DISTRIBUTING POWER TO MACHINE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Jordan Gatling, of Indianapolis,
Marion Co., Indiana, in the United States of America, Gen-.
tleman, for the Invention of " DISTRIBUTING POWER TO MACHINE
Sealed the 17th June 1853, and dated the 27th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Jordan
Gatling at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 27th April 1853.
J, RICHARD JORDAN GATLING, of Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana,
in the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "DISTRIBUTING POWER TO MACHINE
SHOPS, FACTORIES, AND OTHER PLACES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the employment, at some suitable station, of
a main engine of the required power, to operate an air pump or pumps
for the purpose of supplying power, through the medium of the air, to
secondary stationary engines.
The main engine may be a steam engine, gas engine, caloric engine,
or a water or wind wheel, or any known source of power; and the

page_text: secondary stationary engines may be of any known description. The
capacities of the main engine, air pump, reservoir for condensed air,
tubes for distributing, and of the secondary engines, are all to be deter-
mined by the necessities of each case of the application of the Invention.
The duty of the main engine may be to exhaust the air instead of
condensing it, but the operation upon the plenum principle is to be
preferred to the vacuum principle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said Richard Jordan Gatling in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 27th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD JORDAN GATLING,. of Indianopolis, Marian County, Indiana,
in the United States of America, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Richard Jordan Gatling, Her special
licence that I, the said Richard-Jordan Gatling, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Jordan
Gatling, my executors, administrators, and 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 "DISTRIBUTING POWER TO MACHINE SHOPS, FACTORIES, AND OTHER
PLACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard
Jordan Gatling, 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 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

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Jordan Gatling, do
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 thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists in the employment, at some suitable station,
of a main engine, of the required power, to operate an air pump or
pumps for the purpose of supplying power, through the medium of the
air, to secondary stationary engines. The main engine may be a steam
engine, gas engine, caloric engine, or a water or wind wheel, or any
known source of power; and the secondary stationary engines may be
of any known description. The capacities of the main engine, air
pump, reservoir for condensed air, tubes for distributing, and of the
secondary engines, are all to be determined by the necessities of each
case of the application of the Invention. The duty of the main engine
may be to exhaust the air instead of condensing it, but the operation
upon the plenum principle is to be preferred to the vacuum prin-
ciple.
The advantages of such mode of supplying and distributing power
will be found to be very great in certain localities.
The loss of power
from the packing of the air in pipes, as it is termed, or the friction of
air along the distributing pipes, may, in some instances, give the
preference to local & independent engines; but in others the Inven-
tion will be found valuable and economical. In certain neighbour-
hoods in large cities, where power of from one to five, ten, or more
horses are wanted, the difficulties and dangers attending the use of
steam engines, such as high rates of insurance, or refusal to insure,
expences of engineers, firemen, stowage for fuel, room for boilers and
furnaces, repairs, and expenses of various sorts, all combined, amount
to actual prohibition of their use. In many such cases the cost merely
of maintaining the power would be a small consideration, provided some
sufficient power could be introduced. With my Invention this can all
be beautifully accomplished. On account of room, there is but the
room necessary for the working parts of an engine of either a rotary
or reciprocating form. On the account of expenses, only one attendant,

page_text: a boy or girl to oil the machinery, is necessary. Repairs will be much
less frequent, and insurances had at the ordinary rates. There will be
no danger from fire or explosion, no consumption of power when not
at work, and the power will be always ready, night and day. In all
cases where power cannot be transmitted by shafting or belting, this
Invention will be of advantage. In some mining operations it will be
found to be of great service; and wherever it may be used it will have
several very important incidental advantages. It will serve to venti-
late apartments, and the air may be used for drying and various uses
after it escapes from the engine. In our large cities, where water is
supplied from one elevated source, it is not uncommon to let out certain
privileges of power, which are derived by tapping the "mains" and
allowing the water to operate upon water wheels of certain forms. In
.all such cases there must be provided some suitable outlet and escape
of the waste water; but in the case of the employment of air, there
will not only be no difficulty about the waste, but in most cases the air
may be serviceably employed; one way in particular in which the air
may be used is in the cooling of refrigerators, and in the artificial pro-
duction of ice. The condensed air having become, from its residence
and passage through the reservoirs and tubes, deprived of its latent
heat, will, upon its escape from the engines, exercise a great cooling
influence for the above and other purposes.
These engines being always ready for action, may be found very ser-
viceable in cases of fires; and there are many other advantages which
might be enumerated as recommending this Invention, but the above
may suffice.
One other, however, may be mentioned, viz., that in case
of immense water powers, such as at Niagara Falls, where it would be
difficult to establish factories or buildings along the river line, for various
reasons, and, among others, one that has operated at that locality, viz.,
the exposure in time of war to the shots of an enemy from the oppo-
site side, this Invention would be specially valuable.
In the Drawing: (a) represents a water wheel, operating a force pump
(b), which is connected by pipe (m), with the reservoir for condensed
air (C). The reservoir is furnished with a suitable safety valve (d).

page_text: From reservoir (C) proceeds the main distributing pipe (e). The secondary
engines (k,k,) are shown in their connection with the main pipes through
the receiving pipes (ff.) The escape pipe of one is shown at (i).
Refrigerators and coolers are shown also in connection with the exhaust
or escape pipes at (g, g.) I have represented only four engines, but of
course they may be increased to any extent, and a whole city may be
supplied with air for such purposes. In some cities, for instance, a city.
like Pittsburg Pa., it would be of immense consequense, for the
great number of furnaces for engines scattered throughout the city has
become a source of annoyance too well known by the residents and
travellers through that city, and one for the abatement of which they
would pay a liberal tax; and so of many others. The immense
deposits of coal dust, cinders, ashes, soot, &c., over houses, plants,
clothing, etc. would, upon my plan of operation, be all obviated, except
to such extent as the evil may arise from dwelling houses, which is
comparatively trifling.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim the use of
air under either plenum or vacuum pressure to operate engines; nor
do I claim any of the individual parts of engines, or of the apparatus
But what I claim
or machinery necessary to carry out my Invention.
as my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the method,
substantially as herein described, of distributing power to factories,
machine shops, etc.; the same consisting in the employment of a main
and stationary engine, or source of power, for the purpose of con-
densing air into reservoirs, and pipes for distributing the same to
secondary stationary engines, for the purpose herein set forth. I do
not found my claim upon any particular description of main engine
as a source of power, or any particular machine or driver, or reservoir,
or pipes, or of secondary engines; but I lay my claim to the plan or
method generally of distributing power, said plan consisting of the
principal features, viz., a main stationary engine, driver, or source of
power, air pump or pumps, reservoirs, distributing pipes, and secondary
stationary engines, substantially as herein set forth and combined. And

page_text: I also claim, in combination with such method of distributing power,
the application of the exhaust or escape air, for the purpose of artificial
refrigeration, substantially as herein set forth.
Witnesses,
RICHARD JORDAN GATLING. (L.S.)
CH. L. HEINKMANN.
CHAS. G. PAGE.