AN IMPROVED ROTARY MACHINE TO BE WORKED BY: THE PRESSURE AND REACTION OF A COLUMN OF WATER, WHICH MACHINE MAY BE USED AS A STEAM ENGINE; ALSO AN IMPROVED WATER METER; AND A MACHINE., FOR RAISING WATER OR OTHER LIQUID BY ITS CENTRIFUGAL FORCE
Year: 1839

page_text: WHITELAW'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WHITELAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-nine, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Whitelaw, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
James Whitelaw, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said James Whitelaw, 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 years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick->
upon-Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations.
abroad, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED ROTARY MACHINE TO BE WORKED BY:
THE PRESSURE AND REACTION OF A COLUMN OF WATER, WHICH MACHINE MAY BE
USED AS A STEAM ENGINE; ALSO AN IMPROVED WATER METER; AND A MACHINE.,
FOR RAISING WATER OR OTHER LIQUID BY ITS CENTRIFUGAL FORCE;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said James White-
law, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said, Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited 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
James Whitelaw, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
reservoir or any suitable place on a
arms, which are hollow; the water
escapes out at the jet pipes d,d;
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my new rotary machine to be worked
by the pressure and reaction of a column of water, in which Figure some
of the parts are drawn in section. Figure 2 is a plan shewing the arms and
other parts of the machine. The main pipe a, a, carries the water which
drives the machine into its arms from a
higher level than the arms; b, b, are the
passes into them at the centre part c, and
e, e, is the main or driving shaft of the machine, which is shewn cast in one
piece, with the centre part of the arms; f is a bevel pinion, and g a bevel
wheel, by means of which wheel and pinion the rotary motion of the machine
is communicated to the horizontal shaft h, which again communicates the
power of the machine to any machinery which it may be intended to work;
i, i, i, is a large bracket fixed to the wall or building k, k; this bracket
supports the shaft e, e, while the bracket carries one end of the shaft h.
The perpendicular plane, which passes through the parts represented in section,
in the elevation Figure 1, passes through the points m, m, in the plan
Figure 2. The top journal or bearing n of the main shaft has a number
of collars on it; for if there were but one collar it would require to be made
larger in diameter than the collars shewn in Figure 1, in order to get a
sufficient quantity of bearing surface; but if the diameter of a collar be
increased the friction will be greater, as then the rubbing surface is more
distant from the centre of motion; so if a sufficient quantity of bearing
surface is obtained by a number of collars, there will be less friction than if
only one is used to resist the pressure. 9, 9, are holes through which the
water escapes from the basin under the arms into the tail-race after it has
left the machine. As the arms have a rotary motion, and the pipe a, a, is
fixed to the building under it, there must be means provided to prevent the
escape of water at the place where the main pipe meets the arms.
A con-

page_text: trivance suitable for this purpose is shewn in Figure 1. It consists of a
flanched ring, o, bolted round the under side of the aperture c, and of a part
p, turned cylindrical at the place where it fits into the pipe a, a. A leather
similar to what is used in packing the large piston in a (Bramah's press, is also
inserted into the recess w, w, turned inside of the top part of the pipe a, a,
in order to prevent the escape of water betwixt the pipe and the cylindrical
part of p. It will now be clear that if the parts o and p are accurately
turned and 'ground upon each other at the place where they meet, the pressure
of the water in the main pipe will act upon the under part of p, and press it
in contact with the part o, and in this way keep the joining of these parts
water tight. There is a flanch outside of p with holes bored in it to receive
steadying pins, fixed to the top part of the pipe a, a. These pins are seen in
Figure 1; they prevent the part p from revolving, and are fitted so as to allow p
to rise or fall. There is another use for the flanch round p, which is this:
a little rope yarn is wrapped betwixt it and the main pipe to prevent
the part p from sliding down whenever there is not a sufficient pressure
of water in the main pipe to support it. The pipe a, a, is bored out to receive
the part p, which is fitted so as that it will slide easily up or down in
the bored part. r,r,r,r, r, r, are the stay bolts which support the arms; 5, s,
are valves, and s, t, s, t, are levers which work upon the centres t, t, and
form a connection of the centres with the valves. There is a lever on the
top and one on the bottom side of each valve. is one of the snugs which
the levers s, t, s, t, bear upon when the valves s, s, are full open. The
rods u, u, form a connection with the levers s, t, s, t, and the springs
v, v, v, v, fixed to the arms. The end next the valve of each jet pipe (see
Figure 2) is a circle drawn from t, as a centre, and each valve is curved to
fit and work correctly upon the end of its pipe. The levers s, t, s, t, are
adjusted so that the valves 5, 5, will work without rubbing upon the ends of
the jet pipes, in order to get quit of the friction as much as possible; but it
is not essential that the valves should be correctly water tight. It will be
clear that if the machine revolves so fast as to make the united centrifugal
forces of the valves s, s, the rods u, u, the levers s, t, s, t, and the springs
greater than the weight that will bend the springs v, v, v, v, to the distance
shewn in Figure 2, the valves will recede from the centre of the machine
till the force of the springs gets sufficient to overcome the centrifugal force
of the valves, &c., as therefore the centrifugal force will cause the valves to
cover the ends of the jet pipes, and so allow less water to escape, and thus
diminish the force of the water on the machine whenever it goes quicker
than the proper speed. If the springs are considerably bent or strained when

