IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPRESSING, STORING, AND UTILIZING AIR AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter West, of Crown Place, Kentish Town,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMPRESSING, STORING, AND UTILIZING AIR AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 17th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th April 1875.
I, WALTER WEST, of Crown Place, Kentish Town, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN COMPRESSING, STORING, AND UTILIZING AIR AND OTHER FLUIDS,
AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the compression of air and other fluids
to any required degree of density, so as to avoid the necessity of using
forcing pumps, and also the storing of the fluid so compressed, and the

page_text: application of the compressed fluid for certain purposes, all as herein-
after described.
In carrying out my Invention I employ one, or by preference two or
more vessels, each of which I separate into two compartments by means
of a non-conducting loose fitting piston or diaphragm, which can by its
motion displace the fluid contained in each vessel alternately into either
compartment. In its passage from one compartment to the other the
fluid traverses a regenerator or apparatus exposing a large surface to the
passing fluid. The piston may be constructed so as in itself to form the
generator. One compartment is kept at a low temperature by its
external surface being exposed to the atmosphere or to water, or by other
means, while the other compartment is kept at a higher temperature by
exposure to heat from any source. The cool compartment is furnished
with an ingress and egress valve.
In the case of one vessel only being used the ingress valve communi-
cates with the fluid to be compressed, and the egress valve communi-
cates with a receiver or with the engine or machine in which the
compressed fluid is to be utilized. When a greater state of compression
is required I employ a series of vessels so arranged that the egress valve
of one vessel communitates with the cool compartment of the next
vessel, and so on; the last egress valve leading to the receiver, or
engine, or machine as before.
In certain cases I prefer using supplemental receivers between the
vessels, thereby tending to equalize the pressure.
mcans.
The pistons may be actuated by the compressed fluid or by other
Their action where intermediate receivers are not used is such
that when the fluid in cach alternate vessel is in the cool compartment
that in the other alternate vessels is in their warmer compartments, and
vice versa. Where intermediate receivers are used I prefer the same
plan, but it is not essential. At each stroke of the pistons to the cool
end of their respective vessels a certain portion of the enclosed fluid is
forced out in a cool state through the egress valve by the pressure of the
heated air in the hot compartment, and at each return stroke of the
pistons a new portion of fluid is drawn in through the ingress valve,
owing to the reduced pressure of the enclosed fluid which is then con-
tained in the cool compartment. The action in both cases being assisted
by the regenerator.

page_text: Each vessel discharges the fluid at an augmented prossure and at a
low temperature, so that any required state of compression can be
obtained by a sufficient number of vessels being employed.
My improvement in receivers for storing compressed fluids consists
in making these capable of expansion, or in putting them in communi-
cation by means of a liquid with another chamber which is capable of
expansion, such as a cylinder with a ram, as in a water accumulator.
By this means a uniform and immediate resistance can be obtained, and
by employing weights or otherwise the resistance can be regulated.
In addition to the ordinary uses to which compressed fluids are applied
I utilize them by their expansion against resistance after being com-
pressed in the above manner to extract heat from other bodies or fluids
requiring to be chilled or reduced in temperature.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter West in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
WEST, of Crown Place, Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Walter West, Her special licence
that I, the said Walter West, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Walter West, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COM-
PRESSING, STORING, AND UTILIZING AIR AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter

page_text: West, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter West, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say :-
My Invention has for its object the compression of air and other fluids
to any required degree of density, so as to avoid the necessity of using
forcing pumps, and also the storing of the fluid so compressed, and the
application of the compressed fluid for certain purposes, all as herein-
after described.
In carrying out my Invention I employ one, or by preference two or
moro vessels, each of which I separate into two compartments by means
of a non-conducting loose fitting piston or diaphragm, which can by its
motion displace the fluid contained in each vessel alternately into either
compartment. In its passage from one compartment to the other the
fluid traverses a regenerator or apparatus, exposing a large surface to the
passing fluid. The piston may be constructed so as in itself to form the
regenerator. One compartment is kept at a low temperature by its
external surface being exposed to the atmosphere. or to water, or by
other means, while the other compartment is kept at a higher tem-
perature by exposure to heat from any source. The cool compartment
is furnished with an ingress and egress valve.
In the case of one vessel only being used the ingress valve communi- a
cates with the fluid to be compressed, and the egress valve communi-
cates with a receiver, or with the engine or machine in which the
compressed fluid is to be utilized. When a greater state of compression
is required I employ a series of vessels so arranged that the egress valve
of one vessel communicates with the cool compartment of the next 8
vessel, and so on. The last egress valve leading to the receiver, or engine,
or machine as before.

