IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE AS A ROTARY ENGINE, PUMP, AND WATER METER
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Loa Bricknell, of Stratford-upon-Avon,
in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS APPLICABLE AS A ROTARY ENGINE, PUMP, AND WATER METER."
Scaled the 13th April 1869, and dated the 5th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustus Lea Bricknell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th November 1868.
I, AUGUSTUS LEA BRICKNELL, of Stratford-upon-Avon, in the County
of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE AS A ROTARY ENGINE, PUMP, AND WATER
METER," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus
applicable as a rotary engine pump and water meter.
In constructing engines such as are described in the Specification
of a former Patent granted to me and dated the 7th day of June 1867,

page_text: No. 1671, in place of making the cylindrical centre piece of the engine
as heretofore, I cast it in one piece upon its shaft, and I afterwards
turn it truly and slot out the recesses for the pistons; or I form the
recesses by casting the metal around boxes of sheet steel or iron; or
I introduce metal cores or chills into the casting to produce the
recesses, and I draw them out as soon as the casting is set. Also to
give more strength to the cylindrical centre piece I hoop it with
wrought iron around the flanges, which I prepare to receive the hoops
by turning them slightly hollow. For engines of small size I cast the
centre piece in a white metal alloy in place of in cast iron.
In constructing the pistons of the engine I form them by casting
metal upon a steel or wrought metal tube, and I form ways through
the pistons from end to end. The tube thus cast in serves as a bearing
for the axis of the pulleys which run in the guide cams; the tube
extends from end to end of the piston and across the ways or passages
in it. By making the bearings of this great length liability to rapid
wear is avoided, and the introduction of a tube in this way enables
this long bearing to be obtained in combination with water (or fluid)
ways through the piston, which give free ingress and egress to the
fluid to and from the cavity in which the piston works, and so
freedom is given to the movement, and the wear of the guide cams is thus
greatly reduced. In some cases in place of casting the piston upon the
bearing tube I cast it separately, and afterwards drive the bearing tube
into it; or I form the piston by forcing blocks at distances apart on
to the bearing tube and fixing cheeks of steel or wrought iron to the
blocks..
I also, according to my present Invention, greatly increase the
durability of the engine by altering the proportions of the annular
space in which the pistons work. Heretofore this space, which is
nearly rectangular in transverse section, has been made of a depth never
less than one-fourth of the radius, and the pistons have consequently
had a comparatively long motion, resulting in rapid wear of the cams.
I now make the annular space not deeper than one-fifth of the radius,
which allows of much easier curves in the cams, and I compensate
for the decrease in depth by proportionally increasing the width of
the annular space.
In order to produce the cam grooves in the end covers I introduce

page_text: into the mould in which the cover is cast suitably formed steel rings;
and I cast the cover upon them; or I introduce into the mould a metál
core corresponding in form with the cam groove, and so chill cast
the groove. The core is made in parts to allow it to draw freely.
For engines of small size I cast the covers of a white metal alloy in
place of cast iron, the cams being usually of steel or iron.
In order to prevent the abutment or stop becoming fast in the recess
into which it is fitted, as sometimes now occurs in consequence of a
deposit being formed by the water on its end which projects into
the annular space, I make this part of the abutment narrower than
the part contained in the recess in place of making the front and
back face of the abutment parallel from end to end as heretofore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Augustus Lea Bricknell in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTUS
LEA BRICKNELL, of Stratford-upon-Avon, in the County of Warwick,
send greeting.
cxe-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Augustus Lea Bricknell,
Her special licence that I, the said Augustus Lea Bricknell,
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Augustus
Lea Bricknell, executors, administrators, and 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 APPARATUS APPLICABLE AS A ROTARY ENGINE, PUMP, AND
WATER METER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Augustus Lea Bricknell, executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Augustus Lea Bricknell, do 'hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly 'described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in engines such as 'arc
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me and
dated the 7th day of June 1867, No. 1671. Such engines are made
with a cylindrical centre piece contained in a corresponding case so
arranged as to leave an annular space between the centre piece and
the case. There is a fixed stop dividing this space, and the inlet and
outlet pipes are on either side of this stop, and in the cylindrical centre
piece are moveable stops or pistons which also divide the annular space;
they recede to allow them to pass the fixed stop. The case has end
covers through which the axis of the centre picce passes. There are
cam grooves in the covers which regulate the movements of the
moveable stops or pistons.
In constructing such engines in place of making the cylindrical
centre piece of the engine in pieces which are bolted or otherwise
joined together as heretofore, I cast it in one piece upon its 'shaft in
the manner herein-after more fully described, and I afterwards turn
it truly and slot out the recesses for the pistons; or I form the recesses
by casting the metal around boxes of sheet steel or iron; or I introduce
metal cores or chills into the casting to produce the recesses, and I
draw them out as soon as the casting is set. In some cases I use in
place of the metal cores sand cores moulded in an iron box, made for the
purpose 'with great accuracy and truth. In order to give more strength
to the cylindrical centre pièce I hoop it with wrought iron around
the flanges, which I prepare to receive the hoops by turning them
slightly hollow. For engines of small size I use for casting the centre
picce a white metal alloy in place of cast-iron; the alloy which I find
advantageous consists of nine parts of zinc, and one part of tin or
thereabouts.

