Improvements in and relating to Direct Acting Pumps.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Direct Acting Pumps.
I, ROBERT RICHARDSON, of 8 McKerrell Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire,
Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the construction
or arrangement and combination of the parts and mechanical motions of direct-acting
reciprocating steam pumps, and especially in the steam and water valves which
will make such pumps more compact, economical and efficient than as heretofore
constructed.
Under one construction and arrangement embodying my said improvements, the
steam cylinder, and the water cylinder, or barrel would be directly connected
together in the same axial line by two or more parallel stay rods having their
pistons connected to one piston rod, with sufficient space between the stuffing boxes,
preferably to give the full stroke of the engine to a crosshead or lateral lever guided
on or between the said stays which would have one end of an actuating valve link
or other equivalent for working the end lever of a new or improved inlet and
distributing steam valve of the engine as hereinafter described. This new or
improved valve consists of an oscillating hollow piston slide valve turned parallel
and mounted within a bored lateral transverse cylinder preferably made separate,
and bolted and jointed to a flanged facing on one side and near the centre and at
right angles to the steam cylinder, which facing would have an inlet and an outlet
port, one leading to the lower end of the cylinder and the other to its top end, and
leading into corresponding ports in the lower end of the valve casing, with a central
exhaust port between them leading out through a branch in the lower central end of
the casing; while steam would be admitted by a corresponding branch to a port
through the upper side of the casing. The valve would have a separate actuating
spindle working out through a stuffing box with the actuating lever secured on its
outer end and jointed to the free end of the before mentioned valve connecting rod
or link. The other end of the valve casing would be closed by a solid end or blind
flange; and the piston valve would be formed hollow with a central hollow eye open
at the stuffing box end for the spindle to turn it by, which might be flat or
polygonal and fit the eye parallelly, so that the valve may be reciprocated within its
bored casing, by the admission of steam to either end of same as hereinafter
described. The hollow part of the piston valve would have a long lateral port on
its upper side to admit the steam from the before mentioned steam port, and this
hollow upper part of the casing would lead the steam down to two end segmental
ports opening out in the lower face of the valve, with piston ring faces on opposite
sides of these ports, and with a hollow D exhaust port in the centre between these
steam ports in the valve, this port being of the proper length to reach between and
exhaust the steam from either 'steam port of the cylinder to the central exhaust port
in the casing, in either of the extreme reciprocated positions of this piston slide
valve, and which would be reciprocated by the admission of steam from the boiler
to either close end of its casing to push it to the extreme position in either direction
to give steam to the one end port in the casing and cylinder, as the piston reached
the extreme end of its outer or inner stroke. This admission of steain to either end
of the valve casing and close ends of the valve is effected by the oscillation of the
valve before mentioned by its separate spindle and outer lever by the steam entering
through 'a'small lateral port near the centre of the face of the casing from an outer
steam branch, on one side of the central exhaust port, while the steam would escape
froin a corresponding exhaust port on the opposite side of the valve face leading

page_text: into the central exhaust port of the casing. The steam from the steam port on the
one side would enter two longitudinal parallel ports on this steam side of the valve
leading to opposite ends of the valve casing according as the valve was oscillated,
as previously mentioned, before the piston reached the end of its stroke ; and
corresponding parallel exhaust ports in the opposite side and face of the valve
would lead the exhaust steam from the opposite ends of the valve casing, the valve
being so oscillated to the one side or the other by the said outer lever and separate
spindle and motion of the piston rod to effect this admission of the steam to the one
end of the valve and casing just before the piston reached the end of its stroke.
This is effected under one arrangement by mounting the eye of the outer lever
loose on the end of its spindle through a radial key working within a segmental slot
in the eye of the lever, so that the piston rod and lever would move through
a considerable part of their stroke before oscillating the spindle and valve to reverse
the steam and exhaust to and from the opposite ends of the piston valve to reverse
it and give the steam for the return stroke of the steam piston of the pump from
either end of the cylinder.
The improvements in the valves for the admission and emission of the water to
the pump consist in forming a separate valve case or chest for the admission and
discharge valves being fitted over each other, preferably concentric or in line in
two separating divisions between the lower suction or inlet and upper discharge
chambers of the casing, leading into and from a central chamber with port to the
opposite ends of the cylinder. This duplex valve chest may be fitted at the upper
outer end of the cylinder for both the in and out strokes of the steam piston with a
division between them, or each chest may be fitted at opposite ends of the cylinder.
