IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTAINING AND DISTRIBUTING AERIFORM FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTAINING AND
DISTRIBUTING AERIFORM FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE."-A communication from
the Company "John Cockerill," of Seraing, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
Sealed the 1st February 1856, and dated the 13th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th December 1855.
1:
i
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTAINING
AND DISTRIBUTING AERIFORM FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE," a communication from
the Company "John Cockerill," of Seraing, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of appa-
ratus for containing and distributing aeriform fluids under pressure to any
convenient and suitable prime mover, whether for stationary or locomotive
purposes, as a substitute for high-pressure steam, whereby such aeriform fluid.
will be supplied to the engine at or near an uniform pressure. The apparatus.

page_text: is composed of two distinct parts, namely, a receiver and a distributor. The
receiver contains the compressed air or gas, and supplys the same to the dis-
tributor, which distributes it to the engine at a constant and invariable or nearly
invariable pressure. The receiver consists of a number of tubes closed at their
ends, and opening by suitable branch pipes fitted with stop-cocks into a box or
chamber, in which is fitted the main pipe which leads to the distributor. This
latter apparatus consists of a strong cylinder or vessel. communicating at the
bottom with the pipe which leads from the box or chamber herein-before
referred to, whilst at one side is cast a branch pipe, to which is attached the
pipe leading to the engine.
The top of this cylinder is hermetically closed by a strong cover fitted
with a stuffing box, through which passes an internal rod whose lower
end acts as a valve or stopper to the opening into the bottom of the
cylinder or vessel, whilst its upper end is fitted with a piston working
inside a small cylinder which is closed at the top. A passage is made longi-
tudinally through this rod, so as to form a communication between the main
pipe and the small cylinder, thereby holding the rod in equilibrio, the pressure
acting equally on the top and bottom thereof. When this rod is raised, the
compressed air or gas will enter the cylinder or vessel until the required pressure
is obtained therein; whereupon by means of a lever acted upon by a rod fitted
with a piston working in another closed cylinder; the rod inside the main
cylinder or vessel will be depressed and close up the lower aperture. The last
mentioned closed cylinder is in communication with the main cylinder or vessel
by a small pipe, and a spring is made to act on the rod in a contrary direction
to the pressure on its piston. By this means, when the pressure decreases at
all in the main cylinder or vessel, the spring, will push up the rod & thus
elevate the lever connected to it, and so raise the stopper or rod inside the
main receiver or vessel, to permit of a fresh supply of compressed air and gas
entering the same, and when the pressure is thus re-established, the opening
will be closed again, the apparatus, being thus self-acting.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th June 1856.
..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN.
HENRY JOHNSON,,,of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex;
and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord.One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and: grant unto me,.
the said John Henry Johnson,. Her special license that I, the said John Henry.>
Johnson, my..executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators; or assigns, should ati
any time 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONTAINING AND DISTRIBUTING AERIFORM FLUIDS:
UNDER PRESSURE," a communication from the Company" John Cockerill" of.
Seraing, in the Kingdom of Belgium, upon the condition (amongst others):
that. I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing under
iny 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 Jolin Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
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:-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
apparatus for containing aeriform fluids under pressure, and for supplying.
them: at or near a uniform pressure to any convenient and suitable prime
mover, whether for stationary or locomotive purposes, as a substitute for high
pressure steam. The apparatus is composed. of two distinct parts; namely, a
receiver and a distributor. The receiver contains the compressed air or gas,:
and supplies the same. to the distributor, which conveys it to the engine at a
constant and invariable or nearly invariable pressure. The receiver consists of
a number of tubes closed at their ends, and opening by suitable branch pipes
fitted with stop-cocks into a box. or chamber in which is fitted the main pipe
which leads to the distributor. This latter apparatus consists of a strong
cylinder or vessel communicating. at the bottom with the pipe which leads from:
the box or, chamber herein-before referred to,' whilst at one side is cast a branch
pipe to which is attached the pipe leading to the engine.

