AN IMPROVEMENT IN PUMPS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Draughtsman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN PUMPS." A communication from abroad by James Wilson, of
Bridgeport, in the State of Connecticut, and Charles Frederick
Mudge, of Lynn, in the State of Massachusetts, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th September 1868.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN PUMPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is chiefly designed to apply to that class of pumps
which employ a hollow piston rod that in addition to its ordinary

page_text: function as a driver to reciprocate the piston or plunger also serves
as the exit or discharge pipe of a double action pump.
The object of the Invention is to secure increased simplicity and
efficiency in pumps in which the reciprocating piston or plunger
carries a valve or valves for operation in concert with a valve or
valves furnished to the pump barrel or occupying as it were a fixed
relationship thereto.
The piston is made hollow with passages leading from either side
or face to the hollow piston rod. Fitted in the piston are puppet or
other suitable valves (without spindles) which serve alternately to
close the openings in the opposite faces of the piston, and thereby
opening a passage for the fluid to be raised alternately through the
upper and the under face of the piston to the discharge passage formed
by the hollow piston. When disc or flat segment-shaped valves
are employed their outer edges will correspond with the periphery
of the piston, and the wall of the pump barrel and shoulders in the
piston head will serve to guide them in their independent motions.
The pump barrel is cast with a side passage as usual in double
acting pumps and two admission valves are provided and seated
at the bottom of the pump barrel to admit alternately the fluid
from the suction pipe and receiving chamber to the pump barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED 2
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty- 3
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, 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 thercin expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, oxercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PUMPS," being a communication to
me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hercunto annexed, and to the letters and figuros marked thereon (that
is to say):-
This Invention is chiefly designed to apply to that class of pumps
which employ a hollow piston rod that in addition to its ordinary
function as a driver to reciprocate the piston or plunger also serves
as the exit or discharge pipe of the pump that as liere shewn is of a
double-acting character.
The object of the Invention is to secure increased simplicity and
efficiency in pumps in which the reciprocating piston or plunger
carries a valve or valves for operation in concert with a valve or
valves furnished to the pump barrel or occupying as it were a fixed
relationship thereto.
The Invention consists in a novel arrangement of a hollow piston
having side openings in it and double acting disc or puppet valves
carried by said piston, and seating alternately on or over apertures in
the ends of the piston.
Also the Invention covers a combination with a side opening or

page_text: openings made in the piston of a double-acting puppet valve or
valves operating to control apertures through or to opposite sides of
the piston, such valve or valves being so constructed and arranged
as that it or they is or are guided on the outside edge or edges by the
interior of the barrel and on the inside edge or edges by the piston
head
openings made in the piston of a double-acting puppet valve or
valves operating to control apertures through or to opposite sides of
the piston, such valve or valves being so constructed and arranged
as that it or they is or are guided on the outside edge or edges by the
interior of the barrel and on the inside edge or edges by the piston
head.
Having thus specified the object and nature of the Invention its
description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying.
Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of a double-acting pump
constructed in accordance with the Invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal
outside view of the piston or plunger with its valves and hollow rod
as removed from the pump barrel in which they operate; Fig. 3 is
a transverse section of the piston taken as indicated by the line x, x,
in Fig. 2, but with the piston valves removed, and Fig. 4 is a face view
of one of such valves detached.
In the accompanying Drawing A represents the pump cylinder
or barrel, which with its side passage B, induction valves C, O,
receiving chamber D, and suction pipe E may be of ordinary con-
struction.
F is the piston or plunger, made and arranged to reciprocate within
the barrel A; it is also provided with a hollow piston rod G in com-
munication with the interior of the plunger, and by which the latter is
reciprocated by power applied in any suitable manner to the rod.
The hollow piston F and its hollow rod G are preferably formed by
casting them in one piece. The piston has openings a, a, and a¹, a¹,
made through it on opposite sides of the axial line of the piston and in
communication with an intermediate space or what may be termed side
openings b, b, which are in free communication with the hollow rod G.
These side openings b, b, should be of sufficient depth or length
between the openings a, a, and a¹, a', to allow of the insertion and play
of two free and independent valves H, H', made of metal or other
suitable material and preferably of segmental shape, though other forms
of valve may be used. These valves H, H², during the reciprocating
action of the plunger alternately seat themselves against or over the
openings a, a, and a', a', but always in their play or change of seat leave

page_text: communication open between the side openings b, b, and hollow piston
rod G. The valves, which may be said to be of a puppet character or
description are when constructed as represented in the Drawing held in
their places and guided during play on their outside edges by the inside
wall of the pump cylinder or barrel, and on their inside edges by a
suitable interior construction of the piston head, as for instance by solid
portions or projections c, c'. From this description it will be seen that
as the piston or plunger is reciprocated the valves H, H', as the stroke
of the piston is reversed, are by the resistance they meet with from the
fluid on the discharging side of the piston thrown or worked so as
alternately to open and close, according to the direction in which the
piston moves, the openings a, a, and a, a', thus keeping up a constant
discharge along the side openings b, b, to and through the hollow piston
rod. By using more than one double-acting valvo in the hollow piston
(say as here shown) two oppositely arranged valves, or it may be three
or more of such valves, arranged around the axial line of the piston and
similarly disposed side openings in or through the piston for them to
play in, and forming waterways in constant communication with the
hollow piston rod, and alternately through the valve openings with the
pump barrel on opposite sides of the piston, the fluid is forced equally
from opposite sides or around as it were the axial line of the piston to
the centre of the piston head in its way to the hollow piston rod, thereby
causing a more equable or uniform bearing on the piston, and reducing
friction. By constructing the valves and piston which carries them so
that the inside wall or surface of the pump barrel guides and holds them
in place on their outside edges, while the piston similarly holds and
guides them on their inside edges, rods as guides to the valves are
dispensed with, which rods by their wear or wear of the valves on them
establish passage ways round them for the water to escape, and so impair
the forcing action or effect of the pump. In fact in thus dispensing
with guide rods to the double-acting valves the piston is made to
assume what may be termed a solid head character, both in its upward
and downward movements.
An Improve-
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of
ment in Pumps," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, first, the

page_text: arrangement of the hollow piston with its double-acting puppet valves,
fitted in place and operating substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)