IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS FOR HYDRAULIC PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to Ashton Kay, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
Dress TT.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ashton Kay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th November 1872.
I, ASHTON KAY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS FOR HYDRAULIC PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to hydraulic pumps worked by a direct acting
steam piston, and consists in combining and attaching three or more
piston rods to both sides of the same piston of a steam cylinder to work
through stuffing boxes at the ends of the cylinder, the said piston rods
forming the rams of the hydraulic pumps. I prefer to place the steam
cylinder and pumps in a horizontal position with the water cisterns at
each end.

page_text: With pumps arranged as described I combine a pressure guage formed
by a piston and spring, which will throw the outside pumps out of action
when a given pressure is attained, the piston of the guage acting through
levers and rods upon a rod for each pump that lifts and keeps open the
clack valve of each pump not required to act; this same pressure guage
acting to regulate the throttle valve supplying steam to the cylinder
according to the pressure upon the pumps.
By my improved combination and arrangement of steam pumps the
direct force of the piston can be made to act upon one, three, or more
pumps, and thus the whole pressure of the steam is utilized to the
utmost extent, both when low and high hydraulic pressure is required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ashton Kay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ASHTON
KAY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manager,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Ashton Kay, Her special
license that I, the said Ashton Kay, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ashton Kay, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM PUMPS FOR HYDRAULIC PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ashton Kay, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within

page_text: six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ashton Kay, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):
My Invention relates to hydraulic pumps worked by a direct acting
steam piston, and consists in combining and attaching three or more
piston rods to both sides of the same piston of a steam cylinder to work
through stuffing boxes at the ends of the cylinder, the said piston rods
forming the rams of the hydraulic pumps. I prefer to place the steam
cylinder and pumps in a horizontal position with the water cisterns at
each end. I also prefer to use an equilibrium cylindrical slide valve
worked directly by steam for admitting steam to and exhausting it from
the cylinder, and which forms one peculiarity of my Invention.
With the pumps arranged as described I combine a pressure guage
formed by a piston and spring which will throw one or more of the
pumps out of action when a given pressure is attained, say first the
centre pump (if three are used), then the two outside pumps, bringing
the centre pump into action again for the highest pressure. The piston
of the pressure guage acts through levers and rods or their equivalents
upon a rod for each pump, which lifts or keeps open the clack valve of
cach pump not required to act, the same pressure guage being also
arranged to regulate the throttle valve supplying more or less steam to
the cylinder according to the increase or decrease of the pressure upon
the pumps.
By my improved combination and arrangement of steam pumps the
direct force of the piston is concentrated upon one, three, or more
pumps, according to the hydraulic pressure required; and thus the whole
pressure of the steam is utilized to the utmost extent both when low and
high hydraulic pressure is required.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of an hydraulic steam pump
according to my Invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. In these
two views the cistern at one end and part of the pumps are supposed
broken away, but they are exactly the same as those which are shown at
the other end.

page_text: Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the steam pump, the cistern and pressure
guage being shown partly in section.
Fig. 4 is a detached enlarged side view of the steam cylinder valve
and chest half in section; Fig. 5 is an end view of the same also half in
section.
Fig. 6 is a detached sectional view of the end of one pump and its
ram and the valves and other parts; Fig. 7 is an outside plan view, and
Fig. 8 an end view of the same.
.
Fig. 9 is a detached section shewing an alternative arrangement in
connection with the equilibrium slide valve. a, cistern at each end,
between which a beam is carried, to which the steam cylinder c is
secured by bolts. d is the steam piston (see Figs. 4 and 5) having three
piston rods d secured in it that pass out through glands at each end
of the cylinder. Each piston rod forms a ram, and fits a barrel e, which
is secured to a bracket c' attached to the cylinder end, the outer end
of the pump barrel and valve box being secured to the top of the
cistern a.
The detail of the ram d', barrel e, and valves is shown in Figs. 6, 7,
and 8, in which d¹ is the end of one piston rod, and forms a ram having
a leather, composition, or steel or brass packing d³ secured to its end by
a sct screw d' as shewn. e is the ram barrel; e¹, a screw plug opposite
its end; e, the inlet valve; e, the outlet valve; e', the inlet pipe from
the cistern; and e³, the outlet pipe from the pump, which outlets from
each pump are all connected and discharge into the pipe f, from which
it is taken to be used. The water is admitted to the lower end of the
inlet pipe e* for each pump through a perforated or wirework cylinder e*,
and both cisterns are supplied with water, when required, through the
pipe g, which connects the two cisterns. The steam is admitted to
the piston for working the rams by means of a sliding reciprocating
cylindrical equilibrium valve, which is actuated directly by steam. The
steam is brought to the valve chest through a branch pipe c¹ (see Fig. 2),
and enters a cavity c³ extending from end to end, and from this it passes
through a port c³ at each end to an annular space formed in the valves,
which consists of a tube h having two pistons h¹ and h² on it at each
end, which are provided with packing rings to make them work steam-
tight in the valve chests, which are accurately bored out to fit the
pistons. In the cylindrical part of the valve chests there are a series of

