AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEM OF PROPULSION, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER MOTIVE PURPOSES
Year: 1845

page_text: CLARKE & VARLEY'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
CLARKE, of Hackney, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and JOHN VARLEY,
of Poplar, in the said County, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-third day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-five, in the ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Clarke and John Varley,
our exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege,
authority, that we, tho said Thomas Clarke and John Varley, our exors,
adiiors, and assigns, and such others as we, the said Thomas Clarke and John
Varley, our exors, adñiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within that part of Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE ATMOSPHERIC
SYSTEM OF PROPULSION, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER MOTIVE PURPOSES; " in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said Thomas
Clarke and John Varley, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by
an instrument in writing, under our hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us, and. cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the

page_text: date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, ns in and by the sanie, reference
being thereto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Thomas Clarke and John Varley, hereby declare that the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully
described in and by the present Specification thereof, reference being had to the
Sheets of Drawings marked No. 1 to No. both inclusive, hereunto annexed,
that is to say-
Our improvement on the atmospheric system of propulsion has relation
to the system of propelling carriages on railways by means of the pressure of
the atmosphere acting on pistons moving horizontally through a traction tube
having a longitudinal slit or valve in it, and more or less exhausted of the air
in front of such pistons, and consists of the following particulars:-
First, instead of employing as heretofore a rigid traction tube, and a series of
short flaps, to cover the longitudinal slit or valve in the tube, and sealing these
flaps with a mixture of wax and tallow every time they are raised up and drop
back into their seats on the passage of a train, we make use of a tube which
is to a certain extent yielding or resilient, and fitted on the inner or opposite
faces of the longitudinal slit with lip or valve pieces of the same continuous
length as the tube itself, so that the longitudinal slit is closed before and after
each passage of the train, by the action of the tube and lip pieces themselves.
Figure No. 1, of Sheet No. 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, represents
a cross section of a tube and valve pieces of this improved description. A is the
tube, which is composed of wrought iron; B, B, are two valve stays, which are
bolted to the top of the tube, one on each side of the longitudinal slit; C, C,
are the two lip pieces, cach of which is composed of two parts a and c; the
part a is formed of sulphurized caoutchou, sulphurized gutta percha, leather,
felt, or some other strong flexible substance, and is doubled up into two parts
of unequal length, between which there is inserted a thin metal spring c, which
is doubled up in like manner into two unequal parts. The longer portion a is
cemented at the back to one of the faces of the longitudinal slit, and to the
stay B immediately above, and for greater security the three parts B, a, and c
are firmly rivitted together near to the top. Before the process of exhausting
the air in the tube commences, and while the pressure on the inside is the
same as that on the outside, the valve pieces assume the position represented in
Figure 2, the two lips a, a, being merely closed together towards the top by
the force of the springs c, c. When a vacuum or partial vacuum is formed in
the tube, the excess of the atmospheric pressure c on the outside causes the tube
and lip pieces to close up completely, as represented in Figure 1, but as the

page_text: piston advances and draws along with it (but at some distance apart) the
vertical bar D, which connects it with the carriages above, a partial opening
of the slit takes place in the space between the piston and connecting arm,
which, admitting the atmospheric air behind the piston, reopens the lips to the
same extent as before, and allows the connecting arm to pass freely through,
as represented in Figure 3.
Second, the traction tube instead of being in one piece, as in the arrange-
ment just before described, may be made in two or more parts, united by means
of a knuckle joint, or in any other way that will allow of a slight side play of
the parts, and in this case each of the valve stays B may be made in one piece
with the part of the tube to which it belongs.
Third, we propose as another substitute for the rigid tube valve or valves
now in use, a yielding or resilient tube, of the form represented in Sheet No. II.
The tube A is in this case, as in the preceding, made in two parts, which are
united by rivets (or in any other suitable way) at bottom, and these parts termi-
nate at top in upright projections m, n, of unequal lengths, and of the form
represented, which on being brought together form the cup-shaped valve C.
On their inner faces these projections are covered with sulphurized caoutchouc,
sulphurized gutta percha, leather, or other flexible substance, to the height
shewn, and the semi-circular space formed by the bringing of the two pieces
together is filled to near the top with a mixture of wax and tallow, or some
other soft substance or composition, the melting point of which is above the
ordinary temperature of the atmosphere. The mixture keeps the valve at all
times equally closed, except when the connecting rod is passing through, and
after that rod has passed, the spring or resiliency of the two parts of the tube
helps to press the particles of the mass together again. The mode of opening the
valve in order to allow of the passage of the connecting rod is represented in
Sheet III. A roller G, fixed to the end of a vertical rod dependant from the
frame of the leading carriage, runs in advance of the connecting rod, and is fixed
at such a height and in such position as to pass over and free of the lower side m
of the valve, but to catch against and press outwards the higher side n, and thus
leave a clear opening for the passage of the connecting rod. E, E, are side
pieces, bolted at bottom to the upright supports F, F, and at top to the backs
of the valve pieces m, n, which serve to cover in the tube, and so protect it
from external injury.
.
Fourth, the arrangement last described may be variously modified, as in
either of the ways represented in Sheet IV., Figure 1; first, the use of wax
and tallow or other composition may be dispensed with, and the two sides of
the valve made to overlap one another, as shewn; second, the tube may be

