IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR USING AIR AS A MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederick Cole and Ralph
George Acton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st July 1873.
We, FREDERICK COLE, of 24, Victoria Park Road, South Hackney,
and RALPH GEORGE ACTON, of No. 99, Thames Street, Greenwich, in
the County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR USING AIR AS A
MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows:―
This Invention has for its object to provide an arrangement of appa-
ratus by means of which.compressed air may be used as a motive power,
and so that on the engine or other apparatus used for actuating or
driving the machinery or apparatus to which it is applied being set
to work it may be enabled to supply itself with the required amount
of compressed air to keep it going, and to maintain that pressure
in the receiver, reservoir, or vessel provided for containing it whilst
at work.

page_text: may be varied to suit the required circumstances of the case:- -In
a suitably sized closed vessel or receiver of metal or other suitable
material of a sufficient strength to withstand the pressure to which
it is intended to be subjected, and of a square, cylindrical, or other
convenient or suitable form, we place one or more cylinders or barrels
provided with one or more pistons or plungers working therein, with
either a single or double action, and with a valve or valves so placed
as to admit the external air or atmosphere when the apparatus is at
work, and prevent its exit from the vessel or receiver after it has been
discharged therein from the cylinders or barrels.
The piston or plunger rod or rods is, are, or may be attached to a
rocking beam or lever keyed on or otherwise attached to a shaft placed
in a horizontal position, which is supported on suitable bearings; and to
one or both ends of this shaft a vertical rod or lever is attached, to
the lower end of which a weight is or may be applied or attached
so as to move with it, in order that the momentum of the same when
in motion may assist the working of the apparatus, and add to its
steadiness of motion, the rods and weights being actuated by the
engine, which is driven or moved by the compressed air supplied to
it in the manner usual in pressure engines from the closed vessel or
receiver in which such compressed air is contained.
The pistons or plungers are placed over the suction valves, and pass
the port of the delivery valve box at cach stroke, so as to take the
pressure off the suction valve and prevent any cushion of air remaining
in the cylinder or barrel, as little clearance being left between them and
the suction valves as possible.
The ports are formed with slanting openings, and closed with spindle
valves, an opening being provided in which the spindle of each works.
Where preferred other valves, arranged to act in a suitable manner,
may be employed.
Where the cylinders or barrels and working parts are placed within
the closed vessel or receiver the actuating shaft or spindle passes out
through an air-tight opening or openings, in order that it may be con-
nected with the actuating arrangement, and the length of stroke of the
pistons or plungers may be regulated by their position on the rocking
beam, or by the amount of oscillating action given to the actuating
lever.

page_text: The compressing cylinders or barrels may also be placed outside of
and connected with the closed vessel or receiver if desired.
The cylinders or barrels are placed in or connected with a vessel or
reservoir of water, in order that the heat generated by the compression
of the air may be absorbed thereby, and any inconvenience from the
heating of the apparatus be prevented. This vessel or reservoir may be
kept filled by the action of the engine, or any other convenient means,
as the heated water passes off from it.
The mode in which this arrangement of apparatus works is as follows:
-In order to get up the necessary pressure of air in the closed vessel
or receiver for working the engine or apparatus a detached air-com-
pressing pump or pumps may be employed which may be connected
with the closed vessel or receiver, by means of which the air may be
forced in until the required working pressure is obtained, when the
pump or pumps may be disconnected and the engine connected to the
compressing apparatus, which done the engine can be at once started.
In place of using a detached compressing pump the working pressure
may be obtained by disconnecting the engine from the compressing
apparatus, and causing the lever or levers to oscillate by hand or
other convenient or suitable means, until the required pressure in the
closed vessel or receiver has been obtained, when the engine may bo
connected and set to work; the motion then continues, and the lever
or levers is or are kept in full swing, and the closed vessel or receiver
kept supplied with compressed air at the required pressure for working
the engine or apparatus.