IMPROVE- MENTS IN EXHAUSTING AIR FROM TUBES OR VESSELS FOR THE PURPOSE OF WORKING ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAYS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SYKES WARD, of Leeds, in the County of York, 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 Twenty-fifth day of June, in the ninth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Sykes Ward, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William Sykes Ward,
my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said William Sykes
Ward, 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 therein
years
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
and Her Majesty's Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
and also within the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, Man, and all
Her Majesty's Colonics and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EXHAUSTING AIR FROM TUBES OR VESSELS FOR THE PURPOSE OF WORKING
ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAYS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso requiring that I, the said William Sykes Ward,
shall particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an Instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the now-

page_text: reciting 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
William Sykes Ward, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, refer-
ence being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
One part of my improvements relates to the arranging and working of the
valves of air pumps for the purpose of exhausting the air from the traction
tubes of atmospheric railways, and also for the purpose of exhausting air from
any vessels or tubes upon a large scale. I will here remark, that in using air
pumps as hitherto practised for working atmospheric railways power is lost in
opening the inlet and outlet valves by the action of the air entering into and
expelled from the cylinder of the pump; and the violence with which such
valves close is objectionable. Mechanical contrivances or systems of gearing
have been used to work the valves of air pumps, yet the methods hitherto
employed or suggested for working the outlet valves of such air pumps are
either very complicated, or would fail in opening such outlet valves at the
proper period of the stroke of the pump. My method of constructing air
pumps is such that the power required for opening and shutting the valves is
supplied by gearing or mechanical movements from the engine or other source
of power by which the air pump is actuated so that the inlet valves are
opened and shut alternately, almost immediately after the commencement of
the stroke of the piston of the pump, and the outlet valves are respectively
closed or pushed home at the end or conclusion of the stroke of the piston;
the gearing afterwards releases the valve, which is retained on its seat by the
pressure of the external air until the air within the cylinder of the pump
becomes nearly of the same density as the external air, when the valve (if the
lower outlet) falls by its own weight, or (if the upper outlet) is raised by a
counterpoise of greater weight than the valve, or by a spring, thus moving
rather in advance or as though in anticipation of the current of expelled air, and
affording a free passage for it. And in order that this part of my Invention
may be fully understood I refer to the annexed Drawing or Sheet No. 1, though
many different modifications of apparatus and machinery may be used to effect
the like purpose, in which Drawing, A, A, represents the cylinder of the pump;
B, the piston; C, the piston rod; D, D, D, pipes communicating between the
main or vessel to be exhausted and the upper inlet valve box E, and the lower
inlet valve box F; G represents the upper inlet valve; and H the lower inlet

page_text: valve, which valves G and H are attached to the rods I and I at V and V, by
joints allowing a slight motion, so that the valves may the better close on their
respective seats. The rods I and I move air tight in stuffing boxes K and K,
and are moved or worked in suitable guides by levers L, L, furnished with
suitable joints, and connected by the rod T, T, part of which only is shewn with
a suitable excentric movement, but for which I prefer one of the excentrics
herein-after more particularly described or mentioned, but which is not shewn
on the Drawing now referred to. M represents the upper outlet valve, and
N the lower outlet valve, respectively attached to the rods O and O, moving in
suitable guides, and which valves M and N may be respectively closed by the
levers P and P, suitably fixed, and acting upon the studs or tappets Q and Q
so as to close the valves M and N alternately, but not to open them. The
upper valve M is counterpoised and somewhat over-weighted by the lever R, R.,
and the weight S. The lower valve N opens by its own gravity when not
closed by the lower lever P, or supported by the pressure of the atmosphere
against a partial vacuum in the lower part of the cylinder A, A. The levers
P and P are connected with an excentric by the rod W, part of which only is
shewn.
The better to describe the operation or mode of action of the before-described
air pump, it must be supposed that the pump has already exhausted the main
or vessel connected therewith to half vacuum, and is making the down stroke,
the air from the main therefore enters at the upper valve, which was opened
by the lever L immediately after the commencement of the down stroke, and
the lower valve H was closed at the same time. The upper outlet valve M
was closed simultaneously with the conclusion of the ascending stroke, and
remains closed during the down stroke, and at the same time the end Pa of
the lower lever P released the stud or tappet Q, leaving the lower valve N at
liberty to open by its gravity; but the air in the cylinder of the pump having
had at the commencement of the stroke only half the density of the external
air, the valve N will have been supported until the piston descended to about
the middle of the stroke; the gravity of the valve N will then overcome the
cohesion of its surface and of the valve seat, and open, leaving a free passage
for the air to be expelled from the bottom of the cylinder. When the piston
approaches the bottom of the cylinder the valve N will begin to be raised by
the lower lever P, the motion of the piston, from its connexion with the crank
of the engine actuating or driving it, will have become slower, so that the
aperture will nevertheless be adequate for the expulsion of the air, but, at the
turn of the stroke, the last-mentioned lever P will close the valve N quietly,
so as to avoid any detrimental concussion consequent on the change of the

