Improvements in and connected with Means for Supplying and Utilizing Compressed Air for Motive Power and other Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 2nd July, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug.. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Means for Supplying and
Utilizing Compressed Air for Motive Power and other Purposes.
I JOSEPH RUSHTON TURNOCK Yspitty Iron and Tinplate Works Longhor
South Wales Steel Iron and Tinplate Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
In a cycle the pedals, instead of being connected with the driving wheels, have
an independent motion and by means of cranks levers belts or eccentrics and
assisted by mechanism for hand power if desirable, actuate one or
compressing pumps. A recumbent position can with advantage be adopted.
more air
In a traction machine the animal e.g. a horse would itself be mounted on a frame
on wheels and its power exerted in working the compressing pumps, by means of
an endless band or belt, working round wheels or rollers at each end, and supported,
if necessary by intermediate rollers, upon this band the horse would walk and in
pulling at traces attached to the frame of the machine, would impart a backward
motion to the band causing the rollers to revolve and actuating the pumps by any
of the well known means for such work. In some instances I provide means for
tilting the band so that the horse may appear to be going up or down hill.
As a motor for driving machinery either of the above machines may be a fixture,
and the compressed air conveyed to where the power is required to be used, and it
is evident that there is no limit to the number of persons or animals at work.
As a steam or electric locomotive, marine or stationary engine the steam cylinders
would actuate the air compressing pumps instead of or when disconnected from, or
when also connected with, the driving wheels. They may work continuously and
at the most economical speed, automatically stopping or slowing down when the
accumulator is fully charged whether the engine is running or not.
In all cases the air or gas or a mixture of air and gas may be further expanded
in the accumulator by means of heat specially applied or by waste heat of any
description.
In all the above cases the compressed air is stored in the tubular framework of
the machine or other chambers. These parts are provided with special valves so
that the machine can be started at full power before the whole of the accumulator
space is charged, and the compressed air is utilized in the well known ways of
cylinders or rotary engines, in connection with the main driving wheels, the exhaust
being received into a special chamber to prevent noise. This chamber is that from
which the air compressing pumps receive their supply and is provided with valves
to prevent back-pressure also with a filter through which all external air is drawn.
In moving machines travelling down hill and the power usually lost by applying
brakes is utilized by the driving wheels working the cylinders and compressing air
back into the accumulators, the compressing engines or power being at the same
time working as usual.
In an organ blower or similar requirement the air would be compressed up to, or
beyond, the highest pressure required for the soundboards or actions, and conveyed
by pipes to the different reservoirs from any distance, which would automatically
take their supply as required, thus one compressor and accumulator would suffice
for any number of different pressures.

page_text: In all cases the compressing machinery or motive power may work continuously
and at the most economical speed and drive any number of machines, automatically
stopping or going dead slow when the accumulator is fully charged.
Dated this 7th day of October 1895
Improvements in and connected with Means for Supplying and
Utilizing Compressed Air for Motive Power and other Purposes.
1, JOSEPH RUSHTON TURNOCK, of Yspitty, Iron and Tinplate Works, Loughor,
South Wales, Steel Iron and Tinplate Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with means for supplying
and utilizing compressed air for motive power and other purposes.
In a cycle the pedals instead of being connected with the driving wheels, have
an independent motion and by means of cranks, levers, belts or eccentrics and
assisted by mechanism for hand power if desirable, actuate one or more air
compressing pumps. A recumbent position can with advantage be adopted.
In a traction machine the animal e.g. a horse would itself be mounted on a frame
on wheels and its power exerted in working the compressing pumps, by means of
an endless band or belt, working round wheels or rollers at each end, and supported
if necessary by intermediate rollers. Upon this band the horse walks and in pulling
at traces attached to the frame of the machine would impart a backward motion to
the band, causing the rollers to revolve and actuating the pumps by any of the
well known means for such work. In some instances I provide means for tilting
the band so that the horse may appear to he going up or down hill.
As a motor for driving machinery either of the above machines may be a fixture
and the compressed air conveyed to where the power is required to be used, and it
is evident that there is no limit to the number of persons or animais at work.
