ROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MECHANISM FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING HYDRAULIC MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Roman, of Paris, France, Hydraulic
Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR
MECHANISM FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING HYDRAULIC MOTIVE POWER,"
Scaled the 19th November 1869, and dated the 25th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Roman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th May 1869.
I, LOUIS ROMAN, of Paris, France, Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
OR MECHANISM FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING HYDRAULIC MOTIVE POWER," to be
as follows:
This Invention relates to a new and improved apparatus or mechanism
which by my new mode of construction affords a very effective motive
power when the same is acted upon by the current of rivers or flowing
streams.
The Invention being particularly applicable to the irrigation of lands

page_text: be constructed so as to raise large quantities of water, or the apparatus
may be applied for towing boats up or down streams by means of endless
chains or straps rolling over suitable wheels or pulleys driven by the
apparatus, and this latter may also provide a motive power for various
kinds of machinery for waterworks for supplying towns, for irrigating,
draining, dredging, or other similar purposes.
The apparatus consists in two or more endless chains provided with
curved or straight paddles, which latter are kept perpendicular and
parallel to each other at suitable distances apart so as to form an endless
chain of paddles, which chain is carried over two or more octagonal
drums, wheels, or pulleys, the axis of which are situate parallel to the
level of the water and revolve in vertical standards provided in boats or
suitable moveable or fixed supports. The said endless chain is laid in
the direction of the current, and kept at such height that the paddles
of the lower portion of the chain are immersed perpendicularly in the
water, whilst the remainder of them are out of this latter. The current
in acting on the immersed paddles will carry them forward, and thus
cause the revolution of the endless chain, and also the revolution the
wheels, drums, or pulleys over which this latter is carried, which motion
may further be transmitted by any suitable mechanical means to and
serve as a motive power for driving machinery, or other similar purposes
requiring a cheap and efficient motive power.
In constructing my aforesaid apparatus I should in most cases adopt
the following arrangement:- provide a strap or cord of india-rubber
or gutta percha, or strap or cord of any other shape, and I also make use
of a floating chain provided at certain distances apart with buoys of
wood or metal of a conical shape, presenting their broad surface to the
stream while descending and having their tapering end or apex point
at that part of the chain which ascends the stream. The wheel for
moving this chain is situated horizontally and turns on pivots situate
level with the water, its arbor is vertical and turns at the lower end in a
step of steel and in a collar towards the upper end, whilst another collar
is situated underneath, and is provided with cogs carrying an endless
Vaucanson chain, and so that by these arrangements motion is com-
municated to the said chain, and thence to the wheel. Conical gearings.
straps, or otherwise may be employed. but I would observe that it is
dangerous to make use of them in practice because of the movements

page_text: which take place when the hydraulic engine is at work for irrigating or
for imparting to other machines force of transmission. The octagonal
wheel which I use is provided with a groove, over which wheel an endless
chain provided with paddles fixed to the chain by means of iron knees
for keeping the paddles in the vertical position when immersed in the
current for imparting a rotary motion to the two arbors which carry the
wheels. These wheels are provided with two V-shaped iron pieces on
which rest small rollers fixed at both sides of the bolts which form the
joints of the chain; several of these V pieces are provided. These V pieces
are for facilitating the setting free of the chain when this latter is wanted
to leave the wheels and come on the iron rails. I also use a wheel
provided with cogs for receiving the chain, which latter has at equal
distances apart eyelets into which the cogs enter, each of the cogs
carrying two V-shaped irons, the object of which latter is to prevent the
chains from running off the wheels when coming in contact with objects
carried down by the current. These eyelets or holes may be larger at
bottom than at the top, namely, funnel-shaped, and the V irons may
be replaced by other similar arrangements. I also adopt four rails, two
of which are situated at the water level and the two others at a height
above this latter corresponding with the diameter of the wheels on which
I lay the chains, deducting the height of the cogs or of the V irons. The
upper rails are situated on iron posts or standards fixed on the plankings
of the boats; these posts or standards may be put at any required height
by means of two screws for each of them and four nuts with the move-
able iron plates which fasten the rails, the entire arrangement being
kept in position by means of stretchers or tie rods of iron or wood
provided with buckles and nuts to keep them at the required distance
apart and in a straight line. The paddles or float board present a curved
surface which corresponds with that of the periphery of the large wheels
deducting the height of the paddles, and they may be made of wood or
iron, and goffered in order that though of but of little thickness they may
nevertheless present the required strength. These paddles are provided
with two small rollers, one of them at each and working on the rails,
and intended both for carrying the chain in the horizontal part of
its progress. and for preventing any sagging of them, and also for pre-
venting the axis of the wheels from getting out of order by the working
of the chains: instead of these small rollers, large wooden or iron rollers
fixed on the posts or standards might be resorted to for carrying the

