CERTAIN NEW METHODS OF RAISING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, OR APPLYING THEIR FORCE TO THE PURPOSES OF MILLING, OR GIVING ADVANTAGEOUS MOTION OR EFFECT TO VARIOUS MACHINES AND ENGINES
Year: 1792

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
RUMSEY, of Falcon Stairs, Blackfriers, in the County of Surry, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the thirty-second year of His reign,
did give and grant unto me, the said James Rumsey, His special licence,
full power, sole priviledge and authority, during the term of years therein
expressed, to make, use, and exercise, and vend, within that part of Great
Britain called England, the Dominion of Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my
Invention of "CERTAIN NEW METHODS OF RAISING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, OR
APPLYING THEIR FORCE TO THE PURPOSES OF MILLING, OR GIVING ADVANTAGEOUS
MOTION OR EFFECT TO VARIOUS MACHINES AND ENGINES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a provisoc or condition, obliging me, the the said
James Rumsey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, parti-
cularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one month after the
date of said Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation thereto being
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in pursuance of and in compliance with the said
proviso or condition, I, the said James Rumsey, do hereby declare that the
nature and principles of my said Inventions, and the manner in which the
same is be performed, are herein-after particularly described and ascertained,
that is to say:--

page_text: My new invented machines for raising water and other fluids, or applying
their force to the purposes of milling, or giving advantageous motion or effect
to various machines and engines, consists of the following general principles,
forms, and properties.―
First, in being capable of great varyation in their forms and construction,
without thereby departing materially from their uniform principle, or receiving
or communicating their force, in the manner of an inclined plain.
Second, in being capable, as circumstances may require, of acting either as
agent or instrument in producing or giving advantageous motion to various
kinds of machines.
Third, in having the ability, when acted upon by heavy fluids, such as water,
of communicateing their force with advantage and simplicity to give powerfull
motion to many kinds of machines.
Fourth, in being capable, when fixed upon boats or vessels, when floating
upon water, of giving them powerfull motion by the aid of horses, wind, or
steam, or any other power applied thereto.
Fifth, in constructing these machines in some cases so that the water as it
passes through the machines exerts boath its action and reaction to give motion
and force to the object to be moved.
Sixth, in being so formed as to work without inconvenience in backwater,
or with uniform power and motion, by the tide (or any other water), notwith-
standing it may be continually varying its hight.
Seventh, in forming my wheels for some objects I fix round their axes a
spiral projection or fan of metal or wood in form of a screw, something simclar
to that of Archimead's pump, against this spiral projection or screw and in the
direction of its axis (which may be elevated to any suitable degree) the water is
brought to act, by which means it will give motion and forco to the machine
in proportion to the weight of the fluid expended, and that time and distance of
its descent.
Eighth, in some cases the construction of my niachiues for raising water or
other fluids (by the application of any external force to give them a rotary
motion) consists simply of a hollow axis of the height that the water is to be
raised, which has at his bottom a pivot and valve (simelar to those of the center-
fugal pump); ou the top of this hollow axis is placed a hollow wheel, out of
which (when the machine is put inte motion) the water issues from appertures at 8
its opposite sides. This machine, with but little varyation, besides being inverted,
and causing the water from a fall to pass through it, becomes a powerfull mill.
Having above described the general principles, forms, and properties of my
several machines or inventions, I shall now more minutely designate by tho

page_text: following references and Drawings the nature and manner of their several
applications, which will more fully explain, not only their principles, but also
their various forms and purposes to which they may with advantage apply,
whereby it is expected that their nature and properties will be sufficiently
defined, laid down, and explained.
References:-Fig. 1, 2, & 3 represents a water mill for grinding corn,
without wheel, cogg, or round, the water wheel excepted.
A, Fig. 2, is a perspective view of part of the cistern from which the water
descends through the tube B to turn the mill; the remainder of this Figure is
made a section, in order more plainer to shew the internal parts of the machine.
C is the neither and D the upper millstone, which is carried round by the
spindle E, F, upon which is fixed the hallow wheel G, H, by the pin at Z.
I, K, is the bridge or supporter of the spindle E, F, at F, which lies within the
horizontal tube L, M, that conducts the water into the hollow wheel G, H. The
foot of the spindle at F may be regulated at pleasure by screws, such as N,
which moves the end I of the bridge I, K, while the end K is supported by
the bolt O, by which, after passing through the suffing box P, the stone D may
be raised or lowered with ease. Q is the short tube connected with the hollow
wheel G, H, and moves round in a collar of leather or oakum, which keeps it
tight by being closely confined round it by a ring of metal and screws, such
as R, S.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same machine, whose corresponding parts
is represented by the same letters as those of Figure 2. In addition to which,
T is a piece of metal or wood screwed over a hole, for the purpose of putting
a pin through the ends of O and I, K. near K, to couple them together, see
Fig. 2. U is a screw such as N, to assist in regulating the bridge I, K. When
this machine is put into motion, a valve or gate is lifted that lets the water
descend from the cistern A, through the tube B, and along its horizontal conce-
tion L, M, and then rises through the short cylinder Q, into the hollow wheel
G, H, from whence it is discharged by the appertures W and X, while its
action within the hollow wheel, from the nature of its construction, obliges it
to take a circular motion, with a power proportionate to the height of the water
and the angles that the ends of the pieces A, D (semi-diameters forming the
wheel) make in departing from the circle represented by the dotted lines E, F,
Fig. 1; from which it clearly appears that the action or power of this mill may
be estimated by the principles of an enclined plain, upon which it chiefly acts,
as observed under the 1st head of this Specification. Another way of ascer-
taining the power of this wheel is, takeing the distance between A, E, F, D,

