AN IMPROVED WIND- KILL, WHICH WHEN DIVESTED OF A PORTION OF ITS REGULATING PARTS CAN S' DARKLEED BE USED AS A WATERHEEL OR AS A SHIP'S PROPELLER
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Mahler, of San Francisco, California,
United States of America, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WIND-
KILL, WHICH WHEN DIVESTED OF A PORTION OF ITS REGULATING PARTS CAN
S' DARKLEED”
Sealed the 29th April 1870, and dated the 31st January 1870.
'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Mahler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st January 1870.
I, CHARLES MAHLER, of San Francisco, California, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED WINDHILL, WHICH WHEN DIVESTED OF A PORTION OF ITS REGULATING
PARTS CAN ALSO BE USED AS A WATER WHEEL OR AS A SHIP'S PROPELLER," to be
as follows:
My Invention relates to an improved windmill, which when divested
of a portion of its regulating parts may also be employed as a water
wheel for driving machinery or as a propellor wheel for vessels floating
in the water, and it consists in so constructing the vanes or sails which

page_text: catch the wind or engage with the water that they will feather or turn
so as to cut the wind or water when coming against it, but turn by
reason of the wind acting upon the opposite sail to a vertical position
as soon as they come opposite to the force of the wind, and thus aro
driven around the circle to feather again when the opposite sail catches
the wind. It also consists in a govenor or regulator, which is mounted
above the mill frame, so as to operate the devices for controlling the
speed of the wheel. In a suitable frame is a vertical shaft which
supports the mill and with which it revolves, stepping in a suitable
block between two posts and passing through a cross plate. Secured
upon the upper end of the upright shaft is a box, which may have its
sides entirely closed or a portion left open for adjusting any parts of
the machinery. Passing through the sides of this box at right angles
to each other are two shafts. These shafts extend a considerable
distance from the sides of the box on each side, and have secured upon
their opposite ends the vanes or sails, the two opposite vanes on each
shaft being placed at right angles to each other and firmly secured in
this position to the shaft. The vanes are secured upon the opposite ends
of the shafts or spindles in such a manner that the greatest width of
vane will be below the spindles, the upper sides being weighted so as
to balance them upon the shaft. Transverse slots serve to render the
vanes adjustable in order to vary the weight. Inside the box the
spindles have an elongated lug or projection, which serves to stop the
shaft when it turns to the proper position in feathering the vancs.
Secured to the sides of the box on each side of the spindles and with
their widest end uppermost are wedge-shaped blocks, having their
inclined sides facing the spindles. Another block of similar form is
placed with its narrow end uppermost so that both inclined surfaces
will lie in contact, the two blocks forming a square. The inclined
surfaces of these blocks are corrugated, so that when the lug on the
spindle strikes the second block the corrugations will lock the two
together and keep the first-mentioned block from slipping. A suitable
guard is arranged beneath the said sliding block to prevent its being dis-
placed. Extending upward from the top of the box is a spindle, to the
upper end of which are attached four arms of a governor, each pair
being connected with the moveable block of each vane shaft by means
of rods. These governors keep the wheel from running at too high a
speed should the wind blow very strong; by raising the blocks and thus
preventing the vane shafts from turning sufficiently to allow the wind

