IMPROVEMENTS IN PISTONS FOR BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Russell Gubbins of 17 Park Road New Cross
in the county of Kent Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
PISTONS FOR BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES AND OTHER PURPOSES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Russell Gubbins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th August 1882.
RICHARD RUSSELL GUBBINS of 17 Park Road New Cross in the county of Kent
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN PISTONS FOR BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES AND
OTHER PURPOSES
"
This invention relates to certain improvements in pistons for blowing engines
and for other purposes where it is necessary to operate piston or pistons in enclosing
casing or casings or for the purpose of discharging or measuring the amount of
aeriform gaseous or other fluid received into the casing from time to time.
The invention is carried out as follows:-
In a suitable casing of cylindrical or required form (in cross section) is fitted the
piston which consists of a body and a diaphragm (so termed for convenience of
description) said body conforming in general contour to the casing but being less
in area so as to leave a space all around between itself and its casing and the
diaphragm will occupy the free space between the piston body and the covering.
This diaphragm of the body will constitute the contact portion of the piston
against the surrounding casing or cylinder and be filled with liquid which liquid
will in application be of a sufficient "head" to press or belly out the diaphragm
against the casing or cylinder with a sufficiently yielding pressure for ensuring
tightness without undue friction
As to details of construction :-
I will now more particularly describe one of the pistons fitted to a cylindrical
casing adapted for blowing purposes.
The casing or cylinder does not necessarily require to be truly cylindrical there-
fure a sheet iron cylinder may be used instead of the cast iron bored out cylinder
hitherto employed. The ends of the cylinder are closed in by heads fitted with

page_text: intake valve or valves whilst outlet valves connecting with the blast pipe or outlet
are provided in the case of a double acting apparatus. For a single acting apparatus
one head and set of valves only is required.
For the piston-two discs are provided which are fixed upon the end of a
tubular piston rod said piston rod being closed at its lower end where it is made
fast to the lower disc of the piston body Holes are provided in the tubular piston
rod in that part thereof between the discs. The diaphragm consists of a cincture
of flexible material such as leather vulcanized webbing or such like, which cincture
is formed at its edges to fit closely on the two discs of the piston body to each of
which the said edges are securely fastened and the middle portion of the cincture is
formed so as to belly out beyond the edges of the two discs. Liquid such as water
or glycerine or mercury or a mixture thereof is then filled into the body through
the tubular rod and so much of the rod itself until the "head" of liquid is
sufficiently high for the pressure required for pressing or bellying out the
diaphragm against the casing or cylinder.
By this means an exceedingly close fitting yielding piston is produced which
whilst being absolutely tight against a pressure not exceeding the head of fluid in
the piston rod will fit closely to and pass over any fairly moderate irregularities in
the casing or cylinder.
In certain cases it is preferable to dispense with the hollow piston rod and to
make the body of the piston sufficiently deep to contain in itself the required head
or depth of fluid.
Again in retaining the tubular piston rod for the "head" of pressure of fluid the
body may, as a modification of that first described, be made in the form of an open
or closed tank and be filled or not with liquid for giving weight to the piston body
but the pressure fluid will be separate and apart from this filling or weighing
liquid by connecting tubes being furnished from the tubular rod and leading to the
back of the diaphragm through holes fitted with union couplings in the side of the
tank or piston body.
In this case the diaphragm or cincture takes the form of an annular hollow belt
of D section the flat side of which is securely fastened to the outside of the said
piston body whilst the rounding or bellying side of the D is presented to the
inside of the casing or cylinder to which it is pressed by the head of liquid in the
tubular rod. The top of the tubular rod may be capped or closed so as that the
pressure fluid may cushion upon air contained therein
The piston will be operated by any preferred convenient or well known means
for the object for which it will for the time being be employed such as lever handle
for portable or fixed forges and hand blowers or pumps or crank and connecting
rod for uses requiring power or crank and link and so forth.
For measuring the flow of fluids a pair or more of such pistons and their casings
are fitted with inlet and outlet valves and are operated upon by the flow of main
supply of the liquid to be measured passing through the cylinders and valves. the
motion of the pistons being communicated to a registering device of this or that
kind
For transmitting power the head of pressure of fluid within the diaphragm must
exceed the pressure of the impelling fluid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Russell Gubbins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1883.
RICHARD RUSSELL GUBBINS of 17 Park Road New Cross in the County of Kent
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN PISTONS FOR BLOWING AND PUMPING ENGINES AND
s
OTHER PURPOSES
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in pistons for blowing engines
and for other purposes the object being to construct a flexible and tight fitting
piston which can be operated efficiently without requiring the extreme accuracy of
the interior of the cylinder hitherto indispensable, the same being for the purpose
of discharging or measuring the amount of aeriform, gaseous or other fluid received
into the casing from time to time.