page_text: stroke. The upper inlet valve G will be closed, and the lower inlet valve H
will be opened. The upper outlet valve M will be left free, but, as before
explained, will remain closed until the density of the air above and below it are
nearly equal, when it will be raised by the counterpoise or weight S. I have,
for the sake of greater perspicuity, in drawing and description described the
pump as only having one inlet and one outlet valve at each end, but I prefer
that instead of each of the valves before described more shall be used; for
example, three inlet and three outlet valves in the top of the cylinder, and
three inlet and three outlet valves in the bottom of the cylinder.
Another part of my improvements consists in the combination of large
vessels or reservoirs with air pumps, so that such vessels, having been previously
exhausted, shall assist the pumps in the exhaustion of the traction tube, and
that the steam engine or other motive power used to actuate the pumps may
be of much less power than would be required if unassisted by the reservoirs,
or that the traction tube may be exhausted with much greater rapidity than by
the methods which have hitherto been used. With respect to this second
part of my improvements, I will remark that reservoirs previously exhausted
have been used in working experimental models of atmospheric railways, and
have also been proposed as advantageous for the actual working of atmospheric
railways; but such reservoirs were or are intended to be put into immediate
communication with the traction tubes, by doing which considerable power is
lost, as much more power is required to exhaust the residual than the first
portions of air from any vessel; and such reservoirs would require to be
exhausted to a much higher degree of rarefaction than would be by them
produced in the traction tube, and the air from the mains, which might other-
wise be exhausted by a comparatively small power, would take the place of the
portion of the air which had been exhausted from the reservoir by a very
great expenditure of power. I combine pumps with reservoirs, so that one of
the pumps which may have been used in exhausting the reservoirs may, by a
slight change of its communications with the reservoirs, be employed as an
air engine, in order that the power exerted by the air passing from the traction
tubes to the reservoirs may be made effective in assisting the steam engine
or other motive power in working another pump, and also that when the
air in any of the reservoirs becomes of greater density than the air in the
traction tube, the air may be pumped from the traction tube into such reservoir
with much less expenditure of power than in pumping from the traction tube
into the atmosphere.
I do not mean to confine myself to any precise or specific combination of
apparatus to effect the before-expressed purpose, inasmuch as my improve-

