Machine for Generating Power by Means of the Ebb and Flood of the Tide.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Machine for Generating Power by Means of the Ebb and Flood of the
Tide.
We, JOHAN MARTIN LARSEN, Wheeler, and CARL PETER CHRISTIAN LARSEN,
Tinker, of Mülheim on the Rhine, Dentzerstreet, 54, in the Province of Rhineland,
and Kingdom of Prussia, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The machine represented on the accompanying plate and now to be described has
for its object the turning to account the regular movement of the sea, as manifested
in its ebb and flood, in order to generate mechanical power.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent such a machine in longitudinal section and partial
longitudinal elevation and also in ground plan.
Figs. and 4 show a slightly different construction likewise in longitudinal
section and ground plan.
Fig. 5 shows in ground plan the construction according to Figs. 1 and 2 with
alterations, and Fig. a different ground plan to Fig. 4. Fig. 7 represents on a
larger scale the mechanism in rotating movement employed in this machine.
The machine consists essentially of one or more bell- or box-shaped floating
receptacles A which are fastened between the brick work walls of a dock B, or
between separate piles C, in such a manner that they cannot move from side to
side, but only up and down. This is best done by means of pulleys r guided on
rails s or similar contrivances.
The receptacles A may be simply box shaped thus having a cover above and a
bottom below' between which the air which buoys up the boxes is enclosed the
receptacle A would, it is true, when the tide begins to come in and the water rises,
have a tendency at first to rise with it, but as thereby a force is exerted, reacting
upon A and, so to say increasing its weight, and thus pressing it down deeper into
the water until the upward pressure of the water is sufficient, not only to force
The tide rising
up the box, but also to accomplish the work to be done by it.
however, as we know, but very slowly, a considerable time would elapse before the
box A could do its work by means of the flood.
In order therefore to make use of this time the machine should be constructed
as follows. The box A must be bell-shaped, that is, open at the bottom and thus
able to float, buoyed up on the water by the enclosed air somewhat as the bell of
a glass receiver. As soon time as the tide begins to rise, air is pumped under the
bell by means of an air-pump L through a leathern bug or nose S and a tube R
which enters the bell from above, thus increasing the tension of the enclosed air
to such a degree that the bell is not only prevented from sinking deeper as the
flood rises, but is at once borne upwards. Contrariwise, in order to weigh down
the bell or box A at the falling of the tide so that it may work, particularly

page_text: On
towards the close of the ebb, water can be conducted to its cover D as an artificial
weight for which purpose the mantle M of A must of course be lengthened upwards
beyond D. Of course should the box A be made of sheet iron its cover, bottom,
sides and free edges must be strengthened with iron wires, connecting rings and
similar means, as shown for example in Fig. 1 and be protected from being
crushed in or from rising up in bosses by the pressure of the air or water.
the box A a trestle-like structure E is suitably placed above in which two racks Z
and Z1 are fastened opposite cach other, which act alternately on a corresponding
cog-wheel z, and turn it, with its shaft W, the machinery for transport which may
be attached to this latter and the machinery driven by them, always in one
direction, the one rack Z being set in motion when A ascends, that is during
the flood-tide, the other Z1 when it descends, i.e., during the ebb.
The cog-wheel z or its shaft W is made to rest firmly, that is not be move up
and down, but only round its axle. This is best effected on a firm pile P after-
wards enclosed by the bell A (Figs. 3, 4, and 6), or on two dock piles P 1 jutting
out towards each other between two bells A (Figs. 1 and 2) or even on two guide
piles of the bell disposed opposite each other between the two boxes A.
When complete docks are used, their surrounding walls B are broken by small
apertures or parts 0 at the foot through which the water flows on and off. When
the ebb is over and the tide begins to rise, the water flowing in through O, raises
the boxes A (assisted if necessary by the pumping in of air under D); at the same
time the trestle E and the racks Z, and Z1 attached to it also rise, while the cog-
wheel z retains its original level as compared with the dock or surface of the
pillars, so that it is set revolving by the passing by of the rack Z. When the
tide again ebbs, the box A floating on the surface sinks with it, acting at the same
time on the wheel z by means of the rack Z 1.
