Improvements in and connected with the Feed and other Pumps of Steamships.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Feed and other Pumps
of Steamships.
We, JAMES WEIR, and GEORGE WEIR, of Holm Foundry, Cathcart, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction of various parts
of and connected with the feed and other pumps of steamships.
One improvement is applicable to the valve of the steam cylinder of a directly
acting non-rotative pump, the said valve being of a kind described in our Patent
Specification No. 1028 of 1881. The purpose of the improvement is to obtain
a freer passage of steam in certain ports in the valve which is of the piston class.
Instead of passages being formed near the port face of the valve, they are formed
near the opposite side of the valve and are connected by cross passages with the
ports, this construction allowing the main passages in the valve to be made freer
and less tortuous.
In an improved pump for pumping water and air or water only from the
condenser of the engines, and which may be arranged as a bilge pump or for
other purposes, we have the cylinder, which is vertical and the piston or bucket
and other parts constructed so that a greater volume is displaced from the upper
part during the upstroke than is displaced from the lower part during the down
stroke. The pump may be of the bucket class with valves in the bucket and in
the top of the cylinder; or it may be of the piston or plunger class with valves
outside of the cylinder. The bucket or piston is elongated and an inlet port or
ports by which the water or fluid enters the lower part of the cylinder is or are at
such a distance above the bottom as to be uncovered by the bucket or piston only
when it has made part of its up stroke. The inlet ports are, preferably at the
bottom of a space wholly or partly encircling the upper part of the cylinder, an
air pipe being connected to the top of the space to lead back to the condenser any
vapor or air separating from the water in the space. A small regulating cock or
valve is fitted to the space at the upper part of the cylinder to admit some air for
cushioning. The improved arrangement prevents interference with the working of
the pump by admission of air to the suction side.
We combine with one steam motor cylinder acting on a crank shaft, a reciprocating
air pump worked by an extension of the steam piston-rod, a centrifugal pump for
passing the cooling water through the condenser, and arranged directly on the
crank shaft or on a counter shaft suitably geared thereto, together with a small
centrifugal pump for removing water from the condenser. A small return pipe is
connected to the pump last referred to, to lead back vapor or air to the condenser
so as to insure a steady flow of water to the pump.
With this
In the case of bilge pumps it is of importance for the inlet and discharge valves
to be easily aud quickly accessible for cleaning or other purposes.
view we fit circular flanged covers or doors to the openings giving access to the
valves, and secure each door by a single central screw bolt or spindle. A groove

page_text: is formed in the casing to receive the flange of each door and a suitable compressible
packing ring is placed in the groove. We further arrange so that a single move-
ment will close or open both the discharge and inlet passages, either employing a
single stopcock with separate ports through it for the two passages, or two stopcocks
connected by toothed sectors or levers so as to move together.
In the case of feed pumps it is desirable to provide means for controlling their
action in the event of communication with the boiler being shut off or diminished.
For this purpose we cause the steam for working the motor cylinder of the pump
to pass through a box having in it a piston capable of covering a port through
which the steam has to pass. At the other side of the piston the box communicates
by a small pipe with the pipe through which the water passes from the pump to
the boiler. A rod fixed to the piston extends out through a stuffing box and has a
helical spring adjustably applied to it externally-this spring being arranged so as
to act in tension or in compression; and it is adjusted so that in normal conditions
the steam pressure on one side of the piston balances the water pressure on the
other side. If the water pressure increases the piston closes the steam port more
or less or vice versa and thereby alters the action of the pump.
The last described improvement may be advantageously used in combination
with an improved arrangement of float-controlled feed valve the action of which
depends on the surface level of the water in the boiler. The valve is a conical-plug
valve into which the water enters by side ports passing thence through the larger
end of the plug made tubular and communicating with the interior of the boiler.
The valve plug has a float lever fixed on its inner end and a counterweighted lever
on its outer end. The float is a hollow vessel with an opening in its top. The
lever on which the float is fixed may be tubular and form a continuation of the
valve plug passage leading the feed water into the float from which it overflows.
Or the water may be delivered from a fixed pipe, which may be a continuation of
the main feed inlet or a small branch therefrom, into the top of the float vessel.