page_text: ments may be differently combined and applied, according to the rapidity or
rate of exhaustion required, and are applicable to any kind of vacuum reser-
voirs, whether exhausted by air pumps, by the withdrawing of water, or by
the condensation of steam. The manner in which I prefer to carry such
purpose into effect is as follows:-I construct large vessels or reservoirs of
suitable materials. Such reservoirs or vessels may be of strong boiler plate;
but for the sake of economy in construction I prefer building the reservoirs
of brick or masonry, in a hemispherical shape, arched or vanlted, and supported
internally with suitable arches and pillars. I then cover the external surface
of such reservoir with thin sheets of iron, ziuc, or lead, well rivetted and
cemented or soldered together, so that the masonry may render the structure
sufficiently strong, and the sheet metal may render it air-tight. Although the
size and number of such reservoirs may be considerably varied, I prefer having
three reservoirs, cach of the like internal cubic capacity as the traction tube
and connecting main which such set of reservoirs is intended to assist in
exhausting; and although two such reservoirs will generally be found sufficient,
yet I consider it more advisable to have three, in case of emergency or
unexpected leakage of the traction tube. I exhaust the before-described
reservoirs by means of such air pump as is partly delineated in Drawing, Sheet
No. II., in which many immaterial parts are omitted to be drawn, for the
sake of facility in delineation and description, and which pump I work by a
steam engine connected with it in manner shewn in Sheets No. IV. and No. V.
A, A, represents the cylinder of the pump, which, as regards the now-describing
apparatus, must be of such dimensions as to be capable of restoring the
exhaustion of the reservoirs in the interval between the running of the trains
on the section of railroad it is required to work; and the steam engine by which
such pump is actuated is to be of such power as to work the pump, and
restore such exhaustion of the reservoirs with facility, in the before-stated
period. B, represents the piston; C, the piston rod; D, D, pipes leading to
the air-tight boxes E and E covering the inlet valves F and F, which valves are
moved by rods G, G, connected by pins H, H, with the said inlet valves; the
rods G, G, are moveable in their respective air-tight stuffing boxes I, I, and
are moved by the combination of levers K, K, and K, K, attached to the rods
G, G, at L and L, and moving on centres or joints fixed to the top of the
valve boxes or other firm support at M, M; such system of levers and valve
rods are actuated by the bars N, N, and the lever O connected to an excentric
as herein-after described, or other suitable movement. The pipes P, P, lead to
air-tight boxes E 2, and E 2, covering the outlet valves F 2, and F 2,
moving in suitable guides (not shewn in the Drawing), and to which the rods

page_text: G 2, and G 2, are adapted so as to close such outlet valves, but not to open them.
The rods G 2 and G 2 move in the air-tight stuffing boxes I 2 and I 2,
and are respectively moved by the levers K 2, K 2, and K 2, K 2, the set
belonging to the upper outlet valve being actuated by the rod R and the
lever S, S, and the set belonging to the lower outlet valve being actuated
by the rod T and the lever U, U, and which levers S, S, and U, U, are moved
at the proper period of the stroke of the piston by the excentric, as herein-after
described, or other suitable movements. W represents a counterpoise or
weight for raising the upper outlet valve.
Although, for the sake of facility of description, I have only drawn and described
four valves in the pump, yet I prefer that twelve valves should be used;
namely, three inlet and three outlet valves in the top of the cylinder, and three
inlet and three outlet valves in the bottom of the cylinder, each of such valves
having apparatus communicating such movement as herein described. The
upper outlet valves are to be counterpoised by weights or springs as herein-
before described with regard to the pump herein-before firstly described; but
as in the pump now under description the outlet valves work within air-tight
boxes, the counterpoises or springs for such upper outlet valves are to be placed
within such boxes, or so as to communicate with such valves through air-tight
stuffing boxes. I prefer working the inlet and outlet valves by the movement
by extension which is produced at the end of two levers when moved at the
centre, because a very powerful and at the same time accurate movement is
given to the valve, which valve is also retained or locked upon its seat until
the movement is reversed, and this without any material strain upon the con-
necting rods and excentric movement. I also prefer that the gearing of the
valves be worked very promptly, and that after the valves are respectively
opened or shut the motion should remain what is termed dead until the motion
is required to be reversed, and I effect this by a plate of metal out of which is cut
a space described by the intersection of two circles, as shewn in Figure 1, Sheet
No. III., which is used for the inlet valves, which may all be moved by one
excentric being opened and shut at equal intervals, that is, shortly after the
change of the stroke of the piston. Figure 2 shews the form of the plate for
moving the gearing of the upper outlet valves, and Figure 3 that for the lower
outlet valves. In Figures 4, 5, and 6, the excentrics are represented in their
places on their driving shaft, and are referred to by the like letters and figures; A
representing the driving shaft; B1, B2, and B 3, pulleys or friction rollers
working on centres attached to the pieces C, C, and C, which are bolted or
screwed to the driving shaft; D 1, D2, and D 8, are the three plates represented
separately in Figures 1, 2, and 3; E, E, and E, are pulleys or friction rollers

