IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Primerose Howard
Vaughan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th July 1873. A communication from abroad
by Pryse Protheroe, residing at Baltimore, Maryland, in the United
States of America.
...I, EDWARD PRIMEROSE HOWARD VAUGHAN, F.C.S., of 54, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING
MOTIVE POWER," being a communication to me from abroad by Pryse
Protheroe, residing at Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States of
America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements whereby motive power
capable of being applied to a great variety of useful purposes can be
obtained in an economical and simple manner.
Two receptacles loaded to any desired weight are placed within
suitable framework in juxtaposition to each other, and are so arranged
as to be capable of moving in a vertical direction in slides or guides pro-
vided for that purpose. Under each of the receptacles is placed a
hydraulic ram, which rams are respectively worked by means of pumps

page_text: as well understood, and also respectively connected by means of suitable
mechanism (as will be well understood by persons conversant with such
subjects) with any machinery to which it is desired to apply motive
power. In the first instance one of the receptacles is lifted to any
desired elevation by its hydraulic ram, the latter being then withdrawn
and the loaded receptacle allowed to fall, and to impinge upon or actuate
a lever or system of levers or some mechanical equivalent or equivalents
therefore, or the loaded receptacle is allowed to impinge and rest upon
the surface of a body of water contained in a reservoir adapted for that
purpose. The mechanism or body of water so acted upon is connected
by means of pipes or other suitable appliances, such as are well known
and understood, with the machinery which it is desired to actuate, and
also with the other hydraulic ram, which is thus in accordance with the
well known principles of hydraulics caused to elevate the loaded
receptacle above it, which in its turn falls, and by similar arrangements
as those before referred to raises the first-mentioned hydraulic ram with
its superincumbent loaded receptacle, this operation being repeated as
long as may be desired.
The following is an example of the manner in which the arrangements
and operations above described generate motive power capable of being
applied to any desired purpose. If it be supposed that a force of one
hundred tons is required to work the pumps of the hydraulic rams and
to lift the latter with their superincumbent loaded receptacles, each
weighing five hundred tons, one-fifth portion of the force of the last-
mentioned weight in the descent of one receptacle will be all that is
required to lift the other loaded receptacle, four hundred tons of motive
power being thus saved, and capable of being applied in accordance
with the well known laws of hydraulics to any desired purpose.
It will be observed that the arrangements above described upon being
once set in operation become entirely self-acting, whilst by means of
well known appliances they may be held completely under control.