page_text: the valves are full open, a very small increase of the speed of the machine
will cause the valves completely to cover the ends of the jet pipes; and when
the ends of these pipes are closed the water can have no power to turn, the
machine. From this it will be clear that the machine can be made so that
when it is doing very little work it will not move at a much greater speed
than it will when acting with its greatest power. My said rotary machine
acts on a principle similar to that of the well known Barker's mill; but
the arms are bent and otherwise shaped so as to allow the water to run
from the centre to the extremity of the arms when they are in motion in a
straight line, or nearly so, and in this way the disadvantage of carrying the
water round with the arms, as is the case in Barker's mill, is got rid of.
The degree of curve to be given to the arms is exemplified in Figure 3.
In this Figure a, b, c, d, e, f, g, t, u, represent the circle described by the
centre or axis of the jet pipes, and h is the centre of the shaft marked e, e,
in Figure 1. In Figure 3 the portion a, d, g, of the circle a, b, c, d, e, f, g, t, u,
is as long as the radius a, h, or thereabouts, and a, d, g, is divided into six or
any other number of equal parts, marked b, c, d, e, f, g, and the radius a, h, is
divided into the same number of equal parts by the points i, k, l, m, n. From
each division on the circle a straight line is drawn to the centre h, and with
has a centre, a portion of a circle is drawn through each division on the
radius. The circle passing through the point i is drawn till it meets the radius
b, h, ino; the circle passing through the point k is drawn till it cuts the
radius c, h, in p; the circle drawn through the point 7 is drawn till it meets
the radius d, h, in 9; the circle passing through the point m is drawn till it.
meets the radius e, h, in r; and the circle passing through the point n is drawn
till it meets the radius f, h, in the points; and the points a, o, p, q, r, s,
and h, are points in the curve. After a sufficient number of points are in this
way marked out, the curve of the arm is obtained by tracing a curve line
through the points a, o, p, q, r, s, and h. When the arms are in motion, and
the place of one of them at any instant is in the position of the line
a, o, p, q, r, s, h, the particles of water entering it will run out in the direction
of the radius h, g, if the motion of the arm does not prevent this. If the
motion of the centre of the jet pipes is just as quick as that of the water
which drives the machine, then, as the portion a, d, g, of the circumference is
just as long as the radius, when the water has passed from h to r, the point s
in the arm will also be in the same position; when the water reaches the point
w, the point r in the arm will coincide with the point w; when the water
arrives at the point x, the point 9 in the arm will have exactly the same.
position with the water; when the point p in the arm has turned to the

