Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
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I, RUDOLF LANGE, of No. 5, Bahnhofstrasse, Wirges, Westerwald, in the
German Empire, Mechanician, 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 to a water motor, which by suitable floats and gearing
transmits the force of rising water to a main shaft in order to obtain a constant
rotary motion.
The main idea of the invention is that two or more water receptacles or tanks
constructed beside one another of iron, brickwork, masonry and other suitable
material, exert successively a concentrated force on one point by the force of
water rising therein from orifices in the bottom of such tanks.
The tanks may be placed at different levels, or the difference of the weight
of the floats may press the water from one tank into the following tank.
Thus after the admission of a suitable quantity of water into the first tank,
a float is actuated by the rise of water and by mechanism connected to it rotates
a main shaft to transmit the power. This float when in its highest position
operates a sliding valve arranged at or near the bottom of the tank, to admit
water to the following tank so as to rise in the latter from the bottom; the
float in the first tank exerting pressure on the water. A float in the second
tank similar to that in the first tank acts by its rise on the main shaft mentioned
before so that the rotation of the latter is constant. Any desired number of
such tanks may be arranged beside or below one another, so that the quantity
of water obtained in the first tank by passing from one tank to another can
exert a continuous force for a desired time.
When a number of such tanks is arranged beside one another according to the
time within which the tide changes, the quantity of water obtained from such
tide may be passed through a corresponding number of stations, all connected
to the main shaft, so that the gearing connected to the floats transmits power,
until the tide supplies the first tank with fresh water.
In order that this invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe how it may be carried into effect, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a part sectional view of the whole apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Figure 3 is an end view thereof.
Figures 4 and 5 are plans of details, showing the gearing to, which a float is
connected, at an enlarged scale.
Figures 6 and 7 are side views corresponding to Figures 4 and 5.
Figures 8 and 9 are corresponding views at right angles to Figures 6 and 7.
Figures 10 and 11 show the sliding valve (when opened and closed respectively)
arranged at the bottom of the water tanks, for the admission and exit of water
below the float.
The mechanism which transmits the force of the water to the rotary main

page_text: axle is essentially the same as regards both floats A and B, but in one case
the axle of a small cog wheel driven by two larger cog wheels is situated
above the latter, and in the other case below thereof.
In the centre of the float is situated a rack a having teeth on two sides, which
engage with cog wheels b c situated at the sides. On the same axles, respec-
tively, are situated two larger cog wheels d'a which rotate closely beside one
another and engage with a broad cog wheel. These large and small cog
wheels bd, and ce are not connected quite rigidly with one another; their
movement is compulsory in one direction only by a spring pressed claw coup-
ling, so that the small cog wheel h driven by the larger cog wheels de rotates
always in the same direction whether the float A with the rack a move up or
down. The axle h¹ of this smaller cog wheel h transmits rotary force by means
of a pulley to the main transmission shaft k on which act similar mechanisms
of all the tanks. The main shaft may of course decrease or increase the rotary
velocity by suitable cog wheel gearing H.
The sliding valve, Figures 10, and 11 which admits the water from the upper
tanks to lower ones, consists of the valve guided on the slide face n of the
valve box V by the rod m, and closes or opens the orifice, respectively when in
its most opposite positions. The valve is connected to a lever mechanism
engaging with the valve rod m, so that the rising float A opens it when reaching
the highest position, in order to allow the water to escape. This construction
is connected with a similar mechanism operated by a float B in the second tank,
so that the closing of the one causes the opening of the other and vice versa.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
The water must of course be admitted into the first tank, through the tube D,
under a sufficient head: the rise of this mass of water then lifts the float A
and operates by this motion, through the vertical rack a, the cog wheel gearing
so as to rotate the main shaft. When the float A now arrives in its highest
position, a piece w fixed to its upper cover will act on one limb of a double
lever u rotating round a pivot so that the lever u makes a movement through
which the rod t connected to it rotates a lever r which actuates a rod q engaging
on the other end of this lever r and causes an angular lever p, arranged on the
lower part of the side of the tank, to turn, in order to open the slide valve
by means of the connecting link and the valve rod m. A rod v bent at right
angles and connected to the beforementioned crank lever u has moved downwards
during the beforementioned operation, so that the rise of the water in the second
tank acts on the rod in such a manner that at the highest position of the
float B, the double lever u¹ connected thereto rotates around its pivot v in
such a manner as to turn by a rod t a double lever ¹ round its pivot in order
to open the slide valve by a rod q¹, crank lever p¹, connecting link o¹ and valve
rod m¹ in a manner similar to that before described.
A weight provided at the pivot of the double lever u¹ causes when brought
over its centre of gravity by the float, the exact opening and closing of the
slide mechanism, by its descent.
When the water has escaped from the second tank, in the apparatus as illus-
trated, a second quantity of water should be admitted into the first tank. Of
course by arranging a suitable number of such tanks of like construction the
same quantity of water may be utilised any number of times.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
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1st. A water motor for using the force of the rise and fall of water, such as
is produced by tides, in which the force of water rising in a tank through an
orifice in the bottom thereof operates a mechanism which transmits such force
to a main shaft so as constantly to rotate the main shaft in one direction, and
in such a manner that when a float has reached its highest position a sliding

page_text: valve in the bottom of the tank permits the water to enter the following tank
in which similar mechanism transmits the force of the rising water to the
common main shaft in the same direction of rotation, any desired number of
tanks being arranged beside or below each other.
2nd. A form of construction of the water motor claimed in Claim 1 in which
a float A (B respectively) acts on gearing b, c, d, e, h, by vertical racks a
having cogs at two sides, so that the rise of a float causes a main shaft to con-
stantly rotate in one direction, while at the descent of such float the disengage-
ment of a suitable spring pressed coupling of the cog wheels b c engaging
with the racks causes the wheels b c to have no effect on the main shaft.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1899.
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.