A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING THE RISE AND FALL OF THE TIDE OR OTHER RISING AND FALLING BODIES OF WATER, FOR RAISING WATER OR 1
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS. PATENT to Charles Maynard Walker of N° 155 Cannon Street in:
the City of London for an Invention of A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING THE RISE AND FALL OF THE TIDE OR
OTHER RISING AND FALLING BODIES OF WATER, FOR RAISING WATER OR
1...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Maynard Walker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1883.
CHARLES MAYNARD WALKER of N° 155 Cannon Street in the City of London
"A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS. FOR UTILISING THE RISE
AND FALL OF THE TIDE OR OTHER RISING AND FALLING BODIES OF WATER, FOR
RAISING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER
"
My invention relates to a new or improved mode of and apparatus for utilising
the rise and fall of the tide or other rising and falling bodies of water for raising,
water or other liquids from one level to another, whereby the hydrostatic pressure
due to the difference of height between the highest and lowest level of the water
is made to compress air to a corresponding extent in a closed vessel or receiver.
communicating with a second closed vessel containing the water or other liquid to
be raised, so that the compressed air in passing from the former to the latter vessel
will force the water or other liquid contained therein to a height approximately,
corresponding to the head of water due to the said difference of height of the high
and low water levels.
According to one mode of carrying out my invention, applicable for raising
water or other liquid to any desired height above the high water line, a closed
tank or vessel is placed at or about low water line, and has its interior in
communication with the rising and falling body of water, so that at low water it'
is empty of water and filled with air, and as the water rises, it compresses the air
therein. This vessel communicates by a pipe or passage with the upper part of
a second closed vessel at a higher level, which second vessel by means of an
opening provided by a check valve, cock or sluice communicates either with the
rising and falling body of water or with some other body of water or other liquid.

page_text: which it is desired to raise. This second vessel in its turn communicates by a
pipe or passage with another vessel situated at the level to which it is desired to
raise the water or other liquid. Thus assuming the second named vessel to be
charged with liquid, and the valve, cock or sluice to be closed, and that the first
named vessel is charged with air, which is being compressed by the rising body
of water, such compressed air in being forced into the second vessel-will force
the liquid therein up into the highest vessel, from which it is discharged to
wherever required.
It will be evident in the above arrangement that the second or intermediate
vessel must be situated at a height equal to or somewhat below the high water
line, and that the height of the highest or third vessel above the second vessel
cannot be greater than the height between high water and low water levels.
The second vessel, being situated at or about high water level, is left full at every
fall of the water, the lower vessel running dry.
When it is desired to raise the water or other liquid to a still greater height,
the third vessel is also closed and provided with a valve that remains open for the
escape of air until the vessel is filled with liquid, whereupon it is closed either by
hand or automatically by any known contrivance. This vessel is connected by a
pipe or passage to a fourth vessel which may be as high above the third vessel as
this is above the second one, so that when the whole of the liquid has been forced
from the second into the third vessel the compressed air from the first vessel
(which must in this case have a capacity at least equal to the joint capacities of
the second and third vessels) will find its way into the third vessel and will force
the liquid up into the fourth vessel. In like manner by arranging one or more
other vessels at successive heights above the fourth, and increasing the capacity
of the first vessel in a corresponding manner, the liquid can be raised to any
desired height.
It will be evident that the liquid raised by the above described means to any
desired height may be used either as motive power or for distributing the water
or other liquid at any desired levels and for any purposes that may be required.
Among other applications, the head of water produced may be utilised for
discharging sewage from reservoirs or storage tanks situated below low water level
wherever desired. For this purpose, either the highest tank is made to communi-
cate by a pipe with the storage tank so that the water can be admitted from
the former into the latter so as to drive out, the sewage through a pipe rising to
any desired height,-such as high water level, or the raised tank may be connected
to an intermediate tank charged with air which communicates with the storage
tank, so that on allowing the water to pass from the highest vessel into the
"intermediate one, the air will be forced under corresponding pressure from the
latter into the storage tank so as to expel the sewage.
According to another arrangement, I place a tank at or about low water level,
having an opening that can be closed by a valve, and a stand pipe reaching up to
near high water level. This tank communicates with a sewage reservoir below
ground by means of a pipe that first rises up to about high water level and then
descends to the sewage tank. The sewage tank in its turn communicates with a
second closed vessel at or about low water level, having a discharge opening into
the tidal water.
