AN IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR TRAVELLING THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE AND ON LAND AND WATER, PART OF WHICH APPARATUS IS EQUALLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Meyers Kaufınan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd May 1867.
1, JOSEPH MEYERS KAUFMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"AN IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR TRAVELLING THROUGH THE
ATMOSPHERE AND ON LAND AND WATER, PART OF WHICH APPARATUS IS EQUALLY
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain apparatus or mechanical means to be
employed for the purpose of propelling passengers as well as merchandise or
goods from one place to another.
The apparatus employed for the propulsion consists of a boat or car in
which a steam engine or engines and boiler or boilers or any other suitable
kind of motive-power engine are placed, the boilers being fitted with per-
forated apparatus and the steam therefor being generated by the combustion
of mineral or other oils as fuel, assisted by steam and air, thereby doing
away with the necessity of carrying the weight and bulk of coal which would
otherwise be required. The boilers used may be either vertical or horizontal,
and in either case they are constructed with a double shell so as to allow
free circulation of the water, the fuel employed being by preference petroleum,
shale, or other mineral oil or hydrocarbon. A special apparatus, which it is
preferred to call a "sncap," is adopted for regulating the pressure of the
steam within the boiler, the boiler being made as light as possible for the purpose

page_text: of reducing the weight to be propelled. The "sneap" consists of a cylinder
attached by a steam passage to the steam space of the boiler, in which a
duplex piston is placed, the two pistons being connected together by a short
bar or rod, thus leaving a space equal to the clear length of the bar or rod
between them; the bar or rod is continued beyond the lower face of the
piston, and it is again furnished at its lower extremity with a smaller piston
which fits into and is capable of sliding within the short end of the tube of a
mercury guage. The part of the piston rod passing through the lower side of
the piston and cylinder causes the effective area of the lower piston to be less
than the entire area of the upper piston by an amount corresponding to the
exact area of the piston rod, so that when the steam is admitted the effect of
it is to cause a descent of the piston and a consequent elevation of the mercury
corresponding to the product of the pressure of the steam upon the excess of
surface or area of the upper piston, thus by reducing the effective area for the
steam to act upon by a very small amount in the manner herein-before
described the movements of the mercury corresponding to the pressure are
considerably reduced; aud in the event of the steam reaching an excess of
pressure the piston is depressed until it passes over one or more ports or
openings through which the surplus steam escapes; the apparatus may also
be provided with a whistle, through which some of the surplus steam would
escape, thus giving warning to the attendant. It is to be understood that
the "sneap" may be applied to steam boilers generally for purposes similar
.to those herein specified. Another apparatus is applied for the purpose of
regulating the flow of oil used as fuel; it consists of a cylinder and piston
acted upon by the steam, so that when the pressure begins rise above a
certain number of pounds the piston is moved in the cylinder, and its rod
having fastened to it a valve the valve is partially closed to an extent corre-
sponding to the excess of pressure, and the, flow of oil for the time is
diminished so that the intensity of the fire is diminished, and on regaining the
original pressure the piston recedes, opening the valve to allow the full flow of the
oil. The cylinder or cylinders of the engine is or are situated at or near to the
middle part of the boat or they may be placed one on each side, and the cross
head of the piston rod working in the cylinder is coupled by links or con-
necting rods to two or more arms or levers extending across the boat, these
arms or levers being movable on joints on which they oscillate, or they may
be fixed and the wing only made to oscillate by means of suitable contrivances
at the side by the upward and downward motion of the piston in the cylinder
being imparted to them; the outer ends of these arms or levers extend to a
considerable length beyond the sides of the boat or car and are continued in a

page_text: form of very light framework preferably formed of steel tubing or T steel, the
interspaces of the outer frame being formed of light bars, over and under
which silk or other material of a light and strong nature is folded and drawn
tight, thus constituting a very powerful wing. To the propelling boat or car
is attached a second boat or car which acts as a tender to the first, carrying the
fuel and stores required for a journey; behind this one or more cars are
coupled in which the passengers or merchandise are carried. The tender,
boat, or car, as well as passenger or mechandise cars, are provided with two
or more wings firmly secured to their sides and situated at an angle, which
can be changed when desired by a lever held by the guard, so that a portion
of the propelling force acts as an upward pressure supporting the apparatus
whilst another portion of the motive force of the propelling car acts upon it as
the force tending to carry it forward. The propelling boat or car, as well as
the other cars in the train, may be fitted with tails and guides or sails so that
the apparatus may be steered through the atmosphere in the direction required.
One or more of the boats may be fitted with buffers on the under side to
allow the apparatus to stand upon the ground, at the same time by letting
steam pass into their cylinders the buffer pistons are forced out, thereby
lifting the apparatus to a certain height from the ground at the same time that
the wings descend, thereby imparting a continued motion to the apparatus and
so starting it on its aerial journey. In place of or in combination with the
buffers above referred to wheels may be employed on which the apparatus
may be started on land, being actuated by the engine, and which also act as
fly wheels in travelling through the atmosphere; the apparatus is balanced by
means of a weight or weights or other device situated at the end of a moveable
pole or telescope tubes below the body of the propelling boat or car.
The
cars are made in such shape and proportions that they may travel through the
atmosphere with the smallest amount of resistance, and are also capable of
floating on water; they can also be made separate or they can all be fixed
together, so that when the propelling boat moves they all move together in the
same direction; the wheels are also made with grooves or other appliances to
receive floats when the apparatus alights in water, in which case the wheels
act as paddles.