The patentee does not confine himself to the precise proportions in which the ingredients may be mixed, as they may be varied to suit circumstances; but he claims the application of any acid, animal, vegetable, or mineral, for the purpose of loosening, extracting, or detaching the superfluous animal matter from wool, and thereby making it of a finer quality, and rendering it more suitable for receiving coloring matter in the dyeing process.-[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, June, 1841.]

Specification drawn by Messrs. Newton and Son.

TO JOHN LAMB, of Kidderminster, in the county of Worcester, machinist, for his invention of improvements in engines, to be worked by steam, air, gas, or vapours, which improvements are also applicable to pumps, for raising or forcing water, air, or other fluids.-[Sealed 15th April, 1842.]

THIS invention relates to that description of engines commonly called and known by the name of "rotary engines," and consists in one cylinder working inside another, in a peculiar manner.

In Plate XIV., fig. 1, is a vertical section of the engine, taken through the line a, b, in fig. 2, which is an end view of the engine, one of the end plates being removed to shew the interior; and fig. 3, is a section, taken in the line c, d, of fig. 1, the inner cylinder being in a different position. The outer cylinder or case a, a, is firmly fixed to the foundation plate, by screw-bolts, as shewn in the figures. The inner cylinder b, b, revolves excentrically round the main shaft c, c, which is increased in diameter at that part situated in the cylinder, as seen in fig. 1. The cylinder b, b, has a groove or slot r, r, formed therein, in order to admit the stationary steam-stop e; and the outer side bears tightly against the inside of the outer cylinder a, a, and the inner side of the cylinder b, b, is maintained closely against the collar d, d, which surrounds the main shaft, and is cast on or forms part of the outer case.

e, e, is a stationary steam-stop, fixed to the outer cylinder a, a, and the collar d; and on each side of this steam-stop, are the passages g, and h, for the entrance and I exit of the steam. The inner cylinder b, b, is open on one side, and its edges are ground to fit accurately that side of the outer cylinder, in which the steam-passages g, and h, are made. This cylinder also carries, at its inside, a pin or axle f, which is inserted in a moveable double wedge-shaped piece i,. The wedge-piece i, is acted upon by the two wedges j, j. A right and left-handed screw k, passes through these two wedge-pieces, and may be easily turned, by removing the screw 7, in the end plate of the engine, as seen in fig. 1. When the screw k, is turned, it causes the two wedges j, j, to approach each other, and thereby force back the double wedge-piece i, which carries the axle ƒ, of the inner cylinder.

The consequence of this will be, that the inner cylinder will be forced tightly against the inside of the outer cylinder, at the point 1, and also against the collar d, at the point 2, and thereby form steam-tight junctions.

The upper part m, of the steam-stop, is formed separate from the stationary part e, and, being accurately ground and fitted, works on a pin n, which is inserted in the end of the stationary part of the steam-stop e. The part m, also slides in an oblong opening or slot q, in the top of the inner cylinder b, b, for the purpose of guiding this cylinder on its own axis.

All the internal parts of the engine are kept steam-tight, by means of the metallic ring o, o, which, by turning the set-screws p, p, forces the inner cylinder b, b, close against the end of the outer cylinder a, a, as seen in fig. 1.

The manner of working this improved engine is as follows:-Supposing the cylinder b, in the position shewn by dots, in fig. 2. Steam enters by one of the passages g, or h, (say g,) and exerts its elastic power against the immoveable steam-stop e, the collar d, and the inside of the cylinder b, b, and thereby causes the latter, which is moveable, to recede in the direction of the arrows. By this movement, a space will be formed between the outside of

the cylinder b, b, and the outer cylinder a, a, as shewn in the sectional figure 3; and into this space, steam, from the way g, also enters, and acting against the stationary parts, (that is to say, the steam-stop e, and the outer case a,) and also against the outside of the inner cylinder b, b, this latter is caused to recede further, and thus perform one half of a revolution.