page_text: and consider them as so much of the base or support of the water within the
wheel, the reaction of which will be the power, friction included, with which the
wheel will endeavour to move. The quantity of water expended will depend
much upon the motion of the wheel, which again depend chiefly upon the
perfectness with which they may be executed. On those accounts no particular
motion can be recommended, but in general it is supposed to be fast; sny
that the circumference of the machine is to move as quick as water would
issue from under the head allotted to drive the same.
Fig. 4 represents a section of the
is mentioned in article the 8th above.
water is made to ascend by giving the wheel E, D, motion by the crank R, S,
or any other external power applied to give motion to the wheel E, F, the axis
of which, G, H, carrics round with it the hollow wheel C, D, which delivers its
water at appertures such as are seen at I in the upper box or cistern K, L.
When this machine is put into motion, the water from below rises through the
valvo M, from whence it ascends (in this case) the fixed barrel N, O, and fly's
out of the wheel C, D, at appertures, such as I. The wheel has at its bottom a
short cylinder, which moves in a collar of leather screwed round it, P, Q, while
its axis is supported by the X, Y, the heighth of the riseing water depending
entirely upon the the motion of the machine, which may be varied at pleasure
by the machanic making the sanic. This machine may be infinitely varied in
form, yet its principles, as before pointed out, will for ever remain the same,
depending upon the motion and the angle of the wheel (see Fig. 1) for the
quantity and heighth of the water delivered in any given time.
same machine inverted for a pump. It
A, B, is part of the box from which the
Fig. 5 is a section of the wheel placed upon the axis of Fig. 6, which itself
is but a section (with but littlo variation) of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shews the internal
form the wheel A, B, placed upon Fig. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. &c., are its
buckets, that receive the stroke of the water as it escapes from the appertures
C, D, in the perspective, Fig. 6, where these apertures are not seen, on account
of the wheel A, B, but are plainly represented by W and X, Fig. 3. The wheel
A, B, joins the cogg wheel, which moves with A, B, on the collar G, round the
axis I, K, of Fig. 6, which is driven by the water in a contrary direction to C, D,
the wheel that it incloses when the water is brought from the cistern M, through
N,O and U, V, to operate upon this machine, which will be affected with an
impulse equal to boath the power of action and reaction of the water taking placo
upon the axis of tho machine, to which connected the wheel X, Y. This double
motion will favourably effect tho wheel Q, R, so as to receive in the same direc-
tion the powers communicated by the water spent upon the wheels A, B, and

page_text: C, D, seen at Fig. 5. It is needless to trace the use that may be made of the
powers communicated to the axis of Q, R, as may be applied to all purposes
that want machanical force. It also unnecessary to enumerate the infinito
variations that may be made upon this machine. Cogg wheels may be placed
on Fig. 8, in place of the millstones C, D, theire represented. The water
can be very differently brought to act upon the machine. Boath the tubes and
mill may be shaped into a very different form, but the principles of action must
ever remain nearly the same. The following Figures, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 11, are
but variations of the same machine for the different purposes or situations in
which it may be placed. Its action depends chiefly upon the likness its prin-
ciples bears to that of the inclined plain, as mentioned in the 1, 24, 34, 4th,
6th & 7th articles of the preceding part of this Speculation.
Fig. 7 has the axis of the machines represented by A, B. The gate C, D, lets
water on it at pleasure; E, F, G, H, I, K, represents the frame of the machine
as may be placed horizontal or otherways, as circumstances may require, in any
dam, river, or sluice suitable to the purposes required; L & M represent the
semicircle of wood (or metal) that the machine moves in; O & P, the screw
or projection of wood (or metal) round its axis, mentioned in article the 7th; Q
is part of an upright axis turned by the wheel R, S, from its connection with
a wheel on the main shaft of the machine A, B; being thus prepared, the
gate C, D, is drawn by the stem U to any covenient height, which lets the water
operate upon O, P, the screw or projection rising from A, B, the axis of the
machine, which takes motion with a power proportionate to the quantity
of water expended, its motion, and the angle that O, P, bears to the shaft A, B,
which power is communicated by the wheel T, and R, S, to the shaft Q, which
does any work required by the face of this machine.
Fig. 8 represents nearly the same machine, having its screw or projection O, P,
covered, instead of moving in a semicircle such as L, M, Fig. 7. Its
frame, E, F, G, H, & I, K, answers the same purpose as that of Fig. 7; but
instead of being boarded in the form of L, M, it is planked up in a square,
the shape of the frame Fig. 8, as represented by C, D, N, X, Y, Q, R, S, the
end Y, Q, having a circle cut throught it in which the end of the wheel A, B.
moves round freely, having the ring and circle of leather U, V, to keep it tight.
The water, as in Fig. 7, enters this machine at C, D, which is effected accord-
ing to its fall, its motion, and the angles of O, P, to axis W of the wheel A, B.
Having shewn how this machine, with its variation from the former, is to be
put into motion, it is thought needless to to describe the gate not shown in the
place C, D, (which, in the present instance, represent the plank of the bottom),
or the connection with R, S, and Q, Fig. 7, as the manner of communicating