In order to render this possible, namely that one and the same cog-wheel which
is prevented from rising and falling is always turned in the same direction by two
racks which pass it with an upward and downward movement, we have invented
the rack construction represented in larger dimensions in Fig. 7. This rack
renders it possible, namely that while Z1 and Z move together downwards, the
teeth of Z1 catch into the teeth of z, turning the wheel round in the direction of
the arrow, while at the same time the teeth of Z catching from the other side into the
teeth of z form no obstruction, but are lifted up, so that the teeth of z can pass by
without touching.
On the contrary the same time takes place with the teeth of Z and Z1, when with
the rising of the box A both racks Z and Z1 are raised and now the teeth of Z
turn the wheel z in the same direction as it is turned, when the box falls, by the
teeth of Z1, thus the teeth of Z are working while the teeth of Z1 do not catch and
obstruct, but glide by.
The rack-construction by which this is attained and which is represented in
detail in Fig. 7 consists in having the teeth on the racks Z and Z1 arranged to
revolve as separate tooth-like pointed levers h and 1 round the turning points d
and d 1 and linked with each other by rods t and t1 in such a manner, that the
distance between each separate point of junction p and p 1 respectively is equal
to the distance between the points d and d 1 respectively. Ordinarily the rod t
(and 1) bears such a position to Z (and Z1) that each separate lever h (and h 1
respectively) forming a tooth is horizontal and both its points of junction d and p,
and d 1 and p1 respectively lie horizontally.
The maintaining of this position is effected by affixing a spring at one or both
ends of the rod t and 1 whereby it is also rendered possible that when, by pressure
from below or from above, one of the toothed levers h (or h 1), and with its the rods t
(and t1) belonging to it, and likewise the whole of the other levers h (and h 1) is
placed out of its horizontal position into an oblique one upwards or downwards,
it i.e. the lever with all parts connected with it returns at once into its normal
horizontal position as soon as the pressure upon it has ceased.
In the diagram Fig. 7 a draw-spring ƒ is attached to the lower end of the rod t

page_text: and a pressure spring g to its upper end, while at the rod t1 a pressure spring g 1
is attached below and a draw spring f 1 above.
The points of the toothed levers h (h 1) do not form, as do the teeth of an ordinary
cog-wheel, or of a rack, equilateral, but right-angled triangles, thus corresponding
somewhat to the teeth of a saw. Just so the cog-wheel z is not furnished with
equilateral teeth, that is teeth spreading out vertically from the point towards both
sides equally, but with teeth turned towards one side, somewhat as the teeth a
shearing wheel.
The position of these parts to each other is such that the straight sides of the
points of the teeth coinciding with the longer horizontal longitudinal sides of
the levers h (1) lie against the sides of the teeth of the cog-wheel z which are
directed radially towards its centre, pushing these latter forwards, thus making z
revolve, while the longer not radial somewhat rounded sides of the teeth of z press,
when z revolves more quickly than one of the racks Z (Z1) or passes along their
teeth against the obliquely cut off terminal sides of the latter, thus pushing them
aside by raising them or pressing them down as the case may. be.
From this follows that in order to attain the desired object, the oblique points
of the teeth of p must have an opposite position and arrangement to those of h 1.
In Fig. 7 of the diagram (extended lines) it is assumed that the bell A together.
with the racks Z and Z1 is moving downwards; thus the straight sides of the
point of h 1 press downwards against the radial sides of the teeth of.z, turning the
wheel in the direction of the arrow, while the oblique sides of the teeth of z work
from below upwards against the oblique sides of the point of h, thus raising all
the levers h together with the rod t to which they are attached by which action
the spring fis drawn out and g is compressed, so that the rod t with all the levers h
fall at once, by the force of the dotted lines, so soon as the teeth of z cease to act,
in the manner described, on the points of h.
