Engine for circulating water
Date
8 October 1685
Creator
Salomon Reisel (1624 - 1701, German) , Physician
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p283a
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 98mm
width (page): 165mm
width (page): 165mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Design of an engine for circulating water. This design was proposed by Salomon Reisel, member of the Academia Naturae Curiosorum and court physician to the Duke of Wuerttemberg, in his letter dated 8 October 1685.
In Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 15, no. 173 (July 1685), Denis Papin had shown an image of his perpetual fountain as a 'riddle' for others to guess its design. This was a way to claim priority. In his letter of 8 October 1685, Reisel conjectured its pumping mechanism, which he also likened to a pulsating heart. Papin revealed his design at the meeting of the Royal Society on 13 January 1686, which was ordered to be registered. A week later, Salomon's letter from October 1685 was read to the meeting on 20 January. At the meeting on 3 February 1686, Papin presented his reply to Salmon's letter, explaining his own mechanism, which was different from Reisel's.
This image is copied in LBC/10/358a.
In Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 15, no. 173 (July 1685), Denis Papin had shown an image of his perpetual fountain as a 'riddle' for others to guess its design. This was a way to claim priority. In his letter of 8 October 1685, Reisel conjectured its pumping mechanism, which he also likened to a pulsating heart. Papin revealed his design at the meeting of the Royal Society on 13 January 1686, which was ordered to be registered. A week later, Salomon's letter from October 1685 was read to the meeting on 20 January. At the meeting on 3 February 1686, Papin presented his reply to Salmon's letter, explaining his own mechanism, which was different from Reisel's.
This image is copied in LBC/10/358a.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 13 January 1686, ‘Dr. Papin read a paper of his, containing an account of the contrivance of his water-engine for circulating water; which was ordered to be registered. He read likewise his thoughts concerning the water-engine at London-bridge, which raises water without intermission. He affirmed, that though the inward contrivance of that pump was concealed, he could make another, which should have the same effect, and produced a scheme of his invention’ (Birch 4:452).
20 January 1686, ‘Dr. Solomon Reiselius’s letter to Mr. Aston, dated at Stutgard, Octob. 8, 1685, concerning the Wirtemberg syphon, was read; whereby it appeared, that Dr. Papin had exactly conjectured at the composition of the same syphon. This letter confirmed likewise the writer’s thoughts of Dr. Papin’s engine for circulating-water, with proposals of his own about doing the same thing: which were referred to Dr. Papin to consider and answer’ (Birch 4:453).
3 February 1686, ‘Dr. Reiselius’s letter concerning the Wirtemberg syphon was read a second time; as also Dr. Papin’s answer to it in Latin’ (Birch 4:455).
20 January 1686, ‘Dr. Solomon Reiselius’s letter to Mr. Aston, dated at Stutgard, Octob. 8, 1685, concerning the Wirtemberg syphon, was read; whereby it appeared, that Dr. Papin had exactly conjectured at the composition of the same syphon. This letter confirmed likewise the writer’s thoughts of Dr. Papin’s engine for circulating-water, with proposals of his own about doing the same thing: which were referred to Dr. Papin to consider and answer’ (Birch 4:453).
3 February 1686, ‘Dr. Reiselius’s letter concerning the Wirtemberg syphon was read a second time; as also Dr. Papin’s answer to it in Latin’ (Birch 4:455).
Related fellows
Francis Aston (1644 - 1715, British) , Natural philosopher
Denis Papin (1647, French) , Natural philosopher
Denis Papin (1647, French) , Natural philosopher
Associated place