page_text: chain during its progress, but this latter system would cause a swaying
of the chain, and thus would tend to increase friction.
For irrigating purposes, a system of pumps may be made use of, which
pumps may be driven by the arbors of the wheels by means of gearings
or connecting rods, or by the axis of the wheels either by means of a
metal collar with gearing situated on its arbor. The boats for support-
ing the apparatus are fixed together by means of transverse girders,
cross bars, longitudinal boards, or iron stays.
When the apparatus is at work, and it be wished to stop, this may be
effected by means of two friction brakes, one of them at each side of
the front arbor, but it must be observed that the friction pulleys ought
to be of a very large diameter in order not to be under the necessity
of acting too suddenly on their nuts or on the lever arms as in many
instances this might require too much time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Roman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I Louis
ROMAN, of Paris, France, Hydraulic Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Louis Roman, Her special licence that I,
the said Louis Roman, my executors. administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Louis Roman, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR
MECHANISM FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING HYDRAULIC MOTIVE POWER," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I. the said Louis Roman, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one

page_text: 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 Louis Roman, 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:-
This Invention relates to a new and improved apparatus or mechanism
which by my new mode of construction affords a very effective motive
power when the same is acted upon by the current of rivers or flowing
streams.
The Invention being particularly applicable to the irrigation of lands
as pumps or other machinery worked by this improved apparatus may
be constructed so as to raise large quantities of water, or the apparatus
may be applied for towing boats up or down streams by means of endless
chains or straps rolling over suitable wheels or pulleys driven by the
apparatus, and this latter may also provide a motive power for various
kinds of machinery for waterworks for supplying towns, for irrigating,
draining, dredging, or other similar purposes.
The apparatus consists in two or more endless chains provided with
curved or straight paddles, which latter are kept perpendicular and
parallel to each other at suitable distances apart so as to form an endless
chain of paddles, which chain is carried over two or more octagonal
drums, wheels, or pulleys, the axis of which are situate parallel to the
level of the water and revolve in vertical standards provided in boats or
suitable moveable or fixed supports. The said endless chain is laid in
the direction of the current and kept at such height that the paddles
of the lower portion of the chain are immersed perpendicularly in the
water, whilst the remainder of them are out of this latter. The current
in acting on the immersed paddles will carry them forward, and thus
cause the revolution of the endless chain, and also the revolution the
wheels, drums, or pulleys over which this latter is carried, which motion
may further be transmitted by any suitable mechanical means to and
serve as a motive power for driving machinery, or other similar purposes
requiring a cheap and efficient motive power,

