AN IMPROVED MODE OF OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bryan J'Anson Bromwich, late of Natal, but now
residing at Charterhouse Square, in the City of London, Gentleman, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE
POWER."
Sealed the 21st July 1863, and dated the 28th January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bryan J'Anson Brom-
wich at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th January 1863.
I, BRYAN J'ANSON BROMWICH, late of Natal, but now residing at Charter-
house Square, in the City of London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF OBTAINING AND
APPLYING MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of applying compressed air to the
obtaining of motive power. To this end I provide a chamber capable of con-
taining the compressed air to be employed, and in connection therewith I bring
a series of engines which I propose shall each in turn receive the air as it
leaves the chamber and be acted upon thereby. These several engines I
propose to connect with a common shaft, and thus to concentrate the power of
all the engines.
A convenient mode of carrying out this system is to construct a series of
annular cases and to fit air-tight covers thereto, but in such a manner that

page_text: they will be free to rotate on their seats. To the inner face of each of these
covers a piston is attached which fits the case, and each case I provide with a
supply and discharge pipe, between which I mount a valve which is maintained
in position by a string or other suitable means. This valve acts as a stop to
the admitted air, but will yield to the pressure of the piston so as to allow it
to pass in its rotary course. This series of rotary engines I mount one above
the other in suitable fixed framing, and set up a vertical shaft concentric there-
with. From the shaft project arms, the extremities of which are connected
to the rotating covers of the engines; as therefore the engines are driven
they will severally exert their power in driving the common shaft, from
which rotary motion may be taken off by a crank or otherwise. These
engines are connected together by coupling pipes, and the top engine of
the series is also connected by a supply pipe with the air chamber, the
air therefore passes first to the top engine, when having exerted its force
it goes to the next, and so on through the series, until having operated on the
piston of the last engine it enters an elastic coiled pipe which is connected
to the air chamber. A pressing roller driven by the central shaft traverses
this coiled pipe and expels the air therefrom as it is supplied thereto, driving it
into the chamber; thus the same air is used again and again for driving the
engines. At starting the compound engine, any available motive power may
by employed for charging the air chamber with compressed air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Bryan J'Anson Bromwich in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRYAN
J'ANSON BROMWICH, late of Natal, but now residing at Charterhouse Square,
in the City of London, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Bryan J'Anson Bromwich, Her special licence, that I, the said
Bryan J'Anson Bromwich, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Bryan J'Anson Bromwich, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from

page_text: 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 "AN IMPROVED MODE OF OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE
POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Bryan J'Anson
Bromwich, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Bryan J'Anson Bromwich, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of applying compressed air to the
obtaining of motive power. To this end I provide a chamber capable of
containing the compressed air to be employed, and in connection therewith
I bring a series of engines which I propose shall each in turn receive the air
as it leaves the chamber and be acted upon thereby. These several engines
I propose, to connect with a common shaft, and thus to concentrate the power
of all the engines.
A convenient mode of carrying out this system is to construct a series of
annular cases and to fit air-tight covers thereto, but in such a manner that they
will be free to rotate on their seats. To the inner face of each of these covers
a piston is attached which fits the case, and each case I provide with a supply
and discharge pipe, between which I mount a valve which is maintained in
position by a spring or other suitable means. This valve acts as a stop to the
admitted air, but will yield to the pressure of the piston so as to allow it to pass
in its rotary course. This series of rotary engines I mount one above the
other in suitable fixed framing, and set up a vertical shaft concentric there-
with. From the shaft project arms, the extremities of which are connected
to the rotating covers of the engines; as therefore the engines are driven
they will severally exert their power in driving the common shaft, from which
rotary motion may be taken off by a crank or otherwise. These engines are
connected together by coupling pipes, and the top engine of the series is also
connected by supply pipe with the air chamber, the air therefore passes
to the top engine, when having exerted its force it goes to the next, and
so on through the series, until having operated on the piston of the last engine
first

page_text: A
it enters an elastic coiled pipe which is connected to the air chamber.
pressing roller driven by the central shaft traverses this coiled pipe and expels
the air therefrom as it is supplied thereto, driving it into the chamber; thus
the same air is used again and again for driving the engines. At starting the
compound engine any available motive power may be employed for charging
the air chamber with compressed air.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation (with part of the framework removed) of my
improved apparatus for obtaining motive power.
(A, A, A,) is the framework or support for carrying the engines or
hollow rings (H), (B) being the air chamber containing the compressed air,
which chamber may be made either in wrought or in cast iron; (C) is the
pipe supplying air to the chamber or reservoir (B); (D), the supply pipe
which conveys the compressed air to the top hollow ring before mentioned, the
air entering the hollow ring between the valve and piston, both which are
shewn in dotted lines, the valve (E) being secured in the hollow ring in
manner shewn more clearly in Figure 5, while the piston marked (F), seen in
Figure 2, is attached to the bottom of the revolving steel ring placed in the
centre of the cover, which ring is seen at (G) in plan, Figure 2, and in section in
Figures 3 and 4. (H, H, H,) are the engines or hollow rings; (i) is the cover,
which is screwed firmly down on the flanges of the hollow ring to prevent
the escape of air; the hollow rings are fixed to the support or framework as
seen at (J, J,) Figure 1. K is a stop-cock for putting on or shutting off the
supply of air to the hollow rings; (L) is the centre shaft on which are keyed or
otherwise secured levers or arms (M, M,) on the top of the steel ring (G) before-
mentioned. Studs or projections (N) are formed so that as the air enters the
hollow ring the piston is forced round, thereby causing the steel ring to revolve
to which the piston is attached. The studs or projections (N) on the ring (G)
coming in contact with the levers (M, M;) give the desired motion to the
shaft (L) to which the levers are secured, and upon which shaft (L) the
pulley (X) for a driving band is hung; or a toothed wheel or other suitable
driving gear may be substituted if preferred. As the air enters the hollow
ring it operates with all its force against the piston, for the valve (E)
being seated immediately behind the point at which the air enters, there is
no escape in that direction. (0, 0, 0,) are tubes to convey the air from one
hollow ring to the next after each revolution. (P, P,) is a circular chamber,
at the bottom of which is placed an elastic tube, seen at Figure 6, with two
openings formed in it, the one (Q) receiving the exhausted air from the lowest

page_text: hollow ring, and the other, shewn in dotted lines, to convey it again to the
air chamber or reservoir (B) by means of the pipe (R), Figure 1; on the
top of this elastic tube is placed a steel chain formed by preference of thin
plates hinged together as seen at Figure 7. Inside the chamber (P, P),
is a revolving frame to which four small rollers are fixed marked (S, S,)
Figure 8; the frame is bolted or otherwise secured to the levers (M, M,)
which are also keyed or secured on the shaft (L), so that as the shaft
revolves, the rollers pressing on the steel chain and elastic tube force the air
into the chamber (B). Figure 3 is a transverse section of the hollow ring
and cover, shewing the steel ring that revolves; Figure 4 is merely the cover
and steel ring in section. Figure 5 is a plan of the hollow ring (H) shewing
the valve (E) drawn to a smaller scale for convenience of space. As before
stated, the reservoir or compressed air chamber (B) may be charged at
starting by any available means, that which I prefer being the common air
pump.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, I do not confine myself to the
exact mechanical details herein described and illustrated, as those will admit of
some variation, but that which I claim is, the improved mode of obtaining and
applying motive power by the employment of compressed air by the means
and in manner substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bryan J'Anson Bromwich, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
BRYAN J'ANSON BROMWICH. (LS.)