TRANSMITTING POWER FOR OPERATING MARINE SIGNALS AND BOR OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF AIR OR FLUID
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Spear, of New Haven, County of New
Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, for the
Invention of "TRANSMITTING POWER FOR OPERATING MARINE SIGNALS AND
BOR OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF AIR OR FLUID."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Spear at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd September 1869.
I, ROBERT SPEAR, of New Haven, County of New Haven, State of
Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "TRANSMITTING POWER FOR OPERATING MARINE SIGNALS
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF AIR OR FLUID," to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in an improved mode of trans-
mitting motive power and in the peculiar construction of the devices for
accomplishing the same. Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section,
and Figure 2 is a side view of the said devices.

page_text: Fluids of any kind in their passage through tubes or conduits of
uniform size gradually lose their force and velocity, to prevent which
and cause them to pass with unabated force without regard to distance
is the object of my Invention.
B represents a length or section of the tube or conduit; A, its 'con-
nection with the power source or tube leading to the condensing engine;
and A¹ is its connection with the second joint of the tube or conduit, or
its terminus when not more than one joint is used. The length of the
connecting tubes A, A', is only what is required to form the connections
of the main tube B; they are equal in diameter and are smaller in
diameter than the main tube. The pipe B can be of any desired length;
the longer it is the greater must be its diameter as compared with the
connecting tubes A, A'. If the main tube is one mile long its diameter
should be about one-fifth larger; if half a mile, one-tenth; and if one
quarter of a mile, only one-twentieth larger, and continue to diminish
in the same ratio. The reason of this is obvious when it is understood
that the object of this arrangement is to allow the fluid to perform the
peculiar functions of its nature, which are to maintain its equilibrium.
This it cannot do in its passage through a conduit of uniform size in
which no provision can be made to counteract the friction occasioned by
its contact with the surface of the same.
By observing the principle already described in the construction of
this novel form of conduit it has been found by repeated experiments
that while the fluid is in motion pressure gauges show the same force at
the point of reception and delivery, whether it be a short or long joint
or an indefinite series of them regardless of the distance to which the
force or power is transmitted. The pipe or conduit B acts in the capacity
of a reservoir for the fluid, and it is clearly evident that if a certain
amount of pressure is employed at one end to force the fluid into the
pipe through a smaller inlet the fluid will escape through an outlet of
the same size with exactly the same force or velocity, and consequently
the original power is transmitted without loss.
This mode of transmitting fluids I design particularly for the purpose
of working marine signals, although it will work to advantage in
operating engines for driving machinery, and for all purposes where for
any reason it may be desirable to transmit any kind of fluid for any
purpose or use whatever. When the fluid in the conduit is in a quiet

page_text: state by opening a valve at the point of delivery signals can be suddenly
made along the whole line extending to the original power source
wherever arrangements are made for the purpose, or the same result can
be produced by an attempt to negative the line at any point between its
terminus' and the power source from which point signals can be made
either in the direction of the power source or the. terminus of the line
while any considerable amount of force remains in the conduit, and
when desired the terminus of the line can be connected with a constant
force, by which means continued signals or results may be produced
from any point on the line in either direction. In addition to its
utility for working marine signals, for which I particularly design
this form of conduit, it is also useful for other forms of signals and
for working nearly all possible forms of engines. When compressed air.
is passed through the conduit its peculiar mobility renders.it one-of the
best, if not the very best, agents for this purpose, and I therefore use air
as well as other fluids in the manner above described for transmitting
power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Spear in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SPEAR, of New Haven, County of New Haven, State of Connecticut,
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Spear, Her special licence that I,.
the said Robert Spear, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such,
others as I, the said Robert Spear, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should. and;
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an.
Invention for "TRANSMIITING POWER FOR OPERATING MARINE SIGNALS AND POP.;

page_text: Spear's Method of Transmitting Power for Operating Marine Signals, &c.
OTHER PURPOSES BY MEANS OF AIR OR FLUID," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Robert Spear, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Spear, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The nature of my Invention relates to an improvement in trans-
mitting motive power and to the peculiar construction of the devices
for accomplishing the same.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my Invention
appertains to apply the same, I will now proceed to describe the con-
struction and operation of my apparatus, referring to the annexed
Drawings which make part of this Specification, and in which Figure 1
is a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 is a side view.
Fluids of any kind in their passage through tubes or conduits of
uniform size gradually lose their force and velocity, to prevent which
and cause them to pass with unabated force without regard to distance is
the object of my Invention.
B represents a section of the conduit, and A its connection with the
second joint of the tube or conduit, or its terminus when not more than
one joint is used. The length of the connecting tubes A, A', is only
what is required to form the connection with the main tube B, and their
diameter is always equal and smaller than that of the main tube. The
pipe B can be of any desired length; the longer it is the greater must
be its diameter as compared with the connecting tubes A, A'. If the
main tube is one mile long its area should be at least one-fifth larger;
if half a mile, one-tenth; and if one quarter of a mile, only one-
twentieth larger, and continue to diminish in the same ratio. The
reason of this is obvious, when it is understood that the object of this
arrangement is to allow the fluid to perform the peculiar function of
its nature, which is to maintain its equilibrium; this it cannot do in
its passage through a conduit of uniform size in which no provision can

page_text: be made to counteract the friction caused by its contact with the surface
of the same.
By observing the principle already described in the construction of
this novel form of conduit it has been found by repeated experiments
that while the fluid is in motion pressure gauges show the same force
at the point of reception and delivery, whether it be a long or short
joint or an indefinite series of them, regardless of the distance the force
or power is transmitted. The pipe or conduit B acts in the capacity of
a reservoir for the fluid, and it is already evident that if a certain
amount of pressure is applied at one end to force the fluid into the
pipe through a smaller inlet the fluid will escape through an outlet of
the same size with exactly the same force or velocity, and consequently
the original power is transmitted without loss.
This mode of transmitting power is designed particularly for working
marine signals, although it will work to advantage in operating engines
designed for working machinery, and for all purposes where for any
reason it may be desirable to transmit any kind of fluid for any purpose
or use whatever. When the fluid in the conduit is in a quiet state by
opening the valve at the point of delivery signals can be made along
the whole line, extending to the original power source, whenever arrange-
ments are made for the purpose, as has been especially proven by firing
guns or operating various kind of signals; or the same results can be
produced by an attempt to negative by opening the lateral vent the line
at any point between its terminus and the power source, from which
point signals can be made either in the direction of the power source or
the terminus of the line, while any considerable amount of force remains
in the conduit, and when desired the terminus of the line can be
connected with the constant force, by which means continued signals
or results may be produced from any point on the line in either
direction. In addition to the utility of working marine signals, for
which I particularly design this form of conduit, it is also useful for
other forms of signals, and for working all possible forms of engines;
it therefore becomes evident that the utility of my Invention must be
great for numerous purposes.
Having thus fully described my Invention, what I claim as new,
TDutant in

page_text: 1st. The within described, improvement in transmitting power. by
means of a fluid passed through a tube or tubes with diminished
connections, substantially as described.
2nd. The pipe or pipes through which a fluid is transmitted from an
engine or power source to the machinery designed to, be operated upon,
or to the desired terminus with any form of engine when said pipe
or pipes are united with diminished connections or provided with
contractions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Spear, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this. Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord 1870.
ROBERT SPEAR. (L.S.)