page_text: In constructing my aforesaid apparatus 1 should in most cases adopt
the following arrangement:- provide a strap or cord of india-rubber
or gutta percha, or strap or cord of any other sort or shape, and I also
make use of a floating chain provided at certain distances apart with
buoys of wood or metal of a conical shape, presenting their broad surface
to the stream while descending and having there tapering end or apex
point at that part of the chain which ascends the stream. The wheel
for moving this chain is situated horizontally and turns on pivots situate
level with the water; its arbor is vertical and turns at the lower end in
a step of steel and in a collar towards the upper end, whilst another
collar is situated underneath, and is provided with cogs carrying an
endless Vaucanson chain, and so that by these arrangements motion is
communicated to the said chain, and thence to the wheel. Conical
gearings, straps, or otherwise may be employed, but I would observe
that it is dangerous to make use of them in practice because of the
movements which take place when the hydraulic engine is at work for
irrigating or for imparting to other machines force of transmission.
The octagonal wheel which use is provided with a groove, over which
wheel an endless chain provided with paddles fixed to the chain by
means of iron knees for keeping the paddles in the vertical position
when immersed in the current for imparting a rotary motion to the two
arbors which carry the wheels. These wheels are provided with two
V-shaped iron pieces on which rest small rollers fixed at both sides of
the bolts which form the joints of the chain; several of these V pieces
are provided. These V pieces are for facilitating the setting free of the
chain when this latter is wanted to leave the wheels and come on the
iron rails. I also use a wheel provided with cogs for receiving the chain,
which latter has at equal distance apart eyelets into which the cogs
enter, each of the cogs carrying two V-shaped irons. the object of which
latter is to prevent the chains from running off the wheels when coming
in contact with objects carried down by the current. These eyelets or
holes may be larger at bottom than at the top, namely, funnel-shaped,
and the V irons may be replaced by other similar arrangements. I also
adopt four rails, two of which are situated at the water level and the
two others at a height above this latter corresponding with the diameter
of the wheels on which I lay the chains. deducting the height of the cogs
or of the Virons. The upper rails are situated on iron posts or standards
fixed on the plankings of the boats: these posts or standards may be

page_text: put at any required height by means of two screws for each of them
and four nuts with the moveable iron plates which fasten the rails, the
entire arrangement being kept in position by means of stretchers or tie
rods of iron or wood provided with buckles and nuts to keep them at the
required distance apart and in a straight line. The paddles or float
board present a curved surface which corresponds with that of the
periphery of the large wheels, deducting the height of the paddles, and
they may be made of wood or iron, and goffered in order that though of
little thickness they may nevertheless present the required strength.
These paddles are provided with two small rollers, one of them at each
end working on the rails, and intended both for carrying the chain
in the horizontal part of its progress and for preventing any sagging of
them, and also for preventing the axis of the wheels from getting out
of order by the working of the chains; instead of these small rollers
large wooden or iron rollers fixed on the posts or standards might be
resorted to for carrying the chain during its progress, but this latter
system would cause a swaying of the chain, and thus would tend to
increase friction.
For irrigating purposes a system of pumps may be made use of, which
pumps may be driven by the arbors of the wheels by means of gearing
or connecting rods or by the axis of the wheels either by means of a
metal collar with gearing situated on its arbor. The boats for supporting
the apparatus are fixed together by means of transverse girders, cross
bars, longitudinal boards, or iron stays.
When the apparatus is at work, and it be wished to stop, this may be
effected by means of two friction brakes, one of them at each side of
the front arbor, but it must be observed that the friction pulleys ought
to be of a very large diameter in order not to be under the necessity of
acting too suddenly on their nuts or on the lever arms, as in many
instances this might require too much time.
.
In order that the means which I employ to carry my Invention into
practical effect may be better understood I will now proceed to describe
my improvements more fully by reference to the accompanying Draw-
ings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively a plan and longitudinal
section of the apparatus. In these Figures A and B represent two
endless chains formed of bars of iron, as detailed in Figs. 8 to 11. Each
of these two chains is laid over and serves for driving or causing to