page_text: In constructing the pistons of the engine I form them by casting
the metal of which they are composed upon a steel or wrought metal
tube, and I form ways through the pistons from end to end in the
manner shewn in the Drawings annexed hereto. The tube thus cast
in serves as a, bearing for the axis of the pulleys which run in the
guide cams; the tube extends from end to end of the piston and across
the ways or passages in it. By making the bearings of this great
length liability to rapid wear is avoided, and the object which has
been a great desideratum in engines of the class referred to, is effected
by me by the, introduction of a tube in the manner described, which
enables a bearing of the requisite length to be obtained in combination
with water (or fluid) ways formed through the piston so as to provide
for the ingress and egress to the fluid to and from the cavity in which
the piston works; by these means freedom is given to the movement,
and the wear of the guide cams is greatly reduced. In some cases
in place of casting the piston upon the bearing tube I cast it separately,
and afterwards drive the bearing tube into it; or I form the piston by
forcing blocks at distances apart on to the bearing tube and fixing
cheeks of steel or wrought iron to the blocks.
I also in engines constructed according to my present Invention
greatly increase their durability by altering the proportions of the
annular space in which the pistons work. Heretofore this space, which
is nearly rectangular in transverse section, has been made of a depth
not less than one-fourth of the radius, and the pistons have consequently
had a comparatively long motion resulting in rapid wear of the cams,
which has hitherto been a great inconvenience. I have succeeded in
obviating this defect by making the annular space not. deeper than
one-fifth of the radius, which allows of much casier curves in the cams,
and have found that, the decrease in depth may be advantageously
compensated for by proportionally increasing the width of the annular
space.
In order to produce the cam grooves in the end covers I employ
a method which has not hitherto been adopted for this purpose, but
which I have found to be both efficacious and economical. I introduce
into the mould in which the cover is cast suitably formed steel rings,
and I cast the cover upon them; or I introduce into the mould a metal
core corresponding in form with the cam groove, and so chill cast the
groove.

page_text: For engines of small size I cast the covers of a white metal alloy,
such an alloy of nine parts zinc and one tin, in place of cast iron,
the cams being usually of steel or iron.
In order to obviate a serious defect which has hitherto existed in
engines of the class referred to, arising from the liability of the
abutment or stop becoming fast in the recess into which it is fitted,
as sometimes now occurs in consequence of a deposit being formed by
the water on its end which projects into the annular space, I make
this part of the abutment narrower than the part contained in the
recess, in place of making the front and back face of the abutment
parallel from end to end as heretofore.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 an end view, Figure 3 a transverse
section, and Figure 4 a longitudinal section of an engine constructed
according to my Invention.
a is the cylindrical centre piece with its axis a¹; b is the case with its
covers c, c; d is the fixed stop dropping into a recess in the case; e, e,
are the moveable stops or pistons in the cylindrical centre, and c', c', are
the cam grooves in the covers which actuate them. Figure 5 is a
longitudinal section of the centre piece a taken through the grooves in
which the moveable stops or pistons work. In making this centre piece
I cast it upon its axis a', placing the axis in the mould and running the
metal upon it, and the recesses for the stops or pistons may be produced
by inserting loam or sand cores into the mould in the usual way; I prefer
however to produce these recesses by means of chills or metal blocks
of suitable form, on to which the metal is run; these chills are fitted
on to pins fixed into the axle; as soon as the metal is set the chills are
drawn out by powerful screws or other suitable tackle. When the metal
is cold the pins are removed and the holes left are filled with rivets,
and the centre piece is then turned to receive the wrought-iron hoops a²,
afterwards its ends are faced and its flanges turned; the slots a³ for the
axes of the pistons are also cut. When the recesses for the pistons are
produced by means of sand or loam cores made with truth in the iron

