IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING AND CONVEYING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MACHELL, of Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex, Surgeon, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that, after considerable application and
expence, I had invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAISING AND CONVEYING WATER AND
OTHER FLUIDS," and Her said Majesty being willing to give encouragement to
all arts and inventions which may be for the public good, was graciously
pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the
Twenty-eighth day of June (One thousand eight hundred and forty-one),
in the fifth year of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Machell, my exors, admors, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and, authority, that I
or they, by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or
agents, or such others as I or they should agree with, and no others,
during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent,
should and lawfully might make, use; exercise, and vend my said Invention
within that part of Her said Majesty's Dominions called England, Her Do-
minion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner
as to me, my exors, admors, and assigns, shall seem meet, and as that I or
they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising by reason of the said
Invention during the said term of fourteen years, and for that end Her
said Majesty requires and strictly commands all Her subjects whatsoever,

page_text: within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, that they shall
not, either directly nor indirectly, make, use, or put in practice my said In-
vention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble
the same, nor make any addition or subtraction therefrom, whereby to
pretend himself or themselves to be the inventor or inventors thereof; and
whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso obliging me,. the said
Thomas Machell, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Machell, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, and by aid of the three Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My said Improvements consist in a mode, herein-after fully described, of
raising and conveying water or other fluids by condensing or compressing
atmospheric air, by means of suitable air pumps, into close vessels or receivers
capable of retaining air in a state of strong compressure, and from which
receivers the condensed or compressed air is conveyed by suitable air pipes,
and introduced when required into other vessels containing water or other fluid
which is to be raised; and the compressed air by its elasticity forcing its way
from the receivers through the air pipes and into such last-mentioned vessels,
will expel the water or other fluid therefrom, and cause the same to pass
through a pipe which is or are suitably disposed for raising and conveying the
water or other fluid to the place to which the same is required to be raised
and conveyed. The apparatus by which my improvements is to be carried
into effect may be constructed in various forms suitable for the various
situations in which it is to be used; and, by way of example, I shall first
describe that form of construction which is represented in the annexed
Drawings.
No. 1 and No. 2, Figures 1 and 4 therein, are vertical sections of the
whole of an apparatus for raising water out of a well, or out of the pit or shaft
of a mine, by means of atmospheric air, which is compressed by action of
condensing air pumps into receivers. A, in bath Figures, is a building at the
surface of the ground, containing the said air pumps and receivers. B is the
well, pit, or shaft, with water at the bottom of it, which water is to be raised
therefrom through the ascending water pipe K, and which pipe, on reaching the

page_text: surface of the ground, may proceed to the place to which the water is intended
to be conveyed. The depth of the well B is divided into stages J, and at suitable
intervals or portions of the whole depth water vessels F, G, H, I, are placed,
and the pipe K communicates with each of them; also small air pipes p, q, r, s,
go down to the several vessels to convey the compressed air into them from
the receivers into which it is compressed by the air pumps.
Those pumps
and receivers are shewn in their places within the building A; but they are
separately represented in Figures 2, 8, and 6, on a larger scale, for more
complete explanation. C, C, C, in all those Figures are the three barrels of
the condensing air pumps, their pistons being moved alternately up and down
within the barrels by action of tripple cranks M upon a horizontal axis, which
is turned continually round by a cog wheel V on one end of it, and a pinion P
upon an axis N, which has a winch or crank handle B at each end of it, to be
turned round by men, and it has a fly wheel O to regulate its motion. And
note, for an apparatus on a larger scale, the said axis N, with its fly wheel
and crank B, may be the axis of the fly wheel of a steam engine, or else the
axis N may be turned continually round by the power of horses, or by a wind-
mill, or a water wheel, as may be most convenient. The piston rods of the
air pumps C, C, C, come out from the lower ends of the barrels, so that the
pumps are inverted pumps, and their piston rods are connected with the tripple
cranks M by connecting links, all which is well known as the usual mode of
working tripple pumps; and the construction of the pumps with their valves
is as usual for condensing air pumps; that is to say, with a valve in the upper
end of each barrel C to inhale air from the atmosphere whenever the piston
descends within the barrel, but to close and prevent the return of that air
when the piston ascends again, wherefore the said air must be éompressed into
a less space as the piston ascends; and the air, when sufficiently compressed,
opens another valve at the upper end of the barrel, and passes through that
valve into the pipe W, and through that pipe into the larger receiver D. As
soon as the piston begins to descend again, the last-mentioned valve closes, and
prevents any return of the compressed air out of the pipe W; but the first-
mentioned valve opens again and admits atmospheric air to enter into and fill
the barrel as fast as the piston descends, and inhales the air into the barrel as
the three barrels act by turn. In that manner they condense, air continually,
and force that condensed air through the pipe W into the large receiver D,
which for strength may be of a cylindrical form, with hemispherical ends.
The end of the pipe W may turn down within the receiver D, nearly to the
lowest part thereof, where they may be a small quantity of water, and there
may be a valve b, Figure 6, in the pipe W, to prevent any return of com

