Improvements in and relating to Steam Pumps.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Pumps.
I, EDWARD CRAWFORD JOHNSON, residing at the Hotel Lanier, in the City of
Macon, County of Bibb and State of Georgia, one of the United States of America,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
The essential elements of the pump are a closed casing and a "gyratory" compound
piston.
The casing has an annular steam chamber and an annular water chamber, concentric
with each other, and each having a radial partition, and an inlet and outlet port near
the partition.
The piston has an open ring or flange in each chamber, the ring in the steam
chamber being of a circumference equal to the inner circumference of said chamber
plus its width, so that when the opening in this ring is placed astride the partition in
the steam chamber, the outer surface of the ring will lie against the outer wall of
said chamber and the inner surface of the ring will lie against the opposite inner
wall of the chamber, and the width of the ring will equal that of the walls of the
chamber. The steam piston ring will thus have an eccentric relation to the steam
chamber and the water ring is of corresponding construction, and bears the same
relation to the water chamber.
The rings in the compound piston are connected, so that in operation they move
together.
With this premise as to the general character of the pump, I will proceed to describe
the particular construction of the improved device, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings, in which-
Figure 1, is a central vertical section of the improved pump, the starting lever in
elevation.
Figure 2, is a similar section of the cover, and a modification of the piston.
Figure 3, is a plan of the coupling bar, showing the position of the lugs on the
piston with relation to the bar.
-
Figure 4; is a perspective of the face of the starting lever or key.
Figure 5, is a top plan of the casing with cover removed, showing in section the
open piston rings in their respective chambers.
Figure 6, is a plan of a modified casing resembling Figure 5, but with steam ports
entering the bottom of casing.
Figure 7, is a section of cover of my modified casing with top of piston in
elevation.
Figures 7, 8 and 9, are details.
Figure 10, is a side elevation of piston, suitable for casing, Figure 5.
Figure 11, is a section near the bottom of a condensing chamber, which is applied
below the casing, Figure 6.
The numeral, 1, indicates the casing or pump body proper. The casing is preferably
made of cast metal in a single piece. The bottom portion, 2, is a round plate having
upwardly projecting walls, 3, 4, 5, 6, each wall forming a complete ring, and all the
rings being concentric.
The rings, 5, and, 6, are connected by a cross-bar, 7, which divides the space
between said rings into a chamber or trough, 8, which is a little less than a complete
annular chamber. The cross-bar, 9, forms a similar partition in the chamber, 10,
which lies between the rings, 3, and, 4. The cross-bars, 7, and, 9, may be separate
pieces, or cast integral with the casing.
An inlet port at, 12, permits a supply of steam to enter the chamber, 8, and an
exhaust port, 13, permits the escape of the steam after it has performed its work.

page_text: Corresponding parts, 14, and, 15, serve to conduct water to and from the water
chamber, 10. The steam ports may be through the side of the casing, as in Figure 5,
or through the bottom, Figure 6. In the latter case the ports are made large so as
not to be impeded by the piston.
The compound piston has a broken ring, 20, which lies in the chamber, 8, the
break, 21, in the ring lying astride the partition, 7, in the steam chamber. This
ring, 20, is of such diameter that when one of its inner surfaces lies against the
wall, 5, the outer opposite face will be in contact with the wall, 6, of the steam
chamber. The slot, 21, in ring 20, fits pretty closely to partition, 7, but there
is room for some littlo oscillation about said partition. The ring, 20, has a
passage, 22, near the inlet port, and a passage, 23, near the exhaust port of the steam
chamber.
Ring, 20, is attached to an annular cap, 24, which projects as a flange at each
side of said ring, the projections being greater than the width of chamber, 8, so that
whatever the position of ring, 20, in said chamber, the cap, 24, will extend over the
walls, 5 and 6.
The cap or ring, 24, is covered by the cover, A, of the casing, which is bolted or
otherwise attached to the casing, 1, (or a flange, A', thereon) and is simply a dished
plate, strengthened by ribs, B, whenever desirable, and having a central hole or well
for a stuffing-box or shaft, to be described.
Now, suppose the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 5, and steam to be
admitted at port, 12; the steam will enter the crescent-shaped space at the left of
partition or abutment, 7, and will pass round the chamber, 8, in the direction of the
arrows, bearing on both sides of ring, 20, but as there is no counterbalancing pressure
on the other side of ring, 20, from, c, to b, the ring will be shifted, the contact
points, c, d, moving at the same time so that the crescent-shaped spaces, e, and,, will
be shifted to and beyond the position shown in dotted lines, until the steam escapes
at, 13.
