Apparatus for Producing Compressed Air.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Producing Compressed Air.
I, TEAN TOETTEN, Merchant of Lübeckerstrasse 13 at Cologne on the Rhine
in the Province of Rhineland, and Kingdom of Prussia, Germany do hereby declare
the unture of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to produce in a cheap way compressed
air and in large quantities in suitable reservoirs which is then distributed at will
and also conducted to distant places for the purpose of working machinery. The
compressed air is produced by making use of the forces of nature present in the
wind at the sea-shore, as well as in the ebb and flood.
The apparatus used for this purpose is essential represented in the annexed
drawing riz. in Figs. 1 to 3 in longitudinal and cross-section as well as in an upper
viow, while Figs. 4 to 6 give details of the construction.
The arrangement is as follows:-
A is a vessel loaded as possible, which is moored alongside of a mole B, the
wall of a quay or in some other suitable manner in such a way that it can follow
the rising or falling of the water with the flood and ebb, but it cannot move away
from the spot.
On the side of the hull which is turned towards the mole there are arranged
guide pieces a (either slide or roller guides), each of which is secured by corre-
sponding vertical guide rails etc. e.y. on rails fastened to walls or as in the drawing
to strong iron masts built into the mole, in such a ununer that the vessel, on
the water rising or falling is guided in a straight line up and down along the
guides.
The water wheels g and g' of which there may be an equal number in the front
and at the back of the ship serve to make use of the action of the waves, for the
transmission of power to the air-pumps; a construction of the wheels in detail is
shown in Fig. 5. These wheels may work on different shafts or, as in the drawing,
on the same shaft.
The wind wheel h which is placed with its rigid axle k on a vertical shaft i
(Fig. 6) arranged on the deck so that it can freely turn on it serve to make use of
the force of the wind and works by means of a transmission nechanism arranged
at the lower end, e.g. toothed wheel likewise on one or more horizontal shafts
which work air pumps. It goes without saying that several of such water wheels
can be arranged alongside or behind or above each other.
On the deck there are cylinders or rollers d which are made to rotate on the
hull of the ship a moving vertically by means of a chain wound round them and
fastened above the guides e.g. the connecting-pole e of two masts b and below to
the masonry.
The three above-mentioned arrangements of chain-pulleys, water wheels an wind-
wheels serve for driving air-pumps mi, m₁, me, ma, etc. of which an equal number 2, 3, 4
etc. belong to an air reservoir n erected on the deck and with which they are
connected by a common air-pipe.
As will be seen from Fig. 3, the air pumps are preferably arranged behind and
alongside of each other in such a manner that those which are equally distant
from the rospective reservoir n can be driven from a single shaft, e.g. all pumps m

page_text: from shaft o, all pumps m₁ from 01, m, from o, etc. The shafts, on the other hand
are connected by means of toothed-wheels, chain- or belt-gearings with the motors
in such a manner that one or more shafts can be worked by the force of the wind,
the waves and the ebb and flood.
In the connection chosen as an instance in the drawing, the pumps m and my are
actuated by the wind-wheel; ns by the chain-pulley d, i.e. by the action of the
ebb and flood; m, finally, by the water-wheels g 9, i.e. by the action of the
waves.
Owing to the fact that all the air pumps m are driven by the same power, and
likewise all the air pumps m₁, m, etc. it becomes possible to compress the air in all
the vessels or reservoirs in an equal degree; if, for example, the one or the other
driving mechanism ceases to act on account of the failure of its motive force e.g.
the wind, its action censes equally with regard to all reservoirs. Thus a single
gauge on one of the reservoirs suffices to show the degree of air compression in all
the reservoirs at any time. When the desired pressure is obtained the respective
resorvoirs are disconnected and others connected in their stead. While the former
are then emptied cither by being emptied directly or by-being filled into a store
reservoir situated on the shore, the fresh ones are connected to the machinery and
compressed air is now produced in them.
It may therefore be advisable to connect two rows of reservoirs in such a manner
with the common pipes coming from the air-pumps that by the reversing of a cock,
slide, valve or the like the one row of reservoirs is disconnected and the other at
the same time connected.
Instead of on the ship, the two rows of reservoirs might also be on the shore and
be filled directly from the ship through pipes and hoses.
Of course a common reservoir may be assigned to several pumps, or a common
pump to several reservoirs according to the size and arrangement of the
apparatus.
By this arrangement it becomes possible at any time and without special working
expenses to produce compressed air since of the motive forces of nature, wind,
action of the waves or the change hetween ebb and flood is always present.
According to the presence of these forces the row of pumps which is driven by
each individual one workɛ, and the others stand still, or several or all the rows of
pumps work together.
Instead of the air pumps and compressed air reservoirs, dynamo machines may
be also be placed on the ship, so that electricity is produced in great quantities
and is conducted from the ship by suitable means to different places.
The vessel may be weighted in various ways. In the drawing the hold is, for
instant, supposed to be a wine store, so that the space, which would otherwise be
wasted, can be applied to advantage.
Dated this 18th day of April 1896.
For TEAN TOETTEN,
Bernh. Brockhues.
I, TEAN TOETTEN, Merchant of 13 Lübeckerstrasse, at Cologue on the Rhine
in the Province of Rhineland and Kingdom of Prussia, Germany do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manuer the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the present invention is to produce in a cheap way compressed air

