Improvements relating to the Accumulation of Air under Pressure by Means of Wind-mills or Motors, and the Storage, Trans- inission, Distribution, and Utilization of such Compressed Air.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Accumulation of Air under Pressure
by Means of Wind-mills or Motors, and the Storage, Trans-
inission, Distribution, and Utilization of such Compressed Air.
I WILLIAM FLUX, Junior, of 113 Whitworth Road, Gosport, in the County of
Hants, Laundryman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the accumulation of air under pressure, and the storage,
transmission, distribution, and utilization of same.
The main object of my said invention is to accumulate and store air under
pressure to be afterwards used as desired for various purposes herein described, or
similar thereto.
The chief difficulty found in the economic use of wind-mills and motors in the
past, has been the uncertainty of the force of the wind, and the evident stoppage of
the machinery driven by same upon calms intervening, to obviate this result I
purpose using the wind indirectly, that is, as the force for obtaining-by means of
wind motors-a reserve of motive power, in the form of air under pressure, which
may be stored and then used as required in the event of the stoppage of the wind
motors for want of wind.
According to my invention I use wind-mills or motors, one or more as desired-
for working suitable apparatus, such as air pumps or the like by means of which
compressed air is forced into pipes, or suitable air tight chambers, in number and
size as found convenient. The compressed air is then available for use from the
storage chambers or pipes at any time and for any purpose required; I may
arrange for the wind motors to be situated in any desirable position, preferably an
elevated one, outside of a town, and the compressed air may be conducted direct
from the air engine by means of suitable pipes into high pressure air chambers
situated in the town, or be first stored in air chambers near the wind motors, or
simply stored in the pipes and used from same, as, and when required, the com-
pressed air may be used for various purposes such as for ventilating buildings, the
air may be heated or cooled by simple means before being discharged into a room
or house from the mains, thus proving a heating, or cooling, as well as a ventilating
medium.
The compressed air may also be used to operate suitable air engines for driving
dynamos, and the electricity thus generated may be conducted by wires or their
equivalent to an almost unlimited distance and used for lighting and heating
purposes, and for driving various machines at a minimum loss of power, and
costi.
The pressure at which the air is stored and discharged, can be regulated by
suitable valves and cocks adjusted upon the air chambers or pipes.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1892.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Accumulation of Air under Pressure
by Means of Wind-mills or Motors, and the Storage, Trans-
mission, Distribution, and Utilization of such Compressed Air.
I WILLIAM FLUX, Junior, of 113, Whitworth Road, Gosport, in the County of
Hampshire, Laundryman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to the accumulation of air under pressure and the storage,
transmission, distribution, and utilization of same.
The main object of my said invention is to accumulate and store air under
pressure to be afterwards used as desired for various purposes herein described, or
similar thereto.
The chief difficulty found in the economic use of wind-mills, and motors in the
past, has been the uncertainty of the force of the wind and the evident stoppage of
the machinery, driven direct by same, upon calms intervening, to obviate this
result I purpose using the wind as the force for obtaining by means of wind-mills
or motors-a reserve of motive power, in the form of air under pressure, which
may be stored, and then used as required in the event of the stoppage of the wind
motors for want of wind.
According to my invention I use wind-mills or motors, one or more as desired,
for actuating air pumps, or compressors, by means of which air under pressure is
forced into pipes, or suitable air tight chambers or holders, in number, and size, as
found convenient for the purposes in view. The compressed air in the air chambers
or pipes, is then available for use from same at any time and for any purpose
required.
may arrange for the wind-mills or motors to be situated in any desirable
position and the compressed air may be conducted direct from the air engines
Famely the compressors by means of pipes into air chambers situated in a town, or
be first stored in air chambers situated near the wind motors, or simply stored in
the pipes and used from same as and when required.
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn how my invention may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Fig. 1, is an elevation shewing one method of applying my invention, more
especially for ventilating purposes.
Fig. 2, a plan view of the same at, and below the line a. b.
Fig. 3, an elevation shewing another method of applying my invention, more
especially for driving an air engine E.
