CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING ENGINES, AND AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER AND OF PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MCINTOSH, of the City of Glasgow, in Scotland, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventeenth day of May, in the seventh year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
McIntosh, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said John M°Intosh, iny exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John McIntosh, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in
the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her
said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING ENGINES, AND AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING
MOTIVE POWER AND OF PROPELLING VESSELS;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that I, the said John McIntosh, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manuer the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John McIntosh, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-

page_text: tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say) —
My Invention relates, first, to improvements in revolving engines to be
worked by steam or other suitable fluid; secondly, the Invention relates to an
improved method of producing power; and, thirdly, the Invention relates to
an mproved method of propelling vessels and for pumping fluids.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a plan of an engine constructed according to my
Invention Figure 2 is a side view thereof; Figure 3 shews a side section;
Figure 4 is an end view; and Figure 5 is a transverse section of the engine.
The engine consists of a circular wheel or cylinder a, a, which is affixed to the
axis b, the axis b turning in suitable bearings c, c, the axis b being hollow for
the passage of steam or other proper fluid for working the engine. The peri-
phery of the wheel or cylinder a, a, is hollow, and there is a flexible cover d,
fixed by means of hoops and screws e, e, the flexible cover being so arranged
that it can be pressed in close contact with the hollow periphery of the wheel
or cylinder a, a, so that no steam or fluid can pass between the surface of the
cylinder and the flexible cover d, at the point where such flexible cover is
pressed in contact with the cylinder. The material for forming the cover d may
be varied so long as it offers the requisite flexibility, and is steam or fluid tight
at the pressure it may be desired to work. I have employed for this purpose
strong canvas or sail cloth, prepared by pressing india-rubber into the inter-
stices, such india-rubber being mixed with plumbago; which pressing of india-
rubber mixed with plumbago into the canvas I have accomplished by means
of smooth rollers, the plumbago having been first mixed with the india-rubber.
The mixture of india-rubber is caused to be pressed on to the canvas as it is
caused to pass between the rollers, in like manner to what has heretofore been
practised when pressing india-rubber into the interstices of fabrics, and which
is well known. The object of using the plumbago is, that the canvas so pre-
pared may be coated with copper by galvanic means, by placing the prepared
canvas into a solution of copper, and, by electric currents, causing copper to
be deposited on the surface, as is well understood. The canvas thus prepared
I have found very suitable for the purpose of my Invention. The flexible
material used is fixed to the cylinder by means of the hoops and screws e, as
above explained, and one end of each cover d is fixed at the points g, g, across
the surface of the cylinder; hence, when steam or other suitable fluid passes

page_text: through the axis and through the hollow spokes h, h, and enters between the
surface of the cylinder a and the covers d, it will cause the covers to expand,
and the pressure thus produced being resisted by the roller stops i, i, the
cylinder or wheel a will be moved round in the direction of the arrows, and
the steam or fluid will escape and flow off at a tangent. When the ends of
the covers at j, j, have passed under the roller stops, and therefore so long as
there is steam or other fluid flowing through the axis and into the spaces
between the covers d, and the surface of the cylinder or wheel, there will be
a constant rotatory motion produced to the axis of the engine, which, by
suitable cog wheels or other well-known means, may be transmitted to machi-
nery, and in cases where the direction of the rotatory motion requires to be
reversed from time to time, then suitable means will be applied to the axis a
for that purpose, as is well understood. k is a steam pipe leading to a steam
boiler, in which there should be a proper throttle or other valve to shut off
and to regulate the supply of steam to the engine. i, i, are two rollers, each
being in three or more parts, turning freely on their axes, in order that the
different speeds at which the different parts are caused to revolve may not
injure the flexible material used. The roller stops i are capable of adjust-
ment so as to be set to press the flexible material d in close contact with the
cylinder or wheel a. I would remark that it will be evident that the same
effect would be produced if the flexible material were applied to the side of
the wheel or cylinder in place of being applied at the periphery, provided the
roller stops were formed suitably for such change of position. I have not
thought it necessary to shew the case which covers the engine, in order that
the steam may be conducted off by a suitable eduction pipe, so that the steam
flying off may not pervade the room where the engine is.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention, which
relates to a mode of producing motive power by the movement of men, in
order to propel a punt or pontoon, this part of the Invention being particularly
intended for the use of the army when crossing waters; and the Invention
consists of a means of producing motive power by the weight of the men
causing flexible pipes or passages to eject water at the stern of a punt or
pontoon. Figure 6 shews a back view of a punt or such like vessel made
suitable for carrying a number of men standing in rows, and at the bottom of
the vessel are applied several hollow flexible tubes fixed fore and aft the vessel,
there being a valve to each flexible tube opening inwards at the fore part of
the vessel, and another valve to each tube opening outward at the stern of the
vessels. The flexible tubes are made of strong canvas made waterproof with
india-rubber, or other flexible waterproof material may be employed. The

