IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING AND UTILISING WATER POWER
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Valentine Baker, Colonel of Her Majesty's 10th
Regiment of Hussars, at present stationed at Dublin, Ireland, for the
TWA Doman "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Valentine Baker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
July 1865.
I, VALENTINE BAKER, Colonel of Her Majesty's 10th Regiment of Hussars,
at present stationed at Dublin, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING AND UTILISING WATER POWER,"
to be as follows:-
According to the first part of this Invention I propose to employ a syphon,
which is made to bridge over a dam or embankment built across an estuary
or reservoir subject to tidal variation of water levels. Ou one or both limbs
of the syphon is. fitted a turbine, which will be driven by the flow of the
water through the syphon from the higher to the lower level on opposite sides
of the dam.or embankment. The power of the turbines may be used either
directly or indirectly; in the latter case they would be employed in com-
pressing air for use as a motive power to any convenient locality or higher

page_text: “elevation; or in lieu of having a syphon passing over the top of a dam or
embankment a curved or bent pipe, or inverted syphon, or waterway may be
passed or constructed under the dam or embankment, and be similarly
provided with a turbine at one or both ends. In some cases I propose to
-employ two or more dams, so that the fall of water from the reserve dam may
be utilized during or about the time that the head pressure in the first dam is
neutralized by the-corresponding or approaching level of the tidal water. If
desired sluices may be employed for regulating the height of the water in the
dams.
•
I propose specially to apply this part of my Invention to docks by making
use of the difference of tidal level for the working of turbines or water
engines, and the compression of air 'by them, and using this compressed air or
power in convenient localities for discharging the cargoes of ships and for
other useful purposes; or making the water act directly upon other hydraulic
engines by means of force pumps and accumulators.
According to another mode of utilizing the power derivable from tides and
*flowing streams I employ an undershot or breast wheel, fitted into a boat or
"barge, or between two or more 'boats or 'barges, so moored in the tidal river
or running stream that the water as it flows will be caught or collected in a
funnel-shaped tube or conduit, situate at the front of the boats or barges, and
so disposed as to admit of the water rising therein to a higher level than the
line of floatation of the boat or barge by reason of the velocity with which it
flows into such tube or conduit. This elevated water may then be made to
drive the water wheel, which wheel may either transmit its power direct to the
machinery to be actuated, or may be employed in working air pumps or other
Fair-compressing appliances with a view to the employment of such compressed
air in the driving of machinery on shore. The waste water flows off at the
stern of the 'boat, or between the boats in the rear of the water wheel.
"When the flow of the water changes the boat or boats are to be turned so
as to have their head or heads to the stream. .
By another arrangement I propose to utilize the power derivable from a
fall of water, or from tides, whether through pipes or otherwise, by causing
such water to work air compressers at a lower level, and thence transmitting
the power thus obtained by means of pipes or tubes, which convey the
*compressed air to a higher or other locality where the power is to be applied,
thereby in many cases gaining power by allowing the water to act at a lower
level and reconducting their power to a higher level by means of air pipes,
which air afterwards works an air engine somewhat similar to a high-pressure
steam engine. I propose specially to apply these engines to farm buildings,

page_text: thus obtaining a. more economical power than steam, and avoiding the risk.
of fire..
By a somewhat similar arrangement Li propose to accumulate or store the.
water power of tides or of mills when. not engaged in their ordinary work in
those cases where the water has hitherto been allowed to run to waste, by.
disconnecting the ordinary machinery. and causing the water or tide to actuate:
air-compressing machinery,, or to work. pumps.for the purpose of filling or
storing a. compressed air receiver,. or a. water tank, or cistern at a higher
level, to. be subsequently employed as an. auxiliary or. additional power in:
driving the mill or other motive-power. engines..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Valentine Baker. in. the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th January 1866..
TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, VALENTINE.
BAKER, Colonel of Her Majesty's 10th Regiment. of Hussars, at present.
stationed at Dublin, Ireland, send greeting..
time-
WHEREAS, Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen. Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent,. bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July,.in the year. of our-Lord
One thousand, eight bnndred and sixty-five, in. the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign,. did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,. give and grant unto
me, the said Valentine- Baker,. Her special license that I, the said. Valentine
Baker,,my executors,. administrators,. and assigns,. or such. others as I,.the said
Valentine Baker, my. executors, administrators,.or assigns, should at any.
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 "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
APPLYING, AND UTILIZING WATER POWER," upon the: condition (amongst others),
that I, the said Valentine Baker,, my executors. or administrators,, by. an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal,. 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 Valentine Baker, do hereby declare

