CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR FORCING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE AS AN ENGINE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN BIRD,
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of July, in the sixth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Bird,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
John Bird, my exors, admiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said John
Bird, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, and vend, within England
and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR FORCING WATER
AND OTHER FLUIDS, WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE AS AN ENGINE
TO BE WORKED BY STEAM FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, AND OTHER PURPOSES;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said John Bird,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery, within six calendar months next, and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Bird, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention to consist in the
improved construction or mechanical arrangement of certain parts of pumps or
engines used for raising or forcing water or other fluids, by the application of
which the friction experienced in working such pumps or engines is greatly
diminished, which improvements, with certain modification, may also be applied
as a steam engine, as herein-after explained, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed and carried into effect will be seen by reference to
the annexed Drawing, and the following description thereof.
In the annexed Drawings the scale to which the various Figures are made
is marked thereon, and the same letter of reference used in the description
to indicate any part of the machinery in one Figure is used to indicate the
same part in any other Figure where it may be found. Various colours are
used to distinguish various parts, and the direction of the moving parts are
indicated by arrows. On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation,
Fig. 2 an horizontal section, and Figs. 3 and 4 detached parts of one
description of pump or engine for raising or forcing water to which my
Improvements are applied. In these Figures A represents a revolving shaft
placed transversely in the centre of the drum or cylinder b, b, b, b, and
moved by means of the winch or handle B, as best seen at Fig. 2. One
extremity of the shaft A is supported in a recess in one side of the cylinder or
drum b, b, b, b, while the part nearest the winch or handle is supported in
a brass cap d, which also forms a stuffing box to prevent the escape of water
or other fluid. To that portion of the shaft A which is contained within the
drum or cylinder b, b, b, b, is attached the part C, the form of which is best
seen at Fig. 1. This part C, which partakes of the rotation of the shaft A,
carries the three revolving vanes or pistons D, D, D, the form of which is seen
in end and front elevation at Figs. 3 and 4. The two sides and the ends of
furthest from the centre of the
the vanes or pistons D, D, D, which are
shaft A, fit accurately to the internal surface of the drum or cylinder b, b, b, b,
and are respectively forced out and held in contact with the internal periphery
by means of springs, as seen at E, Fig. 1 and 2, so that in every part of
their revolution (as indicated by arrow at Fig. 1), these vanes or pistons
will force forward any liquid which the cylinder b, b, b, b, may contain. The
direction of the flow of water or other fluid is also indicated by arrows at the
inlet pipe G, and the outlet pipe H, see Figs. 1 and 2; and intermediate
between these two pipes G and H is placed a solid block of metal I, I,
secured by screws, as seen at Fig. 1. This block I, I, is divided in the middle
for the reception of a sliding vane similar to those described at D, which is

page_text: forced up by the spring E, and held in contact with the revolving part C, so as
to form a stop to the revolution of any liquid between it and the revolving
vanes D. By the form of the inclined surface of the block I, the vanes D are
forced home into the part C in succession during each revolution, and resume
their former position as they pass forward; while the friction on the interior
surface of the cylinder is reduced by the intervention of a belt or strap of polished
brass of suitable alloy, which being cut to the exact length adapts itself
to the form of the interior of the cylinder, as seen at a, a, a, a, Fig. 1, and is
prevented from sliding or moving from its proper position by the parts i, i,
which are revitted or soldered to each extremity and fit into recesses in the
block I, I. From the foregoing description of one modification of my im-
provements it will be seen that the vanes D being constantly forced out by the
spring E, against the internal surface of the drum or cylinder b, b, b, b, act as
a succession of revolving pistons, and that the space (marked L, in Fig. 1,)
between the block I, I, and the last vane D, which has passed it in its rotation
in the direction of the arrow, being constantly increased until the succeeding
vane D has passed the block I, I, a partial vacuum is necessarily formed
in the space at L, into which a constant flow of water or other fluid is
supplied from the inlet pipe G. during the rotation of the vanes D, which
carry it forward in succession till it is forced out at the outlet pipe H,
as indicated by the arrow at Fig. 1 and 2. Fig. 7 represents a sectional
elevation; Fig. 8 a sectional plan; Fig. 9 a transverse sectional elevation; and
Fig. 10 and 11 detached parts of another modification of the improvements
already described. In these Figures it will be observed that the part C, which
is placed on the revolving shaft A, comes in close contact with the internal
periphery of the drum or cylinder b, b, b, b, so that it forms in itself two vanes or
revolving pistons, while the parts D, D, with the springs E, E, act merely as
packing to form a perfect joint on the internal surface of the cylinder b, b, b, b.