page_text: pressed air through the pipe W in case the pumps are standing still, and that
their valves before mentioned, which open from each barrel C into the pipe
W, should leak. Also there should be a safety valve to the receiver D,
loaded with a suitable weight, in the same manner as is used for high-pressure
steam boilers, in order to allow surplus compressed air to escape from the
receiver if it is overcharged. d, e, f, g, are four smaller receivers, of similar
forms to the large one D, but placed in vertical positions, and each one is
'connected with D by a short pipe Z, having a valve in it which will open to
'allow compressed air to pass out from D into each receiver d, e, f, g, but will
close to prevent any return of air therefrom into D. From each of the small
receivers d, e, f, g, an air pump proceeds with a double-acting stopcock
therein at x, y, z, a, to allow the air to pass or to stop it, and from those four
cocks the air pipes p, q, r, s, are continued to the well B, Figures 1 and 4,
and descend therein to join, as already mentioned, to the water vessels
F, G, H, I, which are placed at different depths down in the well. Two of
those vessels, F and I, are placed side by side, and immersed beneath the
water in the well; they are shewn separately on a larger scale in Figure 5.
Each one has a valve l, m, at the bottom of it to admit the water in which the
vessels are immersed to enter into and fill each one; but those valves l, m,
by closing, will prevent any water returning out of the vessels F, I. The
'ascending water pipe K joins to both of those vessels, having for that pur-
pose two branches at its lower end, which descend into the vessels F and I,
near to the bottom of each one; and there are valves k, k, in the branches,
which open to permit water to pass up through the pipe K, but they will
close to prevent any return. From the junction of the said branches the pipe
K goes up to join to the lower part of the vessel G, with a valve n therein
which will open to permit the water to enter from the pipe K into the vessel
G, but will close and prevent any return. The continuation of the pipe K
upwards ascends from the vessel G, the pipe entering therein nearly to the
bottom thereof, with a valve i in that continuation K to permit the ascent but
to prevent any return of water down the pipe K, the said continuation of that
pipe joins to the lower part of the vessel H with a valve O, which will open to
permit water to pass up out of pipe K into the vessel H, but will close to prevent
any return. The further continuation of the pipe K ascends from the vessel H,
the pipe entering therein nearly to the bottom thereof, with a valve j in the
pipe K to perimit the ascent but to prevent any return of water down the
pipe K. The upper end of that pipe K reaches up out of the well above
the surface of the ground, and is conveyed thereon to any place to which the
water may be required to be conveyed. In Figure 4 the pipe K is repre-

page_text: sented as conveying the water to the lower part of a vase, from which the
water may be spouted up as in a fountain, but that may be done or not,
according to local circumstance; and in place of such vase there may be a
cistern or reservoir to receive the water, and the same may be placed high
up above ground, or in the roof of the building A. The cocks x, y, z, a, are
each made with a passage leading to the open air, in addition to that passage
through the cock which, as before mentioned, allows the air to pass from each
of the small receivers d, e, f, g, to the air pipes p, q, r, s. Each cock forms
the angle or knee bend of the passage by which each of the said pipes
joins to each of the small receivers. The turning plug of the cock is fitted
horizontally across the said angle or knee, and the passage in that plug is not
diametrically across its centre, but is a notch at one side thereof; and when
that side notch connects with the passage which brings compressed air from
the receiver, it also connects with the passage which conveys the said air
down the air pipe. In such case the cock allows to air to pass from the receiver
to go down the air pipe, as before explained; but when the cock is turned,
in order to shut that passage and prevent the air from passing, then the said
side notch will be moved away from its coincidence with the passage leading
from the small receiver, so as to close the latter passage, but the side notch
will (notwithstanding the turning of the plug of the cock) continue in corre-
spondence with the passage which communicates with the air pipe, and the side
notch will also come to coincide with the aforesaid passage leading to the open'
air, whereby the compressed air will be allowed to return from each of the water'
vessels F, G, H, I, in the well by ascending through the air pipes p, q, r, s, and
making its escape into the open air. Hence the four cocks x, y, z, a, when their
turning plugs are turned one way, open as many communications from the four
small receivers d, e, f, g, through the air pipes p, q, r, s, to convey compressed
air down to the four water vessels F, G, H, I, in the well, but when the
same turning plugs are turned the other way they close the said communi-
cations, and at the same time they open other communications to the open
air to allow the compressed air in the water vessels to escape by ascending
through the air pipes and rushing out through the opened passages of the
cocks. The four cocks x, y, z, a, govern the operation of the apparatus; for,
provided that the receivers D and d, e, f, g, are filled with compressed air,
then, by turning the said four cocks, in due succession, the apparatus is put
into operation for raising the water of the well to the surface of the ground,
and then conveying it to its distination. And in order that the turning of
the plugs of the four cocks may be performed with regularity of succession,
the handles of those cocks are actuated by four wheels t, u, v, w, which are

