IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47; Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES."
A communication from Narcisse Duvoir, of Liancourt, in the Empire
of France, Mechanical Engineer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
.... the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd March 1855.
• 11
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature, of, the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER
ENGINES," a communication from Narcisse Duvoir, of Liancourt, in the
Empire of France, Mechanical Engineer, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of hydraulic engines-known as-turbines, and consists in forming
the centre of the turbine of a cast-iron bell or inverted cup, open at the bottom
to admit the water therein. This bell or cup is keyed on to the lower end of
a vertical driving shaft, and is fitted with a number of curved arms of a

page_text: peculiar section, formed by the intersection of two arcs, or somewhat resembling
an elipse, with pointed in place of round ends. These arms are composed of
sheet metal for the sake of lightness, and are of a larger area at their junction
with the centre of the turbine than at their extremities. They may be com-
posed of two pieces, screwed or rivetted together with longitudinal flanges
at their sides. The centre line of each arm consists of a simple arc drawn
from one centre, and the side of the arms are also arcs drawn from a single
centre for each side.
The shaft of the turbine does not, as in ordinary cases, pass through the
centre, and work on a footstep beneath the turbine, and so impede the entrance
of the water into the apparatus, but it leaves the mouth of the central chamber
or bell quite open for the water, which rises into it from a suitable channel,
the supply to which is regulated by a vertical sluice. The upper portion of
the shaft is supported by a collar bearing, and above that again it is sup-
ported by a fixed vertical spindle, formed with a number of shoulders or
collars upon it. A bearing in two pieces embraces the lower end of the
spindle, and also the upper end of the shaft, to which it is fixed. A packing
ring serves as a guide for the bottom of the turbine, such ring being
placed inside or between the junction of the bell and the fixed plate, on which
it turns. Each arm is fitted with a regulating valve, which is adjusted easily
during the motion of the machine. Each valve is connected by a bell-crank
lever with a rod, which is attached to another bell crank carried on the top of
the centre of the turbine. This crank is connected also to a vertical rod
parallel to the shaft and turning with it. Each vertical rod passes through a
collar part on the driving, and turns in the interior of a brass or hard wood
bearing, carried by a suitable framing. On this framing are two columns,
united at the top by a cross head, upon which turns a small hand wheel, which
may be turned by hand. The interior of this hand wheel is tapped, and works
over a screwed collar loose on the driving shaft, and carrying FL ring or collar,
through which are passed the upper ends of the vertical rods. Thus, by turning
the hand wheel the several valves may be opened or closed, as the case may be.
The wheel may in some cases be worked by self-acting mechanism in con-
nection with a governor. In place of the levers and rods, herein-before
referred to, the valves may be worked by suitable and pinions.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the cighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators; and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HYDRAULIC MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," a communication from Narcisse
Duvoir, of Liancourt, in the Empire of France, Mechanical Engineer,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of hydraulic engines or machines known as turbines, and consists
in constructing the lower part of the machine where the water first enters in
the form of a cast-iron bell or inverted cup, open at the bottom to admit
the water therein. This bell or cup is keyed on to the lower end of a
vertical driving shaft for transmitting the power of the machine, and" is

page_text: fitted with a number of curved arms of a peculiar transverse section formed
by the intersection of two arcs of a circle, so that the enclosed space
is of a lenticular or elliptical form, the major axis of which is pointed at
each end.
These arms are composed of sheet metal for the sake of lightness, and are
of a larger area at their junction with the centre of the turbine than at their
extremities. They may be each made in two parts, screwed or rivetted together
with longitudinal flanges at their sides. The arms are here suitably arranged
at equal distances from each other round the bell, with the interior of which
they communicate. The centre line of each arm is the segment of a circle,
and the two opposite sides of the arms are also segments of circles, but they
are struck from separate centres for each side. In consequence of this arrange-
ment the passages of each arm will taper from the bell to the extremity, the
exterior side having a larger radius than the interior. The shaft of the turbine
is so arranged as to leave the mouth of the central chamber or bell quite open
for the water, which rises into it from a suitable channel from below without
any impediment, the supply to which channel is regulated by a vertical sluice.
The upper portion of the shaft is supported by a collar bearing or coupler, and
above that again it is supported by a fixed vertical spindle, formed with a
number of shoulders or collars upon it. A coupler in two pieces embraces
the lower end of this spindle, also the upper end of the shaft, to which it is
fixed, the collars serving to keep the spindle in position. A metallic packing
ring serves as a guide for the bottom of the turbine, such ring being placed
inside or between the junction of the bell and the fixed plate, on or over which
it turns. The end of each arm is fitted with a regulating valve, which can be
adjusted easily during the motion of the machine. Each valve is connected
by a bell-crank lever with a rod, which is attached to another bell crank, carried
on the top of the centre of the turbine. This crank is connected also with a
vertical rod, parallel to the shaft and turning with it. Each vertical rod passes
through a collar fast on the main shaft, and turns in the interior of a brass or
hard wood bearing, carried by a suitable framing. On this framing are two
columns, united at the top by a cross head, upon which turns a small wheel
which may be actuated by hand. The interior of the boss of the hand wheel
is tapped, and works over a screwed collar loose on the main shaft, and carrying
a ring or collar, through which are passed the upper ends of the vertical rods
for working the valves. Thus, by turning the hand wheel the several valves
may be opened or closed, as the case may be.
This wheel may in some cases be worked by self-acting mechanism in

