having a slide valve actuated by a link and two eccentrics for reversing. The
valve gear is quite analogous to that of a double acting single cylinder engine, with
the difference that the ports communicate with the centres of the two adjoining
cylinders instead of leading to the two ends of the single cylinder. B, B, are the
two pistons which move to and from each other, being driven outward by the steam
entering between them, and inward by the crank shaft under the influence of the
adjoining cylinder, whose cranks are placed at 180 degrees to those of the first
cylinder. The crank of the second pair of cylinders are set at right angles to the
cranks of the first pair; c¹ is the steam inlet, and c² the exhaust pipe for the first
cylinder pair.
In the second, third, and fourth cylinder, the pistons are shown by dotted lines.
The feet of the cylinders and the bearings of the crank-shafts are not shown because
they may be made in the usual way, and do not form a part of my Invention. It
is also evident that the details of construction may differ from those shown by the
Drawings, and that the engine may have only one, or two, or three, or more
cylinders, without departing from the nature of my Invention.
What I claim is,-
1. In steam or other motive power engines, the application of one, two, three, or
more double piston cylinders open at both ends, and admitting steam at or near the
centre only, substantially as described.
2. In steam or other motive power engines, the application of double piston
cylinders, open at both ends and arranged in pairs, provided with one valve chest,
the inlet ports of which lead to the centres of the two cylinders, substantially as,
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Eaton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirtieth day of March. A.D. 1881.