page_text: fixed on a horizontal axis S, S, which is turned slowly round by means of a
toothed wheel D fixed upon that axis, and which wheel, by an endless screw
or an inclined axis U, with a bevel wheel on that axis, receives motion from
another small bevel wheel on the axis N, N, of the handles R, R, and
fly wheel O. The wheels t, u, v, w, are formed with prominences and de-
pressions on their circumference instead of being circular, and the handles
of the several cocks apply to these curved circumferences, having reacting
springs or weights attached to the tail ends of the several handles, by which
means the handles are kept in contact with the said circumferences, as is
shewn separately on a larger scale at Figures 7 and 8 in Drawing No. 1,
wherefore, as the wheels t, u, v, w, revolve with their axes S, S, the said
prominences and depressions on their circumferences will give such motions
to the handles of the four cocks as is requisite for turning the turning plugs
thereof to the proper extent in due order and succession for producing the
operation of the apparatus. These particulars being understood, the operation
of the apparatus is as follows:-Suppose by the continual action, as herein-
before described, of the triple pumps C, C, C, the large receiver D, and.
the four small ones d, e, f, g, are all kept constantly filled with compressed
air; also that the water pipe K, and the two lowest water vessels I and F
are full of water; likewise that the uppermost water vessel II is full of water,
but that the middlemost water vessel G has no water in it, then if the
cock x is opened, it will permit compressed air to pass from the small receiver
d down the air pipe p to the vessel F, and the air entering into the upper
of that vessel, will press with its elastic force on the surface of the water
therein, so as to force the water from that vessel F up the branch of the
pipe K through the valve k, and then up the main ascending water pipe K
into the vessel G, in order to transfer the water which was contained in the
vessel into the vessel G. And note, the above-mentioned opening of the
cock a will be performed by a depression on the circumference of the wheel t,
which depression, by the revolving motion of that wheel, is brought round to
the handle of the cock a, and when that depression has passed over the said
handle, it will allow the same to be raised up by the reaction of its spring
Or weight, as is shewn separately on a larger scale. by Figure 7, in Drawing
No. 1, and thus, open the cock for the purpose already explained'; and
at the same time that the wheel t thus presents a depression to the handle
of its cock x, another wheel v, on the same axis S, will present a prominence
to the handle of its cock a, so as to press down that handle in opposition
to the reacting weight or spring thereof, as is shewn separately on a larger
scale by Figure 8, in Drawing No. 1, and thereby turn the plug of the

page_text: cock a, so that it will permit the compressed air to escape through the air
piper from the vessel G into the open air at the passage leading from
the cock a to the open air, by which means the water vessel G becomes
qualified for receiving the water, which is, as before mentioned, about to be
transferred from the lower vessel F into the vessel G; and at the same time,
before mentioned, when the wheel t began to present its dépression, and the
wheel v began to present its prominence to the handles of their respective
cocks and a, in the manner and for the purposes above explained, at that
same time the wheel u also began to present a depression to the handle of
its cock z, and allowed the plug of that cock to be turned by reaction of its
spring or weight, so as that compressed air from the small receiver e would .be
allowed to pass out therefrom through the cock z; and down the air pipe s
into the uppermost water vessel H, from which it would expel the contained
water, forcing the same up through the valve ; and the pipe K to. above. the
surface of the ground, and thence to the place of its intended destination.
Note, the transferring, already mentioned, of the water from the vessel F to
the vessel G takes place at the same time that the expulsion (already men-
tioned) of the water from the vessel H takes place; and as the axis S continues
to revolve, and by the time it has gone half way round from the time above
mentioned (when the wheel t began to present its depression, and the wheel v.
its prominence, as aforesaid); then the wheel v begins to present its depression
to the handle of its cock a, so as to allow that cock to be turned by reaction
of its spring or weight, in order to permit compressed air to pass through the
cock a, and down through the air pipe r to the water vessel G, from which
vessel the said air will force out the water up through the valve i and pipe K.
into the upper vessel H. And note, at the same time last mentioned, when
the wheel begins to present its depression, the wheel u began to present
its prominence to the handle of the cock. z, so as to turn the plug of that cock
in order to allow the compressed air to pass up from the upper water vessel
H through the air pipe s and cock z to escape into the open air, and thus
qualify the said water vessel H. for receiving the water which is to be trans-
ferred upwards from the water vessel G into the said water vessel H. And
in like manner and at the same time that the wheel v begins to present its
prominence, the wheel t does the same, that is to say, it presents its pro-
minence to the handle of the cock x, belonging to the air pipe p. of the
lowermost water vessel F, and by moving that handle turns the cock x, so as
to allow the compressed air to escape from the said vessel F up through the
air pipe p, and through the cock and into the open air, whereby the said
vessel will become qualified for being filled again with water, and will