In either case the valves would be grouped together and formed as short solid or
hollow piston valves sliding in hollow cased seating rings with guide blocks between
them, the vertical edges of which would be bored out to fit and guide the valves
over their hollow bored seats in the lower disc or seat ring. While a cover plate
would be screwed down by studs or otherwise over the top of each seat ring and
bored guide blocks, leaving sufficient room for the lift of the valves; and this cover
plate would have holes through it in the spaces between each valve for the passage
of the water or liquid up through it, or additional holes might be formed over the
valves when these were made hollow. These seat rings with their whole set of
valves so mounted would each be fitted in bored recesses for them in the inlet and
outlet seat divisions of the chest, and the upper ones would be removed or inserted
through a top cover in the discharge chest; while those for the inlet valves would
be inserted through a lateral door cover on the chest at the level of the central port
division.
In some cases instead of having a series of these improved piston valves grouped
together, one large valve may be used and similarly fitted in its seat ring and guard
plate.
1000
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Direct Acting Pumps.
I, ROBERT RICHARDSON, of 8 McKerrell Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire,
Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the construction
or arrangement and combination of the parts and mechanical motions of direct-acting
reciprocating steam pumps, and especially in the steam and water valves which will

page_text: make such pumps more compact economical, and efficient than as heretofore
constructed.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood I have hereunto appended
two sheets of explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1, shows an elevation, partly in section, through the steam and
water valve chests, of one construction or arrangement and combination of the parts
of a direct-acting steam pump in accordance with my improvements.
Figure 2, is a sectional elevation through the cylinders and valve chest corre-
sponding and at right angles to the view shown in Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are detached vertical sections at right angles to each other of
the steam valve chest and valve corresponding to Figures 2 and 1 respectively; and
Figure 5 is an elevation of the steam valve detached looking on the working face
port side.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the valve chest showing the internal working
face and ports thereof; and
Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the inlet or discharge water valve seats
removed.
Figures 8 to 17 on Sheet 2, show detail views of various arrangements of valve
seats and grouping of valves for the pumps in accordance with my improvements.
Referring first to Sheet 1 of these drawings.-Under one construction and
arrangement embodying my said improvements, the steam cylinder A, and the water
cylinder or barrel D are directly connected together in the same axial line by two
or more parallel stay rods A', having their pistons A", D", attached to piston
rods A' D' directly connected to each other or in line by a coupling piece or cross-
head E with sufficient space between the stuffing boxes, preferably to give the full
stroke of the engine to the crosshead or coupling piece E guided on or between the
said stays A', which would have the one or lower end of an actuating valve link El
or other equivalent jointed to it, and have the other end jointed to the end lever E
of the spindle C¹ of an improved arrangement of inlet and distributing steam valve C
of the engine as hereinafter described. This new or improved valve consists of an
oscillating hollow cylindrical piston slide valve C turned parallel and mounted
within a bored lateral transverse cylinder B preferably made separate, and bolted
and jointed to a flanged facing A on one side and near the centre and at right angles
to the steam cylinder A, which facing A would have an inlet and outlet port a a'
one a leading to the lower end of the cylinder A, and the other a' leading to its top
end, and leading into corresponding ports in the lower side of the valve casing, with
a central exhaust port a' between them leading out through a branch B" in the
lower central side of the casing B; while steam would be admitted by a corre-
sponding branch B' to an annular recess through the upper side of the casing B.
The valve C would have a flat or polygonal separate spindle C¹ with a turned
cylindrical part working out through a stuffing box in the one end cover B³ of the
steam casing B and with the actuating lever E, keyed or otherwise secured on its
outer end and jointed by a lateral stud to the upper free end of the before mentioned
valve connecting rod or link E. The other end of the valve casing B would be
closed by a solid cover or blind flange; and the piston valve C would be formed
hollow with a central hollow parallel eye, open at the stuffing box end to slide on its
oscillating spindle C', which would be flat or polygonal and fit the eye parallelly,
so that the valve C may be reciprocated on this spindle C¹ (as well as oscillated by
it) within its bored casing B, by the admission of steam to either end of same as
hereinafter described. The hollow part of the piston valve C, would have a long
large opening on its upper side between its close piston ends to admit the steam
from the before mentioned semi-circular annular recess b, down to the two end steam
ports c, cl in the working face of the valve C, and with a hollow D exhaust port e*
between them corresponding to the ports a, a¹, a', in the working face of the steam
casing B, the exhaust ports a being longer circumferentially than the inlet

page_text: steam ports c c¹³, so as to allow of the escape of the steam from the opposite ends of
the valve C, when it is orcillated to admit the steam at the other end. The upper
ammular space of the casing B would lead the steam down low enough to enter two
side segmental ports 1, 2, leading by longitudinal holes or ports to opposite ends
of the valve C and valve casing 13, through the piston ring faces on opposite sides
of these ports. The central exhaust port c' is of the proper length to reach between
and exhaust the steam from either steam port a or a of the cylinder A to the
central exhaust port a in the casing B, in either of the extreme reciprocated
positions of this piston slide valve C, and which would be reciprocated by the
admission of steam from the boiler to either corresponding close end of its casing B
to push it to the extreme position in either direction to give steam to the one end
port a or a¹ in the casing B and cylinder A, as the piston A" reached the extreme
end of its outer and inner strokes respectively. This admission of steam to either
end of the valve casing B and close ends of the valve C is effected by the oscillation
of the valve C, by its separate spindle C¹ and outer lever E by the steam entering
through the annular recess and one of the ports or near the centre of the
face of the casing B and valve C from the outer steam branch B', and back of the
valve, while the steam would escape from the other port or by the same
oscillation into the central exhaust port a² of the casing B. The valve C would he
oscillated to the one side or the other by the said outer lever E, through its
spindle C by the motion of the piston rod crosshead E, and connecting rod E', to
effect the admission of the steam to the one end of the valve C and casing B just
before the piston reached the end of its stroke.
