IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING POWER OR FOR PUMPINGAL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Donaldson, of Ambleside, in the County of
Westmoreland for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY
FOR PRODUCING POWER OR FOR PUMPING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Donaldson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1883.
WILLIAM DONALDSON, of Ambleside, in the County of Westmoreland,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING POWER OR FOR
PUMPING,"
The improvements relate to the following or some of them:-One or more
cylinders each open at one end and covered with a loose lid at the other.
A balanced cylindrical valve working with an easy mechanical fit on the outside of
the cylinder. A casing surrounding the cylinder or cylinders through one side of
which the open ends of the cylinders project. A piston for each cylinder working
with an easy mechanical fit in the cylinder attached to a piston rod working through
holes in the lid of the cylinder and cases the holes being bored and the piston rod
turned so that the rod will work with an easy mechanical fit. One or two
excentrics to actuate the valve and alter the length of the stroke. Rods connecting
the piston rods with the crank arms of a revolving shaft and connecting the valve
with the excentric. A balanced valve for regulating the inflow of the water and
reducing the pressure by wire drawing. A combination of two excentrics and one
valve and a link motion arrangement for letting the water into the cylinders for all
lengths of stroke from the beginning to the maximum length of full stroke and also
for completely shutting off the same and reversing the direction of motion of the
crank shaft arranged so that one operation effects the object simultaneously on all
the cylinders. A specially designed lid. When used as a water pressure engine
for generating power the space between the cylinders and the casing is kept
continually supplied with water under any assigned pressure. When one excentric
only is used, the length of the concentric cylindrical valve must be such as to suit
the minimum length of stroke. When two excentrics are used, the length of valve
suited for the maximum length of full stroke will be sufficient for varying the

page_text: length of full stroke from nothing to the maximum and also for shutting off the
water during a whole revolution. The cylinder is provided with three sets of port
holes one at the commencement for the admission of the water one near end for the
egress of the water and one covered ordinarily by the lid for the egress of the
water whose function is to act as a safety valve. The working length of
the cylinder exceeds the maximum length of the full stroke and the outlet port
holes are cut out of this excess length. The inlet valve is actuated by the
excentric, the arm of which is so set that the valve begins to open at the com-
mencement of the stroke, reaches its maximum opening at half full stroke and
closes at the instant of the termination of the full working stroke. When the
piston descends below the maximum length of full stroke, the contained water
begins to empty into the tail race. The lid is provided with air valves connected
with the external air by pipes. These air valves allow of the free admission of the
air at the instant of the termination of full stroke and of its egress during the
return stroke and close the instant the water is admitted. The lid is of the
necessary depth to cover the safety valve holes referred to and fits on to the
cylinder accurately for this length. It is supported by flanges resting on
the cylinder and kept in its position by the pressure of the water on the outside
area of the lid port holes opposite the port holes in the cylinder are provided and
the motion of the lid is so regulated that if from any cause the return stroke of the
piston brings water back the raising of the lid will allow of the escape of the water
before the completion of the return stroke. The capability of motion of the lid also
allows of an indefinite diminution of the interval for clearance. The valve for wire
drawing consists of a flat circular disc of the same diameter as the supply pipe. It
is attached to an axis whose centre corresponds with a diameter line of the disc.
One end of this axis works on a pivot in the bottom of the cylinder and the other
projects through a stuffing box into the external air and is keyed to a crank arm.
When used as a water pressure engine for pumping the cylinder lid does not
necessarily contain air valves but the underside contains cavities for air cushions,
The piston consists of a double beat valve sliding in the piston rod. The length of
full stroke cannot be varied. The excentric is set so that the valve is closed during
the whole length of the stroke when the piston is leaving the lid when a suction
pipe below the cylinder is used and during part of the return stroke when no
suction pipe is used and the working parts are immersed in the water. The
cylinders may be placed at any angle to the horizon but preferably they ought to
be vertical. When they are vertical the whole of the machinery is in equilibrium
and the whole work consumed internally is due to friction only. The connecting
rods are in this case always in tension so that half brasses only are required for the
bearings and the excentric straps.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Donaldson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th July 1883.
WILLIAM DONALDSON, of Ambleside, in the County of Westmoreland,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING POWER OR FOR
PUMPING
"J
This invention relates to hydraulic power or pumping machinery, and is fully
described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which
like letters represent like parts Fig 1 being a sectional elevation of a four cylinder
engine, Fig 2 a sectional plan of same, Fig 5 vertical section through cylinder and
casing, Fig 6 part section through valve, Fig 8 section through cover of casing air
pipes, and special lubricator, Fig 9 and 10 sections through cylinder caps showing
air valves; Fig 3 is half sectional elevation and half elevation of two cylinder
pumping engine. Fig 4 cross sectional elevation through centre of rising main.
Fig 7 half plan and half sectional plan of pump case.
When the machinery is applied to the production of power, referring to Figs 1, 2,
6, 6, 8, 9 and 10, the space between the cylinders c, and the casing & is kept
constantly supplied with water under any assigned pressure. When one excentric
ouly is used the length of the concentric cylindrical valve must be such as to suit
the minimum length of the stroke-when two excentrics are used the length of
valve suited for the maximum length of full stroke will be sufficient for varying
the length of full stroke from nothing to the maximum and also for shutting off the
water during a whole revolution.