The ring, 20, will thus be caused to swing as a pendulum from the pivotal bar, 7,
and to oscillate from side to side of chamber, 8, the top of said chamber being
always closed by the annular cap, 24.
The piston ring, 25, bears the same relation to chamber, 10, that ring, 20, does to
chamber, 8, and this ring has a cap, 26, extending over wall, 4, in all positions of the
piston, as well as the central space, 16.
•
The cap, 26, has lugs, 27, extending upward, in line with corresponding lugs, 27,
on the cap, 24. A coupling bar, 30, placed between the lugs, serves to couple
the two caps, 24, and, 26, together, the bar, 30, having shoulders which bear
against the inner lugs, 27. When the piston rings are in their respective
chambers, and the caps coupled together, the inner ring will be compelled to
partake of the movement of the outer ring, and the crescent shaped space, f,
(between the ring, 25, and wall, 3,) will, by movement of the steain piston, be
alternatety opened and closed at each side of the hub or wall, 3, serving to draw
in water through port, 14, and expel it through port, 15, the oscillation of the
piston ring, 25, alternately opening and closing said ports.
A passage, 29, extends from the opening, 22, upward to the top of the piston
cap, 24. This permits steam to pass above the cap, 24, and as the steam pressed area
above this cap is somewhat greater than the area below to which steam has access, the
cap, 24, will be held down to make close joints at the top of walls, 5, and, 6, and at
the bottom of ring, 20.
It is sometimes necessary to start the pistons, after steam is admitted. This can be
done by means of the starting lever or handle, 35, which is connected to a shaft, 36,
passing through a stuffing-box, 37, on cover A, and having a head, 38, provided
with a shoulder, 39, projecting from its face. The floor of head, 38, in front of the
shoulder, 39, is inclined spirally. The shaft, 36, may turn, as well as have endwise
movement in its box.
A pin, 31, projects upwardly from the center of the connected piston heads. In
Figure 1, this pin is shown on the coupling bar. This pin is above the center of the

page_text: compound piston, and therefore in a position eccentric to the casing. As shaft, 36, is
concentric to said casing, it follows that when the head, 38, is pressed down and
rotated, the shoulder, 39, will engage pin, 31, and start it in movement, the pin
moving in a circular path. When the piston attains a rapid movement it will carry
the pin, 31, against the inclined face, 40, and riding under said incline will lift
head, 38, thus automatically disengaging the starting key or lever. The friction of
the shaft, 36, in box, 37, and the steam pressure below should retain the key out of
engagement normally.
The space or chamber, 17, between walls, 4, and, 5, serves as a non-conductor.
This space may be filled with asbestos, or allowed to remain as an air space, or made
to fill with water, by making an entrance from the water chamber below.
The central hub formed by wall, 3, may be left solid as in Figure 6, but
preferably, has a chamber, 16, which receives water from the reservoir, 42, to aid in
lubrication.
A water reservoir, C, having supply chamber, 41, and escape passage, 42, is
properly connected with the source of water supply, and the tank or other receptacle
to be filled.
The passage, 42, may be connected with a small tank, 43, above the level of the
pump, by pipe, 44, and this tank, by means of pipe, 45, leading to chamber, 41, may
be made to prime the pump whenever necessary, the pipes being provided with valves
or cocks by which they may be opened or closed.
In Figure 2, I have represented a modification in which the cover or cap, 24, is
extended entirely across the piston, the portion, 241, serving as a cover to the cap, 261,
of ring, 25, and also carrying pin, 31', which pin has the function heretofore ascribed
to pin, 31.
The central portion of cap, 26', is slightly separated from cap, 24', and a
passage, 19, leads through this cap or plate, 261. Water from chamber, 16, will pass
through the cover, 26, and serve as a cushion and lubricant between said cover and
the plate, 24, at the same time bearing the ring, 25, and plate, 261, firmly to their
seats, and exerting an upward pressure on cover 24', which will counterbalance part of
the downward pressure of steain on said cap, 24'.
The covers or caps, 26', and, 24¹, will be compelled to move together by reason
of the accurate fit of the one within the other, or by interlocking surfaces.
When the pistons are constructed with the opening in steam piston covered, an
additional partition may be inserted in space, 17, (see dotted lines, Figure 1). The
object to be accomplished is to provide an air-space for a non-conductor independent
of the space which will be filled with water." Also the water used for packing
the water piston would communicate with the space, 17, which, being under more
pressure than the pressure of steam used for packing the steam piston, would
(unless the area was decreased by means of this extra partition) form an excess
of upward pressure so as to prevent the seating of the steam piston. It is obvious
that any proportional difference between the pressure of the steam and water may
be obtained by the position this partition occupies with relation to ring, 4, making
the area of upward pressure greater or less, depending on the area enclosed by
said partition.
