IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GARDEN AND FIRE ENGINES FOR PUMPING AND FORCING WATER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Page, of 58, South Molton
Street, Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GARDEN AND
FIRE ENGINES FOR PUMPING AND FORCING WATER."
Sealed the 18th September 1869, and dated the 24th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William Page
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th March 1869.
I, ROBERT WILLIAM PAGE, of 58, South Molton Street, Oxford Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GARDEN AND
FIRE ENGINES POR PUMPING AND FORCING WATER," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the construction of garden and fire
engines for pumping and forcing water, from which engines a continuous
flow of water is maintained, and which are adapted to be worked by both
the hand and foot of the operator simultaneously, or either hand or foot
alone. For these purposes the engine consists of a water cylinder sur-
rounded by or in communication with au air chamber supported by a foot

page_text: and base plate resting on the ground, water being admitted at the top of
the cylinder and discharged therefrom at the bottom. Water is admitted
from a cistern, vessel, or reservoir through a suction pipe and valve into
the upper part of the cylinder, in the top cover of which is inserted a
stuffing box for the rod of the piston or plunger to work through. The
piston or plunger consists of an inverted metallic cone with a flange at
the base or larger part of the cone, a perforated plate being fixed at the
bottom or smaller part of the cone. A leather collar or washer fits
loosely on the inverted cone and fits the interior of the cylinder so as
to be water-tight, thereby closing the valve of the piston or plunger on
the down stroke, but opening it on the up stroke by allowing a passage
of water through the centre of the leather collar or washer and the per-
forated plate. The rod of the piston is worked up and down as required
by means of a handle fixed thereto, and also a stirrup, board, or plate for
the foot of the operator. This board or plate is fixed to the bottom of
a tube, the upper end of which is connected to the top of the rod of
the piston or plunger, such tube passing through an eye formed in a
lug extending from the cylinder cover, and working up and down on a
vertical guide rod, the lower end of which is inserted in the base plate
of the engine. But the rod of the piston or plunger may be worked
by other means than those just stated.
My Invention particularly relates to the use of means for directing
the whole of the muscular force of the operator to the downward stroke
only of the piston, as it is by this stroke that water is both admitted
into and discharged from the cylinder or barrel at the same time, the
water being discharged therefrom in a continuous stream by the aid of
the chamber of compressed air. The upward stroke of the piston or
plunger is only required to raise it to the top of the cylinder or barrel
ready for the next downward stroke, the water already in the cylinder
or barrel passing through the valve of the piston or plunger which is
opened by the upward stroke of the rod.
The arrangement of mechanism for working the piston rod by both
the hand and foot simultaneously as described may be adapted and
applied to engines of different constructions besides those referred to.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert William Page in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WILLIAM PAGE, of 58, South Molton Street, Oxford Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert William Page, Her special licence
that I, the said Robert William Page, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert William Page, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GARDEN AND FIRE ENGINES FOR PUMPING
AND FORCING WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Robert William Page, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Robert William Page, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Garden and
Fire Engines for Pumping and Forcing Water," has for its object the
construction of garden and fire engines, from which a continuous flow
of water is maintained, and which are adapted to be worked by both
the hand and foot of the operator simultaneously, or by either hand or
foot alone. For these purposes the engine consists of a water cylinder
surrounded by or in communication with an air chamber supported by

