IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER, CHIEFLY FOR THE ROTATION OF MAGNETO MACHINES USED FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Banting Rogers, of St. Clement's House, Clement's
Lane, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER, CHIEFLY FOR THE ROTATION OF
MAGNETO MACHINES USED FOR LIGHTING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th December 1879, and dated the 25th June 1879.
Sealed the 19th December 1879, and dated the 25th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Banting Rogers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th June 1879.
"
JOHN BANTING ROGERS, of St. Clement's House, Clement's Lane, in the City of
London. IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER,
CHIEFLY FOR THE ROTATION OF MAGNETO MACHINES USED FOR LIGHTING
PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is the production of motive power for the rotation
of magneto machines used for lighting purposes by mechanism governed and con-
trolled by a falling body or column of water.
The apparatus consists of a floating screen arranged over a bell shaped cover of
a siphon fitted within a tank, say, in the upper part of a building, within which
tank the supply is (preferably) kept at a fixed level. The siphon is composed of a
fixed pipe with a bell shaped cover, leaving a space all round and at the top, that
water may enter at the lower part of the bell and rise up over the top end of the
pipe, down which it descends to form the head or column of water by which an
armed disc or wheel is rotated. The floating bell or loose cover has a small pipe
attached at the upper end, by which the contained air can be drawn off, a cock
on the pipe being then shut off to maintain the siphon action within the tank; the
outlet of the first named pipe is provided with a stop or regulating cock and also a
try cock. The bell is free to rise and fall from any fluctuation of the water level
to maintain virtually the same weight of head of water upon the armed disc for the
steady and regular speed of rotation of the same, it being essential that no variations
of speed of a magneto machine be permitted that would interfere with the regu-
larity or intensity of light. The floating screen rises and falls with the water level,

page_text: and should the water become below a fixed point the air is prevented entering to
destroy the siphon action of the apparatus by the bottom edge of the screen being
still submerged.
The armed disc is supported on a central stem in the lower part of the building
in which the siphon and tank are fitted, the water passing down the pipe (say 40
feet in length and vertically without bends of any kind) into and from the several
arins, from which it escapes at the ends on nozzles where the jets impinge against
fixed blades or shields set tangentially to the axis and with lips to prevent splash-
ing, that the full power of the falling head is utilized for rotating the axle, on
which is mounted a bevilled or a spur wheel to transmit the rotative motion
through a train of power and speed wheels in gear with the magneto machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Banting Rogers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
December 1879.
"
JOHN BANTING ROGERS, of St. Clement's House, Clement's Lane, in the City of
London. IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER,
CHIEFLY. FOR THE ROTATION or MAGNETO MACHINES USED FOR LIGHTING
PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is the production of motive power for the rotation
of magneto machines used for lighting purposes by mechanism governed and con-
trolled by a falling body or column of water.
The apparatus consists of a float within a tank, say, in the upper part of a
building, within which tank a supply of water is (preferably) kept at a fixed level,
a fixed pipe passing through the bottom of the tank and is carried up to the
necessary height; it is enveloped by a cover attached, leaving a spaco between it
and the outside of the pipe and at the top, that the water may enter and rise up
over the top end of the inner pipe, down which it descends to forin the head or
column of water by which an armed disc or wheel is rotated.
The float is guided up and down in the tank by a pipe, and should the water get
too low in the tank the bottom of the float rests upon the bottom of the tank to
preserve the vacuum.
The armed disc or wheel is of special construction, and is composed of a base
plato having a conical central stem, from which radial partitions are arranged to
lead the water into recesses and from thence into nozzles, by the curvature of which
the rotation of the base plate and parts connected to it is obtained, gearing being
used to communicate the motion to mechanism generally.
The method of carrying my Invention into practice is represented in the annexed
Drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a tank A, within which is fitted
loosely a float or screen B, which envelopes a fixed pipe D, and up and down which
by any changes of water level in the tank the float is guided vertically. The
pipe D rises slightly above the top of the inner pipe C and to a distance within the
limit of a rising column of water under control of a vacuum produced within it and
the length of the long leg of the pipe C, which for the purposes of my Invention is
to terminate in the lower part of a building, the tank being fitted in the upper part
thereof.
To the lower end of the fixed pipe C I fit a junction E supported by a base
plate F upon a step bolt or pin upon the frame G of the machine that it may
revolve upon it. The lower part of the junction E is spread out and bolted to the
base plate F, as in Figure 2, that one may rotate with the other.
The base plate F within the bell is of conical shape, and is recessed, as in Figures
2 and 3 around the surface to form water ways and partitions H, for dividing
the water and for leading it into the series of nozzles I, I, attached to the base, the
nozzles having their outer end curved, as in Figure 4, that the water may force
them and the junction round. The speed of rotation is governed by the weight of
the head of water which is above and within the pipes C and D. The water as it
leaves the nozzles strikes or impinges against blades or shields J, J, arranged
tangentially within the frame G, as in Figure 5, that the full power of the falling
head of water may be utilized for the rotation of the junction.
The upper end of the junction is packed to prevent escape of water at the part
where it rotates upon the lower end of the fixed pipe C, and it has applied to its
exterior a spur wheel K, Figures 6, 7, and 8, for communicating the rotation of
same to a pinion K', whose shaft L by means of bevil pinions M, M², transmit
motion to the band wheel N, and from that to the rigger P, by which the magneto
machine to produce the electric light can be driven.

page_text: Qis an air tap fitted to the dome of the pipe D, that the air contained in the
pipes previous to starting can be drawn out by means of a small suction pipe or other
suitable appliance. R is a stop cock or valve in the fixed pipe, by which the
passage of water can be suspended or controlled. This valve can by making a hole
in its stem a be caused to act for suction purposes if desired.
I purpose connecting the float B with the tap of the supply pipe of the tank A
to maintain always the same water level therein, and if from any cause the tank
should become empty the float, which would fall to the bottom, would rest upon
an india rubber or other washer, permitting the flow of water under it, that it
would rise on the tank being recharged, and also that the vacuum within the pipes
should be maintained if the water got below buoyant level.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
The construction and arrangement of apparatus by means of which a rotative
motion is produced by a head or column of water furnished by syphon action, as
described and as shown in the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the form, construction, and application of the apparctus shown
in Figures 2 and 3 of the annexed Drawings, by which a rotation is produced by a
falling head or column of water for the purposes explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Banting Rogers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN BANTING ROGERS. (L.S.)