A NEW MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING WATER FOR VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR ELEVATING ANY LIQUID OR FLUID CAPABLE OF BEING USED IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER; AND OTHER LIQUID MATTERS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederic O'Connor Prince at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September 1883.
FREDERIC O'CONNOR PRINCE of Brighton in the County of Sussex "A NEW
MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING WATER FOR VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES,
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR ELEVATING ANY LIQUID OR FLUID CAPABLE OF BEING USED IN
OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER; AND OTHER LIQUID MATTERS
"
According to this invention water is elevated with but a slight expenditure of
power by the employment of two equal or nearly equal volumes or quantities of
water, held as hereafter described suspended from or attached to the ends or near
same, of a beam or beams fitted with sector shaped axle bearing or bearings
working in suitable frame or stand in such a manner as to cause one volume of
water to nearly always balance the other, even when one side is heavier than the
other, consequently but a minimum of power will be required to elevate one volume
higher than the other, which elevation will cause water to escape or overflow
from the top of the elevated volume and an equal amount to come into the other
volume at the bottom, all substantially as hereafter described.
A number-preferably four-of specially formed water-chambers made of any
suitable material-galvanized iron preferred-are attached together to form a rigid
longitudinal set: several of these sets are suspended just free one above another by
connecting rods or links suitably fastened, attached to main suspending rods
hanging from and suitably attached to a beam or beams. The bearing or axle of
these beams is sector shaped with a principal bearing at each end and rests
on suitable bed in a vertical frame, all arranged in such a manner that the whole
of the sets and beams may be elevated at one end and correspondingly depressed
at the other". see saw "fashion in unison, such motion causing a certain quantity
of water or other liquid (whatever may be being raised) to be taken in at the ends
of the bottom set and about an equal quantity to come out or overflow from the
ends of the top set every time either end is elevated and the other consequently
depressed, the sector shaped axle or bearing of the beams so regulating the bearing
point by changing it farther from or nearer to the centre, as to cause the whole of
the sets to be suspended as nearly as possible always in equilibrium when at any
angle, even when one end of the sets is full of water and depressed and the other
end partly empty and elevated.
The sets are specially connected to each other in such a way as to form two
continuous water-courses or channels from the lowest to the highest, but in this
arrangement, without making them-the sets-fixtures to each other. The

page_text: chambers of each set are provided with suitable selfacting valves for extrance and
exit of water and also for exit of air. Both ends of the lowest set when depressed
alternately dip into a supply tank, suitably arranged for this purpose, into which
water to be raised is conducted and at every dip either end takes up a charge
which enters through valves in bottom, this water when the end of the set is raised
and other end consequently depressed runs by its own gravity into a middle water
chamber, and when the other ends are raised from thence, into an end chamber of
the next higher set, and so on, to the top. The chambers of the top set may either
discharge into a waste pipe, or an upper tank suitably arranged, from whence the
water may be brought down again by a pipe to or near the level from which it 1
was raised and used in suitable engine to obtain motive power, or be otherwise
disposed of.
The chambers may be either fastened to a longitudinal rigid foundation, or be
fastened together in any suitable manner to give longitudinal rigidity to the set.
Each set is composed of say four chambers, and these two and two are placed in
communication by four passages upper and lower ones.
"
The chambers are arranged two in the middle, these may be together or a certain
distance apart, but both the same distance from the centre of the set: at an equal
distance from each of these chambers or at the extremity of the set, another
chamber is placed, and for the purpose of reference I call the chambers at the
extremity of the set, "end chambers" and those in the middle "middle chambers
The end chambers are placed about half the height of a chamber below the
middle ones, and consequently these latter will be about half a chamber higher
than the end ones. Half the number of the passage (these are the lower ones) run
the full length between the "end" and "middle chambers" connecting the same
together the remainder of the passages (the upper ones) may extend only rather
more than half way towards the lower part of the end chambers of the next or
higher set; the end of this short passage is formed with a slightly enlarged and
elongated mouth to make a joint; the lower passages extending from the end
chambers of the said next upper set, extends only sufficient for the ends to enter
these mouths thus connecting a lower "set" with the next higher one. The joint
is made water tight by any suitable packing or covering. The mouth is made
long enough and large enough to admit of the end of the short passages that enter,
to have a free reciprocating motion-which will take place on the working of the
apparatus. The full length passages and the jointed ones come alternately.
The two end chambers of the bottom set communicate by the full length
passages with the two middle chambers; these by the jointed passages with the
end chambers of the next higher set, these again by the full length passages with
the middle ones, and so on up to the top. The top "set" need only be formed
with two end chambers At the outlet of the chambers a valve is fitted opening
outwards into passage so that the water in chamber may run down when one end of set
is elevated but prevent any water returning into chamber on depression. There is
a slanting plate or end within the chambers extending from the exit down to the
bottom to assist in emptying the chambers; in the lower part of this slanting plate
is fitted the inlet valve which opens into chamber, and closes by weight of water
when the side begins to rise.
The four chambers may be divided to form eight, by means of a horizontal
division in each; in this arrangement the inlet valve would be in the bottom of
the horizontal division and there would consequently be no slanting plate or end.
I prefer the four chamber arrangement as it will raise a larger quantity of
water, but it will necessitate the sector bearings of the beams to be longer between
the principal bearings, so as to throw the same farther out from the centre of the
set, than would be the case with the eight divisions
A modification of the above described apparatus is to dispense with the joints
beams, suspending and connecting rods, and fasten all the chambers and passages
firmly together in a column, but without interferring with the continuous
watercourses

page_text: According to this plan the sector shaped axle bearing must be fitted in the
middle and centre of the column so that the whole may be placed like and rock in
its stand similar to what a swing looking glass would do.
This latter construction is the simpler and cheaper, but its elevating power is
much slower, as a much longer stroke is required than in the other arrangement, to
obtain the necessary depression of either end of the " sets "
The apparatus described, I call a double acting one. In a single acting one, that
is with only half the length of sets and consequently two chambers This set
would be suspended from one end of beam, and weights would be required at the
other side to take the place of the weight of the water and apparatus that would
otherwise be on such side in the double acting one. Or two separate single sets
of "sets" might be used, but this would necessitate additional suspending rods.
If water is to be elevated a greater height than one apparatus can safely be
made to work, then two or more can be arranged, one over the other so that the
uppermost "set" of the lowest apparatus empties into the supply tank of the
next.
So far I have described my invention with reference to the elevation of water
but it must be clear to any one conversant with hydraulics, that it might also be
used for raising other liquids than water, the packing used for the joints being
suited to the nature of the liquid.
The swing glass form of apparatus might be suitable for elevating mercury, the
chambers and other parts being made suitable to withstand the action of this
fluid
Any suitable engine or motor can be used to work the apparatus by properly
connecting the same by connecting rods to a crank or eccentric on the driving
shaft If a hydraulic motor be used it might be worked by some or all of the
water elevated being brought down again for this purpose; the exhaust water
being conducted into the supply tank, and the excess of power such return water
would give over and above what was required to work the apparatus could be
utilized for any purpose for which motive power is required