A NEW ENGINE WORKING BY WIND OR WATER
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Charles Désiré Destas, of No. 112, Rue de
Reuilly, in the City of Paris, Merchant, for the Invention of "A NEW
ENGINE WORKING BY WIND OR WATER."
Sealed tho 28th August 1860, and dated the 1st March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Charles Désiré
Destas at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st March 1860.
I, PIERRE CHARLES DÉSIRÉ DESTAS, of No. 112, Rue de Reuilly, in the
City of Paris, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW ENGINE WORKING BY WIND OR WATER," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to so form a wheel worked by wind or
water that the best result may be obtained therefrom, which is accomplished
in the following manner-Upon the rim of a wheel made of any suitable
metal or material are placed a number of wings or floats which rest upon a
centre or stud fixed or otherwise, the wheel being supported by suitable frame-
work. Upon the shaft supporting the wheel is fixed an eccentric, attached
to which are rods or bars connected to arms fixed to the centres supporting
the wings or floats. Thus, at every point during each revolution of the wheel,

page_text: the wings or floats are pulled by the bars into the most favorable position for
the action of the wind or water by means of the eccentric.
When wind is used to give motion to the wheel, an apron is placed before
it up to the horizontal axis to prevent the wind operating upon the lower part
of the wheel, also the whole of the apparatus is fixed upon a turntable or
other similar contrivance to bring the wheel always before the wind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Charles Désiré Destas in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
CHARLES DESIRÉ DESTAS, of 112, Rue de Reuilly, in the City of Paris,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Pierre
Charles Désiré Destas, Her special licence that I, the said Pierre Charles Désiré
Destas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Pierre Charles Désiré Destas, my executors, 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
"A NEW ENGINE WORKING BY WIND OR WATER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Pierre Charles Désiré Destas, 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 Pierre Charles Désiré Destas, 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, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to so form a wheel worked by wind or water

page_text: that the best result may be obtained therefrom, which is accomplished in thè
following manner-Upon the rim of a wheel made of any suitable metal or
material are placed a number of wings or floats, which rest upon a centre or
stud fixed or otherwise, the wheel being supported by suitable framework.
Upon the shaft supporting the wheel is fixed an eccentric, attached to which
are rods or bars connected to arms fixed to the centres supporting the wings
or floats. Thus, at every point during each revolution of the wheel the
wings or floats are pulled by the bars into the most favorable position for the
action of the wind or water by means of the eccentric..
When wind is used to give motion to the wheel, an apron is placed before
it up to the horizontal axis to prevent the wind operating upon the lower
part of the wheel; also the whole of the apparatus is fixed upon a turn-
table or other similar contrivance to bring the wheel always before the
wind.
And that the Invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and forming part of this Specification.
B is the shaft supporting the wheel P, P, to the rim of which are attached
the wings or floats D, D, D, at F; these wings or floats are acted upon by
levers F, G, and G, L, worked by the eccentric A fixed upon the shaft B.
The whole is supported by a frame S, or other suitable support.
Two wheels similar to P, P, may be used to give additional strength when
required. The wind acts upon the wings or floats D, D, in the direction
shewn by the arrow, and on the wheel being made to revolve by the force of
the wind acting upon these wings or floats, they are alternately drawn in and
thrown out by the action of the eccentric, which gives a reciprocating motion
in the direction of their length to the levers G, L, which are attached to the
short levers F, G, at G. The wings or floats are thrown out when arriving at
the top of the wheel and drawn in at the bottom. To prevent the wind acting
on both sides of the wheel and nullfying the force to any extent, an apron
or guard F is placed before the wheel reaching slightly above the horizontal
axis B, which prevents the wind acting upon the lower part. The wheel and
guard may be placed upon a turn-table, so as to turn it in any direction most
favorable for the action of the wind. It may also be used as a water-wheel,
but in that case the wings or floats would have to be thrown out when at the
bottom of the wheel.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it understood
that I do not claim any particular part of the machine or engine separate and

page_text: apart from the whole; but what I claim, as being my Invention, is an engine
to be worked by wind or water, constructed. substantially in the manner as
herein-before described....
In witness whereof, I, the said; Pierré: Charles Désiré Destas, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
(L.B.) PIERRE CHARLES DESIRE DESTAS.
JOSEPH WILLCOCK,
Patent Agent & Consulting Engineer,
89, Chancery Lane,
London.