page_text: begin to be filled therewith in consequence of the vessel F. being immersed in
the water of the well B. And note, the two lowermost vessels F and I may:
be enclosed within a box or casing of wood, perforated on all sides with small-
holes, to allow the water to enter, but at the same time to act as a strainer
for clearing the water from extraneous matters before it can get into the
vessels F.or I. The apparatus has now gone once through its operation, and
the continuance of its working will be a mere repetition of what has been already
explained; but in such case only the water vessel F of the lowermost vessels.
F, I, will be operative at every repetition, and the water vessel I will never. be:
operative. The apparatus might be used in that manner, in which case the
vessel I would be superfluous, and might be omitted. But the two water
vessels are provided at F and I in order that there may be no delay for filling,.
because, as each of the lowermost vessels F or I becomes filled, merely in
consequence of being immersed in the water in the well B, it requires more
time to become filled than the other water vessels higher up in the well, which
are filled by suddenly transferring water into them from the vessels below,
as already explained; but by having two vessels F, I, and using one of them
at one time of operating (as for instance, the vessel F, as already explained),
and then at the next succeeding time of operating using the vessel I instead
of F, but in precisely the saine manner, then there will be ample time for
each vessel to become filled with water before it is required to be used. And
in order to bring the vessel I into action at every other time of operating
with the apparatus, there is a small receiver g, and a cock y, and an air pipe
q, belonging to the vessel I; also a wheel w on the axis S for actuating the
handle of that cock y when required, the operation of all those parts when it
takes place being precisely the same, and being performed at the same periods
of the operation, as already described respecting the corresponding parts belong-
ing to the water vessel F, that is to say, the small receiver d, cock x, air pipe p,
and wheelt on the axis S, for actuating the handle of the cock a; but note, only
one of the two lowermost water vessels F and I is to be operative at the same
time, the other one must be kept out of operation. That keeping out of action
is effected by holding fast the tail end of the handle of the cock belonging
to that water vessel which is to be kept out of action, so that it will not be
allowed to be moved by reaction of its spring or weight at the time when
its wheel on the axes S would otherwise allow it to be moved by that
reaction; wherefore, as soon as the cock and its handle and other parts
belonging to that lowermost water vessel F or I which has already performed
its operations have assumed similar positions to those represented by Figure 8,.
then the tail end of the handle of the cock must be detained by a latch, which,

page_text: will prevent that tail end from descending again at the next time when the
wheel on the axis S presents a depression to the handle. Such a latch may
be the end of a long slender lever, see 30, 31, Figure 9, which is poised on a
fixed centre pin 32 at the middle of its length, in the manner of a scale beam,
one end 30 of such lever, when depressed a little, serving as the latch to
detain the tail end of the handle of the cock y for the water vessel I, so as to
prevent that handle from operating by reaction of its spring or weight, and
the opposite end 31 of the same lever serving when that end is depressed as
a latch to detain the tail end of the handle of the cock x for the water vessel
F, so as to prevent that handle from operating. But, whereas, one end 30
of the said lever latch must be clevated when the other end 31 is depressed;
it cannot in any case detain both cocks y and x from operating at the same
time, but will always detain one and leave the other at liberty; and all that is
requisite is, that the lever latch 30, 31, shall be slightly tilted about its centre
of motion 32, so as to depress one of its ends and elevate the other end in
the interval between each succeding time of repeating the operation above.
described of the apparatus; and then during such operation it will be
that one of the two lower vessels F (or I) which will be brought into
operation, whereof the cock x (or y) will have the end 31 (or 30) of
the lever latch depressed, so as to detain the tail end of the handle
of the cock. The requisite tilting of the lever latch 30, 31, can be easily
performed by connecting one end 31 of the said lever latch by means of a
short link 33, Figure 9, with a small revolving crank pin, which is carried
round in a circular orbit.in consequence of being fixed into the centre boss of
a small toothed wheel 34, which is mounted upon a fixed centre pin 36; and
the teeth. of the wheel 34 are actuated by those of a pinion 35, which is fixed:
on any convenient part of the axis S, and which pinion has only half as
many teeth as the wheel 34, wherefore, as the axis S, with the four wheels:
t, u, v, w, and pinion 35 thereon makes one revolution for each repetition of the
operation herein-before described of the apparatus, the wheel 34 must make
but one revolution for two such repetitions; and the crank pin is so arranged
that at a suitable period of one of those repetitions it will tilt down and
depress one end of the lever 30, 31, in a suitable manner for detaining the tail
end of the handle of one or other of the cocks y or a, leaving the other of
those cocks at liberty to operate by the reaction of its spring or weight, in the.
manner herein-before explained, so as to bring one of the lowermost receivers
I or F into action; but, at the same period of the next succeeding repetition,
the wheel 34 having carried the small crank pin just half round in its circular
orbit, the lever latch 30, 31, will become tilted in a contrary direction, so as:

