A NEW METHOD OR METHODS (CALLED BY THE INVENTOR THE UNITED STATIONARY AND LOCOMOTIVE SYSTEM) OF PROPELLING LOCOMOTIVE CARRIAGES ON RAILROADS AND COMMON ROADS, AND VESSELS ON RIVERS AND CANALS, BY THE APPLICATION OF A POWER. PRODUCED OR OBTAINED BY MEANS OF MACHINERY AND APPARATUS UNCONNECTED WITH THE CARRIAGES AND VESSELS TO BE PROPELLED
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANTHONY
BERNHARD VON RATHEN, of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County of York,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-eighth of July, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Anthony
Bernhard von Rathen, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
anthority that I, the said Anthony Bernhard von Rathen, my exors, adiñors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Anthony Bernhard von Rathen, my
exors, adiiors, or 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, exercise, and vend within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "A NEW METHOD OR METHODS (CALLED
BY THE INVENTOR THE UNITED STATIONARY AND LOCOMOTIVE SYSTEM) OF PROPELLING
LOCOMOTIVE CARRIAGES ON RAILROADS AND COMMON ROADS, AND VESSELS ON RIVERS
AND CANALS, BY THE APPLICATION OF A POWER. PRODUCED OR OBTAINED BY MEANS OF
MACHINERY AND APPARATUS UNCONNECTED WITH THE CARRIAGES AND VESSELS TO BE
PROPELLED;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said Anthony Bernhard von Rathen, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be inrolled 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.
of
my
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Anthony Bernhard von Rathen, do hereby declare that the nature. said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described in and by the following statements thereof," reference being had to
the Drawings hiereunto annexed, and the figures and letters marked respectively
thereon (that is to say:-
or
My Invention consists in applying upon the locomotive carriages or common
roads and railroads, or upon vessels on rivers, or canals, a ready-made or
manufactured propelling power, viz., "compressed air." For obtaining, pro-
ducing, or fabricating this propelling power; I-fix-at-proper distances stationary
engines, with apparatus for compressing the air, and magazines to preserve it
ready for use. This is the reason why I call it the united stationary and
locomotive system. Stationary, because I require to have steam (or other wind
water power) engines fixed at different stations, in like manner as on
several of the railways in England, and which is called the stationary system.
But the difference between this system and mine is, that neither my locomotives
nor the trains of cariages to be drawn by them are in direct communication,
either by crosses, channels, or otherwise, with the steam or other wind water
power engines fixed on the station, such locomotives being propelled inde-
pendent of those stationary engines by the fabricated power, viz., compressed
air, which is transmitted to a magazine or magazines fixed upon the loco-
motives or tenders themselves. On the other hand, the principle of the
present locomotive system is to have the steam engine or any other prime
mover (whatever it may be) upon the locomotive itself, and to produce upon
the locomotive the power by which it is propelled. I have already said that
upon my locomotives I have and apply a propelling power which I do not
produce or obtain upon such locomotives. I have thus explained by the fore-
going statement the reason why I have used the title united stationary and
locomotive system, and I have therein also indicated the nature of my Inven-
tion to consist,
**
First, in the production or fabrication at fixed places or stations of a certain
motive power, namely, compressed air, which power is capable of being there
preserved in magazines, and of being thence transmitted into other magazines
upon the locomotive carriages or vessels themselves which are intended to be
thereby propelled.

page_text: Second, in the act or mode of transmission of this fabricated motive power
from the magazines at the stations to other magazines or vessels fixed upon
locomotive carriages on railroads and common roads, and vessels on canals
and rivers, respectively intended to be thereby propelled.
. Thirdly, in the. mode of applying this fabricated transmissible power to
propel locomotive carriages,' with or without trains, on railroads and common
roads, and vessels on rivers and canals, from one place to another.
And, fourthly, for the special arrangements and construction of the machi-
nery to be used in the fabrication and in the application of the motive
power.
1
i
, I will now proceed to the description of the Drawings annexed appertaining
to the fabrication of the "compressed air."