With these arrangements evaporation from the float vessel will always be
compensated for and the vessel remain full of water so as always to rise and fall
exactly in accordance with any change in the water level in the boiler.
Dated this Twentieth day of February 1894.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
Improvements in and connected with the Feed and other Pumps
of Steamships.
We, JAMES WEIR, and GEORGE WEIR, of Holm Foundry, Cathcart, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, 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, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction of various parts
of and connected with the feed and other pumps of steamships.
Parts of pumps, as made according to our invention, are shown on three
accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings,
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, being a longitudinal section of the valves and valve box
of the steam cylinder, and Figures, 2, and 3, being transverse sections (as taken at
different parts, and looking opposite ways) of one of the valves.
Figure, 4, is a vertical section of one modification of an improved pump
cylinder, Figure, 5, being a similar view of another modification.
Figure, 6, on Sheet, 2, shows a combination of air, circulating, and water pumps.

page_text: Figures, 7, and 8, are respectively a vertical section, and an elevation
modifications of details connected with the suction and discharge valves of bilge
pumps.
Figures, 9, and 10, on Sheet, 3, are vertical sections of two modifications of steam
controlling apparatus.
Figures, 11, and 12, are respectively a plan, and a side elevation of a float
controlled feed-inlet valve,
Figure, 13, being a vertical section of a part of the same, as drawn to a larger
scale.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The improvement, shown in Figures, 1, 2, and 3, is applicable to the distribution
valve, A, of the steam cylinder of a directly acting non-rotative pump, the said
valve being of a kind described in our Patent Specification No. 1,028 of 1881.
The purpose of the improvement is to obtain a freer passage for steam in certain
ports, in the valve which is of the piston class. Instead of passages, A 1, and A 2,
being formed near the port face on the valve, they are formed near the opposite
side of the valve and are connected by cross passages, A 3, with the ports, this
construction allowing the main passages in the valve to be made freer and less
tortuous.
In an improved pump for pumping water and air or water only from the
condenser of the engines, and which may be arranged as a bilge pump or for other
purposes, we have the cylinder, B, (Figure, 4) which is vertical, and the piston or
bucket, B 1, and other parts constructed so that a greater volume is displaced from
the upper part during the upstroke than is displaced from the lower part during
the down stroke. The pump may be of the bucket class, (Figure, 4) with
valves, B 2, in the bucket, and valves, B 3, in the top of the cylinder, B; or it
may be of the piston or plunger class (Figure, 5) with valves, B 2, and B3, outside
The bucket or
of the cylinder, the action of both pumps being however the same.
piston, B 1, is elongated, and an inlet port or ports, B4, by which the water or
fluid enters the lower part of the cylinder, is or are at such a distance above the
bottom as to be uncovered by the bucket or piston only when it has made part of
its up stroke. The inlet ports, B 4, are preferably at the bottom of a space, B 5,
wholly or partly encircling the upper part of the cylinder, an air pipe, B 6, being
connected to the top of the space to lead back to the condenser any vapor or air
separating from the water in the space. A small regulating cock or valve, B 7, is
fitted to the space, at the upper part of the cylinder to admit some air for cushioning.
The improved arrangement prevents interference with the working of the pump by
admission of air to the suction side.
We combine as shown in Figure, 6, with one steam motor cylinder, C, acting
on a crank shaft, C1, a reciprocating air pump, D, worked by an upward extension
of the piston rod, U2, a centrifugal pump, F, for passing the cooling water
through the condenser, and arranged directly on the crank shaft together with a
small centrifugal pump, G, for removing water from the condenser, this pump, G,
being on a shaft, G 1, parallel to the crank shaft, C 1, and driven by spurwheel
gearing from that shaft. A small return pipe, B6, is connected to the pump last
referred to, to lead back vapor or air to the condenser, so as to insure a steady
flow of water to the pump.
In the case of bilge pumps it is of importance for
the inlet and discharge valves to be easily and quickly accessible for cleaning or
other purposes.
