IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE RAISING, FORCING, AND MEASURING OF FLUIDS, AND TO THE REDUCTION OF FRICTION IN BEARINGS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Smith, of Belfast, Ireland, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO THE RAISING, FORCING, AND MEASURING OF FLUIDS, AND TO THE REDUCTION
OF FRICTION IN BEARINGS."
Sealed the 26th August 1873, and dated the 12th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th March 1873.
I, GEORGE SMITH, of Belfast, Ireland, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ABE APPLICABLE TO THE RAISING, FORCING, AND MEASURING OF FLUIDS, AND TO
THE REDUCTION OF FRICTION IN BEarings,” to be as follows :—
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction, arrangement, and `
combination of machinery or apparatus for obtaining motive power,

page_text: which is partly applicable to the raising, forcing, and measuring of fluids,
and to the reduction of friction in bearings generally.
As applied to the obtaining of motive power this Invention consists
of a peculiar aero-hydraulic engine or compound turbine, capable of
being worked either by a natural head of water or by an artificial head
of water obtained from a rotatory pump or feeder driven by the turbino
itself, or the said engine or compound turbine may be driven by com-
pressed air supplied by a compressed air pump or feeder and air
vessel.
The compound turbine consists of a series of stationary circular
shallow casings of cast-iron or other metal disposed one above another,
and having a vertical shaft passing through the centre thereof. This
shaft works in suitable bearings and carries a series of discs provided
with curved blades upon their upper and under surfaces, the upper
blades being curved in the reverse direction to the under blades, so that :
the former shall cut by the flow of water from the centre of the casing
to its circumference, and the latter by the flow from the circumference
to the centre. The water first enters the top casing by an opening in
the centre, and after acting outwards and inwardly as above described
upon the blades therein passes through the central opening into the
next casing below, where it operates in precisely the same manner, and
this is repeated through any number of casings and blades, the water
finally escaping through the central opening in the lowest casing of the
series to run into a tank within which the turbine is situate, and to flow
thence by a tail race or to be re-utilized as herein-after described.
As the several discs carrying the curved blades are all keyed on to
the vertical shaft a rotatory motion is imparted thereto, which may be
transmitted by gearing or other well-known mechanical contrivance
to any desired locality, and employed for the driving of machinery of
all kinds. Inclines or otherwise are made round the interior of each;
casing to facilitate the flow of the water inwardly, and curved guides are
provided in the centre of each casing to guide the outward flow of
water.
In lieu of employing a natural fall for driving the said turbine a
rotating feed pump may be combined therewith in those cases where the
natural supply of water is inadequate to drive the engine, the rotatory
feed pump being driven from the turbine itself and elevating the water

page_text: from the dischargo tank below to again force it through the engine. A
stand pipe or water column should be provided and fitted with valves
or doors at various heights so as to prevent the column of water rising
therein higher than requisite, the overplus being allowed to pass away
into a waste or fall pipe and back into the tank. The said feed pump
is made reversible or otherwise, and is capable of pumping back or
replacing the water so as to maintain a constant circulation through the
turbine. The side or end covers of the pump casing are dished to
contain a self-adjusting controlling guide blade or piston rings and loosa
eccentric plates. The spindle works on loose antifriction rollers and
spheres kept in position by annular grooves and projections formed on
the rollers and in the inner surface of the surrounding bearing, which
arrangement is applicable for reducing friction in all cases where
revolving wheels or shafts are employed. Passages well provided for
admitting compressed air or water to the dished covers to keep the
contents in contact with the faces or ends of the pump, a reversible
valve with curved passages is employed for the directing of the air or
water in the required course. The piston consists of a sliding revolving
blade with self-adjusting packing pieces at either end. When using
compressed air only as the working power or pressure the air is to be
compressed more or less in order to increase or diminish the power of
the machine, and in this arrangement the rotatory feeder or pump has
double duty to perform, as it works the machine as well as a reversible
hydraulic rotatory piston simultaneously. The self-adjusting controlling
blade or piston of the rotatory feeder is combined with slotted rings to
enablo the said piston to pass safely over the parts of the cylindor,
which parts are situate at reverse ends of the cylinder or casing in place
of being opposite each other, with a view to enable the opposite longi-
tudinal halves of the revolving packing pieces to wear evenly. Anti-
pressure blades or piston rings are also employed to take off the pressure.
of the compressed air or water within the dished covers of the cylinder
or casing. Shifting blocks are inserted in slotted rings to receive the
projections of the revolving piston and of a self-adjusting slide, which
slide is contained within the revolving piston in order to accommodate
the centre of the drum and that of the cylinder, and thereby keep the
revolving packing practically fluid tight. The said rotatory pumps or
pistons may be applied to propelling in air or water by making the
blades with projections at one end only in place of at both ends, conse-
quently only two holes are necessary, one in each controlling ring, whilst,