Figure 1'is a vertical, section taken through the inside of three air-com-
pressing cylinders or pumps, the same being drawn to a scale of one inch to a
foot; Figure 2 is a plan of the same, and drawn to the same scale.
First, I will describe the machinery and apparatus for compressing air or
for fabricating compressed air and preserving it in reservoirs or magazines as
a transmissive power for the purposes of locomotion. I apply a set of cylinders
to be used in the successive compression of atmospheric air to any required
degree. In the present case I have émployed, as shewn in the annexed
Drawings by way of illustration, three cylinders, assuming that the air is to be
compressed in the magazines to a degree beyond a pressure of sixteen atmo
spheres. I arrange the diameters. of the cylinders according to the required
degree of compression. Cylinder A, shown in Figure 1, which takes in the
common atmospheric air, has a diameter of four feet, cylinder B a diameter of
two feet, and cylinder C a diameter of one foot. Now it is known the cubic
capacity of one cylinder to another. (their heights being equal) is in proportion
to the square of their diameter, and that therefore the volume of air forced
out by the piston of cylinder A into cylinder B will in our case be compressed
to the fourth part of its volume, or to four atmospheres pressure, in consc-
quence of the cubic capacity of cylinder B being only the fourth part of that
of cylinder A. The working and construction of such compressing cylinders
have no particular characteristic features, and the larger one which takes in
the common atmospheric air is not much different from an air-compressing
cylinder of a blowing machine. But the difference in my apparatus as com
-pared with a blowing cylinder. is, that the air, which after being taken into
the larger cylinder A is forced into the succeeding cylinders, is not common
atmospheric.air, but air already compressed, which passes from one cylinder to
another in a progressively increasing state of compression. By the piston of

page_text: the last cylinder C it is forced into the reservoir or magazine, and thereby
still further compressed to the required degree. The three cylinders A, B, C,
united together by "air-conducting pipes," as shewn in the annexed Drawing,
Figure 1, are all three double working, sucking, and forcing air pumps, or air-
compressing cylinders. The air-conducting pipes, which are marked A C P,
conduct the air from one cylinder to the other. The main air-conducting pipe,
marked M AC P, conducts the air into one or more of the three reservoirs
or magazines, as will be hereafter explained. The letters S V in the Drawing,
Figure 1, note the suction valve, and f V, the forcing valve; and when either
of these are used in conjunction, and with the letter of any one of the cylinders,
then the particular cylinder to which it is fixed is thereby denoted. Each of
those valves has a separate round case, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, which I
call the valve house, V h, which is fixed by screws to the cylinders. These
valve houses are air-tight, but with one opening, marked O, and the rods of the
valves, as shewn in the Drawings, and afterwards more specially described,
move in stuffing boxes.
I will now describe the manner of setting those air-compressing pumps or
cylinders to work, and of conducting the compressed air from cylinder to
cylinder, or to any one or more of the magazines. In cylinder A (in Figure 1)
the common atmospheric air enters though the lower suction valve S V A, and
is forced out from the cylinder A through the upper forcing valve F VA (as
is shewn by the arrow's flight) into the two air-conducting pipes AC P,
between cylinders A and B, which connect the upper and lower forcing valve
houses of the cylinder A with the lower and upper suction valve houses of
cylinder B. The pistons in the three cylinders are shewn to be all in the same
position. The arrow's flight in the piston rods indicates that they are moving
upwards, and the arrow's flight in the air-conducting pipes shews that the
compressed air forced out from cylinder A, through the upper forcing valve of
the same cylinder, enters into cylinder B by the lower suction valve, under
the piston of that cylinder, and the already compressed air above the piston of
cylinder B is forced out through the upper forcing valve of that cylinder, and
conducted through the air-conducting pipes between the cylinders B and C by
the lower suction valve, under the piston of cylinder C, and the compressed air
above the piston of this cylinder is forced out through the upper forcing valve
and conducted through the single air-conducting pipe into the main air-
conducting pipe (MAC P), and thence to the magazine. The main air-
