AN IMPROVED APPARATUS COMPOSED OF CHAINS, WHEELS, ROLLERS, AND CONDUCTORS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF LESSENING FRICTION IN RAISING, LOWERING, DRIVING, AND CON- DUCTING HEAVY BODIES, AND APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1799

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DOUGLASS, of Church Street, in the County of Surry, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britian, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the fortieth year of His
reign, give and grant unto me, the said James Douglass and James Fussell,
of Meles, in the County of Somerset, Iron Manufacturer, especial licenco
that we, the said James Douglass and James Fussell, during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS COMPOSED OF CHAINS, WHEELS, ROLLERS, AND CONDUCTORS,
FOR THE PURPOSE OF LESSENING FRICTION IN RAISING, LOWERING, DRIVING, AND CON-
DUCTING HEAVY BODIES, AND APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES ;"
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging us, the said
James Duglass and James Fussell, or one of us, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and of one of us, to cause a
particular description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within one calendar month after the date of the said recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had) may more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with, and agreeable to the true intent

page_text: and meaning of, the said proviso in the said Leiters Patent contained, I, the
said James Douglass, do hereby declare the following is a particular description
of the nature of the said Invention of new methods and improvements in the
constructing of chains, riggers, or conductors, both in respect to principles
and to the way and manner in which they are put together and rendered prac-
tically useful, which is fully described in the annexed Drawings, and the
description thereof hereunder written, and consists of the following principles
(that is to say)
7
The method and form of this chain working on a scalebeam principle, the
fulcrum being of an oblong shape, the friction which attends chains in general
will in a great measure be obviated, and its strength greatly increased, but
when it may be required to work over a small conductor the friction will be
immaterial, and the fulcrum in that case may be round; both will work as easy
and pleasant as a strap or rope, and are applicable to most purposes where straps
and ropes are now in use, with this advantage, that all straps and ropes, especially
in heavy machinery, require a great power to keep tight on the sheaves, and if
not very much strained will not work at all, whereas this chain will work quite
slack, and consequently will not require so much power to drive it; those chains,
conductors, or riggers will be found of great public utility, constructed for the
purpose of lessening friction, in raising, lowering, driving, and conducting heavy
bodies, also connecting shafts one with another, as well as multiplying speed,
instead of bevel wheels; applicable to cranes, steam engines, extinguishing
engines, distillerys, chain pumps, turning lathes, and every other machine or
engine which now requires leather straps or ropes. And be it further con-
sidered, that chains, conductors, or riggers on this principle may be made of
cast iron, wrought iron, or any other metal, of which 'a description of the
annexed Drawing remains as follows:-
Fig. 1st represents a side view of the double link chains working round two
conductors A and B, for the purpose of putting in motion any machine or
engine that may be connected with them, and will in a great measure do
away that friction which has hitherto been experienced in bracing up so very
tight straps and ropes for giving motion to machines or engines of various
descriptions, particularly those used in the different operations in the manu-
facturing of woollen cloth; chains of this principle, working round con-
ducters of the above form, will likewise connect one shaft with another almost
in any direction in a much more simple manner than that of bevel wheels, and
at one half the expence.
Fig. 2 is a flat view of the chain Fig. 1, working round the two couduc-
tors or riggers fixed on the shafts C & D.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a representation of a double chain put together in a different
manner to that of Fig. 1, and works round two conductors or riggers fixed on
the axles or shafts E, F, which connects the one with the other.
Fig. 4 is a single link chain on the same principle as Fig. 3, and works
in the same direction, which will be found of great use in moving lighter
bodies.
Fig. 5 is a section of one of the conductors or riggers, shewing the end
view of the plinths pitched at proper distances round the circle, which comes in
contact with the hollow spaces formed in the chain, and causes the same effect
as one wheel working into another, without that nicety of pitching and trouble
of trimming which is required in most of wheels.
Fig. 6 and 7 form each one half of the conductor or rigger, which occasion-'
ally may be brought together by screw and nut for the convenience of grasping
shafts in various situations.
Fig. 8 is a section of one of the small conductors or riggers, about one foot
in diameter, for giving a quick motion to whatever machine or engine it may
be applied to.
Fig. 9 shews the section of a conductor or rigger made of wood, whereon
the cast iron plinths in segments are fixed around the circle for receiving
the chain.
Fig. 10 is a small conductor or rigger, with a collar and lever for the pur-
pose throwing the different engines in and out of work, by means of cones,
springs, &c.; those conductors and riggers may be made from four inches to
ten. feet in diameter, so that every machine or engine can be brought to any
speed required by the application of them.
Figs. 11, 12, and 13 represent the different parts of chain contained in Fig. 1.
G, a flat view of cast iron stud for receiving the links on each end; H, H, the
edge view of the links; I, I, two wrought iron keys for keeping the links in
their proper places; K is a side view of the cast iron stud; L, a flat view of
wrought iron links.
Figs. 14, 15, 16, and 17 exhibit the different parts of the chain contained
in Fig. 3.
M forms the flat view of the cast iron stud; N, N, N,,N, shew
the different parts coming together by means of wire pins cast in the iron;
0, 0, 0, 0, edge views of cast iron links; P is the side view of the cast iron
studd; Q, a flat view of cast iron links; R, R, R, R, represent the different
parts all completely put together, which is kept in that position by means of a
screw placed in the centre at S.
Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, represent the different parts of single link
chains, coming together, on the same principles as before mentioned in Fig. 4.
A

page_text: Fig. 24 and 25 exhibit a chain on the same principle as Fig. 11, only
observing it is put together without the assistance of either screws or wrought
iron keys, and will remain quite secure when working in various directions.
Fig. 26 shews an iron frame fixed to a beam above, with a friction roller at
the bottom, for the purpose of supporting and regulating the length of the
chain as occasion may require.
Figs. 27 and 28 represent two conductors or riggers fixed on a horizontal
shaft T, which is put in motion by a chain working round the conductor U,
fixed on the end of the shaft; W shews the chain leading to a conductor.
Fig. 29, driving an improved patent mill for the purpose of raising and
brushing woollen cloth. A chain X, on the reverse side of the shaft T, is also
working a machine Fig. 30, for the purpose of shearing and cropping woollen
cloth; for which improvements two Patents were granted in March, One
thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight, and another in March, One thousand
seven hundred and ninety-nine.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Douglass, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, One thousand
sovon hundred and ninety-nine