IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER APPLICABLE TO THE WORKING OF PUMPS AND OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Price at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th December
1863.
I, JAMES PRICE, of Circus Street, Mary-le-bone, in the County of Middlesex,
Plumber and Glazier, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER APPLICABLE TO THE
WORKING OF PUMPS AND OTHER MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
According to my Invention I employ two spur wheels or pinions geared
together to work the pump rods directly, being geared at intervals with teeth
on such rods. The middle of the breadth of these pinions has each an entire
circle of teeth which maintains them in gear constantly, while on each side of
the breadth occupied (about one-third) by such constant gearing parts the
teeth are in segments, each occupying about one-third of the periphery, the
one segment of teeth being at the opposite diameter to the other on the same
pinion. One of these pinions is mounted on the driving shaft, and the other
is on a shaft which simply carries it. These pinions are geared in such
positions in relation to each other and to the rack teeth on the pump rods
(supposing two pump rods to be operated at one time), that while the one
segment of teeth on one pinion is raising the pump rod the other segment on
the same pinion is lowering the other pump rod; after having so acted this
pinion goes out of gear with the rods, while the other comes into gear,
which pinion rotating in the opposite direction is the reverse in its action on
the pump rods, lifting the one that bad been before depressed and depressing

page_text: the other. In this way a reciprocating action of the pumps is maintained
by a rotating motion communicated to the driving shaft. In applying this
motion to pumps I place the pinions within a chamber containing the pumps
within which the water is delivered from the pump barrels, having a delivery
spout at a suitable elevation; if this is carried above the driving shaft I furnish,
it with a large collar or flanch just outside the pump chamber, and between it
and the side of which I dispose a large washer or annular piece of leather
which occupies the space between the flanch and the side of the chamber, but
bearing very lightly on the flanch; this annular piece of leather is fixed water-
tight to the pump chamber at its circumference, the pressure of the water
forcing the centre against the flanch of the shaft, which although rotating is
water-tight and revolves with great freedom.
In transmitting motion to force pumps at great depths I actuate a rod
precisely in same manner as before described with reference to the pump rod;
the rod so actuated is geared by teeth at its lower end (situated near the
pumps), with a toothed wheel on a shaft which passes through a stuffing
box or disc leather, as before described, into the pump chamber, and actuates
the pump rods by toothed gear taking into racks on the pump rods, somewhat
in manner before described.
The arrangement of racks and pinions first herein-before described is also
applicable in obtaining motive power in which the action is reversed, the
reciprocating motion as from a steam piston being converted into a rotary
motion as required. It is also applicable for working other machines and
transmitting motion for other mechanical purposes.