page_text: the slots and blocks are dispensed with. By using one or more of such
rotatory pumps or pistons operated so as to draw in air or water, and
force out the same simultaneously without any check, boats or carriages
may be propelled thereby. Ordinary gearing for transmitting power
may also be dispensed with by employing for that purpose two of the
said rotatory pumps or pistons, the one being larger than the other and
the two connected by pipes.
In some cases I combine a number of the before described compound
turbines with an ordinary or single turbine used as a closer for obtaining
motive power. The same arrangements of the said rotatory pump or
feeder may also be employed for measuring fluids if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th September 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SMITH, of Belfast, Ireland, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Smith, Her special
license that I, the said 'George Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Smith, my executors,
administrators or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and 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
MACHINERY FOR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE RAISING, FORCING, AND MEASURING OF
FLUIDS, AND TO THE REDUCTION OF FRICTION IN BEARINGS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Smith, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: 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 George Smith, do hereby declaro
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 relates to a peculiar construction, arrangement,
and combination of machinery or apparatus for obtaining motive power,
which is partly applicable to the raising, forcing and measuring of fluids
and to the reduction of friction in bearings generally.
As applied to the obtaining of motive power this Invention consists
of a peculiar compound turbine, capable of being worked either by a
natural head of water or by an artificial head of water obtained from a
rotatory pump or feeder driven by the turbine itself, or the said
compound turbine may be driven by compressed air supplied by a
compressed air pump or feeder and air vessel, which arrangement I
designate an "aero-hydraulic engine."
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 shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed two Sheets of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of my Drawings represents a vertical section of
my improved or compound turbine as arranged to be worked by a
natural head of water. Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken in four
different planes, the segment 1 being taken along the line 1-2 in
Figure 1, the segment 2 along the line 3-4, the segment 8 along
the line 5-6, and the segment 4 along the line 7-8 in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a separate sectional detail of one of the revolving discs
having blades on both sides.
The compound turbine consists of a series of stationary circular
shallow casings A, A, of cast-iron or other metal disposed one above or
by the side of another, and having a vertical or horizontal shaft B passing
through the centre thereof. This shaft is by preference of a rectangular.

