Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Liquid and Semi-liquid Substances.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1895-Accepted; 30th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Liquid and
Semi-liquid Substances.
We. ARNOLD GOODWIN, of 56 Sumner Street, Southwark, in the County of
London, Engineer, and THOMAS CLAY of 111 Milton Road, Gravesend, in the
County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to an improved construction and arrangement of
apparatus for raising or forcing liquid and semi-liquid substances (hereinafter
referred to as liquid) from pits, wells, bore-holes, reservoirs and other places by
means of compressed air that is alternately admitted to and exhausted from each
of two displacement chambers that are adapted to be alternately placed in com-
munication with a discharge pipe, and with the body of liquid to be raised or
forced, the object of the said invention being to' enable this method of raising or
forcing liquid to be carried out in a more effective; économical and practical
manner than bas heretofore been usual. Apparatus for this purpose according to
this invention, is constructed as we will now proceed to explain with reference co
the accompanying drawings wherein,
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing apparatus of the kind referred to applied
to the raising of water from a bore-hole.
Fig. 2 shows in vertical section, and to a larger scale a pair of displacement
chambers and delivery pipe, constructed according to this invention and forming
part of such apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof,
Fig. 4 a horizontal section on the line of Fig. 2 and
Fig. 5 shows in longitudinal section, an air distributing valve constructed
according to this invention, for controlling the passage of air to and from each
displacement chamber.
1 and 2 are two displacement chambers of annular shape in cross section. They
are formed by concentrically arranged length of tubing 1 1 and 2" 2" respectively,
these being connected together at their adjacent inner ends by a ring 3 that forms
a wall between the 'two chambers the upper of which is closed at the top by a
ring 4, and the lower of which is closed by a cover 5, the several parts being
preferably screwed together as shown. Each of the chambers is provided with
an inlet valve 6 of flap form, pivoted at 6ª to a short flanged tube 7 that is passed
through the outer wall 14, 2", of the corresponding chamber, and is closed at its
outer end by a perforated metal plate 8, the arrangement being such as to afford a
large inlet opening for liquid. Each chamber is also provided with a delivery
valve 9 pivoted at 9" to a short flanged tube 10 extending through the inner wall
of the chamber formed by the tube 1 or 2. Each of the inlet valves 6 may be
caused or assisted to move into the closed position by a spring 11, or it may be
by a weight, when compressed air is admitted to the corresponding displacement
chamber. The valves 9 are similarly caused or assisted to move into their closed
positions when the displacement chambers are placed in communication with 'the
external atmosphere.
The two tubes 1b, 2b, which are in free communication with each other, form
the lower end of a delivery pipe or rising main, the upper one being screw-
threaded to admit of its ready connection to the upper portion 1* (Fig. 1) of the

page_text: rising-main which is led to any desired place. A tight joint is produced between
the tube 1 and the 'ring 4 by a washer 12 and screw nut 12ª. 13 and 14 are air
pipes by which the chambers 1 and 2 are, by means of a suitable air distributing
valve, each placed alternately in communication with a compressed air reservoir 15,
connected with an air compressor 16, and with the external atmosphere, so as to
thereby force liquid from each chamber in turn past the delivery valve 9 into the
delivery pipe 1, 2 and 1*, and afterward to allow a fresh charge of water to
enter the chamber by the inlet valve 6 these actions taking place alternately in the
two chambers so that a practically constant stream of water is discharged through
the delivery pipe, as well understood.
