IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING POWER IN THE FLOATING OF. BODIES, AND IN CONVEYING FLUIDS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MACINTOSH, of Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the Twelfth day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty, in the thirteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Macintosh, my exors, adiňors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority that I, the said John Macintosh, my exors,
adiñors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said John Macintosh, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING POWER IN THE FLOATING OF. BODIES, AND IN CONVEYING FLUIDS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Macin-
tosh, should cause a particular description of 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, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of

page_text: .
the said in part recited 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 John
Macintosh, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say-
My Invention consists,-
First, of improvements in rotatory engines for obtaining power.
Secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in the construction of,
and in giving floating powers to, bodies to be used in forming harbours; and,
Thirdly, my Invention consists of improvements in apparatus for conveying
fluids. And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued
by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews the section of a rotatory engine for obtaining power by
steam or other fluid. This engine is somewhat similar to one for which,
amongst other things, Letters Patent were granted to me on the Twenty-eighth
day of June, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight. This engine consists
of an external fixed cylinder a, a, and an internal cylinder c, c, which consists
of two parts, and the parts are respectively fixed to or form part of the side
covers 6, 6, of the cylinder a, a, and there is a space between the ends of the
two parts of the inner cylinder to admit of the arm or stem d of the piston d',
to work through as shewn, and the head of the piston is of a width nearly
equal to the length of the interior of the cylinder a, a. The opening or space
between the ends of the interior cylinder is closed by means of a band x,
which I prefer to be of steel, the width of which is equal to the length of the
cylinder a, a, and is fitted accurately in such cylinder. These parts are similar
to
my former engine; but it will be found that another flexible bande was
used in my said former engine, and which, according to my present Invention,
is dispensed with. The steel band does not move round at the speed of the
piston, but slower. f is the steam valve; 9, 9, are two outlet ports, either of
which can be used, they having separate valves. These details may, however,
be varied, the peculiarity of this engine being the dispensing with the second
flexible band formerly used by me.
Figure 2 shews a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 an end view, partly in
section; of another rotary engine for obtaining power when worked by steam

page_text: or other fluid.
is the main or driving shaft which turns in bearings carried
by the framing, as shewn; on the shaft 6 is fixed the cylinder i, having a sliding
piston j, and the cylinder i has two end covers h, h, fixed thereon, of such
dimensions, however, as to close the cylinder 2, which is free to move, and it
revolves at the surface speed of the cylinder i, the ends of the cylinder /
having packing, and the same acts on the surfaces of the flanges of the
cylinder i. The cylinder is supported by and is controlled in its position by
rollers m, n, o, by which there will at all times be a lunate space maintained
between the cylinder i and the cylinder l. The steam or fluid to work the
engine is admitted at the pipe p to the valve chest, from thence it passes to
either of the passages q, q, according as the steam is required to drive the
engine in one or other direction, as shewn.
Figures 2 and 3× shew two views, partly in section, of a similarly arranged
engine, suitable for propelling carriages on railways or common roads, the
same parts being marked with the same letters of reference, the only difference
being the application of the rim or flange l' to the cylinder 1, the railway or
other tyre being affixed to the outer circumference of the rim /³, and the
roller m being dispensed with, the weight of the cylinder i, and parts con-
nected therewith keeping the point of contact between the cylinders i and Z
steam-tight.
I would state, in respect to the engines above described, that, in place of
being worked by fluid, they may, by suitably altering the passages, become the
power engine for raising and forcing fluids.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, the object of which is
to form harbours, by employing sheets of matter sufficiently buoyant to float on
the surface of the water, such sheets of matter being flexible, and more or less
yielding to the waves. For this purpose I employ any suitable fabricated
sheet or net work to obtain the tenacity desired, such as net work of wire, or
of cords, or of other materials, which I render buoyant by casting thereon a
thickness of tar or pitch combined with saw-dust and fibrous matter to give
tenacity and buoyancy thereto. I would, however, state that other matters
than saw-dust and pitch and tar may be used, so long as a suitable surface of
tenacious and flexible and buoyant matter in extensive sheets, and sufficiently
waterproof, be obtained. Gutta percha and india-rubber may be employed,
with fibrous and other matters, for making such sheets, or even sheets of strong
canvas rendered buoyant may be used; and in order to give strength to the
edges, I cause spars of wood, or it might be tubes of metal, to be strongly
attached to such sheets, and at the same time admit of a certain amount of
yielding to the uneven surface of the water; and I place such sheets on the

page_text: sea in such directions as may be required to form the desired harbour, and I
retain the same in position by anchors and chains. By these means may any
desired length and width of sheets of buoyant and comparatively flexible
matter be caused to float on the water, and more or less to follow the shape
of the waves, striking on and under it, and yet at the same time to obtain
comparatively still water beyond such floating flexible sheets.
Another improvement consists in means of constructing and floating bridges
for military and other purposes. Figure 4 shews a plan, Figure 5 an edge
view of parts of a bridge or platform constructed according to this part of the
Invention. a, a, are a series of planks with holes therethrough, as shewn,
by which they are made fast by means of cords b, b, to the surface c, which I
form of any suitable waterproof fabric. The sides of this fabric c I form with
longitudinal hollow chambers made air-tight, and it is by means of these
air chambers d that buoyancy is given to the whole in order to produce a
bridge or means of communication across water. I would here state that this
part of the Invention is peculiarly applicable as a means of carrying troops
across rivers, and in conveying troops to or from vessels. When this flexible
bridge is not in use it may be rolled up, as shown by Figures 6 and 7, around a
spindle, to which are affixed the wheels e, e; and when it is required to use this
floating bridge it should be brought near to the water's edge, the wheels
removed, and then, by forcing air in through a suitable stopcock or valve, the
sides will become inflated, and by pressing against the coil, will cause the same
to be uncoiled, as is in part shown by the Figures 6 and 7; or buoyancy may
be given to the series of planks above described by filling the chambers d with
cork or buoyant material. And I would state that I do not confine myself to
the fabric used, but I have found Macintosh cloth to answer well for the purpose,
especially for the air tubes.
The third part of the Invention consists of forming vessels of suitable water-
proof fabric or material for the purpose of floating fluids from one place to
another. I have found strong Macintosh cloth to answer the purpose well;
but other fabric or material may be used, and I form such vessels of a capacity
suitable to the purpose for which they are to be employed, with a neck or inlet
capable of admitting the fluid to be conveyed away, and of being closed
securely when such vessel is filled. When such vessels have been floated to
the required locality they may be emptied by pumping out (when to be raised)
or otherwise, as may be most convenient. And bags or vessels, such as I have
now described, will be found very useful in conveying fresh water to vessels at
sea, or they may be used as means of carrying away the contents of sewers and
other places to a distance from the town where such fluids have been collected.