Patent GB-191121609-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Liquids.
Inventor: HUMPHREY HERBERT ALFRED
IPC: F04F1/16
Filed: 1911-09-30
Granted: 1912-09-19
Abstract: 21,609. Humphrey, H. A. Sept. 30. Direct explosion apparatus. - In apparatus for raising or forcing liquids, of the type in which a column of liquid is propelled from a combustion chamber by the explosion of a combustible charge and returns towards the combustion chamber to compress the fresh charge, such as described in Specifications 20,736/06, 18,594/07, 18,595/07 19,341/07, 22,646/07, 25,638/07, 7152/10, 7824/10, 15,820/10, 19,617/10, and 21,849/10, (1) the walls of the space wherein elastic fluid is retained and compressed have a surface without valves for elastic fluid or projections to accommodate means of inlet or outlet of elastic fluid ; (2) the admission, exhaust, and scavenging valves are arranged horizontally or in an inclined position instead of vertically as hitherto, such valves being situated at levels corresponding to the levels of the liquid at the moments when it is desired that the valves should open or shut ; (3) the position of the valves may be adjusted vertically for the purpose of regulating the action of the apparatus ; (4) vertical guides or partitions are arranged within the combustion chamber for the purpose of stratifying the gaseous contents of the chamber, preventing intermixture of burnt products and scavenging air or fresh charge, and securing a complete sweeping-out of the burnt products from the top of the combustion chamber ; (5) the guides may be fitted with adjustable flaps for diverting the flow of liquid or elastic fluid to a greater or less extent to one side or the other, thus regulating the action of the apparatus ; (6) floats or pistons may work upon the surface of the liquid column in the combustion chamber, and may control the exhaust valve by means of a fluid-pressure device operated by such float or piston ; (7) when pistons are employed, their movement may be controlled in known manner by an air buffer having a regulable by-pass for controlling the action of such buffer ; and (8) when the water column is employed to compress air, the top portion of the air-compressing chamber is arranged without valve openings, and the air-valves are arranged horizontally in a similar manner to the valves of the combustion chamber. Figs. 1, 2, and 3 show diagrammatically the cycle of working of a twostroke pump. Upon explosion of the compressed charge a, a, Fig. 1, which has been compressed in the top portion of the combustion chamber having no valve openings, the liquid descends to the level b, b, Fig. 2, drawing in fresh charge through the admission valve 5 on the left-hand side of the partition or guide 3 as shown. The return movement. of the liquid now commences, whereupon the burnt products are expelled through the exhaust valve 6, the cool and dense fresh charge displacing the burnt products from the top of the chamber as shown in Fig. 3. When the liquid reaches the level of the exhaust valve 6, the valve shuts, and the charge is compressed ready for the next explosion. In modifications of this form of apparatus, (1) a scavenging-air valve may be arranged above the admission valve so as to open first, (2) the top of the guide 3 may be bent over to the right to guide the gases smoothly round the top of the chamber, (3) an inclined flap may be fitted at the lower end of the partition to cause the levels of liquid on either side to vary in any desired manner, (4) the partition 3 may take the form of an open-ended cylinder into which the admission valves open while the exhaust and scavenging valves open into the outer wall of the combustion chamber as before, or two flat partitions may be arranged to act in a similar manner. Fig. 10 shows a form of apparatus in which two combustion chambers connected at the top are employed and in which floats 10, 11 work on the surface of the liquid in conjunction with resilient valve seats 12, 13 in known manner. The admission valves 5 are arranged in one chamber and the exhaust valves 6 in the other, and the exhaust valves may be opened by a fluid-pressure device operated by a tappet 18 which comes into contact with the float 11 at about the moment when this reaches its seat 12, 13. Fig. 11 shows a similar form of apparatus having two combustion chambers in which work pistons 24 controlled by an air buffer 30. Auxiliary pistons 25 may bo spaced beneath the pistons 24 for the purpose of preventing the liquid from wetting the walls of the combustion space, and a valve 31 may be fitted to allow liquid leaking past the piston 25 to escape The air buffer 30 is fitted with an adjustable bypass valve 38 for the purpose of regulating the resistance offered to the downward movement of the pistons during the later portion of their stroke. In all forms of apparatus, the opening of the horizontal valves may be aided or brought about by springs.