Fig. 4, a plan view of the same at, and below the line c, d.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
Referring to Figs. 1, and 2, A, is a wind-mill, or motor which actuates by means
of crank or other suitable-gear an air compressor B. The compressed air
delivered from the compressor passes through the pipe f, into a main supply
pipe g, and provided the stop cocks or valves h, h, are open-into the air
chambers D, D, and when the valves i, i, are closed the air may be compressed in
these chambers D, D', to the desired extent.
Safety valves, j, are provided upon the air chambers which may be set so
that when the desired limit of pressure is reached they will lift, allowing the air to
escape thus, in the absence of an attendant no over pressure will be exerted upon
the air chambers. Safety valves may also be provided upon the main supply
pipe g, if desired. The compressed air in the chambers D, D; can be used from

page_text: same for ventilating or other purposes as desired by opening the valves i, i, on the
supply pipes k, k.
Referring to Figs. 3, and 4, I here shew how my invention may be applied more
especially for driving an air engine, E, which in turn may operate a dynamo, or
dynamos and the electricity generated may be stored in suitable accumulators and
conveyed from same by suitable wires, or their equivalent, to any convenient
distance and used for various purposes, such as lighting, heating, and for driving
various machines, or the air engine E, may obviously be used for driving direct
various machinery.
A', is the wind-mill or motor actuating an air compressor B', supplying through
the pipe, compressed air to the main supply pipe 9, and from thence as desired
to the air chambers D', D', provided the stop cocks h', h', are open. By closing
the valves, ³, the air may be compressed in these chambers to the desired
extent, regulated by the safety valves. The compressed air in the
chambers D', D', may then be used for driving the air engine E, the supply to the
engine being regulated by the throttle valve l³.
Safety valves may also be fitted on the main supply pipe 9', and pressure
gauges upon all the air chambers.
I have shewn the air chambers D, D, and D', D', situated in wells 1, 1, 1, 1,
which may contain water for the purpose of preventing the overheating of the air
chambers and I have shewn the air chambers of cylindrical form but it is obvious
the position and form of the chambers may be other than shewn and other methods
may be adopted for keeping them cool, without departing from the nature of my
invention.
The air after leaving the chambers D, D, and before being used for ventilating
or other purposes may be either heated, or cooled, by simple means, such as passing
it (the air) through heated coils, or coils immersed in cold water.
It is obvious that I can somewhat modify the construction and arrangement of
the parts of my invention hereinbefore described and illustrated, without departing
from the nature of same, I may for instance arrange for the main supply pipes 9,9,
to be of any convenient length, and supplied with compressed air from any desired
number of air compressors driven by any desired number of wind-mills, or motors,
and by regulating the supply valves the combined power of a greater or less
number of the wind-mills may be used for supplying compressed air to one air
chamber first, and then to another, or other chambers.
In carrying out my invention I do not confine myself to the use of any special
type or size of wind-mill or motor, or to the number of mills I may use or the
size, shape, or position of the air chambers, or type of air engine E, or com-
pressor B, B', the same will be of a kind, size, and number, arranged to suit the
varying conditions, and the purposes for which my invention inay be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood
that I am of course aware that wind-mills have been used for driving various
machinery direct, but according to my invention I drive engines and machinery by
means of compressed air-which I may also use for other purposes-generated by
means of suitable air compressors operated by wind-mills or motors, the compressed
air being stored in chambers, or pipes, and used from same as required, thus for
the purposes of my invention I am not dependent upon the continuous working of
the wind-mills, and I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The combination namely, the use of wind-mills or motors for actuating air
compressors or pumps and the storage of the compressed air generated by same in
suitable pipes, chambers, or holders such compressed air being available as and for
the purposes specified.
2nd. The arrangement and combination of parts hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings constituting my invention for improve-

page_text: ments relating to the accumulation of air under pressure and the storage, trans-
mission, distribution, and utilization of such compressed air for the purposes
specified.
Dandhi. 04th of T 1000
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.