354 Pressure Engine front Fludd. [Book III.
the honor of first inventing them is not, in fact, due to either Belidor orHoell, as the following figure, No. 160, from a work published a Centurybefore either of those engineers flourished, will show. It is from Fludd’sNaturce simia seu techmca macrocosmi, 467. The character of this authoras an astrologer and alchymist, and that of his Works, which abound withabsurdities, have probably caused the figure to be overlooked by modernwriters on hydraulic and hydrostatic apparatus. Chemistry, however, isnot the only Science that is indebted to the shrewd but mistaken seekersof universal panaceas and of the philosopher’s stone.
The lower end of the pipe B D having a valve opening upwards, isinserted into the water to be raised. The pipe A receives the descend-ing or motive liquid column, which in this case was refuse or stagnant
water, flowing from a source ofsufficient altitude. This pipemay be at a considerable dis-tance from B D, and is so repre-sented in the original figure. Itterminates below in a pit, drain,or low ground, whence the wa-ter discharged from it may es-cape. The end of it should belower than that of D, and shouldbe sealed or covered by wateras represented, to prevent theentrance of air. A communica-tion is made between both thesepipes by the horizontal one C.This last is connected to A atone of the apertures of a three-way cock, the upper and lowerpart of A being united to theother two. The other end of Cterminates at the bottom of aworking cylinder, which is closedat the top, by a short tube com-municatingwithB D, immediate-ly below a valve placed in thelatter. In the cylinder, a piston(indicated by the dotted lines)is fitted. It is described as awooden plug covered with lea-ther and loaded with lead, soas to make it descend in the cy-linder by its weight.
To put this machine in Operation, the cylinder and pipe D are first filledwith water through the funnel and small cock, after which the latter isclosed. The plug of the three-way cock is then so arranged, that its twoorifices coincide only with the upper part of A, and with C, when thepressure of the column in A will force up the piston, and with it all thewater previously in the cylinder, which is thus compelled to ascendthrough the upper valve into the discharging pipe B. When this hastaken place, the vessel Cr, suspended at one end of the rod. that passesthrough the shank of the plug, has become filled with water, from the smalljel issuing from A, and descending, iurns the plug of the cock, so as toclose the communication of the upper part of A with C, and open it be-
No. 160. Pressure Engine from Fludd. A. D. 1618.