page_text: and in large quantities in suitable reservoirs which is then distributed at will and
also conducted to distant places for the purpose of working machinery. Tho
compressed nir is produced by making use of the forces of the nature presont in
the wind at the sea-shore as well as in the ebb and flood.
The apparatus used for this purpose is essentially represented in the annexed
drawing viz. in Figs. 1 to 3 in longitudinal and transverse section as well as in an
upper view, while Figs. 4 to 6 give details of the construction.
The arrangement is as follows:
A is vessel loaded as heavily as possible which is moored alongside of a
mole B, the wall of a quay or in some other suitable manner in such a way that it
cau follow the rising or falling of the water with the flood and obb though it
cannot move away from the spot.
On the side of the hull which is turned towards the mole there are arranged
guide pieces a (either slide or roller guides) each or which is secured by corre-
sponding vertical guide rails etc. e.g. on rails fastoned to walls or as in the drawing
to strong iron masts built into the mole, in such a manner that the vessel, on
the water rising or falling is guided in a straight line up and down along the
guides.
The water wheels g and g, of which there may be an equal number in the front
and at the back of the ship serve to make use of the action of the waves, for the
transmission of power to the air-pumpa; a construction of the wheels in detail is
shown in Fig. 5. These wheels may work on different shafts or, as in the drawing,
on the same shaft.
The wind-wheel which is placed with its rigid axle kou a vertical shaft i
(Fig. 6) arranged on the deck so that it force of the wind and works by means of
trausmission mechanian arranged at the lower end, eg. toothed wheel likewise
un one or more horizontal shafts which work air pumps. It goes without saying
that several of such water-wheels can be arranged alongside of behind or above
each other.
On the deck o there are cylinders or rollers d which are made to rotate on the
hull of the ship A moving vertically by means of a chain wound round them and
fastened above to the guides eg. the connecting-pole e of two masts band below to
the masonry. The three above mentioned arrangements chaiu-pulloys, water-
wheels and wind-whouls servo for driving air-pumps m n ma ma etc. of which an
equal number 2, 3, 4 etc. belong to an air reservoir n erected on the deck and with
which they are connected by a common air-pipe.
As will be seen from Fig. 3, the air-pumapa are preferably arranged bohind and
alongside of each other in such a manner that those which are equally distant from
the respective reservoir n can be driven from a single shaft, eg. all pumps m from
shaft o, all pumps m, from 01, m, from o, etc.
The shafts, on the other hand, are connected by means of toothed-wheel, chain
or belt-gearing with the motors in such a manner that one or more shafts can be
worked by the force of the wind, the waves and ebb and flood.
In the connection chosen as an instance in the drawing, the pumps mand i aro
actuated by the wind-wheel; m, by the chain-pulley d, i.e. by the action of the
ebb and flood, n, finally, by the water-wheels g g ie. by the action of the
waves.
Owing to the fact that all the air pumps m are driven by the same power, and
likewise all the air pumps m₁, m, etc. it becomes possible to compress the air in all
the vessels or reservoirs in an equal degree; if, for example, the oue or the other
driving-mechanism ceases to act on account of the failure of its motive force 4.9.
the wind, its action ceases equally with regard to all reservoirs. Thus a single
gauge on one of the reservoirs suffices to show the degree of air compression in all
the reservoirs at any time.
When the desired pressure is obtained the respective reservoirs are disconnected
and others connected in their stead.
While the former are then emptied either by being emptied directly or by being

page_text: filled into a store reservoir situated on the shore, the fresh ones are connected to
the machinery and compressed air is now produced in them. It may therefore be
advisable to connect two rows of reservoirs in such a mannor with the common
pipes coming from the air-pumps that by the reversing of a cock slide, valvo etc.
the one row of reservoirs is disconnected and the other at the same time
-connected.
Of course a common reservoir may be assigned to several pumps, or & common
pump to several reservoirs according to the size and arrangement of the
apparatus.
By this arrangement it becomes possible at any time and without special working
expenses to produce compressed air since one of the motive forces of nature, wind,
action, of the waves or the change between ebb and flood is always present.
According to the presence of these forces the row of pumps which is driven by each
individual one works, and the others stand still, or several or all the rows of pumps
work together.
Instead of the air-pumps and compressed air reservoirs, dynamo machines may
also be placed on the ship, so that electricity is produced in great quantities and
is conducted from the ship by suitable means to different places.
The vessel may be weighted in various ways. In the drawing the hold is, for
instance, supposed to be a wine store, so that the space, which would otherwise be
wasted, can be applied to advantage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
Apparatus for producing compressed air by which the forces of nature offered
by the motion of the waves of the sea, by the sea-wind as well as the ebb and flood
are made use of, thereby distinguished that a ship-like body floating on the sea and
anchored in the direction of the land, is provided with water-wheels g g₁ for making
use of force of the waves, with wind-wheels for making use of the force of the
wind as well as with driving chaius fand pulleys d for making use of the force of
the ebb and flood, the ship meanwhile sliding up and down on rigid vertical
guides 6 and all these parts transmitting their rotatious to air pumps by means of
which compressed air is produced in suitable reservoirs.
Dated this 27th day of October 1896.
For TEAN TOETTEN,
Bernhard
Brockhues.