Assuming the sewage tank to be full, and the tide to be rising, the head of
water will compress the air in the first named tank and the compressed air in
passing into the sewage tank will force the sewage up into the last named tank,
whence it will be discharged at low water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Maynard Walker in the Patent Office on.the 17th January
1884.
"
CHARLES MAYNARD WALKER of N° 155 Cannon Street in the City of London
A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING THE RISE
AND FALL OF THE TIDE OR OTHER RISING AND FALLING BODIES OF WATER, FOR
RAISING WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER
"
My invention relates to a new or improved mode of and apparatus for utilising
the rise and fall of the tide or other rising and falling bodies of water for raising
water or other liquids from one level to another, whereby the hydrostatic pressure
due to the difference of height between the highest and lowest level of the water is
made to compress air to a corresponding extent in a closed vessel or receiver com-
municating with a second closed vessel containing the water or other liquid to be
raised, so that the compressed air, in passing from the former to the latter vessel,
will force the water or other liquid contained therein to a height approximately
corresponding to the head of water due to the said difference of height of the high
and low water levels.
According to one mode of carrying out my invention, applicable for raising
water or other liquid to any desired height above the high water line, a closed tank
or vessel is placed at or about low water line, and has its interior in communication
with the tide or other rising and falling body of water, so that at low water it is
empty of water and filled with air, and as the water rises, and enters the vessel, it
compresses the air therein. This vessel communicates by a pipe or passage with
the upper part of a second closed vessel at a higher level, which second vessel, by
means of an opening provided with a valve, cock or sluice, communicates either
with the rising and falling body of water or with some other body of water or
other liquid which it is desired to raise. This second vessel in its turn communi-
cates by a pipe or passage with another vessel situated at the level to which it
is desired to raise the water or other liquid. Thus, assuming the second named
vessel to be charged with liquid, and the valve, cock or sluice to be closed, and
that the first named vessel is charged with air, which is being compressed by the
rising body of water entering the vessel, such compressed air, in being forced into
the second vessel, will force the liquid therein up into the highest vessel, from
which it is discharged to wherever required.
It will be evident in the above arrangement that the second or intermediate
vessel must be situated at a height equal to or somewhat below the bigh water
line, and that the height of the highest or third vessel above the second vessel
cannot be greater than the height between the high water and low water levels.
The second vessel being situated at or about high water level, is left full at every
fall of the tide or other rising and falling body, of water, the lowest vessel
running dry.
When it is desired to raise the water or other liquid to a still greater height,
the third vessel is also closed and provided with a valve that remains open for the
escape of air until the vessel is filled with liquid, whereupon it is closed either by
hand or automatically by any known contrivance. This vessel is connected by a
pipe or passage to a fourth vessel which may be as high above the third vessel as
this is above the second one, so that when the whole of the liquid has been forced
from the second into the third vessel, the compressed air from the first vessel
(which must in this case have a capacity at least equal to the joint capacities of
the second and third vessels) will find its way into the third vessel and will force

page_text: the liquid up into the fourth vessel. In like manner, by arranging one or more
other vessels at successive heights above the fourth, and increasing the capacity of
the first vessel in a corresponding manner, the liquid can be raised to any desired
height.
It will be evident that the liquid raised by the above described means to any
.desired height.may be used either.as motive power or for distributing the water
or other liquid at any desired levels and for any purposes that may be required.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The accompanying drawings shew diagrams of various arrangements for carrying
out my before described invention in its application to various purposes. As the
constructive details of the apparatus may be carried out in a variety of ways, such
as may be readily devised by engineers, and as such details form no part of iny
present invention, I have not shewn them on the drawings.
In the arrangement at Fig. 1 the closed receptacle or tank A, constructed to
withstand a pressure corresponding to that due to the difference between.high and
low water levels, is arranged somewhat above low water level, represented by the
line X, and has firstly an escape pipe I closed by a ball cock or other known valve
contrivance that will allow the water to be discharged from the vessel when the
tide has sunk below it, but that will close such exit when the tide rises. The
vessel has furthermore a stand pipe F, through which the water can enter it when
the tide has risen to a certain extent, which pipe passes down to near the bottoin
of the vessel, so that no air can escape up it when its lower orifice is sealed.