page_text: The top of this cylinder is hermetically closed by a strong cover fitted with a
stuffing box, through which passes an internal rod whose lower end acts as a
valve or stopper to the opening into the bottom of the cylinder or vessel, whilst
its upper end is fitted with a piston working inside a small cylinder which is
closed at the top. A passage is made longitudinally through this rod so as to
form a communication between the main pipe and the small cylinder, thereby
holding the rod in equilibrio, the pressure acting equally on the top and bottom
thereof. When this rod is raised, the compressed air or gas will enter the
cylinder or vessel until the required pressure is obtained therein; whereupon,
by means of a lever acted upon by a rod fitted with a piston working in another
closed cylinder, the rod inside the main cylinder or vessel will be depressed,
and close up the lower aperture. The last mentioned closed cylinder is in
communication with the main cylinder or vessel by a small pipe, and a spring
is made to act on the rod in a contrary direction to the pressure on its piston.
By this means when the pressure decreases at all in the main cylinder or
vessel, the spring will push up the rod, and thus elevate the lever connected
with it, and so raise the stopper or rod inside the main receiver or vessel to
permit of a fresh supply of compressed air or gas entering the same, and when
the pressure is thus re-established, the opening will be closed again, the
apparatus being thus self-acting.
And in order that the 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 several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section of the
distributor and receiver; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same, the
distributor being shewn in horizontal section taken along the line 1, 2, in
Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a transverse section of the receiver.
The receiver A is composed entirely of a number of wrought-iron tubes a, a,
securely closed at their extremities. Each of these principal tubes a com-
municates by means of the small pipe b, with the secondary vertical pipes c,
which are also closed at both ends. The secondary pipes c communicate
with one another by means of the chamber E, E', and each secondary pipe
corresponds to a group composed of two vertical columns of the tubes a, a,
as shewn by the plan, Figure 2. Each tube a can be isolated from its
secondary pipe c, by means of a stop-cock d; and each group of tubes a, can
be isolated from the other groups by means of the stop-cocks e, e, fixed in the
pipes which communicate from the secondary pipes c, to the chamber E. E

page_text: The main pipe F, F¹, communicates with the chamber E, and is closed at its
extremity F, by the moveable plug G. It is at this extremity F¹, that the
reservoir of compressed air terminates, and the distributor begins. The dis-
tributor is composed of a cylindrical receiver N, hermetically closed by a
cover N¹.
The moveable plug G forms a species of safety valve on the mouth of the
tube F, F¹; and after passing through a stuffing box fixed on the cover of the
receiver, it terminates in a small piston R, working in a closed cylinder H.
The plug has a central passage drilled throughout its entire length, as shewn
by the dotted lines in Figure 1, thereby affording a communication between
the compressed air receiver and the small cylinder H; the distributor com-
municates with any suitable prime mover by the side branch Q in the cylinder N.
This cylinder is in communication also by means of the pipe f¹, with the second
small cylinder I. In this cylinder works the piston P, fitted to the extremity
of the rod K, which is forced upwards by the helical spring T; S is a moveable
or adjustable nut against which the spring acts, so that by raising or lowering
this nut, the force of the spring may be diminished or increased at pleasure.
The lower end of the spring rests upon the cast-iron plate V, which supports the
whole of the distributing apparatus. M is a lever working on a fixed centre
at o, in the bracket u fixed to the plate V. The slotted centre M of this lever
is traversed by a stud pin which supports the plug G, and the extremity M' is
jointed to the rod K.
The action of the distributor will now be easily understood. Suppose that
the receiver is charged with air or gas at the pressure P, and that it is desired.
to convey it to the prime mover at any reduced pressure 2, the air will then
exert at F¹ the pressure P, which pressure it will also exert in the small
equilibrium cylinder H, where it will be conveyed by means of the passage
drilled through the plug. As the small piston R has exactly the same diameter
as the face of the plug at F', the plug will consequently be equally pressed in
both directions by the air in the receiver.
The part also of the plug which works through the stuffing box having
also the same diameter as the part at F', the air inside the cylinder M
will have no action whatever on the plug, either upwards or downwards.
The result of this is, that the plug remains applied to the opening F, and
closes it perfectly, whatever may be the pressure of the air in the cylinder
and receiver, so long as no external force is applied to it; but if the lever M
be raised, it draws the plug with it, the aperture F¹ is opened, and the air
from the receiver immediately enters the cylinder N. If also the air has
acquired the pressure in the cylinder, the lever. M will be lowered, the

