AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GENERATOR OR SPIRAL PUMP
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GENERATOR OR SPIRAL PUMP." A communication
from abroad by Elic Chamolle, of Boulogne (Seine), France, Engineer.
ed the 14th October 1876, and dated the 22nd April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd April 1876.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GENERATOR OR SPIRAL
A communication from abroad by Elie Chamolle, of Boulogne (Seine),
PUMP."
France, Engineer.
The hydraulic apparatuses known under the general name of spiral pumps are f
two principal types, both however arriving at the same results. In the one the
tube of any shape is coiled upon a conical or a cylindrical drum; in this case the
circumvolutions or spires are juxtaposed; in the other the tube winds on itself like a
watch spring, the circumvolutions or spires being superposed. In both cases the
tube is joined by one end to the hollow axle of the apparatus in such wise that by
the rotation of the drumn the water is imperceptibly brought up the inclined plane.
More or less immersed in a tank or reservoir the rotary movement given to these
spires causes at each revolution the entrance into an opening left free of a quantity
of liquid proportionate to the degree of immersion, then of a volume of air equal
to the remainder of the circumvolution, which air is imprisoned within the spire at
the moment that it again plunges into the liquid.
The alternate introduction of air and water is absolutely necessary to the working
of these pumps, the use of which has been very limited in consequence of the great
size which must be given to these spiral wheels in order to raise the water.
No profit has yet been derived from the air entering and escaping freely with the
water, and which being stored and compressed by the simple introduction of the
water and its own weight may give birth to a power created without effort or
expense.
The object of this Invention is to profit by this power, employing it in the
rotation of the wheel itself, which rotation accumulates or maintains the com-
pressive power furnished by the air by a continuous introduction of water.

page_text: Then if the cylinder3 C, D, Figure 2, offer it a passage it rushes in, and drives the
piston.
The reciprocating action of the piston produces the rotation of the wheel, and
thereby the regeneration of the expansive force of the air expended at each stroke
of the piston.
HYDRAULIC VALVES.
From the exterior circumvolution by which the water and the air are introduced
up to the axle itself the space occupied by the two fluids becomes more and more
restricted. As there exists no mechanical closing these fluids, especially the air,
would turn back, and the desired effect could not take place. To obviate this it is
only necessary in graduating the spiral to place the lower end of the liquid segment
a certain distance from the vertical passing through the axle, which simulates a
syphon forming the obturation or sealing of the spire at this point.
The air always experiencing equal and contrary pressures in no way affects the
desired pressure of the liquid segments, the proportionality being well established.
The same arrangement is equally obligatory in the ascension or delivery tube
A, E, F, G, H, Figure 2; so that the lower ends of all the segments are so many
hydraulic valves.
INTERIOR CONDUIT.
This is the name given to the extension A, B,C, Figure 1; if it arrives too slowly
or gradually there is excess of pressure; if it leads away too quickly the contrary
effect is produced. Both cases are to be feared. This segment, the most important,
because it gives the strongest partial pressure, must lead off with such regularity
that after a quarter revolution this pressure shall have decreased by one quarter,
because that which is coming has not yet replaced it, except by a quarter.
PRIMING, SETTING AT WORK, AND STOPPING.
Take a hydraulic pump, the piston of which may at pleasure raise water or inject
compressed air; fire-engine pumps are mostly suitable for this purpose. If the
trough or tank is isolated and holds a fixed quantity, as in the generality of cases,
the constant level is regulated, the exact capacity of the various parts of the
machine which are to be filled with water, the liquid segments, the receiver, and the
ascension pipe being known, the equivalent is added in the tank; then the ascension
or delivery pipe A, E, F, G, H, is filled by the aid of the pump, the valve V₁ holding
back the liquid during this action. The water is introduced into the shaft up to its
axis. This done by means of the same pump air is injected into the slide valves of
one of the cylinders, the valve V closes and isolates this cylinder; the insufflation or
introduction of air is continued.
The apparatus begins to work slowly, but after a few hours the spiral starts of
itself before the end of the priming. The air must equipoise the water; it is then
that the water guage and the pressure gauge must be carefully watched in order to
regulate the valves according to the varying power imparted to the pistons.
There should be a production of air slightly exceeding the expenditure; the
valve S constantly regulates a uniform pressure.
To slacken the speed of the apparatus the regulating valve T¹ is lowered towards
the end of the tube L' in order to check the feed to the cylinders. The complete
closing of this tube stops the machine.
The object of this machine is to constitute a permanent fall from the ascension or
delivery pipe, from which the water runs off.
This machine may also serve as an exhaust or as a blowing.engine.