The dotted lines show the positions of h and h1 when working or when moved
owing to the rising of the bell A.
Then the straight side of the point of h presses upwards against the radial sides
of the teeth of z, thus driving the wheel also round in the direction of the arrow
and allowing the oblique sides of its teeth to glide down over the oblique sides of
the point of h 1, so that the levers h 1, with their rod t1 are pressed down into the
position indicated by the dotted lines; at the same time the springs fl is drawn
out and 1 compressed, so that with the cessation of movement of z all the parts
of h 1 with the rod t 1 likewise return to their former position.
Thus with the rising and falling of the bell the left side of the machine con-
sisting of the teeth h of the rack Z and the right side consisting of the parts of h 1
with the rack Z1 come alternately into operation and act on the wheel z.
In Figs. 1, 2 and 5 the shaft W of the cog-wheel z is placed in the trestles F
which are fixed on the pillars P 1 and C1 respectively.
In Figs. 3, 4 and 6 on the other hand directly upon the central pillar P side-
ways on the shaft W is placed a strap or rope-pulley T as transmission apparatus,
from when the conveying of the motion to the land is effected by similar means
or by strap-pulleys of compressors, pumps, motors etc. Of course a fly-wheel can
also be placed on the shaft W; likewise a wheel L 1 which by means of a gearing
wheel drives an electro-motor m which sets in motion an air-pump L by means
of the transmitter n. The pillars P1 in Figs. 1 and 2 are built between the
bells A only in order to bring them nearer to each other and so to lessen as far as
possible the space of the trestle F.
The latticed parts of the machine, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consist only of
rafters and similar connections for the boxes A.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Machine for Generating Power by Means of the Ebb and Flood of the
Tide.
We, JOHAN MARTIN LARSEN, Wheeler, and CARL PETER CHRISTIAN LARSEN,
Tinker, of Mülheim on the Rhine, Dentzerstreet, 54, in the Province of Rhineland,
and Kingdom of Prussia, do hereby. declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The machine represented in the drawing filed with the provisional specification
and now to be described has for its object the turning to account the regular move-
ment of the sea, as manifested in its ebb and flood, in order to generate mechanical
power.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent such a machine in longitudinal section and partial longi-
tudinal elevation and also in ground plan. Figs. 3 and 4 show a slightly different
construction likewise in longitudinal section and ground plan. Fig. 5 shows in
ground plan the construction according to Figs. 1 and 2 with alterations, and
Fig. 6a different ground plan to Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 represents on a larger scale the mechanism in rotating movement employed
in this machine.
The machine consists essentially of one or more bell- or box-shaped floating
receptacles A which are fastened between the brick work walls of a dock B, or
between separate piles C, in such a manner that they cannot move from side to
side, but only up and down. This is best done by means of pulleys r guided on
rails s or similar contrivances.
The receptacles A may be simply box-shaped, thus having a cover above and a
bottom below between which the air which buoys up the boxes is enclosed.
The receptacle A would, it is true, when the tide begins to come in and the
water rises, have a tendency at first to rise with it, but as thereby a force is exerted,
reacting upon A and, so to say increasing its weight, and thus pressing it down deeper
into the water until the upward pressure of the water is sufficient, not only to
force up the box, but also to accomplish the work to be done by it. The tide rising
however, as we know, but very slowly a considerable time would elapse before the
box A could to its work by means of the flood. In order therefore to make use
of this time the machine should be constructed as follows:-
The box A must be bell-shaped, that is, open at the bottom and thus able to
float, buoyed up on the water by the enclosed air somewhat as the bell of a glass
receiver.
As soon time as the tide begins to rise, air is pumped under the bell by means of
an air-pump L through a leathern bug or nose S and a tube R which enters the
hell from above, thus increasing the tension of the enclosed air to such a degree
that the bell is not only prevented from sinking deeper as the flood rises, but is at
once borne upwards.
