CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS AND MODE OF APPLYING POWER FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS OR HEAVY BODIES
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOPLING NESHAM of the London Docks, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, beaing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-second day of June, in the tenth year of Her
reign, did, foi Herself, Hei heus and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Jopling Nesham, Пci especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said William Jopling Nesham, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others ns I, the said William
Jopling Nesham, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agice with, and no others, fiom time to time and at all times during
tem of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
excicise, and vend, within that part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, Tei Dominion of Wales, and Town
of Bei wick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
APPARATUS AND MODE OF APPLYING POWER FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
WEIGHTS OR HEAVY BODIES," in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said William Jopling Nesham, by an instrument
in waiting under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manncı the same is to be
performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said in past recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being theicunto had, will more fully and at laige appear

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the sand proviso, I. the said
William Jopling Nesham, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hercunto annexed, and to the
letters and figues maikel thereon (that is to say)
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in the Apparatus and Mode of
Applying Power for Raising and Lowering Weights or Heavy Bodies" has
for its object, in the first place, the construction of certain apparatus to be
used instead of the ordinary cranes for raising and lowering weights, in
which apparatus the direct agency of atmospheric pressure is substituted
for the power applied to the winch handle or crank, and the intermediate
wheelwork in ordinary cranes is also dispensed with. And my Invention has
for its object, in the second place, the auangement and distribution of the
power by which the required vacuum or partial vacuum is produced in the
apparatus when fitted or applied to warehouses, docks, wharts, granates, or
other situations where cranes or lifting apparatus are ordinarily used. Such
being the object of my Invention, it consists,―
First, of a hollow tube or cylinder, in which a piston connected with one
end of the lifting rope or chain is capable of working up and down in such
manner as to raise or lower weights attached to the reverse end of the rope.
The raising of weights is effected by causing a vacuum or partial vacuum
within the hollow tube or cylinder beneath the under surface of the piston,
when the pressud of the atmosphere on the upper surface of the same and
causes it to descend, and the loweung of weights is effected by again letting
in air below the piston, so as gradually to cause an approximation to an equi-
libium of pressure on both sides of the piston, by which means the weight is
allowed to descend by its own gravity.
And my Invention consists, secondly, in connecting with the steam engine,
or other first mover employed in large establishments, a system of exhausting
apparatus to act upon the sand raising and lowering apparatus to cause the
required vacuum or partial vacuum therein, wherever such apparatus may be
disposed, whether at the side of a whaif or quay, or attached to the wall of a
warehouse. In order, however, to explain more fully the nature of my said
Invention, and the mode of carrying the same into effect, I would refci to the
accompanying Diawings and following description thereof, in all which
Drawings the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figures 1 to 4 represent the different portions of which the apparatus in its
simplest form is composed, the application of the saine being herein-after