page_text: boxes above referred to they will, as a rule, be found to be true, but if
necessary they may be trued either by hand or machine labour, but this
is avoided by the use of chills, which also give a hard surface. By
casting the centre piece on its axis it is made much stronger, and is also
more cheaply produced than when as heretofore it has been made in two
parts fitted together and to the axis.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of one of the pistons e, with the
axis which passes through it and carries the rollers which run in the
guide cams; these axes are marked e' and the rollers e², one of them is
fast on the axis, the other has a key or feather fixed into it, which enters
freely into a corresponding groove cut for it; is a steel or wrought-
iron tube which is laid in the mould and the metal is cast upon it, and as
will be seen the casting is so made as to leave a number of passages
through the piston or stop, so that as in passing the inlet and outlet it.
is protruded from and drawn back into its recess and the fluid may be
able to pass freely to and from the recess. The stop or piston is planed
on its sides and ends and turned on its face after it comes from the
mould; the tube is also bored to receive the axis.
Figure 8 is a vertical section, and Figure 9 an end view of a piston
or stop also made with a wrought tube passing through it, but in a
different way, viz., by forcing a number of blocks E on to the tube E
which is turned on the outside. The side checks E (of which the sec-
tional form is clearly shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 9) are fixed on
to the blocks by rivets passing through from side to side. Or in place of
resorting to these methods of construction the piston or stop may be cast
without the tube, then bored, and a wrought bearing tube driven into it.
By making the stops or pistons with wrought tubes passing through
them to support the axis from end to end the durability of the engine
is greatly increased, the wear being divided over the whole length of
the axis.
Figure 10 is a transverse section of one of the end covers where the cam
grooves are produced by means of two wrought-iron or steel rings made
to the proper shape, and having the metal to form the cover run upon
them. I prefer, however, to produce the cam groove by means of a chill
or metal block on which the fluid metal is run, and which is then with.
drawn; the passage for the axis I also form in a similar manner. When
covers made by this improved method are used for engines, such as are

page_text: here referred to, it will be found that their cam groove will be less liable
to wear than those of covers made as heretofore, and they will be more
cheaply produced, less finishing being required.
Figure 11 is a plan, and Figure 12 a vertical section of the apparatus
I employ for casting the covers. a, a, is a casting box with pins a¹, a',
at its edges, and over these pins a plate with a pattern upon it fits, and
the sand is rammed upon this pattern from tho under side of the box.
The pattern is then drawn and the cover b. carrying the chill ċ is placed
on over the pins a¹ with the chill hanging down in its place. The bar d
to form. the passage for the axis is also inserted into its place; it is
supported in a lower bearing in the box and passes through a passage
formed for it in the cover. Over the bar d is a moveable crosshead e,
the ends of which drop into cyes in the supports ff, which pass over
pins on the side of the box. g is a powerful screw passing through the
crosshead, and as soon as the metal is cast by turning this screw the
centre bar is forced out, and the chill is also drawn up by turning
simultaneously all the screws by which it is hung; these screws are
alternately right and left handed, and are geared together by means of
pinions, they are worked by four hand levers applied on alternate screws.
The proportions which I prefer to give to the machine are shewn at
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4; the length of the engine is much greater in pro-
portion to the diameter than it is represented in the Specification of my
former Patent herein-before referred to; thus formerly I made the depth
of the annular space not less than one-third of its length, and now in
pumps of considerable size I make it at the least twelve times as long
as it is deep, by thus reducing the depth of the annular space the curves
of the cams become easier and the wear and tear of the engine is greatly
reduced. The form which I'give to the fixed stop or abutment d, so as
to prevent its becoming fast by the deposit of a scale upon it, is clearly
represented in Figure 3.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,―
The combination of parts forming my improved rotary engine, pump, or
water meter constructed and arranged substantially as herein described.
I also claim the cylindrical centre piece of the engine when made by
casting it on to the axis as herein described.

page_text: I also claim the moving stops or pistons when formed with wrought
tubes passing through them, and providing a continuous bearing for the
axis and with passages for the ingress and egress of the fluid, as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Lea Bricknell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
A. L. BRICKNELL. (L.S.)