With this view, we, (as shown in Figure, 7) fit circular flanged
covers or doors, H, to the openings giving access to the valves and secure each
door by a single central screw spindle or stud, H1, this stud being fixed in the
valve box, H 2, and extending out through the cover, where it is held by a screw
nut, H3, having a small flange on it retaining it in a recess in the cover in a
manner to allow it to be turned. A groove is formed in the casing, H 2, to receive
the flange of each door and a suitable compressible packing ring, H 4, is placed in
the groove.
We further arrange so that a single movement will close or open

page_text: both the discharge and inlet passages, either employing a single stopcock, H 6,
with separate ports, H 7, and, H8, through it for the two passages (as shown in
Figure, 7) or two stopcocks, H 6, connected by levers, J 1, J 2, and a link, J 3,
(as shown in Figure, 8) or it might be by toothed sectors so as to move together.
In the case of feed pumps it is desirable to provide means for controlling their
action in the event of communication with the boiler being shut off or diminished.
For this purpose we cause the steam for working the motor cylinder of the pump
to pass through a box, K, (Figure, 9,) having in it a piston, K1, capable of
covering a port, K 2, through which the steam has to pass. At the other side of
the piston, K1, the box, K, communicates by a small pipe, K3, with the pipe
through which the water passes from the pump to the boiler. A rod, L, fixed to
the piston, K1, extends out through a stuffing box, L 1, and has a helical
spring, M, adjustably applied to it externally-this spring being in compression
and being adjusted so that in normal conditions the steam pressure on one side of
the piston, K 1, balances the water pressure on the other side. If the water
pressure increases, the piston, K 1, closes the steam port more or less or vice-versä
and thereby alters the action of the pump.
In Figure, 10, another modification of the apparatus shown in Figure, 9, is
represented, in which instead of the piston, K 1, being arranged to close the
port, K 2, a valve, K 4, is attached to the piston spindle, K 5, for that purpose.
The last described improvement may be advantageously used in combination
with an improved arrangement of float-controlled feed-inlet valve, N, (Figures 11,
12, 13) the action of which depends on the surface level of the water in the boiler.
The valve, N, is a conical-plug valve into which the water enters by side
ports, N 1, through feed check valves, N 2, from the feed water pipes (not shown)
the water passing thence through the larger end of the plug, made tubular and
communicating with the interior of the boiler. The valve plug, N, has a tubular
float lever, P, fixed on its inner end and a counter-weighted lever, Q. is fixed on
its outer end. The float, R, is a hollow vessel with an opening, S, in its top.
The tubular lever, P, leads the feed water into the float, R, from which it over-
flows. Or the water may be delivered from a fixed pipe, which may be a
continuation of the main feed-inlet pipe or a small branch therefrom, into the top of
the float vessel, R. With these arrangements evaporation from the float vessel
will always be compensated for and the vessel will remain full of water so as always
to rise and fall exactly in accordance with any change in the water level in the
boiler.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a steam valve of the kind herein before referred to, forming near the side,
opposite to the port face on the valve passages (A 1, A 2) connected by cross
passages (A3) with the steam ports substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described with reference to Figures, 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying
drawings.
2. The improved construction and combination of pump cylinder, pump bucket,
and accessory parts substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figure, 4, of the accompanying drawings.
3. The improved construction and combination of pump cylinder, pump plunger,
and accessory parts substantially as herein before described with reference to
Figure, 5, of the accompanying drawings.
4. Combining with a steam motor cylinder a reciprocating air pump and two
centrifugal water pumps arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described with reference to Figure, 6, of the accompanying
drawings.
5. Fixing the door of a bilge pump (through which access is got to the suction
or discharge valves) by a single screw fixed in the valve box and extending out

page_text: through the door to receive a screw nut substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figure, 7, of the accompanying drawings.
6. Providing a double stopcock or two connected single stopcocks on the suction
and discharge pipes of bilge pumps, so that both passages can be closed or opened
by a single movement substantially as herein before described with reference to
Figures, 7, and 8, of the accompanying drawings.
7. In connection with a feed pump, a box having in it a piston, acted on by the
feed water, and arranged to cover a port through which the steam passes to the
pump, the said piston being controlled by an adjustable spring and operating
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described with reference to
Figures, 9, and 10, of the accompanying drawings.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the float-controlled
feed inlet valve for steam boilers substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figures, 11, 12, and 13, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Nineteenth day of December 1894.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.