IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND UTILIZING ARTIFICAL WATERFALLS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS AND OPERATING MACHINERY
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th March 1872.-A communication from abroad by Adolphe Mot
and George Edwin Weaver, both of Providence, Rhode Island,
United States of America.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
AND UTILIZING ARTIFICAL WATERFALLS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS AND OPERATING
MACHINERY," a communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the production of artificial waterfalls to be
utilized for the propulsion of vessels on seas and rivers, and for driving
manufacturing or agricultural machinery.
The said Invention is based on the union or combination of the
following features:-
First. The creation of a vacuum within a column by means of steam
for the purpose of raising water from the sea, or from a river, lake, well,
or cistern, to the height of 32 feet.

page_text: Secondly. The utilization of the fall of this elevated water to drive a
turbine which becomes a recipient of motive power.
Third. The application of this turbine for propelling vessels or for
driving machinery.
In practising this Invention I use four cisterns of the same capacity,
and which are connected together two and two. At their upper part is
placed a cross-shaped pipe provided at the centre with an ordinary stop-
cock, whereby the two pairs of its branches are alternately opened and
closed. Steam is supplied to this pipe from any suitable boiler, and is
conducted therefrom to a steam chest or chamber, whence it is admitted
by the stop-cock to one or. other of the branches of the aforesaid cross
pipe. Above the said steam chest and central with the above mentioned
stop-cock is placed another stop-cock into which water is forced by a
pump. This pump is first operated by hand to start the apparatus, and
is then connected by suitable gearing with the turbine to be actuated.
From this upper stop-cock project cross pipes corresponding with those
above described; these pipes extend to the upper part of the cisterns
wherein they terminate in perforated discs for injecting water when
necessary. Below the cisterns and central with the aforesaid stop-cocks
is placed a third stop-cock, from which project four branches forming
elbow cross pieces which are attached by flanges to the under surface of
the cisterns where they are provided with valves. This stop-cock com-
municates directly with a suction pipe whose lower end is immersed in
the water of the well, pond, river or sea from which my apparatus is to
be supplied; each cistern is also provided at the bottom with a vertical
pipe, which extends downward, and opens at its lower end into the
turbine. Each of these pipes is provided at its upper end with a valve
for opening and closing it. The four cisterns being quite empty, steam
is admitted by the proper adjustment of the first mentioned stop-cock,
through the supply pipe, the box, stop-cock, and the branch pipes into
two of the cisterns; as soon as the steam has filled these two cisterns,
the air is expelled through spring valves thereon, and water is injected
through the perforated discs of the upper cross pipes, then the steam is
suddenly condensed and a vacuum is created in the two cisterns.
The water of the well or other source of supply is then by atmospheric
pressure immediately caused to rise in the suction pipe, and through its
stop-cock into the two cisterns wherein the vacuum previously existed.
Then the admission apertures for the steam and the valves of the vertical

page_text: pipes should be opened simultaneously. The pressure of the steam drives
out the water which falls down the vertical pipes into the chamber of
the turbine, which is thus set in motion. Steam being then again
introduced into the cisterns, the condensing injection is admitted, the
vacuum produced, and the elevation and fall of water are renewed. I
place inside the cistern cork floats to prevent the contact of the steam
with the water.
The working of the other two cisterns is similar to that of the first
cisterns, one pair alternating with the other, that is to say, the water
ascends into one pair of cisterns, while it falls from the other pair.
This action is obtained by distributing contrivances as follows:―The
operation of the stop-cocks is effected by the vertical shaft of the tur-
bine, which shaft through suitable gearing and a central rod is connected
to the handles of the three stop-cocks. The valves in the vertical pipes
at the bottom of the cisterns are operated in pairs by a double rack con-
trolled by a toothed segment, which is moved by two toothed wheels, one
of which is fixed on the aforesaid central rod.
An axle which is geared with and receives motion from the turbine,
is provided with a crank or fly wheel, so that in starting or before the
turbine has received an impulse, the stop-cocks and distributing and
outlet valves may be controlled by hand.
In applying the said Invention to a steam ship the four cisterns are
enclosed within a case. The water as above described is drawn up by a
pipe immersed in the sea, river, or canal, and after acting on the turbine
enters a pipe leading to a centrifugal pump, which is operated by the
turbine. This pump throws the water through two pipes from the stern
of the vessel, and the reaction against this ejected water causes the
propulsion of the said vessel.
An additional pipe for steering may be arranged with an outlet on
both sides of the vessel. By means of valves or cocks fitted in this pipe
the water is ejected at either side of the vessel, which will be steered by
the reaction.