page_text: made to open at the one side instead of at the top, and in that case the
advance roller (G) and longer side of the valve will, just before the passage of
the connecting rod, take the position indicated by the dotted lines.
Fifth, the valve may be constructed in the manner represented in Sheet IV.,
Figures 2 and 3. In this case the tube is made of wrought iron as before,
or otherwise yielding, but the valve is made in one piece, and attached to
one side only of the longitudinal slit. Figure 2 shews the valve as closed,
and Figure 3 the position which it assumes when open. The valve is made
of the form shewn, and in five different parts; first, an under plate of metal a;
second, a layer of sulphurized caoutchouc, sulphurized gutta percha, leather,
or other flexible substance; third, a second metal plate, which is laid over
the flexible material 6 (the three parts a, b, and c, being firmly united
together by the rivets f.f.); fourth, a layer of wax and tallow, or some other
soft composition or substance; and, fifth, a top covering of the same sort of
substance as is employed for part second. The valve fits into seats B, B,
attached to the two faces of the longitudinal slit, which are turned up for
the purpose in the manner shown; the opening of the valve is effected by a
roller running in advance of the connecting rod, in the same way as has
been before described and as is now ordinarily practised, and it is pressed
back into its place by a roller H, attached to one of the after carriages, as
represented in Figure 2.
Sixth, a valve may be employed composed of layers of the same description,
and arranged in the same order as that last described, but attached neither to
the one side nor to the other of the longitudinal slit, but laid loosely in
seats B, B, attached to flanges C, C, one on each side of the slit, as shewn
in Figure 4, Sheet IV. The valve is raised out of its place by an advance
roller as before, and then pressed back again by a roller attached to one of
the hinder carriages; but to enable the connecting rod to pass clear of the
raised valve, it must in this case be made of the U form, represented in
Figure 5.
Seventh, the tube may be made of malleable iron, or otherwise yielding, as
before described, but without facings of any kind to the sides of the longitu-
dinal slit. A composition of wax and tallow, or other materials, may be
employed as aforesaid, and a cup be formed for holding it, either by attaching
side pieces of a suitable form to the top of the tube, one at each side of the
slit, or, in case of the tube being made in two parts, by forming each half and
its side piece in one, as before explained; or the wax and tallow and cup
may be wholly dispensed with, but in that case the abutting parts of the faces
of the longitudinal slit must be made to fit accurately.