The improvements in the valves for the admission and emission of the water to
the pump D consist in forming a separate valve case or chest F here shown as cast
in one on the upper end of the pump D, for the admission and discharge valves
being fitted over each other preferably concentric in two separating divisions
between the lower suction or inlet chamber and pipe G, and the upper discharge
chamber and pipe H, of the casing F for both ends of the pump, leading into and
from the central chamber F of the chest with side ports D' leading to the opposite
ends of the cylinder D. This duplex valve chest may be fitted on opposite sides
of the upper end of the cylinder D for both the in and out strokes of the steam
piston with a division between then as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or each chest
might be fitted at opposite ends of the cylinder D. In either case the inlet and
outlet valves g, h, would be grouped together and formed as short solid, or hollow
cylindrical piston valves sliding and closing on holes on their large disc seats g', ',
within annular rings gh" with guide blocks * as shown in Figure 7, between them
within these rings g h both projecting up from the seats g' ', the vertical edges
of which blocks g² would he bored out to fit and guide the valves g, h, over their
hollow bored seats in the disc rings g, ". While a cover or stop plate or arms f
would be secured over each ring "" and bored guide blocks leaving sufficient
room for the lift of the valves g, h, and this cover plate would have holes through
it in the spaces between each valve g, h, for the passage of the water or liquid up
through it. These seat rings h h with their whole set of valves g, h, so mounted
would each be fitted in bored recesses as at G', H', for them in the inlet and outlet
seat divisions F' of the chest F, and the upper ones would be removed and inserted
through a top cover H' in the discharge chest H, while those for the inlet valves
would be inserted through a lateral door cover as shown at F2 on the chest Fat the
level of the central port division, and the stop cover might be secured over its
rings or by a central pap on the lower side of the upper seat H', as shown
in Figures and 14, or they might be secured by three or more screw studs f to
their seat rings gas shown in the figures on Sheet 2. These valves gh are
arranged in the figures on Sheet 1 in groups of six in the circle with a central valve
on their seats g', ', but they might be arranged in twelve or other number as shown
in sectional elevation and plan view with the stop cover removed in Figures 8 to 10,
Figure 8 being taken as a section on the irregular line 1-1,, Figure 10.
Figure 11, is a plan of a four valve group, and Figures 12 and 13 show sections

page_text: of the same taken on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively. Figures 14 and 15 are
a sectional elevation and plan of an air or other pump bucket I, showing the valves
as g, arranged in a group of eighteen with an open stop guard frame or plate fas
secured by screw studs and nuts to the guide blocks without an outer annular
ring g Figures 16 and 17 show sectional elevations of these new or improved
cylindrical valves as formed solid or hollow respectively, so that they may be made
either heavy or light to regulate their rising or falling action without springs or
other fittings.
Although I have only shown and described my improvements as applied to a
vertical steam pump, it is to be understood that they may be applied to horizontal
arrangements of pumps, in which case the inlet and outlet groups of valves g, h, of
the pump would be arranged to work vertically in their seats g¹, g², and h', h³,
analogous to that shown and the steam valve would be correspondingly set on the
face of the cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,-
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of a direct-
acting pumping engine, with a hollow cylindrical steam valve with close piston ends
oscillated direct from the crosshead by a connecting rod and lever to have combined
Corliss and slide valve movements, so as to give steam to one end of the valve and
exhaust from the other and also reciprocate the valve longitudinally to give the
main steam and exhaust to actuate the piston, substantially as and in the manner
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In a direct acting pumping engine the construction and use of a hollow
piston steam valve set at right angles to the cylinder with ports arranged to have
combined turning or oscillating and reciprocating motions to actuate itself and the
piston of the engine, substantially as and in the manner herein described in reference
to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In pumps the forming and grouping of cylindrical inlet and delivery liquid
valves guided by their outer surfaces, instead of by their spindles or radial feathers
as heretofore, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 5th January 1893.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.