AN IMPROVED VESSEL OR STATION FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMPRESSING AND STORING AIR BY THE ACTION OF THE WAVES OF THE SEA AND ALSO FOR THE GENERATING BY MEANSIS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Harding of Kings Lynn in the County
of Norfolk Civil & Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of AN IMPROVED
VESSEL OR STATION FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMPRESSING AND STORING AIR BY
THE ACTION OF THE WAVES OF THE SEA AND ALSO FOR THE GENERATING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William Harding
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th August 1882.
Charles William HARDING Civil Engineer, of Kings Lynn in the County of
Norfolk "AN IMPROVED VESSEL OR STATION FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMPRESSING
AND STORING AIR BY THE ACTION OF THE WAVES OF THE SEA, AND ALSO FOR THE
GENERATING OF ELECTRICITY BY MEANS OF THIS COMPRESSED AIR
"
For this purpose I place at a suitable distance from the shore a floating vessel of
circular or other suitable shape and moored in four places and at right angles to
each other-In the interior of this vessel I arrange air-tight compartments or
receivers of suitable shape and construction for the purpose of containing and
storing compressed air in manner hereinafter described-In order to charge these
air compartments or receivers, I fix one or more air-pumps which are actuated by a
crank shaft rotated by a chain wheel by means of ratchet gear as follows.
Over the said chain wheel I pass a chain the lower end of which is attached to a
permanent weight, sunk to, and resting on the bed of the sea, to which it passes
through a tube in the centre of the bottom of the vessel; the other end of the said
chain passing through a similar tube in the bottom of the vessel and attached to a
smaller weight hanging a short distance from the bottom of the vessel-It will be
seen that by this arrangement the upward motion of the vessel caused by the
buoyancy of the waves will impart a rotary motion to the chain wheel and conse-
quently by means of the gearing referred to will set in motion the air-pump or
pumps resulting in charging the air compartments or receivers with compressed air
at a bigh pressure

page_text: I propose to utilize this compressed air in generating Electricity by means of an
Air Engine driving a Dynamo Machine, also in adjusting the moorings of the Vessel
by means of small air-engines working the windlasses, and it can be also utilized
on shore to which it can be conveyed by elastic or other tubing
The Electricity that is generated on board can be utilized in sending Telegraphic
messages to the shore or elsewhere or it can be stored on shore by transmission
through a cable.
Such a vessel can be utilized for a variety of purposes such as follows viz;
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page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles William Harding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th February 1883.
CHARLES WILLIAM HARDING of Kings Lynn in the County of Norfolk Civil
Engineer. AN IMPROVED FLOATING ESSEL FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMPRESSING
AIR BY THE ACTION OF THE WAVES OF THE SEA, AND ALSO FOR THE GENERATION
OF ELECTRICITY BY THE ACTION OF THIS COMPRESSED AIR.
My invention consists of an Improved vessel and apparatus for utilizing the
energy of the waves. For this purpose, I place at a suitable distance from the
shore a floating vessel of circular or any other suitable shape, moored in four places
and at right angles to each other. In the interior of this vessel I arrange air-tight
compartments and in some cases cylindrical or other shaped tanks to act as receivers,
and constructed in such form and manner as to answer the purpose of receiving and
storing compressed air as hereinafter described. In order to charge the air-com-
partments tanks or receivers, I fix or attach one or more air-pumps, so arranged as
to work either seperately or combined from a crank shaft, or a shaft to be put in
motion by means of a circular disc catch and ratchet wheel and so arranged as to
work right and left handed or entirely in one direction.
The wheel upon the end of the pump shaft is rotated by means of the ratchet
disc and catch which are fixed on the shaft of a chain wheel put in motion in the
following manner. Over the said chain-wheel I pass a chain, the lower end of
which is attached to a permanent weight (sunk and resting on the bed of the sea)
to which it passes by means of a tube in the centre of the bottom of the vessel, the
other end of the said chain passing through a similar tube on the opposite side of
the chain pulley, in the centre and through the bottom of the vessel, and attached
to a smaller weight a short distance from the bottom of the vessel, such weight to
be so adjusted as to balance the weight of the chain and prevent it from slackening in
the downward motion of the vessel. It will thus be seen that by this arrangement
the upward motion of the vessel caused by the buoyancy of the waves will impart a
rotating motion to the chain-wheel or pulley, the groove of which is so moulded and*
formed as to fit the chain, thus giving the chain a grip on the wheel or pulley, and.
preventing the possibility of slip. The chain may pass simply over the top of the
wheel or pulley, or it may take one or more complete coils round the chain-wheel
or pulley to ensure perfect action. When the wheel or pulley receives a turn or
any part of a turn from the weighted chain by the rising of the vessel, the gearing
referred to will set in motion the air pumps, and result in charging the air tight com-
partments or receivers with compressed air, the pressure being regulated by means
of accumulators. I propose to utilize this compressed air in generating Electricity
by means of one or more air-engines driving dynamoes, & also in adjusting the
moorings of the vessel by means of air-engines or seperate small Engines, working.
the small windlasses; the windlasses can be worked indirectly by means of shafting,
pulleys & belting, or wheel gear from the engines used in driving the dynamoes,
or they may be worked by means of seperate small air-engines attached to the
windlasses direct or by means of electro motors. The compressed air can also be
utilized on shore to which it can be conveyed by means of elastic tubing or in the.
form of Electricity to be transmitted through insulated electric cables. The
electricity generated on board can be utilized in seading telegraphic messages, or it
can be stored on shore after transmission, & used for lighting, heating or as a
motive power, or for other purposes.. Such vessel can be (and I intend it to be).