page_text: point y, the water will then be in the same place; when the water has arrived
at the point, the point o in the arm will be there also; and when the water
has reached the point g, the end a of the arm will have the same position.
And in this way the water will always run from the centre of the arms when
they are in motion to the beginning of the jet pipes in a straight line; for on
the principle now explained it is clear that whenever a point in the line as
a, o, p, q, r, s, l, running through the centre of the arm arrives at the line
h, g, the particle of water which left the centre when the arm was in the
position shewn in the Figure will also be in the same place with this point in
the arm. The curve now described is the right one, when the centre of each
jet pipe moves at the very same speed as the water which drives the machine,
that is to say, if it would answer well in practice to make the area of the cross
section of each jet pipe the very same as the area of the cross section of its arm.
But if the area of the cross section of an arm is larger than that of the cross
section of the jet pipé, and if the machine is worked at a speed the very same
as that of the water issuing from the jet pipe, then, in order that the water
may pass from the centre to the extremity of an arm in a straight line when
the arm is in motion, you must take the portion of the circumference of the
circle which represents that described by the centre of the jet pipes larger than
its radius, in the very same proportion that the area of each arm is greater
than the area of its jet pipe. Say, for example, that the diameter of an arm
is twice that of its jet pipe, then the area of the cross section of the arm will
be four times as large as the area of the jet pipe; and if the machine moves
at a speed the same as that of the water issuing from the jet pipe, the water
passing through the arm will run a distance equal to the length of the radins
in the same time the jet pipe passes over a distance four times greater than
the length of the same radius.
The curve which represents the line running through the centre of an arm
as now described is also shewn in Figure 3. It is indicated by the Figures
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, &c. to 24 h, and the manner of drawing it will be
understood from the Figure, as it is drawn on the very same principle as the
curve already herein-before described.
As the machinė shewn in Figures 1 and 2 has the diameter of each arm
twice as long as the diameter of each jet pipe, the curve marked 1, 2, 3,
4, &c. in Figure 8, will be the very same as the curve running through the
centre of the armis in the machine already descibed, if it is worked at the
speed the water runs out at the jet pipes. But when a machine, as shewn in.
Figures 1 and 2, is worked at a speed slower than that of the water issuing.
from the jet pipes, then the portion of the circumference of the circle

page_text: described by the centre of the jet pipes, which is the one taken to be divided
to form the curve of the arms, may be taken shorter, in the same proportion
as the velocity of the machine is slower than that of the water which drives it.
The same remark applies if the machine is worked at a rate quicker than
that of the water which drives it. But it is to be observed that the portion of
the circle as a, d, g, or 1, t, u, 25, taken to be divided to form the curve of
the arms, should be taken longer, in the very same proportion as the speed
of the jet pipes is greater than that of the water. The curve 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.
has a portion of the arm drawn about it. When an arm is of an area larger
than its jet pipe, then at the outer end the arm must be contracted into the
same size as the jet pipe, and as the contracted part will have each of its cross
sections of a different area, and all of these areas will be of varying sizes
between that of the area of the jet pipe and that of the arm, the water at any
point in the contracted part, unless that point be very near to the jet pipe,
should, when the machine is not in motion, run in the direction of a curve
drawn as before described, and which corresponds to the area of the section
of the contracted part at the point where the area is taken, in order that when
the machine is in motion the water may run from its centre out to the
jet pipes in a straight line. Thus, if at any point x, in the contracted
part, the area is three times that of the jet pipe, then the contracted part
should be so formed as that the water at this point will (when the machine
is kept standing) run in the direction of the part of a curve of the sort
shewn in Figure 3, which is at the same distance as a is from the centre,
but having the portion of the circumference as a, d, g, or 1, t, u, 25, taken
to be divided to form it three times as long as its radius, that is to say,
if the machine works at the same speed as that of the water which drives
it, and if at another point y, in the contracted part, the area is double
that of the jet pipes, then the water at this point should, when the machine
is not in motion, run in the direction of the portion of curve of the kind
before described, at the same distance from the centre as y is, and corres-
ponding to an arm having its area double that of the jet pipe. I generally
form the contracted part in the manner shewn in Figure 2. In this Figure
the outside of the contraction is shewn as a continuation of the curve of the
part of the arm which has an equal area throughout its length; and the inner
side of the contraction is formed by a curve different from the curve which
forms the inner side of the part of the arm which has an equal area throughout
its length, very close to the jet pipes. The water in the contracted parts
when the machine is in motion, will not run in a straight line drawn from the
centre outwards, but it will there run in a curved line towards these pipes, if