page_text: to depress its other end, which was before raised, and that end which is now
depressed will detain the tail end of the handle of that cock which was before
left at liberty, and will leave at liberty that cock which was before detained,
and which last-mentioned cock will therefore operate in due time by the
reaction of its spring or weight, in the manner berein-before explained, and at
a suitable period of the operation, so as to bring the other one of the lower-
most receivers into action which was left out of action at the preceding time
of performing the operation. And; in order to augment the force wherewith
the compressed air will operate in the manner herein-before described, heat
may be applied to such air after it has become compressed, so as by aug-
menting the temperature to increase the elastic force of the compressed air, in
order to give the same a stronger force than it would acquire from the mere
compression or condensation of a great quantity of atmospheric air into the
receivers D d, e, f, g, by means of the pumps, as herein-before explained. The
heating of the compressed air may be performed by surrounding the air pipes
p, q, r, s, with fire, of which Figure 14 is an illustration. The said air pipes
being kept very hot by such application of fire, the air in passing through them
will become heated, and consequently the elastic force will be augmented.. The
four air pipes p, q, r, s, may be brought together through the same fire, which
fire may be contained in any suitable kind of fireplace; and if the air pipes,
instead of being merely passed straight across the fire, as represented in
Figure 14, are curled round in revolutions in the midst of the fire, or over
the same, before quitting the fireplace, a greater heat will be communicated
to the compressed air in passing through such pipes, or fire may be applied
around the four air receivers d, e, f, 9; and if the apparatus is worked by a
steam engine, then the flue from the furnace of the engine boiler may be
carried into an oven or casing of brickwork wherein the air pipes p, q, r, s,
are enclosed, and wherein all the four receivers d, e, f, g, are placed; and also
heat may in like manner be applied around the larger receiver D, if required,
by which means the heating will be performed without using any fire for that ex-
press purpose. Note, it is obvious, from the foregoing description, that one repe-
tition of the operation of the apparatus will take place and will be completed,
as herein-before described, in the time whilst the axis S, with the several
wheels thereon, makes one revolution; and it is equally obvious, that during
the said time the tripple air pumps C, C, C, ought to have condensed as much
air into the receiver D as will replace the quantity of condensed air which has
gone out therefrom during the performance of the aforesaid operation of the
apparatus. The number of teeth in the toothed wheels at Q and T.must
be suitably adapted according to the size of the pumps C, C, C, and to the

page_text: size of the water vessels F, G, H, I, and to the depth from which the water
is to be raised in the well, so as that the pumps shall be certain to have con-
densed a sufficient quantity of air into the receiver D for operating once with
the apparatus, in manner herein-before described, during the time that the
said toothed wheels will have turned the axis S once round.
air
My said improvements are also applicable to fire-extinguishing engines, see
Figures 10 and 11, in Drawing No. 3, which represent an ordinary engine of
that kind mounted on wheels with springs, and adapted to be drawn by horses
or men for quick removal from place to place. C, C, are a pair of condensing
pumps, which are introduced according to my improvements, in addition
to the usual pair of water pumps which are marked 4, 4, and which, with
their valves X and Y, are as usual; also their air vessel A, to contain com-
pressed air (in order to cause a regular eflux of water to be thrown by the
engine out of its jet pipe) may be as usual. B is the force pipe, terminating.
with a screw, to which the leather pipe or hose is to be screwed, in order to
convey the water from the engine towards the place where the jet of water is
required to be spouted out on the fire, all which is as usual. My condensing
air pumps C, C, are worked by an additional lever, which is fastened on the
same horizontal axis 8 which carries the usual lever for working the usual
water pumps 4, 4, wherefore no alteration of the usual parts is made in con-
sequence of the application of my improvements, but only the addition of the
air pumps C, C, with their said lever, and also the addition of a receiver D
for condensed air, in addition to the ordinary air vessel A, and communicating
therewith by a small pipe E, which turns down at the end into the receiver D,
wherein a small quantity of water may be lodged at the bottom, so as to
prevent leakage. My condensing air pumps deliver the air which they have
compressed into the ordinary air vessel A through a small condensed air
pipe G, by which means that air vessel is always kept filled with condensed
air; and the condensed air passes from A by the pipe E into the receiver D,
and out of the upper part thereof two small air pipes proceed at a and b, and
go down to e, f, at the two sides of the screw joint B already mentioned. The
usual leather or hose pipe which is joined to B may have two small flexible
air pipes, of indian rubber or other suitable substance, laid alongside of it all
its length, as represented at Figure 18, at d, j, the said small pipes d, j, being
securely bound to the large one or hose H; and the ends of the two air.
pipes d, j, are united by suitable screws, of the kind called union joints, to the
two orifices e, f, aforesaid, at the sides of the large screw joint B. At each of
the ordinary screw joints for uniting the several pieces or lengths of the hose.
pipe H together there are also small union joints to unite the small air pipes.