It is sometimes desirable to avoid wear on the partition, 7. This may be accom-
plished by extending a piece, 50, upward from the piston, (see Figures 7 and 8).
This piece, 50, is supported between rockers, 51, 51, which rest in concave seats in
the supports, 52, 52. These supports, 52, are held in a well or reces³, 53, in the
cover, A, and a cap, 54, completes the inclosure.
The piston will, with this construction, swing or gyrate as a pendulum from the
piece, 50, and piece, 50, will slide between the rockers, 51, and oscillate said rockers
at the same time.
Provision may be made to take up wear by setting up the supports, 52. The
piece, 50, may he detachable, and held between dovetailed lugs, 56, on the top of the
piston. The rockers, 51, rest on these lugs.

page_text: The same principle would be involved if a cylindrical pin were projected at, 50,
and a slot arranged in the cover to permit the reciprocation of the pin.
In using the pump as a boiler feeder, I modify the construction as indicated in
Figures 6 and 11. The steam ports, 121, and, 131, are made through the bottom of
the casing, and are elongated, as they will be partially closed by the piston ring, 20.
As these ports permit the steam to pass on bothsides of the ring. 20, the passages, 22,
and, 23, are not needed, but a passage will be provided in the piston for the steam to
get above the piston cover, to balance the piston. In other respects the pump body is
the same as already described.
Figure 11, shows a central horizontal section, (looking upward) of the steam and water
chamber of the modification, Figure 6, the same being applied in place of chamber, C.
Steam is admitted through passage, 12×, to chamber, 60, and thence through port, 121,
goes to the piston. The space, 61, may be filled with a non-conductor, or may be
closed. The steam escapes from port, 13¹.
The water enters chamber, 411, at some place below the shaded part, 63, thence
passes upward through port, 14, and is driven out of port, 15, by the movement of the
piston, entering chamber, 42, and escaping by passage, 42x, toward the boiler, or
other place of delivery. The exhaust chamber, 61, has a small escape, which may be
through a three-way cock, 62, to the open air, or to chamber, 421, according to the
position of cock, 62.
When starting the pump, the exhaust is allowed to escape into the air, or to a stack
or other piece. As soon as the pump is well under way, the cock, 62, is turned so
as to direct the exhaust into chamber, 42'. The steam will then enter this chamber
along with the water from port, 15, and the condensed steam will move with the water
through passage, 42x.
By actual trial, it is found that the water from chamber, 421, will not set back
into chamber, 61, when the pump is in motion, and that the condensed steam
from this chamber can be fed with the water from the water chamber into a steam
boiler.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1. In a steam pump of the character described, the combination of a casing
having concentric annular steam and water chambers partitioned and provided
with ports as described, and a compound piston, consisting of broken rings in
said chambers provided with caps and moving together, substantially as described.
2. In a steam pump, the combination with the casing having steam and water
chambers of the character described and provided with inlet and outlet ports, of the
steam piston ring having a similar cover, and a water passage by which fluid pressure
is admitted between the covers, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the casing, and the gyrating compound piston described,
of a projection on the piston, and a starting lever passing through the case and having
a bearing face to engage said projection on the piston.
4. In a steam pump of the character described, the combination with the casing
and compound piston, of a projection on the piston, and a shaft passing through the
cover of the casing, said shaft having a shoulder in position to engage the projection
on the piston, and an incline by which the starting shaft may be automatically thrown
out of engagement.
5. The combination with the casing having annular steam and water chambers
partitioned as described, and having ports as stated, and the balanced compound
piston having overhanging covers, of the partitioned space between the walls of
the chambers, whereby the balancing pressure may be adapted to the condition of
the work.
6. In a pump of the character described, the combination of the annular steam
and water chambers partitioned as described and having inlet and outlet ports, the

page_text: broken ring pistons in said chambers having caps covering the chamber walls, and
a passage leading above the water cap from the delivery side of the pump, substantially
as set forth.
7. In a pump of the character described, the steam piston having a broken ring,
and the water piston with similar ring, each having a cap, made separately but coupled
to move together in the annular chambers of the pump body.
8. The gyrating piston described, moving in chambers concentric to each other, and
having a supporting connection with the casing independent of the partition in the
chambers, as set forth.
9. The steam pump described, or the equivalent thereof, having steain and water
delivery chambers independent of the piston chambers, the steam chamber having an
exhaust directly into the water delivery chamber, substantially as described.
Dated this way ur
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.