CONNECTED WITH DIRECT-ACTING PUMPING ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Fabian at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1880.
HENRY FABIAN, of Erith, in the County of Kent.
CONNECTED WITH DIRECT-ACTING PUMPING ENGINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or connected with the con-
struction and working of direct acting pumping engines with the objects of reducing
the prime cost of the machine, providing a simple means of working direct acting
engines expansively, reducing the working cost of direct acting high pressure
engines by the expansion of the motive power, obtaining a more compact arrange-
ment than has hitherto been arrived at, and making it optional whether one or
more pressure cylinders are used.
In constructing pumping engines of the nature hereinbefore referred to I prefer
to arrange the barrel or barrels of the pump or pumps in line with the main
cylinder or on either side thereof, in which latter case I connect the plunger-rods
of the pump-barrels to the piston-rod of the main-cylinder by a cross-head.
The valve or valves which control the admission of the steam, compressed air, or
other suitable motive agent to the main cylinder is or are arranged in a suitable
chest, and is or are operated by means of pistons and rods which lead therefrom,
the pistons being located in small cylinders, one of which is in communication
with the interior of the main cylinder, the other being in communication with the
interior of the pump-barrel, the cylinders being respectively exposed to the pressure
and exhaust within the main cylinder, and to the pressure and suction within the
pump-barrel.
Each end of the main cylinder is in communication with the opposite end of its
subsidiary cylinder, and each end of the pump-barrel is in communication with the
corresponding end of its subsidiary cylinder by means of suitable ports and pipes
or passages, but the communications between the main cylinder and the pump
barrel, and their respective subsidiary cylinders, may be arranged otherwise than
or opposite to that just stated.
Upon the piston of the main cylinder starting upon its stroke towards the pump-
barrel, being in line therewith, it, at any predetermined point, uncovers the port
leading to the end of its subsidiary cylinder adjacent to the pump-barrel, and thus
admits the steam or other motive agent to this end thereof, causing the piston
therein to shift the valve so as to cut off the further supply of the motive agent to

page_text: the present pressure end of the cylinder, and cause the piston to complete its stroke
through the expansion of the contained motive agent, the other ends of both
cylinders being open to the exhaust and permitting of these movements. Upon the
plunger of the pump-barrel passing the port at the end from which it started, and
leading to the corresponding end of its subsidiary cylinder, the latter is open to
the suction end of the pump-barrel, and pressure is exerted through the corre-
sponding port at the other end of the barrel and leading to the same end of its
subsidiary cylinder, and thus operates upon its piston, causing the shifting of the
valve to be completed (there being a sufficient clearance allowed in the piston
details of its subsidiary cylinder), so as to open the exhaust to the end of the main
cylinder furthest from the pump-barrel, and admit the motive agent to the end
nearest the latter, and thus cause the return stroke of the main piston and pump
plunger, and which is similarly effected.
To ensure the steady working of the valve or valves, and to give a ready
regulator for the amount of load and expansion in case it may be desirable to
regulate it at any time, I propose to govern the movements of the piston in each
subsidiary cylinder by a cataract or cylinder containing oil or other liquid.