page_text: revolve two vertical octagonal grooved wheels, drums, or pulleys A'
and A, and B' and B; the wheels A' and B' are fixed on the horizontal
arbor C, and those and B on a similar arbor C. These arbors re-
volve in bearings provided in standards E fixed either in boats Y or in
the bottom of the river or kept in position by any suitable means. The
chains A and B are provided at regular and suitable distances apart with
curved paddles D extending from one chain to the other and fixed to
the chains by means of iron knees E', E'. The horizontal arbors C
and Care situate at such height above the water level that the lower
parts of the chains A and B when suitably stretched, and the paddles
at that part are constantly kept immersed in the water, whereas the
remainder of the chain and paddles is kept out of the water, each of
these latter will in its turn become immersed in the water and another
emerge therefrom. Each paddle D is provided with two stays F, F, onc
at each end of the paddle, each of which carries a friction roller G
working on rails H. H, which thus carry the chain in the horizontal part
of its progress. The rails H, H, for supporting the upper horizontal part
of the chains are carried by standards I, 1, furnished with a moveable
bracket Jin which the rails are held which may be fixed at a suitable
height by means of the screws and nuts K, K, as shown in Figs. 12
and 13. The standards may be coupled together so as to keep them in
position by means of tie rods L, L, and M. M. Fig. 2. The arbor C' is
provided with a toothed wheel N connected by a Vaueanson or pitch
chain N to the toothed wheel O fixed in the vertical arbor P, the lower
end of the said arbor working in a step Q made of steel. On this arbor
is fixed a hexagonal grooved pulley Ron which works a strap $ of india-
rubber or gutta percha the ends of which latter may be connected to
bonts T and T so as to tow them up against the stream. The hexagonal
grooved pulley may otherwise be made of the form R', as shown in
Fig. 14, to receive a chain S¹ which is caused to float by means of
numerous conical buoys V, V, made of wood, metal, or any other suit-
able material adapted so as to present the larger end to the stream
while descending, and the apex to the stream while ascending."
Fig. 3 shows side view of a chain of paddles, the endless chains and
pulleys being constructed as detailed in Figs. 4 to 7. A friction break W
is shown on the front arbor C. C. and by tightening the nuts X. X, the
apparatus can be stopped. Two or more of these friction breaks may be
used if necessary.

page_text: Figs. 4 to 7 shows details of construction of endless chain and grooved
octagonal drums shown altogether in Fig. 3. The chain may be formed
of links d, d, single and double alternately, as in Fig. 6, or single only
as in Figure 7. To each end of the pins coupling the links is adapted a
friction roller a, a, which rollers rest during the passage of the chain
over the drums A, A', and A, A, in V irons b, b, while the links d, d,
of the chain rest in the groove e formed in the drums A, A', and A, A².
C
Figures 8 to 11 shows details of construction of endless chain and
grooved octagonal drums, as arranged in Figures 1 and 2. The chain
may be formed of links e, e, single and double alternately, as in Figure
10, or single only, as in Fig. 11. In each of these links is formed an
eyelet funnel-shaped into which enters during its passage over the
drum a tooth g fixed to the drums A' and A. Each of these teeth g
carries two V pieces h, k, one on each side of the drum between which
and in the groove h of the drum lays the chain e, e. The paddles D may
be made plain on the face, or goffered, or corrugated, as shown at
D, D, Fig. 3.
The mode of working the apparatus is as follows-Suppose the
boats Y, Y, which carry the apparatus to be kept in a fixed position in
the river, the direction of the current being shown by the arrow Z, the
water acting against the immersed paddles will put the chain in motion,
this will cause a rotary-motion of the axis C and C', which rotary motion
transmitted by means of the pulleys N and O, and the. pitch chain N'
will cause the pulley R to revolve and consequently the boats T to
advance against the stream. By means of suitable gearing, straps, or
connecting rods the rotary motion of the axis C and C¹ may be trans-
mitted to and made use of for driving pumps or other machinery. The
motion of the apparatus may be stopped by means of the friction
break W, shown in Fig. 3.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it to
be understood that I do not claim as my Invention the use otherwise
than combined and arranged as herein described of endless chains
carrying paddles worked by the action of currents of water; but what
I claim is,

page_text: 1st. The combination of parts forming my improved apparatus for
obtaining and applying hydraulic motive power, constructed and applied
as herein described.
2. The application of curved paddles and the endless chains and
pullies, as described and shewn in Figures 3 to 11.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Louis Roman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
LOUIS ROMAN. (..s.)