page_text: 15
described Figure 1 is an elevation, shewing the upper and lower portions of
the apparatus, the intermediate parts being shown in other views, hereafter to
be described. Figure 2 is a horizontal section, on a larger scale, of the lower
parts of the apparatus. Figure 3 is a vertical section of the same in the
line a, b, of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is another vertical section taken in the
line c, d, of the same Figure. a is a hollow metal tube or cylinder, formed in
suitable lengths, and bolted together with flanges as shewn Within this tube a
piston works up and down, in manner herein-after described. The piston b
may be formed as represented in the Diawing, or in any other convenient
manner, so as to avoid friction against the inside of the tubo while working.
To the piston b is connected one end of the rope or chain c (but rope I prefer),
which passes up the tube and out at the top, to the reverse end of which 10po
is attached the weight to be raised or lowered At the bottom part of the
tube a is fitted a box or vessel d.(with a moveable lid or cover), containing the
two pipes e and f, the pipe e being made to admit atmospheric au into the
chamber g, underneath the piston, and the pipe f being made to draw out the
an contained in the said chamber, when requued, by opening a communication
with the exhausting vessel, hereafter to be described. Each of these pipes is
furnished with a cock, tap, or valve, to be acted upon by a lever, for the
purpose of opening it, but kept closed by a weight attached to the lover
the cock or tap to the pipe e, worked by the lever 1, and is the cock or tap
to the pipe f, worked by the lever k. is a kind of cushion placed at the lower
part of the tube a to icceive the piston 6 on its descent, and prevent it from
being injured. This cushion is supported on bearers m, which rest upon the
end of springs n, secured to the bed plate o. By this means also the piston is
prevented from going below the nozzles e and f of the pipes e and f. The
general mode of raising and lowering weights by this apparatus is as follows -
In order to raise a weight, the piston 6 having been drawn up to the top of
the tube a, the cock or tap jis to be opened by acting upon the lever k, (as
will be hereafter described), by which means a communication will be formed
between the chamber g, at the bottom of the tube a, and the exhausting vessel
her cafter to be described The air contained in the tube below the piston
will now rush through the pipef and leave a vacuum or partial vacuum in
the space such air formerly occupied, at which time the pressure of the
atmosphere on the upper side of the piston (the tube a being open at
top) will force down the piston, carrying with it the rope c, the reverse end of
the same to which the weight is attached being raised to a corresponding
degree. In order to lower a weight, the piston being at the lowest point,
and the chamber y exhausted of an, the cock or tap h is to be opened

page_text: by acting upon the lever (as will be hereafter described), when the atmosphere
with which the outer end of the pipo e is in communication will enter
the chamber and tend to equalize the pressure on cach side of the piston 6,
so as to allow the weight to descend by its own gravity and carry the piston
up the tube a. The regulation of these movements, so as to adjust the power
to the weight and vary the speed of ascent or descent, is effected by means of
the levers and in the following manner -Suppose, during the ascent of a
weight, it is required to check the raising power, the cock or tap h must c
opened through the lever a smaller or greater distance, according to the cu
cumstances, when a quantity of atmosphene air will pass into the tube a, uvdei
the piston (the cock on tap j being at the same time closed), and prevent its
descending with such speed. Should it be required to stop altogether the
ascent of a weight in any intermediate part of the piston's race within the
tube, the cock or tap 7 has to be closed by the lever A, and the cock or tap h
opened by the lever . Supposing, also. that during the descent of a weight its
speed is requned to be lessened, the cock or tap 7 must be opened through the
lever a greater or less distance, according to the circumstances, and the
cock or tap h closed, by which means the pressure of air underneath the piston,
and consequently the speed of its ascent in the tube, will be diuished
Again, should it be required altogether to stop the descent of a weight at any
given point between the top and bottom of the tube a, the cock or tap h has
to be closed by the lever 1, and the cock or tap 3 at the same time opened by
the lever k
Having thus described the general features of the apparatus by means of
which the power of direct atmospheric pressure may be employed for raising
and lowering weights, instead of the ordinary cranes or raising and lowong
machinery, I proceed now to describe its application. At Figures 5 and 6 it
is represented as applied to a warehouse, the apparatus in these Figures being
drawn to a smaller scale than in the former Figures.
Figure 5 represents a pan of tubes or cylurlcis a, a, fitted one on each sule
of the loophole or opening on each floor of the building, and continued
though from top to bottom, one length of tube extending through one floor.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of the warehouse, taken transversely to that of
Figure 5, and shewing an end view of the apparatus, or only one of the tubes.
The apparatus as represented in these Figures as intended to be worked from
either floor of the building, which may be done in the following manner -
At p, p, are a pair of vertical rods, connected at their lower end with the
levers i and 1, and extending through each floor to the top These rods work
vertically through guules placed at intervals on the different floors, and are