page_text: section, and works in suitable bearings at C and D, and carries a series
of discs E, one of which is shown detached at Figure 3 provided with
curved blades a, a¹, sce Figure 2, upon both their surfaces, the one set of
blades a being so curved that they shall act by the flow of water from
the centre of the casing to its circumference, and the other set a' by
the flow from the circumference to the centre. The water first enters
the top chamber F by the pipe G from the natural or other head. From
this chamber F the water passes by a central opening 6 into the first
casing A of the series, and after acting outwardly and inwardly as above
described upon the blades a and a¹ on the revolving disc E contained:
therein passes through the central opening 6' into the next casing A'
below, where it operates in precisely the same manner, and this is
repeated through any number of casings and discs containing blades,
the water finally escaping through the central opening 6" in the lowest
casing of the series to run into a tank in which the turbine is immersed,
but which tank I have not shewn in my Drawing, whence it flows by a
tail race or is re-used as herein-after described.
As the several discs E carrying the curved blades a, a', are all fast on
the vertical shaft B a rotatory motion is imparted thereto, which may
bc transmitted by gearing or other well known mechanical contrivance !
to any desired locality and employed for the driving of machinery of
all kinds. Inclines or curved blades c, c, are made round the interior
of each casing to facilitate the flow of the water inwardly, and curved
guides d, d, are provided in the centre of each casing to guide the
outward flow of water. By combining together as above described a
number of casings and revolving discs and blades, I am enabled to
obtain a greater amount of power from a given quantity of water and
to increase the power of the turbine to any extent by adding more
casings and discs. In lieu of employing a natural fall for driving the
said turbine a rotating feed pump H may be combined therewith as
shown in elevation at Figure 4 in those cases where the natural supply
of water is inadequate to drive the engine, the rotatory feed pump being
driven from the turbine itself by the gearing at I, and elevating the
water by the pipe K fitted with a foot valve from the discharge tank L
below, to again force it through the engine by the pipe M fitted with a
stop-cock N. O is a pipe for filling or charging the apparatus with
water on first starting, and P is a stop-cock which is closed on starting
the engine, the cock N being opened.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged detail sections of this rotatory feed pump,
and Figure 7 is a sectional detail (taken along the line 1-2 in
Figure 5) of a portion of the same. A stand pipe or water column Q
should be provided and fitted with valves or doors at various heights
(not shown in my Drawings) so as to prevent the column of water rising
therein higher than is requisite, the overplus being allowed to pass
away into a waste or fall pipe R (sco Figures 5 and 7) and back into
the tank. The said feed pump is made reversible or otherwise, and is
capable of pumping back or replacing the water so as to maintain a
constant circulation through the turbine; S is the sliding piston of the
pump, and T is an air vessel which may be further charged with air if
required; through the valve U the air vessel communicates with the
stand pipo Q; K is the lift or suction pipe; V is a passage for the
induced current passing round the cylinder of the pump for the purpose
of increasing the delivery, such induced current being generated by the
rapid rotation of the piston and the flow of the main body of water
through the delivery port into the air chamber; e, e, are antifriction rollers
situate on opposite faces of the sliding piston S for the purpose of casing
its motion.
Figures 8 and 9 represent sectional views of a modification of the
rotatory pump shewn in Figures 5 and 6. In this modification cach side
or end cover of the pump casing is recessed annularly to contain a self-
adjusting controlling ring having guide slots g therein for proventing
the piston from entering the ports when passing, the piston being fitted
with a slido having projections which engage into segmental blocks
sliding in the curved slots g. Loose eccentric plates i serve to form a
flush surface at each end of the cylinder for the ends of the piston to
work against. V is the passage for the induced current, fitted with a
valve to allow of a slow motion of the piston; are anti-pressure
rings for taking off the pressure of the compressed air or water within
the dished covers of the cylinder or casing, such rings resting against
the fixed part of the casing.
I shall now proceed to describe my “acro-hydraulic " engine, which is
illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
Figure 1 (Sheet 2) is a longitudinal vertical section of the engine;
Figure 2 is an end clovation; Figure 3 is a corresponding plan; and
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 1-2 in
Figuro 3; Figuro 5 is a sectional detail of the filler for charging tho

