IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thorpe and Henry Prince, both of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPS."
Scaled the 1st June 1877, and dated the 2nd December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thorpe and Henry
Prince at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December
1876.
CHARLES THORPE and HENRY PRINCE, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIRECT ACTING STEAM
PUMPS."
The pumping engine may be either horizontal or vertical; the steam cylinder, the
pump, and bed plate are all cast in one solid casting, or they may be cast separately
and bolted together, but we prefer the horizontal type with steam cylinder pumps
and bed plate cast in one solid casting.
The steam cylinder is fitted with two slide valves and one piston valve, one of
the slide valves (which is a large one) is for the purpose of admitting steam to the
steam cylinder through a series of three port ways; the piston valve is mounted on
the top of the large slide valve, and is connected to it by means of a projection
which is cast on the top of the said large slide valve; the second slide valve (which
is a small one) is placed on its side working in the same valve box, and is mounted on
one side of the large slide valve. The valve box is provided with a loose cover on
its side with a projecting facing which passes through into the inside of the valve
box; the said projecting facing is provided with three port holes for the purpose of
admitting steam to each end of the piston valve. The aforesaid small slide valve
slides backwards and forwards on this projecting face, and is worked back wards
and forwards by means of a tappit which is secured to the valve spindle inside the
valve box by a screw or cotter or other similar means. This tappet works in a
recess which is cast in the top of the large valve, the said recess being cast equal in
length to the width of the tappet box and the traverse of the small slide valve;
this arrangement allows the small valve to traverse and open the port or passage
admitting steam to the piston valve before the boss of the tappet comes in contact

page_text: with the end of the recess in the top of the large valve, this allowing the small valve
to open before the large valve; these valves are worked by means of a lever motion
connected to a cross head which is fixed on the main piston rod of the engine,
the same as used in the steam pump known as the Lancashire pump. The valve
box may also be cast in one solid casting and without a loose cover on the side,
the projecting face for the small valve being cast solid on the side of the valve box
with the port ways passing through it to the piston valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Palent filed
by the said Charles Thorpe and Henry Prince in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd June 1877.
CHARLES THORPE and HENRY PRINCE, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIRECT ACTING STEAM
PUMPS."
The pumping engine may be either horizontal, inclined, or vertical; the steam
cylinder, the pump, and bed plate are all cast in one solid casting, or they may be
cast separately and bolted together, but we prefer the horizontal type with steam
cylinder pump and bed plate cast in one solid casting.
In order that the method of carrying our Invention into practical effect may be
clearly understood, we have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof.
Fig. in the annexed Drawing is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view, and
Figs. 3, 4, and 5 sections taken through the lines A, B, C, D, and E, F, respectively
of a pumping engine of the horizontal type made according to our Invention.
a, a, is the bed plate; b, b, the pump cylinder; and c, c, the steam cylinder, all
cast in one piece. The steam cylinder c, c, is fitted with two slide valves c, d,
and e, e, and one piston valve h, h, one of the slide valves d, d, (which is a large
one) is for the purpose of admitting steam to the steam cylinders c, c, through two
port ways, and exhausting the same therefrom by the passageg, g. The piston
valve h, h, is mounted on the top of the large slide valve d, d, and is connected to it
by means of a projection i, i, which is cast on the top of the said large slide
valve d, d; the second slide valve e, e, (which is a small one) is placed by preference
on its side, and at right angles to the larger one working in the same valve box k, k,
and is mounted on one side of the large slide valve d, d. The valve box h, k, is
provided with a loose cover l, l, on its side with a projecting facing m, m, which
passes through into the inside of the valve box, ; the said projecting facing m, m,
is provided with two port holes n, n, for the purpose of admitting steam to each
end of the piston valve, f, and an exhaust port o, o. The aforesaid small slide
valve c, e,.slides backwards and forwards on this projecting face m, m, and is worked
to and fro by means of a tappet p, p, which is secured to the valve spindle q, q,
inside the valve box k, l, by a screw or cotter or other similar means. This
tappet p, p, works in a recess which is cast in the top of the large valve d, d, the
said recess being cast equal in length to the width of the tappet boss added to the
traverse of the small slide valve e, e; this arrangement allows the small valve e, e,
to traverse and open the port or passage, admitting steam to the piston valve h, h,
before the boss of the tappet p, p, comes in contact with the end of the recess in the
top of the large valve d, d. This allows the small valve e, e, to open before the large
valve d, d; these valves are worked by means of a lever motion 7, 7, connected to a
cross head 8, 8, which is fixed on the main piston rod t, t, of the engine, the same as
used in the steam pump known as the Lancashire pump. The valve box h, k, may
also be cast in one solid casting and without a loose cover on the side, the projecting
face for the small valve being cast solid on the side of the valve box with the port
ways passing through it to the piston valve.

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention,-
Firstly. The general arrangement and construction of steam pump as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
And, Secondly. We claim inore especially the combination of the two slide valves
with a piston valve, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Thorpe (on behalf of myself and the
said Henry Prince), have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day
of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
seven.
CHARLES THORPE. (L.S.)