IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATING AND FORCING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND. IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARED WI
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julian Bernard, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
but at present residing at No. 50, George Square, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATING AND FORCING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND.
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARED WI "
Sealed the 6th November 1866, and dated the 10th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julian Bernard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
May 1866.
I, JULIAN BERNARD, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, but at present
residing at No. 50, George Square, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATING AND FORCING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a novel method of raising and forcing water or
other fluids, of which the following is a description:-Assuming, for example,
the object sought to be attained to be that of unwatering a mine, an air com-
pressing machine, which may be worked by a steam engine or other prime mover,
is placed at any convenient position in relation to the shaft, and a receiver
placed in connection with it for receiving the compressed atmosphere; to
this receiver is connected by means of tubes a vessel or chamber, which for
the sake of distinction I call a compound receiver, both water and air being

page_text: alternately admitted into it when required, the tubes and receiver being
furnished with slides and valves for that purpose. The compound receiver
is lowered into the mine until it is immersed in the water to any desired or
required depth, the tube which connects it with the receiver forming a com-
munication through which compressed atmosphere is admitted into it when
required. There are two other sets of tubes which form communications
from the compound receiver which are also furnished with slides or valves,
one being for the egress of the water and the other forming a communication
through which the atmosphere can be extracted or allowed to escape from
the compound receiver after the water has been expelled. The compound
receiver is furnished with a valve or valves for admitting the water into it
and closes immediately the compressed atmosphere is admitted, and remains so
closed until the desired quantity of water is expelled and the pressure removed
by the extraction of the atmosphere or its escape ötherwise. The channel of
egress and ingress, whether the appliances employed consist of valves or other
suitable arrangements, are actuated by the water and.atmosphere through the
employment of floats which are so arranged as to come in contact with the
apparatus directly or act upon valves or other suitable arrangements through
the medium of levers and springs or weights, their accumulated force or weight
being taken advantage of for giving the required motion, such, for example,
as that employed for throwing in or out of gear planing and other machines, and
which arrangement will be self-acting so long as the supply of compressed
atmosphere is continued. On the escape of the atmosphere from the com-
pound receiver a certain portion of it is or may be recompressed, which may
be done by putting the escape tube or valve in communication with the com-
pressing engine or a separate chamber or receiver, from which it is afterwards
forced into the common receiver. The tube for conveying the compressed
atmosphere to the compressed receiver may be employed for conveying
the atmosphere instead of that employed for its escape. .
To obviate any inconvenience which may arise from the expansion of the
atmosphere heat may be conveyed through the medium of water or, air from
that given out by the compressing engine or from any other convenient source.
In some instances I actuate the valves and slides from or by means of the
prime mover or any other engine instead of the self-acting' motions described
and effected by the water and atmosphere through the medium; of floats,
weights, and levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Julian Bernard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIAN
BERNARD, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,, London, but at present residing at
No. 50, George Square, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Julian Bernard, Her special license that I, the said Julian Bernard,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Julian Bernard, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain. and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELEVATING AND FORCING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Julian Bernard, my executors, or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand. and, seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months, next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE,. that I, the said Julian Bernard, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a novel method of raising and forcing water
or other fluids: of which the following is a description:-Assuming, for example,
the object sought to be attained to be that of unwatering a mine, an air
compressing machine, which may be worked by a steam' engine or other prime
mover, is placed at any convenient position in relation to the shaft, and a

