Improvements in Apparatus for Utilizing the Buoyant Power of Floats Immersed in Liquid.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 27th May, 1899
Improvements in Apparatus for Utilizing the Buoyant Power of
Floats Immersed in Liquid.
A communication to me from FRANZ BEIL, of Warnsdorf, Bohemia, in the Empire
of Austria, Foreman Carpenter.
-
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Chartered Patent
Agents and Engineers, of 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus by which the power
can be utilized, obtained by means of two or more collapsible air-holders in a
vessel containing water or other fluid, one of which chambers whilst it rises upward
is expanded to its full extent, whilst at the same time the other, as it moves down,
is collapsed or closed together.
If such an apparatus be connected with a revolving axle, the power com-
municated to the latter can be transferred to another higher or lower one.
In order to put the invention in operation, supposing two parallel shafts or
axles to be arranged, the lower one turning in bearings in the lower part of a
reservoir of water, whilst the upper one turns in parallel bearings on the upper edge
of the reservoir, the lower axle may be caused to revolve by a water wheel or other
suitable motor, the power of which is to be transmitted to the upper axle, being at
the same time considerably increased.
Chain wheels upon the two axles carry corresponding endless chains, to which a
sufficient number of the collapsible air chambers are attached, and the interiors
of these air chambers are also connected together by means of a tube or hose pipe
passing round the wheels. The air chambers are made to take their expanded
position as they rise up on one side, and their collapsed position as they descend
on the other side. The rising sides of the endless chains are, therefore, constantly
acted upon and driven upward by the buoyant or floating power of the air chambers,
and they transmit their power to the upper axle which they drive.
The air chambers are square in section, their four sides (one of which is firmly
attached to the chains) being hinged together, and their ends closed with india-
rubber or other flexible material.
At the upper and lower ends of their course, the collapsible air chambers upon
the endless chains are closed or collapsed together, or expanded and opened out,
respectively, by means of a lever pivotted near its centre upon the side of the
collapsible chamber which is attached to the chains. This lever is provided
upon one of its arms with a weight, whilst the other arm-when the chamber is in
its expanded position-lies against the outside of that side of the chamber which
is attached to the chains.
Upon another arm of the lever, at right angles to the weighted arm, is fixed one
of the moveable sides of the chamber which adjoins the side fixed to the chains.
When the collapsible air chambers are thus collapsed and expanded at the upper
and lower ends of the course of the endless chains, the weighted levers at the

page_text: other ends respectively are also thrown over so that the chambers are expanded and
collapsed alternately.
=
The closing together and opening out of the air chambers may also be effected
without the use of the levers, by means of weights acting directly, one of the
free sides of the chamber being loaded with lead, and a stop being arranged which
allows the weight to act only in one direction.
In some cases the water reservoir may be dispensed with, and only the loaded
levers' used.
Moreover also, the floats may be omitted, the automatic turning of the loaded
lever at the top and bottom of the travel of the chains being simply made use of,
so as to utilize their weight.
Dated this 26th day of July 1898.
Improvements in Apparatus for Utilizing the Buoyant Power of
Floats Immersed in Liquid.
A communication to me from FRANZ BEIL, of Warnsdorf, Bohemia, in the Empire
of Austria, Foreman Carpenter.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Chartered, Patent
Agents and Engineers, of 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying drawing, that is to say: -
The subject of the present invention is a machine for the utilization of buoyancy.
It consists essentially of two or more air-vessels, disposed in a reservoir containing
water or any suitable liquid and moving there in such a manner that the rising
vessel is distended, whilst the descending vessel is folded together. If this
apparatus is annexed to a rotating shaft, the motive power of this shaft will be
increased and may be easily transmitted to another shaft placed above or below
the said shaft.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus,
Figure 2 a transverse section of one of the air vessels,, showing it expanded,
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, and
Figure 4 a transverse section through the same, showing it collapsed. Similar
letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts. In the drawings,
a are the air vessels or floats which may be distended or folded together, and are
enclosed within a reservoir A, containing water or other liquid. The shaft B¹ is
the shaft of a water wheel or any other motor, whose power is to be increased and
transmitted to another shaft B. The air vessels a, which are connected together
by means of an endless chain, are distended when rising, and folded together when
descending, whereby the rising part of the chain is continuously influenced by the
buoyancy of the different air vessels.
On the upper end the air vessels are folded together and on the lower end they
are distended by means of lead weights attached to one side of the air vessels.
To this end stops d are provided on the chain c (see Figures 2, 3, 4); which on
one side serve as supports for the chain and hinder the folding together of the

page_text: vessels, whilst on the other side they do not support the vessels, whereby these
are folded together under the action of the weights.
As the distending and folding together of the vessels is done simultaneously, 'a
balance of the air therein enclosed may be effected by means of a flexible hose
pipe b. In this case all the air vessels, situated opposite to one another, are
connected together by such a pipe, and the flowing over of the air always takes
place on the upper and lower end of the motion. Instead of employing a separate
pipe for the connection of each two vessels, only one pipe may be employed, which is
connected by short tubes with each vessel.
The apparatus may also be arranged in such a manner that no connection is made
between the vessels. In this case the vessels are closed when folded together, so
that the air is rarefied when the vessels distend automatically, the buoyancy of
them being thereby increased.
The arrangement of the air vessels is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. These
vessels consist of four side walls joined together by means of hinges, and two
outer walls made of a flexible material, such as indiarubber, leather, etc. To one
of these sides may be attached a short nozzle 61 (Figure 3) in the case where the
vessels are connected together by a hose.
Instead of attaching the vessels to an endless chain they may be arranged on a
wheel revolving in a water reservoir.
The vessels may be filled with air of atmospheric pressure, or with air the
pressure of which is lower or higher than the atmospheric pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A machine for the utilization of buoyancy, consisting of two or more air
vessels a attached to a chain o or a wheel revolving in a reservoir A filled with
water or any other suitable liquid, the said vessels a being folded together, when
descending, and being distended, when rising, the folding together on the beginning
of their downward motion being effected by their dead weight, whilst during
the upward motion they are held distended by stops d, substantially as described.
2. In a motor, the combination of a liquid reservoir with a series of enclosed
collapsible floats, means for connecting and moving the floats, means for distending
the floats when ascending, and means for collapsing the floats when descending,
substantially as specified."
3. In a motor, the combination of a liquid reservoir with a series of enclosed
jointed and weighted floats, a chain connecting the floats, stops on the chain
for supporting the floats while ascending, and means for driving the chain,
substantially as specified.
4. In a motor, the combination of a liquid reservoir with a series of enclosed
jointed and weighted floats, a chain connecting the floats, stops on the chain for
supporting the floats while ascending, means for driving the chain, and air tubes
for connecting opposite floats, substantially as specified.
Dated this 20th day of April 1899.
EDWARDS AND Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.