page_text: acting as guides to their respective plates. The distance from the acting circum-
ference of the rollers B to the centre of the driving shaft must be made
equivalent to the semi-diameter of the circle by which the spaces in the plates
D are set out. Therefore, when the driving shaft carries round the rollers B,
as long as each travels in the segment of the circle corresponding to it, the plate
remains at rest, but when the roller arrives at the other segment the plate is
moved until such segment corresponds with the arc described by the pulley,
which then moves on, leaving the plate at rest until the pulley arrives at the
other segment, the quantity of motion given by the excentric being that between
the centres of the two arcs of the respective openings in the plates D 1, D2,
and D 3. With the plate, Figure 1, the motions are at equal intervals, but
with the plates Figures 2 and 3, in which the arcs of circles are of unequal
lengths, the alternate motions are in unequal times.
The operation of the pump delineated in Sheet No. II. is two fold:-first,
when the inlet pipes D, D, are in communication with a vessel or reservoir to
be exhausted, and the pipes P, P, in communication with the atmosphere, the
operation is similar to that of the pump delineated in sheet No. I, and herein-
before particularly described, and to the description of which I therefore refer;
and, secondly, when the pipes D, D, are put in communication with the traction
tube to be exhausted, and the pipes P, P, in communication with the reservoir
previously exhausted, the air from the traction tube cannot pass through the
lower inlet valve F, which is held shut by its rod G and levers K, K, but will
enter into the upper part of the cylinder A, A, by the upper inlet valve F,
which is represented open. The air from the upper part of the cylinder cannot
open the upper outlet valve F 2, which is held down by the rod G 2 and the
levers K 2, K 2; but the lower outlet valve being open, the lower part of the
cylinder will be exhausted to the same degree as the reservoir; therefore the air
from the traction tube pressing upon the piston will cause it to descend, thus
developing considerable power in aid of that of the steam engine with which the
pump is connected. When the piston descends to the bottom of the pump
cylinder, the lower outlet valve is shut by the gearing, the stroke of the ] pump is
then changed, the power to pass the centre being supplied by the fly wheel or by
the steam engine; the upper inlet valve is immediately afterwards shut, and the
lower inlet valve opened simultaneously; the upper outlet valve is then released,
the air from the main enters by the lower inlet valve, and the air from the
upper part of the cylinder passes into the reservoir, and another stroke of the
pump is made, and so on, the pump acting in aid of the engine until the air in
the reservoir becomes nearly of the same density as that in the traction tube,
after which the pump will require power from the engine, but will require less

page_text: power from it in pumping from the traction tube into the reservoir than into
the air by so much as the air in the reservoir is less dense than the atmosphere.
It must also be observed that in order that the air from the traction tube may
not at any part of the stroke of the pump be enabled to enter the inlet valve
and pass out of the outlet valve at the same end of the cylinder without
actuating the piston, the gearing of the outlet valves must be moved at different
times as regards each other, and also as regards the inlet valves, which will be
found to be effected by the excentrics delineated in Figures 2 and 3 in Sheet
No. III., the longer are in which must be set so as to correspond with the time
during which its respective outlet valve must be kept closed, and the shorter
segment with the time such outlet valvo may be permitted to open. In
order to make the power given out by the lastly-described pump more fully
available, I combine it with one or more other pumps, so that during the
exhaustion of the traction tube pumps of a larger capacity may be worked than
the power of the steam engine or other motive power employed would suffice,
for one of such combinations is shewn in Sheets No. IV. and No. V., of which
Sheets No. IV. is a partial clevation, and Sheet No. V. a ground plan, the
letters and figures upon which indicate similar parts so far as the like parts are
delineated in each plan. A represents an air-pump constructed as lastly herein-
before described, and of such size as to be worked with facility by the steam
engine, the cylinder of which is shewn at C. B is another air pump
of similar construction to A. The pump B should be so much larger than
A that A and B shall together be sufficient to produce the required
exhaustion of the traction tube according to the speed desired to be given to a
train, or the rate at which it is desired to exhaust the traction tube. D, D,
represents the main shaft of the engine, of which D 2 is a combination
capable of being put into connexion with it by the clutch E, and also of being
disconnected whilst the engine is in motion. F is the fly wheel. G, the crank
working the pump. A, H, the crank working the pump B. I and I 2 are
the pipes in connection with the inlet vales of the pumps. K, a pipe leading
from the inlet pipe I of the pump A to the under part of the double way
cock L, and communicating either with pipe M or the pipe P, as may be
required. The double way cocks L and S are similar to the four way cocks
Q and R, which are represented in elevation on the upper part of Sheet
No. V., and are constructed with hollow plugs or stoppers open at the bottom,
and having an aperture at one side of the plug, that, a large air way may be
given with a moderate sized cock. The upper parts of the cocks are rendered
practically air-tight by stuffing boxes. A rod adjustable by a screw passes
air-tight through the plug of each cock, so that by bearing upon a plate at the