conducting pipe M ACP has a separate entrance from cylinders A and B,
which by slide valves, cocks, or otherwise, shewn at A, E, and B, E, in Figure 1,
may be opened or closed at will. At the commencement of the process of

page_text: filling the three distinct magazines with compressed air, the slide valve A, E,
must be open and the slide valve B, E, closed, and then the first cylinder A is
to be set at work by itself, and to supply all the three magazines with compressed
air up to the degree of four atmospheres, in the present case assuined, which
degree of pressure when attained will be denoted by a safety valve or other
indicator on the magazine. When the air is compressed in all three magazines
(A, B, and C, in Figure 3,) to the pressure of four atmospheres, then the two
cylinders A and B are made to work together, and in that case the slide valve
A, E, is closed and the slide valve B, E, is opened. The compressed air from
cylinder A will then enter cylinder B, as before described, and from B it will
be forced in the sanie manner as from A, through the entrance B, E, and the
main air pipe into the two magazines B and C only, the magazine A. being
closed, which will, by the continuance of the working of the cylinders A and B,
be filled with compressed air to the degree required, assumed to be sixteen
atmospheres, magazine B will then be also closed, and all the three cylinders
will be made to work together in the manner as before described, and will then
only feed or provide the head or chief magazine C with air compressed to such
a degree as may be required, assumed in the present case to be some inter-
mediate degree between sixteen and thirty-two atmospheres pressure. I have
only introduced a given number of cylinders or air pumps to compress the air
successively, and a given degree of compression, by way of example; but I do
not confine myself to three or any other number of cylinders, nor to any degree
of compression of air, but I reserve to myself the right to use both, according
to localities and circumstances.
I will proceed now to describe the Drawings annexed, in which the magazines
are particularly represented. Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the three
magazines through the main pipes, general main pipes, and main air-conducting
pipe, drawn to a scale of a quarter of an inch to a foot. Figure 4 (drawn to
the same scale as Figure 3) is a horizontal section through the vertical pipes
on the line Y, Z, in Figure 5. Figure 5 is a vertical section taken through one
row of vertical pipes, shewing the main pipe and the general main pipe, (drawn
to the same scale as Figures 3 and 4.) Each magazine may contain any
number of separate pipes, which are made to communicate with several main
pipes, and which main pipes communicate with a general main pipe, with which
each of the separate pipes, however numerous, belonging to the same magazine,
is thus brought into communication. The form of each pipe and the manner
in which they are connected with the main pipe is so clearly shown, and the
workmanship so well known to every engineer, that it requires no further
description. By way of example, I have arranged in magazine A 18 separate

page_text: pipes, placed in six rows of three pipes each, each row being connected
with with its own main pipe; the several main pipes communicate with
one general main pipe. The separate pipes are placed vertically, and the
main pipes and general main pipes are placed horizontally, in all the
magazines. In magazine B are six rows of six pipes each, connected
together as before described. In magazine C, the number of separate
pipes is doubled, making together seventy-two pipes, but with the same
number only of main pipes, communicating with the general main pipe as
is before mentioned in describing magazines A and B. Each of the main
pipes before described has on the lower part thereof a small cock, by which the
water which may from time to time collect from the compressed air contained
in the vertical pipes can be let out. For the sake of greater convénience, the
several separate small water pipes, indicated by a cock in each main pipe, may
be connected or united together by means of a water communication pipe, in
which case a single cock in this water communication pipe would be sufficient
for the whole magazine. The single cock, indicated at W C in Figure 1, in
the main air-conducting pipe, is intended for the same purpose. The general
main pipe of each magazine is connected with the main air-conducting pipe,
leading from the several cylinders by a case or box with three slide valves, as
shewn in Figure 3, which may respectively be opened or closed by a handle,"
as shewn in the Drawing No. 10, as will be hereafter more particularly
described.