page_text: acted upon by leveis q, q, fixed so as to be easily handled by the workman, and,
turning on fulcia at r It is also to be observed that the rods p have a slot
formed in them at each floor, as represented in the detached Figure 7, so, that,
when acted upon, by one set of levels 9 they may slide past those on the other.
floors. It it is further to be observed, that the levers 7. may be kept in any,
requued position either by a pall and ratchet or any other suitable contrivance.¡
Thus, by means of this mechanism, or in any other convenient manner, the.
workman may work the levers i and k, connected with the cocks or taps handy,.
for regulating, the movements of weights attached to the end of the rope c.
during their ascent or descent, in the manner before described
I will now describe more particularly the way in which the apparatus,,
arranged as represented in these Figures, is adapted for the purpose of.
raising and lowering the weights required to be moved in the ordinary:
course of work of this description, in which there is occasionally considerable
vanation in the degice of weight to be raised or lowered, and in the required,
amount of speed For this purpose the two tubes a are arranged so as to
form a double apparatus, the piston in one tube ascending while that in the.
other is, descending. At 8, s, it will be seen aie fixed two pulleys above the:
top of the tubes, over which pulleys a rope s* is passed. One end of this rope is
connected to the piston in one tube, and the reverse end to that in the other.
tube. This rope is in addition to that shewn at c (see Figures 4, 5, and 6,)
and passing fioin the piston over the pulleys t, t, through a hole formed in the.
upper part of the building, and connected at its reverse end with the weight
to be raised or lowered The two ropes may be connected to the pistons by,
means of, double eyes, as represented detached at Figure 8, or in any other.
convenient manne Hence it will be seen, that while one weight is being
raised another may be lowered, in which case the apparatus is assisted by the,
falling weight, and this will add considerably to the degree of power capable
of being excited by the apparatus for the purpose of raising a very heavy-
weight, or of inci casing the speed in the ascent of less heavy weights Again,
by this arrangement, the piston connected with the falling weight being diawn
up the tube by the combined agency of the apparatus, and such weight is without
loss of time brought into the position to be acted upon for the purpose of.
raising another weight. Now such being the mode in which an accumulation
of power is secured by this arrangement, as well as the loss of time
obviated, it is likewise necessary to observe how far this power is under due
contioul. It has already been shewn, in describing the apparatus, in its.
simplest form, that by means of the cocks on taps hand, worked by the
vers and k, the movemcuts of the weights, whether in the act of being

page_text: raised or lowe.ed, may be duly regulated, and it has also been shown that the
workman is enabled to work the said levers from either floor of the warehouse
through the mechanism p, q, r, it will therefore be evident that the same
amount of control may be exercised over the apparatus arranged in the
double form represented at Figure 5, through the agency of a double set of
the mechanism p, q, r, and a double set of levers and k, and cocks or
taps h and j, as shown in the Drawing, Figure 5. I would here remark,
that in applying my improved apparatus to a warehouse, the foregoing
anangement, in all its details, need not of necessity be adopted; as, for
instance, in place of the cocks or taps h and 3, with their weighted levers
as shewn, sping valves might be employed, but such plan has been described
simply as being adapted for the purpose of performing the ordinary business
of a lage establishment. In the foregoing description I have not particu-
larized the arrangement extending from the upper part of the building for
conducting the weight to or from the floor on which it is to be deposited,
or from which it is to be removed, because my apparatus may be used
in combination with the ordinary swing crane head, or with any other
suitable contrivance, and because my Invention consists not in the mode of
tiansmitting the power of a crane or lifting apparatus to the weight to be
aised, but in the substitution of an apparatus worked by direct atmospheric
pressure, without intermediate wheelwork, for the ordinary crane on raising
and lowering machinery I would also remark, on the application of niy
Invention, that it may be adapted with advantage to all the uses to which
ordinary cranes or 1aising and lowering machinery are in general applied, save
and except the uses of small hand cianes, but that it is especially of advantage
in large establishments, where a steam engine or other powerful first mover is
employed
I proceed now therefore to describe the second head of my improvements,
viz The mode of connecting the exhausting apparatus worked by the
steam engine or other first mover, with the whole system of apparatus applied
to an establishment, with a view of distributing the power in such manner as
to be most usefully employed in combination with my apparatus for raising and
lowering weights.
Figure 9 is a Diagian representing a ground plan of an arrangement of
waichouses and sheds round a dock basın, with my apparatus fitted thereto,
together with the mode of connecting the exhausting vessel or vessels theic-
with; and Figure 10 is a plan, on a larger scale, of a steam engine and
exhausting apparatus, with the main pipes connected thereto. A is the engine
house; B, the house containing the exhausting vessel on vessels, C, the ware-