Contrariwise in order to weigh down the bell or box A at the falling of the tide
so that it may work, particularly towards the close of the ebb, water can be con-
ducted to its cover D) as an artificial weight for which purpose the mantle M of A
must of course be lengthened upwards beyond D. Of course should the box A
be made of sheet iron its cover, bottom, sides and free edges must be strengthened
with iron wires, connecting rings and similar means, as shown for example in
Fig. 1 and be protected from being crushed in or from rising up in bosses by the

page_text: pressure of the air or water. On the box A a trestle-like structure E is suitably
placed above in which two racks Z and Z1 are fastened opposite each other, which
act alternately on a corresponding cog-wheel z, and turn it with its shaft W, the
machinery for transport which may be attached to this latter and the machinery
driven by them, always in one direction, the one rack Z being set in motion when Å.
ascends that is during the flood-tide, the other Z1 when it descends, id est during<
the ebb.
The cog-wheel or its shaft W is made to rest firmly, that is not be move up and
down, but only round its axle. This is best effected on a firm pile P afterwards
enclosed by the bell A (Figs 3, 4, and 6), or on two dock piles P 1 jutting out
towards each other between two bells A (Figs. 1 and 2) or even on two guide piles
of the bell disposed opposite each other between two boxes A.
When complete docks are used, their surrounding walls B are broken by small
apertures or parts at the foot through which the water flows on and off. When
the ebb is over and the tide begins to rise, the water flowing in through O, raises
the boxes A (assisted if necessary by the pumping in of air under D); at the
same time the trestle E and the racks Z and Z1 attached to it also rise, while the
cog-wheel z retains it original level as compared with the dock, or surface of
the pillars, so that it is set revolving by the passing by of the rack Z.
When the tide again ebbs, the box A floating on the surface sinks with it,
acting at the same time on the wheel z by means of the rack*% 1.
In order to render this possible, namely that one and the same cog-wheel which
is prevented from rising and falling is always turned in the same direction by two
racks which pass it with an upward and downward movement, we have invented
the rack construction represented in larger dimensions in Fig. 7. This rack
renders it possible, namely that while Z1 and Z move together downwards, the
teeth of Z1 catch into the teeth of z, turning the wheel round in the direction of
the arrow, while at the same time the teeth of Z catching from the other side into
the teeth of form no obstruction, but are lifted up, so that the teeth of z can pass
by without touching.
On the contrary the same time takes place with the teeth of Z and Z1 when
with the rising of the box A both racks Z and Z1 are raised and now the teeth
of Z turn the wheel z in the same direction as it is turned, when the box falls, by
the teeth of % 1, thus the teeth of Z are working while the teeth of Z1 do not catch
and obstruct, but glide by.
The rack-construction by which this is attained aud which is represented in
detail in Fig. 7 consists in having the teeth on the racks Z and Z1 arranged to
revolve as separate tooth-like pointed levers h and h1 round the turning points d
and d 1 and linked with each other by rods t and t1 in such a manner, that the
distance between each separate point of junction p and p1 respectively is equal
to the distance between the points d and d 1 respectively.
Ordinarily the rod t (and t1). bears such a position to Z (and Z 1) that each
separate lever h (and h1 respectively) forming a tooth is horizontal and both its
points of junction d and p and d 1 and p'1 respectively lie horizontally.
The maintaining of this position is effected by affixing a spring at one or both
ends of the rod t and t 1 whereby it is also rendered possible that when, by pressure
from below or from above, one of the toothed levers h (or h 1), and with its the
rods (and t 1) belonging to it and likewise the whole of the other levers h (and h 1)
is placed out of its horizontal position into an oblique one upwards or downwards,
it, id est the lever with all the parts connected with it returns at once into its
normal horizontal position as soon as the pressure upon it has ceased.
In the drawing, Fig. 7, a draw-spring fis attached to the lower end of the rod t
and a pressure spring g to its upper end, while at the rod t 1 a pressure spring 9 1
is attached below and a draw-spring f 1 above.
