IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Graham Harris, of 37, Great George Street, in the
City of Westminer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Graham Harris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1876.
HENRY GRAHAM HARRIS, of 37, Great George Street, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS."
Upon the piston rod or pump rod and moving with it is placed a fixed arm or
bracket. The outer end of this bracket is bored to fit the steam valve rod (on
which it slides) and is fitted with a pivotting key to work in spiral grooves cut in
the steam valve rod. The steam valve rod has no endway movement but can
revolve freely in its bearings, and has made in it two spiral grooves each consisting
of a half turn of a thread of twice the pitch of the stroke of the engine, one groove
having its pitch in one and the other groove in the opposite direction. Then the
pivotting key passing from end to end of these grooves by the motion of the
piston rod will cause this rod to revolve continuously in one direction.
In the one arrangement the steam valve which is cylindrical is upon the end of
the rod (inside the valve casing) and revolves with it. This valve is cast with its
ends open and with two steam and two exhaust ports so arranged that a steam and
an exhaust port are opposite each other, but are separated by a diaphragm cast
with the valve in such a manner as to form two chambers, one of which contains
both the steain and the other both the exhaust ports. A steam-tight joint between
the steam and the exhaust is made at one end of the valve (and by the valve itself)
against a corresponding face on the valve casing.
Steam is admitted to the end of the valve and the exhaust passes from the
opposite end. Surrounding this valve is a cylindrical bush forming the expansion
valve and having steam ports in it with one end inclined; this bush can be moved
endwise by means of a lever or hand wheel and screw, so that the width of the
steam port in this bush over that leading to the cylinder is varied by the movement
of the lever or hand wheel and screw, thereby causing the steam valve to cut off
the steam from the cylinder earlier or later in accordance with the position of this

page_text: expansion valve, the excess of length of the exhaust ports in the steam valve
(over the steam ports) enabling the exhaust to take place through the whole of the
return stroke, no matter where the cut-off of steam may occur.
In another arrangement there are upon the (revolving) valve rod and in the
valve casing two or more excentrics which work respectively an ordinary slide valve
and expansion valves (these valves however working at right angles to the stroke
of the piston), and the expansion is varied in the ordinary way by right and
left handed screws upon the expansion valve's rod and nuts to correspond in the
valves.
There is secured in some convenient position (preferably cast upon the valve
chest) a small cylinder in which works an air-tight piston. This piston has secured
in it and working with it a rod, which rod is attached to the lever which is upon
the spindle of the expansion valve. One end of the small cylinder, that is, one side
of the air-tight piston, is in connection with the air vessel or discharge pipe of the
pump; upon the other side of this air-tight piston and between it and a fixed
bracket there is an adjustable spring, then the pressure in the air vessel or discharge
pipe of the pump acting on one side of the air-tight piston and against the adjustable
spring will cause that piston to assume various positions in its cylinder in accord-
anco with that pressure, and then this air-tight piston being in connection with the
expansion valve will cause that expansion valve to vary its position, and therefore
to vary the cut-off of the steam.
In another arrangement there are two small cylinders each being fitted with an
air-tight piston and rod. These rods are in direct attachment with throttle valves
placed in the steam pipe near to the cylinder; one side of each of these air-tight
pistons is in connection with the air, and in the case of the one small cylinder the
other side of its piston, is in connection with the suction of the pump, so that when
the pump is at work there will be in this small cylinder an air pressure upon one
side of the piston and a partial vacuum on the other. In the case of the other
small cylinder the opposite side of its piston to that which is in connection with the
air is connected with the air vessel or discharge pipe of the pump, so that when
the pump is at work there will be in this small cylinder an air pressure on one
side of the piston and a pressure upon the other side of the piston equal to the air
pressure, plus the weight of the head against which the pump is working.
When the pump is first started only a small amount of steam can pass the
throttle valves (which are actuated by the air-tight pistons) into the steam cylinder,
and the pump starts but slowly; as the pump works, however, a vacuum is formed
in the suction pipe of the pump, and the air pressure acting upon the one side of
the air-tight piston causes it to move in its cylinder and to open the valve to its
full area.
In the case of the other small cylinder, one end of which is in connection with
the air vessel or delivery pipe of the punip, in proportion as the head of water
against which the pump is working is inore or less, that is to say, in proportion as
the pressure on one side of the piston is more or less, so does this piston occupy
different positions in its cylinder, thereby causing the throttle valve to admit more
or less steam to the steam cylinder, it being so arranged as to admit either most
steam when the pressure of water is greatest and least steain when the pressure of
water is least, or least steam when the pressure of water is greatest and inost when
the pressure of water is least. In this latter arrangement either or both cylinders
and their throttle valves may be used to govern the pump.
The arrangements above described for controlling the position of the expansion
valve or cut-off valve may be applied to other ordinary constructions of steam
pumps.