I will now explain how the magazines are supplied with compressed air from
the cylinders when the three magazines A, B, C, are to be filled. The first
time the large cylinder A is alone put into operation, and continues at work
until all the three magazines are supplied with compressed air of pressure equal
to four atmospheres. When this required degree of pressure has been obtained
in the three.magazines, then the slide valve of the box B, B, leading to maga-
zine A is to be closed, and the two cylinders A and B are put into action
together to supply the two magazines B and C, until the air in those two
magazines is raised to a degree of sixteen atmospheres, and then the slide valve
of the box B, C, leading to the magazine B, must be closed. This being done,
all the three cylinders are set to work together to supply magazine C, being
then the only one remaining open, and they are to continue at work until the
air in the magazines is compressed to the required degree, which in our case is
supposed to be some intermediate degree between sixteen and thirty-two-
atmospheres, but which in no case should exceed thirty-two atmospheres. The
boxes B, B, and B, C, which contain three slide valves, are placed at the
entrance from the main air-conducting pipe into the general main pipes of

page_text: the magazines B and C, as may be seen from the Drawing in Figure 3, for
the purpose of separating or connecting one magazine with the other, as will
be hereafter more fully explained.
2.
I will now explain the manner in which the magazines are to be used when
required to supply the locomotives and tenders with compressed air.
When it is required to fill the magazines of locomotives and, tenders for the
first time with compressed air, the locomotive magazine is put in connection
with the general main pipe of the magazine A, at the opposite end of the main
air-conducting pipe marked. M A P C; by means. of a communication pipe,
which will be hereafter described. As soon as this communication is made,
the slide valve at the mouth of the general main pipe of the magazine A, as
as well as that of the general main pipe of the locomotive magazine (which
were closed previously to the communication), must now be opened. The
compressed air will then readily escape from the stationary magazines A into
the locomotive magazine until the degree of pressure shall be equal in both,
and which will be a degree under four atmospheres. To raise the pressure in
the magazines to a degree of four atmospheres, the slide valves of the box B, B,
leading to the magazine A are opened, and the desired effect will soon be
attained. When the pressure in both magazines has thus been raised to the
degree of four atmospheres, the above-mentioned slide, valves, must again be
closed, and further communication between the two magazines A and B cut
off. This having been done, the locomotive magazine. is separated from the
magazine, A, by closing the slide valve at the mouth of the locomotive, maga-
zine, and also the slide valve at the mouth of the general main pipe G M P
of the stationary magazine A; the communication pipe of both these magazines
is then removed; and the locomotive proceeds with its tender: to magazine, B,
when, a communication being made between the locomotive magazine and
magazine B, the slide valve at the mouth of the locomotive magazine and that
at the mouth of the general main pipe of magazine B are opened; the com.
pressed air escaping from the magazine B into the locomotive magazine
through the communication pipe, will bring the air in the two magazines to an
equal degree of pressure, after the degree of pressure. in both magazines has
been made equal, which in our case will be under a pressure of sixteen atmo-
spheres. In order to raise the degree of pressure in both magazines to sixteen
atmospheres, it will be necessary to place magazine C in connection with
magazine B, by opening the two slide valves in each of the boxes B, B, and
B, C, by which a communication between the two magazines will be effected.
These slide valves must be again closed, and magazine C. separated from
magazine B, as soon as the
as the desired object has been attained. When the loco-

page_text: motive and tender magazines have been this filled with compressed air of the
pressure of sixteen atmospheres, the operation is completed and the locomotive
ready for use. As it has been assumed that a degree of sixteen atmospheres
will be sufficient wherewith to commence to work the locomotives, should,
however, a higher degree of pressure be required, the locomotive may be further
supplied from magazine C.
I remark here again that I do not limit myself to any particular number of
pipes forming together a stationary magazine, nor to any particular dimensions
of such pipes, but consider any magazine or reservoir, however arranged, con-
taining compressed air to be transmitted when required to other resorvoirs
upon locomotives or vessels, and to be there used as a propelling power, as my
Invention.
I will now explain the manner in which I intend to set the air-compressing
cylinders to work by means of a steam engine.