page_text: connection with a governor. In place of the levers and rods, herein-before
referred to, the valves, may be worked by suitable racks and pinions, if found
desirable.
Aud in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall refer
to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical section of the whole machine,
taken through the axis of the circular bell, the whole machine being shewn
in working order; and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the bell and
its arms.
The rest of the Figures are details and modifications, which I
shall herein-after refer to.
It will be seen, on referring to the Drawings, that the bell of the turbine is
composed of a cast-iron cup A, which is completely open on the under side,
thereby affording no impediment to the entrance of the water thereinto. This
bell is fixed to the extremity of the wrought-iron shaft B by means of one or
more keys in the ordinary manner..
The curved arms C are composed of two pieces of curved sheet iron, united
by means of screws or rivets, the transverse section thus being in the form
represented at Figure 4; but this section is larger at that portion of the arm
where it joins the bell A than at the extremity of the arm where the water
issues from it. Although the arm continues to be of a similar section from
one end to the other, the area of the section gradually diminishes towards
its extremity, as shewn in the plan. The centre line of each arm at the point
where it springs from or touches the circumference of the circular bell is
tangential to a radial line drawn from the centre of the bell, as shewn in
Figure 2, and such centre line terminates at a line drawn from the centre of
the bell through the point from which such centre, line is struck, that is to
say, the point forming the centre of the circle, of which the said centre line of
the arm is a segment, as will be understood on reference to Figure 2.
The intersections of the curved sides of the arms, that is to say, the junction
lines of their top and bottom curved plates, are segments of circles, struck
from different centres and with different radii. Thus, the curved centre line
b, c, which exactly divides one of the arms into
segment of a circle described from the centre o'.
two equal parts, is simply a
The two lateral curves d, e,
and f, g, are likewise segments of circles respectively struck from the centres
o.and o

page_text: I have elicited, from numerous experiments made upon arms of various
constructions, that arms of the shape represented in the Drawing give the
most satisfactory results. The number and length of the arms as well as
their sectional area will vary, according to the height of the fall of water
and to the quantity supplied. I have found also that for a fall of about 3 feet
the outer extremities of the arms should rotate at the rate of about one
thousand six hundred feet per minute, that being the speed from which the
best results will be obtained.
In the example shewn in the Drawing, the diameter of the bell and arms
has a length of about six feet, with a circumference of about twenty feet,
more or less. When a point on the outer circumference of the arms travels
at a speed of about twenty-seven feet per second, eighty revolutions are per-
formed per minute, more or less, which is a convenient velocity for ordinary
cases, such as driving millstones or gearing.
. It will be seen, from Figure 1 of the Drawing, that the main shaft B of
the machine does not pass entirely through the bell, as in the ordinary
arrangement, by which means the interior of the bell into which the water is
brought by the channel D is left perfectly open. This channel may be
opened or closed, as required, by the sluice E, which regulates the flow of
water, and which may be actuated by a rack and pinion F and G. The
arms of the bell are not liable to become obstructed or clogged up with
weeds, gravel, or other foreign bodies, as they are of sufficiently large dimen-
sions to allow of a free passage to such foreign bodies. This is not the case
with the ordinary bell and arms, which require gratings to stop all foreign
bodies from entering.
The shaft B is guided by the fixed collar or bearing H, and is held and
supported at its upper end by the coupler J, which in its turn is held & sup-
ported by the by the fixed wrought-iron spindle I. The upper extremity of
the shaft B and the lower extremity of the spindle I have a number of
shoulders or collars h formed upon them, fitting into corresponding grooves
in the coupler J, as shewn in the detail, Figure 3. The coupler is made
in two parts, held together by bolts, and is fixed to the shaft B, with which
it turns round the end of the fixed spindle I.. A horizontal bevil wheel K
is keyed on to the shaft B, and transmits motion to the vertical bevil wheel L
keyed on to a driving shaft, which may be fitted with driving pulleys or gearing,
for the purpose of transmitting motion.
In place of the bevil wheel K, a horizontal pulley may be keyed on to the
shaft, the motion being transmitted by driving belts. The grooves in the