page_text: SPECIFICATION m pursuance of the conditions of
the said Henry Graham Harris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
June 1877.
HENRY GRAHAM HARRIS, of 37, Great George Street, in the City of Westminster.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS."
My said Invention relates to the steain and expansion valves, and to the mode
of working the same, for the steam cylinders of steam pumping engines, also to a
self-acting mode or modes of governing the supply of steam to such cylinders
applicable to existing steam pumps.
The first part of my Invention consists principally in the combination with the
steam cylinder of a pumping engine of a peculiar cylindrical revolving steam valve
in conjunction or not with a cylindrical reciprocating or other expansion valve,
each of which valves is provided with steam and exhaust ports or passages in such
relative positions and of such shapes as to cause the admission of the steam
alternately upon either side of the piston in the steam cylinder, the position of the
expansion valve when used being governed by the work which is being performed
by the pump.
The second part of my Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement for working
the said expansion valve, and comprises the combination of a small cylinder piston
and piston rod connected by means of a lever to the expansion valve, which piston
is controlled by a spring, and is actuated by the pressure of air or water in the air
vessel of the pump.
The third part of my Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement of one or more
cylinders and pistons connected to throttle valves in the steain pipe, and communi-
cating on one side with the suction pipe or with the air vessel or both (when
two such pistons are used) of the pump in such a manner as to govern the supply
of steam to the steam cylinder by the work which is being performed by the
pump.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of my Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section
taken through the steam cylinder, steam and expansion valves, and through the
small governor cylinder of my improved steam pump; and Figure 2 is a cross
section taken through the same parts.
A is the steam cylinder of the engine; C is the piston, attached to which is the
piston or pump rod B. The steam in the steam cylinder A is admitted to each end
thereof alternately by means of the steam valve Ď, the amount of steam admitted
being controlled by the expansion valve E, which encases the steam valve. The
expansion valve E is enclosed by a casing (preferably cast with the steam cylinder),
and upon this casing, or upon the steam cylinder, is the small governor cylinder H,
with its air-tight piston I and piston rod controlled by the spring M and acting
through the lever K, which is connected to the spindle of the expansion valve.
Figure 3 represents details of the steam valve D detached; Figure 4 details of
the expansion valve E; Figure 5 details of the steam valve spindle F; and
Figure 6, details of the pivotting key G herein-after referred to.
Upon the piston rod or pump rod B, and moving with it, there is fixed the arm
or bracket b. The outer end of this bracket is bored to fit the steam valve rod F
(on which it slides), and is provided with a pivoting key G working in spiral
grooves cut in the steam valve rod F. The steam valve rod F has no endway
movement but revolves freely in its bearings, and has made in it two spiral grooves,
each consisting of half a turn of a thread of about twice the pitch of the stroke of

page_text: the engine, one groove having its pitch in one direction, and the other groove in
the opposite direction. The pivotting key G is of such a form or construction that
by traversing from end to end of these grooves by the motion of the piston rod B
it will cause the valve rod F and valve D to revolve always in one direction, the
key G changing its groove at cach return stroke. The cylindrical steam valve is
fixed upon the end of the rod F (inside the valve casing), and consequently revolves
with it. This valve is cast with both its ends open, and with two steam and two
exhaust ports, which are so arranged that a steam and an exhaust port shall be opposite
each other, but separated by a spiral or twisted diaphragm d, or by any other
suitably disposed partition or passage, cast or otherwise formed inside the valve in
such a manner as to form two chambers, one of which contains both the steam and
the other both the exhaust ports. A steam tight joint between the steam and the
exhaust is made at one end of the valve D (and by the valve itself) against a corres-
ponding face on the valve casing. Steam is admitted to one end of the valve D,
aud the exhaust passes from the opposite end. Surrounding this valve D there is
a cylindrical bush or sleeve E forming the expansion valve, and having steam ports
in it with one end inclined, as shown in Figure 4. This bush E can be moved
endwise by means of a lever K, so that the width of the steam port in this bush E
over that leading to the cylinder A is varied by the movement of the lever K,
thereby causing the steam valve D to cut off the steam from the cylinder A earlier
or later, in accordance with the position of this expansion valve E, the excess of
length of the exhaust ports in the steam valve D over the steam ports enabling
the exhaust to take place through the whole of the return stroke, no matter where
the cut off of the steam may occur.
There is secured in some convenient position (preferably cast upon the valve
chest) a small cylinder H, in which works an air-tight piston I. This piston has
secured to it and working with it a rod, which is attached to the lever K connected
to the spindle of the expansion valve. One end of the small cylinder H, that is to
say, one side of the air-tight piston I, is in communication with the air vessel or
discharge pipe of the pump, whilst upon the opposite side of this piston and
between it and the adjustable screw L there is a spring M; then the pressure of
the air or water in the air vessel or discharge pipe of the pump by acting through
the pipe N on one side of the air-tight piston I and against the adjustable spring M
will cause that piston to assume various positions in its cylinder H in accordance
with the said pressure, and as this air-tight piston I is in connection with the a
expansion valve E it will cause that valve to vary its position and consequently
to vary the length of its port exposed to the port of the steam valve, thus cutting
off the steam from the steam cylinder earlier or later according to the work per-
formed by the pump.
Figuro 7 (Sheet 2) is a cross section through the steam cylinder and valve case 4
of another arrangement of and mode of working the steam and expansion valves
for a steain pump, but to which I make no special claim; a is the steam cylinder;
b, the valve casing; c, the steam valve; and d, the expansion valves. In this
arrangement the revolving valve rod g in the valve casing b carries two or more
eccentrics e and f, which work respectively the ordinary steam slide valve c and 4
expansion valves d, both of which valves work at right angles to the stroke of the
piston. The expansion is varied in the ordinary way by right and left handed
screws on the expansion valve rod working in corresponding nuts in the valves.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 (Sheet 2) illustrate the third part of my Invention, which
may be adapted to the steam cylinders of existing steam pumps for the purpose of 5
automatically governing the supply of steam thereto by the work which is being
performed by the pump. In this arrangement there are two small cylinders a¹, b₁,
cach being fitted with an air-tight piston and rod c', '; these rods are connected
with throttle valves placed in the steam pipe s near to the cylinder. One side of
cach of these air-tight pistons is in free communication with the atmosphere, and 5
in the case of the one small cylinder a¹ the other side of its piston is in connection