page_text: they are formed as shewn in Figure 2. This is to allow the water to flow
freely into the jet pipes, and should be attended to, whether the contracted
part is formed exactly as shewn in this Figure or not. The arms of this.
machine may be made tapering from the centre to the jet pipes. In this.
case the area of the cross section of any one part of an arm will be different
from the area of the cross section of the other parts; and on this account
the line running from the centre to the extremity of an arm through the
middle of its section, should at each point have a direction corresponding
with the area of the part. Thus where the area of the cross section of an
arm is double that of its jet pipe, the arm should at this point run in the
same direction with the part of a curve which is at the same distance from the
centre of the machine, drawn as described before, for an arm having its area;
double that of the jet pipe. Where the area of the tapering arm is four
times that of the jet pipe, there the arm should run in the direction of the
part of the curved arm with equal area throughout, which is at the same.
distance from the centre as this part of the tapering arm, and drawn for an
arm having its area four times greater than the jet pipe. The same remark.
applies to every other cross section of a tapering arm.
On the principle now explained, it will be clear that some of the parts of an
arm may have an equal area throughout, and other parts may have a taper. :
The ends of the arms may be contracted and the parts for the jets formed..
by fixing a piece a, a, inside of each, in the manner shewn in Figure 6. The
supporters b,, b, b, for the piece a, a, are very thin, in order to diminish:
the water space as little as possible. Were the jet pipes made as wide as:
the arms, and were the jet holes or contracted parts formed at the end of.
these pipes farthest from the arms, it would be found that when the machine.
is worked at the same speed as the water which works it, the water. would.
derive a centrifrugal force from being carried round in the jet pipes. An arm
of a machine on this plan is shewn in Figure 5, in which a is the jet pipe::
and b is the jet hole. This form I do not claim; but I claim every other form.
in which there shall be a jet pipe smaller than the arm, and having its outer.
end smaller than the end at its junction with the arm.. I sometimes bend.
the arm downwards at the contracted parts in order to bring the centre
of the jet pipes lower than the centre of the arms, and thus get advantage-
of a greater portion of the height of the fall. This is needed in many cases,
especially when the fall is low, and the quantity of water large. If the
contracted part of an arm is formed according to the plan shewn in
Figure 2, with its cross section at each place of a similar figure to that of
the cross section of the part of the arm which has an equal area throughout,

page_text: then at the inner side of the contracted part, and close to the jet pipe, the
turn will be rather abrupt for the water to flow freely into the jet pipe, that
is to say, if the water runs from the centre out to very near this pipe in a
straight line when the machine is in motion. Now, to get rid of this incon-
venience, I take a portion off the breadth of the part of the contraction beside
the jet pipe at its inner side, and make the part a little deeper above and
below, but towards the inner side; in this case some of the forms of the cross
sections of the contracted part will not be similar to the form of the cross
section of the part which has an equal area throughout, but the centre of
the area of each section will still keep in the proper curve.
If the arms of my improved rotary machine are curved so that they will
allow the water to run from the centre of the machine out to very near the jet
pipes in a straight line when the machine is in motion at its proper speed, then
they have the best form which I believe can be given to them. But I do not
confine myself entirely to this form of arm, as the machine will act very
well even if the arms are curved, so as to carry the water a little way round
with them; and it will not do much harm if the water, when the machine is in
motion, runs very considerably in the direction of the bends of the arms (that
is, in the reverse direction from being carried round by the motion of the
arms), either during the whole or a part of its run outwards from the centre
of the machine.
Figure 4 represents an elevation of my improved rotary machine, where
the main pipe a, a, which leads the water into it, is fixed to and revolves
along with the arms. b, b, represents the arms, and c is the bottom centre or
gudgeon upon which the machine turns. The top journal is seen at d, and
the shaft of which it forms a part is fixed to the pipe a, a, by means of a
cross e, e. ff, is the fixed lead or spout which carries the water into the
main pipe, and the part of this lead, which enters the top of the pipe a, a, has
inclined plates i, i, in it, for the purpose of giving the water which enters the
main pipe a direction corresponding with the motion of this pipe. The
arms b, b, have each a governing apparatus of a similar kind to that shewn
in Figures 1 and 2; when the valves upon the ends of the jet pipes shut, the
water will run over the top of the main pipe at the space n, n, left betwixt the
pipe a, a, and the part of the lead which enters it. This overflow water passes
into a fixed trough m, m, which surrounds the main pipe, but does not touch
it, and from, the trough m,. m, it runs into the box g. The box g falls and
carries the levers o, o, along with it every time the water runs over the
top of the main pipe, and when the overflow ceases the weight p brings
the box g up again. Each lever o, o, is connected with and works a sluice q, q,