The necessity of the parts D, D, receding as in the former arrangement is here
obviated by the romoval of the block or stop I, I, so that the parts D, D, in this
arrangement impinge on a regular and uniform surface, as seen at Fig. 1.
The sliding part K, which forms the block or division between the inlet and
outlet pipes G and H in this arrangement, is required to sink or recede to a
level with the internal surface of the cylinder, to allow the part C to pass in
the course of its revolution. This is provided for by the open arrangement of
the springs E, best seen at Fig. 9. A side view and plan on an enlarged
scale is also represented at Fig. 10 and 11, which will serve to shew their
nature and construction, as applied in the former Figures. But this arrange-
ment seen at Fig. 7 may also be modified by shortening the vanes or pistons C,

page_text: and introducing an excentric guide, to force in the sliding parts B, as
marked in red in this Figure. I would here remark, that in all those modifica-
tions of my improvements in which a revolving piston is applied to a circular
drum or cylinder I form the drum or cylinder separate from the inlet and
outlet pipes, which are attached afterwards, as seen in the Drawing; and that
in situations in which the pump or engine is required to be attached to a plain
surface, I cast a circular flange, as seen at 1, 1, 1, 1, Fig. 1, for that purpose, so
that either with or without this flange the cylinder may be chucked in the
lathe, which would be scarcely practicable with the inlets and outlet attached;
or in place of the flange a screw may be substituted, as seen in red at Fig. 2.
Fig. 12 and 13 shew a front and side view of a paddle wheel, the paddles of
which are made on the same principle in some respects as the pistons marked
D, in Fig. 1; and which, if applied to the end of either of the axis of Fig. 6,
in Sheet 2, would constitute an engine applicable to be worked by steam for
propelling vessels. The paddles of this wheel, it will be seen, slide in towards.
the centre, by striking against the excentric rib X, in the course of their
revolution, and are forced out again by the springs at their backs or inner end
as soon as they have revolved beyond the influence of the excentric rib. The
blue line denotes the water line, and the red line the line of the paddle box.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 8 represent a side elevation of a cylindrical pump or engine
with the interior construction, as described at Fig. 1 and 2, Sheet 1, the same
letters indicating the same parts. This is an arrangement which I propose
for ship pumps, in which the rotation is given to the shaft A by means of the
bevil wheel, and which is driven by the opposite bevils ff, placed on the
shafts which carry the handles B, B, where the motion is applied. The inlet
and outlet pipes G and H may be conducted in any convenient direction; but
where the deck of the ship is considerably above the surface of the external
water I propose placing a water wheel, as seen at Fig. 11, to receive the dis-
charge of the pump before it arrives at the external waters, so that the power
generated by the fall of the discharged water may be conveyed by any well-
known train of geering from the water wheel to the pump, and thereby
diminish the amount of manual labor required to lift any given amount of
water from the hold of the ship; the water discharged from the pump may also
be conducted by a continuous pipe, as seen in dotted lines, which, acting as a
syphon, would have a similar effect. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the
end of an inlet pipe provided with a foot valve and a cylindrical ball or piece,
seen separate at Fig. 10. This ball may be either formed of cork or wood
or of hollow metal, the object being to assist in its buoyancy in lifting the foot
valve when required.

page_text: .
