IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Armand Gilbec, of 4, South Street, Fins-
bury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINES."-A communi-
cation.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Armand Gilbee
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th August 1854.
I, WILLIAM ARMAND GILBEE, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, and
39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Gent., do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINES" to be as follows:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in certain new mechanical
arrangements for the construction of a hydraulic machine, the intelligence of
which will be assisted by reference to the accompanying Drawing.
Fig. 1, Drawing I., represents an iron sieve with conical mouth, of which
A, A, are the orifices; it is screwed to the lower part of the feed pipe B, in
contact with the water.
Fig. 2 is a plan of a box of the apparatus, set at about 18 feet above the
level of the water.
Fig. 5, Drawing II., vertical section of the same. C, Fig. 2, the box, to
which is fixed the cover E, Fig. 5; D, mud reservoir; F, Fig. 5, cup for con-

page_text: taining the lubricating material; G, shaft; II, key, serving to fix the piston
to the shaft; I, metallic cloth sieve, set underneath the lower pistou; J, similar
sieve for the valves; K, metallic cloth for the piston, of a finer texture than
the preceding; L, piston, provided with a bag M, shewn open; M', bag of the
other piston L, shewn shut.
Fig. 3, Drawing I., plan of an upper box of the apparatus enclosing the
valves N, N, and pistons, with valves O, O. The other letters represent the
same parts as in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, Drawing II., section of the same box, with centrifugal basin S, S;
P, cover of the box; Q, cup for containing the lubricating material; R,
recipient, in which the centrifugal basin S plays; T, space formed by the.
two concentric cones of the basin S, by which the water ascends from the
uppermost box; U, arm connecting the basin to the shaft. The basin
has a continuous or alternate rotary motion. V, passage for the escape
of water.
The apparatus is composed of circular boxes, superposed about 18 feet
apart, communicating by means of pipes which serve for the elevation of the
water, and having a vertical shaft passing thro' the centre worked by any
suitable motive power. The boxes are provided with rotary pistons having an
alternate motion. The pistons L, L', of the first box only are provided with
bags or buckets M, Figure 2. These bags have a larger capacity than the
piston L, Fig. 2, to leave room for the mud, which might enter the bag through
the escape orifice, and prevent its affecting the functions of the apparatus.
The valves N, N, Fig. 3, Drawing I., and Fig. 4, Drawing II., are provided
with metallic wire cloth, similar to the valve J, Fig. 2, Drawing I., and Fig. 5,
Drawing II., of a closer texture than that of I, in the same Figures.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
"by the said William Armand Gilbee in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th February 1855.
"TO
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ARMAND GILBEE, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de
l'Echiquier, Paris, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign, did, s

page_text: for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Armand Gilbee, Her special license that I, the said William Armand Gilbee,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said
William Armand Gilbee, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDRAULIC MACHINES," communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Armand Gilbee,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Armand Gilbee, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement thereof, reference being had to the Figures of the Drawings
hereto annexed, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in certain new mechanical
arrangements for the construction of a hydraulic machine adapted to exhausting
water and irrigating purposes, videlicet; firstly, in circular chests, marked C,
in Figures 2 & 3 of Drawing I., situated about 18 feet vertical distance
one above another, put in communication by means of pipes for raising the
water. Through the centers of these chests runs an upright shaft worked by
any motive power whatever. All the chests are furnished with rotatory pistons
with reciprocating motion, which are keyed to the shaft.
In the first apparatus, situated at the bottom, at a height of 18 feet above
the water level, the pistons are provided with bags M, M, Figure 2. These
bags are of greater capacity than the pistons L, so that the mud which remains
on the escape of the water is retained in the bag, without obstructing in any
way the action of the apparatus. When the capacity of the bags is reduced
to that of the piston, the bag is taken out of the apparatus and emptied, by
turning it over. These bags are maintained in place by means of straps X,
so that to remove them it will be sufficient merely to lift the cover without
dismounting any other part. The bags are made either of gutta percha or
leather. To the chest is adapted a blowing-out reservoir D, intended to