page_text: 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
My said Invention consists according to one system or mode of applying
and utilizing power in the employment of a syphon, which is made to bridge
over a dam or embankment built across an estuary or reservoir, subject
to tidal variation of water levels. On one or both limbs of this syphon
there is fitted a turbine, which will be driven by the flow of the water through
the syphon from the higher to the lower level on opposite sides of the dam or
embankment. The power of the turbines may be used either directly or in-
directly; in the latter case they would be employed in compressing air for
use as a motive power in any convenient locality or at a higher elevation; or
in lieu of having a syphon passing over the top of a dam or embankment a
curved or bent pipe, or inverted syphon, or waterway may be passed or
constructed under the dam or embankment, and be similarly provided with a
turbine at one or both ends. In some cases I propose to employ two or more
dams, so that the fall of water from the reserve dam may be utilized during or
about the time that the head pressure in the first dam is neutralized by the
corresponding or approaching level of the tidal water. If desired sluices may
be employed for regulating the height of the water in
I propose specially to apply this part of my Invention to docks by making
use of the difference of tidal level for the working of turbines or water
engines, and the compression of air by them, and using this compressed air or
power in convenient localities for discharging the cargoes of ships and for
other useful purposes; or making the water act directly upon other bydraulic
engines by means of force pumps and accumulators.
the dams.
By another arrangement I propose to utilize the power derivable from a fall
of water or from tides, whether through pipes or otherwise, by causing such water
to work to work air compressers at a lower level, and thence transmitting the
power thus obtained by means of pipes or tubes, which convey the compressed
air to a higher or other locality, where the power is to be applied, thereby in
many cases gaining power by allowing the water to act at a lower level and
reconducting this power to a higher level by means of air pipes, which air
afterwards works an air engine somewhat similar to a high pressure-steam
engine. I propose specially to apply these engines to farm buildings, thus
obtaining a more economical power, and avoiding the risk of fire.
By a somewhat similar arrangement I propose to accumulate or store the
water power of tides or of mills, when not engaged in the ordinary work, in

page_text: those cases where the water has hitherto been allowed to run to waste by
disconnecting the ordinary machinery and causing the water or tide to actuate
air-compressing machinery, or to work pumps for the purpose of filling or
storing a compressed air receiver, or a water tank or cistern, at a higher
level, to be 'subsequently employed as an auxiliary or additional power in
driving the mill or other motive-power engines.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood; I shall now.
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the Figures on the accompanying Sheet of explanatory Drawings.
Fig. 1 of my Drawings represents a diagram plan of a system or mode of
obtaining continuous motive power from the rising and falling of tides, combined.
with dams or reservoirs and a turbine or other water-power engine; 1 and 2-
represent two reservoirs, which may consist simply of natural arms of
the sea or estuaries confined at their mouth by embankments E, E, which
keep out the tides, excepting when found requisite in the working of the
turbine, as herein-after more fully described. These embankments may be
provided with sluices or floodgates S, S, for the purpose of rapidly filling
and emptying the reservoirs when desirable. Between the two reservoirs:
or in any other convenient locality I erect a turbine T or other suitable water-
power engine, supplied with water by means of branch pipes 6, 6, 64, leading
respectively to the reservoirs 1 and 2, and to the tide at t. These branch
pipes are each provided with a sluice or stop valve, so that any one of the
sources of water supply (1, 2, and t) in. which the water level is highest may.
be made to operate upon the engine, whilst the other two are for the time
being shut off therefrom. The water which passes through the turbine flows
either into the opposite reservoir or into the tide, according to the relative.
water levels, through special sluices made for that purpose, leading from the
well in which the water-power engine is placed. According to one modo of
working this system, supposing the reservoirs 1 and 2 to be filled and the
title at low water, then the turbine is worked by the flow from the reservoir 1.
to the tide t, through the supply pipe b, until the two water levels approximate.
The working of the turbine will then be continued by the flow from the full
reservoir 2 into the tide at t, through the supply pipe b¹, whilst the empty or
partly emptied reservoir 1 remains shut off from the rising tide.. By the
time the water levels of the tide and of the reservoir 2 approximate the tide
will have risen considerably above the water level in the reservoir 1, so that
the working of the turbine may be then carried on by the flow of the tidal
water through the supply pipe 6" into the reservoir 1, whilst the reservoir 2
mav be filled again through the opened sluices in its embankment 1, and so
'

