IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA- RATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Davies, of 4, South Strect, Finsbury, in the County
"
of Middlesex, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER."
Scaled the 10th November 1876, and dated the 13th May 1870.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Davies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1876.
WILLIAM DAVIES, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING
MOTIVE POWER."
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for utilizing
the motion of floating bodies, such for instance as ships at sea, for producing power,
and for applying the same for various purposes.
To carry out my Invention, I employ a weighted pendulum suspended to the
under side of the deck of the vessel by a suitable universal joint, so as to allow the
pendulum to oscillate in any direction under the effect of the rolling or pitching of
the vessel. The upper end of the rod of the pendulum is provided with a number
(preferably four) of arms the outer ends of which are connected by universal joints
to the lower ends of rods having pistons at their upper ends, such pistons working
in small cylinders fixed to a cylindrical vessel or receiver containing water or other
liquid. In the upper part of the said cylindrical vessel I fix a turbine wheel the
spindle or shaft of which is connected by means of suitable gearing to a fly wheel
shaft.
From this construction of apparatus or machine, it will be understood that if an
oscillating motion be cominunicated to the pendulum by the rolling of the vessel,
the turbine wheel will be set in motion, and thereby cause the fly-wheel shaft to
rotate. The motive power thus obtained may be utilized for working the ship's
pumps or for other purposes.
Instead of employing water or other liquid as herein-before described, I may
employ compressed air for the purposes proposed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th November
1876.
WILLIAM DAVIES, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE
POWER,"
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for utilizing
the motion of floating bodies, such, for instance, as ships at sea, for producing
power and for applying the same for various purposes.
To carry out my Invention I employ a weighted pendulum or its equivalent
suspended to the underside of the deck of the vessel by a suitable universal joint
Bo as to allow the pendulum to oscillate in any direction under the effect of the
rolling or pitching (or both) of the vessel. The upper end of the rod of the
pendulum is provided with a number (preferably four) of arms, the outer ends of
which are connected by universal joints to the lower ends of rods having pistons
at their upper ends, such pistons working in small cylinders with valves forming
force pumps fixed between an upper and a lower vessel or receiver containing water
or other liquid. In the top part of the said upper vessel I fix a turbine wheel or
other suitable motor, the spindle or shaft of which is connected by means of suitable
gearing to a fly wheel shaft.
From this construction of apparatus or machine it will be understood that if an
oscillating notion be communicated to the pendulum by the rolling or pitching
(or both) of the vessel, the turbine wheel will be set in motion and thereby cause
the fly wheel shaft to rotate. The motive power thus obtained may be utilized for
working the ship's pumps or for other purposes.
Instead of employing water or other liquid as herein-before described I may
employ compressed air either alone or combined with water.
I also propose employing the pendulum in combination with my improved
apparatus in lightships and buoys for blowing fog horns, sirens, or other audible
alarm signals.
But to make my Invention better understood I will now proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a
section of one form of my improved apparatus (the pendulum not being shewn), and
Figure 2 is a section of a vessel with my improved apparatus applied thereto
Similar letters are used in both the Figures to represent similar parts.
a, Figure 2, is the weighted pendulum, which is here shewn suspended to the lower
deck of the vessel by means of a universal joint b; F, F are the arms (of which there
are four) fixed to the rod of the pendulum, the outer ends of such arms being con-
nected to the lower ends of the rods F, the upper ends of the rods being connected
by universal joints to the outer ends of the levers E, the other ends of these levers
being connected to the lower ends of the rods c of the force pumps C, the cylinders
of these pumps are placed between and communicate with the lower tank or reser-
voir D, and the upper tank or reservoir A, B; d, d are the pistons of the force pump
C; and e, e, are valves in the bottom of the upper reservoir A, B; G is the turbine
wheel preferably on Fourneyron's principle provided with a valve for regulating the
supply of water; f, turbine shaft with a bevil wheel H on the upper end gearing with
another bevil wheel H¹ on the shaft O, which forms the driving shaft from which the
power obtained is communicated to the ship's pumps or otherwise; I, I, are tubes (of
which there are four) for conducting the water after its passage through the turbine
wheel back to the lower reservoir D to be used over again; g, diaphragm or division
in the reservoir A, B; J is a tube opening into the lower part of the reservoir A, B,
and within which is a ram h, the rod of which is connected to the weighted
lever K for maintaining an equal pressure of the water whatever be the inclination
of the pendulum, or the saine effect may be produced by employing an air chamber
and tube F., with an air pump M and pressure gauge N.

page_text: The action is as follows:-As the vessel rolls or pitches under the motion of the
waves the pendulum by its weight maintains its vertical position or nearly so, or
may have an oscillating motion, and the arms F, F, will act by means of the
rods F and levers E on the rods of the force pumps C, thereby forcing water from
the reservoir D into the reservoir A, B, and through the turbine wheel G, so as
to rotate the same, and thereby communicate motion to the shaft O by means of the
bevil gearing H and H.
Although I have shewn in the Drawing the apparatus arranged so as to utilize
the motion of the vessel both in rolling and pitching, it will be understood that the
apparatus may be so modified, where space is an object, that either the rolling or
pitching only of the vessel shall operate the apparatus.
Instead of the arrangement shewn the pendulum may be employed to work force
pumps for air or water by which air or water may be conveyed through tubes to
different parts of the vessel, thence to be employed to work turbines or other
motors which can be used for various purposes.
In applying my improved apparatus to lightships or buoys, the power obtained
may be utilized for compressing air for blowing fog horns, sirens, or other audible
alarm signals, the arrangement of the apparatus being suitably modified to suit the
different applications.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best means with which I ani
acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down and shewn in the.
Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character
of my Invention, but what I do claim and intend to be protected by the herein
in part recited Letters Patent is, the general arrangement and construction of
machinery or apparatus (or any mere modification thereof) for obtaining and
applying motive power from the motion of vessels, ships, and buoys, substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Davies, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
5
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
Patent Agent,
4, South St.,
Finsbury,
London.
WILLIAM DAVIES. (L.S.)