In Figure 1 the pistons of all the cylinders are supposed to work simul-
taneously and in the same direction. This might be effected by working
all three cylinders together by a common crank, or by three cranks fixed
at the same angle upon a shaft to be put in motion by the steam engine, or
any other prime mover, and regulated by a powerful fly wheel. But I con-
sider this to be an ineligible plan, and have only represented the pistons in
Figure 1 in this position, for better illustrating the successive compression of
the air, and the conducting the same when so compressed from one cylinder to
another, considering the method of working these cylinders in the manner shewn
in Figures 6 and 2 to be the best.
I now proceed to explain those two Figures. Figure 6 shews a shaft with
a fly wheel and three cranks; the cranks are fixed upon the shaft at angles of
one hundred and twenty degrees one with the other; each of the three cylinders
is connected with one of those cranks. Supposing Figure 6 to be an elevation,
and the vertical crank C, A, connected with cylinder A, and the crank C, B,
with cylinder B, and the crank C, C, with cylinder C, it would follow that the
piston of cylinder A will be at the null point. On its beginning to move, the
piston of cylinder B will have performed one third of its course, and the piston
of cylinder C two thirds of its course, the shaft with the fly-wheel being put
into motion by the steam engine.
I will now explain why I consider the foregoing arrangement of working
with three cranks at angles of one hundred and twenty degrees the best. It
is evident that the piston of cach cylinder will require a power increasing in
proportion to the compression of the air in the cylinder; but as this increased
power will by the proposed arrangement be required in the several cylinders at

page_text: different times, the total or sum of power exerted by the engine will with the
assistance of the fly wheel be equalized. Figure 2 is a plan of the three
cylinders with their air-conducting pipes and their round valve houses, similar
letters referring to the corresponding parts in Figure 1. S B indicates the
stuffing box, in the centre whereof is the piston rod; the cylinders, being of
ordinary construction, require no further explanation.
I now proceed to explain further the action of my newly-invented suction
and forcing valves as applied to the three compressing cylinders.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of a section valve. V II, the valve house; V,
the working valve; and P1, P2, two metal plates, for the purpose of breaking
the force of the shock of the valve in opening and shutting; P¹ is the internal
plate, which is for the protection of the valve in its upward motion, and this is
effected in the following manner:-It is shown in Figures 8 and 9 that the
valve house is constructed with two conical chambers, which I call round cups,
RC being the interior, and R C², the exterior cup, the lesser diameter being
fitted with elastic rings for the plates P¹ and P² to strike against, which plates
and rings are of corresponding diameters; the air contained in the round
cups not being able to escape immediately, will be compressed by the moving
of the plates, and will therefore work as an elastic cushion, and thus moderate
the violence of the closing or striking of the working valve V. Besides this,
the plate P¹ is lined with indian-rubber, but the working valve is merely made
to fit perfectly without being so lined. All that has been said of the suction
valve and the internal plate P¹ is applicable to the forcing valve and the
external plate P³, and requires, therefore, no further description.
To complete the description of the means by which the air is compressed, it
now only remains to shew the method of opening or closing the slide valves at
the entrance from the cylinder to the main air-conducting pipe in Figure 1,
and in the boxes at the entrance to the magazines in Figure 3.
In Figure 10 is shewn a vertical section through the main air-conducting
pipe of the slide valve before mentioned, consisting of a square plate fitted
air-tight and working in a groove. The rod of this plate is a screw, which, by
means of a key, shewn at Figure 11, may be screwed up or down at pleasure;
but a cock or other means may be employed for this purpose.
In Figure 12 a box with three slide valves, as shewn in Figure 3, at the
entrance to the magazine, is drawn to a larger scale, but as the slide valves in
this box are constituted and moved in the same manner as before described, it'
requires no further explanation.
