IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE OR TABLE FOUNTAINS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JAMES GILBERT, of 10 Park Street, Walsall, in the County of Stafford,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE OR TABLE FOUNTAINS" and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
A fountain constructed according to my invention is principally applicable for
ornamental purposes and in situations where its connection with a source of water
supply is inconvenient or impracticable. It consists of a closed chamber for the
reception of the liquid for supplying the jet; an open basin into which the spray
falls, and a collapsible air-vessel, air-bag or bellows, operating to force air into the
chamber and by this means to eject the water therefrom. The liquid is subsequently
allowed to return from the basin to the chamber, and the air-vessel having been
re-inflated the action of the fountain is restored.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1. is a vertical section of apparatus
constructed in accordance with my invention. A is a closed chamber for the
reception of the liquid, the latter being introduced by the inlet or orifice a fitted
with a screw-valve a'. The construction hereof is more clearly shewn in the
enlarged view, Fig. 1. B is an open basin for receiving the liquid after issuing,
in the form of a jet, from the nozzle b. This nozzle is provided with a tap 61; and
the pipe 62, supplying the same, extends into and nearly to the bottom of the
chamber A. C is a collapsible air-vessel or bag, formed by preference of caoutchouc
or other suitable elastic material and provided with an inlet c fitted with a tap c¹..
The continuation c* of the pipe c forms an outlet, communicating with the interior
of the chamber A; the said pipe extending by preference nearly to the top of the
chamber. The collapsible air-vessel or bag may be inflated by any convenient
means, such as bellows or the lungs; a flexible tube and mouth-piece being in the.,
latter case attached beyond the tap c¹.
The air-vessel or bag C, being formed of elastic material, is capable of expansion
during the process of inflation so far as the dimensions of the chamber D, in which
it is located, permit. In its subsequent effort to contract and resume its normal
size and form, the air it contains is discharged by the pipe c into the chamber A;
and this air, exerting a pressure on the liquid in the said chamber, forces the same.
up the pipe 62 and out at the nozzle b. When the air-vessel or bag Chas
completely collapsed or resumed its natural condition, the action of the fountain

page_text: ceases; and thereupon the screw-valve al is opened and the liquid allowed to pass
back from the basin B to the chamber A. The passage a may then be closed, the
vessel C again inflated and the action of the fountain restored.
The bottom d of the cavity or chamber D is removeable for the purpose of
giving access to the air-vessel Č.
Fig. 2. shews in vertical section a slightly modified arrangement of apparatus for
accomplishing a similar result by substantially equivalent means. Similar letters
of reference indicate corresponding parts in both Figures. In the arrangement at
present under consideration, the collapsible air-vessel is in the form of bellows of
the accordion type; and being placed horizontally, the pressure on the contained
air is that due to the weight of the head ca of the bellows. If preferred, the head c³
may be made light and pressure applied thereto by means of springs arranged
either above the said head or laterally thereto. In either case, a pressure is exerted
on the air contained within the bellows C; and this, being communicated by means
of the pipe c to the closed chamber A, has the effect of forcing the liquid up the
pipe band out at the nozzle b. The inflation of the bellows C is effected in the
manner previously described; or mechanical means, such as racks and pinions,
applied to the disc c³, may be substituted therefor. For convenience in mounting
and dismounting the bellows, I prefer to interpose a short length of flexible tube c
in the pipe c². For the screw-valve a' (Fig. 1.) a tape (Fig. 2.) may be substituted,
according to whether access to the apparatus may most conveniently be had from
above or laterally.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim -
The improved portable or table fountain formed with closed water chamber into
which air is forced by the contraction of an elastic air-vessel or the collapse of
bellows and whence the liquid is in consequence expelled and caused to issue
through a fountain-nozzle, constructed and operating substantially as herein
described.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
Agent for the Applicant,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.