page_text: a foot and base plate resting on the ground, water being admitted at the
top of the cylinder and discharged therefrom at the bottom. Water is
admitted from a cistern, vessel, or reservoir, through a suction pipe and
valve into the upper part of the cylinder, in the top cover of which is
inserted a stuffing box for the rod of the piston or plunger to work
through. The piston or plunger consists of an inverted metallic conc
with a flange at the base or larger part of the cone, a perforated plate
A leather collar
being fixed to the bottom or smaller part of the cone.
or washer fits loosely on the inverted cone, and fits the interior of the
cylinder so as to be water-tight, thereby closing the valve of the piston
or plunger on the down stroke, but opening it on the up stroke by
allowing a passage of water through the centre of the leather collar or
washer and the perforated plate. The rod of the piston is worked and
up
down as required by means of a handle fixed thereto, and also a stirrup,
board, or plate for the foot of the operator. The board or plate is fixed
to the bottom of a tube, the upper end of which is connected to the
top of the rod or piston or plunger, such tube passing through an eye
formed in a lug extending from the cylinder cover and working up and
down on a vertical guide rod, the lower end of which is inserted in the
base plate of the engine; but the rod of the piston or plunger may be
worked by other means than those just stated.
My Invention particularly relates to the use of means for directing
the whole of the muscular force of the operator to the downward stroke
only of the piston, as it is by this stroke that water is admitted into and
discharged from the cylinder or barrel at the same time, the water being
discharged therefrom in a continuous stream by the aid of the chamber
of compressed air. The upward stroke of the piston or plunger is only
required to raise it to the top of the cylinder or barrel ready for the next
downward stroke, the water already in the cylinder or barrel passing
through the valve of the piston or plunger, which is opened by the
upward stroke of the rod.
The arrangement of mechanism for working the piston rod by both
the hand and foot simultaneously as described, may be adapted and
applied to engines of different constructions besides those referred to.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, by reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which is
represented an engine constructed in the manner above stated.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2 a vertical section; and Fig. 3 a plan
or horizontal view of the engine, in all which Figures the same letters
of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the air chamber by which the water cylinder B is surrounded;
C is the suction pipe, the lower end of which is immersed in a cistern
or vessel of water not shewn in the Drawing, or it may be connected by
means of suitable pipes and joints with a reservoir of water; D is an
inlet valve inserted in the top of this pipe, through which water can pass
from the pipe into the upper part of the water cylinder; E is the piston
or plunger, consisting of an inverted metallic cone with a flange as
shewn, against which the leather collar or washer F presses on the down
stroke of the piston or plunger. This collar or washer F by fitting
loosely on the cone E is caused on the up stroke of the piston to pass
down the small diameter of the said cone, and open a passage for water
downwards through the centre of the collar or washer F and through
the perforated plate G (fixed to the bottom or smaller part of the cone E)
into the bottom of the water cylinder and thence into the bottom of
the air chamber A, whence it is forced by the downward stroke of the
piston through the delivery pipe H, by which it is conveyed and
directed to any required spot; I is the rod of the piston or plunger
which is worked up and down as required by means of the handle K,
and also at the same time by means of the plate L (which may also
be either a board or a stirrup) to which the foot of the operator is
applied. The foot plate L is fixed to the bottom of the tube M, the
upper end of which is connected to the piston rod I. This tube M is
guided in its vertical movement by working over a rod fixed in the baso
plate N and extending upwards a suitable distance, and also by its
upper part passing through an eye or guide O extending from the
cylinder cover.
By this arrangement of the parts the whole of the muscular force of
the operator resulting from the combined action of his hand and foot is
applied to the downward stroke of the piston, on which stroke the water
is both admitted into the top of the cylinder B, and discharged from
the bottom thereof in a continuous stream by the aid of the compressed
air in the chamber A. On the rising of the piston E the passage is
opened for the water already in the cylinder above the piston to flow

page_text: downwards into the lower part thereof ready for discharge by the next
down stroke of the piston.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim
as of my Invention is,-
First. The construction of garden and fire engines with an air chamber
and water cylinder and arrangement of plunger and valves, whereby
water may be both admitted into and discharged from the said cylinder
in a continuous stream by the down stroke only of the piston, as hercin-
before described.
Secondly. The arrangement described for working the piston or
plunger by the combined action of the hand and foot of the operator.
Thirdly. The adaptation and application to such engines of the form
and construction of piston or plunger represented and described.
And lastly. The arrangement described for working the piston or
plunger by the combined action of the hand and foot of the operator
when applied to engines of a construction different from that repre-
sented and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Page, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of Septem-
ber, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane,
ROBT. W. PAGE. (L.S.)