page_text: flexible pipes or tubes have each a plank m, affixed on the upper surface, and
the flexible tubes or pipes are so arranged and fixed in the vessel that there
shall be two pipes or tubes for each row of men, each man placing his right
foot on one pipe and his left foot on the other pipe; and when it is desired to
obtain the requisite power for moving the vessel, the men alternately cause
their weight to press by their right and left feet on the pipes, by which means,
when their weight is acting to express water from the pipe or tube m, which
is acted on by their right feet, the other pipe or tube will be relieved from
pressure, and will immediately fill with water; and so soon as the water is
expressed from the tube pressed on by the right feet, the men will cause their
weight to rest on their left feet, and thus relieve the right feet, and conse-
quently the pipe on which the right feet have been pressing, and the rush of
water thus forced out at the stern of the vessel, will offer a power which will
move forward the vessel.
n, n, are two
I will now proceed to describe the third part of my Invention, which
consists in using the elastic force of steam or other suitable fluid to press on
one side of a flexible partition in a suitable vessel, in order thereby to cause
the water contained in the vessel on the other side of the flexible partition to
be expressed from such vessel, and thus to propel a ship or vessel. Figure 7
is a side view of a vessel having suitable apparatus applied thereto, according
to this part of my Invention for propelling the same; Figure 8 is a plan of
the vessel; Figure 9 shews a longitudinal section of the apparatus employed
for propelling vessels, the parts being drawn on a larger scale, in order that
their working may be more readily understood; Figure 10 shews a plan of
the apparatus; and Figure 11 shews a transverse section thereof. This appa-
ratus is shewn properly arranged for being actuated by steam.
vessels fixed on either side of a ship or vessel, having inlet pipes o, o, for the
water to flow into the vessels n, and outlet pipes p, p, for the passage away
of the water, there being valves 2 to allow the water to flow into the vessels
n, n, through the pipes o, and other valves r, to allow the water to be driven
out through the pipes p; and in case it be desired that the boat or vessel
should be propelled either stem or stern first, then the valves are to be so
arranged that their action may be reversed from time to time as occasion may
require. s is a flexible waterproof partition of waterproof canvas or other
suitable material, having a rod t affixed to it, which passes through a stuffing
box, and by means of the tappets moves the lever v, and by it the slide valve
is moved, when the partition is moved to its lowest or highest position. u is
a valve box into which steam flows, and from it when the passage is open by
the valve into the vessel n, by which the flexible partition is depressed, which

page_text: drives off the water, and thus propels the boat or vessel; and when the flexible
partition is at its lowest position the valve will be reversed, and the steam
will escape at w, when the water will flow freely into the vessel n; and to
facilitate this I apply valves x, x, opening inwards as shewn. It will be
evident that if such apparatus be employed for pumping fluids, the induction
pipe would be conducted into the well or vessel containing the fluid, and the
eduction pipe conducted to the place where the fluid is to be delivered. I
would remark that although I believe the arrangement shewn to be the best
for the purpose, I do not confine myself thereto so long as flexible partitions
acted on by steam or other proper fluid be used to express water from suitable
chambers or apparatus be employed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for performing the same, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First, the mode of constructing revolving engines, by employing flexible
surfaces or covers, with suitable stops, as herein described.
Secondly, I claim the mode of obtaining motive power, by employing flexible
pipes or tubes suitably arranged for being pressed on by men, as herein
described.
And, thirdly, I claim the mode of propelling vessels and of pumping fluids,
by means of flexible partitions in suitable apparatus acted on by steam or other
suitable fluid, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John M'Intosh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.