page_text: receiver placed in connection with it for receiving the compressed atmosphere;
to this receiver is connected by means of tubes a vessel or chamber, which for
the sake of distinction I call a compound receiver, both water and air being
alternately admitted into it when required, the tubes and receiver being
furnished with valves for that purpose. The compound receiver is lowered
into the mine until it is immersed in the water to any desired or required
depth, the tube which connects it with the receiver forming a communication
through which compressed atmosphere is admitted into it when required.
There are two other sets of tubes which form communications from the com-
pound receiver and which are also furnished with valves; one being for the
egress of the water, and the other forming a communication through which
the atmosphere can be extracted or allowed to escape from the compound
receiver after the water has been expelled. The compound receiver is
furnished with a valve or valves for admitting the water into it, which valve
or valves close immediately the compressed atmosphere is admitted, and
remains so closed until the desired quantity of water is expelled and the
pressure removed by the extraction of the atmosphere or its escape otherwise.
The channel of egress and ingress, whether the appliances employed consists
of valves or other suitable arrangements, are actuated by the water and
atmosphere through the employment of floats which are so arranged as to
come in contact with the apertures directly or act upon valves or other
-suitable arrangements, through the medium of levers and springs, or weights,
the accumulating force or weight being taken advantage of for giving the
required motion, which arrangement will be self-acting so long as the supply
of compressed atmosphere and water is continued. On the escape of the
atmosphere from the compound receiver a portion of it is recompressed, which
may be done by putting the escape tube or valve in communication with the
compressing engine or with a separate chamber or receiver from which it is
afterwards forced into the common receiver. In some instances I actuate the
valves from or by means of the prime mover or any other engine instead of
by the water and atmosphere through the medium of floats, weights, and
levers, as before described..
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall
refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a vertical section of a portion of an
apparatus for elevating and forcing water.
.

page_text: According to my Invention Figure 2 is a similar view, shewing the working
parts in a different position, and Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the
apparatus.
A is a strong vessel or receiver which is to be sunk or submerged in the
water to be elevated. In unwatering a mine, for example, this receiver will
be lowered to the desired depth, the lengths of pipe in connection therewith
being attached as it is lowered until the required depth is reached; B is the
pipe through which the water to be elevated is forced; this pipe is provided
with a foot valve C at the bottom, and communicates by the branch D with
the interior of the combined water and compressed air receiver A; E is the
water inlet valve opening inwards to the receiver; F is the pipe for supplying
compressed air to the receiver, such pipe communicating directly either with
an air pump or pumps worked by any prime mover, or with a compressed air
receiver which is kept charged to the pressure required by means of air pumps,
as is well understood; G is the compressed air inlet valve to the receiver A,
such valve opening outwards in the manner herein-after explained; H is
the exit pipe, through which the compressed air is allowed to pass from the
receiver A, after it has forced or expelled the water therefrom; this pipe is
furnished with an air exit valve I, opening inwards as hereinafter explained;
K is a weighted or balanced float contained inside the receiver A, and guided
in its ascent and descent by the guide rods a, a, shewn in the plan, Figure 3;
to the under side of this float there is fitted a cushion L of elastic or com-
pressible material, such, for example, as vulcanized india-rubber, which when
the float is down rests upon the mouth of the water exit pipe D, the area of
which should be greater than that of the air exit valve I for the purposė
herein-after explained; M is an adjustable spindle screwed into the top of
this float, the object of which is to effect the opening of the air inlet valve,
when the float rises sufficiently by coming in contact with the arm 6 of the
bent tipping lever N; this lever turns loose upon the horizontal spindle O;
and its arm N is weighted at its upper end, so that when thrown over the
centre by the upward pressure of the float the weight C will be free to fall
upon the long arm of the lever P, working on the fulcrum Q, thereby
depressing that end and elevating the opposite end of such lever and with
it the air inlet valve G, which is provided with a spindle d, resting upon the
lever P.
The red dotted lines shew the positions of these levers when the air
inlet valve is open, as will be seen more clearly in Figure 2. The air exit
valve I is connected by a short spindle with a float e, which is of such a