Having described the two modifications of my improvements, which act by
a continuous revolution of the vanes or pistons in a circular drum or cylinder,
I shall now proceed to describe such as apply to the ordinary alternating move-
ments of the piston of a lifting or forcing pump, which is also effected by the
continuous rotation of the driving shaft. A Fig. 2, Sheet 2, represent a
sectional elevation of a pump or engine of this description, and Fig. 3 an
enlarged plan of the piston. In Fig. 2, A represents the revolving shaft
driven by the winch B. The shaft A passes through a stuffing box formed by
the cap d, and is supported in a recess in the casting, as in the former arrange-
ment. On the shaft A are placed two sliding pieces M, M, which are pro-
vided with small studs, projecting into the oblique grooves g, g, in which they
move freely. Attached to the parts M, M, by means of studs is an arrangement of
levers marked N, connected together by pins or studs marked n, at their extre-
mities, and intermediately in the same manner where they intersect each other.
Each of these studs or connections form a joint, and allow the levers to assume
any position which the combination will admit of. Supposing, therefore, the shaft
A to be revolved in either direction, the studs in the oblique opening g, g, will
cause the parts M, M, to approach and recede from each other regularly at each
revolution, and, carrying the two extremities of the levers N, with which they
are connected, along with them, produce a similar action through the whole
arrangement of levers N, the intermediate studs of the point of intersection
of each pair of levers serving as the fulcrum. This approach of the extre-
mities of the levers N must necessarily increase the distance of the inter-
mediate joint or points of intersection, and consequently the distance of the
piston O, with which they are ultimately connected, while the reverse or
receding action of the parts M will diminish it, so that the pumping or
alternating action of the piston O conforms to the rotation of the shaft A.
The piston O in this arrangement is solid, and the water or other fluid which
is admitted by the inlet pipe G is forced forward, at the return of the stroke, by
the outlet pipe H, the reverse vales with which they are provided acting in
the ordinary manner. The pumping or forcing action performed by this
arrangement on the under side of the piston O may be also effected on the
upper side by a similar arrangement of valves, which will be readily under-
stood from what has been already described.
Fig. 1, Sheet 2, represents a similar arrangement to Fig. 2, the screwed or
spiral part of the shaft A being of a finer pitch, and consequently reducing the
power required to work the engine. The construction of the piston O in this
arrangement of pump will be seen at Fig. 3, where h, h, h, h, represent the

page_text: portion made of cork. The cork is cut in the exact shape of the cylinder,
having a circular hole in the centre to admit the interior arrangement of the
two reverse disks m, m, and m, m, which, being screwed together, as seen in
section at Fig. 2, hold the cork firm, and has a tendency from its form, as
seen in section at Fig. 3, to force it out towards the surface of the cylinder in
which it is contained. Around the edge of the piston thus formed is placed
a band of brass or other elastic metal, which forms the rubbing surface of the
piston, and from the smoothness of its texture and the natural elasticity of the
cork on which it rests presents a very small amount of friction either when
applied in a steam cylinder as for hydraulic purposes. This substitution of
the elasticity of cork is equally applicable to the stuffing box through which
the piston passes, the arrangement of which is seen in red at Fig. 4.
Fig. 4, Sheet 2, represents a sectional elevation of another arrangement of
my improvements, in which two pistons are worked by the revolution of the
same shaft. The driving shaft A may be revolved by a handle or winch, as in
the former arrangements, and is cut into two reverse screws, meeting at an
equal distance from the opposite ends of the cylinder, where the shaft is
cylindrical, and works in a collar supported by the division P, P. The
pistons O, O, are connected to each other by the rods p, p, which pass through
the division P, P; and the plates or circular disks Q, Q, are also connected
by similar rods g, g. Each of the pistons 0, 0, are provided with a pair of
dies, the position of which is seen at Fig. 5 and 7. These dies correspond
with the screws on the shaft A, with which they are connected or disconnected
according to the position of the inclined faces of the part 7, 7, which either
force the dies into the thread of the screw, as represented in the Drawing, in
the lower piston, or allow them to recede free of the screw, as in the upper
piston. When the dies have receded from the screw A, the space round the
screw remains watertight by means of the screwed washer s, seen separate at
Fig. 5, which moving freely, as seen in the upper piston, accommodates itself
to the screw during any part of its traverse. Supposing, therefore, the shaft
A to revolve in the direction of the arrow, the lower piston would be traversed
upwards, carrying the upper piston along with it by means of the rods p, p;
but as soon as the upper disk Q has arrived in contact with the top of the
cylinder, the inclined surfaces of the rods q, q, force the dies of the upper
piston into the threads of the upper screw, while the dies in the lower piston
are freed by the same action, and the reverse thread of the upper screw forces
down the pistons in the same manner as they had been raised by the lower
screw; so that a continuous revolution of the shaft A produces an alternating

page_text: traverse in the pistons O, O, thereby pumping or forcing water or other nurds,
which can be regulated by the usual arrangement of valves for that purpose;
so that, supposing reverse valves to be placed at the opposite parts or opening
indicated in red in this Figure, it would form a fourfold lifting or forcing pump.