I will now proceed to the second chief division of my Invention, that is to
say, the transmission of the air when compressed to the magazine of locomotive

page_text: carriages to be employed on railroads and common roads, and of vessels
navigating rivers and canals.,
In describing the stationary magazines, it has been explained how they are
worked upon filling for the first time a locomotive magazine with compressed
air; it is therefore unnecessary to 'describe further by what means the loco-
motive magazines are filled under such circumstances. After a locomotive
has been once in use, its working reservoir and magazine will remain filled
with compressed air exceeding, or at least nearly, equal to, the regular working
pressure, which we have assumed to be four atmospheres. In this case the loco-
motive magazines can be filled to the required degree of pressure, which we
have supposed to be sixteen atmospheres, from the stationary magazine B alone,
assisted towards the finishing of the supply by the magazine C, as herein-before
described. The supplying of locomotives is effected in the following manner: -
A branch railway being laid down between the main line and the stationary
magazine, the locomotive is brought alongside of or opposite to the stationary
magazine, and a communication pipe is then screwed at one end to the general
main pipe of the stationary magazine, and at the other end to the mouth of the
general main pipe of the locomotive and tender magazine, marked L, M, in
Figure 16. This communication being made, the slide valve of the locomotive
magazine is first opened, and then the slide valve of the stationary magazine
must be opened gradually and with caution; the filling will then proceed to
its completion. Locomotive carriages intended to be employed with or without
trains on common roads being provided with the necessary propelling appa
ratus, as indicated by the omnibus shewn in Figure 19, may be supplied with
compressed air either from any stationary or from any locomotive magazine.
To supply the magazines of vessels on rivers or canals with the propelling
power, that is to say, compressed air; if the vessels can conveniently approach
the stationary magazine, the ordinary communication pipe may be employed;
but if not, the compressed air may easily be transported by a magazine fixed
on a waggon, by which it may be conveyed to some convenient place near to
the vessel, and the magazines of the vessels thus supplied. This commu
nication pipe before mentioned may be either a metallic elbow pipe, or a
flexible pipe constructed of india-rubber cloth, or any other strong material;
such as hempen cloth, made air-tight. I have shewn in Figure 18 a flexible
pipe of my own Invention constructed in the following manner:-Between
two pieces of hempen cloth formed into a pipe, I place a layer of cement of
white or read lead, and round this pipe I fix, by' screws at. given distances,
strong metallic rings, which I connect together by chains, for the purpose of
strengthening the pipe and allowing it to bend.

page_text: . I shall now proceed to the third and last chief division of my Invention;.
that is to say, the application of compressed air to propel locomotive carriages
on railroads and common roads, and vessels on rivers and canals.
I will first describe the application of compressed air for propelling
locomotive carriages and their tenders and proportionate trains from one.
place or station to another on a railroad. Figure 13 represents the longitu-
dinal section of a locomotive with its tender. Upon both of these are fixed
magazines, differing only from the stationary magazines in having the separate
pipes (SP) placed horizontally, the main pipes (M P) vertically, and the
general main pipes (G MP) horizontally. The two general main pipes of
the locomotive and tender magazines (as will be seen in Figure 13, are con-
nected together by a flexible pipe, marked C, H, by which means not only
the two general main pipes, but also the magazines upon the tender and
locomotives, are connected together. Supposing locomotive magazines to, be
already filled, as before described, with compressed air of a degree equal to
sixteen atmospheres, this fabricated power might be applied to work any
locomotive steam engine without any alteration as a substitute for steam; but
as the elasticity of the compressed air in the magazine of the locomotive will
be diminished in the course of the journey in proportion to the quantity.
gradually consumed by supplying the working cylinders, I have, for the purpose
of obviating this difficulty, and of preserving an uniformity of velocity, as far
as may be practicable, throughout an entire journey, invented a self-acting
regulator, which is shewn in Figures 13, 16, and 17, and which, being a very
essential part of my propelling apparatus, I will now explain. Figure 13 is
a vertical section through two horizontal pipes placed on the tender, and
made to communicate with one another by the opening shewn in this section.