The invention is carried out as follows:-In a suitable casing of cylindrical or
required form (in cross section) is fitted the piston which consists of a body, and a
flexible cincture which constitutes the packing, said body conforming in general
contour to the casing but being less in area so as to leave a space all around between
itself and its casing and the cincture will occupy the free space between the piston
body and the casing.
This cincture will constitute the contact portion of the piston against the
surrounding casing or cylinder and be filled with liquid, which liquid will in
application be of a sufficient "head" to press and belly out the cincture against the
casing or cylinder with a sufficiently yielding pressure for ensuring tightness
without undue friction.
As to details of construction :-I will now more particularly describe one of the
pistons fitted to a cylindrical casing adapted for blowing purposes
The casing or cylinder does not necessarily require to be truly cylindrical
therefore a sheet iron cylinder may be used instead of the cast iron bored out
cylinder hitherto employed The ends of the cylinder are closed in by heads fitted
with intake valve or valves whilst outlet valves connecting with the blast pipe or
outlet are provided in the case of a double acting apparatus For a single acting
apparatus one head and set of valves only is required. For the piston two discs
are provided which are fixed upon the end of a tubular piston rod said piston rod
being closed at its lower end where it is made fast to the lower disc of the piston
body. Holes are provided in the tubular piston rod in that part thereof between
the discs. The diaphragm consists of a cincture of flexible material such as leather
vulcanized webbing or such like which cincture is formed at its edges to fit closely
on the two discs of the piston body to each of which the said edges are securely
fastened and the middle portion of the cincture is formed so as to belly out beyond
the edges of the two discs.
Liquid such as water or glycerine or mercury or a mixture thereof is then filled
in through the tubular rod or stand pipe into the body and rising into the rod or
pipe itself until the head of liquid is sufficiently high for the pressure required for
pressing or bellying out the cincture against the casing or cylinder. By this means
an exceedingly close fitting yielding piston is produced which whilst being absolutely
tight against a pressure not exceeding the head of fluid in the piston rod will fit
closely to and pass over any fairly moderate irregularities in the casing or
cylinder.
In certain cases it is preferable to dispense with the hollow piston rod and to
make the body of the piston sufficiently deep to contain in itself the required head
or depth of fluid.

page_text: Again in retaining the tubular piston rod or stand pipe for the head of pressure
of fluid the body may as a modification of the first described be made in the form
of an open or closed tank and be filled or not with liquid for giving weight to the
piston body but the pressure fluid will be separate and apart from this filling or
weighting liquid by connecting tubes being furnished from the tubular rod and
leading to the back of the diaphragm through holes fitted with union couplings in
the side of the tank or piston body.
In this case the cincture takes the form of an annular hollow belt of D section
the flat side of which is securely fastened to the outside of the said piston body
whilst the rounding or bellying side of the D is presented to the inside of the casing
or cylinder to which it is pressed by the head of liquid in the tubular rod. The
top of the tubular rod may be capped or closed so as that the pressure fluid may
cushion upon air contained therein.
The piston will be operated by any preferred convenient or well known means
for the object for which it will for the time being be employed such as lever handle
for portable or fixed forges and hand blowers or pumps or crank and connecting rod
for uses requiring power or crank and link and so forth.
For measuring the flow of fluids a pair or more of such pistons and their casings
are fitted with inlet and outlet valves and are operated upon by the flow of main
supply of the liquid to be measured passing through the cylinders and valves the
notion of the piston being communicated to a registering device of this or
that kind.
For transmitting power the head of pressure of fluid within the diaphragm must
exceed the pressure of the impelling fluid.
In illustration of the invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings,
modifications of the construction of my improved piston and the same applied to a
blowing cylinder adapted to a portable forge and also as applied to a blower.
Figs. 1, 2, 2, 3 and 4 show construction of my improved piston
Fig 5. is a side elevation of construction of portable forge fitted with the piston
and cylinder.
Fig. 6 a back elevation.
Fig. 7 a plan.
Fig. 8 is a side view of the blower construction and Fig. 9 is a front view.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The cylinder or casing A which, in this case is of circular cross section is secured
in the framing B under the forgo hearth C; D is the piston; E, E¹ the intake and
F, F the outlet openings of the cylinder A fitted with flap valves, G is the blast
pipe conducting the blast to the tuyere.
The piston D is operated up and down in the cylinder A by the action of a
rocking shaft H through the quadrant arm I thereon which is connected to the
piston rod D by a strap or link. The piston as shown in detail Fig. 1 consists of
the body D which is a wrought iron tank perforated at a; K is the cincture here
shown rivetted to the outside of the tank body D so as to belly out as shown.
The tank body is filled with fluid such as water glycerine or otherwise a convenient
mixture.
The depth of the liquid as here shown is not great but it constitutes a head of
pressure upon the inside of the cincture K to press the same in close contact against
the inside of the cylinder A but with sufficiently yielding pressure for ensuring
tightness without undue friction. The weight of liquid here in the tank body is
desirable for the purpose of forcing the piston down after the up stroke.
