IMPROVE- MENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE IN PART FOR RAISING OR FORCING FLUIDS INTO STEAM BOILERS, TANKS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomson, of Coatbridge, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, Locomotive Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
IN PART FOR RAISING OR FORCING FLUIDS INTO STEAM BOILERS, TANKS AND
OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 2nd November 1863, and dated the 9th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th May 1863.
I, WILLIAM THOMSON, of Coatbridge, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Locomotive Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLI-
CABLE IN PART FOR RAISING OR FORCING FLUIDS INTO STEAM BOILERS, TANKS, AND
OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
In carrying out the improvements for obtaining motive power, I propose to
enclose a drum wheel in a steam chest or case, the wheel having across its
cylindrical face flanges or blades, which fit accurately against the sides of the
chest to prevent the steam passing the wheel. The wheel is so centred in the
chest that the current of steam which is conveyed by a pipe with an adjusting
cock shall play only on one side of the said wheel, and cause it to rotate in onc
direction. The spindle of the wheel projects outside the chest for applying
exterior mechanism.

page_text: I
When I apply the rotary wheel to feeding boilers, I place on the same spindle
another wheel or disc having inclined blades in it, so arranged that by
revolving it shall suck up and impel the water in a certain course; this disc
is in a separate case. The termination of the steam pipe, after operating on
the wheel described, is an inverted cone, and is contained inside a casc.
convey the water drawn by the revolving disc to the inside of this case to
encircle the steam conical pipe described, which is then carried forward con-
jointly by the escaping steam and the impetus of the disc. I place imme-
diately opposite and near the orifice described an entrance pipe to the boiler
below the water level, and from the greater speed and power of the fluid
described, the resisting pressure in the feed pipe is overcome, and water is
carried into the boiler. I place a self-acting valve in the feed pipe to prevent
the escape of water from the boiler when the feeding is suspended. The
arrangement described enables the boiler to feed hot or cold water, and the
dise will draw from a considerable depth.
In a modification for stationary boilers, where the tank may be at a con-
siderable distance, I propose to have the water brought by the steam entering
a pipe closed at its extreme end, having an entrance through the side by which
the water is discharged into the case with the disc described.
In a modification of the apparatus both wheels may be combined in the same
case, having their centre in a line with the steam jet. The steam operates on
a series of blades at an angle to its line of direction, and similar blades in the
circumference carry the water into the conical orifice to be impelled as
previously described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Thomson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
THOMSON, of Coatbridge, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Locomotive
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Thomson, Her special licence that I, the said William Thomson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William

page_text: Thomson, my executors, administrators, and 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, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
MOTIVE POWER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE IN PART FOR RAISING OR
FORCING FLUIDS INTO STEAM BOILERS, TANKS, AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Thomson, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Thomson, do hereby declare the
nature of ny said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say-
This Invention has for its object improvements, 1st, in obtaining motive
power; 2ndly, in raising fluids; and, 3rdly, in raising and forcing fluids into
boilers, tanks, and other vessels, and consist of an apparatus, the principal parts
of which are a rotatory double wheel or wheels which turn together, one being
impelled by the other, formed as herein-after described, and fitted and caused
to rotate in suitably formed enclosed cases through which steam or other
elastic vapour or fluid passes; the first of these wheels I denominate the motive
wheel or motor, and the second the impelling wheel or impeller. The motor
is operated upon by the force or momentum of the steam, vapour, or fluid, and
the impeller operates upon the fluid to be raised or forced. When the apparatus
is used for driving machinery a drum, pulley, or crank takes the place of the
second wheel or impeller, and a simple supply. and discharge pipe only is
required to be fitted to the motor case when the apparatus is required to raise
liquids, as for instance water from a well or mine of considerable depth. The
discharge pipe is fitted with a number of bruncator branches opening into the
rising main, and when required to raise and force liquids into a boiler or other
vessel against pressure, the discharging pipes are joined into one, and fitted
with the valves and sliding cone or cones hereafter described.
Having thus stated the nature of my said improvements, I will now proceed
to describe the means by which I propose to effect the same, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: JJATLANATION UP THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of the motor and impelling wheels as
they are proposed to be fitted in their cases.
a is the opening to the boiler; b, the bottom or motor wheel; c, the water-
wheel; c, the shaft to which the two wheels are fixed; d, d, steam and water
openings to the boiler; e, the valve for preventing the escape of the water;
and fis the tube in which the valve g works, also leading to the well.
Fig. 2 represents a section through the centre of the motor wheel.
A, the side discs; B, the blades projecting beyond each disc.
Fig. 3 represents the impelling and rising mains when the apparatus is
used for raising water or other liquids.
a is the water pipe or tube; b, the steam pipe, which is closed at the bottom
to prevent the escape of the steam. The steam passing down the pipe b is
fixed between, raises two flames, and the
forced through the trunk c, which is
water up the tube a.
Fig. 4 represents the combined apparatus for forcing fluids against
pressure.
a, the motor wheel, b, the water wheel, both of which are fixed to the shaft
b; b is the bearing for the shaft b', and covering for the motor wheel; c is a
tube parallel at the top with a conical end, in the parallel part of which a rack
c is cut; this tube is worked up or down by a racked wheel c¹ fastened on the
shaft passing through the bearing c', and actuated by the wheel c³; d is the
conical passage in which the tube c works; e is the tube passing to the boiler;
fis a check valve for preventing the water raising when the impellent is not
in motion, and which is opened by the steam when the impellent is in motion.
The space between i ande is left for the superfluous matter to pass through the
valve 9 and through the opening h.
Fig. 5 represents a hollow float valve for allowing the superfluous air to pass
away without the water.
a represents a guide spindle fixed to the screwed cover c; b, b, hollow
chambers closed at the bottom to prevent the water entering when the air
has passed; the water which follows forces the float (which being hollow is
light up to the opening, and thus prevents the egress of the water. When this
valve is placed in a horizontal position a spring is fixed to the cap d to force
open while not in use.
it
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and illustrated and
explained the means by which the said improvements may be carried into
effect in practice, I hereby further declare that I do not absolutely restrict

page_text: myself to the precise form and dimensions of the wheels and other parts
of the apparatus, as the same may be varied in size and shape when required,
and I include all such modifications as parts of my said Invention so
long as such modifications are in principle identical with that of the
improved apparatus to which the foregoing description more particularly
applies.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Ninth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
WILLIAM THOMSON. (L.S.)