Improvements in Steam and Vacuum Pumps.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 15th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Sept., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and Vacuum Pumps.
I, ERNST KÖRTING, Engine-manufacturer, residing at Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to steam and vacuum-pumps (or pulsometers) the steam-valve
whereof is provided with a piston working in a small cylinder, and its object is to
facilitate the play of the valve by condensation of the steam passing between the
piston and the walls of the cylinder.
For this purpose I combine with the pump a vessel connected by a pipe with the
top of the said cylinder, and communicating near its bottom by a small orifice with
the lower part of the pump-chamber. With this arrangement water will, at every
pulsation of the apparatus, flow from the pump-chamber to the condensing-vessel and
The
vice-versa, and cause the condensation of the steam passing into the latter.
aforesaid orifice of communication may be provided with means for regulating the
width thereof.
1
... of Novembar 1886

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and Vacuum Pumps.
I, ERNST KÖRTING, Engine-manufacturer, residing at Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to single-chamber steam and vacuum-pumps (or pulsometers)
having a lifting steam-valve provided with a piston working in a small cylinder, and
its object is to promote the operation of the valve by condensation of the steam
inevitably leaking through between the piston and the wall of the cylinder, and
consequent reduction of the pressure acting on the valve from above, the said con-
densation being caused to vary in such manner that the pressure on the valve will be
least when it is to open and greatest when it is io close. The term single-chamber
steam and vacuum-pumps also applies to each of two or more apparatuses of this kind
connected to common suction and discharge-pipes, provided the steam-valve of cach
apparatus be independent in its operation.
For the aforesaid purpose I combine with the pump a vessel connected by a pipe
with the top of the said cylinder and communicating near its bottom by a small
orifice with the lower part of the pump-chamber, the steam passing by the side of the
said piston being condensed in the vessel (which thus constitutes a condenser) by
means of the water flowing thereinto from the pump-chamber during the period of
discharge, while during the suction-period the water flows back into the chamber
together with the water of condensation. The said orifice may be fitted with means
for regulating the width thereof.
On the annexed sheet of drawings a pump provided with my improvement is shown
in sectional elevation. P is the pump-chamber, V the steam-valve combined with the
piston K, B the steam-valve-box, H the cylinder in which the piston works, and D
the steam-supply-pipe connected to the box B. By the side of the chamber P is
arranged the condenser U, connected by the pipe R to the space of the cylinder H
being above the piston K, while communication between the condenser and the
chamber P is established by the orifice L. For regulating the width of this orifice
according to the amount of steam passing between the piston and the wall of the
cylinder H, a screw S with tapered end projecting into the orifice is provided for:
but in lieu thereof other known means of regulation such as a cock or a valve may be
employed. The condenser U may be cast together with the chamber P in one piece,
or made separate therefrom.

page_text: Supposing now the width of the orifice L to be so regulated that, in consequence of
the alternations of pressure and vacuum occuring in the chamber P, a limited quantity
of water flows, at every pulsation of the apparatus, alternately from the chamber P
to the condenser U and back from the latter to the former, the water in the condenser
will become low during the suction-period, and the walls of the same, cooled by the
water and being now exposed, will condense the steam passing into the condenser
from the cylinder H. The pressure in the condenser consequently decreases, and the
piston K is gradually relieved of pressure, until the pressure in the chamber P
increasing at the end of the suction-period, opens the valve V. During the period of
discharge of the apparatus then following, water flows from the chamber P into the
condenser U, and the surfaces on which the steam can cool become smaller.
pressure in the condenser consequently rises gradually, and the reduction of the pressure
on the piston K becomes less, so that the vacuum produced in the chamber P at the
end of the discharge-period, will then cause the valve to close. In respect to this
operation it is important to notice that the pressure in the condenser is least when the
pressure in the pump-chamber begins to increase, and highest in the former when
the vacuum sets in in the latter. The reduction of pressure in the condenser as well
as the increase thereof thus both act to move the steam-valve in the required
direction at the proper time, i.e. to open it in the first case and to close it in the
second.
The
According as much steam or but little passes between the piston K and the wall of
the cylinder H, the orifice L has to be opened more or less by the screw S. If it is
opened wide the rise and fall of the water in the condenser is considerable, a large
condensing surface becomes free, and the surface of the water is much agitated, so
that the condenser under these conditions is capable of condensing a considerable
amount of steam leaking past any piston fitting loosely in the cylinder. If the
leakage of steam is but small, a reduced extent of condensing surface and less
agitation of the surface of the water and consequently a decreased width of the
orifice are required to attain the purpose aimed at. The screw S or its aforesaid
equivalent, by which the regulation of the orifice L is brought about is therefore an
important part of the described improvement in view of ensuring a proper operation
of the steam-valve.
I am aware that condensers have heretofore been applied, in combination with a
steam distributing slide-valve to steam and vacuum pumps having two chambers, the
vacuum created in either of the two condensers acting alternately on either end of
the said slide-valve, so as to move the same to and fro, and the steam port of one
chamber being opened by the action of the condenser of the other chamber. But this
arrangement is not applicable to steam and vacuum-pumps having one chamber and
one condenser only, because the vacuum produced in the latter can be made to act in
one direction only upon the steam-valve so as to tend to open the same, the valve
therefore requiring to be a lifting-valve, capable of being closed by the sucking
action of the vacuum in the pump-chamber after the vacuum in the condenser has
decreased.
In order double-chamber pumps auxiliary vessels or "receivers" have been used
by means whereof a pressure is caused to act alternately on either end of a sliding
steam-valve. This arrangement, however, also differs from mine, as it likewise requires
for its operation two pump-chambers, two receivers and sliding valves.
is
In a third case in which each of the chambers of a double-chamber
pump
provided with a lifting steam-valve fixed to a piston sliding in a cylinder, the space
above the piston has been put in direct communication with the corresponding chamber
by a pipe, passing down into the same, and having at its lower end a cock, operated
by a float, so as to allow steam to pass at the end of the discharge-period through the
pipe and to press on the piston, thereby closing the corresponding steam-valve, which,
in order to be opened, requires the assistance of its mate; whereas in my apparatus
the steam-valve is lifted and thereby opened at the beginning of the discharge-period
independently of other parts by the vacuum created in the condenser.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I do not claim the combination, with a
double-chamber steam-vacuum pump, of steam-valves having pistons moving in
cylinders, or of condensers connected with the two ends of the box of a slide-valve,
but I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a single-chamber steam and vacuum pump, the combination, with the
chamber P having the valve-box B and cylinder H, of the lifting-valve V integral
with the piston K working in the cylinder H, steam-pipe D communicating with the
box B, and the condenser U connected by a pipe, R, with the top of the cylinder H,
and by an orifice, L, with the bottom of the chamber P, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
2. In a single-chamber steam and vacuum-pump, the combination with the
chamber P. valve-box B, cylinder H, lifting-valve V, piston K, steam-pipe D, and
condenser U connected by pipe R with the top of the cylinder H and by the orifice L
with the bottom of the chamber P, of means for regulating the width of the orifice L,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated the Sixth day of August 1887.
CARL PIEPER,
Agent for Applicant.