OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER BY THE RISING AND FALLING OF TIDES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William M°Adam, of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "OBTAINING MOTIVE
POWER BY THE RISING AND FALLING OF TIDES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Sealed the 19th April 1872, and dated the 25th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William McAdam
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th October 1871.
I, WILLIAM MCADAM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER BY THE RISING AND FALLING OF TIDES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to
say:―
This Invention has for its object to utilise the rising and falling of
the tides as a source of motive power, and the means by which that
object is attained consists in providing on the sea coast, in an estuary,
harbour, river, lake, or other piece of water, wherein a tidal rise and

page_text: fall takes place, one or more pontoons or other floating bodies, which rise
and fall simultaneously with the tidal rise and fall. The pontoons or
other floating bodies are provided with one or more toothed racks situated
vertically, which are geared into toothed pinions on tho driving shaft, so
that as the floats rise with the rise of the tide the pinions are rotated,
and their motion being conveyed by wheelwork, any required velocity
is thereby obtained of an intermediate shaft for driving mechanism.
As the tide falls the weight of the floats during the fall becomes also
available by the same means as a motive power, but in a reverse direction,
so that in cases when it is necessary to continue the motive force working
in one constant direction the introduction of reversing gear becomes
essential. In place of using toothed racks and pinions for converting
the vertical rise and fall of a floating body into circular or rotary motion,
a system of multiplying levers or blocks and tackle may be used for
raising weights or accumulating water under pressure for actuating
hydraulic engines, cranes, or lifts.
Sall
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the adaptation of this Invention to a landing
stage. A is the landing stage connected to the wharf B by means
of a stair or bridge C, shewn in sido elevation at Figure 1, and in front
elevation at Figure 2. D, D, are the vertical racks into which the pinions
E are geared. On the shafts or axes of the pinions E large toothed
wheels F are also situated, and which gear into a pinion G on another
shaft also provided with a large toothed wheel H. As the tide rises or
falls, and the racks D on the landing stage A consequently ascend or
descend, the pinions E are rotated and motion is thereby communicated
to the toothed wheels and pinions, any number of which may be used in
order to obtain the requisite velocity of shafts for driving mechanism.
Figure 3 illustrates the adaptation of a system of multiplying levers L
in conjunction with a floating stage A, the extremities of each set of
the said levers are attached at one end to cranks c, c, supported in

page_text: bearings placed on the stage A, the other ends being attached to rams or
pistons for accumulating water under pressure for driving engines, cranes,
or lifts.
Figure 4 represents in transverse section a dyke or wall A for impounding
water during a tidal rise, the water being admitted to the side of the wall
marked B through gates or sluices when the tide is rising, and which
are shut when the tide reaches its highest level. The water thus im-
pounded is employed under this Invention to drive turbines C situated
in chambers B at the interior of the dyke or wall as shewn, and as these
turbines rotate they communicate motion to the shaft E, from which by
means of toothed wheels, pulleys, or other suitable agent, power may be
transmitted to any mechanism which it may be required to drive and in
combination with this method of obtaining motive power racks, wheels,
and pinions may be used, as herein-before described and shewn at
Figures 1 and 2.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William McAdam in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MCADAM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the 25th day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the 36th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William M.Adam, Her special licence that
I, the said William McAdam, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William M.Adam, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER BY THE RISING
AND FALLING OF TIDES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William M'Adam,