page_text: bottom of the cock, and supporting the greater part at the weight of the plug
or stopper, the latter may be turned by a moderate power applied by the
engine driver at the capstan formed top, or by other suitable means. By the
cocks Q and R a communication may be made between the pipe entering the
bottom of the cock and any one of the four ways. M, M, is a pipe in con-
nexion with the main or traction tube. N is a pipe leading from the pipe O,
in connection with the outlet valves of the pump A, to the under part of the
double way cock S, and so communicating cither with the pipe P or the
atmosphere through the aperture V. P is a pipe leading from the cocks L
and S to the lower part of cock Q. T 1 and T 1 are pipes leading from the
first of the three reservoirs herein-before mentioned to cock Q and also to
cock R. The pipes T 2 and T 3 respectively lead in like manner from the
second and third reservoirs to the cocks Qaud R. 02 and O2 are pipes from
the outlet valves of the pump B to the bottom of the cock R.
The operation of the lastly herein-before described apparatus is as follows:-
The shafts D and D 2 being disconnected at the clutch E, the pipe K being put
in communication with the pipe P, and also the pipe N with the atmosphere
through the cock S and the aperture V, the pipe P being also put in com-
munication with the pipe T 1 by the cock Q, the air pump A being put in action
by the steam engine C, the first reservoir will become exhausted; but such
exhaustion need not be continued to a very high guage, for example, the first
reservoir may be exhausted until a barometer guage attached thereto shews the
height of about fifteen inches of mercury. By a change of position of the cock
Q, the second reservoir may then be exhausted to about twenty inches of its
guage; and lastly, by a further change of the cock, the third reservoir may be
exhausted to about twenty-five inches of its guage. I mention the guages by
way of illustration, and not for positive or even approximate direction, for
the guages at which it will be most advisable to work will evidently depend
as well upon the size of the reservoirs as on a variety of other contingencies.
The reservoirs being exhausted, the engine must be stopped, the shaft D 2, and
consequently the pump B, put in connexior with the engine, the cock L turned
so as to put the pipes K and M into communication, and the cock S turned so
as to put the pipes N and P into communication and close the aperture V,
the cock turned to put pipe P in communication with the atmosphere
through the aperture ✗, also the cock R must put 02 in communication with
Y. The signal being given to exhaust the traction' tube, the engine will be
again put in motion, and both the pumps put in action, the engine being
sufficiently powerful to exhaust the tube to the lower numbers of the baro-
meter guage, but will soon become unequal to continue the exhaustion; but

