IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER."-A
communication from Jacques Eugene Armengaud, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Civil Engineer.
Sealed the 12th June 1855, and dated the 30th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th December 1854.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER,"
being a communication from Jacques Eugene Armengaud, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Civil Engineer, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the application of an entirely new principle for the
obtainment of motive power, whether such power be applied to locomotive
purposes or propulsion in general, or to the driving of machinery generally;
and is based on the principle that two bodies in juxtaposition which are sepa-

page_text: rated by any elastic force, and driven in two opposite directions, will mutually
form a fulcrum. If at the same time an arrangement is adopted, first, either
to replace constantly one of the two bodies; or, second, to cause it to return
without any opposing effort or force, that is to say, without neutralizing the
movement of the other body in such a manner that in both cases the juxta-
position of the two bodies may be always re-established, and the elastic force
tend constantly to separate them, a constant fulcrum or bearing in one direc-
tion will be obtained. It is proposed to carry out this principle and apply it
as a motive power by employing a long cylinder, fitted with a piston, which is
acted upon on one side by any elastic force, such as steam, compressed air, or
any expansive gas; the other side of the piston being acted against by a column
of fluid, which fluid is also acted upon by compressed air or other elastic power
contained in a vessel in connection with the other end of the cylinder. The
piston communicates its motion to a crank by a connecting rod, or other
convenient mechanical arrangement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," being a communication from Jacques
Eugene Armengaud, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an

page_text: 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the application of a new principle for the
obtainment of motive power, whether such power be applied to locomotive
purposes or propulsion in general, or to the driving of machinery generally;
and is based on the principle that two bodies in juxtaposition which are sepa-
rated by any elastic force, and driven in two opposite directions, will mutually
form a fulcrum. If at the same time an arrangement is adopted, 1st, either to
replace constantly one of the two bodies; or, 2nd, to cause it to return without
any opposing effort or force, that is to say, without neutralizing the movement
of the other body in such a manner that in both cases the juxtaposition of the
two bodies may be always re-established, and the elastic force tend constantly to
separate them, a constant fulcrum or bearing in one direction will be obtained.
It is proposed to carry out this principle and apply it as a motive power by em-
ploying a long cylinder, fitted with a piston, which is acted upon on one side by
any elastic force, such as steam, compressed air, or any expansive gas; the other
side of the piston being acted upon by a column of fluid, which fluid is also
acted upon by compressed air or other elastic power contained in a vessel in
connection with that end of the cylinder. The piston communicates its motion
to a crank by a connecting rod, or any other well-known convenient mechanical
arrangement.
And in order that the said Invention may be more properly understood, I
shall now proceed to describe and refer to the Figures on the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section of a loco-
motive engine for common roads fitted with the improved system of propulsion.
This section is taken at one part through the centre of the boiler, and at the
other through the centre line of one of the cylinders; Fig. 2 is a corre-
sponding transverse vertical section of the same, taken through the line 1, 2,
in Fig. 1. This apparatus consists of a suitable. framing A, mounted upon two
pairs of running wheels, in a similar manner to ordinary locomotives. The two

page_text: driving wheels B are fitted on to the cranked axle C, which communicates
by means of the connecting rods D with the pistons E, enclosed in the
cylinders F. As the action of both these cylinders is precisely similar, it
will only be necessary to describe one of them in order to enable the improved
system of obtaining motive power to be understood. Each cylinder F is
furnished with a branch G, above which is placed a reservoir H on one side
of the piston; the cylinder is filled with any dense liquid, or with mercury,
which is contained in the reservoir H. The other end of the cylinder is in
communication, by means of the ordinary arrangement of passages and slide
valve, with the steam boiler I, which may be constructed in a similar manner
to ordinary locomotive boilers, or arranged in any other suitable form.
The slide valve J is actuated by means of an eccentric K on the crank
axle C; the steam is introduced into the cylinder F, or into the upper portion
of the reservoir H above the surface of the liquid, by passing through the
pipe a. The pipe conducts the steam into the valve chest, and the exhaust
steam passes by means of the pipe c into the chimney L. Supposing the
piston is at that extremity of the cylinder furthest from the reservoir, the liquid
fills the cylinder, and its surface is consequently lowered in the reservoir H.
The steam now arrives in the opposite end of the cylinder, and its elastic
force, by tending to overcome the resistance of the liquid, exerts an amount of
pressure against the end of the cylinder and against the piston, which would be
capable of moving the whole machine, even though the piston were not in
communication with the crank axle. When the piston has completed its
stroke, the surface of the liquid in the reservoir H is raised, in consequence
of its being driven back, and the steam being directed into the reservoir by
the slide valve and pipe a, the liquid is forced back again into the cylinder,
and the engine continues its forward movement. The tendency to motion pos-
sessed by this engine renders it highly suitable for the ascent of steep inclines.
The leading wheels are arranged for this purpose, and by means of the
vertical screw spindle d, actuated by the two spur wheels e and e¹, the level
of the machine may be maintained, notwithstanding the inclination of the
road. It is proposed also to employ in this machine any other elastic fluid or
expansive gas as a substitute for steam. The same principle is equally
applicable to stationary engines, railway locomotives, steam boats, and engines
for various other purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to

page_text: describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the
system or mode of obtaining motive power by the aid of two opposing forces,
in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)