page_text: to strike the full face of the vane.
The wheel above described can also
be mounted vertically, in which case the governors would be dispensed
with, the vanes feathering automatically owing to their peculiar con-
struction. When used as a water wheel or propellor for vessels the.
wheel will be entirely submerged, the same action taking place in the
water as previously described in the case of a windmill.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Maller in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th May 1870:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
MAHLER, of San Francisco, California, United States of America, send
greeting...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors;
give and-grant unto me, the said Charles Mahler, Her special license
that I, the said Charles Mahler, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Mahler, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 Invention for "AN IMPROVED
WINDMILL, WHICH WHEN DIVESTED OF A PORTION OF ITS REGULATING PARTS CAN
ALSO BE USED AS A WATER WHEEL OR AS A SHIP'S PROPELLER," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Mahler, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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.
“NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Mahler, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in. what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
My Invention relates to an improved windmill, which when divested
of a portion of its regulating parts may also be employed as a water
wheel for driving machinery or as a propeller wheel for vessels floating
in the water; and it consists in so constructing the vanes or sails which'
catch the wind or engage with the water that they will feather or turn
so as to cut the wind or water when coming against it, but turn by
reason of the wind acting upon the opposite sail to a vertical position
as soon as they come opposite the force of the wind, and thus are driven
around the circle to feather again when the opposite sail catches the
wind. It also consists of a governor or regulator which is mounted
above the mill frame so as to operate the devices for controlling the
speed of the wheel.
In order to more fully illustrate and explain my Invention reference 1
is had to the accompanying Drawing forming a part of this Specification,
in which A, A, represent two vertical posts having the plate B extending
across and secured to the top of each, or any other suitable frame can
be used. C is the vertical shaft which supports the mill, and with
which it revolves, stepping in a suitable block D between the two ?
posts A, A, and passing through the cross plate B. Secured upon the
upper end of the upright shaft C is a box E which may have its sides
entirely closed or a portion left open, as shown, for adjusting any parts
of the machinery which may become disarranged. Passing through the
sides of this box at right angles to each other aro two shafts F. These
shafts extend a considerable distance from the sides of the box on each
side, and have secured upon their opposite ends the vanes or sails G,
the two opposite vanes on each shaft being placed at right angles to
each other, and firmly secured in this position to the shaft. The vanes
are secured upon the opposite ends of the shafts or spindles in such a
manner that the greatest width of vane will be below the spindles, the
upper sides being weighted so as to balance them upon the shaft. This
gives the wind a chance when it strikes the vanes squarely of causing
them to turn by acting upon the lower part where there is the greatest
leverage, thus feathering the opposite vane, so as to cause them to turn;
as soon as one side is relieved of the force of the wind and the other
meets it. Transverse slots a serve to render the vanes adjustable in
order to vary the weight. Inside the box the spindles have an elongated

page_text: "
"
lug or projection 6 formed on them, which serves to stop the revolution
of the shaft when it turns to the proper position in. feathering the vanes.
Secured to the sides of the box on each side of the spindles, and with
their widest end uppermost, are wedge-shaped, blocks: I having their.
inclined sides facing the spindles. A block J, similar in form, is placed
with its narrow end uppermost, so that both inclined surfaces will lie in
contact, the two blocks forming a square. The inclined surfaces of
these blocks are corrugated, as shown, in order that when the lug 6 on
the spindle strikes the block J the corrugations will lock the two together
and prevent the block I from slipping. A suitable guard d is arranged
beneath the sliding block I so as to prevent it from being displaced.
Extending upward from the top of the box is a spindle K, to the upper
end of which are attached four arms of a governor L, each pair being.
connected with the movable block J of each vane shaft by means of the
rods. These governors prevent the wheel from running at too high
a rate of speed should the wind blow very strong by raising the blocks J,
and thus preventing the vane shafts from turning-sufficiently-to-allow-
the wind to strike the full face of the vane. When in operation the
vanes as they come around against the wind: lic horizontally so as to
present no surface for it to act against, while the one on the opposite
end of the shaft stands vertically, receiving the full force of the wind
until the former comes to a position where it catches the wind, when on
account of the weight being on the under side of the shaft it will turn
until the projection 6 strikes the block J on the opposite side changing
the position of the two opposite vanes. This operation is continued as
long as the wind is steady, but should it increase to a gale the arms of
the governors will fly out and raise the block J, thus causing the vanes
to stand at an angle to the wind, in which position it has less power
against them, and consequently the speed is regulated.
The wheel above described can also be mounted vertically, in which
case the governors would be dispensed with, the vanes feathering
automatically owing to their peculiar construction.
When used as a water wheel or propeller for vessels the wheel will
be entirely submerged, the same action taking place in the water as
previously described in the case of a windmill.

page_text: First. Regulating the speed of the wheel by means of the two inclined
blocks I and J, whose inclined surfaces are corrugated as described, and
the lug or projection 6 on the shaft F in combination with the governor L,
substantially as herein specified.
b
Second. A wind or water wheel having its vanes or buckets G secured 5
to the shaft so as to balance upon the opposite sides of the shaft, but
leaving a greater width on the lower side, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Mahler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, A.D. 1
1869.
Witnesses,
JOHN L. BOONE,
BYRON JENNINGS.
CHARLES MAHLER. (L.S.)