page_text: .
holes which come opposite to the ports c', which lead to the steam
cylinder.
When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the steam is
exhausting from that end of the cylinder into the exhaust space /³
passing out at the pipe he, but when the valve makes its movement
from the position in which it is shown the annular cavity between the
two pistons / and /² comes opposite the port c* to the cylinder, and this
closes the exhaust and admits steam to that end of the cylinder. The
valve / can be worked by hand by a handle i on the end of a shaft i
that passes through a stuffing box, which shaft
upon it that fits a space in a projection from the tube / connecting the
two valves. The valves are worked self-acting by the piston & striking
against the stem of a valve j; at the end of each stroke one of these
valves jis secured in each cylinder end, the cone of the valve being
pressed against its seating by a spring having its abutment in a cap j'
screwed in the cylinder end.
has an arm ³ secured
The cavity round the seating of each valve j is connected by passages j²,
shewn in Fig. 4 and by dotted lines in Fig. 5, with the annular steam
cavity of the cylindrical slide valve (h), and when the valve (j) is opened
by the action of the piston c the steam enters the passage j³ and is
conducted to the cavity at the end of the cylindrical slide valve h, which
it forces to the other end of its stroke, and when this movement is
accomplished the steam used for effecting it is allowed to pass into the
exhaust cavity through the cone valve h³, which is fitted in the centre
of the tube connecting the two main valves. The two valves ½³ are
connected by a rod, which is of such length that both valves cannot
be against their facings at the same time, and thus by the time the
cylindrical slide valve h has made its full stroke that valve h³ which is
not being acted upon by the steam producing the movement will come
against the end of one adjusting set screw h*, which will cause it to shut
against its seating and the other valve to open, and this will allow the
steam used for effecting the movement of the slide cylindrical valve h to
pass to the exhaust cavity h³.
A buffer h of india-rubber may be used to deaden the force of the
blow of the slide valve h at the end of each movement, but this will be
wholly or partly effected by the residue of exhaust steam left in the
cavity, which will act as a cushion.

page_text: .
Fig. 9 shews an arrangement which may be used in place of the
valves connected by the rod, in which the adjusting screw h* is
arranged to carry a plug ³, which is fitted so that the end of the
central part of the cylindrical slide valve can slide upon it steam-tight.
The plug his hollow at its end and has side holes, which become
exposed or open to the end cavity when the cylindrical slide valve /
has made its movement to admit steam to the piston, and through these
holes in the plug the steam will pass from the cavity to the exhaust
space ³. There is one of these hollow plug valves h³ at each end, and
india-rubber buffers h' may be used if desired. By a projection (h*)
(shown in dotted line in Fig. 4) from one piston head (¹) of each slide
valve the ports supplying steam to the valves may be closed, if desired,
when the steam has effected the movement of the cylindrical slide valve
to guard more certainly against the chance of wasting steam by bad
fitting valves. k is a bracket which carries a cylinder k having a
casing, which encloses and forms the abutment of a spring, and acts
as a guide to a rod ³ having a washer or piston-like head at its lower
end, upon the under side of which a ram acts, which fits the tube or
cylinder ¹; this arrangement forming a pressure guage the water from
the pumps being conducted to the cylinder to act upon the end of the
ram by a pipe k*. To the upper end of the rod k³ a link is secured,
which is jointed to an arm secured on a shaft having bearings in
stuffing boxes in the sides of the cisterns (a). Another arm k' on the
shaft is connected by an adjustable rod k
throttle valve admitting steam to the engine, so that as the pressure
upon the pumps increases more steam will be allowed to pass through
the throttle valve l, and vice versa. Upon the end of the shaft / in
cach cistern (a) there is an arm k* fixed, to which a rod m is jointed,
this rod being connected by a slot at its lower end with a lever m¹ having
its fulcrum m³ on studs secured at the bottom of the cistern. This
lever m¹ has arms m³ that come under a rod m³ in in each of the supply
pipes e for the outside pumps, which rods prevent the inlet valves e³
from closing when a certain pressure is attained, as fixed upon, and leave
the central pump only in action. But instead of this latter arrange-
ment I prefer to place a shaft in bearings under the supply pipes e* for
the pumps, and to fix on this shaft, tappet, or cam surfaces to come
under a central rod m* in the inlet pipe of each pump, the cams being
so shaped and arranged that when the shaft has partly rotated a given
space the rod for the central pump will be held up, and thus the pump
with a lever ** of the