The points of the toothed levers h (h 1) do not form, as do the teeth of an
ordinary cog-wheel, or of a rack, equilateral, but right-angled triangles, thus corre-
sponding somewhat to the teeth of a saw.

page_text: Just so the cog-wheel z is not furnished with equilateral teeth, that is teeth
spreading out vertically from the point towards both sides equally, but with teeth
turned towards one side, somewhat as the teeth a shearing wheel, The position
of these parts to each other is such that the straight sides of the points of the
teeth coinciding, with the longer horizontal longitudinal sides of the levers h (h 1)
lie against the sides of the teeth of the cog-wheel z which are directed radially
towards its centre, pushing these latter forwards, thus making z revolve, while the
longer not radial, somewhat rounded sides of the teeth of z press, when z revolves
more quickly than one of the racks Z (Z 1) or passes along their teeth against the
obliquely cut off terminal sides of the latter, thus pushing them aside by raising
them or pressing them down as the case may be. From this follows that, in order
to attain the desired object, the oblique points of the teeth of p must have an
opposite position and arrangement to those of h 1.
In Fig. of the drawing (extended lines) it is assumed that the bell A together
with the racks Z and Z1 is moving downwards; thus the straight sides of the
point of 1 press downwards against the radial sides of the teeth of z turning the
wheel in the direction of the arrow, while the oblique sides of the teeth of z work
from below upwards against the oblique sides of the point of h, thus raising all
the levers together with the rod t to which they are attached by which action
the spring fis drawn out and y is compressed, so that the rod t with all the levers h
fall at once, by the force of the springs, into their normal. position, as indicated by
the dotted lines, so soon as the teeth of cease to act, in the manner described, on
the points of h.
The dotted lines show the positions of h and h1 when working or when moved,
owing to the rising of the bell A.
Then the straight side of the point of h presses upwards against the radial sides
of the teeth of z, thus driving the wheel also round in the direction of the arrow
and allowing the oblique sides of its teeth to glide down over the oblique sides of
the point of 1, so that the levers h¹, with their rods t1 are pressed down into
the position indicated by the dotted lines; at the same time the spring f 1 is drawn
out and g 1 compressed so that with the cessation of movement of all the parts
of 1 with the rod t 1 likewise return to their former position.
Thus with the raising and falling of the bell the left side of the machine con-
sisting of the teeth h of the rack Z and the right side consisting of the parts of h 1
with the rack Z1 come alternately into operation and act on the wheel z.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 5 the shaft W of the cog-wheel z is placed in the trestles F
which are fixed on the pillars P1 and C1 respectively.
In Figs. 3, 4, and 6 on the other hand directly upon the central pillar P side-
ways on the shaft W is placed a strap or rope-pulley T as transmission apparatus,
from whence the conveying of the motion to the land is effected by similar. means,
or by strap-pulleys of compressors, pumps, motors, and the like.
Of course a fly-wheel can also be placed on the shaft W; likewise a wheel L1
which by means of a gearing wheel V drives an electro-motor m which sets in
motion an air-pump L by means of the transmitter n.
The pillars P1 in Figs. 1 and 2 are built between the bells A only in order to
bring them nearer to each other and so to lessen as far as possible the open of the
trestle F.
The latticed parts of the machine, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consist only of rafters
and similar constructions for the boxes A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained. the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim:-
The machine for generating power by means of the ebb and flow of the tide
composed of one or more floating receptacles A, moveable up and down and bearing
on their upper end two specially constructed racks, consisting of the pole Z (or Z1)
fastened to A and the levers h (or h 1) moveable on it and connected with each

page_text: other by the rod t (or t 1) combined with a cog-wheel z not moveable up and down
and placed at the dock or guide-pillar, so as to be able to revolve together with its
shaft W.
Dated this 20th day of March 1898
For JOHAN MARTIN LARSEN and
CARL CHRISTIAN LARSEN,
Bernh. Brockhues.