page_text: d, j; together, as is shewn in Figure 18, so that there will be a conveyance for
condensed air as well as for water; and at some convenient place towards the
distant extremity of the hose pipe H, or near to that extremity, a double water
vessel, Figure 16, is to be used. It is very similar to the two vessels F and I,
already described in reference to Figures 1, 4, and 5. The two vessels F, I,
Figure 16, are made of thin copper, enclosed side by side in a strong wooden
box, which has handles to carry it by; and it is placed on the ground at any
convenient place as near to the fire which is to be extinguished as it can be:
conveniently placed. The hose pipe H, Figure 18, is joined by screwing to
the pipe K, Figure 16, and that pipe turns up with two branches into the
lowest part of the two vessels F and I, with a valve in the bottom of each to:
admit water freely into them from the hose pipe II, but to prevent any
return of water out of them; and from the lowest part of cach vessel F, J, a
pipe. m proceeds and ascends through the top of the vessel; but both those:
pipes m join into one pipe M just above the box in which the two vessels.
F, I, are enclosed, and to that one pipe M a leather or hose pipe is screwed.
to conduct water from the vessel F, I, to the branch or jet pipe out of which
the water is to be spouted on the fire; and the shorter the length of such last-
mentioned hose pipe is beyond the vessels F, I, the better will be the action.
of the apparatus. There are no small air pipes, such as d, j, Figure 18,
required at the sides of that last-mentioned hose pipe. The two small air:
pipes d, j, which are carried alongside of the main hose pipe H, Figure 18,
only go as far as the box containing the two vessels F, I, Figure 16, and
there the said small air pipes d, j, are screwed by union joints to two copper:
air pipes in the box, Figure 16 (although only only one such pipe is there
represented), which two pipes go up therein to join to the upper part of each
vessel F, I, with a cock in each air pipe to admit condensed air into either
vessel when that cock is opened, or to exclude the same when the cock is
shut. But note, it is not necessary to have two small air pipes proceeding from:
the receiver D, Figure 10, and continuing all along with the hose pipe, as in
Figure 18, for one such pipe will do; as, for instance, that which proceeds
from a to e, in Figure 10, and then along the hose pipe H, at d, Figure 18,
in which case there will be only one air pipe required in the box Figure 16,
as is there represented at n, that one pipe branching off each way to join to
the upper parts of the two vessels F, I, with a cock p at the place where the
said branching off takes place, as is shewn separately in Figure 17. When
the handle of that cock is turned towards one vessel, for instance F, it admits.
condensed.air into the same, but does not admit condensed air into the other:
vessel I; but by turning the handle of the said cock p half way round, so as..

page_text: to point towards the other vessel I, then it admits condensed air into that
vessel I, but not into the other vessel F; and, when the cock p is in an inter-
mediate position, it will not admit condensed air into either of the vessels I
or I. Note, the water pipes m, m, which pass through the upper part of
each vessel F and I descend therein near to the bottom, and have valves in
them to prevent any return of water through those pipes. The water-con-
veyed by the main hose pipe H from the engine at B, Figure 10, to the
branching pipe K, Figure. 16, enters through the valves at the bottoms of the
two vessels F, I, so as to fill them with water; then the person who manages
the apparatus turns the handle of the cock p towards one of the vessels For
I, and thereby admits condensed air into that vessel, and instantly that air
expels the water from the said vessel through the pipe m, M, and the hose
leading therefrom to the branch pipe ог jet, where the water will be spouted
out with great rapidity to extinguish the fire. And when the said vessel is
thus emptied of the water which it contained, the compressed air will rush out
after the water with great rapidity, so as to relieve the vessel and prepare it
for being refilled with water; and, on perceiving that rush out of air, the
person before mentionéd must turn the handle of the clock towards the other
vessel, in order to admit compressed air into the same, so as to expel its con-
tents of water, and keep up the jet of water for extinguishing the fire. And
whilst one vessel is thus suddenly emptying its contents of water by the intro-
mission of compressed air into it, the other vessel will be gradually filling with
water from the hose pipe H, Figure 18, leading from the engine Figure 10,
which is of course kept in constant action in order to force water through the
hose II by its ordinary water pumps 4, 4, in the usual manner, and also to
compress air by my two additional air pumps C, C, and to force that com-
pressed air through the small air pipes d,j (or d), to the apparatus in the box,
Figure 16, as already explained. And note, if it is thought objectionable to
'discharge the condensed air out at the jet pipe, after the water, in manner
above mentioned, the cock p, instead of being made as is represented -in
Figure 17, may be made with a side aperture into the open air, at which it will
discharge the compressed air from that vessel which has just been emptied of
its water. When the handle of the cock is turned into the proper position
for admitting compressed air into the other vessel, then the said side passage
will be open to allow the contained air to escape freely into the open air from
the aforesaid vessel, which has just been emptied of its water. Such a cock
may be made as is represented in Figure 20, or a small discharge cock may
be provided at the top of each vessel F and I, to be opened so as to let out
air whilst the vessel is filling with water. Note, the receiver D must have
:

page_text: a safety valve applied to it to permit surplus air to escape if overcharged.
The safety valve may be loaded by means of springs, as is shewn in Figure 19,
instead of a weight.
Another of my improvements is represented in Figure 12 and 13,
Drawing No. 3. It is intended to facilitate the raising and conveying
water through pumps, and the conveyance pipes leading therefrom, to the
place whereat the water is to be delivered, and is performed by intermixing com-
pressed air with the water which is to be so raised and conveyed. The mixture
of air and water will move through or along the pipes more easily, and with
greater rapidity, than water alone can be made to do. A pump for this
purpose may be constructed in the manner of what is called a double forcing
pump, with one pump barrel and one moveable piston therein, which piston is
solid, without any valve in it, the upper end of the barrel having a cover, through
the centre of which the pump rod passes in a stuffing box or collar of leathers,
which will not allow air or water to pass by the pump rod, although that rod
is free to move up and down. The lower end of the barrel has a suction
or entrance pipe joining to it, with a suction valve which will admit water
or air into the lower part of the barrel whenever the piston is drawn up
therein, so as to fill the barrel beneath the piston; but the said suction valve
will prevent any return out of the lower part of the barrel into the suction
pipe; and there is also a forcing pipe or exit pipe proceeding from the lower
end of the barrel, with a forcing valve in that pipe to allow water or air to
pass out from the lower part of the barrel into and through such pipe when-
ever the piston is forced down in the barrel, so as to empty the lower part
thereof beneath the piston, but the said valve will close and prevent any return
from the forcing pipe into the lower part of the barrel. In like manner the
upper end of the barrel has a suction pipe joining to it, with a suction valve
which will admit water or air into the upper part of the barrel above the
piston whenever the piston is forced down therein, but such suction valve will
prevent any return out of the barrel into the suction pipe; and there is also
a forcing pipe or exit pipe proceeding from the upper end of the barrel, with a
forcing valve in that pipe, to allow water or air to pass out from the upper part
of the barrel into and through that pipe whenever the piston is drawn up in
the barrel, so as to empty the upper part thereof above the piston, but the said
forcing valve will close to prevent any return from the forcing pipe into the
barrel. The same suction pipe, above mentioned; which serves for the upper
part of the barrel, can also be made to serve for the lower part thereof, by
having a side branch from that suction pipe to join to the lower end of the
barrel, the lowermost of the suction valves above mentioned being in that side