page_text: The spires keep up a constant-vacuum, the cylinders being worked directly by
the pressure of the outer atmospheric air; the air absorbed by them is sent into the
chamber, where the spires take it up again to eject it, and so on. It is a simple
question of mediums.
BLOWING ENGINES.
In these machines the escape from the cylinders is into a closed reservoir; this
reservoir is provided with a regulating valve calculated proportionately to the
pressure at which the air comes from the slide valves, and issues by the air tubes.
The graduation between the compressed air and the water remains the same, but
the kilogrammetric work of the compressed air is not entirely utilized by the
cylinders.
By reversing the preceding arrangements, if all the water is employed plus a part
of the compressed air to work the generator, the remainder of the compressed air
may be used at any distance, depth, or height.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st October 1870.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED HYDRAULIC GENERATOR OR SPIRAL
PUMP." A communication from abroad by Elie Chamolle, of Boulogne (Seine),
France, Engineer.
The hydraulic apparatuses known under the generical name of spiral pumps are
of two principal types, both however arriving at the same results. In the one the
tube of any shape is coiled upon a conical or a cylindrical drum; in this case the
circumvolutions or spires are juxtaposed. In the other the tube winds on itself
like a watch spring, the circumvolutions or spires being superposed. In both cases
the tube is joined by one end to the hollow axle of the apparatus in such wise that
by the rotation of the drum the water is imperceptibly brought up the inclined
plane.
More or less immersed in a tank or reservoir the rotary movement given to these
spires causes at each revolution the entrance into an opening left free of a quantity
of liquid proportionate to the degree of immersion, then of a volume of air equal
to the remainder of the circumvolution, which air is imprisoned within the spire at
the moment that it again plunges into the liquid.
The alternate introduction of air and water is absolutely necessary to the working
of these pumps, the use of which has been very limited in consequence of the great
size which must be given to these spiral wheels in order to raise the water.
No profit has hitherto been derived from the air entering and escaping freely
with the water, and which being stored and compressed by the simple introduction
of the water and its own weight may give birth to a power created without effort
or expence.
The object of this Invention is to profit by this power, employing it in the
rotation of the wheel itself, which rotation accumulates or maintains the com-
pressive power furnished by the air by a continuous introduction of water.
When the air has penetrated into each of the spiral curves, being imprisoned by
the different layers of water held in suspension in these spires, it passes into the
hollow centre of the apparatus, and, as aforesaid, is there stored under a constantly
increasing pressure obtained by the column of water and further serves to keep it
in equilibrium. It is then that instead of letting the air pass away with the liquid
as hitherto, its kilogrammetrical force is utilized to drive the apparatus itself by
the aid of suitably arranged mechanism.

page_text: At the entrance O of the spiral, Figure 1, the air is taken in its ambient state for
the first circumvolution. In the second, the capacity being reduced, the air is
already compressed between the segments J, K, and exerts equal and contrary
pressures upon the two segments K, L, and I, J. This first partial pressure
balances or forms counterpoise to the first compression of the air, and it is from this
reason that this same pressure is immediately transmitted upon the liquid
segments I, J. This last segment therefore possesses this proper pressure and that
of the preceding.
The same work and the same results are produced in each circumvolution and
upon each segment of liquid up to the last D, G, which by the conduit A acts upon
the axle and the ascension or delivery pipe. Under these conditions the part to
be played by the air is clearly determined; it receives and transmits simultaneously
pressures progressively accelerated. It is therefore only a purely mechanical inter-
mediary; as it must constantly equipoise the ascension tube, it can and must only
issue from the apparatus, subject to all its tension or compression.
The bent arrangement of the tube A, E, F, G, H, Figure 1, absolutely prevents
the air leaving with the water, and it is therefore compelled to spread into all the
spaces or vacuums beneath the shaft, and to seek by the tube T (Figure 2) the
valves S, but these latter are weighted to yield only to a regulated pressure.
Then if the cylinders C, D, (Figure 2), offer it a passage it rushes in and drives the
piston.
The reciprocating action of the piston produces the rotation of the wheel, and
thereby the regeneration of the expansive force of the air expended at each stroke
of the piston.
-