page_text: of a similar construction to the throttle valve of a steam engine. These
sluices close more or less according to the quantity of overflow water, and in
this way the lead supplies the machine with just as much water as is needed
at any time. r is a rhone or conduit connected to the fixed waste water
lead 8, s, with a joint at one end, and to the box g by a joint at its other end.
The box g carries one end of this rhone up or down with it, as the case may
be. u is a fixed rest or stop for the weight p; and v forms a similar rest for
the box g. In the Figure the box g is as far down as it can get, and the
sluices 9, 9, are in consequence exhibited as shut. The principle point in
which this modification of my new machine differs from the one shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 is in the part of the governing apparatus, which is at the top
of the main pipe, for regulating the supply of water in such a way as that
little shall run over the top of the main pipe and go to waste. This
is managed, as has already been described, by the overflow water weighing
down the box g, and shutting the sluices in the lead f, f, more or less, accord-
ing to the quantity which runs over; or if the overflow diminishes or ceases,
the weight p, fixed on the lever t, brings up the box and opens the sluices less
or more, as the case may be. When the machine is of a small diameter,
measuring from centre to centre of its jet pipes, and when the aperture at the
centre is large, especially if the main pipe revolves as it does in the machine
shewn in Figure 4, the water entering the arms will have a rotary motion so
great, that it will in these cases be important to modify the curve of the arms
to suit a line compounded of the rotary motion of the water and its motion
outwards..
In cases where there is a great weight upon the main shaft, more than one
journal with a number of collars on it may be used on this shaft, and these
journals will be tapered like the one shewn in Figure 1, or they will be straight,
according to circumstances. The part of the piece p (see Figure 1) which
fits into the main pipe, may be packed without leather by turning a groove
or grooves into the outside of p, and fitting a metallic ring or rings
into the groove or grooves in the manner of a metallic piston. In some
cases it will be better to have the part p held almost close to the
part o, by means of adjusting screws. There will be a very slight escape
of water, perhaps, at the place where the points o, and p, meet, but there
will be no friction, as the one part will not rub upon the other.
It may be preferable, in many cases, to have more than two arms to a
machine, while in some cases one will be found to answer best. The area of
the cross section of an arm, as shewn in Figure 3, may be made any suitable

page_text: number of times larger than the area of the cross section of the jet pipe, if
the curve of the arm is made to correspond.
If the jet pipes move as quickly as the speed of the water which drives the
machine, then they should have an equal area throughout their length; but if
these pipes move at a speed slower than that of the water, then the area of
these pipes may be larger at the ends next the arms than at their other ends,
or they may have an equal area throughout their length, and be contracted at
their ends furthest from the arms, into the size sufficient to allow the proper
quantity of water to escape.
My new rotary machine may have a governor of any ordinary kind to act
on a valve placed in the main pipe, or on valves in the arms to regulate its
motion. Any sort of springs will answer instead of those shewn in Figure 2,
and weights may even be used instead of springs.. Other sorts of valves may
be used instead of the valves s, s, (see Figure 2) connected to a fixed centre
by levers. This new water mill may in certain cases be used without a
governor. And I declare that my said rotary machine, as represented in
Figures 1 and 2, may be used as a steam engine, by having a steam engine
similar to Savery's, either to take away the water after it has acted upon the
machine, or to lift water to work it. Instead of water some other liquid may
be raised by means of steam to work this machine. The arms of my new
rotary machine may work inside of an air tight casing, if in this casing a
vacuum is kept up by means of an apparatus of a similar kind to Savery's
steam engine, or in any other manner; and if the aperture at the centre of the
arms has a communication with a cistern outside of the casing, always full of
water or some other liquid, the atmosphere will give its force to work the
machine in addition to the force obtained by the height of the water or other
liquid in the cistern above the jet holes.
Figure 7 shews my improved water meter, which may bo applied in a
variety of ways; but say that it is used to measure the water which escapes
from a rotary machine the same as that represented in Figs. 1 and 2. If
the machinery shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 moves constantly at the very same speed,
and if the quantity of water it uses is always the same in a given time when it
is working, then the quantity of water which escapes from it for any length of
time will be pointed out, if there is a counter properly calculated and arranged,
similar to those used in gas meters, worked by the machine. When the speed
of the machine is variable, but the quantity of water it uses is always the same
in a given time when it is working, if you can by any means give an uniform.
and known speed to the counter, it will tell the quantity of water used the same.