As a steam or electric locomotive, marine or stationary engine the cylinders
would actuate the air compressing pumps instead of or when disconnected from or
when also connected with the driving wheels. They may work continuously and
at the most economical speed automatically stopping or slowing down when the
accumulator is fully charged whether the engine is running or not.
In all cases the air or gas or a mixture of air and gas may be further expanded
in the accumulator by means of heat specially applied or by waste heat of any
description.
In all the above cases the compressed air is stored in the tubular framework of
the machine or other chambers. These parts are provided with special valves so
that the machine can be started at full power before the whole of the accumulator
space is charged, and the compressed air is utilized in the well known ways of
cylinders or rotary engines in connection with the main driving wheels, the exhaust
being received into a special chamber to prevent noise. This chamber is that from
which the air compressing pumps receive their supply and is provided with valves
to prevent back pressure also with a filter through which all external air is
drawn.
In moving machines travelling down hill the power usually lost in applying
brakes is utilized by the driving wheels working the cylinders and compressing air
back into the accumulators, the compressing engines or power being at the same
time working as usual.
In an organ blower or similar requirement the air would be compressed up to or
beyond the highest pressure required for the soundboards or actions and conveyed

page_text: by pipes to the different reservoirs which would automatically take their supply as
required, thus one compressor and accumulator would suffice for any number of
different pressures.
In all cases the compressing machinery or motive power may work continuously
and at the most economical speed and drive any number of machines, automatically
stopping or going dead slow when the accumulator is fully charged.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly un lerstool, I now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawings thereof, reference being had to letters and
figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a bicycle with the compressor.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged plan and section of the special valve.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation of a compressor bicycle without the enlless chain.
Fig. 4, is a side elevation of a racing bicycle with compressor.
Fig. 5, is a side elevation of an animotor the compressor working by animal
power.
Fig. 6, is an enlarged section of the valve and filter.
Fig. 7, is an enlarged view of the tap attached to the pressure chamber, and the
safety valve in section.
Fig. 8, is a view of an apparatus where the power can be taken from the driving
pulley of the animotor.
Fig. 1 shows the compressore attached to a bicycle in which a, a¹, a², and a³,
represent the framework of the machine; b₁ the back forks of the driving wheel c;
the chain wheel d is not rigidly connected with the pedal shaft but it is attachable
to it by any of the well known friction clutches. Attached to the pedal crank on
the opposite side to the chain wheel d is the piston-rod e¹ of the compressor e.
This
compressor e is preferably a double acting air pump oscillating and by means of
the usual valves delivering its compressed air into one of the back forks b
which then becomes the pressure chamber and is connected with the engine or
engines in the usual way as with steam power. The engines shown are a
pair of oscillating reversing engines of the usual pattern working direct on to the
cranks g on the driving wheel c. The exhaust from the engines f passes into the
other back fork which is the exhaust chamber. The exhaust chamber is connected
with the suction pipe of the compressore and is provided with two valves. One, g³
is an inlet valve and opens in response to the suction of the compressing pump, the
other valve g', is an outlet valve which can be regulated at pleasure either to allow
free egress of the exhaust from the engines or to prevent the exhaust escaping, the
back pressure being used as a brake. Outside the inlet valve g³ is a removable
cap o consisting of a chamber provided with a bottom and lid composed of wire
gauze or perforated metal or material and within this chamber or box g is packed
lightly cotton-wool or similar material through which all external air passes and is
filtered.
Attached to the pressure chamber I have a tap h and safety valve i (see
Fig. 7); this safety valve is loaded up to the proper pressure for the pneumatic
tyres which are filled by means of a flexible tube attached in the ordinary way by
means of unions.
Leading from the pressure chamber into the framework of the machine is the
special valve k³ an enlarged plan and section of which is shown in Fig. 2. This is
a valve within a valve opening in opposite directions. The main valve is loaded
up to the working pressure of the engines, say 25 lbs. per square inch, and only
opens into the accumulator or storage when that pressure is being exerted by the
compressor e. The inner valve m is only lightly loaded and thus permits the
return of the air from the storage. At any convenient points beyond the first
special valve other similar valves may be inserted loaded a little higher than the
others. An alternative way of regulating the return of the compressed air is by
having short intermediate tubes connecting both sides of the special valve in which
tubes there may be taps or valves. Attached to the storage may be a safety valve
also a pressure guage in any convenient position.