page_text: opening F will again be closed, and the air will remain in the cylinder and
receiver at the respective pressures and P.
Suppose a prime mover be put in communication with. the cylinder N by
means of the branch Q, and that this prime mover requires a certain quantity
of air at the pressure, to be supplied regularly by the cylinder, it will be
seen in this case, that the plug must be raised so as to permit the air of the
receiver a to pass in such quantity that the pressure may be maintained in
the distributor in proportion as the machine expends the fluid. To obtain this,
it is necessary to, impart to the plug G; a reciprocatory movement, and to
maintain the pressure 2 constantly in the distributor, which can be effected
by means of the spring T and small piston P. The cylinder N being in com-
munication with the small cylinder I,,by means of the pipe f..the pressure is
brought to bear also on the piston P, so that the rod K, united to the extremity
M' of the lever M, will be submitted to two opposing forces, namely, that of
the spring T pressing upwards on the nut S, and that of the air acting on the
piston P pressing it downwards. The spring tends to raise the plug: G, and
the piston P tends to make it descend and close the plug. When these two
forces are in equilibrio, the lever M, and consequently, the plug G,, will be
at rest; but if one of these forces is more powerful, the rod Krises, or falls
accordingly, and thereby opens or closes the aperture F¹.
Suppose, now, that the spring has been compressed by means of the nut S,
so that its pressure produces or nearly produces an equilibrium.on the piston P
when it is submitted to the pressure, it is evident then, that if the pressure
diminishes in the cylinder N, and consequently on the piston P, that the
spring Twill expand and raise the plug, and a greater quantity of compressed
air will pass from the receiver into the cylinder Ņ, whero the pressure will
immediately, be increased. The piston P. will then again become acted upon
with greater power than that exerted by the spring which it will compress, at
the same time lowering the plug, and diminishing the passage for the entrance
of air at F.
It is thus obvious. that the apparatus will regulate itself when a prime mover is
employed, which uses up in a uniform manner, at the pressure, the air derived
by the distributor from, the receiver, and that this pressure may be either
increased or diminished at. pleasure, since the tension of the spring can be regu-
lated according to the pressure desired by raising or lowering the nut S. This
having been once attended to, it is not again necessary to touch the distributor
since it fills and empties itself. The prime mover can also be stopped and
again set in motion, with the certainty of the distributor being always ready to
supply it with air at the pressure 2. By employing apparatus which I have

page_text: just described, compressed air or other gas under high pressure may be sub-
stituted for steam in high-pressure engines. This apparatus can be applied to
locomotion on railways, since it can be constructed of a portable size, and it
may be applied to navigable purposes on lakes and rivers. It may be used
to drive engines in small workshops, at the same time acting as an efficient
ventilator for such workshops. In short, it may be applied to very many
useful purposes in manufacturing places.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―-
First, the general construction and arrangement of apparatus for containing
aeriform fluids under pressure, and supplying them at or near a uniform
pressure to any convenient and suitable prime mover, as herein-before
described.
Second, the application and use of air receivers or magazines composed of
a number of tubes closed at the ends and fitted with stop-cocks, in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar construction and arrangement of self-acting distributor
for supplying compressed air or gas to any suitable prime mover, at a uniform
or nearly uniform pressure, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)