page_text: with the suction of the pump, so that when the pump is at work there will be in
this cylinder a¹ an atmospheric pressure on one side of the piston and a partial
vacuum on the other. In the case of the other cylinder b¹ the opposite side of its
piston to that which is open to the atmosphere is in communication with the air
vessel or discharge pipe of the pump, so that when the pump is at work thore will be
in this small cylinder an atmospheric pressure on one side of the piston and a pressure
on the other side of the piston equal to the air pressure plus the weight of the hend
against which the pump is working. The action of this arrangement is as
follows: The throttle valves when the pump is not working are both kept closed,
or nearly so, as shown in the Drawings, by the action of the springs upon the
pistons, and when the pump is first started only a small amount of steam can pass
the throttle valves (which are actuated by the air-tight pistons into the steam
cylinder, consequently the pump starts but slowly. As the pump works however
a vacuum is formed in its suction pipe, and the atmospheric pressure acting upon
the one side of the air-tight piston c¹ causes it to move in its cylinder a³ so as to
open the corresponding throttle valve to its full area. In the case of the other
small cylinder b', one end of which is in communication with the air vessel or
delivery pipe of the pump, in proportion as the head of water against which the
pump is working is more or less, that is to say, in proportion as the pressure on
one side of the piston d is more or less so does this piston occupy different positions
in its cylinder b', thereby causing the corresponding throttle valve to admit more
or less steam to the steam cylinder.
The contrivance may obviously be so arranged as to admit either most steam
when the pressure of water is greatest and least when the pressure of water is least,
or least steam when the pressure of water is greatest and most when the pressure
of water is least. Either or both the cylinders, pistons, and throttle valves of this
arrangement may be used to govern the pump as found desirable.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion, that I am aware that it has been proposed to apply
to the steam cylinders of steam pumps, cylindrical valves, having a circular recipro-
cating or rocking motion, that is to say, making a partial revolution in opposite
directions within a cylindrical valve casing at each single stroke of the working
piston, such valve being actuated by means of a bracket or arm attached to the
piston rod and acting upon a quadrant grooved cam on the valve spindle, and
therefore I do not claim such an arrangement; but what I consider to be novel
and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the horcin-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination in a steam pump of a steam valve and an expansion
valve when the position of the expansion valve is governed automatically by the
work which is being performed by the pump, substantially as herein-bofore
described.
Secondly. The peculiar self-acting arrangement for varying the amount of
expansion in steam pumps by the greater or less pressure in the air vessel or
discharge pipe of the pump, as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 1
of my Drawings.
Thirdly. The arrangement for governing the position of the throttle valves of
stoam pumps by connecting such valves through the intervention of one or more
pistons and cylinders, or their equivalents, with the air vessel or discharge pipe, or
with the suction pipe of the pump, or with both conjointly, so that the amount of
steam passing the said throttle valves shall be regulated by the work which is
being performed by the pump, substantially as herein-before described and illus-
trated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
Fourthly. The application and use to and in steam pumps of the peculiar con-
struction of cylindrical steam valve receiving a rotary motion in one direction only
in the manner described, and used either alone or in combination with an expansion

page_text: valve, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated
on Sheet 1 of my Drawings.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Henry Graham Harris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
HENRY GRAHAM HARRIS. (L.S.)
Witness,
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lanc, W.C.