page_text: its power in boath cases are so much alike as to make a particular description
unnecessary.
Fig. 9 represents this machine in quite another atitude, its axis A, B, being
placed nearly to an angle of 45 degrees. The water from the cistern C passes
along the spout D, and enters the machine near A, which by its weight gives it
motion and force in proportion to the velocity and quantity descending in the
direction A, B, from its presure upon the spiral projection or fan passing round
the axis A, B, and shewn outside by the Figures 1, 2, 8, 4, 5, &c., which, from
its motion, gives force to the wheels E and F. The latter, by its axis C, may
put into motion any machinery connected with the same.
Fig. 10 is another variation of this machine, set upright. The water is
brought (as in Fig. 9) from a penstock represented by C, from whence it passes
along D, and falls in near A, and turns the axis of this machine, which at B
runs contrary to that represented by A, which descends no further than E, and
carries the projection or screw 1, 2, 3, & 4, while the part of the axis E rises
from B through a cavity in the center of A, works by its screws 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9,
(contrary to that connected with A), and obliges the wheel G to move to the left,
while A carries with it to the right the wheel H, boath moving favourable to
give motion and force to I, K, in one and the same direction, I, K, being the
wheel and axil by which motion and power may be communicated to any
machinery fixed thereto.
Fig. 11 represents two boats, built in shape at the pleasure of the machanic,
or suitable to the purpose for which they are intended. A, A, B, B, C, C, &
D, D, are four pieces that couple them together; E, E, and F, F, are the
machinery by which they are turned; between the pieces B, B, and G, C, is fixed
the axis G, H, with its screw or projection I, K, moveable within the semi-
circle of wood (or metal) L, L, M, M, which, fixed between the boats, being
thus prepared, and the axis G, H, being moved by horses, by steam, or by men,
or any other power applied to the cogg wheel N, when the boat will take
motion with a power and velocity suitable to the force applied to move round
G, H, the axis of the machine. L, L, M, M, may be fixed in a circle upon I, K,
and move with G, H, the axil of the machine, or may in either shape move
alongside, before, or behind a single boat, or in their bottoms, or in any other
convenient manner, so as to give them motion by turning the axis G, H, with
any power, not being by this description confined to shape, form, or situation of
the machine, which may be infinitely varied, not only for the movement of
boats, but for mills, for which it may have its axis moveable on centers,
or fixed as represented in the several Drawings made of the same, or may have
its outer coat moveable in part, or altogether, as circumstances may require, or

page_text: may be made without any at all, moveing simply in a semicircle of wood (or metal)
to confine the water from passing the projections or screws made on the wheel,
or may in either form be made to rise and fall in heighth suitable to all heads of
water employed to work the same, or they may be made, where occasion re-
quires, with two or more screws round their axis, (instead) of the one mentioned
in the Drawings, which will enable them the easyer to apply a different angle
of resistance to the water in contest with the machine, weither intended for the
movement of mills or boats, or any other machinery to which it may apply, or
it may be made simply of buckets of floats standing in any angle, at the pleasure
of the mechanic, to the axis of the machine, or the projections or floats may in
part or altogether go round the axis of the machine, as circumstances may
require, without any confinement to the number or length of the same, or to
the angle in which they may be placed, as in all cases they will act upon the
principles of an inclined plain.
Besides what has been mentioned respecting the hollow wheel, it may
not be amiss to observe that a michinery may be fixed within it that will shut
up at pleasure, in part or altogether, the apertures of the machine, so as
quite to stop or in part weaken the power of the. water exerted within,
which for some purposes may prove very convenient, where various powers
is wanted at different times for the same machine, or where uniform power
may be wanted from a varying height of water, such as tides..
In short, all the forms of the machines herein mentioned are capable of
being made so as to have a constant varyation in power from a uniform head,
or a uniform power from a varying fall of water.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Rumsey, do hereunto sett my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the thirty-second year
of the reign of our Soveregn Lord George the Third, by the Grace of
God King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, and Defender of the
Faith, &c. &c., and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and ninety-two.
Signed, sealed, & delivered, being
first first duly stamped, in the pre-
JAMES RUMSEY. (L.S.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of August,
in the year of our Lord 1792, the aforesaid James Rumsey came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to
the tenor of the Statutes made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand seven hundred and ninety-two.