page_text: Eighth, supposing the tube to be made rigid as usual, we attach to it a
flexible valve and cup, as in the description represented in Sheet V.; the tube
is cast with two grooves p, p, in it, one on each side of the slit, into which
grooves are inserted the lower ends of the two valve pieces R, R. The valve
pieces are made each of the double curved form shewn, so that the two pieces
may meet in the middle to close the slit, and then expand upwards into a
cup T for holding a mixture of wax and tallow, or other like composition as
aforesaid. Each piece consists of two (or more) thin plates of metal, faced
to the height shewn with sulphurized caoutchouc, or any of the substitutes as
aforesaid, and upheld by a back stay S, and each piece as well as its back stay is
fixed at bottom in the groove p, by means of melted pitch, marine glue, or
some other suitable cement. The composition in the cup T is cut in two by
the connecting rod (which should in this case be of a wedge form) each time it
passes through. Matters are then restored to their previous state by means
of three rollers W', W, W, attached to the next passing carriage, the
roller W serving to press the composition in the cup down, and the two side
rollers W, W, to prevent the sides of the cup from being pushed outwards
by the action of the roller W¹.
Ninth, instead of the traction tube being fixed or stationary and the piston
being moveable, as usual, the traction tube may be moveable and the piston
stationary. The Drawings in Sheets VI. and VII. represent the various
modifications of form and construction by which we propose to carry out this
reverse system of action. We prefer that this tube should be flexible or
yielding, and more so than in any of the preceding cases; it is proposed,
therefore, not only to make it in two parts or halves, as in the second form of
construction herein-before described, but to make the substance of the tube
of a combination partly of sheets of metal cut combwise into strips or ribs,
and partly of sulphurized caoutchouc, sulphurised gutta percha, or some other
like flexible and air and water proof substance. Figure 1, Sheet VI., is a
cross section; Figure 2, a horizontal elevation; and Figure 3, a plan of a
traction tube of this description. A, A, are the sheets of metal divided comb-
wise, which are enclosed between two Sheets B, B, of sulphurized caoutchouc,
or some other like flexible and air and water proof substance or substances;
the manner in which these sheets are formed is shewn separately on a reduced
scale in Figures. 4, 5, and 6. The sheet of metal is first divided while in
the flat state for about two-thirds of its breadth into strips or ribs, as scen
in Figure 4; it is then taken to a mould and stamped into the form of a
semicircle, with straight end or flange pieces, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6.
The two halves of the tube are bolted firmly together at top by means of the

page_text: top flanges, as shewn in Figure 1. (Sheet VI., but the bottom flanges are left
unconnected, so that the two sides may expand freely under any pressure
which may be applied to part them asunder. The entire tube is slung to
or suspended from the axles of the locomotive carriage, in the manner shewn
in the longitudinal elevation in Figure 1, Sheet VII. Each carriage may
have its separate traction tube, or there may be one tube for two or more
carriages. An external elevation of the stationary piston, and the tube which
connects it with the main, is shewn in Figure 1, Sheet VII., and a sectional
elevation with longitudinal section of it in Figures 7 and 8, Sheet VI. The
piston, it will be seen, is hollow, and of a T form, the top or longitudinal
part (A) being inserted within the traction tube (Figure I., Sheet VI.,) and
the vertical part B being connected at bottom to an air main C, Sheet VII.,
laid on the ground (as usual); the two ends of the top part (A) have orifices
in them, which may be shut or opened one at a time by means of two
valves D, D, attached to the opposite ends of one common spindle E, which
is connected to a compound lever apparatus F, F, F, shewn partly in Figure 7,
but more completely in a transverse section of the piston, with the lever
apparatus, given in Figure 9, Sheet VI., and in a side view of that apparatus,
Figure 10. As there is one traction tube for each carriage, or one for every
two, three, or more carriages, so also there must be a number of stationary
pistons employed, placed at suitable distances apart. Before starting, each
length of tube is closed at both ends, by bringing the outer and inner pieces
(B, B,) of sulphurized caoutchouc or other suitable substitute over the end
of the sheet of metal (A) which is interposed between them, as shewn in
Figure 1, Figures 3 and 11, Sheet VI., and then partially exhausting the air
within (through the medium of the hollow piston and main C), which, pro-
ducing an excess of pressure or the yielding ends B, B, causes them to
collapse and press closely together. But as it is necessary that the tubes
should be afterwards opened at one or other of the ends, each longitudinal
half of the tube has a set of levers or bridal pieces attached to it on the
outside, in the manner shewn in Figures 3 and 12 of Sheet VI., by means of
which either end of that longitudinal half can be drawn back (notwithstanding
the external resistance of the atmosphere) into an expanded form, as seen
at y, Figure 3, according to the direction in which the bridle pieces are
pulled, and the two sets are connected by a cross bar N, so that both can be
acted on simultaneously by one hand lever L, placed within reach of the
locomotive conductor. For the better understanding of the mode in which
the system of locomotive propulsion embraced under this head of our Inven-
tion is to be carried into effect, we have given in Sheet VII., an elevation

