216 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



fJlXY, 



ROTARY ENGINES. 



Israel Kinsman, of Lud^ate-hill, London, merchant, for " 7m- 



provementx in the con.itnirtion nfrntary engines, to be worked hi/ stenm, 

 air, or other e/a.t/ic fluid." (A coninuiuication.) — Granted Novem- 

 bor 11, 1817 ; Enrolled May 11, 181-8. 



The principal feature in this form of rotary engine is a " piston 

 wheel," provided with any desired number of pistons upon its 

 periphery. The pistons are formed radially from the centre of the 

 piston-wheel, and hear and work against the interior of a stationary 

 cylinder. From tlie curved peripliery of the piston-wheel to the 

 interior of t!ie stationary cylinder, there are stops which pass into 

 the cylinder, the ends of which hear against the jieriphery of the 

 piston-wlieel or thei)istons, and thereby render that portion steam- 

 tight. The peculiar form of the pist(ms enables the stops gradually 

 to recede from the interior of the cylinder until they become flush 

 with the interior surface of the cylinder, and thereby allow the 

 pistons to pass them without (d)struction. Immediately that a 

 piston has passed a stop, the stop is again projected into the 

 cylinder to act as a surface, against which the steam acts to propel 

 the piston-wheel forward. The patentee claims — first, the em- 

 ployment of the piston-wheel, upon wliich tlie number of pistons 

 shall always he one more than the mimher of steam-stops on the 

 cj'liuder, there being one steam-port and one exhaust-port to each 

 steam-stop ; the steam acting upon one or more pistons at the 

 same time. Secondly, the mode of moving the slides or steam- 

 stops by a cam or cams, corresponding in form to the periphery of 

 the piston. Thirdly, the connecting all the steam-ports with the 

 steam-pipe, so that steam shall have access to the cylinder at the 

 same time, by the pistons passing the ports. Fourthly, the con- 

 necting all the exhaust-ports with the main exhaust-])ipe, so that 

 steam may he exhausted from all the ports of the cylinder at the 

 same time by the pistons passing the ports. Fifthly, the connect- 

 ing all the ports with the steam-pipe, by a branch-pipe provided 

 with a suitable shut-off valve, and also connecting all the exhaust- 

 ports with an exhaust-pipe, by a branch-pipe, also provided with a 

 suitable shut-otf valve. Sixthly, the mode of packing the pistons 

 by means of a central metal-piece acting against two side pieces, 

 having bevelled edges. 



COMBUSTION OF FUEL. 



Richard Coad, of Kennington, Surrey, chemist, for " lynprove- 

 menta in the eonibustion of fuel and in applying the heat so obtained." 

 Granted November 25, isi? ; Enrolled May 25, 1848. 



The object of the first part of this invention is to divide the 

 gases and the smoke resulting from the combustion of fuel in the 

 furnace into numerous small streams, by causing them to pass 

 through ajiertures in the heated fire-bricks or lumps before they 

 pass into the chimney. The great heat of the fire-bricks thus 

 effectually ignites the unconsumed gases and smoke. The fire- 

 lumps enclose the fire-place at the sides, the end, and at the top, 

 through the whole of which are made the apertures or openings 

 which open to the general flue common to all. There is also an 

 aperture over the fire-door to be regulated at pleasure, for the 

 purpose of admitting a supply of atmospheric air in a heated or 

 other state above the fire-bars for assisting the combustion of the 

 fuel and the gaseous products. The second part of the specification 

 relates to reverberatory furnaces, and consists in supplying through 

 numerous apertures in the sides and the ends of such furnaces 

 above the fire-bars, any requisite supply of atmospheric air in a 

 heated or other state, for tlie purpose of more effectually accom- 

 plishing the combustion of the fuel in the fire-place, — the mode 

 of construction described by the patentee being to form a passage 

 or channel around three sides of the furnace, the fourth being open 

 to the hearth of the furnace ; this passage or channel is formed 

 within the brickwork of the furnace. The portion between the fire- 

 place and the passage being of fire-bricks or lumps, it is througli 

 these fire-bricks or lumps that the apertures are made through 

 which the supply of air is admitted from the passage to the fire- 

 place above the fire-bars. Tlie patentee states he is perfectly 

 aware that atmospheric air has before been admitted into various 

 descriptions of furnaces above the fire-bars ; but it has not hitherto 

 been so employed and admitted with resjiect to reverberatory fur- 

 naces. The third improvement noticed in the specification relates 

 to a more effectual and more economical arrangement of apparatus 

 for the heating of water, and for the warming of rooms or buildings. 