page_text: the cock Q being turned one quarter round so as to put P in communication
with T', the vacuum in the first reservoir will then not only relieve the engine
of the resistance of pump A, but will aid in working pump B. Afterwards,
as the exhaustion of the traction tube increases and that of the first reservoir
decreases, such aid will become insufficient. The cock R may then be moved
one quarter turn, putting 02 in communication with the first reservoir; the
power of the engine being then in excess, Q may be turned back, connecting
P with the atmosphere; after a few strokes, turned again to T 1, afterwards to
T2; then R may be turned to T 2, Q back to T 1, again to T 2, and then to
T 3, when the exhaustion should be complete, the train being passed and leaving
a considerable degree of exhaustion in the third reservoir ready for any contin-
gency. The train being passed, the exhaustion of the reservoir, diminished by
the before-described action, is to be restored by the engine and pump A, as
herein-before directed.
Another part of my improvements consists in the construction of the pistons
of large air pumps; regarding which I will remark, that the pistons of small
air pumps are generally packed with leather, sometimes with strong leather
cut or turned to fit the cylinder of the pump, and sometimes with leather so
arranged that the leather forms a cup or concavity in the direction in which
the air would tend to pass by the piston; but these methods do not provide any
sufficient adjustment of the leather packing after it becomes worn, nor would
such packings work at all times so far air-tight as desirable, without considerable
friction being produced. To obviate, as far as possible, these defects, and at
the same time to avoid the friction and expence attendant on the use of
metallic pistons, I pack the pistons of air pumps with leather cut into bands
or straps of the breadth of about one sixth part of the diameter of the cylinder
of the pump. I prefer leather of ox hide, such as is used for straps for work-
ing machinery. Such bands are united by sewing, and also with the well-
known cement of isinglass or fish glue dissolved in weak spirit, or are united
by other suitable means, so as to form a continuous circle of about the same
diameter as the pump cylinder, but considerably conical as to facilitate the
bending berein-after inentioned. The bands of leather, after being softened by
water, and placed upon a block of similar size to the piston, are then bent and
contracted so that about one third part of the breadth may fit the cylinder,
and the other two third parts may be attached to the piston, and secured by
plates of metal screwed to the main part of the piston, but which screws, being
slightly loosened, would allow the leather to be driven outwards or towards the
sides of the cylinder, after a portion of the said packing has become worn.
The shaving off the hair side of the leather will much facilitate the forming it

page_text: into the required shape, and also the cutting out gaps or notches where the
screws or bolts will be required to pass. After the leathers are put into the
required form, they should be well saturated with neats foot oil, or similar
unctious matter. The edge of the leather band being thus turned will form a
portion of concave surface, which, being well supplied with oil or other suitable
lubricating matter, will fit the cylinder so as to be air-tight, and yet move with
very little friction. Although it is well known that the leathers of the pistons
of pumps constructed in a similar manner to that herein-before described
become the tighter the greater the pressure they are exposed to, yet the pack-
ing of the piston of a large air pump must either be made somewhat more
tight than advantageous, or, when the pressure of the air on which it is acting
is slight, the air will be liable to pass before the leather expands so as to fit
the side of the cylinder. I therefore insert a series of springs, formed by cutting
gaps or notches in plates of very thin steel, similar to what is manufactured for
making steel pens, forming the segments of a circle, and then bending the
parts left to a similar form with relative portions of the bands of leather
herein-before described, so that the springs, after being tempered, may be
inserted between the band of leather and the plates which fix it in the piston,
the springs being first rivetted on such plates. I construct and pack the upper
and under sides of the piston in a relatively similar manner. The construction
and packing of the piston will be more readily understood by the Drawing or
plan, Sheet No. III, Figures 7 and 8, in which A represents the main portion
of the piston, which may be of cast iron; B, B, the continuous bands of
leather; C, C, C, C, the plates, by which the leather is fixed on the piston by
a convenient number of screws or screw bolts d, d, d. E, Figure 8, represents
the plate of thin steel, after being cut for forming the springs, and F the same
plate after the springs have been bent upwards. Such springs are rivetted to
the plates C, C, and are shewn in position at G, G, G. The smaller plates
H, H, H, are removeable, independently of the plates C, C, C, C, in order to
permit the insertion of a suitable bent tool or tools, for the purpose of forcing
out the band of leather when partly worn, so as to present a fresh surface to
the cylinder, the space left by the leather being afterwards filled up with pieccs
of wood or other suitable material, so as not to leave any undue space for air.
First, I claim the so arranging apparatus or gearing with the valves of air
pumps as to close the outlet valves, but not to open them, the gearing leaving
such valves at liberty to open, when relieved from the pressure of the air.
Secondly, I claim the so combining vessels or reservoirs with air pumps in
working atmospheric railways that the air may be pumped from the traction
tubes of atmospheric railways into partially exhausted vessels or reservoirs; and,

page_text: when desired, the pressure of the air passing from such traction tubes into
such partially exhausted vessels or reservoirs may be used for giving motion
to air pumps.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of packing pistons of air pumps, as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sykes Ward, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this
day of December, in the year of our
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
WILLIAM SYKES (L.s.) WARD.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid William Sykes Ward came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her 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 stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.