Improved Means and Appliances for Utilizing the Motion of a Vessel for Obtaining Motive Power.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
Improved Means and Appliances for Utilizing the Motion of a Vessel
for Obtaining Motive Power.
I, MELVILLE THOMPSON NEALE, of 41 Maddox Street, London, Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :---
This invention relates mainly to the employment of air cylinders and a suspended
weight having pistons connected, the cylinders following the motion of a vessel, in
which they are fixed for operating the pistons or plungers, by which air is drawn in and
compressed into a receiver for storage and utilization as a motive agent to be used
alone or in conjunction with the steam of an ordinary engine.
The cylinders and their pistons are preferably arranged radially from a common
centre viz. the weight, so that some of the pistons are set in action for drawing air
into cylinders and others for forcing air into the receiver at each motion of the vessel
whether she be rolling, pitching, or lurching.
1000
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said M. T. Neale.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Utilizing the Motion of a Vessel
for Obtaining Motive Power.
I, MELVILLE THOMPSON NEALE, 41 Maddox Street, London, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
This invention relates mainly to the employment of air cylinders and a suspended
weight having pistons connected, the cylinders following the motion of a vessel in
which they are fixed, for operating the pistons or plungers by which air is drawn in
and compressed into a receiver for storage and utilization as a motive agent to be used
alone or in conjunction with the steam of an ordinary engine.
The cylinders and their pistons are preferably arranged radially from a common
centre, namely, the weight, so that some of the pistons are set in action for drawing
air into cylinders, and others for forcing air into the receiver at each motion of the
vessel, whether she be rolling, pitching, or lurching.
The annexed drawings show my invention applied to what might be termed a life
boat, the air receivers forcing the buoyant sides of the boat to prevent her "heeling
over," and also to enable the boat to "right herself" after a sudden "lurch."
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a section of a boat with four cylinders A, A, A, A,
jointed to straps B, B, B, B, on the inside of the boat, the piston rods C, C, C, C, being
jointed to a rod D suspended by a ball or universal joint E from the arch or strap F.
G is the bob or weight at the lower end of the rod D which is free to swing in every
direction due to the wave motion of the boat, the pistons being pushed into
the cylinders by the motion caused by the tendency of the rod B to remain
perpendicular.
Each piston is provided with a valve H, see sectional view Figure 3, which opens as
the piston moves inwards, and closes when the piston moves outwards to compress the
air and force it through the flexible tube I into the receiver J, the outlet having a flap
or other valve to prevent the return of the air therefrom.
-
Figures 4 and 5 are plan and elevation of a modified method. Here the weight G
is of ring form and has six cylinders A in connection with it by the rods C, C, and

page_text: instead of the weight being suspended, as in the former case, it is supported by
balls or rollers K on the bed L which serves as the receiver of the air from the
cylinders.
The air under compression in the receiver can be employed in the engines M for
operating the propeller N.
Figure 6 is a modified form of cylinder. It is composed of a flexible air proof
bag with rigid ends, one for jointing it to the strap B, and the other to the
rod C.
As the bag is drawn inwards guided by the rods P, P, the valve H retires from
the openings in the cylinder end and closes them in the reverse movement for
compression purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :
1. Affixing appliances in a vessel as described, whereby air can be collected and
conserved at a pressure, adaptable for propulsion purposes and substantially as indicated
by the annexed drawings.
2. Arranging suspended or rolling weight for compression of air in cylinders, such
pressure being produced by or from the motion of a vessel in which the apparatus is
contained, as set forth.
The 7th day of August. 1890
The 7th day of August. 1890.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
Agent for the said Melville Thompson Neale.