page_text: HYDRAULIC VALVES.
From the exterior circumvolution by which the water and the air are introduced
up to the axle itself the space occupied by the two fluids becomes moro and more
restricted. As there exists no mechanical closing these fluids, especially the air, would
turn back, and the desired effect could not take place. To obviate this it is only
necessary in graduating the spiral to place the lower end of the liquid segment a
certain distance from the vertical passing through the axle, which simulates a
syphon forming the obturation or sealing of the spire at this point.
The air, always experiencing equal and contrary pressures, in no way affects the
desired pressure of the liquid segments, the proportionality being well established.
The same arrangement is equally obligatory in the ascension or delivery tube
A, E, F, G, H, Figure 2, so that the lower ends of all the segments are so many
hydraulic valves.
INTERIOR CONDUIT.
This is the name given to the extension A, B, C, (Figure 1). If it arrives too slowly 1
or gradually there is excess of pressure; if it leads away too quickly the contrary
effect is produced. Both cases are to be feared. This segment, the most important
because it gives the strongest partial pressure, must lead off with such regularity
that after a greater revolution this pressure shall have decreased by one quarter,
because that which is coming has not yet replaced it, except by a quarter.
PRIMING, SETTING AT WORK, AND STOPPING.
Take a hydraulic pump, the piston of which may at pleasure raise water or inject
compressed air; fire engine pumps are mostly suitable for this purpose. If the
trough or tank is isolated, and holds a fixed quantity, as in the generality of cases,
the constant level is regulated the exact capacity of the various parts of the
machine which are to be filled with water, the liquid segment, the receiver, and
the ascension pipe being known the equivalent is added in the tank. Then the
ascension or delivery pipe A, E, F, G, H, is filled by the aid of the pump, the valve
V holding back the liquid during this action; the water is introduced into the
shaft up to its axis; this done, by means of the same pump air is injected into
the slide valves of one of the cylinders; the valve V closes and isolates this
cylinder the insufflation or introduction of air is continued.
;
The apparatus begins to work slowly, but after a few hours the spiral starts of
itself before the end of the priming; the air must equipoise the water; it is then
that the water guage and the pressure guage must be carefully watched, in
order to regulate the valves according to the varying power imparted to the
pistons.
There should be a production of air slightly exceeding the expenditure; the
valve S constantly regulates a uniform pressure.
To slacken the speed of the apparatus the regulating valve T is lowered towards
the end of the tube Z, in order to check the feed to the cylinders. The complete
closing of this tube stops the machine:
The object of this machine is to constitute a permanent fall from the ascension or
delivery pipe from which the water runs off.
This machine may also serve as an exhaust or as a blowing engine.
ESHAUST ENGINE,
It may be placed in a hermetically closed chamber, so as to produce a vacuum
within it, the cylinders and the hollow shaft only communicating with the
outside.
The spires keep up a constant vacuum, the cylinders being worked directly by
the pressure of the outer atmospheric air; the air absorbed by them is sent into
the chamber, where the spires take it up, and so on. It is a simple question of
mediums.

page_text: BLOWING ENGINES.
In these machines the escape from the cylinders is into a closed reservoir.
This reservoir is provided with a regulating valve calculated proportionately
to the pressure at which the air comes from the slide valves, and issues by the air
tubes. The graduation between the compressed air and the water remains the same,
but the kilogrammetric work of the compressed air is not entirely utilized by the
cylinders.
By reversing the preceding arrangements, if all the water is employed, plus a part
of the compressed air to work the generator, the remainder of the compressed air
may be used at any distance, depth, or height.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention com-
municated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be perforined,
I would here observe that I do not limit myself to any special arrangement in the
construction of these machines, and that the accompanying Drawings are simply
examples demonstrating this Invention; that any desired liquid may be used,
for example, in machines of small volume mercury would give identical results;
and that I claim as secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent,
Firstly. The combination, substantially as described, of the spiral wheel with the
tube A, E, F, G, which receives the water, and the tube L', T, T, which receives the
air for the purpose of automatically compressing the air.
Secondly. The combination, substantially as described, of the spiral wheel driving
the machine.
Thirdly. The combination, substantially as described, of the special wheel with
the tube E, F, G, H, to form a hydraulic motor by the constant ascension of the.
water in the said tube, and its fall as it escapes therefrom.
Fourthly. The combination of the machine with a hermetically closed chamber
to form an exhaust engine, substantially as described.
Fifthly. The combination of the cylinder with a closed reservoir to receive the
escape from the cylinders, and forming a blowing engine, substantially as herein-
before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)