IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER, APPLI- CABLE TO PROPELLING SHIPS AND VESSELS, RAISING WATER, AND OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Harvey at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th April
1864.
I, JOHN HARVEY, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, do
hereby, declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER, APPLI-
CABLE TO PROPELLING SHIPS AND VESSELS, RAISING WATER, AND OTHER USEFUL
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improved arrangements of machinery or
apparatus whereby motive power may be obtained and applied, either as appli-
cable for the propulsion of ships by the screw propeller, or by paddle wheels,
or by hydraulic propulsion, or applicable as a substitute for steam engines;
also for raising water both by suction and by pressure, and for obtaining and
applying motive power generally.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder of iron closed at top and bottom, and of
any suitable dimensions according to the power required. The cylinder is
divided midway by a fixed plate or disc held in position by means of angle iron
and rivets or bolts. Above and below the disc, and midway between the
covers of the cylinder and the fixed disc, is a moveable plate, disc, or piston,
the two being connected by a vertical piston rod passing through a stuffing box
in the centre of the fixed disc.
The cylinder is fixed or supported in a vessel by means of a suitable foun-

page_text: dation and standards to which it is bolted, and an air-tight valve is applied at
each of the upper divisions of the cylinder formed by the fixed and moveable
discs and the top plate or cover.
The bottom of the cylinder receives two elbow pipes, the horizontal portions
being in opposite directions, the inlet or suction pipe being towards the bow
of the vessel, and the force or exit pipe towards the stern.
In each upper
chamber a mass of tow, cotton, or other fibrous or filamentous material is
placed on the upper and lower side of the moveable disc; it is held there by
a wire work holder or netting, or in lieu of a mass of material a sheet of thick
fibrous absorbent material may be applied.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-From a suitable receptacle or
reservoir a supply of petroleum, spirits of wine, oil, rectified spirits of wood,
naptha, turpentine, or other rapidly combustible hydrocarbon is conveyed by a
pipe to the upper or lower chamber according as the moveable disc or piston
is situated; thus if the piston be at its highest point the hydrocarbon must be
supplied to the under chamber. A small lamp or jet of flame is affixed at
the exterior of the cylinder communicating by a valve with the interior; by
this means the material saturated with hydrocarbon suddenly bursts into flame
and consumes the air. Suitable excentric or tappet gearing opens and closes
the valves alternately, and the under one being closed and the upper one open,
it will follow that the piston will descend to supply the vacuum created by the
combustion, and the upper chamber will receive the external air from the open
valve. When the piston has thus descended the operation is reversed, the
upper chamber is supplied with bydrocarbon and ignited; the upper valve is
closed, the lower one opened, and the piston rises; the lower moveable piston
must therefore, on rising, tend to create a vacuum in the lowermost portion of
the cylinder; the water consequently from the suction pipe will enter from an
inlet clack valve, and will rise to about 32 feet, if required, according to the
purpose for which the apparatus is constructed, but if for propelling vessels by
bydraulic propulsion, a sufficient body of water is received by the lower
chamber, and on the descent of the lower piston this water will be ejected
through the exit valve and pipe out from the stern of the vessel. These
alternate actions of suction from the front of the vessel and of pressure at
the stern will both obviously cause the vessel to be propelled in a forward
direction.
By a modification in the arrangement of the valves, the suction and force
pipes may be reversed, thus driving astern when required; by this means
also water may be forced to any desired elevation for the supply of reservoirs
aud towns.

page_text: The same apparatus is also applicable as a substitute for the steam engine
to drive any description of machinery by lengthening or extending the piston
rod in an upward direction through a stuffing box in the cover or top of the
cylinder, and attaching the same to a beam or crank, whereby the recipro-
cating motion of the piston may be converted into a rotary movement.