page_text: as before; and I manage to give the counter a known and uniform speed by
means of the governor a, a, a, (see Figure 7) which is worked by the machine.
The governor carries the friction wheel c, c, downwards on its rod if the machine
(and consequently the governor) revolves at a great speed; but if the machine
goes at a slow rate the friction wheel c, c, will have the position shewn in the
Figure. As the friction wheel c, c, drives the cone d, it will be clear that if the
cone has a proper shape, and the other parts are correctly arranged, the shaft
c. e, upon which the cone is fixed will, in a given time, always make the same
number of revolutions, whether the machine works to an ordinary extent
above or below its proper speed; for when the machine revolves at too great a
rate the wheel c, c, will be shifted by the governor so that it will turn the
cone at a part larger in diameter; and when the machine is working very slow,
the governor will cause the wheel c, c, to drive the cone d at a place smaller
in diameter than the part of the cone the wheel c, c, will act on when the
machine is working at its average velocity. In this way, as the shaft e, e, will
always revolve at the same speed, if a counter as before described is driven by
the shaft e, e, it will point out the quantity of water used, although the speed
of the machine is variable, providing always, that if the quantity of water used
is constantly the same in a given time.
I have now shewn how to ascertain the quantity of water used by a machine
of the kind represented in Figures 1 and 2, whether the motion of the
machine is uniform or variable, provided the quantity of water expended in a
given time is constantly the same; but if the water used by the machine in a
given time varies, as well as the speed of the machine, I allow the water
which falls from it to escape from the basin under the machine over a weir, or
out at an aperture or pipe placed in or near to the bottom of the said basin,
the weir aperture or pipe being just large enough to allow the greatest quan-
tity of water ever used to escape before it rises up to the arms of the
machine. In this way, if much water falls from the machine, the water will
stand higher in the basin than if a less quantity escaped. This being the
case, I have a float, acted on by the water in the basin, on purpose to raise or
lower the friction wheel f, f, which is driven by the cone g, fixed upon the
shaft e, e, so that when the water stands high in the basin, the wheel ff, will
rise and be acted on or driven by a part of the cone g, which is larger in
diameter; and when the water stands low in the basin, the wheel ff, will be
driven at a slower speed than it will when the water in the basin stands at
its average height. On this account, and as the quantity of water which
escapes from the machine in any time may be known from its height in the
basin, if the cone g has a proper shape, and if the other parts are correctly

page_text: proportioned and adjusted, the wheel f, f, will revolve quicker or slower
according as the water in the basin stands high or low; and if the number of
revolutions of this wheel are known in a given time, you will also know the
quantity of water which runs out of the basin in the same time; or, in other
words, if the revolutions of the wheel f,f, are communicated to a counter of
the kind before described, it will point out the quantity of water used. I
communicate the motion of the wheel fif, to the counter by means of a spur
pinion h, fixed to it. This pinion is very long, in order that when it and the
wheelff, are raised or lowered by means of the float afore-mentioned, its
teeth will always gear into the teeth of the spur wheel i, i, which wheel i, i
is one of the train used to work the counter. k, k, is the rod in connection
with the top part of the float; this rod slides up and down, as well as revolves
in brasses or guides fixed into the bracket 1, 1, 1. There is a joint on the rod
k, k, at m, adjusted so that it will raise and lower the friction wheel, and allow the
upper part of k, k, to revolve without carrying its under end, and consequently
the float, round with it. The large bracket 1, 1, 1, which supports the machine,
is bolted to a wall, or fixed up in any other suitable way. n is a bevel wheel
by which the governor is driven; there is a spring inside the part o for the
purpose of pressing the top brass which steadies the shaft e, e, and in con-
sequence the top of this shaft towards the governor rod, and there is a similar
spring inside of the part p for pressing the brass which holds the bottom end
of the shaft e, e, towards the rod k, k, which springs keep the cones always
bearing upon the friction wheels. The brasses must be formed so as that
they will slide into the parts o and p, in order to suit these motions of the
shaft e, e. The cone d must be long enough to suit the greatest as well as the
least number of revolutions the governor ever can make; and the cone g must
be of a length to correspond with the height that the greatest as well as the
least quantity of water let into the cistern or basin under the arms can stand
at. The float is shewn in Fig 8. a, a, is the float, and b, b, a casing, with slits
or holes in it to allow the water to stand at the same height about the float as
in the cistern c, c, and to keep away any agitation of the water in the cistern
from the float. The cistern c, c, may either be part of the basin under the
water mill, or it may be connected with that basin, and placed on a level with
its bottom. The top rod d of the float slides through a guide hole in the top
of the casing b, b, and there is another guide hole in the bottom of the cistern
c, c, for the under rod e of the float to slide through. When circumstances will
admit of it I make the under guide rod e hollow and opening into the
bottom of the float, in order that if any water happens to get inside of the
float, it may get out by the hollow guide rod. In Figure 8, f is part of the rod