page_text: weight and capacity that the float shall have sufficient buoyancy to lift and
close the exit valve when acted upon by the water in the receiver A ; this
valve is also connected by a chain f with the large float K, the said chain
being of such a length as to admit of the float K descending to and resting
upon the water exit pipe D before opening the exit valve, so soon, however,
as the cushion L rests upon the mouth of the pipe D a portion of the area of
the float equal to the area of the pipe D will be unbalanced, and as this
unbalanced surface is of larger area than that of the exit valve it follows
that the amount of unbalanced pressure upon the float will be sufficient to
draw down and open the exit valve I against the internal pressure in the
receiver A; R, R, are pulleys or quadrants fast on the spindle O and having
chains. S, S, attached to them, which chains pass down through eyes g on each
side of the float K, and have an enlargement or stop h at their extreme ends
which prevent the ends of the chains from passing through the eyes g; i
represents one of two chains attached to the bottom of the float K on each
side and connected to counterweights k (one of which only is shewn) working
on guiding spindles at bottom of the receiver A.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the air-tight
receiver A to be completely submerged, and the air exit valve I open, as shown
in Figure 1, then the water surrounding the receiver will flow therein through
the water inlet valve E, and will as it rises elevate the float K until the
ascent. of the latter is checked by the counterweights k and chains i, the
chains i being just long enough to admit of the head of the spindle M touching
or nearly touching the arm 6 of the weighted tipping lever N but not to
elevate it. In the meantime the water continues to rise in the receiver A
until by its action on the small float e it elevates and closes the air exit valve I.
By this time the column of water in the receiver overcomes the gravity of
the float K and counterweights k combined, so that the float will rise
sufficiently to throw the weighted lever N over its centre, whereupon the blow
or concussion of the weight c upon the longer end of the lever P will start
from its seat and open the air inlet valve G, which will be maintained open
by the dead weight resting on the end of the lever P. Compressed air will
now enter the receiver A from the air pump or from the compressed air
magazine, and by its pressure upon the water contained in the receiver A
will force out or expel such water through the pipe D, and up the water
discharge pipe B. As the level of the water in the receiver A descends, the
the gravity of the float K will begin to operate upon the ends of the chains
S, S, such chains having been partly wound over the peripheries of the
°

page_text: pullies or quadrants R, R, whereby the stops h will be brought close under
the eyes g, as shewn in Figure 2. The increasing gravity of the float pro-
duced by the receding of the water level ultimately overcomes the gravity of
the weighted lever N, and as the float & descends it brings back that lever
over its centre through the action of the chains S and pulleys R, and by the
time the float has become seated upon the mouth of the water exit pipe D
the weighted lever N will have tipped over so as to rest against its stop
thereto, giving out enough of the chains S to clear the stops h from the eyes g,
as shown in Figure 1, wherein the weighted lever is thrown in its original
position again. During this time the air exit valve I has been kept closed
by the pressure of the air in the receiver A, but by the time the float k has
become seated on the mouth of the pipe D the chain f connecting such valve
with the float K will be taught so that the further descent of such float pro-
duced by the compression of the air cushion L, will exert a sufficient strain
upon the chains f to effect the opening of the valve I. The compressed air in
the receiver now passes out by the pipe H, a portion of it returning to the air
pumps to be recompressed and re-employed as before described, the compressed
air assisting the working of the pumps. If found desirable a portion of the
compressed air may be allowed to escape by the branch and stop-cock T to be
employed in any other manner.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-.
First, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery
or apparatus for elevating and forcing water and other fluids by the aid of
compressed air, substantially as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of elevating and forcing water and other fluids
by the admission of compressed air from any available source into a com-
bined water and compressed air receiver, when the expansive force of the
compressed air remaining in the said receiver after it has produced its
primary effect is re-employed or utilized as a further source of power, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of effecting the self-acting, closing, and opening
of the compressed air exit valve of the combined water and compressed
air receiver by the action of the water and compressed air in such receiver,
substantially as herein-before described.

page_text: Fourth, the construction and use of a combined water and compressed air
receiver provided with self-acting air inlet and exit valves operated by the
action of the water and compressed air in such receiver, as and for the
purpose herein-before described.
Fifth, the peculiar combination of self-acting mechanism for effecting the
opening and closing of the air inlet and exit valves of the combined water and
compressed air receiver, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julian Bernard, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.