The cylinder is provided with 3 sets of port-holes, one, o, at the commencement
for the admission of the water, one, o¹, near end for the egress of water and one o¹¹
covered ordinarily by the lid for the egress of the water whose function is to act
as a safety valve.
The full length of the cylinder exceeds the maximum length of the working
stroke, and the outlet port holes o' are cut out of this excess length.
The inlet valve V is actuated by the excentric, the arm of which is so set, that
the valve begins to open at the commencement of the working stroke, reaches its
maximum opening at half working stroke and closes at the instant of the termina-
tion of the working stroke. When the piston descends below the maximum
length of working stroke, the contained water begins to empty into the tail raco.
The lid is provided with air valves connected with the external air by pipes.
These air valves allow of the free admission of the air at the instant of the
termination of full stroke and of its egress during the return stroke and close the
instant the water is admitted. The communication is made with the external air
by the pipes p, which pass through and aro fixed to the lid of the casing and fit
into circular holes q, in the cylinder lid b with an easy mechanical fit. These
circular holes are of such a depth and the clearance between the bottoms of the
pipes and the holes when the lid is closed is such, that the lid can move freely
upwards a sufficient height.
The lid is of the necessary depth to cover the safety valve port holes o", and fits
into the cylinder accurately for this length.
It is supported by flanges resting on the cylinder and kept in its position by the
pressure of the water on the outside area of the lid. Portholes o, opposite the
portholes o", in the cylinder are provided and the motion of the lid is so regulated
that if from any cause the return stroke of the piston brings water back and the
valve V is held up by mishap opposite the portholes o", the raising of the lid will
allow of the escape of the water before the completion of the return stroke through
the portholes or When the valve is in its correct relative position the contained
water will escape directly through the portholes o". The capability of motion of
the lid also allows of an indefinite diminution of the interval of clearance.
When used for the purposes of pumping referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 7 the lid b

page_text: does not necessarily contain air valves of any description. It may be of the
pattern shewn on the drawings of the power engine as in Figs 2, 9 and 10, but is
by preference of the shape shewn on the drawings of the pumping engine. Fig 3.
The cylindrical part of the lid which slides in the cylinder c, doos not form a
complete cylinder and on the least raising of the lid, the water escapes over the
edge of the cylinder c, through the openings in the cylindrical part of the lid.
The drawing Fig 3 shows the adaptation to a deep well pump in which the
casing d, round the cylinders is partially and may be wholly immersed. The
casing & rests on the support S, which in turn is supported by the vertical rods t,
passing through and resting upon the balk X.
These rods are screwed for a considerable length so as to admit of raising and
lowering the pump out of or into the water. The annular space between the
rising main and the external cylinder acts as an air vessel. This external cylinder
is accurately turned so as to admit of its moving up and down the accurately
bored cylinder m, for a vertical height equal to that through which it is proposed
to raise and lower the pumps. The cylinder m is fixed by two brackets to the
cross beams Y, and keeps the rising main and pump cylinders in a vertical
position. Since the edges a a' of the guide piece K may be immersed in the
water, it is necessary to provide two other somewhat similar guide pieces K', with
edges g g at the same level fixed to a plate ; which is supported by the uprights i,
fixed to the casing of the pumps, for the purpose of adjusting the length of the rods
connecting the piston and valve with the crank shaft.
The magnitude of the weight H must be sufficient to actuate the piston and will
vary with the size of the cylinder and the number of the strokes.
For the purposes of producing power and pumping the cylinders c may be a
inclined at any angle to the horizon but by preference they ought to be vertical.
When the cylinders are placed vertically the moving parts balance one another
and the rod connecting the piston and valves with the crank shaft are always in
tension, so that they may consist for the greater part of their length of either
chain or wire rope and single brasses for the bearings only will be required. In
the case of the power engine the rods are always in tension."
Suction pipes of the usual length can be attached to the pumps.
The special cap K fixed to the lid of the casing d has holes through which the
pipes p communicate with the open air and also two accurately bored holes through
one of which the piston rod and through the other the valve rod works. These
caps contain two oil boxes s and c.
8
The object of the lower one is to allow of the
passage of any water which may escape between the piston and the sides of the
cap K on to top of a grating, placed to protect the entrance of the air pipes p, and
from thence back into the cylinder c, through the air pipes p.
The edges a a¹ are at the same level. Notches are cut in the pistón and valve
rods at such distances from the pistons and the valves that when these notches are
just opposite the edges a a', the full working stroke is just about to commence and
the valve is just beginning to open; simple arrangements for adjusting the length
of the rods between these notches and the crank shaft are provided.
I claim: The combination of parts consisting of one or more cylinders c 4
surrounded by a liquid holding casing d, the balanced cylindrical valve V and its
adjusting weight W, with the loose safety valve cylinder cover or lid b, cap K
with lubricators s and e, together with the weighted valve H, all substantially as
described and illustrated for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Donaldson have hereunto set my hand 5
and seal this twelfth day of July A.D. 1883.