Improvements in or appertaining to Mercurial Air Pumps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Mercurial Air Pumps.
A communication from abroad by Dr. AUGUST RAPS, of Neue Wilhelinstrasse,
Berlin, N.W., in the Empire of Germany.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the automatic actuating of
mercurial air pumps.
In an arrangement having a similar object, a mercury reservoir is situated on a
lever, the opposite end of which is provided with an adjustable counterweight by
the movement of which the lever rocks in one direction when the mercury
receptacle is full, and in the other when it is nearly empty. By the rocking of the
lever, a threeway cock is operated, by means of which the mercury receptacle is in
one direction put in connection with a pressure conduit, and in the other direction
with the outside atmosphere. The mercury rises in consequence of the above-
named pressure into the mercurial air pump, and sinks back afterwards by reason
of its own weight, into the mercury receptacle situated on the lever.
The present improvements relate on the one hand to the lightening or the
complete removal of the adjustable sliding weight, and on the other hand to the
insertion of an expansion vessel between the threeway cock and the mercury
receptacle situated on the lever.
The lever carrying the mercury receptacle is, for the first named purpose,
provided, in addition to the adjustable counterweight, with an
arm which is
vertical to the plane of the lever, having a weight at its free end. This latter is
preferably made movable on the said arm, and can be fixed thereon by means of a
set screw.
When the mercury receptacle is full, this weight overbalances that side of the
lever which carries the said mercury receptacle. When the lever rocks, its other
end is loaded by the weight acting on the saine lever arm. By the adjustment of
the said weight on its lever arm, the time of the return rocking of the lever can be
delayed.
The lever arm, placed on the lever, can be either rigidly or adjustably connected
therewith. In the latter case, projections or supports are arranged on both sides of
the same, which limit the movement of the lever arm. In this way, it is not only
possible to considerably lighten the above named counterweight, but the adjustment
of the lever could also be entirely brought about by means of the adjustably
arranged weight-lever arm.
As regards the improved arrangements for the automatic actuating of mercurial
air pumps, in which an air regulating chamber for the conversion of liquid pressure
into air pressure is not provided, but where compressed gas comes directly into
application, an expansion vessel is arranged between the threeway cock and the
mercury receptacle situated on the lever. The mercury then pauses a moment,
before it arrives at the mouth of the great ball or bucket of the air pump, and
passes the same quite quietly without striking even in the case of quickly rushing
into the said ball. The mercury in fact, in consequence of its persistent property,
penetrates quicker into the upper part of the exit pipe than its pressure, corre-
sponding to the height of its rise in the expansion vessel, can follow.
Further, by the insertion of the expansion vessel, the time, during which the

page_text: large pump bucket remains in connection with the space to be pumped out, can be
considerably extended with an equal admission time, because the air, passing slowly
through the narrow passage of a cock into the expansion vessel, requires a certain
time before the pressure necessary to raise the mercury is attained.
Dated this 17th day of February 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Mercurial Air Pumps.
A communication by Dr. AUGUST RAPS, of Neue Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin, N.W.,
in the Empire of Germany.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil 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 relates to certain improvements in the automatic actuating of
mercurial air pumps.
The improvements relate to such apparatus as are secured by Letters Patent
No. 11807.90.
The present improvements consist, on the one hand, in the lightening or the
complete removal of the adjustable sliding weight, and, on the other hand, in the
insertion of an expansion vessel between the three way cock and the mercury
receptacle situated on the lever, which will be fully described hereinafter and
finally pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved apparatus.
Figure 2 shows a detail.
In Figure 1, the mercury reservoir B of the mercurial air pump A is situated on
the lever D, the opposite end of which is provided with the adjustable counter-
weight D, by the movement of which the lever D rocks in one direction when the
mercury receptacle is full and in the other when it is nearly empty. By the
rocking of the lever, the three way cock is operated, by means of which
the mercury receptacle is in one direction put in connection with a pressure
conduit, and in the other direction with the outside atmosphere. The mercury
rises in consequence of the abovenamed pressure into the mercurial air pump A,
and sinks back afterwards, by reason of its own weight, into the mercury
receptacle situated on the lever.
The lever D is provided with an arm D³, which is vertical to the plane of the
lever, having a weight D' at its free end. This latter is preferably made movable
on the said arm, and can be fixed thereon by means of a set screw. When the
receptacle is full, this weight overbalances that side of the lever which carries the
mercury receptacle B. When the lever rocks, its other end is loaded by the
weight acting on the same lever arm. By the adjustment of the weight D* on
the arm D³, the time of the return rocking of the lever can be delayed.
The lever arm D3, placed on the lever D, can be either rigidly or adjustably
connected therewith. In the latter case, projections or supports are arranged on
both sides of the same, which limit the movement of the arm D³. For this purpose,
the arm D is pivotally arranged on the pivot d between the locking rings and y,
which are provided with suitable bent arms a¹ and y', so that the arm D³ may rest
on one of the same in the one or the other position of the lever D.

page_text: In the described way, it is not only possible to considerably lighten the counter-
weight D2, but the adjustment of the lever D could also be entirely brought about
by means of the adjustable arranged weight-lever arm D³.
As regards the improved arrangements for the automatic actuating of mercurial
air pumps in which an air resulting chamber for the conversion of liquid pressure
into air pressure is not provided, but where compressed gas comes directly in
application, an expansion vessel Q is arranged between the three way cock Fand
the mercury receptacle B.
The mercury then pauses a moment, before it arrives at the mouth of the great
ball or bucket of the air pump A and passes the same quite quietly, without
striking, even in the case of quickly rushing into the said ball.
Further, by the insertion of the expansion vessel Q, the time, during which the
large pump bucket remains in connection with the space to be pumped out, can be
considerably extended with an equal admission time, because the air, passing slowly
through the narrow passage of a cock into the expansion vessel Q, requires a
certain time before the pressure necessary to raise the mercury is attained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In an appliance for automatically actuating mercurial air pumps, a weight D₁
on the arm D³, rigidly or jointedly connected with the lever D, for the purpose of
relieving the adjustable counterweight D, or of entirely replacing the same."
2. In an appliance for automatically actuating mercurial air pumps, an
expansion vessel Q, arranged between the three way cock F and the mercury
receptacle B situated on the lever, for the object, on the one hand, of causing the
last portion of the mercury to enter slowly into the large pump bucket, and, on the
other hand, for prolonging the period during which the space to be pumped out
remains in connection with the pump.
Dated this 30th day of September 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.