page_text: will be put out of action; then by a further partial rotation of the tappet
shaft the tappets will lift or hold up the rods for the inlet valves of
the two outside pumps and release the centre one. By this means all
the pumps will at first be in action for low pressure, then the two
outside ones for a higher pressure, and lastly the one central pump for
the highest pressure required.
The tappet shaft may be geared by wheels with a wheel or segment
wheel on the end of the shaft k*.
The rods m may be made of tubing, and each of them may be jointed
at its upper end with the lower end of its inlet valves so as to rise and
fall with the valve, but leave it free to bed to its seating when down,
and in this case projections may be used in place of tappets, which will
hold up the rods as the projections would be brought under the ends of
the rods as the shaft turned, and would hold them up after being lifted
by the action of the pumps.
When the pumps are used to supply several hydraulic presses the
water from the pumps passes to the presses and then back to the cisterns,
the presses being arranged in the circuit, so that when a press is taking
water there will be no water passing back to the cisterns, and when
water is not being used by the presses. (or for other purposes) it will be
pumped through the supply pipes and back to the cistern, and this
requires a certain expenditure of steam which is wasted without doing
any useful work; and to save this I cause the engine which is constantly
at work to be ready for instant use to work very slowly by shutting off
nearly all the steam from it by a valve through which it passes before it
enters the throttle valve 1, by connecting the lever of this extra valve
with a rod having a piston which works in a cylinder in communication
with the pipe through which the water returns to the cisterns (a). This
water will act upon the piston and move it, and this movement shuts
the steam valve against a fixed stop so as nearly to cut off the whole
supply of steam to the engine.
The water in the return pipe is made to act upon the said piston
connected with the extra steam valve by contracting the passage in the
return pipe by an adjustable screw plug or cock or valve placed between
the position of the piston and the cisterns.
When the water is turned into a press or otherwise used so as not to
return to the cisterns there will be no water to support the piston, it

page_text: begins (being acted upon by a weight or spring) to fall as the water
remaining in the pipes escapes through the contracted orifice to the
cisterns, and this opens the extra steam supply valve to the full
extent.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and i
the mode of carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The combining of three or more piston rods with the same
piston of a steam cylinder to work through the glands at the ends of
the steam cylinder and act as pumps, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The working of direct acting steam pumps by cylindrical
equilibrium slide valves h, h¹, and 12, actuated by direct acting steam,
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination of a pressure guage with hydraulic steam 1
pumps to throw the pumps out of action and to increase the supply of
steam as the hydraulic pressure or resistance increases, and vice versa,
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fourthly. The system or mode of operating upon the inlet valves of 2
pumps to throw them out of action by tappet or cam projections,
substantially as herein-before described.
Fifthly. The shutting off of nearly the whole supply of steam to the
engine by a piston arrangement acted upon by the water returning to
the cisterns, substantially as herein-before described.
Sixthly. The combination and arrangement of steam cylinder piston
valve, pumps, and cisterns, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
2
In witness whereof, I, the said Ashton Kay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our 3
Lord, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.