page_text: receive the mud coming from the bags. At the bottom of the pipe, by which
the water is introduced, is placed a cast-iron sieve A, Figure 1, in the shape
of a truncated cone, with the base downwards, the holes of which are also of
a conical form; it will be readily understood that by this arrangement no
large stones can enter the body of the pump, since the holes taper towards
the top.
pistons L, L', is placed
This is intended to stop
At a depth of 18 inches below the level of the
another sieve, made of wire cloth I; Figures 2 & 3.
the sand which may have passed through the bottom sieve A. The valves N, N,
Figure 2, are also furnished with a wire cloth sieve J, J, with finer meshes
than those of the sieve in the suction pipe below the pistons. The pistons L, L,
are also fitted with a wire cloth sieve K, with the meshes finer than in the
valve sieve. At the top of the last apparatus will be found a centrifugal
turbine or drum S, Figure 5, in the shape of the inverted frustrum of a conc.
This drum is intended to take the water which flows out of the last apparatus
in order to throw it out. The said drum is fixed to the shaft by means of a
boss and keys; it can work either by a rotatory or a reciprocating motion.
The said turbine alone can serve the purposes of irrigation as well as of
drainage of water, situated at a depth not exceeding 10 or 12 feet.
REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, Drawing I., represents the cast-iron sieve, in the shape of a
truncated cone, situated at the bottom outlet of the suction pipe. A, A, holes
in the cast-iron sieve; B, part of the feed pipe screwed upon the sieve.
Figure 2 is a plan of the chest of the first apparatus, situated at about
18 inches above the water level, which contains the bag pistons.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the said chest. C, chest of the apparatus,
with ears for bolting the cover; D, blow-out reservoir, receiving the mud from
the bags. To every apparatus is adapted a similar reservoir, excepting the
uppermost, carrying the turbine. E, cover; F, cups to receive the lubricating
oil; G, upright shafts, to which the pistons with or without bags are attached;
H, keys to fasten the pistons upon the shaft; I, a wire cloth sieve, situated at
18 inches below the pistons L, L'; J, another wire cloth sieve, fitted to the
valves; K, wire cloth sieve for the pistons L, with finer meshes than those of
the valve sieves; L, L, pistons with bags; M, gutta percha or leathern bag of
the pistons L, L', shewn open; M', the bag of the pistons, shewn shut up.
These said bags are fixed to the apparatus at one end to the valves N, N', by
the straps X, and at the other end to the pistons L, L', by screws. N, N, valves

page_text: with the screws J, J; X, X, straps, securing the bags of the pistons; Y,
copper or iron frames attached to the sides of the bags to strengthen them.
Figure 4, Drawing II., is a plan of the chest of one of the top apparatus
containing valve pistons. N, N', valves of the top apparatus; 0, 0, pistons
with valves. The other letters indicate the same parts as in Figure 2,
Drawing I.
Figure 5, vertical section of one of the upper chests with the turbine or
drum, which is placed upon the uppermost apparatus. P, cover of the
uppermost apparatus; Q, cups for receiving the lubricating oil; R, cistern
in which the drum works; S, cast-iron drum exerting a centrifugal force
supplied with water from the cistern R; T, space between the two con-
centric cones of the turbine in which the ascent of the water takes place;
U, arm to connect the drum to the shaft; V, discharge outlet of the top
apparatus.
This new system of bydraulic machine or pump, applied to the purposes
of exhausting water as well as of irrigation, is possessed of the following
advantages:
First, by the application of the conical sieve at bottom, as well as by those
of metallic wire above, and also by the bags fitted to the bottom piston, I avoid
all choking up of the apparatus with mud.
Secondly, by the arrangement of my apparatus one above another I can raise
water to any height without the application of pressure.
Thirdly, the construction of the present machine renders it of a ready
application, as the system is always so disposed that interference with the
separate parts occasions no disturbance to the rest of the construction.
Fourthly, the drum with centrifugal force may be applied alone to irrigation
and the exhaustion of water at a height above the water level not exceeding
from six to twelve feet.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details of construction herein laid down so long
as the principle of the Invention be retained; but what I claim as new,
and intended to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,
First, the arrangement of the apparatus one above another, as as herein-
before described.
Secondly, the arrangement of the sieves, as herein-before described and shewn
by the Figures of the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: Thirdly, the employment of the pistons with bags, as herein-before described
and referred to in Figure 2, Drawing I.
Fourthly, the blow-out receiver, as herein-before described and referred to
in Figures 2 & 3, Drawing I.
Fifthly, the centrifugal turbine working alone or in connection with
the machine herein-before described, and referred to in Figure 5 of
Drawing II.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Armand Gilbee, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
W. A. GILBEE. (L.S.).