Lastly, the vessel A communicates by a pipe G with a second vessel B, situated
somewhat below high water level, represented by the line Y. This second vessel
is also closed, and has a valve and float arrangement at H to be hereinafter
described by which the air can escape from it at one time but is prevented from
escaping at another time. The vessel B in its turn communicates by a pipe K
(in which a back valve W is inserted by preference) with a third closed vessel C,
situated at a height above B not exceeding the height of B above A, and C again
cominunicates by a pipe L with a fourth vessel or open tank D, the vessel D being
situated at about the same height above C as this is above B. The vessel C is
provided with an opening at V having a valve that opens inwards, and that is
closed by a suitable float arrangement when the water has filled the vessel and
that will be kept closed by air pressure within the vessel, but that will drop open
when the vessel is empty or only partially filled with water; or this and the other
vessels may be provided with cocks actuated by hand.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Assuming all the vessels to be filled only with air at atmospheric pressure, and
that the tide is rising, then on the water level rising above the top of the pipe F,
it will flow down the same, filling the vessel A, the air from which will escape
through pipe G and opening at H of vessel B. On the further rise of the tide, the
vessel B will also become filled through the pipe G, the air escaping through H.
On the tide falling again, the vessel B will remain filled, and the opening at H will
be closed as hereinafter described. The tide having sunk to low water, the contents
of A will run out through the pipe I, but upon the next rise of the tide, the water
will again flow in through the pipe F, and the confined air becoming compressed
therein will be forced up the pipe G into the vessel B, forcing the water therein
up pipe K into vessel C.
The vessel A is made of a capacity at least equal to the joint capacities of B
and C, but preferably greater, so that when the whole of B's contents have been
forced up into C, A will be only partially filled with water, so that by the further
inflow into A. the compressed air will pass from B up through pipe K into C and,
valve V being closed, will force the water up L into the tank D. Thus by the one
rise of the tide a volume of water equal to the contents of vessel B will have been
raised to a height above high water level equal to nearly double that of the rise of

page_text: the tide, and in like manner the body of water might be raised several stages.
Should it be
higher by increasing the capacity of A in a corresponding manner.
desired to raise the body of water to such increased height during a single rise of
the tide, it will of course be necessary to make the passages between the vessels
of such capacity that the time occupied in forcing the water from the vessel B
consecutively through all the others into the highest one shall not exceed that
during which the water level remains at or about high water line. Such successive
raising of the water may however be effected by successive rises of the tide; in
this case, the water must be prevented from entering the vessel B; on the tide
again falling, the water and air pressure will escape from the vessel A and the air
pressure will also escape from all the upper vessels that are filled with air, so that
on the tide again rising and filling the vessel A, the lower vessels B, C will again
be charged with compressed air, after which such air pressure will continue to
raise the water in the upper vessels in the manner above described.
Fig. 2 shews an arrangement as above described where the water is raised
successively through the tanks B, C, D, E into the tank F which latter may be of
any desired capacity so as to have, if required, a considerable volume of water
stored at that height. In this arrangement it is assumed that the said tanks are
situated at some point where the water is to be utilised at a greater or less distance
from the coast, estuary or tidal river, the water being conveyed theret by the
pipe G. The vessel B being still arranged at a height corresponding to high water
level, as at Fig. 1, the action will be just the same as their [sic] described, notwith-
standing that the lateral distance between A and B may be considerable. The
vessels C, D & may either be carried on a special structure or tower, or they may
be arranged on the floors of a building serving as warehouse, factory or other
purpose, as indicated by dotted lines. The water so stored at a considerable height
may be used for a variety of purposes, such as for working hydraulic motor engines
or cranes, turbines, or dynamo electric-machines, for purposes of manufacture, for
flushing drains or sewers, for charging fire mains, and generally for all purposes for
which a head of water is applicable. In applying the invention for the purposes
of a factory for which the sea or other water (the rise and fall of which is utilised).
is not applicable, the action of the tide may be utilised, for raising a body of fresh
water or other liquid, such as acids, to the desired height, in the manner indicated
at Fig. 3. Here the vessel B, which in this case may be at any level above high
water line, is connected with a supply pipe M for fresh water or other liquid, and
provided with a back pressure valve N', that will allow the ingress of the liquid,
but will close as soon as B is subject to pressure. The pipe G being led up inside B
to above high water line so that no tidal water can enter the vessel B, it will be
seen that assuming B to be filled with liquid from the pipe M, and that the tank A
is being charged with water through F as before described, the resulting air
pressure forced from A into B will cause the liquid in the latter to be raised up
into the tank C, and from this it may if necessary, be forced up into one or more
higher tanks, in the same manner as above described, by making the capacity of A
greater in proportion. Fresh water thus raised to any desired height may be
used to constitute the water supply of a town or village.
