The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-15

~7R. JAMES CHARLES, Of "a
EAgNNd South Thirteenth street, has
MWM perfected and obtained pat
HNI ents on an improved water
motor by which, he claims,
M8M small streams will supply
$3.50 abundant power for general
ing an adequate amount OF
electricity to fill the needs OF every
home and factory for fuel as well as
for lighting. He also has patented a
device by which a much smaller vol
ume Of water is required to produce
O given amount of power from the
small streams of which there are a
number In all sections Of the country.
The latter machine is an inverted
conical-shaped, double noZZled reser-
voir, by which the water is thrown
with terrific force into the peculiarly
shaped wings or buckets on the peri
phery Of the water wheel. Persons who
have seen the device in action say
that the force with which the water Is
thrown into the wings or buckets is
not unlike steam rushing from the
boiler down to the head OF the piston.
Snake Suggested Device
"As watching the flight of birds re-
suited In the bringing out of the sue
cessful flying machine" said DR..
Charles, In describing the water wheel
80 watching the movements Of huge
snake suggested the improved water
wheel. In walking down dusty road
near a small stream I saw the trail Of
a huge snake. with its body from head
to tau in almost straight line. On
throwing a large clod at the reptile,
# Immediately threw it's whole body
into a series Of abrupt crooks and
started to run or move at a greatly
increased speed down the dusty road
SO it was evident that 1t was using
these crooks or multiple of bends in
its body as bent levers in thus giving
itself such accelerated and sudden
movements. The reptile soon left the
dusty road and crawled down the
bank into the stream, when it again
assumed nearly a straight position OF
its entire body as it moved across the
narrow stream. Wishing to see what
effect soaring 1t again would have on
its movements In the water, tossed
stone across the stream just behind
the deliberate swimmer, when 1t again
Immediately assumed the former Sc
ries Of abrupt crooks by which It
seemed to give itself as rapid speed
in the water as it did while on the
ground.
Employs Power Of Screw
1.-THE thought then occurred to me
that the snake was thus employing
the power Of the screw or bent lever
in order to throw itself forward with
so much greater speed, both on land
and in the water, and If so, why could
not a water wheel be so constructed
as to compel the water to pass through
series Of curved buckets in. stag
gered or crooked course instead of the
straight line course employed by the
old-fashioned paddle wheel? To test
this idea l had two models made, one
on the plan Of the old style of the
straight paddles and the other with
the curved wings or buckets and with
the same pressure or volume of water
applied to each Of the wheels. I was
delighted to see the curved winged
wheel turn with far greater speed
than did the old-fashioned wheel.
With this fact clearly established, /
then cast about in my mind for a
plan OF securing a cheap water supply
or power from small streams that
traverse practically every county in
our country. l soon became aware Of
the fact that millions of tons of water
were simply going to waste in a suf-
ficient number Of them in practically
every county to furnish all the cleo
trio power necessary for tho require
ments of every country and city home
at extremely small cost in the cold
est weather.
81 found that it would be an easy