page_text: The waste heat of a lamp or lamps is used to warm the compressed air by being
circulated beneath or round the storage.
An improved compressor bicycle is shown in Fig. 3, in which the chain is
dispensed with and the compressor e placed within the framework at which is
forked in all directions towards the pedal shaft a°, the piston-rod being attached to
a double crank c¹ centrally between the pedals.
A racing compressor (e) is shown in Fig. 4, in which the special feature of
adopting the horizontal position is shown fully developed the pedals c³ being raised
above the front wheel for this purpose. In this case the chain wheel c¹ is
attachable to the pedal shaft by means of the friction clutch before alluded to.
For propelling boats the compressor e would be worked as before described and
the air stored in any convenient chambers and used as though it were steam
In a life boat the com-
pressure by means of engines and paddles or screws.
pressors may be worked by hand levers or by pedals preferably centrally situated
and worked by the boatmen on each side, and in a large pleasure or canal boat the
compressor may be worked by animal power in the way now to be described.
Fig. 5, shows the means employed for working the compressor e by animal
power. The letters apply to the similar parts described in the bicycle. A tricycle
would be driven in the way now to be described and not by cylinders working
direct on to the wheels; a, a¹, a², a³, and aº, represents portions of the framework of
the machine used as storage, short portions of which are used as pressure and
exhaust chambers. The driving wheel c is fixed to the axle, and also a chain
wheel; this wheel is driven by the chain which is actuated by the wheel o,
attached to the crank shaft of the engine or engines f.
He walks upon an
The animal, e.g. a horse, is mounted on wheels c and p.
endless band or platform which runs over rollers at each end of the machine q¹
and 92. The horse pulls at traces r attached to the framework a² and causes the
platform to recede from under him with a force equal to the pull on the traces
thus actuating the rollers q' and q². The power for driving the compressor e or
compressors may be taken from either or both of these rollers by means of a
cranks as shown or by a belt working independent cranks in the usual way of
applying belt power, and either or both of the rollers may be capable of being
raised or lowered.
In a motor not requiring any means for steering the front roller may revolve
freely around the axle of the front wheels and in all cases means are provided to
join up by a friction clutch the compressing power direct to the driving wheels of
the machiner.
In a locomotive the steam or other power would be used to compress air as
already described which can be used to drive not only itself but other carriages as
well, and in all cases the reversing of the engines or using the back pressure
as described is used instead of brake power, the engines thus recompressing air and
so accumulating instead of wasting power. Ordinary slide-valves would of course
be used when desirable but the exhaust would be treated as before described.
As a fixed machine for compressing air only for use as an organ blower, smith's
bellows or such like either of the above described methods of compressing may be
used, or either of the above described machines by disconnecting the driving wheels
or by taking off the power of the driving wheels by means of a belt may be used to
drive other machinery.
Fig. 8, shows the way in which the power can be taken from the driving pulley e²
of the animotor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. In motors, the combination of the tubular portions of the machines as a
storage or accumulater for the compressed air in sections, substantially as herein

page_text: 2. In motors, the combination of the special valves for regulating the storage
capacity, substantially as described.
3. In motors, the combination of the exhaust and inlet chamber with its valves
and filter, substantially as described.
4. In motors, the combination of the tap and valve for the purpose of supplying
and regulating with safety the air required by the pneumatic wheels, substantially
as described.
5. The general combinations of the machinery described in this specification and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purposes of compressing air and
utilizing it as a motive power.
6. In motors, the combination of the compressor attached to a bicycle and the
framework, the back forks of the driving wheel and the various other parts of
mechanism, substantially as herein described and according to Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 7,
of the accompanying drawings.
7. In an improved compressor bicycle, the combination of the various parts of
the mechanism, substantially as herein described and according to Fig. 3, of the
accompanying drawings.
8. In a racing compressor bicycle, the combination of the various parts of the
mechanism, substantially as herein described and according to Fig. 4, of
the accompanying drawings.
9. In a propeller for vehicles carriages boats and the like, the combination of
the various parts of the mechanism, substantially as herein described and according
to Fig. 5, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of April 1896.
J. RUSHTON TURNOCK,
Applicant.