page_text: k, k, shewn in Figure 7. In Fig. 8, 9 shews the aperture through which the
water escapes from the cistern c, c; and the dotted line shews the level of the
water when the float is in the position shewn in the same Figure, which position
does not correspond with the position of the wheel f,f, in Fig. 7.
The governor of the water meter now described, and in consequence the
meter itself, may be worked by many other sorts of rotary machines, as well
as by one of the kind represented in Figures 1 and 2, provided that the
machine which drives it is always in motion when the water is to be measured.
In this case the parts must be so constructed that whenever the stopcock or
valve which allows the water to run into the cistern as c, c, in Fig. 8, is
opened, then the governor must at the same instant be put in gear with the
machine which works it; and whenever the said cock or valve is closed, then
the governor must also be stopped by disconnecting the said governor from
the driving machine. All of this can readily be managed by having a con-
nection with the lever which opens the stopcock or valve and the clutch box
which puts the governor into gear with the driving machine. It will be
necessary to use a weight on a lever that will tumble over (or some other con-
trivance of this sort), as soon as the handle, used to open and shut the stop-
cock or valve and put into or out of gear the governor, is moved a certain
distance, so as that the cock or valve will by means of this weight be opened or
closed, as the case may be, and the governor be set agoing or stopped in the same
instant. A very small water wheel, if kept in motion by the water when it is
running into the cistern, will work my new water meter. This wheel must be
so made that it will stop whenever the cock or valve which lets the water
into the cistern is closed, and all the time the cock or valve is open it will be
in motion. When the cistern, as c, c, in Figure 8, is very large, or when the
water to be measured is stopped and set on many times in a day, it will be
important that the weir pipe or aperture) as g in the same Figure, should be
furnished with a valve, which will be opened when the stopcock or valve
afore-mentioned is opened, and shut when it is closed, by having a connection
with the gearing, before described, for opening or shutting the stopcock or
valve, and setting in motion or stopping the governor.
If in my water meter (see Figure 7) the cone g, and the other parts driven
by it, were taken away, and a tooth or cam were put upon the shaft e, e,
instead of this cone, the tooth to act upon a sliding frame mounted with a
number of ratchets to drive a ratchet wheel, this wheel would work the
counter before spoken of, so as that it would tell at any time the quantity of
water used, if the quantity of water. running into the cistern, as c, c, in
Figure 8, were always the same in a given time, even if the speed of the

