Improvements in Windmills.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Windmills.
I DANIEL MCINTOSH REID residing at 41 Lamont Road Chelsea, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The invention consists of an improved windmill system. It has horizontal plane
movement, with a vertical shaft, but, the improvements claimed relate chiefly to
the sails and their connections.
The lower end of the shaft revolves in a suitable socket and is of the necessary
strength for the driving bevel gear. The upper part may consist of light iron
work, or of wood.
From the upper part of the shaft are arranged, at a convenient height, the arms
or outriggers, for the sails. Each of these consists of four light beams of wood,
or other suitable material, set sufficiently apart to admit of the sails being arranged
between.
There are four or more sails, and when fully expanded they have the form of
large angular shaped basins.
The top and bottom parts are fixtures to the outrigger frames, but the sides-
which consists of light canvas covered frames-are arranged to open and close
automatically by the winds pressure the instant required.
The action of each sail during its revolution may be divided into three parts,
each having well defined centres. The first commences at the point where the sail
first receives the wind pressure and expands. The second where the inner side
closes upon the outer side and assumes the slanting position for side wind pressure,
and the third where the sides close together for movement over, what may be
termed, the retrograde part of the circle, when their edges only, are exposed to the
opposing pressure.
The inner side of the sail thus moves across its width on passing the first and
second centres, but, the outer side moves only over a short space, that is, in a line
with the axis to which both sides are hinged when moving over the retrograde
centre.
The sail power being fully utilized in developing work over two 3rds of the
circle, and there being only a slight retarding effect over the retrograde part, the
machine is enabled to develope considerable power during the lightest winds.
Part of the outer side of each sail is arranged to open as an escape valve, under
sudden gusts of high pressure.
Reefing the sails is effected by an arrangement for checking the inner side
from expanding beyond the extent desired, and during severe weather the sides
may be closed together and side wind pressure only employed.
The canvas
can also be reefed upon the frames and in both cases while the machine is in
motion.
When the sails are fully expanded the sides press against ridges suitably
arranged on the top and bottom of each.
The object of the invention is to effect an improvement in wind mills that will
admit of wind power being more generally and economically employed.
Dated this 15th day of March 1893.

page_text: W.
I, DANIEL MCINTOSH REID Engineer of 41 Lamont Road Chelsea S.W. 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 chiefly to improvements in windmill sails and their
connections.
The sails are attached to arms or outriggers, extending from a vertical shaft, and
move in a horizontal plane.
The vertical shaft revolves between a suitable socket at the lower end, and a
pivot arranged at the top centre.
The outriggers are arranged on the upper part of the shaft. Each of these
consist of four light beams (scantling) of wood, or other suitable material, set
sufficiently apart to admit of the sails being arranged between.
The following is a description of the drawings
Fig. 1. represents the windmill in vertical section, viewed in the direction of the
wind.
a. a. the sail full open passing the first centre.
6 the sail closed passing the third (retrograde) centre.
c. c. outrigger rests attached to vertical driving shaft "1."
dd stays extending from centre pivot plate to external frame work (not
illustrated).
Fig. 2, is a vertical section viewed across the direction of the wind supposed to
be blowing from the right.
e, the sides of sail closed together in slanting position for side wind pressure.
f.f. inner and outer sides of sail expanding approaching the first centre.
Fig. 3, is a plan.
a shows the sail full open passing the first centre.
e sides in slanting position for side wind pressure.
b the sides closed in line with hinge axis, the edges only being exposed to the
opposing pressure.
7. the sail in the act of expanding automatically approaching the first centre.
k. k. k. k. sail outriggers.
n. n. are top and bottom parts, with ridges "r to bind the movements of the
sails. Cords, S, admit of outer sides moving in a line with hinge axis only.
The upper part of the shaft 1, and the sail outriggers k, may consist entirely of
wood-work, or wood and light iron work combined.
There are four or more sails and when fully expanded they have the form of
angular shaped basins. The top and bottom parts m. n. are fixtures to the frames
formed by the outriggers k but the sides-which consist of light canvas covered
frames are arranged to open and close automatically by the wind pressure the
instant required.
The action of each sail during its revolution may be divided into three parts,
each having well defined centres. The first commencing at the point where the
sail first receives the wind pressure and expands. The second where the inner side
closes upon the outer side and assumes the slanting position for side wind pressure,
and the third where the sides close together for movement over what may be
termed, the retrograde part of the circle, when their edges only are exposed to the
opposing pressure.
The inner side thus moves across the sails width on passing the first and
second centres, but the outer side moves only over a short space, that is, in a line

page_text: with the axis to which both sides are hinged, when moving over the retrograde
centre.
The sail power being fully utilized in developing work over two thirds of the
circle, and there being only a slight retarding effect over the retrograde part, the
machine is enabled to develope considerable power during the lightest winds.
When the sails are fully expanded the sides press against ridges r arranged at
the top and bottom of the frame.
The driving bevel-gear admits of arrangement at a low level on the vertical shaft,
and the horizontal shafting under ground when desired.
The exterior frame-work consists of four or more upright pillars of timber, or
other suitable material, placed about equal distance apart outside the sail space, just
clear of the sails, and sufficiently high to slightly overtop them.
From the top of each pillar extend stay rods to the top centre of the vertical
shaft, these are securely joined to a metal centre plate which also carries the pivot
for the top centre of shaft.
The exterior frame work is further stayed by suitable guy stays extending from
the upper horizontal stay rods over the heads of the upright pillars to suitable
anchorage.
The wind pressure is effectively regulated by canvas screens arranged around the
frame work, in sections, immediately outside the sail plane which, when raised on
the windward side, diverts the wind pressure partially, or entirely, as required.
This regulates the pressure more effectively than sail reefing arrangements.
The screens fall in folds below the sail level when the machine is working under
ordinary pressure, and are applied only in heavy weather by being raised on the
windward side to the point necessary for the pressure.
The machine being simple in design, and consisting mostly of wood work, it can,
without difficulty, be constructed in outlying districts in the colonies.
Being inexpensive in first cost, and requiring only slight attention in manage-
ment, the machine is specially suitable for raising water for irrigation, and
various other purposes, as the working of freezing machines, the driving of
dynamos &c., in districts where the cost of steam power for such purposes would
be prohibitive.
The adaptability of the machine for general service admits of wind power being
more generally and economically employed than hitherto.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is.
(1.) The general design of the sails. (a) In their expanding automatically by the
wind pressure at the instant required while passing over the first centre (a third
part of the circle) in their revolution. (b) In the sides closing together and
assuming the slanting position for side wind pressure while passing over the second
centre, (thus developing work over two thirds of the revolution) and, (c) in the
sides remaining closed and moving in a line with the hinge axis while passing
over the remaining part of the circle, exposing their edges only to the opposing
pressure.
(2.) The sail outrigger arrangement, in forming a suitable framework for the sails
while admitting of the necessary movement of the side frames between.
Dated this 13th day of December 1893.
DANIEL MCINTOSH REID,
Applicant.