IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Broadfoot, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS,"
Sealed the 12th August 1879, and dated the 15th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Broadfoot at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1879.
JAMES BROADFOOT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS."
This Invention has for its object to construct pumps in an improved manner, and
so as whilst meeting certain conditions or requirements as regards height and width
occupied to take full advantage of such space, and to present a powerful and
efficient instrument in a compact form with details of simple construction, and not
liable to get easily out of order. The improved pump is especially well adapted
for use in ships, but is not limited to that application.
In the improved pump there is a horizontal shaft fitted with one or two fly
wheels and handles, and with one crank formed on it. A connecting rod transmits
the action from the crank to a single vertical rod, which has on it three pistons
working in three separate compartments of a long barrel. The rod is of three
graduated thicknesses, the lowest part being smallest to admit of the pistons being
put on it from the bottom end. Discs or diaphragms forming the tops of the three
compartments of the barrel are strung on the rod, and are entered or removed along
with the pistons and the rod. These diaphragms are of slightly different graduated
sizes, the lowest one being the smallest, and the compartments of the barrel are
bored to slightly different diameters, also with the lowest the smallest, so that at
the top of each an internal shoulder is formed serving as a seat to the diaphragm,
separating one compartment from the next above it. Each diaphragm is by
preference made up of two metal discs holding between them cup leathers at their
centres for the rod to work through, and a sheet or flat ring of rubber cloth which

page_text: projects at their outer edges to form a tight joint with the barrel. The diaphragms
are secured in their places by screw pins entered from the outside of the barrel,
such screw pins being by preference formed with conical points so as to have a
wedging action. The water passages and valves may be arranged in a variety of
ways, but in one convenient modification two diametrically opposite passages are
formed up the sides of the barrel, and communicate by openings, one of them with
the tops, and the other with the bottoms of the barrel compartments. At the bottom
of each passage there is a foot valve, and at or near the top a discharge valve; and
covers are provided in connection with the several valves to give easy access to
them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Broadfoot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th August
1879.
JAMES BROADFOOT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS."
My said Invention has for its object to construct pumps in an improved manner,
and so as whilst meeting certain conditions or requirements as regards height and
width occupied to take full advantage of such space, and to present-a-powerful-
and efficient instrument in a compact form with details of simple construction,
and not liable to get easily out of order. My improved pump is especially well
adapted for use in ships, but is not limited to that application.
In my improved pump there is a horizontal shaft fitted with one or two fly-
wheels and handles and with one crank formed on it, the action from which crank
is transmitted to a single vertical rod, which has on it two or more pistons working
in two or more separate compartments of a long barrel. The water passages and
valves may be arranged in a variety of ways, but in one convenient arrangement
two diametrically opposito passages are formed up the sides of the barrel, and
communicate by openings, one of them with the tops, and the other with the
bottoms of the several barrel compartments. At the bottom of each side passage
there is a foot valve, and at or near the top a discharge valve; and covers are
provided in connection with the several valves to give easy access to them.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing a ship's pump as constructed with
my improvements. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings are vertical sections as
at right angles to each other, and Figure 3 is a horizontal section. The casing of
the pump consists of two castings, the lower and main one of which is formed
with a long barrel having three compartments 4, 5, 6; also with two vertical
passages 7, 8, at diametrically opposite sides; also with the bottom or foot-valve
chamber 9; and also with the lower half 10 of the top or head of the pump. The
second casting is a cover 11 forming the upper half of the head of the pump. The
crank shaft 12 which is represented as fitted with a handled flywheel 13, and
with a simple crank handle 14 at the other side, is carried in stuffing-box bearings
formed partly in the upper part 10 of the main casting, and partly in the cover 11,
the crank 15 and parts it acts on being entirely enclosed in the head 10, 11. The
pump rod 16 has fixed to its upper end a crosshead 17, having formed in it a
horizontal slot in which a pair of bearing blocks 18 embracing the crank 15, and
slide freely. The ends of the crosshead 17 slide vertically upon guides formed on
the part 10, and projecting up inside the cover 11. The pump rod 16 has fast on
it three pistons 19, 20, 21, which are fitted each with double cup leathers held in
each case between a pair of hollowed discs forming the piston, and screwed on the
rod. The rod 16 is of three graduated thicknessos, the lowest part being smallest
to admit of the pistons being put on it from the bottom end. The pistons
19, 20, 21, work in the three compartments 4, 5, 6, of the barrel respectively; and
discs or diaphragms 22, 23, 24, for forming the tops of the three compartments
4, 5, 6, are strung on the rod 16, and are entered into and removed from the barrel
along with the pistons 19, 20, 21, and the rod 16. These diaphragms 22, 23, 24,
are of slightly different graduated sizes, the lowest one being the smallest; and the
compartments 4, 5, 6, of the barrel are bored to slightly different diameters; also
with the lowest, the smallest, so that at the top of each an internal shoulder is
formed and serves as a seat to the diaphragm (22, 23, 24), separating each com-
partment from the space above it. Each diaphragm is (by preference) made up of
.

page_text: two metal discs holding between them cup leathers at their contres for the rod 16 to
work through, and (if found desirable) a sheet or flat ring of rubber cloth which
projects at their outer edges to form a tight joint with the barrel. The diaphragms
22, 23, 24, are secured in their places by screw pins 25 entered from the outsido
of the barrel, such screw pins being by preference formed with conical points so
as to have a wedging action.
The vertical side passages 7, 8, communicate one of them by openings 26 with
the tops of the compartments 4, 5, 6, and the other by openings 27 with the
bottoms of those compartments. At the bottom of each passage 7, 8, there is a
foot valve 28, and at or near the top a discharge valve 29, and openings fitted with
covers are provided in the main casting in connection with the several valves
28, 29, to give easy access to them. The tops of both passages 7, 8, communicate
(above the valves 29) with the hollow head 10, and with a single outlet nozzle 30.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not, restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,
1. The constructing or combining together of the parts of pumps in the improved
manner herein before described and as delineated on the accompanying Drawings.
2. The construction of pump in which two or more pistons fixed on one rod
work in a barrel divided into compartments by discs of diaphragms, arranged as
herein before described and as delineated on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Broadfoot, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the, year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and soventy-nine.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES BROADFOOT. (L.S.)