page_text: utilized as a Coast Guard Station, Light Ship, Telegraph Station, Signal Ship,
Fishing-Guard Ship, & a variety of other purposes. And in order that my said
invention may be more fully understood & carried into effect, I now proceed to
describe the same by aid of the accompanying diagrams, reference being made to the
letters & figures thereon marked; that is to say.
Fig I of the annexed drawings represents a plan of circular form of my vessel;
the dotted lines indicate the air tight compartments.
Fig 2 represents a plan of an alternative or four winged form of my vessel.
Fig 3 represents a section through the centre of my vessel shewing the general
arrangement of machinery.
Fig 4 represents a transverse section of my vessel with chain-wheel guide rollers,
and pipes with permanent and moving weights.
Fig 5 represents a section showing how my vessel may bo adapted as a Telegraph
Station. In each figure the same letters of reference denote similar corresponding
parts. A A A A the position of the four cables at right angles to each other.
BB Air-pumps C. Chain wheel or pulley D D Circular ratchet gear and catch
disc. I Air Engine K Dynamoes L L Cable arrangements MM Air-tight com-
partments PP Special air receivers S Guide tubes for weights T Moving weight
W Permanent weight.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner of carrying
the same into effect. I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details herein described & represented, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of my invention, but I claim as my invention.
Firstly. A vessel circular or four winged in plan, & in section similar to the forms
shown in Figs 3 & 4; but I do not bind myself to the exact curvature of the lines
of either the upper or lower portions of the hulls these varying very much in
proportion to the respective diameters of the different vessels.
Secondly The mooring of the vessels by means of four cables placed at right
angles to each other and over the sides of the vessels to ensure an uniform motion,
& also a secure anchorage.
Thirdly, The construction and arrangement of air tight compartments all round
the interior of the periphery of the vessel, such compartments being connected or
seperate & used independently of each other when required, I also claim the
use of seperate air receivers of circular or other form, when the conditions are such
as to require them, or of accumulators to receive and also regulate the air-
pressure.
Fourthly, the arrangement and use of the chain wheel or pulley in combination
with the chain and weights one weight being permanent and the other movable,
by means of which the motion of the vessel in an upward or downward direction
is transmitted through the means of the gearing (shown in Fig 3) to the air
pumps.
Fifthly, The circular form and arrangement of ratchet and catch motion (shown
in Fig 3) for transmitting the motion of the chain wheel or pulley to the air
pump, I also reserve the right to use other forms of ratchet gear when found
necessary.
Sixthly the use of a single acting air pump or a number of air-pumps arranged
so as to more equally distribute the work or duty required.
Seventhly The use of engines to be worked by the compressed air from the air
compartments and receivers for driving electro-magnetic machines or for working
the windlasses in connection with the vessels cables.
Eighthly. The guide rollers and tubes used in directing and guiding the chain in
the centre of the vessel as shown at S Fig 3
Ninethly The transmission of the compressed air to the shore, or to other vessels
for general use through Elastic tubes.
Tenthly, The utilization of compressed air on board in the generation or produc-
tion of Electro-motive force, for transmission to the shore or to other vessels by

page_text: ineans of insulated Electric cables for Electric Lighting, Heating, chemical purposes,
or as a motive power.
Eleventhly, The use of my vessel as a Light Ship
Coast Guard Ship
Twelvethly,
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Thirteenthly,
Fourteenthly
Fifteenthly
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Signal Ship
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Fishing Guard Ship
Telegraph Station.
or ship, capable of being moored in deep water, & it could also be moored in
the Mid-Atlantic from which Telegraphic Messages could be transmitted to shore,
giving forecasts of the weather and other matters of meteorological importance,
connected with cyclonic and storm disturbances, for which purpose it could be
placed in any part of the sea or ocean.
When the vessel is placed say in a thousand fathoms of water, I propose to use steel
wire ropes as cables or hawsers for mooring with rings spliced into the cable at
convenient distances, and to each of these rings I attach a buoy or air tight vessel,
having buoyancy to sustain a relative portion of the dead weight of the cable as
shewn in Fig 5 and round one or more of such cables I wind an insulated wire for
the transmission of Telegraph messages to the shore.
In witness whereof I the said Charles William Harding have hereunto set my
band and seal this thirty first day of January in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness
WALTER GODFERY,
London Road Kings Lynn.
CHARLES W. HARDING. (L.S.)