NEW-INVENTED METHODS OF RAISING COALS, ORES, AND WATER
Year: 1786

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, ROBERT
CAMERON, of Green Dragon Wharf, Narrow Wall, in the Parish of Lambeth,
in the County of Surry, Engineer, sends greeting.
WHEREAS the King's most Excellent Majesty, by Letters Patent under
the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of
January, in the twenty-sixth year of His reign, gave and granted unto the
said Robert Cameron, his exors, admors, and assigns, His Majesty's special
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, for the said Robert Cameron,
his exors, admors, and assigns, and every of them, by himself or themselves,
or by his or their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such other as he,
the said Robert Cameron, his exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term of years therein expressed, to make, use, exercise, and vend
his "NEW-INVENTED METHODS OF RAISING COALS, ORES, AND WATER," within that
part of Great Britain called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, his exors, admors, and
assigns, or any of them, in his or their discretion, should seem meet, to have
and to hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges, and advan-
tages to the said Robert Cameron, his exors, admors, and assigns, for the term
of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent next and imme-
diately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute
in that case made and provided; in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that if the said Robert Cameron should not particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of his said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under his hand and seal,
and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within one calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advan-
tages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become
void, as by the said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that the said Robert Cameron, in pursuance of and
compliance with the said proviso in the said Letters Patent contained, and
the purport, true intent, and meaning thereof, and of His Majesty's said most
gracious intention, doth, by this Instrument in writing under his hand and seal
duly executed, particularly describe and ascertain the nature of his said Inven-
tions, and the manner in which the same are to be performed, in manner and
form following (that is to say) :-
:-
My new methods of raising coals from mines consists in certain pieces of
mechanism (hereafter described), in the application of the steam engine to
work these pieces of mechanism, and in the direct application of the steam
engine (without the intervention of a water wheel) to the raising of coals
from mines.
A GENERAL DESCRIPTION of the Pieces of Mechanism above mentioned, or the
Principles to which they may be referred or known by, are as follows:-
1st. The motions of the opposite extremeties of a moving wheel (considered
in the directions of the tangents to these extremeties) are opposite or contrary
to one another. Let there be a wheel continuing in motion in one direction,
and let there be two other wheels on another axis; if the first wheel be alter-
nately applied by its opposite extremeties to turn the two other wheels (on the
same side of their axis), it will move them, and the axis on which they are
fixed, first in one direction, and then in the contrary; or if the axis on which
the two wheels are placed or fixed be moved with a continuing motion, and
the wheels upon this axis be alternately applied to turn the single wheel by
its opposite extremeties (the axis of the two wheels remaining in both cases
on the same side of the single wheel), this wheel, with the axis on which it is
fixed will be moved thereby, first in one direction, and then in the other
contrary.
2d. If a number of wheels work into one another in a train, the first and third
wheel move in one direction round their axis, whereas the first and second
move in contrary directions; the second and fourth move in one direction
round their axis, whereas the second and third move in contrary directions;

page_text: so the first, third, fifth, &c. wheels, with the axis's on which they are fixed,
move in one direction round their axis, whilst the second, fourth, sixth, &c.
move likewise in one direction, but contrary to the others. Let there be
another wheel, into which the first, third, fifth, &c. wheels, or either of them,
may be applied, and into which likewise the second, fourth, sixth, &c. or
either of them, may be applied. If the first, third, fifth, &c. wheels of the
train be applied into this wheel, it will be moved in one direction round its
axis; and if the second, fourth, &c. or either of them, be applied into it (whilst
the others are disengaged), it will be turned in the contrary direction round
its axis.
In the above principle the axis, or one of the axis's, continuing in motion
in one direction, is supposed to be moved by the steam engine. I likewise apply
the above pieces of machinery to the raising of ores and water; in raising of
water, by joining proper vessels to the ropes, which may be used to advantage
in shallow mines, and in those mines the corrosive qualities of whose waters
destroy their pumps. In the raising of coals, I likewise cause the steam
engine to turn the axis, or the wheel and axis with which it is immediately
connected, first in the one direction round its axis, and then on the contrary,
and by that means cause the ropes in the pit alternately to raise or fall.
This is done in the reciprocating steam engine by stopping the crank or other
piece of mechanism in such a position as the engine will be equally disposed
to turn it in either direction round the axis, or in such a place in the revolu-
tion as may be convenient for changing the direction of the circular motion;
or, in the circular steam engine, by applying the steam and vacuum alternately
on the different sides of the piston, and by that means pressing the piston
first in one direction round the axis, and then in the contrary.
The general principles of my new methods of raising coals, ores, and waters
herein-above mentioned, are more particularly described in the Drawings
annexed.
In Figure 1st. If the wheel A, A, with the axis B, C, move with a con-
tinuing motion, and the wheel A, A, be alternately applied, by its opposite
extremeties, to turn the wheels E and F, it will move them, and the axis
G, H, on which they are fixed, first in one direction round the axis, and then
in the contrary. The wheel A, A, and its axis B, C, are moved by the steam
engine, and on the axis G, H, is fixed a drum wheel, with ropes coiled round
it, which alternately rise and fall in the pitt by the motion of the drum wheel.
This is more particularly described in Figure 5th.
In Figure 2d, the axis A, A, on which the two wheels B, C, are placed, is
moved with a continuing motion, and the wheels B, C, are alternately applied
to turn the wheel D, D, by its opposite extremeties, by which means the wheel