page_text: by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William M.Adam, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
My said Invention has for its object to utilize the rising and falling of
the tides as a source of motive power, and the means by which that
object is attained consists in providing on the sea coast, in an estuary,
harbour, river, lake, or other piece of water, wherein a tidal rise and fall
takes place, one or more pontoons or other floating bodies, which rise and
fall simultaneously with the tidal rise and fall. The pontoons or other
floating bodies are provided with one or more toothed racks situated
vertically, which are geared into toothed pinions on the driving shaft, so
that as the floats rise with the rise of the tide the pinions are rotated,
and their motion being conveyed by wheelwork any required velocity
is thereby obtained of an intermediate shaft for driving mechanism.
As the tide falls the weight of the floats during the fall becomes also
available by the same means as a motive power, but in a reverse
direction, so that in cases when it is necessary to continue the motive
force working in one constant direction the introduction of reversing
gear becomes essential.
In place of using toothed racks and pinions for converting the vertical
rise and fall of a floating body into circular or rotary motion, a system of
multiplying levers or blocks and tackle may be used for raising weights
or accumulating water under pressure for actuating hydraulic engines,
cranes, or lifts.
By means of this Invention it is obvious that the rising and falling of
landing stages or floating wharves may be utilised as a source of motive
power. In connection with this Invention the water may be impounded
during a tidal rise for the purpose of driving turbines or water wheels
after or during the fall.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say :-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended, Figure 1 represents in
side elevation, and Figure 2 in front elevation, the adaptation of this
Invention to a landing stage A, connected to the wharf B by a gang-
way or bridge C. On the landing stage A vertical racks D are fixed
at suitable distances apart, into which toothed pinions E, carried on
O horizontal shafts a are geared, as shewn. On the shaft a large spur
wheels are also situated, and which are geared with similar spur
pinions G on shafts b, also provided with large spur wheels H, which in
their turn are geared with pinions I on shaft c, and so on until any
required velocity of a shaft for driving mechanism is obtained. As the
5 tide rises the landing stage A and racks D situated thercon also ascend,
and the pinions E geared into the racks D are consequently rotated, so
that rotatory motion is thereby communicated to the shaft a and wheels F,
thence to the pinions G, shaft b, and wheels H, and so on to the shaft c,
for driving mechanism, the velocity of each succeeding shaft being
O increased until the required velocity of the ultimate shaft of the series
or that from which power is transmitted is reached. As the tide falls
the weight of the landing stage A during the fall becomes also available
by means of the racks D and the wheelwork E, F, G, H, I, and J, as a
motive power, but in a reverse direction, so that when it is necessary
that the motive force shall work continuously in one direction, the
introduction of reversing gear not shewn on the Drawings, but which may
consist of any of the ordinary type of gearing for that purpose, is essential.
Figure 3 of the Drawings illustrates the adaptation of this Invention
to a pontoon A, a system of multiplying levers L being in this case
O employed to convey the motion and energy due to the rise and fall of
the tide acting upon it as a source of motive power. The extremities
of the levers L at one end of each set are attached to cranks e supported
in columns d placed on the floating stage or pontoon A, and the ex-
tremities of the levers at the opposite ends may be attached to rams or
pistons for accumulating water under pressure for raising weights, or for
actuating hydraulic engines, cranes, or lifts, or the levers L may be
employed for other purposes for which a system of multiplying levers
may be conveniently adapted.

page_text: Figure 4 of the Drawing represents in transverse section the appli-
cation of this Invention in combination with turbines within a dyke
or wall A for impounding water during a tidal rise, the water being
admitted to that side of the wall marked B through gates or sluices not
shewn on the Drawings when the tide is rising, and which are shut
when the tide reaches its highest level. The water thus impounded is
employed during the fall of the tide under this arrangement to drive
turbines C situated in chambers D at the interior of the dyke or wall A,
water being admitted to the turbines by the channels or passages x,
and discharged through the passages or openings y. The channels or
passages are provided with valves, not shewn on the Drawings in order
that the water may not be allowed to flow through more than one such
channel or passage or series of channels or passages on the same level
in the case of more than one set of turbines being employed at the same
time. As the turbines C rotate, they communicate motion to the
shaft E, from which by means of toothed wheels, pulleys, or other
suitable gear power may be transmitted to any mechanism which it may
be required to drive. The floating stage or pontoon E' is provided with
racks F geared into wheelwork similar to that herein-before described,
and shewn at Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings, and when the floating
stage or pontoon E¹ rises as the water is admitted to the inside of the
dyke or wall marked Bit conveys the rising force of the tide through
the racks F to the pinions and spur gear, and the pontoon E' when
falling during the time the water flows through the channels or passages x
causes the racks F to drive the said spur gearing in the opposite
direction, or the spur gearing may be driven in one continuous direction
by the aid of reversing gear. Thus the floating stage or pontoon E',
besides driving mechanism as the water is admitted to and riscs at the
inside of the dyke or wall B, increases by its weight in descending (when
the water is being discharged through the channels or openings x) the
amount of force obtainable by impounding water behind a dyke or wall
for the purpose of driving turbines, and that without detracting from
the amount of force obtained by the passage of the water through the
turbines themselves.
It is however to be understood that the employment of turbines in
the manner herein-before. described constitutes no part of my present
Invention, the object of Figure 4 being to illustrate that my said
Tation MAY

page_text: impounded from the tide for actuating turbines or equivalent hydraulic
motors.
It is further to be understood that in the Drawings hereto appended
I have illustrated such arrangements which indicate generally certain
modes under which my Invention may be practised without giving the
full details thereof, which are capable of considerable variations, as will
be evident to any one practically conversant with the subject.
.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
utilisation of the rise and fall of the tides as a source of motive power
by the employment of landing stages, pontoons, or other floating bodies,
as the means of communicating the same to gearing as herein-before
described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William M°Adam, havo hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.