The lower pipe is the general main pipe of the magazine (G.M P), and
the upper one the regulating pipe (R P), which contains. the self-regulating
apparatus. Figure 16 is a longitudinal section taken in the line C, D,
(marked in Figure 13). through those two pipes. In this section it will be
seen that the general main pipe communicates only with one division or
chamber of the regulating pipe, and that the opening to the other chamber
may be closed by a sliding plate, marked S P. The rod of this sliding plate
passes through a hole bored in a piece of metal, fixed in the upper part of this
chamber, and in which it works air-tight. The weight of this sliding plate,
and the effect of the pressure of the compressed air in this chamber upon the
rod of this sliding plate, is counterpoised by the balance weight marked BW;
and its rod, which is of the same size as that of the sliding plate, and carefully

page_text: of
fitted to the piece of metal through which it passes. These rods are connected
by a chain passing over the pulley marked P. But the same sliding plate
and its rod is also connected by the beam (which I call the regulating beam,
B, B,) to a piston passing air-tight through a larger piece of metal fixed on
the upper part of the other chamber, which I call the regulating chamber
RC), and inside this chamber a weight is attached to this piston, by which,
together with the action of the air upon the surface of the piston, the rising
or falling of the sliding plate (S P) is effected, and thus the self-regulation
is accomplished. This weight in the regulating chamber is so nicely calcu-
lated and proportioned to the area of the piston, and to the degree pressure
required (in our case four atmospheres) that it instantly rises, and thereby
depresses the sliding plate (S P), and closes the opening between the two
chambers as soon as this pressure is surpassed. On the other hand, when the
air in this regulating chamber is not at the required pressure, the weight, not
being fully supported by the pressure of the air upon the area of the piston,
will descend, and thereby raise the sliding plate (S P), opening the passage
for the entrance of the compressed air, and thereby the propelling power
will be sustained at an uniform degree of pressure. This regulating chamber,
as shown in Figure 13, is connected by a flexible pipe, as above described,
with a round vessel or pipe (which I call the working reservoir (W R), and
from which the working cylinders are supplied by means of a conducting
pipe provided with a cock, as indicated, in the interior of the working reser-
voir, and by which the engineer is enabled to regulate the action of the
machine. The object of my Invention is attained as soon as I have shewn
that I have at my command an elastic motive power of a constant force,
capable of being applied exactly in the same manner and to the same
machinery as steam. This being the case, air not being subject to loss of
power by refrigeration, will preserve a more equal clasticity than steam.
I have abstained from adding to this lengthened description any further
explanation of the various kinds of machinery which may be used in pro-
pelling locomotives by means of compressed air; for whatever kind of
machinery, (whether worked by cylinders, rotation wheels, or otherwise,) can
be impelled by steam, may be also impelled by compressed air of an uniform
degree of pressure. I therefore leave it entirely to the engineer to determine
what modification of steam engine he will apply to the compressed air locomo-
tives, suggesting only that, for the sake of economy, this elastic power should
be used expansively in the same cylinder in like manner as is prescribed by
Watt for his steam engine. The air, which when it enters the working

page_text: cylinders has a pressure of four atmospheres, requires only to have a pressure
somewhat over one atmosphere upon leaving the cylinders.
Having already said that the compressed air in my working magazine
requires only to be considered as ready prepared and preserved steam, no
further comment is necessary concerning its application to a locomotive engine,
excepting in one particular feature, which is applicable only to the power of
compressed air, and which consists in the conductor or engineer having at his
command the means of increasing the degree of pressure in the regulating
chamber and working reservoir, by turning a friction screw (shewn in Figures
16 and 17 at F S), and thereby stopping the action of the regulating piston,
and afterwards opening the cock (M C H, in Figure 16), and thus establish-
ing a communication between the regulating chamber and the general main
pipe. The following is the manner in which I intend to use my locomotives
on railroads :-When my locomotive has been supplied with the necessary
quantity of compressed air for drawing its train at a certain velocity to the
next station, the locomotive and tender whose magazines are nearly exhausted
are to be removed, and others which have been previously filled with sufficient
compressed air attached to the train, to draw it to the next station, where the
same change will be made, and so on, to the end of the journey. The length
of the train, the distance from station to station, the weight of the locomotive,
and the proportion of the propelling machinery to the train, must be deter-
mined by the railway company; and a second and third tender may, when
necessary, be used in conjunction with that shewn at Figure 13, and connected
in the manner before described. The locomotion on common roads may be
effected in a manner similar to that on railroads, videlicet, the application of a
locomotive and tender for drawing a train of carriages. A passenger carriage
may, however, be provided with a magazine and machinery, and made to act
by itself; but in such case several alterations will be necessary in reference to
the position of the machinery and the mode of guiding the carriage, both of
which must be regulated in like manner as at present in use in steam coaches
travelling on common roads. I have, therefore, for the sake of illustration,
annexed a Drawing of an omnibus at Figure 19, which I will now describe.