page_text: machine which works the meter should not be uniform%3B but when the
quantity of water running into the cistern varies, as well as the speed of the
machine which works the governor, then a float, as before described, must be
used. In order the better to make the plan understood, suppose that the cam in
its revolutions presses the sliding frame from the shaft e, e, (see Figure 7) and
that a weight brings the frame towards this shaft, then if the motions of
the frame towards the shaft were long or short in exact proportion to the
quantity of water running from the cistern, this would (as the cam can only
shift the sliding frame from the shaft e, e, a distance equal to what it comes
back) cause the .ratchet wheel to turn the counter, so that it would exactly
point out the quantity of water running from the cistern. If the top end of
the rod coming from the float is properly supported and works up or down, close
to the side of the sliding frame as the water in the cistern rises or falls, and
if there is a pin or snug projecting from the side of this frame to bear or
stop upon the float rod every time the frame came towards the shaft e, e, then
the top end of the float rod could be bent or formed into a curve on the side
the pin bears or stops on it, so that it would allow the sliding frame to move
towards the shaft e, e, a distance in exact proportion to the quantity of water
running from the cistern, and in this way a motion would be given to the ratchet
wheel which would work the counter before spoken of, so as that it would
exactly point out the quantity of water running from the cistern. It has been
before mentioned that the sliding frame is mounted with a number of ratchets;
this is in order that the whole of the motion of the frame may be communi-
cated to the ratchet wheel. Each ratchet should be bevelled upon the part
which bears upon the wheel, so that if its point does not bear, a part
distant from the point may. The bevel should be so great that the point of
the one ratchet should take hold of the wheel before another has lost its
hold. Parts of the water meter will require to be covered in in such a way as
that no person, unless he has a key, can get access to them.
My machine for raising water or other liquid by its centrifrugal force is
fitted up in a similar manner as the ordinary pump of this name, only it has
its arm or arms curved like to the arms of the rotary machine shown in
Figures 1 and 2. This new pump is worked in a contrary direction to that
of the jet holes, so that when it is moved at a great speed in order to discharge
a large quantity of water, the reaction and pressure of the water leaving these
holes will help to work the machine. I sometimes make the arms of this
machine straight, with a jet hole on the side of each arm, as in the ordinary
Barker's mill, and drive it in the contrary direction to the holes for the
reason now given.

page_text: And having now particularly described my said invented improvements,
and the manner in which the same are to be performed, I declare that I do not
claim any of the parts of the three several machines herein-before described
which are old and known separately, nor otherwise than and in so far as the
same are newly combined, arranged, and adjusted therein. And I declare that
what I claim as of my invention are the three several machines herein-before
described; that is to say, the improved rotary machine, the improved water
meter, and the improved water raising machine, each formed of a combination
of parts which are partly old and partly new, but each in its entirety wholly
new. By the first of which machines (that is to say, the improved rotary
machine, to be worked by the pressure and reaction of a column of water), a
greater and more economical power may be obtained from water than by any
other method previously in use, and which machine may be so applied as to be
worked with advantage by steam; and by the second of which machines (that is
to say, the improved water meter,) the quantity of water expended in working the
said first-mentioned rotary machine, or other rotary machines to which it may be
applied, may be measured with great facility and accuracy, and by which, with
the aid of an ordinary steam engine or other power for giving it a rotary
motion, the quantity of water actually expended in manufactories or other
places where large quantities are used irregularly, may be effectually and
usefully ascertained and recorded; and by the third of which machines (that is
to say, the machine for raising water or other liquid), water or other liquid
may be raised by its centrifugal force more effectually and economically than
by any other method of raising water or other liquid by its centrifugal force
previously in use; and this owing principally to the way in which I have con-
trived to make the great force which is lot with the escaping water in the
ordinary centrifugal pump when worked rapidly, auxiliary to the working of
the machine. And I declare that what I particularly claim as of my
Invention as regards the first of the before described machines, are the
various new forms of arms and jet pieces herein-before described and repre-
sented as forming parts thereof; and generally all forms of arms which are
made to taper, diminish, or contract either gradually the whole way from the
central shaft of the machine to the end of the arm, or from any point of the
arm to the end thereof, or in which the arm shall be of the same dimensions
of cross sectional area throughout the greater portion of its length, and have
its outer end of a smaller size, or of a tapering or conical shape, the cur-
vature of the arm corresponding with the degree of tapering or diminution,
upon the principle herein-before explained, and whether the said arm or part
thereof be formed exactly in the manner herein-before recommended, or
according to any modification of the same.

page_text: And as regards the second of my machines, I claim the combination of a
governor and float to regulate the speed of a counter, and the modifications of the
same, herein-before described, as also the particular kind of float herein-before
described and represented in Figure 8, as applied to my said water meter.
And as regards the third of my said machines, I claim the new method of
forming the arms, and the new method of placing the jet holes of a centrifugal
pump, so as to take advantage of the pressure and reaction of the water
running out of the machine.
And lastly, in regard to the whole of three several machines, I claim the
exclusive right of using and applying the same in combination with all other
mechanical contrivances already known and in common use, and under all the
modifications of which, with the aid of other established inventions in use they
may be susceptible.
And such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her said Dominion
of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, or in any of Her Colonies or
Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my Specification of the
same, and that I do verily believe that this my said Specification doth comply
in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the said proviso
in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained; where-
fore I hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to my said
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Whitelaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Seventh day of November in year of our Lord One