page_text: (Figure 2), a plan (Figure 8), and a transverse section (Figure 4), of a
complete line of railway on this system, with two lines of rails; tho service
of both lines is supposed in this case to be performed by means of one air
main C, laid in the interval between the two lines, and communicating by
side pipes D, D, with the different pistons. The operation is as follows:-In
order to start the train, the air main (C) is exhausted to any degree required
by the stationary engines, and through the medium of it the stationary pistons
and moveable traction tubes attached to the carriages are also exhausted to
the same degree, in which state of things the ends of the traction tubes are
necessarily closed; the conductor then opens those ends of the traction tubes
which, according to the line of direction the train is to take, will be in the
front of the pistons, and, simultaneously therewith, he opens those valves in
the pistons which are in the same position, or in the rear of the line of motion.
The former he effects by means of the lever handles L before described, and
the latter, by pressing down two inclined planes attached to the bottoms of
the carriages (but not shewn in the Drawings) upon the rollers q, q, of the
lever apparatus F. The external atmosphere being admitted in front of the
pistons, its pressure on the closed end of the tube propels the train forward
with a force according to the size of the traction tube and the degree of
exhaustion in tho main. When it is desired to retard or stop the train, the
conductor allows the inclined planes to pass over without touching the
rollers q, q, and thus leaves both of the piston valves closed, while at the
same time he reverses, by means of the bridlo pieces, the opening of
the traction tube, closing the end which is in front of the line of motion,
and opening that which is in the rear of it. The entire power becomes thus
applied gradually but effectually to the retardation and ultimate stoppage of
the train, and in the same way the momentum of the train in descending
inclined planes may be employed to re-exhaust the main.
Tenth, to shift the rails, in order to enable carriages to pass at sidings on
single lines of atmospheric railway, we propose to employ the exhaustion of
the main in the manner represented in Sheet VIII., Figure 1. Just at the
point where the siding should commence, there is a cylinder (C) laid hori-
zontally on one side of the line, but at right angles with it, which commu-
nicates by a branch pipe with the air main D, and is furnished with a piston
which is directly connected to the rail on the opposite side to that where the
cylinder is placed. When exhaustion takes place in the main, the piston is
forced down or inwards by the external pressure of the atmosphere, and draws
the rail to which it is attached in the same direction along with it. The air
admitted behind the carriage or train destroys the vacuum in the small

page_text: cylinder, and as soon as the vacuum is destroyed in the cylinder and main,
a counterweight (not shewn in the Drawing) brings the rail and piston back,
and allows the train to pass into the opposite sidings. The right-hand
portion of the Drawing, Figure 1, Sheet VIII., shews the position of the
parts when the vacuum has been formed in the main, and the train is about
to enter a section of the line; the left-hand portion represents the train as
leaving the section of pipe, having passed the front where the pipe from the
small cylinder is connected with the main.
Eleventh, we adopt for the purpose of joining endwise several lengths of
tube, whether rigid or yielding, the several modes represented in Figures 2 to
11 (both inclusive) of Sheet VIII. In the mode represented in Figures 2,
3, 4, and 5, a broad metallic hoop, with a lining of some flexible substance,
such as sulphurized caoutchouc, sulphurized gutta percha, felt, or leather, is
screwed tightly round the tubes e, immediately over the abutting ends. In
Figures 6 and 7 metal hoops are also made use of; but, instead of being
lined all over, they have grooves cut on their under surfaces, into which
marine glue or some other good cement is poured in a fluid state. In
Figure 8 the ends are connected by flanges attached to the end of each
length of tube, and bolted together, with a washer of caoutchouc or some other
yielding substance interposed between them. In Figures 9, 10, and 11 the
two ends of the tubes to be joined are inserted into a hollow ball, which is
then filled up all round with some good cement, as aforesaid.
Twelfth, we construct and work separating valves, such as those made use
of at the extreme exit points of an atmospheric line of railway, according to
several improved modes represented in Sheet IX., Figures 1 to 17 (both
inclusive). In the plan shewn in Figure 1 (a section of the main cross valve
box, with an elevation of the valve) and Figure 2 (an elevation of the slide
box and tubes), the valve is kept up in its place by a spiral spring acting on
the bottom of the valve. The valve of Figures 1 and 2 is shewn separately
in Figures 3, 4, and 5. In Figure 6 the valve is depressed or opened by
means of an inclined plane P attached to the front of the piston, the valve
being thrown up by a spring when the piston has passed. In Figure 7 the
valve is closed by compressed air acting on the surface of water.
Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11 half of the metal tube is cut away, and its place supplied
by sulphurized caoutchouc or sulpherised gutta percha, or canvas saturated
with caoutchouc or gutta percha, or some other like flexible substance, which
is inverted or forced in by the action of rollers lifted by a balance weight, as
shewn, and is thereby pressed into close contact with the metal half of the
pipe, forming therewith a perfectly air-tight valve, as particularly shewn in
In
V

