Improved Apparatus for Utilizing the Fluctuations of Pressure in Steam, Gas, and other Pipes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1897--Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
Improved Apparatus for Utilizing the Fluctuations of Pressure in
Steam, Gas, and other Pipes.
We, JAMES BRADBURY, Wine and Spirit Merchant, of Bury Street, and CHARLES
HARRIS, Engineer, of Great Clowes Street, Broughton, both of Salford in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our object is to utilize the fluctuations of pressure in the supply and exhaust pipes
of steam, gas, hydraulic and other engines, caused by the opening and closing of
their respective valves when working.
We accomplish this by connecting, by means of a suitable pipe, with the supply
or exhaust pipe, as in each case may be judged best, a short cylinder open at one
end, in which works a suitable piston and rod.
The piston is retained in its place by means of a suitable spring or weighted lever,
and is alternately forced outwards by the increased pressure in the pipes, (when the
valves are closed,) and returned inward again by the spring or weighted lever, when
the pressure is decreased, (by the opening of the valves,) thus giving a reciprocating
motion which can be utilized for various useful purposes.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1896.
JOHN HENRY TOPHAM,
7 South Corridor, Royal Exchange, Manchester, Agent to Applicants.
Improved Apparatus for Utilizing the Fluctuations of Pressure in
Steam, Gas, and other Pipes.
We, JAMES BRADBURY, Wine and Spirit Merchant, of Bury Street, and CHARLES
HARRIS, Engineer, of Great Clowes Street, Broughton, both of Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, 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 :--
Our object is to utilize the fluctuations of pressure in the supply and exhaust pipes
of steam, gas, hydraulic and other engines caused by the opening and closing of
their respective valves when working.
We accomplish this by connecting, by means of a suitable pipe, with the supply
or exhaust pipe as in each case may be judged best, a short cylinder open at one end
in which works a suitable piston and rod.
The piston is retained in its place by means of a suitable spring or weighted lever,
and is alternately forced outwards by the increased pressure in the pipes (when the

page_text: valves are closed,) and returned inward.again by the spring or weighted lever, (when
the pressure is decreased by the opening of the valves,) thus giving a reciprocating
motion which can be utilized for various useful purposes, such as boiler feed in steam
engines, circulation of water in waterjacket of gas engines, automatic registration in
hydraulic engines and street inains &c.
In a modification of our invention we use a piston rod with a piston at each end,
each working in such an open cylinder as described, one cylinder being connected
with the supply and the other with the exhaust of the steam or other engine, in this
case no springs or weights are necessary the alternation of pressure in the two pipes
keeping the piston rod in constant motion, or a single piston in a closed cylinder
to the respective ends of which the supply and exhaust pipes are connected may
be used.
In another modification we use instead of the piston described a fixed diaphragm
of elastic metal or other suitable material to which the rod or other connection is
attached and which is vibrated by the variation of pressure in the pipe or pipes,
being either returned into position by its own elasticity, a suitable spring or weighted
lever, or by the alternate pressure of the supply and waste pipes as already described.
Referring to the drawings sent herewith:
Fig. 1 represents the simple cylinder form of our invention in section, a indicating
the cylinder open at one end a 2, in which works piston b with piston rod c retained in
position by coiled spring d. The cylinder is connected is connected with the supply
or exhaust pipe by pipe e. f is a small pump shown as actuated by piston rod c for
boiler feed or other purposes.
Fig. 2 shows the simple diaphragm form of our invention in section, g indicating
the diaphragm closing chamber into which pressure is admitted by pipe i from
supply or exhaust pipe, rod k being used to convey the motion where needed. The
diaphragm in this case is returned to position by its own elasticity but in other cases
may be returned by a spring connected to rod k.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
The improved apparatus, whereby the fluctuations of pressure in steam, gas and
other pipes can be utilized, substantially as described and shown herein before and in
the accompanying drawings.
ed this
JOHN HENRY TOPHAM,
7 South Corridor, Royal Exchange, Manchester, Agent to Applicants.