page_text: engine with water before starting the same. This engine consists
generally of my compound turbine with its several casings A, A, and
bladed discs E mounted on the shaft B, which is here shewn as hori-
zontal in order to maintain a uniform pressure throughout the apparatus.
In other respects the turbine itself is constructed similarly to that 5
herein-before described with the addition of a compressed air vessel W.
In combination with this turbine there is a rotatory pump or feeder X
and a rotatory piston Y (Figure 4) for transmitting the power to the
main shaft to be driven. A reversible valve Z with curved passages m, m³,
(Figure 4, Sheet 2) is employed for the directing of the air or water in 1
the required course. The piston consists of a sliding revolving blade Y
with self-adjusting packing piece at one end. When using compressed
nir inside the turbine in lieu of a head of water as the working power or
pressure of the turbine air is to be forced by hand or otherwise through
the opening n (Figure 1) on to the turbine so as to be compressed more 1
or less in the air chamber W, in order to increase or diminish the power
of the machine, and in this arrangement the rotatory feeder or pump X
has double duty to perform, as it works the turbine as well as the
reversible hydraulic rotatory piston Y simultaneously, which rotatory
piston transmits the power required for driving any machine. If found 2
necessary each casing A may have an air-cock on its highest side to
release or vent any air that may be imprisoned therein. If desired, tho
rotatory feeder X may be provided with self-adjusting controlling rings
slotted to enable the said piston to pass safely over the ports of the
cylinder, as already described in reference to Figures 8 and 9 (Sheet 1), 2
but when the ports are situate at reverse ends of the cylinder or casing,
as I sometimes place them in lieu of being opposite cach other with a
view to enable the opposite longitudinal halves of the revolving packing
pieces on the piston to wear evenly, then the self-adjusting controlling
rings may be dispensed with. The anti-pressure rings before mentioned 3
may also be employed to take off the pressure of the compressed air or
water within the dished covers of the cylinder or casing.
In working this engine it is to be first filled with water through the
filler o (Figure 5) which is fitted on to the pipe p in connection with tho
exhaust pipe q from the turbine, such pipe extending above the highest 3
part of the engine. Having filled the entire combined apparatus with
the exception of the spaces containing air at the highest part I shut the
cock of the filler, and commence to force air through the opening »

page_text: into the air chamber W to the pressure required. In order to start the
engine the cock is to be opened, and is kept open as long as the engine
is at work. The moment the turbine commences to revolve by reason
of the pressure or tendency which the water has to rush through it
under the action of the compressed air in the chamber W, the rotatory
pump X commences to revolve with it, and draws the water through the
pipe o from the opposite end of the turbine into the exhaust pipe sof
the rotatory piston Y back into the pump X which again forces it through
the turbine. At the same time the compressed air in the chamber W
is forcing a portion of the water through the pipe through the
passages m or m³ of the reversing valve Z, and drives the piston Y which
actuates the shaft to be driven. The exhaust from the piston Y flows
up the passage # and into the exhaust pipes to be re-utilized, as before
described.
The shaft B works within a double series of loose antifriction rollers v, v",
(Figures 1 and 2), and the end thrust may if desired be received against
spheres wo, to¹³, as shown in Figures 10 and 11 (Sheet 1), the rollers being
by preference kept in position by annular grooves and projections formed
thereon and in the inner surface of the surrounding bearing, as shown
at Figures 11 and 13, which arrangement is applicable for reducing
friction in all cases where revolving wheels or shafts are employed.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 are corresponding views of my improved anti-
friction bearing and thrust receiver. x represents the journal; v, o', tho
antifriction rollers disposed in a double series of rings, but each roller
being separate or detached from its neighbour. Two of these rollers are
shown detached at Figure 18, where the projecting ring on one roller
and the corresponding annular groove in the other roller are clearly
shown. y, y¹, are two discs, the one y being fast on the end of the
journal, and the other y¹ being-loose thereon to allow the journal to
revolve freely therein. Between these discs in suitable grooves are
deposited a series of metal spheres w, wo³, which roll freely between the
discs, and reduce the friction of the end thrust or of the footsteps of
shafts generally.
;
Figures 14 and 15 are transverse and longitudinal sections of an
ordinary carriage axle box provided with my arrangement of antifriction
rollers, two of which rollers are shewn in detail at Figure 16. The outer
set of rollers have projecting collars or flanges at their extremities, the
bevelled inner surfaces of which work against corresponding bevels on