page_text: Figure 11. In Figures 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 the metal tube is cut
away altogether in one part, and a piece of hose, composed of some of the
flexible substances aforesaid, is introduced, which is firmly connected at its
two ends to the metal continuations, and the sides of which are kept in contact
(previous to the exhausting, by two metal springs p, q. When exhaustion
takes place the external pressure of the air forces the sides of this flexible
portion of the tube into such close contact as completely to separate the body
of air in one section of the metal tube from that in the other. Figures 12,
13, and 14 shew this valve when open for the passage of the piston, and
Figures 15, 16, and 17 the form which it assumes when closed.
Thirteenth, for the purpose of stopping or retarding trains, or keeping them
stationary, notwithstanding any tractive power which may be exerted on the
pistons (except when the system described under the ninth head of this
Specification is followed), we adopt one or other of the improved plans repre-
sented in Sheet X., Figures 1, 2, and 8. In the plan represented in Figures 1
and 2 a short cylinder A is placed in front of the piston; and in this cylinder,
towards the outer end, there are placed four (or more) segmental pieces.
a, b, c, d. A conical plug B is partially inserted between these segmental
pieces, and as it is pushed forwards it expands and forces them against the
internal orifice of the traction tube, and by the consequent friction propor-
tionally retards the train. Immediately behind this plug there is a small air-
pump C, the spindle of the piston of which is connected to the plug; and the
slide valve of this air-pump is, through the medium of the connecting rod and
lever D, D, placed under the full control of the conductor. When he desires
to stop the train, he shifts the slide valve, so as to exhaust the air from
behind the piston of the air-pump, when the piston P, being pressed down,
drives the plug B forward, which pushes out the segmental pieces into contact
with the sides of the cylinder, against which they act with sufficient frictional
force to overcome the tractive power of the piston. When, again, it is desired
that the train should go on, the position of the slide valve of the air-pump is
reversed, and a vacuum formed in front of the piston of the air-pump, which
brings the conical plug back, and re-opens the cylinder to the same extent as
before. Figure 3 shews another plan on the same principle as the preceding,
but which differs from it in the conical plug being directly acted upon through
a rod and lever placed at the command of the conductor.
Fourteenth, to enable the same pistons to suit tubes of different sizes, we
construct them in one or other of the forms represented in Sheet X.,
Figures 4 to 17, both inclusive. First, we form the piston of an elastic ring,
composed either of sulphurized caoutchouc or sulphurized gutta percha in the

page_text: solid state, or of sheet caoutchouc or sheet gutta percha distended by com-
pressed air, or of some other like flexible substance or substances, which ring
in its circular form just fits the largest tube to which it is intended to be
applied, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5, and assumes a shape moro or less ellip-
tical, according to the diminished size of any other tube in which it is inserted,
as reprosented in Figures 6 and 7. Or, secondly; we form the elastic ring so
that it shall assume in the smallest tube to which it can be applied the form
represented in Figures 9, 10, and 14, and expand in the largest to the form
shewn in Figures 8, 11, 12, and 13. Where a transition is required to be
occasionally made from a small main to a larger, in order to obtain an increase
of power, we adopt the plan represented in Figures 15, 16, and 17. The piston
to suit the large main is made with an orifice in it large enough to admit the
piston of the small main, as shewn in Figures 16 and 17. When the small
piston reaches the large main, it enters into the larger piston, and remains con-
nected to it till the end of the large main is reached, when the two pistons are
disconnected, and the small one continues its course, the larger one remaining
stationary until some return train requires its assistance.
Fifteenth, to facilitate the admission of or increase the supply of atmospheric
air behind the piston, we attach to the leading carriage in a longitudinal
direction a pipe open at both ends, which is at the front end of a trumpet
shape, and is at the other bent downwards towards the longitudinal slit of the
traction tube, at such a point in the length of the carriage that it shall dis-
charge itself of the air coming through it into the main immediately behind
the piston.
Sixteenth, and lastly, for the purpose of exhausting the air from the main,
we propose to adopt occasionally the plan represented in Sheet No. XI. A is
a division of the main; B, an exhausting cylinder with which the main communi-
cates through the valve a, and which is of three or more times the capacity of the
main; b is a valve with which the cylinder B communicates with the external
atmosphere; C is a diaphragm which fits the cylinder exactly, but is free to
move up and down in it; D is a syphon tube which leads from the cylinders
to 3 reservoirs of water, E, F, & G; e and 9 are valves by which the com-
munications between the syphon tube and the reservoirs E, F, and G, are
alternately opened & closed. The operation of this apparatus is as fol-
lows:-Let the exhausting cylinder B & the syphon tube D be filled with a
water, & let the valves a, b, e, & f, be closed, in which state of circum-
stances the diaphram C will be at the bottom of the cylinder B. If the
valve g be then opened, the result will be that the water in the cylinder D
will be drawn off, through the long leg of the syphon tube, into the reser-

