John Baptista Porta, in his “Spiritalia,” quarto, 1606, gives a rude wood engraving, as here exactly represented, a metal flask-shaped boiler, fitting the top of a small furnace, while its neck proceeds through the bottom of a cistern of water, within which there is a syphon on the right hand side, and an aperture at the top through which the cistern can be refilled. By this arrangement, the steam presses on the surface of the water, when all is closed, except the syphon, from which the water will rush with increased velocity.
In the 16th century, motive and other Æolipile were well known, and are described and illustrated by Vitruvius, Hero, and other early writers. In 1606, Porta made a slight advance, and John Rovinson, patentee of improvements in the manufacture of iron, in his “Treatise of Metallica,” 1613, among other necessary parts of his invention, describes the following:—“A new-devised vetible, round and hollow, with a long spout, to be made of some mettall or potter’s earth, wherein water being put, and the same placed on a fire, as it heateth, and the water evaporateth by the spout, it maketh a continuall blast to kindle, or increase the fire in furnaces, or fire-workes, and may be converted to many other excellent uses; and same may be made in severall peeces with the top or upper part removeable at pleasure, so as the lower part being made to stand on feet, may serrve at pleasure for a possenet, skellet or boylatory; and when the top is put on, and when fastened and luted, it may then serve for the ventible to make the blast.”
In 1615, De Caus invented, or at all events published an account of a small hot-water fountain; in 1617, Robert Fludd published his voluminous work, “Historia Macrosmi,” containing descriptive and engraved illustrations of the effects produced on water heated in close flask-shaped vessels.
In 1629, Branca suggested the rotating of a wheel, acted on by a jet of steam, as a simple kind of stamping or pounding mill. But the author, who seems to have taken a more practical and enlightened view of the subject, and to have considerably contributed to the Marquis’s enthusiasm, was John Bate, who, in 1634 and 1635, published editions of his “Mysteries of Nature and Art.” His treatise, “The first Booke of Water-workes,” contains, as stated at the commencement, “Experiments of drawing water by the crane (syphon), and by engines; of forcing water by ayre compressed, and by engines; of producing sounds by ayre and water; by evaporation of water by fire, and by engines; of motions by evaporating water, and by rarifying ayre.”
Among his “Experiments of producing sounds by evaporation of water by ayer,” the following is given:—“Prepare a round vessell of brasse, or lattin, having a crooked pipe or necke, whereunto fasten a pipe: put this vessell upon a trevet over the fire, and it will make a shrill whistling noyse.”—Page 27.
He figures a blow-pipe for glass-working, as in the annexed engraving, which he thus describes:—
“Let there be a vessell of copper about the bignesse of a common foot-ball, as A; let it have a long pipe at the top as D, which must be made so that you may upon occasion screw on lesser, or bigger vents made for the purpose. Fill this one-third part with water, and set it over a furnace of coals, as E, G, H, I, and when the water beginneth to heat, there will come a strong breath out of the nose of the vessel, that will force the flame of a lampe placed at a convenient distance as K.”—Page 158.