I would now remark, that both the last-described arrangement of my improve-
ments at Fig. 4, Sheet 2, together with those described at Fig. 1, 2, Sheet 1, are
equally applicable as an engine to be worked by steam, which may. be effected
by applying steam to any of these modifications of my improvements at the inlet
pipe, and receiving the power generated from the revolving shaft A, which
would then be driven instead of being the driver of the apparatus. In the
former arrangements a continuous supply of steam alone would be required,
without any additional parts to the apparatus, which would form a rotary
engine either with or without condensation; but in the latter arrangement
(Fig. 4, Sheet 2,) valves would be required for conducting the steam alter-
nately to the opposite ends of the cylinder containing the pistons O, O, which
might be governed by the rods seen in red lines connected with the lower
piston 0; but these and other well parts of a reciprocating engine need no
description for the explanation of my improvements.
Fig. 6, Sheet 2, represents a similar arrangement of engine, connected with
a pump of the same construction, the larger being the steam cylinder. In
this Figure the piston O is traversed alternately by the action of the steam,
which forces it along the smooth surface of the shaft A. This shaft is
provided with a spiral groove, as seen in the Drawing, into which a stud,
proceeding from the piston O, is inserted, so that the shaft A is revolved in
opposite directions, according to the direction of traverse of the piston O. At
one extremity of the shaft A is keyed the spur wheel R, geering into the
pinion S, placed on the shaft A of the smaller cylinder or pump; consequently
the shaft A of the pump revolves alternately in opposite directions, at a speed
due to the pinion S and wheel R, by which it is driven, and traversing the
Opiston O, as already explained, produces the pumping action required.
Having now described the nature of and the manner in which I perform
my certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for raising and forcing
water and other fluids, and also their application as an engine to be worked by
steam, I shall proceed to enumerate such parts and combination of parts as I
5 claim as my Invention in such machinery or apparatus.
And firstly, I claim as my Invention the construction and combination of
revolving vanes or pistons, as set forth and described at Sheet 1, Fig. 1, 2, 7,
and 9, together with the horizontal arrangement set forth and described at
Sheet 2, Fig. 8, and the paddle wheel shown at Figs. 12 and 13.

page_text: Secondly, I claim the arrangement and improvement set forth and described
at Sheet 2, Figs. 1 and 2, together with the peculiar construction of piston
seen at Fig. 3 on the same Sheet.
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement of parts represented at Sheet 2, Figs. 4
and 6, for converting the rectilinear traverse of a piston into a rotary motion
in the piston rod, together with the application of the buoyant float introduced
at the foot valve, as represented and described at Fig. 9, Sheet 2.
And fourthly, I claim the elastic belt a, a, a, a, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, and
Fig. 3, Sheet 2, as applied to the interior of cylinders and the circumference
of pistons; together with the mode of admitting water or other fluid to rototary
pumps, as represented at Fig. 1, Sheet 1; all which several arrangement of
my improvements may be modified and varied, as well as the elastic medium
which I have represented as cork in the construction of the piston at Sheet 2,
Fig. 3, which may be substituted by other material possessing the required
elasticity; yet I claim such variations and modifications of my improvements.
All which being, to the best of my knowledge and belief, new, and never before
used in that part of Her Majesty's dominions called England, I deliver this as
a true and faithful Specification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bird, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of January, in the
year of our Lord 1843, the aforesaid John Bird came before our said Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and everything therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-three.