page_text: voir G, and that as the pressure is removed from the diaphragm C, it will
ascend, and the air from the main flow into the space made for it beneath the
diaphragm, but become rarefied in proportion to the difference between the
capacities of the cylinder and main. When the diaphragm has risen to the
top of the cylinder B, the valve g is to be closed, and the valve f, which com-
municates with the middle reservoir, opened. The excess of pressure being
then on the side of the body of water in E, this produces a reflux of water
into the exhausting cylinder, which gradually presses down again the dia-
phragm towards the bottom, and expels the rarefied air through the valve b
into the external atmosphere. When the apparatus will no longer act with
the valve open, that valve is closed, and the valve which communicates
with the reservoir E, opened, whereby the descent of the diaphragm to the
bottom of the cylinder B is completed. By repeating the same round of
operations the cylinder B will be once more filled, to the same extent as
before, with air drawn from the main, and will once more discharge that air
into the external atmosphere, and so on for any number of times that may be
required. The reservoirs E and F may either be supplied with water from
some higher natural source, where local circumstances admit of it, or it may
be kept supplied by a steam or other engine.
Having now stated the different particulars in which our improvement on
the atmospheric system of propulsion consists, we shall now proceed to
exemplify its application to other motive purposes. Sheet XII. of the
Drawings shews the application of the improved mode of action described
under the ninth head of this Specification to atmospheric canal or river pro-
pulsion. Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a longitudinal section, of a portion
of a canal or river, with the arrangement which we propose to adopt for the
propulsion of barges and other vessels upon it. An air main A is laid down
upon the banks of the canal or river, and a series of hollow stationary pistons
B, B, placed at suitable distances apart mounted on piles. The moveable
traction tube T is suspended alongside of the barge or other vessel, and
balanced by counterweights W, W, to allow for any rise or fall which may
take place in the level of the water, as exemplified in Figures 4 and 5. The
pistons B, B, communicate by the short pipes D, D, with the traction pipo T,
as is more clearly shewn in the transverse section Figure 8. The different
engths of the air main are proposed in this case to be connected by means of
the globular or thimble joints before described, as represented in Figures 7
and 8. Figure 6 of the same Sheet (XII.) shows how, by a farther appli-
cation of the plan described under the ninth head of this Specification, both
railway and river or canal traction may be combined in one system.

page_text: And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we are aware that the
employment, for the purpose of closing the valves of atmospheric railway
tubes, of a composition of bees-wax and tallow, or any other substance
or composition of substances which is solid at the temperature of the
atmosphere, and becomes fluid when heated a few degrees above it, has been
stated in the Specification of the Patent granted to Samuel Clegg, bearing
date the Third day of January, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine,
for "A new Improvement in Valves, and the Combination of them with
Machinery," and that we do not claim the use of any such composition by
itself as of our Invention; but that we claim the improvement on the atmo-
spheric system of propulsion, consisting of the sixteen different particulars
herein-before described, and the application of each and every of these par-
ticulars to the purposes herein-before exemplified; and that whenever in any
of the new combinations described in these particulars a composition of bees-
wax and tallow, or other similar substances, is directed to be employed, we
claim the same only as forming part of such new combination.
In witness whercof, I, the said Thomas Clark, on behalf of myself and
the said John Varley, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
THOMAS (L.B.) CLARKE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid Thomas Clarke came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.