page_text: coupler J, in which the collars of the spindle I rotate, are made larger than
such collars, in order to permit of the entrance of oil or other lubricating
matter to diminish the friction. Below the mouth of the bell is placed a
metal packing ring i, which rests upon the fixed ring M, and enters for a short
distance the mouth of the bell. The ring is made smooth, so as to turn
freely over the surface of the fixed ring M and in the mouth of the bell.
The bell A is allowed a slight play up and down the ring i, so as to permit
of its rising or falling to a small degree. By this arrangement a simple
joint is formed, which will prevent any escape of water from the bell at that
part.
I now proceed to describe another improvement in the construction of
turbines, whereby the precise speed can be regulated when working. The
elevation at Fig. 1 shews clearly the mechanism that. I have invented for
this purpose.
At the outer extremity of each of the arms C of the bell is fitted a valve or
door P, of,sheet iron or other metal, fitted to one of the arms of the bell-
crank lever Q. The other arm of this lever is connected with the bell-crank
lever S by means of the rod R. This latter lever works on the fixed centre e,
carried in the support T, which is fixed to the bell A, and is connected with
a vertical rod U by means of a short bent connecting rod f. The vertical
rod U. slides vertically parallel to the shaft B, whilst at the same time it turns
with it. An arrangement of this description is applied to each of the arms
of the bell.
Each of the vertical rods U, as well as the shaft B, pass through a cast-iron
collar 9, which is placed upon the shaft B. The interior of the fixed collar or
bearing H is fitted with bearing pieces of brass or hard wood h. On this
collar are fixed two cast-iron columns V, secured to it by nuts, which carry the
cast-iron cross bar ✗, upon which is placed the wheel Y, which may be easily
actuated by hand. .
..
The interior of the boss of this wheel is formed with a screw thread, into
which works the cylindrical socket Z, also formed with a screw thread on its
exterior, and is fitted loosely on to the shaft B. To the lower part of this
moveable .socket..is fitted a washer k, made in two pieces, & fixed to the
socket by screws, and fitting into a ring groove in the collar g, from which
the rods U.are suspended. The result of this arrangement is, that when the
wheel y is turned, the moveable socket. will be raised or lowered according
to the direction in which the wheel rotates, and in consequence the..vertical
rods. U. will, follow. its movement. Thus, when this socket is raised the rods

page_text: are raised likewise, and the various parts of the mechanism assume the
position indicated in the Drawing by the dotted lines, that is to say, the
valves will be opened. When, however, the socket Z is lowered, by turning
the wheel in the opposite direction the valves will be shut, as shewn in the
Drawing, Figure.1.. A great advantage of this arrangement arises from the
fact of its admitting of the machine being regulated during its working, thus
enabling the speed to be easily controlled. If found desirable, the socket Z
may be worked by self-acting mechanism, somewhat similar to the governor
of a steam engine, the machine being thus made self-regulating.
It will be seen that many modifications may be made in the construction of
this: regulating apparatus; thus, in place of using the bell-crank levers for
changing the position of the valves or doors, two racks m. and n (may be used,
as shewn, at Figures 5 and 6). . One of these, racks m is vertical, and gives]
motion to a small pinion p, whilst the other n is horizontal, and transmits
the motion of this pinion to the valve or door which closes the opening
at the outer extremity of each arm. The horizontal rack is guided by
means. of the friction roller o. The vertical rack receives its motion from
a moveable screw socket, as in the preceding. case, or by any other suitable
means.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of the said Inven-
tion; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent,.is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of hydraulic engines or
machines called turbines, as herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar construction and form of the arms of the bell in such
machines, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of suspending and holding the main shaft in such
machines, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use of the moveable joint or packing ring,
lettered i, i, in Figure 1 of the Drawings, in the manner and for the purpose
herein-before described. .
Fifth, the application and use of moveable valves or doors in the arms

page_text: attached to the bells of such machines, and the mode or modes of working the
same, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)