page_text: branch, and the uppermost suction valve being in the upper end of the suction
pipe, at the bend by which it joins to the upper end of the barrel.
And in
like manner the same forcing pipe above mentioned, which serves for the
lower part of the barrel, can be also made to serve for the upper part of the
barrel, by having a side branch from that pipe to join to the upper end of the
barrel, the uppermost of the forcing valves above mentioned being in that side
branch, and the lowermost forcing valve being in the lower end of the forcing
pipe, at the bend by which it joins to the lower end of the barrel. A double-
forcing pump, as above described, is a well-known kind of pump, and is in very
common use. Whenever the piston is drawn up it forces water up the forcing
pipe out of the upper part of the barrel above the piston, and at the same time
draws in water through the suction pipe into the lower part of the barrel
beneath the piston; and whenever the piston is pushed down, it forces water up
the forcing pipe out of the lower part of the barrel beneath the piston, and at
the same time draws in water through the suction pipe into the upper part of
the barrel above the piston, so that the pump is double-acting, for the action
of forcing out and sucking in water is continually going on. If this part, now
describing, of my improvements is to be carried into effect with such a double
forcing pump, then one part of the barrel (either above or below the piston)
may be used for compressing air, and forcing the compressed air into the
forcing pipe, so as, according to this part of my improvements, to mix that air
with the water which is at the same time forced into the saine forcing pipe
from the contrary end of the barrel to that end from which the compressed air
is forced into the same pipe. Figure 12 represents how the lower part O of
the barrel of a double-forcing pump, below its piston B, may be used for com-
pressing and forcing air up the forcing pipe G whenever the piston B is pushed
downwards; but the upper part C, C, of the same barrel, above the piston B,
is used for forcing water up the same pipe G whenever the piston is drawn
upwards. That water, passing up through the forcing pipe e, and opening the
uppermost forcing valve i, enters into an air vessel D, from which the forcing
pipe G ascends, the air vessel D producing a regular efflux of water
through the pipe G, in the usual manner of air vessels to forcing pumps. H
is the suction pipe, and I the upper suction valve, through which water
is drawn up from a well or other supply into the upper part of the barrel
above the piston B, whenever the same is forced downwards; and d is the
lower suction valve, and L the suction pipe through which atmospheric air is
drawn into the lower part of the barrel whenever the piston B is drawn
upwards. Figure 13 represents how the upper part of the barrel may be used
for air, and the lower part for water, the operation being the same as in the

page_text: foregoing description of Figure 12; if, instead of the expression, "compressing
and forcing air," the expression, "forcing water," is substituted, and vice
versa, also the word "air" being substituted for "water," and vice versa
wherever those expressions and words occur in the foregoing description of
Figure 12; also omitting the words, "from a well or other supply." But
note, Figure 12 is the best mode, because it avoids the probability of leakage
of air at the stuffing box in the cover of the barrel, to which Figure 18 will be
liable. Figure 13 shows how the pump may be worked by a steam engine,
but that it is only by way of example, for the pump may be worked in any
manner by which such pumps are or may be worked. And note, one pair of
double-acting pumps, similar to Figure 13, (that is, two such punips,) may be
employed in the fire engine, Figures 10 and 11, instead of four barrels C, C,
and 4, 4. The effect of thus compressing and forcing air through the same
conveyance pipe with the water, and in commixture therewith, will be to give
the water a sparkling appearance when it is poured out into a drinking
glass, in addition to facilitating the raising and conveying of the water. And
note, carbonic acid gas may be supplied in lieu of (or in addition to) the
common atmospheric air, which is compressed and forced through the convey-
ance pipe, in mixture with the water, as aforesaid. This is represented in
Figure 13, where M is a vessel wherein carbonic acid gas is produced from
chalk or marble (being carbonate of lime), steeped in a solution of sulphuric
acid and water. A small pipe conveys the said gas into the suction pipe H,
the lower end of which, although open to the air, should be so much contracted
as that the atmosperic air will have some difficulty in entering at the open
end, and therefore a sufficient suction will be caused within the suction pipe H
to draw the gas from the vessel M through the small pipe into the said suction
pipe, where it will mix with the air, and both air and gas will afterwards, by
action of the piston, be compressed together, and they will, in the compressed
state, become commixed with the water, which, by absorbing a portion of the
gas, will have the quality of fine sparkling water communicated to it at the
same time, and by the same means, that the raising and conveying of the water
through the conveyance pipe will be greatly facilitated.
.
Having now described my said improvements, I, the said Thomas Machelt,
do hereby declare that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use is
granted to me by the said Letters Patent, consists in the following particulars,
viz
First, in the mode herein-before described in reference to Drawings No. 1
and II., and also to Figure 14 in Drawing No. 111., of raising and conveying
water by means of the intromission of compressed air into suitable water

page_text: vessels, in order to expel therefrom the water which is to be raised and
conveyed, together with the apparatus there represented, and herein-before
described, as a combination of parts (to which parts, separately, no claim is
made) adapted for carrying the said mode into effect with advantage, although
other and very different combinations of the same (or similar) parts may be
substituted without departing from my Invention.
Secondly, in the mode herein-before described in reference to Figures 10 as
20, in Drawing No. III., of applying compressed air in fire engines for extin-
guishing fire, for the purpose of spouting out or projecting the water which is
forced by the pumps of such engines with more force upon the fire, particularly
in case where long conveyance pipes of leather or hose must be used between
the engine and the fire.
Thirdly, in the mode herein-before described in reference to Figures 12 and
13, in Drawing No. III., of facilitating the raising and conveyance of water
through long conveyance pipes, by compressing air or gas (or air and gas), and
forcing such compressed air or gas (or mixture of air and gas) into the said
conveyance pipe, in commixture with the water which is to be raised and
conveyed through such pipe.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Machell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
THOMAS (L.S.) MACHELL.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of
December, in the year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid Thomas Machell
came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.