 This improvement consists in the mode of arranging the bars at 

 the b.ack of the grate or fire-place to prevent the fire from lying 

 immediately against the tubes containing the water. Tliere are a 



top and a l)ottom vessel connected together by these rows of verti- 

 cal pipes or tubes, through the interior of which there is a com- 

 munication between the vessels. From these vessels pipes commu- 

 nicate to warm apartments, buildings, or to other similar apjiaratus. 

 The rows of vertical pipes or tubes connecting the vessels are 

 placed immediately at the back of the fire-place, the flame and 

 heated air passing amongst them in its way to the chimney in front 

 of the rows of pipes ; and between the fire-place and the pipes are 

 bars for the purpose of preventing the fire from acting inunediately 

 against them. These bars are placed in vertical ]iositions ; the 

 horizontal section being convex in front against the fire and angular 

 behind next to the pipes, they prevent the contact of the fire with 

 the jiipes ; these bars may be composed of fire-clay or of metal, 

 but the ])atentee prefers the former. Above the fire-place, the 

 fnmt of the flue or chimney is perforated or pierced with a number 

 of small apertures, for tlie purpose of admitting air to assist the 

 action of the apparatus. 



MANUFACTURE AND PRESERVATION OF TUBES. 



PiERE Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of South-street, 

 Finshury, for " cirtain Improvements in tlie process and machinery 

 for making, uniting, and preserving metallic and other tubes or pipes. 

 Granted November 18, ISt? ; Enrolled May 18, 1848. 



The specification of this invention is extremely minute in 

 describing the different processes of manufacturing and preserving 

 pipes, and the patentee claims seven distinct improvements, the 

 enumeration of which claims will give a general idea of their 

 character. The invention consists, first, in making and uniting 

 metallic pipes simultaneously, by acting over the top or head of 

 the rivet. Secondly, soldering, laterally, galvanised iron, leaden, 

 and tinned pipes, (either riveted or clasped,) by means of a long 

 thread or fillet of solder. Thirdly, uniting metallic pipes by means 

 of a certain improved clasp. Fourthly, uniting metallic pipes by 

 inserting in the clasps employed for the purpose certain compressi- 

 ble substances for preventing the escape of gas and fluids. Fifthly, 

 uniting metallic pipes, by using a helix for elbowing without 

 flattening the leaden elbow. Sixthly, preserving metallic and non- 

 metallic pipes by the application of resinous matters, fatty bodies, 

 and chalk. Seventhly, in the process of preserving iron and cast- 

 iron pipes from oxidation by means of galvanic action. 



CASTING WROUHT-IRON. 



M''h,liam Rocke, of Dudley, Worcestershire, for " a new mode 

 of treating and appli/ing wrought-iron." — Granted November 18, 

 184.7; Enrolled May' 18, 1848. 



The object of this invention is to obtain the form required 

 which the facility of casting affords, retaining at the same the 

 qualities of wrought-iron. Having previously prepared the 

 moulds in a similar manner to that adopted in the moulding 

 articles when made of cast-iron, the melted wrought-iron is to he 

 run into the mould. The articles are then of a brittle nature, and 

 deficient of malleable properties, to impart which the patentee next 

 proceeds to treat or anneal them in an annealing furnace. For 

 this purpose the articles are piled in an iron box lined with fire- 

 bricks, leaving sufficient room to surround the articles with a 

 quantity of Cumberland red ore, or other iron ore, or charcoal 

 reduced to a fine powder, the articles being so completely covered 

 as to prevent all admission of the air. In this state they are to be 

 subjected to the required heat for a suflficient length of time to give 

 the required malleability, in which great care must be observed 

 by the workman, and until he has sufficient practice to perform it 

 without, it is advisable to employ a small bar or trial-rod composed 

 of the same metal, which may be withdrawn from time to time, to 

 ascertain the state of the iron and detect the completion of the 

 process, when the articles may be removed. When the density 

 and close compactness of texture obtained by the use of wrought- 

 iron is not required, he mixes a proportion of cast-iron therewith, 

 according to the quality or texture of metal necessary for the 

 article proposed, but in no case to exceed the weight of wrought- 

 iron used ; and when it is necessary to impart to the articles 

 manufactured the nature and temper of steel, he mixes with the 

 wrought-iron a portion of cast-steel, but in no case to exceed the 

 weight of wrought-iron employed. These mixtures of wrought 

 and cast iron, or wrought-iron and cast-steel, being melted, are to 

 be cast in nunilds, and treated or annealed in the same manner as 

 that described for the manufacture of articles entirely of 

 wrought-iron, when they will be found to have acquired the mal- 