Fig. 4 shews an arrangement similar to those at Figs. 1 and 2, but in which an
additional pipe is provided for conveying the air pressure-from the tank B to the
tank C, and from C to D, in combination with a device, automatic or otherwise, for
opening this communication at the proper moment when the air pressure is required
to be transmitted from a lower tank to an upper one, and simultaneously closing
the outlet for the air which escapes from the upper tank while the water is flowing
in. Fig. 5 shews by way of example a diagram of such an automatic arrangement.
The tank B communicates with the tank C, firstly by the pipe K, through which
the water is forced up, as before described, and secondly with a pipe K¹ leading
from the top of the tank, for the passage of air. This pipe is provided at its upper
end, within C, with a cock or equilibrium valve S, actuated by a lever S' connected
by a rod O to a flexible air tight diaphragm Q in an extension C' of the tank C.

page_text: The rod O is also connected to the lever R¹ of a cock or valve R on a pipe N
leading to the outer air. The cock S and R are so arranged that when the
diaphragm Q is in its lowered position as shewn at Fig. 5, the cock S is turned so
as to close the pipe K¹, while the cock R is turned so as to open the pipe N and
allow the air to escape from C. The parts will remain in this position so long as
there is only a slight air pressure in C such as arises from the forcing in of the
water from B and from any small quantity of air under pressure that may pass in
with it, but as soon as the air pressure rises to any appreciable extent in C, which
will take place when B is nearly empty, owing to a quantity of air under pressure
being carried up with the water, the diaphragm Qwill be forced upwards, and will
cause the escape pipe N to be closed and the pipe K' to be opened, thus allowing
the full air pressure to pass up freely into C, so as to commence forcing the water
from this tank up into D as before described. Without this arrangement the
action of the apparatus might be brought to a standstill if, in the arrangement at
Fig. 1, on the closing of the valve V while the last portion of the water is passing
into C (and the pipe K is consequently still charged with water) such a quantity
of air pressure is carried up with the water as to establish an equilibrium of
pressure in the tanks B and C. But this contingency may be avoided and
consequently the second pipe and automatic valve arrangement be dispensed with
if, at the time when the apparatus is in operation, an attendant is made to watch its
action and to keep open the escape valve so as to allow any accumulating. air
pressure to pass off until the whole of the water has been forced up and the
pipe K is free for the passage of air, whereupon the escape valve is closed by the
attendant.
The arrangement of the valve apparatus at H Fig. 1 is by preference made
somewhat similar in its action to the automatic arrangement above described,
that is to say, there is a flexible diaphragm, the rod of which is connected firstly
to a cock on an air escape pipe, and secondly to a lever with a float situated in
the tidal water. When the tank B is being filled by the rising tide and the float
lever is buoyed up by the water, the diaphragm, in falling by its weight, will keep
the escape pipe open; but when the tide recedes, the weight of the float lever
will cause the diaphragm and its rod to pulled up so as to close the escape
pipe, so that on the next rise of the tide, when the air pressure is forced from A
into B, the latter will be herinetically closed against escape of such air pressure.
The buoyancy of the float lever is so proportioned that when the air pressure
within B. is forcing the diaphragm upwards, keeping the escape pipe closed, the
lever, when urged upwards by the rising tide, shall not have sufficient force to
overcome such contrary pressure on the diaphragm.
Fig. 6 shews the application of my invention to the discharge of sewage from a
storage tank B situated at or about low water level in such manner as to cause the
sewage to flow off at a height near high water level, thus obtaining the full
advantage of the tide for effectually carrying the sewage out to sea. For this
purpose, the tank A, which is the same in the arrangement of its parts and its
functions as the tank A of the previous constructions, is connected by a pipe G to
the storage tank B, into which the sewage flows from a pipe or sewer B¹, this pipe
being provided with a self acting valve at N that will close as soon as B¹ is subject
to internal pressure. The tank B communicates by a pipe K with a third tank C
situated at any desired point below high water level, and having a discharge pipe T
provided with a ball cock or float valve that keeps the pipe closed until the tide
has sunk below the pipe. The tank C also has an escape pipe U for the exit of the
air, which may be led to any point where no inconvenience will be experienced
from the sewer gases. Assuming the storage tank B to be filled with sewage, then
on the rising of the tide, the water flowing into A will cause the compressed air to
pass into B and to force the sewage up into the tank C, where it will be kept until
on the falling of the tide the escape pipe T is opened and the sewage allowed to
flow off on the ebb tide. When C is empty the air pressure will also escape
through it from B, and the valve N' will again allow a charge of sewage to enter,

page_text: The pipe G
so as to repeat the above operation on the next rise of the tide.
is provided with a float valve N¹ at each end, so as to prevent the sewage in B
from passing into A or the water in A from passing into B.