From the time the steam enters the engine at g, until the present moment, the space A, inside the cylinder b, b, and the space в, on the outside thereof, are in communication; but when, by the half rotation of the cylinder b, the point 3, of this cylinder comes against the stationary collar d, this communication is cut off, and as the elastic force of the steam continues to act against the outside of the cylinder b, b, it makes this cylinder recede, and allow the steam from the space A, to escape gradually through the passage h, at the point 4, which point, as the cylinder b, recedes, gradually rises to the first position, shewn by dots in fig. 2. At the same time, however, that the steam from one part of the inside of the cylinder is passing out of the engine at the passage h, on that side of the steam-stop e, steam is a second time entering the space A, through the passage g, and causing the cylinder b, b, to recede again, thereby expressing the steam from the space c, behind and between the cylinder b, and the case a. The steam, in this space, begins to escape at one side of the steam-stop, immediately that steam enters the chamber A, on the other side of the steam-stop. From this, it will be understood, that steam is always entering one, and sometimes two spaces, and is, at the same time, issuing from the same number of capacities. The vibrating steam-stop m, works in the slot q, in the bottom or cover of the cylinder b, and being ground accurately to fit this slot, and also the top of the stationary steam-stop, as well as the metallic ring 0, 0, it effectually prevents any steam from escaping from one side of the stationary steam-stop to the other, without first forcing round the cylinder b, b.

In the drawings, the steam passages g, and h, are shewn in connection with a slide-valve box, of the ordinary con

struction, by means of which, the motion of the engine may be reversed at pleasure; and although, in the foregoing description, the term steam is used, as applied to the motive agent, yet it will be evident that air, gas, or other vapours, may be used without any alteration in the mechanical arrangement.

In figs. 4, 5, and 6, a modification of the improved engine is shewn as suitably arranged for working expansively. Fig. 4, is an end elevation of this arrangement, the cap and plate, or ring o, and bottom of the chamber b, b, being removed; fig. 5, is a vertical transverse section; and fig. 6, a view of the left-hand end of fig. 5; the steam passages in this last figure being in section, in order to shew their construction. The cylinder a, a, of the former construction, is extended to a larger diameter, the outward casing a1, forming, with the casing a, another annular space, to be divided into induction and eduction chambers, as in the former arrangement; for which purpose the cylinder b, b, is also, in like manner, extended; the outward casing thereof b', b', revolving in contact with the inward surface of the cylinder a1, a1, and the inward surface thereof revolving in contact with the outward surface of the cylinder a.

By this arrangement it will be understood, that the parts a, b, &c., constitute the engine, as first described; the cylinder a, a, however, in this instance, holding that position with reference to the cylinder b1, b1, which the collar d, d, does with reference to the cylinder b, b. The' cylinders a, and a1, are each provided with induction and eduction passages g, h, g1, h', by means of which, the steam is allowed to enter and flow from their respective chambers; the eduction passage (say h,) of the interior and smaller engine, is connected, by means of the communication, with the induction passage g1, of the outward and larger engine, as seen in fig. 6.

Steam entering by the pipe s, and passage g, into the engine, will exert its elastic force upon the various parts, as before described, while that contained in the chamber, on the other side of the steam-stop, will escape by the passage h; but, in this case, instead of passing off directly to

VOL. XXI.

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the atmosphere or condensing apparatus, it proceeds by the communication u, (fig. 6,) and induction passage g1, into the larger chamber, where it again exerts its expansive force, driving round the excentric b, b1, by reason of the elastic force exerted against the moveable surface ¿1; the ring a, and steam-stop e1, being, in this instance, the abutments analogous to the collar d, d, and steam-stop e, of the interior engine; during which time, the eduction steam, contained in the chamber on the other side of the steamstop e', passes through the passage h1, and eduction pipe t, at a diminished temperature, to any ordinary condensing apparatus.

It will now be understood, that steam is constantly entering by the passages g, g1, on one side of the steam-stops e, e1, and passing out through the passages h, h1, on the other side thereof; and that the steam, now exerting its elastic force against the steam-stop e1, &c., has, at the previous revolution, exerted its power against the steam-stop e.

In order to admit of an extensive expansion of the steam, after it has passed from the first cylinder, the annular chamber of the second cylinder, formed by the casing a, and al, is of a greater depth than that of the first cylinder, formed by the collar d, d, and ring a, a, as seen in the vertical section, fig. 5; and this difference in capacity may be varied, according to the temperature of the steam employed, and the expansion required.

In this engine, the guide m, (see fig. 4,) turns upon a joint, formed within the outward part of the cylinder b, b', extending therefrom through a stuffing-box, formed in the side of the outward casing a; in which stuffing-box it slides freely upwards and downwards, as the engine revolves; but, if desired, the same arrangement as that shewn in the former figures, may be adopted.

The patentee claims, Firstly.-The construction of engine to be worked by steam, air, gas, or vapours, consisting in the application of the excentric cylinder or cylinders b, in combination with the stationary stop or stops e, such cylinder or cylinders b, being capable of turning on their own axis f, and performing the motions above described.