A MACHINE OR CONTRIVANCE FOR CONVEYING VESSELS OR OTHER WEIGHTS FROM AN UPPER TO A LOWER, OR LOWER TO AN UPPER LEVEL, ON CANALS
Year: 1792

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WELDON, of the City of Litchfield, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty hath, by His Letters Patent under the
Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June instant,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, given and granted to me, the said
Robert Weldon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial
licence, priviledge and authority, for the sole use and benefit of my Invention
of "A MACHINE OR CONTRIVANCE FOR CONVEYING VESSELS OR OTHER WEIGHTS FROM
AN UPPER TO A LOWER, OR LOWER TO AN UPPER LEVEL, ON CANALS," and for
making, using, exercising, and vending my said Invention within that part of
Great Britain called England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, for the term of fourteen years, subject to a proviso or condition
for me, the said Robert Weldon, to cause a description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by writing
under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within one calendar month next after the date thereof, as in and
by the said Letters Patent, relation being thereto had, will more fully
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Weldon, in compliance with
the said proviso, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described in
the Plan or Drawing hereunto annexed, and particulars thereof hereunder
written.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Weldon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand seven hundred and ninety-two.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF ROBERT WELDON'S MACHINE ABOVE REFERRED TO.
The Drawing annexed presents a perspective view of the machine or con-
trivance (by which the conveyance is to be effected), and of the inside of a lock
or pound in which it is immersed, both which may be constructed in the
orm or shape in the Drawing or otherwise, as may best suit the different
situations and purposes required. A, the machine, consists of a trunk or
cassoon made of copper, iron, wood, or other materials, and of dimensions
equal to the reception of vessels or other large bodies and weights. At each
end thereof is a doorway, which the vessel, &c. are to be floated through, into
or out of the trunk, and being received therein, and the door then shut with a
given quantity of water to float the vessel, &c., and counterpoize the machine,
it may then be easily raised or lowered at pleasure by means of racks and
pinions, or chains and pullies (as shall be found most convenient), from one
level to another, and the vessel, &c. be delivered accordingly. B is one side,
the bottom, and one end of the lock or pound. C, the door at the ends of the
trunk. D, an aperture at each end of the lock, one at the upper, and the
other at the lower level, with a sliding gate or bolt (moved by racks or chains)
to receive the ends of the trunk, to which it is to be closely fitted at the
uprights, to which
time the vessel, &c. is received or delivered. E are the
chains are fixed, and to which racks may also be applied; and F is the shaft
on which the chains are wound, and to which pinions also may be applied for the
purpose of raising or lowering the trunk, which, when brought to the aperture
of the lock, will be confined there by means of levers; and the machine is
further regulated by means of a pump, an air pipe, and other apparatus, to
be applied as occasion may require.
ROBERT (L.s.) WELDON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Thirtieth day of June,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Robert Weldon came before our
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-