Where a greater head of pressure for the cincture is required and without
proportionally increasing the weight of the piston body the piston rod as illustrated
in Fig. 2 will be made hollow and the liquid be filled therein as well as into the
body itself. The body in this case consists of two discs b to which the upper and
lower edges of the cincture are fastened at b₁ The discs bare secured to the
hollow piston rod D by lock nuts above and below each disc and the bottom of the
tubular piston rod is plugged or capped at c, the rod D' between the discs bis

page_text: perforated at a through which the liquid will fill into the space at the back of the
cincture K. The liquid according to length of rod D' may be filled in up to any
required height for the head as the pressure may be required.
In Fig. 2 is shown a combination of the water head, tubes and unions m
leading liquid from the hollow rod to the back of the cincture and the
weighting liquid in the tank D does not in this case act upon the cincture to
belly it out.
As a further modification of the piston the tank body D may be provided with
a tight cover and instead of the rod D' being hollow a stand pipe may be fitted
upon the upper disc b of the piston body into which the liquid will be filled and
the head of liquid will rise within said stand pipe. In this case the piston rod D¹
may be solid.
The most advantageous method known to me for obtaining the pressure upon
the cincture with the stand pipe is illustrated in section Figs 3 and 4 and applied
in Figs 8 and 9. On the upper plate of the piston and covering a hole therein
I mount a hollow cap d furnished with a valve e covering an opening of said
cap d. This valve e is conveniently a disc of india rubber secured by a screw in
its centre and opening downwards. From the bottom plate of the piston rises &
tube funder the cap d fitted at its top end with a similar valve g opening upwards.
Upon the cover of the piston cylinder is fitted a correspondingly shaped cap h to
accomodate the cap d on the piston and thus allow the piston to arrive to its full
"beat" on the upstroke.
The cap has an opening at the top which can be closed by an air tight plug i.
This opening i is utilized in filling into the piston body the filling liquid through
the valve e of cap d. The liquid rising in cap d furnishes the required initial
pressure for the cincture without rendering the piston unduly heavy. In working
when the piston is lifted the air in the upper part of the cylinder A being
compressed opens the valve e in the cap d and the pressure is transmitted to the
liquid filling out the cincture; again on lowering the piston the air compressed
under the piston will rise through tube f and its valve g and the pressure will again
be transmitted to the liquid filling the cincture.
The initial pressure of the head of fluid in cap d will be constant upon the
cincture and the pressure of air through the valves e or g alternately will be
additional thereto, it being borne in mind that the contact of the cincture under
the head of pressure against the cylinder is the condition of the efficiency of the
piston action.
In the construction of piston shown in Fig 4 a distance ring O is employed
between the flanges formed at the edges of the discs b said distance ring having
openings therethrough from place to place around. The edges of the cincture K
are laid over the distance ring O as shown and are held between said ring and the
discs b which discs are bolted together.
The parts of the blower apparatus Figs 6 and 7 similar to that of the forge
construction are similarly lettered and further there is applied a receiving
chamber L fitted with nozzle M and this receiving chamber L has as indicated at L'
a like piston operating therein.
The rocking shaft H is connected through its arm H¹ by links H2 to a saddle
bar H3 to which the piston rod D¹ is connected for operating same.
For pumping liquids or exhausting air or gas the intake valves E, E', of the
cylinder may be connected by hose which will be carried to the source of supply or
place from which the air or gas is to be exhausted.
Having now described my said Invention in such wise that the same may be
readily carried into practical effect. I claim :—
Firstly. The improvement in pistons consisting of a hollow piston body D
provided with a flexible cincture K for receiving and holding filling liquid dense
enough to expand the cincture by its pressure as and for the purpose set forth and
shown by the Drawings.
Secondly. The piston body consisting of two discs the cincture K and hollow

page_text: rod D¹ perforated at a and with plug or cap c filled with liquid as and for the
purpose herein set forth and shown by the respective figures of the drawings.
Thirdly. The piston body consisting of discs b and cincture K cap d and valve e
together with tube f and valve g within the cylinder or casing A constructed and
operating as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourthly. The piston body consisting of discs and distance ring O bolted
together and holding the cincture K together with the capped and perforated
hollow piston rod or the stand pipe constructed and operating as and for the
purpose herein set forth and shown by the drawings.
Fifthly. The piston body b, K, O bolted together and furnished with cap d
and valve e together with tube f and valve constructed and operating as and for
the purpose herein set forth and shown by the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Richard Russell Gubbins have hereunto set
my band and seal this thirteenth day of February in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
In presence of
WALTER A. BARLOW
Patent Agent & Engineer
6 St. Paul's Churchyard
London, E.C.
R. K. GUBBINS (L.S.)