IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF OBTAINING AND USING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Puntis, of Winchfield, in the County of South-
ampton, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF OBTAINING
AND USING MOTIVE POWER."
Sealed the 23rd January 1880, and dated the 29th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Puntis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1879.
JOHN PUNTIS, of Winchfield, in the County of Southampton.
IN THE MODE OF OBTAINING AND USING MOTIVE POWER."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The Invention relates to the use of compressed air for driving vehicles or
machinery, either alone or in combination with other sources of power; also to the
application of a pump for the purpose of compressing the air used as motive power
in a manner analagous to a hydraulic press. In using compressed air for driving
vehicles, such as trycicles, carriages, or ships, the air may be admitted to an air
pump, and pressed into compartments during the motion of the vehicle, when the
external resistance to be overcome by the latter is small, for instance, in going up
hill, while the compressed air is admitted into air cylinders for driving pistons,
which, by means of piston rod and crank or other known appliances, drive the
vehicle either alone or in conjunction with other sources of power.
The combination of a ram pump with an air compressor and air motor, or the
hydropneumatic arrangement consists of a ram pump driven by hand or the motion
of the vehicle or engine power, for instance, from a car axle, and drawing water.
from a tank, and pressing it into a hydraulic cylinder, the piston of which serves to
compress air in a second cylinder, from which a number of air reservoirs are
supplied, the latter communicating with a number of air motors, which, by means
of piston rod and crank device drive a shaft, car axle, or the propeller of a ship.
The ram pump which moves the hydraulic piston, instead of being worked
during the motion of the vehicle, can be used to supply a store of compressed air
before the vehicle starts. It is preferred to place the hydraulic cylinders vertically,
and the air cylinders side by side, so that several air pistons drive the same crank
shaft. Each air reservoir is provided with an inlet and an outlet valve, safety valve,
and pressure gauge. When applied for driving a vehicle, the whole mechanism is
carried by the vehicle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Puntis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th April 1880.
JOHN PUNTIS, of Winchfield, in the County of Southampton. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MODE OF OBTAINING AND USING MOTIVE POWER."
The Invention relates to the use of compressed air for driving vehicles or
machinery, either alone or in combination with other sources of power, also to the
application of a pump or pumps for the purpose of compressing the air used as
motive power in a manner analogous to a hydraulic press. In using compressed
air for driving vehicles, such as trycicles, carriages, or ships, the air may be
admitted to an air pump, and pressed into compartments during the motion of the
vehicle, when the external resistance to be overcone by the latter is small, for
instance, in going down hill, while the compressed air is admitted into air cylinders
for driving pistons, which, by means of a piston rod and crank, or other known
appliances, drive vehicles either alone or in conjunction with other sources of
power.
The combination of ram pumps with air compressors and air motors or hydro
pneumatic arrangement consists of a ram pump driven by hand or the motion of
the vehicle, or engine power, for instance, from a car axle, and drawing water from
a tank, and pressing it into a hydraulic cylinder, the piston of which serves to
compress air in the same or a second cylinder, from which a number of air reservoirs
are supplied, the latter communicating with a number of air motors, which, by
means of piston rod and crank device drive a shaft, car axle, or the propeller of a
ship.
The ram pumps which move the hydraulic piston, instead of being worked during
the motion of the vehicle, can be used to supply a store of compressed air before
the vehicle starts. It is preferred to place the hydraulic cylinders side by side, so
that several air pistons drive the same crank shaft. Each air reservoir is provided
with an inlet and an outlet valve, safety valve, and pressure gauge.
When applied for driving a vehicle, the whole mechanism may be carried by the
vehicle.
The accompanying Drawing serves to illustrate the hydro-pneumatic arrange-
ment, where by the successive application of hydraulic rams compressed air is
pressed into reservoirs. The air under pressure enters into vessels A, A, and from
them is admitted into the hydraulic cylinder B, the pump C being worked forces up
the ram D in cylinder B, and compresses the air into vessels E, E; from them it is
admitted into the cylinder F, and there is again compressed by the pump G acting
on the ram D into the vessels H, H, to the required density. Either or both of these
vessels H, H, can be removed by shutting the cocks i, i, and uncoupling the
unions k, k, and when replaced, and coupled, and the cocks opened, they are in
communication with the last hydraulic cylinder to receive a fresh charge.
It will be evident that by opening the cocks m, m', the pressure in vessels A, A,
will act upon the ram D in cylinder B, and so force the water in the hydraulic
cylinder B back into the tank, surrounding the force pump C, and from which it
draws its supply, and so the water can be used over and over again. In the same
manner the pressure in the vessels E, E, will act upon the ram when the cock m'
is open, and force the water back into the tank, surrounding the pump G, from
which it draws its supply, so that the water for forcing up the rams will not
require any additional supply.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Puntis, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty eighth day of April, A.D. 1880.