page_text: In certain cases I prefer using supplemental receivers between the
vessels, thereby tending to equalize the pressure.
The pistons may be actuated by the compressed fluid or by other
means. Their action where intermediate receivers are not used is such
that when the fluid in each alternate vessel is in the cool compartment
that in the other alternate vessels is in their warmer compartments, and
vice versa. Where intermediate receivers are used I prefer the same
plan, but it is not essential. At each stroke of the pistons to the cool
end of their respective vessels a certain portion of the enclosed fluid is
forced out in a cool state through the egress valve by the pressure of the
heated air or other fluid in the hot compartment, and at each return
stroke of the pistons a new portion of fluid is drawn in through the
ingress valve owing to the reduced pressure of the enclosed fluid which
is then contained in the cool compartment. The action in both cases
being assisted by the regenerator.
Each vessel discharges the fluid at an augmented pressure, and at a
low temperature, so that any required state of compression can be
obtained by a sufficient number of vessels being employed.
My improvement in receivers for storing compressed fluids consists in
making these capable of expansion or in putting them in communi-
cation by means of a liquid with another chamber which is capable of
expansion, such as a cylinder with a ram, as in a water accumulator.
By this means a uniform and immediate resistance can be obtained, and
by employing weights or otherwise the resistance can be regulated.
In addition to the ordinary uses to which compressed fluids are applied
I utilize them by their expansion against resistance after being com-
pressed in the above manner to extract heat from other bodics requiring
to be chilled or reduced in temperature.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention I will now
proceed to describe more particularly in what manner the same is or
may be carried out by reference to the accompanying Drawings.
The compressing vessel is most conveniently made in the form of a
cylinder, such as shewn in section in Figures 1, 2, 3.
A is the hot and B the cold end or compartment. The former A may
be kept in a heated state by means of a furnace, as shown at Fig. 2, or

page_text: In
by gas flames or jets, or by any other suitable means, and the tem-
perature of the latter or cold compartment B may be kept down either
by exposure to the atmosphere, as shewn in Figures 1 and 3, or by a
current of water, as in Figure 2, or by any other available means.
order more effectually to prevent conduction of heat by the metal of the
cylinder a plan is shewn in Figure 2, by which the conduction is much
reduced. The cylinder in this case is composed of several lengths
secured together, and with asbestos or other non-conducting packing
between the joints. The piston C is fitted loosely within the cylinder,
and can be made to pass from one extremity to the other by means of
the rod D, which passes through a stuffing box in the cylinder cover.
The piston may be composed entirely of a non-conducting material, as
shewn in Figure 2, either with or without a metallic casing, or it may
be formed of metal only, with closed air spaces within, and consist of
separate pieces or lengths, which may be insulated from each other by
non-conducting packing; or, as shewn in Figure 1, it may be perforated
with one or more tubular passages E filled with substances which will
present a large extent of surface without obstructing the passage of the
fluid, such as metallic gauze, plates, wire, or chips, or fragments of
mineral substance, such as glass or pumicestone.
Another arrangement is shewn in Figure 3, where the piston is not
perforated but the passages filled, as above described, with reference to
Figure 1, are arranged round it. When the piston, as in Figure 1, is
perforated more or less I find it advisable to close the passage between
the cylinder and piston by the packing F, which is fitted near to the
cold end of the piston. In the cold compartment of the vessel two
passages G and H are provided. The one G is fitted with a valve opening
inwards, which opens and shuts communication between the compressing
vessel and the fluid to be compressed, and the other H is fitted with a
valve opening outwards, which opens and shuts communication between
the compressing vessel and the fluid after it has undergone compression.
If, for instance, the object is to compress free air a pipe is carried from
the valve H to a receiver, and the valve G is left in free communication
with the external air, the weight of the piston C is properly counter-
balanced and the rod D is actuated by any suitablo means, so as to cause
the piston C to move alternately from one end of the cylinder to the
other, causing any fluid which may be enclosed to be displaced.

page_text: In order to explain the action let it be supposed that the object is to
compress free air, then, referring to Figure 2, let the pipe K passing
from the egress valve of the third or left-hand cylinder be connected
with a receiver, and let the pipe L be removed. All the air enclosed in
the cylinder is at the hot end A. As the piston is moved towards this
end a portion of the hot air passes to the cool compartment and becomes
reduced in temperaturo and bulk, the external air forces open the valve G
and a charge of cool air at atmospheric pressure is received and fills up
the cool compartment. On the return of the piston a portion of the
cool air passes into the hot compartment and immediately expands,
forcing out through the egress valve into the receiver the charge of cold
air previously received. Successive charges are in this way forced into
the receiver until the resistance becomes equal to the force of expansion
when the action ceases, and no more air will be discharged until some
of the compressed air is abstracted from the receiver. The air may have
previously been in a state of compression, in which case the valve G is
placed in communication with the compressed air, which is accordingly
subject to further compression in the vessel.
In order to obtain a continuous stream, such as may be considered
nccessary for blowing or other purposes, I use two or more of the com-
pressing vessels, working alternately with their egress valves communi-
cating with each other.
When a greater pressure is required I arrange the compressing vessels
in a series, as shewn in Figure 2, so that the fluid after having been
partially compressed in one vessel enters the next and undergoes further
compression, and so on. To effect this the egress of one cylinder is
connected with the ingress of the next in the series. If this connection
is direct, as shewn in the Figure, I make the strokes of the pistons to
alternate, so that when the piston of the first is at the hot end that of
the second is at the cool end, and so on. In this case also I proportion
the displacement according to the pressure.
In certain cases I place each of the pipes L between the vessels in
communication with a receiver, so as to form a reservoir of compressed
fluid, and by this means make the action of the pistons more independent.
And by making these receivers expansible, as herein-after described,
I am able to regulate the amount of compression in each cylinder, as
required.

page_text: Fourth. The construction of apparatus for compressing, storing, and
utilizing air and other fluids, substantially as here described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter West, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, A.D. 1875.
Witness,
JAMES FRANCIS.
WALTER WEST. (L.S.)