MACHINE FOR THE PURPOSE OF GAINING AN INCREASED SPEED AND POWER TO ALL MECHANICAL OPERATIONS BY LAND AND WATER
Year: 1801

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
BRAYSHAY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, and WILLIAM
MCMAHON, of the same place, Gentleman, do send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of October,
in the forty-second year of His reign, did give and grant unto us, the
said Richard Brayshay and William McMahon, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, His special licence that we, the said Richard Brayshay and
William McMahon, our executors, administrators, and assigns, during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, our new invented "MACHINE FOR THE PURPOSE OF GAINING AN INCREASED
SPEED AND POWER TO ALL MECHANICAL OPERATIONS BY LAND AND WATER;" in which
Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging us, the said Richard
Brayshay and William McMahon, or one of us, under our hands and seals,
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 next and immediately.
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: .a
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Richard Brayshay and William McMahon, do, by Walter Henry Wyatt, our
attorney, duly authorized by letter of attorney in that behalf, hereby declare
our said new Invention to consist in a power gained by a wheel acting in either
horizontal or perpendicular position, or arms acting in the same manner, and
obtaining a circular motion either by wind or water, and when necessary by
likewise adding to the windlass, particulars of which are hereafter described.
When its power is taken from the water, the sails are best made of wood or
metal; but when from wind, of canvass. When it is to obtain a motion from
the water, it is to be placed underneath it at any place where there is either
current or tide, which has the same effect upon the wheel as the wind has in
air. The properties of the windlass are greatly superior to any ever yet offered
to the publick, not alone possessing the advantage of a continued motion
without intermission, but of increasing or decreasing the barrell of the
windlass, by which means more or less power is obtained at pleasure. To
increase the power of the wheel from which the motion is obtained, the
arms aro made to slide in a box at the centre, so as to be either longer
or shorter, and by that means of increasing the circumference of the wheel,
or otherwise by enlarging the size of the sails or the number of them.
The sails or float boards are so contrived as to be able to play in a
given space, being fixed perpendicularly on the wheel, and fastened by
a cord or otherwise, so that when the wind blows from any quarter
three fourths of the sails catch the wind, and by forcing the wheel
round those sails which are forced against the wind come up edgeways, but
when past the centre immediately receive the breeze, and by that means
produce a continued circular motion. This may be better understood by
supposing the method which is taken to make a vessel sail against wind by
tacking about.
In some cases where we may judge it necessary, we place
two sails together, opening as it were a book; when faced to the wind they
open and receive the full pressure of the current, by which means they force
the wheel round, but on returning they shut close together, and are forced
against the wind by the other sails in action edgeways, until they arrive past
the centre of the wheel from whence the current comes. When the face of
the sails comes to the wind it immediately blows them open, and they then
turn the wheel round as before. This machine may be made moveable so as
to be conveyed from place to place for the purpose of lifting any weight, &c.
It will likewise answer to row boats upon the water, or larger vessels, by the
means of the addition of a new invented oar, which is worked by the wind,
and so forces the boat through the water. In fine, this machine is applicable

page_text: to any purpose to which windmills, steam engines, or water wheels are
usually applied.. The mahcine, when placed where the tide ebbs and flows,
may be looked upon as a perpetual motion with unlimited power, the tide
either ebbing or flowing giving a continued circular motion to the wheel always
one way. This machine may be erected at a small expence in proportion
to any other now adopted, and the purposes to which it may be easily applied
are more numerous than can be ascertained.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a flat view of a ratchet wheel, having a square hole through it to
admit a square iron shaft; this wheel on the outer edge a, a, a, is toothed one
way, but on each side has a set of teeth toothed the contrary way; b, b, b,
being one of those wheels, in the middle of which at c, c, c, is a pap coming
out of each side of the wheel. Figure 2 is a view of an iron side, to be
placed on the wheel Figure 1, with the catch to take hold of the teeth.
The pap of Figure 1 is put through the hole d, and another iron side is
put on the pap of Figure 1, on the other side, The catch e, e, having a
hole thro' it, a pin put through both the plates, and the catch then being
between the plates, is moveable on the pin, the iron sides being likewise
moveable on the paps of Figure 1. One end of the catch e, e, is double,
as may be seen by Figure 3, so as to be able to take hold of the wheel b, b, b,
on both sides of Figure 1. When the under side of catch e, e, is required
to work, there is a spring as f between the two plates moveable on a pin
at g, which is made to press against that side of the catch which is required
to be kept off work; but as this will only happen when the windlass is required
to be turned the contrary way round, so there is on one side of the spring
a hole through the plates to admit a pin thro' to press against the tail of the
spring; but when the spring is not required to act the pin is taken out, and then
the spring, not being kept fast, is at liberty to move any way, and consequently
does not hurt the spring, it only working when there is absolute necessity.
Figure 3 is a representation of the double end of the catch e, e. Figure 4
is a representation of the wheel and plates, say Figure 1 and 2, put toge-
ther, and ready to put upon the windlass axle, allowing the wheel a, a, a, to
stand still, and the catch e, e, moving upon a pin in the plates, and lying
in the wheel b, b, the plates being likewise moveable upon the paps of the
wheel. It is evident that if the plates y, y, be lifted up they will likewise
lift up the catch e, e, lying upon the wheel, which will keep running upon the
teeth of the wheel, but if you stop lifting up the plates, and pull them down,
the catch e, e, fastens into the teeth of the wheel, and upon the plates being

