A History of the Growth of the Steam-EngineThurston, Robert Henry
History
A History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine
Thurston, Robert Henry
Steam-engines -- History
"When the Weight, _G_, is so raised, while the wheels _Da_, _D_, and
_Db_ are moving backward, the Rope _Fa_ gives way, and the Power of
the Weight, _G_, brings the Wheel _Ha_ forward, and the Fans with it,
so that the Fans always keep going forward, notwithstanding the Wheels
_Da_, _D_, and _Db_ move backward and forward as the Piston moves up
and down in the Cylinder. _L L_ are Teeth for a Catch to drop in from
the Axis, and are so contrived that they catch in an alternate manner,
to cause the Fan to move always forward, for the Wheel _Ha_, by the
power of the weight, _G_, is performing his Office while the other
wheel, _Hb_, goes back in order to fetch another stroke.
"_Note._ The weight, _G_, must contain but half the weight of the
Pillar of Air pressing on the Piston, because the weight, _G_, is
raised at the same time as the Wheel _Hb_ performs its Office, so that
it is in effect two Machines acting alternately, by the weight of one
Pillar of Air, of such a Diameter as the Diameter of the Cylinder is."
The inventor suggests the use of timber guards to protect the wheels
from injury, and, in shallow water, the attachment to the
paddle-shafts of cranks "to strike a Shaft to the Bottom of the River,
which will drive the Vessel forward with the greater Force." He
concludes: "Thus I have endeavoured to give a clear and satisfactory
Account of my New-invented Machine, for carrying Vessels out of and
into any Port, Harbour, or River, against Wind and Tide, or in a Calm;
and I doubt not but whoever shall give himself the Trouble to peruse
this Essay, will be so candid as to excuse or overlook any
Imperfections in the diction or manner of writing, considering the
Hand it comes from, if what I have imagined may only appear as plain
to others as it has done to me, viz., That the Scheme I now offer is
Practicable, and if encouraged will be Useful."
There is no positive evidence that Hulls ever put his scheme to the
test of experiment, although tradition does say that he made a model,
which he tried with such ill success as to prevent his prosecution of
the experiment further; and doggerel rhymes are still extant which
were sung by his neighbors in derision of his folly, as they
considered it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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