The magazine is placed (as shewn in Figure 19) upon the top of the omnibus.
Its three separate pipes (which are shewn in the horizontal section through
the pipes at Figure 20) are connected together by openings from one to the
other without any main or general main pipes. The regulating pipe or
chamber is placed transversely, and the working cylinders are supplied imme-
diately by a feeding pipe leading from this regulating chamber to the cylinders,

page_text: and, by the cock fixed to the feeding pipe, the movement of the omnibus may
be regulated. The working cylinders at the back of the omnibus are placed
vertically, for the sake of convenience, but might be placed horizontally, under
the carriage, in like manner as now in use in steam locomotives on railroads.
As a number of steam carriages have already been constructed for locomotion
on common roads,.and as compressed air is capable of being substituted for
steam, and applied to every sort of machinery which can be impelled by steam,
there' requires no further explanation of the machinery requisite for propelling
an omnibus or other carriage by compressed air on common roads. I provide
these carriages with compressed air in the same manner as locomotives on
railroads or otherwise, as before described. The manner in which the maga-
zines of vessels navigating on rivers and canals may be supplied with com-
pressed air from stationary magazines, placed at proper distances from each
other on the banks of rivers and canals, has already been described, and the
magazine may be placed in the space now occupied by the boiler in steam
vessels, or in any other convenient situation.
Having thus set forth and fully explained, to the best of my knowledge, the
nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying out my new method or
methods, called by me. (the Inventor) "the united stationary and locomotive
system of propelling locomotive carriages on railroads and common roads, and
vessels on rivers and canals, by a power produced or obtained by machinery
and apparatus unconnected with the carriages and vessels to be propelled,
and being fully convinced that any practical engineer may, by means of this
Specification and the accompanying Drawings, be enabled to construct all the
machinery and apparatus here described, and to carry the object of my
Invention into effect, I will now set forth my claims under my said Letters
Patent.
First, I claim the exclusive right of fabricating and preserving compressed
air to be used as a propelling power on locomotive carriages on railroads or
common roads, and vessels on. rivers and canals, according to my united
stationary and locomotive system, as herein particularly described.
.Secondly, I.claim, as part of my Invention, the transmitting or removing of
my propelling power, videlicet, compressed air, from the place where it has
been produced or obtained to the place where it is intended to be used as
a propelling power, (that is to say,) from the stationary magazine to the
locomotive magazine.
- Thirdly, I claim as my Invention, the application of compressed air as a
propelling power for propelling:locomotive carriages on railroads and common

page_text: roads, and vessels on rivers and canals, according to the method or methods
herein-before described.
Fourthly, I claim the exclusive use of the whole combination of the ma-
chinery and apparatus herein-before described, or such part or parts thereof
as may be necessary for fabricating, transmitting, and applying compressed air
to be used as a propelling power for propelling locomotive carriages on rail-
roads and common roads, and vessels on rivers and canals, according to my
united stationary and locomotive system. But I do not claim such exclusive
use of any particular part or parts of the said machinery or apparatus when
used separately or otherwise than in conjunction, for the purposes herein-before
particularly described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anthony Bernhard von Rathen, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
ANTHONY BERNHARD (L.S.) VON RATHEN.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of January,
in the year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid Anthony Bernhard von Rathen
came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and spe-
cified in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.