page_text: D, D, is moved, first in one direction and then in the other. The teeth of
the wheels B, C, are continually engaged in the teeth of the wheel D, D. The
wheels B, C, are loose or at liberty to turn on the axis A, A, like a carriage
wheel upon its axis, and are alternately locked to the axis by means of the
bolt or locker E, so as to be carried round by the axis, and turn the wheel
D, D, when locked, but when unlocked the axis is at liberty to move through
that wheel which is unlocked without causing it to act on the wheel D, D. The
bolt or locker E is so fitted to the axis as to be carried round with it in the
direction of its motion, and yet to be easily moved in the direction of the
length of the axis, so as to be engaged in either wheel or freed from both.
In Figure 3d, the axis A, A, on which the pulleys B, C, are placed, is
moved with a continuing motion. The pulleys B, C, are alternately unlocked and
locked to the axis A, A, as in Figure 2d, by which means either of them may
be carried round with the axis, or the axis may move without either of them.
Round the pullies B, C, are put two ropes, bands, chains, or other means of
communicating motion to the wheel D, D, and axis E, E. The rope which
goes from one pulley to the wheel is crossed between the two, and is to pass
from the top of the pulley to the bottom of the wheel, and from the top of
the wheel to the bottom of the pulley, whilst the other rope
other pulley, and the wheel D, D, without being crossed.
when the one pulley is locked to the axis, the wheel D, D, is turned in one
direction round its axis, and when the other pulley is locked to the axis, the
wheel D, D, and drum wheel on the same axis is turned in the contrary
direction round the axis.
goes round the
By these means
The above first examples are according to the first principle laid down.
Figure 4th is an example according to the second principle, where A, A,
represents the axis worked by the steam engine, on which are fixed the wheels
B, C. The wheel B works the wheel D, fixed on the axis E, E, on which
axis is likewise fixed the wheel F. The wheels B and D being the first and
second wheels in the train move in opposite directions round their axis, and
the wheels C and F being fixed on the axis A, A, E, E, move in the same
directions with the wheels B and D. G is another wheel, which the wheels C
and F are alternately applied to turn, by which means the wheel G is turned first
in one direction round its axis and then in the contrary. Upon the axis H of
the wheel G is fixed a drum wheel, with ropes so coiled upon it as that whilst
the one ascends the other descends, similar to what is more particularly
represented in Figure 5th.
Figure 5th is another example according to the 2d principle. A represents
the end of the axis and wheel upon it first put in motion by the engine.
B, C, two wheels working with the first, A, in a train. D, D, is another wheel

page_text: into which the wheels B, C, being second and third in the train, may be
alternately applied, so that the wheel D, D, is turned thereby, first in one
direction round its axis, and then in the contrary. On the axis of the wheel
D, D, is fixed a drum wheel E, E, with ropes F, G, so coiled round it, and
going over the pullies H, placed above the pit I, as that, when the rope
ascends in the pit, the other descends. To the ends of the ropes are fixed
proper vessels K, in which the coals, &c. are raised. The wheels B and C are
engaged into and disengaged from the wheel D, D, by being fixed in a frame
L, L, L, moveable about an axis M. When the axis of the wheels B, C, lie
axis A and M, the wheels B and C
When either wheel is to be engaged,
in the straight line drawn through the
are both engaged from the wheel D, D.
the end of the frame L, L, L, upon which the axis of that wheel rests is
elevated to a proper height, and the other end is in consequence depressed.
To prevent any accident from the wheels continuing to act upon the wheel
D, D, after the basket has been raised to the top of the pit, it acts upon the
crooked leaver N, N, and by means of the rod O, joined to the arm P, turns
the piece Q, Q, round its axis R, which, acting on the frame L, L, disengages
the wheels B, C, from the teeth of the wheel D, D, at the same time the
brake S, S, is made to clip the brake wheel T, T, by means of the leaver and
weight W, W, so as to prevent the load in vessel K from descending again
into the pit and for the conveniency of unloading it; the brake is then taken
off the brake wheel, and the drum wheel put in motion in the contrary direc-
tion by engaging the proper wheel of the train into the wheel D, D, and in
this manner the operation continues. In the raising of water, the vessels K
are made proper for the purpose, and may be made to empty themselves at
the same time that the train of wheels are disengaged from the wheel D, D.
The above descriptions are sufficient to shew how to put in practice the
direct application of the steam engine to the raising of coals, and likewise to
explain the pieces of mechanism worked by the steam engine, which I apply
in general to the raising of coals, ores, and water.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Cameron, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year
of our
Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty-six.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1786, the aforesaid Robert Cameron came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to
the tenor of the Statutes made for that purpose.