Fig. 7 shews a modified arrangement of this application of the invention, for
discharging sewage from a storage tank B situated at a depth below low water
that may be nearly equal to the rise of the tide. For this purpose, A is, as before,
connected by a pipe G to B, such pipe being first carried up some distance above
high water and then down again, in order to prevent the tidal water from passing
down into B. The tank B is, as before, charged with sewage from a pipe B¹, and
communicates by a pipe K with the tank C, situated a little above low water level,
and having a discharge pipe T closed by a ball cock or valve. The action of the
This
apparatus is precisely the same as described with reference to Fig. 6.
arrangement might be modified so as to discharge the sewage at near high water
level by providing a fourth tank at such level with which C would be made to
communicate, and which fourth tank would have the discharge pipe T instead of C.
The tank A would then require to be made in proportion to the joint capacities
of B and C, as the action would then be similar to that of the arrangement.
at Fig. 1. It will also be evident that other liquids besides sewage might be raised
from a level at or below low water line to any required height by the three last
described arrangements.
Such raising of sewage may also be effected by causing a raised tank such as C
Fig. 1, into which the water has been raised by the action of the tanks A and B,
to discharge its water into a tank that may be situated at the same level as B, and
which is connected by a pipe with the sewage storage tank situated below low
water level, so that by causing the compressed air to flow from such tank into the
sewage tank, the contents of the latter can be forced up through a pipe to any
desired height below high water.
This arrangement would however require one more tank than the arrangement
last before described for effecting the same purpose, and would consequently be
more expensive and complicated.
According to another mode of utilising my before described invention, I arrange
the tank B Fig. 1 below low water line, and I cause the water raised from it into
tank D to drive a water wheel or turbine, the tail water from which is made to
flow back into the said tank B, which is only filled in the first instance by the tidal
water, and then has its contents forced repeatedly by the action of A through C
up into D. Thus, no matter what may be the state of the tide, the water wheel or
turbine can always be driven by a constant head of water equal to the height
from the said tank B to tank D, so long as water is contained in the latter.
When the water has descended from D into B so as to fill the latter, the action of
the tide upon the tank A is again brought into play for causing the water from B
to be forced by the compressed air from A up into D again. The power given off by
the turbine or water wheel may be used for raising sewage from one level to
another for discharging it into the sea or tidal water, or for other purposes.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim generally the
method of raising water from one level to another by the action of a head of water
made to compress air in a closed vessel, which air pressure is then made to force
water from another closed vessel to a higher level, as I am well aware that such
method was already applied in "Hero's Fountain," but I claim :-
First. The method of raising water or other liquids by the action of the tide or
other rising and falling body of water upon two closed vessels communicating
with each other and with the tide or body of water and situated the one at or
about high water level and the other at or about low water level, the tide or body
of water being made first to fill the higher vessel with water and then to force
such water to a higher level by the compression of air in the lower vessel,
substantially as herein described.
Second. In apparatus for raising. liquids by means of the tide or other rising

page_text: and falling body of water, the use of a closed vessel situated at or about the
highest level of the said body of water and communicating therewith, operating
in combination with a closed vessel situated at or about the lowest level of the
said body of water, in such manner that while at one descent of the tide or body
of water the upper vessel remains full of water and the lower vessel runs empty,
at the following ascent of the body of water this enters the lower vessel so as to
compress the air therein, which air is then made to force the water in the upper
vessel to a higher level, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2
aud 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In apparatus for raising liquids by means of the tide or other rising and
falling body of water, the combination of two or more vessels such as B and C
through which the water has to be successively raised with a vessel such as A
having a capacity at least equal to the joint capacities of the several vessels
through which the water or other liquid has to be raised, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the
Drawings.
"
Fourth. The arrangement of apparatus as herein described with reference to
Fig. 3 of the drawings for causing the tide or other rising and falling body
of water to raise a different body of water or other liquid from one level to
another.
Fifth. The arrangement of apparatus substantially as herein described. with
reference to the accompanying drawings whereby the action of the rise and fall of
the tide is caused to discharge sewage, or the effluent water therefrom, into the sea
or tidal water
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Maynard Walker have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fifteenth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-four.