IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Glasson, of Newark-upon-Trent, in Nottingham-
shire, Engineer and Boiler Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 19th June 1860, and dated the 21st December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Glasson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st December 1859.
I, JOHN GLASSON, of Newark-upon-Trent, in Nottinghamshire, Engineer
and Boiler Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The object of the improvements is simplicity in the arrangement or con-
struction of steam engines adapted to various purposes. The cylinder, which
is provided with a piston and piston rod, is, when in action, caused to rotate
on an axis of motion at right angles to a line carried through the length of the
piston rod, and this axis of motion is not coincident with the crank or other
main shaft driven thereby, but romoved therefrom a distanco equal to one-half
the length of stroke of the piston, by which the piston will give motion to such
shaft in its rotation. The steam way is stationary, though this may be varied,
and the steam is admitted through a stationary valve, which I prefer to be of
the rotary construction, and it is capable of being turned for reversal by a rod
attached to the steam way. And the steam way is at its outer end formed
with an enlarged packing working in a cylinder, in order that the steam acting
thereon may counteract the tendency of the pressure of the steam to withdraw
the valve from its scat. The escape steam is allowed to pass away by an
outer tube.
6.j,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Glasson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GLASSON, of Newark-upon-Trent, in Nottinghamshire, Engineer and Boiler
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Glasson, Her special licence that I, the said John
Glasson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Glasson, my 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
STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Glasson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 John Glasson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of the improvements is simplicity in the arrangements or con-
struction of steam engines adapted to various purposes. The cylinder is
provided with a piston and a piston rod, which also forms a connecting rod;
this rod is attached to the crank or the fly wheel (as the case may be) in the
ordinary manner. The cylinder, when in action, is caused to rotate on an axis
of motion at right angles to a line carried through the length of the piston rod,
and this axis of motion is not coincident with the crank or other main shaft
driven thereby, but removed therefrom a distance equal to one-half the length
of stroke of the piston, by which the piston will give motion to such shaft in

page_text: its rotation. Two steam ports are provided leading to the top and bottom of
the cylinder, each port as the cylinder revolves on its axis being brought
opposite the steam way in a circular valve, which is fixed, and thus each port
S. Ives alternately for the induction and eduction of the steam. The induction
steam is conveyed to the cylinder through the hollow shaft on which the
cylinder revolves by a pipe fitted at the end with, by preference, a circular
valve (but other valves may be used), which is capable of being turned by
means of a fork handle keyed into the outer end of the induction pipe, and the
induction pipe is provided at its outer end with an enlarged packing or piston
working in a cylinder in order that the steam acting thereon may counteract
the tendency of the pressure of the steam exerted on the valve to withdraw
the same from its seat. The eduction steam is led off through the annular
space between the induction pipe and the interior of the hollow shaft, but this
arrangement may be varied, if found desirable.
The remaining parts of the engine are constructed in the ordinary manner.
The governor is placed in the Drawings over the hollow shaft, and is acted
upon by
a conical collar on the latter. The feed pump is worked by an
eccentric on the fly wheel or crank shaft, but these matters of detail may be
varied to suit particular circumstances without departing from the features of
the Invention.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will now proceed
more fully to describe the manner of performing the same, reference being
made to the several Figures on the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed,
on which the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout

page_text: wheel, to which the piston rod (d) is connected; (9) is the fly wheel or crank
shaft (as the case may be), for if desired the piston rod may be connected to a
crank instead of the fly wheel, and the latter be placed on the shaft in the
ordinary manner; (h) is the induction pipe; (j) is the valve, fitted on its
end; (k) is the piston on its outer end, and (l), the cylinder, in which it is
fitted; the area of the piston (k) must exceed that of the opening in the valve
in order to keep the latter to the face of cylinder; (m) is the passage for the
eduction; (n) and (n') are the cylinder steam ports. At Figures 5 and 6 tho
port (n) is shown open to the induction steam through the valve (j),
the port (n) being open for eduction. The valve (j) is set to the position
required for starting, reversing, or stopping the engine, by means of the fork
handle (o) on the outer end of the induction pipe (h).
(9) the governor, acted upon by a friction collar; (r) is
the exhaust pipe.
J.
(p) is the steam pipe;
the. feed pump, and (t),
Having now set forth the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements
in Steam Engines," and also the manner of carrying the samo into practical
effect, I hereby wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim,―
Firstly, the use of the cylinder rotating on an axis of motion at right angles
to a line carried through the length of the piston rod, which is not coincident
with the fly-wheel crank or other main shaft driven thereby, but removed
therefrom a distance equal to one-half the length of the stroke of the piston,
as herein set forth and described.
Secondly, the use of a valve of the rotary construction, together with the
arrangements for induction and eduction, as herein set forth and described.
Thirdly, the arrangement of all the several parts of the engine as a com-
bination, as herein set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Glasson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
WILLIAM WELCH.
.
JOHN GLASSON. (L.S.)