IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING OR RAREFYING AIR OR OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS
Year: 1853

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 COMPRESSING OR RAREFYING AIR OR OTHER ELASTIC
FLUIDS." A communication from Germain Sommeiller, of Turin,
Engineer..
Sealed the 30th November 1858, and dated the 7th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry John-
son at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th October 1853.
1; 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 COMPRESSING OR RAREFYING AIR OR OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS,"
being a communication from Germain Sommeiller, of Turin, Engineer,
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved. mode of compressing air or

page_text: any other elastic fluid, either for rarefying it or for producing a vacuum,
by the direct action of water used as a motive power without the usual
mechanical parts, such as pistons, cylinders, pump barrels, wheels, rods,
beams, &c. The apparatus consists of a long bent tube similar to a
syphon with the orifices upwards. To the upper extremity of the short
leg of this tube is connected a pipe leading from a suitable reservoir
or fall of water. This pipe is fitted with a sluice valve, and contains
also a valve for closing the communication with the descending short
leg of the bent tube. Another valve is also fitted near the same level
to the ascending long leg of the same tube, and these two valves are
connected by a small vibrating lever, so that as one is closed the other
will be simultaneously opened. They may be actuated either by hand
or by any suitable self-acting mechanical arrangement. The top of the
ascending tube is fitted with a chamber and clack valve opening
upwards. Into this chamber is fitted the pipe for conveying the
compressed air to the receiver, or if the apparatus is to be employed
merely for the production of a vacuum the air may be allowed to
escape. A second pipe opens into the upper end of the bent pipe,
but beneath the chamber before mentioned. This pipe is fitted with
a valve opening into the bent pipe, and communicates with the
vessel to be exhausted if the apparatus is required to exhaust.
On admitting the water with a head pressure into the mouth of the
descending pipe it ascends the longer leg, and compressing the air
above it passes through the clack valve and down the pipe into the
receiver. The inlet valve is then closed, shutting off the water supply,
and at the same time opening the outlet and valve in the longer leg,
thereby allowing the water contained within it to run off. As the level
falls, the air rushes in through the side valve, and is afterwards expelled
by the subsequent rising again of the water produced by reversing the
position of the valves.

page_text: 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 7th April 1854.
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.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, hearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Efer special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as T, the said John Henry John-
son, ny executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING OR RAREFYING
AIR OR OTHER ELASTIC FLUIDS," a communication from Germain Som-.
meiller, of Turin, Engineer, upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Henry Johnson, dò
hereby declare the nature of the 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 accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
The said Invention relates to an improved mode of compressing air.

page_text: or any other elastic fluid, either for rarefying it or for producing a
vacuum, by the direct action of water used as a motive power without
the usual mechanical parts, such as pistons, cylinders, pump barrels,
wheels, rods, beams, &c. The apparatus consists of a long bent tube
similar to a syphon, with the orifices upwards. To the upper extremity
of the short leg of this tube is connected a pipe leading from a suitable
reservoir or fall of water. This pipe is fitted with a sluice valve, and
contains also a valve for closing the communication with the descending
short leg of the bent tube. Another valve is also fitted near the same
level to the ascending long leg of the same tube, and these two valves
are connected by a small vibrating lever, so that as one is closed the
other will be simultaneously opened. They may be actuated either
by hand or by any suitable self-acting mechanical arrangement. The
top of the ascending tube is fitted with a chamber and clack valve
opening upwards. Into this chamber is fitted the pipe for conveying
the compressed air to the receiver, or if the apparatus is to be employed
merely for the production of a vacuum the air may be allowed to
escape. A second pipe opens. into the upper end of the bent pipe, but
beneath the chamber before mentioned. This pipe is fitted with a valve
opening into the bent pipe, and communicates with the vessel to be
exhausted if the apparatus is required to exhaust. On admitting the
water with a head pressure into the mouth of the descending pipe it
ascends the longer leg, and compressing the air above it passes through
the clack valve and down the pipe into the receiver. The inlet valve
is then closed, shutting off the water supply, and at the same time
opening the outlet valve in the longer leg, thereby allowing the water
contained within it to run off: As the level falls, the air rushes in
through the side valve, and is afterwards expelled by the subsequent
rising. again of the water produced by reversing the position of the
valves..
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is represented a vertical
section of the. apparatus. A, B, represents a bent pipe or inverted
syphon, to the upper-end of the short leg of which is connected
the supply pipe B', which leads to a reservoir of water for giving a
suitable head pressure. This pipe is fitted with a sluice valve C, which
:

page_text: is actuated by the screw spindle D, and hand wheel E. By this valvé
the supply of water may be entirely cut off from the apparatus, which
will then cease working. A second valve F,"sliding within the
chamber G, is for the purpose of cutting off the. supply at intervals
from the short leg A: Another slide valve. H, is fitted to a chamber oii
the side of the long leg B, at about the same elevation with the slide
valve F. This third valve communicates with an escape pipe, and
allows the water contained. in the upper portion of the leg B; to flow
off periodically through the aperture 1. The vessel to be exhausted is
shewn at J. It is connected with the top of the leg B, by means of the
pipe K, which is fitted with a valve at L, opening outwards into tlie leg B:
At the top of the leg B, is fitted a dome or chamber. M, the bottom of
which consists of a perforated plate and valve N, opening upwards:
A vertical pipe O, opens into the side of this chamber, and connects it
with the vessel P, into which the air is to be compressed. The action
of this apparatus is as follows:-The 'valve C, being opened, and the
slide valve F, elevated, thereby closing the valve H; a rush of water
will take place down the leg A, and up the long leg B, of the syphon,
compressing the air contained in the upper portion thereof, and forcing
it through the valve N, into the chamber M, whence it passes down the
pipe O, into the vessel P. The position of the valves F, and H, is then
reversed by means of the handle Q, and vibrating lever R, by which
means the supply is cut off from the syphon, and the water contained
above the level of the aperture I, which is now opened, is allowed to
flow off. On the descent of the water in the pipe B, its place iš
supplied by the air from the vessel J, which enters through the side
valve L, the valve N, being closed by the compressed air above it.
The valve F is now opened, and the valve H closed, when another
charge of water is allowed to enter the syphon, at the same time forcing
the air out through the valve N into the vessel P. In this way the
operation is continued by simply working the two valves F, and H,
which may be effected either by hand or by self-acting mechanism. The
vessel or pipe J may be in connection with the tube of an atmospheric
railway or any vessel to be exhausted, or it may contain gases requiring
to be condensed or compressed into the vessel P, which may, if desired,

page_text: be connected directly with the supply pipe B' by the pipe P'. fitted
with a cock P". Should the apparatus be required only for exhaust-
ing, the vessel P will be dispensed with, and the air will be forced out
into the atmosphere. Or if it is merely employed for compressing air,
the vessel J will be dispensed with, and the air allowed to enter the
upper end of the tube B direct, when it is compressed into the vessel P,
as before described. The apparatus will be obviously applicable to the
ventilation of mines or large buildings generally.
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 there-
from 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,-
The system or mode herein-before described of exhausting or com-
pressing air or other clastic fluids.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of April, Que
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.