For
In order to admit of liquid readily entering each displacement chamber in turn
when the same is placed in communication with the external atmosphere, it is
important that the compressed air previously admitted to the chamber should be
able to rapidly escape therefrom when communication is opened with the external
atmosphere. For this purpose we use an air distributing valve of the construction
shown in Fig. 5 and which comprises two connected piston valves 17, 17ª arranged
to reciprocate in a case 18 that is provided with three branches 18", 18", 18°
whereof 18 and 18 are connected to the air pipes 13 and 14 respectively, and 18°
with the compressed air reservoir 15, or compressor, and the ends of which case
are in free and direct communication with the external 'atmosphere as shown, so
that when each port is uncovered, air can freely escape from the corresponding
displacement chamber. In some cases means may be provided to cause air to be
rapidly exhausted from the displacement chambers at the required times.
this purpose the air distributing valve may be constructed to allow of compressed
air blowing through or past it in such a way as to induce air to flow out of each
displacement chamber when the same is placed in communication with the external
atmosphere. To this end in the valve case 18, (Fig. 5) adjacent to each port 19
therein, is an air eduction pipe or passage 20 the outer end of which terminates
in or above the said port, whilst its inner end terminates within the case between
the pistons 17, 17ª, the arrangement being such that when the valve is moved in one
direction, say to the right in Fig. 5, to place one port 19 and connected pipe and
displacement chamber in communication with the external atmosphere through the
adjacent open end of the case 18, and the other port and connected pipe and
displacement chamber in communication with the compressed air reservoir, or
compressor, compressed air will be permitted to escape through the left hand
cduction pipe or passage 20 outward through or over the adjacent port 19 in such
a manner as to induce air to rapidly flow out of the said port and connected
chamber and enable liquid to readily enter such chamber by the intake valve. Or
in lieu of the eduction pipes or passages 20, each piston valve 17, 17ª may, for a
like purpose, be perforated as shown in dotted lines at 17* in Fig. 5, so as to
admit of one or more jets of compressed air blowing continuously out of each of
the open ends of the case and over the ports 19, so as to induce air upward there-
through when uncovered to exhaust. Or each piston 17, 17ª may so fit the case 18,
as to permit of a stream of compressed air blowing past it around its outer
periphery. An air distributing valve constructed as described, with or without
the means for inducing air to flow outward through the ports 19, may advan-
tageously be used in connection with various forms of liquid raising or forcing
apparatus of the kind herein referred to.
The air distributing valve can be intermittently operated in various ways for
placing each chamber alternately and at the required times, in connection with the
compressed air reservoir and the external atmosphere. In the example shown in
Fig. 1, it is operated by a rod 21 formed with a slot the two ends of which
alternately strike against a pin 17 on the valve rod 17 and so alternately and
intermittently move the valve to the right and left. The rod 21 can be reciprocated
by various means. In the arrangement shown, it is connected by a rod 22 to a
crank pin 23 on a worm wheel 24 which is driven by a worm on the main shaft of
the air compressor 16, which may be of any suitable construction, as also may be

page_text: cases be
the compressed air reservoir. The distributing valve may in some
arranged in proximity to the displacement chambers. In this case it may
be operated at the required times, by float stones arranged in the displacement
chambers and adapted by tappet rods and levers to impart an intermittent to and
fro motion to the air distributing valve in a manner commonly adopted with
apparatus of the kind herein referred to. The air compressor 16 may be of
ordinary double acting or single acting type, as may be desired in different cases,.
and deliver into a compressed air reservoir 15 of any suitable construction.
some cases, the compressed air reservoir may be dispensed with, the air compressor
being then arranged to deliver air under pressure direct to each displacement
chamber in turn through the air distributing valve (Fig. 5), which is suitably
operated as before.
In
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to wherein liquid is forced alter-
nately from each of two displacement chambers by compressed air, an air distributing
valve constructed to allow of compressed air blowing through or past it in such
a way as to induce or cause air to flow out of each displacement chamber when the
same is placed in communication with the external atmosphere.
2. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for raising or forcing liquid, an
air distributing valve constructed and operating as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings annexed, whether or not it be
constructed to admit of compressed air blowing through or past it for the purpose
set forth.
3. For raising or forcing liquid, the improved apparatus constructed, arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to and shown.
in the drawings annexed, whether or not a compressed air reservoir be used.
Duted this 0th day of July 1805
ARNOLD GOODWIN.
THOMAS CLAY.