page_text: houses for goods, D, the sheds, placed along the quays, alongside which
vessels are loaded and unloaded. E is a dock basin in which vessels lie, and
1ound the sides of which they take in and put out goods. F, F, represent two
main pipes, extending from the exhausting vessel or vessels 1ound between the
warehouses and sheds, from which main pipes branch or service pipes G, G,
lead to the several buildings where the apparatus is fitted, for the purpose of
exhausting the an, in order to produce the effects herein-before described
The apparatus is represented at H, H, and it will be seen that it is applied to
the warehouses C in the double form represented at Figure 5, and to the
sheds D in the single form as at Figure 1. By this arrangement of pipes it
will be perceived that the exhausting vessel or vessels may be brought into
communication with the several tubes or cylinders through the pipes shewn
at f, Figures 2 and 3, and made to act upon the apparatus in the manner
here.n-before described Thus, it will be evident that the whole system of
raising and low cung machinery in a large establishment, however extensive
and varied the operations carried on therein, may be worked by a steam engine
o engines, or other mechanical power. It will also be evident that the
system. shewn at Figure 9, may be vaned to suit different localities, and
is by no means confined to the particular arrangement of the pipes repre-
sented It is likewise to be observed, that the anangement of the engine
pumps and exhausting vessels, shown at Figure 10, may be vaned as desned.
The effective working performed by an engine or engines of a given powe
will of course vary with different modes of aitanging the pipes and with the
particula situation of the said engine It is therefore desuable so to anange
them as to avoid waste of power as much as possible The particulai dimen-
sions of the main and branch or service pipes for conveying gas from a cential
gasometer to a number of lights at a distance, and the mode of consti ucting
and adapting such pipes for use being well known to competent workman, I
need not describe the pipes now to be used, any further than merely to observe
that the same care which is required to render the joints of the pipes tight,
in order to prevent the escape of gas, would be also necessary in this case
to prevent the admission of air. The material of which the pipes are formed
is not of the essence of my Invention, and may be vaned according to
Ccumstances.
Having thus described my Invention, I would remark, that I do not n can or
intend to confine myself to the precise forms and arrangements of the parts
shewn and described, but I claim,-
Fist, the substitution, for the ordinary ciancs, of an apparatus by means of
which weights may be raised and lowered by duect atmospheric pressure in

page_text: the way described, whether such apparatus consist of a single tube or cylinder
or of moic, and in whatever way the other arrangements described may be
varied, so long as the essential feature of my Invention be preserved, which is
the construction of apparatus for raising and lowering weights or heavy bodies
by the employment of direct atmospheric pressure instead of by means of
power applied to the winch handle or crank of the ordinary cranes or lifting
machinery, and without the ordinary and intermediate wheelwork in such
cranes or lifting machinery And I claim,
'Secondly, the mode of working the apparatus, when applied to an establish-
ment, by connecting the several exhaust pipes shewn at f in the Drawing with
a 'cential exhausting vessel on vessels, through the intervention of main or
branch or service pipes, in the manner shown, or in any convenient manner to
suit different localities
In witness whereof, I, the said William Jopling Nesham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the year
of our Loid One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
WILLIAM JOPLING (L.s.) NESHAM.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-first day of
December, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid William Jopling
Nesham came before our Lady the Queen in Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form
above witten. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of December, in the year above written