page_text: pulled down by force, will likewise turn round the wheel the wheel in this
case obtains its motion by the plates coming down, and stands still till it
is lifted up and comes to be pulled down again. If the wheel is wanted
to be turned round the other way, the spring is put to work on the catch
to keep it from lying on the teeth of the wheel b, b, and to press it against
the wheel a, a, a, by which means the wheel will be turned the other way
round, and will receive its motion when the handle is rising up, and not
when it is pulled down..
Figure 5 is a representation of the back parts of the ends of the
windlass. The ends of the windlass are composed of two pieces placed
on each other, of which Figure 6 is the other. Figure 5 is made by a piece
of wood or iron, first divided into circles, as Fig. 7. The circles a, a, a, a, a,
being cut, out, and the remaining circles b, b, b, b, b, will be left untouched,
by which means it forms a groove or hollow for the bars to run in;
the bars being placed in the vacancies of Figure 6, and the Figure 6
being placed upon Figure 7, and the ends of the bars going through
the vacancies of Figure 6 into the grooves or hollows of Figure 7 at . It is
evident that if Figure 6 stands still, and Figure 7 be turned round one revolu-
tion, the bars will have followed the groove into, by which means the
barrel of the windlass will have increased in size according to the width of
the grooves. If the revolutions be still continued, it will continually increase
until it arrives at the extremity; if turned the contrary way round, it will
decrease until it arrives at the last circle. By the bar ends going into the
vacancies of Figure 6, they are kept at their respective distances either in
increasing or decreasing. Figure 8 is the view of the windlass, put together
in a state for working. At cach end of the windlass is Figure 4, fitted
on a square bar, being the axle of the windlass. For the purpose of shewing
the action of the windlass, we have placed two pullies h, h, over which is
a rope, communicating with both handles, one of the levers being always
going down whilst the other is rising up, and, catching the teeth of their
respective wheels in going down, keep a continued circular motion, Each
end of the windlass is formed of Figure 6 and 5 joined together, of which
Figure 6 is the inside at both ends. The pall is made to act against the
wheel at each end. This windlass is capable of being erected perpendicularly,
and by this means will act as a capstan, being better adapted for the purpose
of gaining power than any now in use, having the advantage of extending
the bars or levers to any length; and as the motion by the ratchet wheels
is not required to be circular, so by moving the bars backwards and forwards,
let the space gone through be ever so small, it gives the circular motion
.

page_text: equally the same as if the bars went round as they do in the method now
used; and as it is impossible to have a long lever in the common method,
owing to the masts and other impediments, that disadvantage is done away
by the use of the ratchet wheel.
Figure 9 is a view of the wheel or arms on which the sails are placed.
In this view a, a, is an upright shaft; b, b, b, b, are the arms on which the ropes
or poles are placed for the holding of the sails. When we judge it necessary,
we place a rim on the arms,, as c, c, c, c, c, c, on which we place as many sails as
we may judge proper for the power required; where we think it necessary to
increase the power by lengthening the arms, we provide a box for the arms to
slide in, as at Figure 10, and which box we can heighten or lower at pleasure
on the shaft; .should occasion require, we put more boxes and arms on the shafts,
by which means we place as many sails on the shaft as we may think proper.
Figure 11 is one form of a sail, to be placed in Figure 9, between
the arms at 2, 2, y, y, x, x, u, u, Figure 12. In case this machine be
employed to row, boats, we provide a square frame as 1, 1, 1, 1, in which
frame we have another square. frame m, m, which slides in the former
frame 1, 1, 1, 1, either backwards or forwards; the frame 1, 1, 1, 1, is fixed,
fast, but m has liberty to slide in 1, 1, 1, 1. On an upright shaft we place
a half circle wheel as n, n, n, n, which wheel is fast to the shaft at o; this
shaft going round takes the half circle wheel with it, and so gives the
frame m, m, m, m, the retrograde motion. By means of this motion.
the winged oars Fig. 13 are worked, which are so contrived that they
need never be taken out of the water. Figure 13 is a representation of
one of the oars, which are thus made. This Figure has three boards on
each side, which are fastened to the pole by hinges, with liberty to open
and shut; this oar when pushed against the water the boards extend as
at Figure 14, and so have a great surface of water to push against, but
on being drawn through the water back, again the boards lie close and
so come edgeways through the water, as Figure 13; this oar may be extended
to any length, or any number or size of the float boards.
.
Figure 15, a large wheel to be placed on Figure 8 or 9, to give speed
when required. If there is no wind the levers are to be worked by hand;
a rope going round the windlass and upright answers. the purpose of a
fly-wheel. Figure 16, a frame, hung in the inside of the vessel nigh to the
bow: In this frame may be placed any weight that may be found adequate
to its intended purpose; this frame being at liberty to move backwards and
forwards according to the motion the vessel gives it, and attached to Figure
8 by means of a rope going round the pulleys,, fastened to the levers
of the windlass, Figure 8. 8, s, two cranks placed on the shaft of the

page_text: windlass to work the winged oars; the dotted line of Figure 16 representing
a shaft that may occasionally be put in and applied to the same purpose
as the ropes going, round the pulleys, The aforesaid motion may be
applied to pump the ship or any other purpose.
Figure 17, represents a frame for working common oars, the end of the oars
being put through the holes q, q, a crank fitting through the hole x, and the end
of the frame going through the regulator y with a pin on either side; by the
moving of those pins up or down the oars are made to take more or less water.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Brayshay and William
McMahon, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Thirtieth day
of November, One thousand eight hundred and one..