page_text: on; the working being carried on continuously by making use always of the
highest of the three water levels and allowing it to flow after doing its duty,
into the lowest level. A continuous motive power is thus obtained which
may be kept in operation with very slight supervision both night and day and
at a most economical rate. In some localities the turbine or turbines, for
their number and power is unlimited, may be employed in the daytime in
driving machinery of any kind, such, for example, as corn mills, cotton or
woollen manufactories, or other large establishment of a manufacturing.
kind; but during the night, in lieu of wasting the power I propose that it
should be usefully employed in pumping water into a high level reservoir or
large bydraulic accumulator, which, if the nature of the ground will admit,
might be advantageously situate on the top or side of a high hill or mountain.
The engine will thus in the night be collecting an immense store or magazine
of power, which will be available for driving all kinds of hydraulic engines or
for assisting the working of the turbine before mentioned when any of the
two water levels are approximating each other.
Figs. 2 and 3 represent respectively a horizontal and vertical section of the
application of this continuous system of tidal working to docks or other
artificial reservoirs, the power derivable being useful in driving cranes or other
hoisting machinery for facilitating the loading and unloading of ships,. also
for pumping water out of graving or floating docks, or for driving any other
machinery either in the immediate locality or at any distance from or elevation
above the original source of power. By causing the turbine to work air
pumps or compressers or water pumps when not otherwise engaged, and.
by storing this compressed air or elevated water in suitable receivers or
cisterns, a most useful and readily available magazine of power is produced,.
capable of working air engines, water-pressure engines, and other motive
machinery. operated by compressed air or by water. 1 and 2 represent. a.
portion of two contiguous docks, and t is the tide. The turbine T or other
suitable water-power engine is situate in a well W, built in the masonry
of the dock walls. From the turbine branch three supply pipes 6, 6, 61
leading respectively to the docks 1 and 2 and to the tide t. c, c¹, c", are
outlets for the escape of the water from the well W after it has passed through
the water-power engine and done its work. These outlets lead respectively
into the docks 1 and 2. and tide t, and are each provided with a stop or sluice
valve v, as are also the supply pipes b, 61, 61, so that the water may be
readily directed from any one of the three sources 1, 2, t, the water level.
of which may be highest, through the turbine or engine, and allowed to flow.
by one or other of the outlets c, c', cl, to the lowest level.
"

page_text: I also propose to obtain a store or magazine of power by turning to useful
account not only tides but falling streams or mountain rills. This I accomplish
by collecting the falling water in pipes and directing it thereby to water-power
engines of any convenient kind; these water-power engines will necessarily
give off their immediate power at a low level, but by causing this immediato
power to be exerted in the working of air compressors, from which air pipes
are conveyed upwards to compressed air receivers situate at any desired
elevation, or in any other locality, a convenient source or magazine of power
may be obtained, which will be available under circumstances and in positions
which would preclude the use of the direct power of the stream or fall of water.
By having several compressed air receivers communicating by means of branch
pipes with the air compressers below, and by other branch pipes with air
engines, which may be constructed in a similar manner to steam engines, it
is obvious that the power obtained may be employed in various localities for the
driving of farm machinery, such as threshing machines, chaff and root cutters,
mills, or other kinds of mechanism. The great advantages of this system are
the great cheapuess of the power and its perfect safety, there being absolutely
no risk of fire, which is not the case when working steam engines in farm
yards.
I also propose to accumulate or store the water power of tides or of flowing
streams employed in driving mills or other machinery, and this I accomplish
by combining with the water wheel or other water-power engine air com-
pressers or water pumps, in addition to the ordinary machinery required to be
driven by the engine. From these air compressers or pumps I convey pipes
to a compressed air receiver, or to a reserve water tank or cistern, or to an
hydraulic accumulator. The air compressers or the water pumps are to be so
arranged that they can be readily thrown in or out of gear with the prime
mover, so that in the daytime when the water engine is doing its ordinary
work the air compressers or water elevators will be out of action, but during
the night, or when the ordinary work is stopped, then the air compressing or
water elevating mechanism is thrown into gear, and immediately commences
to accumulate power by compressing air in the receiver, or filling the water
tank or cistern, either or both of which when stored become magazines of
power, which may be employed either as an auxiliary to the mill itself, or
as a source of power, for driving air or water engines for other purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and

page_text: original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-.
First, the system or mode of obtaining a constantly available power from
tides by the employment of dams or reservoirs in combination with one or
more turbines or other suitable.water-power engines actuated by, the force of
the water obtained from the different water levels of the reservoirs and from
the tide itself, substantially as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use, in combination with the arrangement
claimed under the first claiming claim, of an air vessel or water reservoir,
into which air or water is forced by means of pumps worked by the turbine
or other water-power engine, for the purpose of forming a magazine or accu-
mulation of power for actuating water pressure or air engines at any elevation
or in any desired locality, substantially as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of obtaining motive power from a continuous
fall of water, or from tides, by employing air compressing machinery worked
by such fall or tide in combination with air pipes, for conveying the com-
pressed air to a higher level than the original source of power, and applying
the same to the working of air engines, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fourth, the combination with water wheels or other water-power engines
worked by a fall of water or by tides of air compressing or water elevating
machinery, with pipes leading therefrom and communicating with a com-
pressed air receiver or water tank or reservoir, in addition to the machinery
which is driven directly by such water-power engine, whereby. when not
otherwise engaged the prime mover may be made to store an accumulator
or magazine of power to be used either as an auxiliary power or otherwise,
as may be found desirable, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Valentine Baker, 'have to this my Speci-
fication hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
V. BAKER.
(L.S.)