page_text: the opposite ends of the axle box s, whilst the inner set of rollers fit in
between the flanges of the outer set. A removable sheath 1 is fitted
on to the journal in order that when the journal is withdrawn the sheath
by remaining in the axle box will prevent the several rollers from falling
out of their places. This sheath may be secured to the journal by a
split ring 2, Figure 17, fitting: into an annular groove in the journal
and held in place by a cap 3, which is secured by a screw 4 to the
journal.
Figures 18 and 19 represent a transverse and longitudinal section of
a bearing or plummer block fitted with a combination of antifriction
rollers and spheres. Figure 20 illustrates one of the rollers and spheres
detached. In adapting a journal to this arrangement of bearing the
journal is shaped in the form of a collar or projecting ring 5 on the shaft,
such collar being of a semicircular section. Round this collar there
are placed a number of antifriction rollers 6, 6, grooved to correspond to
the section of the collar. These rollers revolve round the circular collar 5
formed on the journal. Between this set of grooved antifriction rollers
and the interior of the bearing there are disposed a number of spheres 8, 8,
which, like the outer series of rollers in the before-mentioned arrange-
ments, are disposed in the spaces between the adjoining rollers of the
inner series, whilst they at the same time revolvo between the grooves
of these rollers and in an annular semicircular shaped groove 9 made
round the interior of the bearing. One of the series of antifriction
rollers 6 is made in two halves or divided across its longitudinal centre
as shewn at 6¹, the two halves being held together by a screw 10; the
object of thus dividing one of the rollers is to enable the last one of the
series to be inserted into its place after the spheres have all been
adjusted.
Although I have herein-before described my improved rotatory pump
in connection with my peculiar turbine, I may observe that the same
arrangement of rotatory pump is equally applicable to the raising and
forcing of fluids generally and to the compression of air, as well as to
the measuring of fluids, in which latter case it is essential that the exact
capacity of the cylinder of the pump be known.
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

page_text: to be novel and original, and therefore claim as tho Invention secured to
me by the harein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
First. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of
machinery or apparatus for obtaining motive power, and for raising,
forcing, compressing, and measuring fluids, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Second. The construction and use of turbines wherein the power is
obtained from the combined outward and inward flow of the water,
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings
annexed.
Third: The combination with one turbine shaft of two or more casings
and revolving discs in and upon which the water acts by its outward
as well as by its inward flow, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Fourth. The combination with the herein-described compound turbino
of a rotatory pump or feeder and stand pipe or compressed air when
arranged to operate together, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings
annexed.
Fifth. The combination with the herein-before described compound.
turbine of a rotatory pump or feeder and a rotatory piston for trans-
mitting the power of the turbine in conjunction with a stand pipe or
with compressed air, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Sixth. The substitution of a stand pipe or of compressed air insido
the turbine for affording the requisite pressure when the ordinary supply
of water is deficient, substantially as herein-before described.
Seventh. The combination in a rotatory pump of slotted controlling
rings, shifting blocks, with a self-adjusting slide in the piston when
arranged to operate together, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings
annexed.
2
Eighth. The application and use of anti-pressure rings for removing
the end pressure from the before-mentioned slotted controlling rings of
my improved rotatory pumps, substantially as hercin-before described
and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
°

page_text: Ninth. The application and use of two or more series of loose or
independent antifriction rollers arranged as herein set forth and illus-
trated by the Drawings annexed for reducing the friction of journals in
these bearings.
Tenth. The combination of a set of spheres with a set of grooved 5
antifriction rollers when arranged and caused to operate together, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Eleventh. The peculiar arrangement of two or more sets of anti-
friction spheres for receiving the end thrust shafts generally, substan- 10
tially as hercin-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Smith, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of September
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.