IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILISING WATER PRESSURE, IN RAISING · LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, ALSO IN PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES FOR THE SAID APPARATUS, AND APPLICABLE OTHERWISE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McGeorge Mason and Thomas Lockerbie,
both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILISING WATER PRESSURE, IN RAISING
· LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, ALSO IN PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES
FOR THE SAID APPARATUS, AND APPLICABLE OTHERWISE.”
Sealed the 5th August 1870, and dated the 10th February 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William McGeorge
Mason and Thomas Lockerbie at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 10th February 1870.
We, WILLIAM MCGEORGE MASON and THOMAS LOCKERBIE, both of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "INPROVEMESTS IN UTILISING WATER
PRESSURE, IN RAISING LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, ALSO IN PRESSURE

page_text: "
REDUCING VALVES FOR THE SAID APPARATUS, AND APPLICABLE OTHERWISE," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the utilising of the surplus pressure, such
as frequently accompanies the water publicly supplied to large towns,
and comprises apparatus which by compressing air into a reservoir
thereby stores up the energy of the surplus water pressure without
interfering with the withdrawal and use of the water at any times for
ordinary purposes.
The Invention also relates to the using of the expansive force of air
compressed in the manner indicated, or otherwise for raising liquids, as,
for example, from cellars to the higher flats of houses, and from tanks
in the holds to the cabins or decks of ships.
The apparatus is to be fitted with improved pressure reducing valves
in order to make the pressure acting in it regular, and to prevent ex-
cessive and unequal strains, and such improved valves are also applicable
in other cases wherein it is required to withdraw a supply of fluid under
a reduced pressure from a source of a comparatively high pressure.
In one modification the apparatus consists of a cast-iron vessel of any
convenient shape, divided into three compartments, one of which is the
reservoir for compressed air, whilst the other two are fitted with inlets
and outlets for water at the bottom, and with valves at the top for air.
The water is admitted from the service pipe through a reducing valve
of tho kind herein-before described, and thence through a four-way cock
or other suitable valve to one of the two compartments, which it fills,
forcing the air in it into the reservoir. When one compartment is filled
the cock is turned to let the water off from it and to put the other
compartment in communication with the service pipe. The water may
flow off at once into a cistern, or it may be drawn off as wanted by a
separate cock or tap on the outlet pipe, and as the water passes off from
either compartment the compartment becomes filled with air, to be
forced into the reservoir by the next supply of water.
Que modification of the improved reducing valve consists of a hollow
cylinder or plug with its upper end working in a cylindrical closed
cavity in the top of a small chamber forming the inlet for the water.
The outlet opening from this chamber is a round hole directly below,
and which is closed and covered by the plug when in its lowest position.
In a cavity in the outlet passage and directly below the outlet opening

page_text: there is a piston or diaphragm directly connected to the plug and pressed
upwards by a spring or weighted lever (or by a direct weight if the
apparatus is inverted). The spring or weight opens or lifts the plug
only so far as to allow as much water to pass as will counterbalance iț
on the piston or diaphragm. A simple slide valve connected to the
piston or diaphragm may be substituted for the plug or hollow cylinder.
When using the compressed air for elevating a liquid the liquid must
bo put in an air-tight vessel with the pipe for elevating it by led
down to the bottom thereof, and with a pipe from the air reservoir led
into the top. Then to draw the liquid on the upper flat all that will be
necessary will be to turn a tap on either pipe.
The compressed air to be used in this way on board ship must bo
compressed by a common air pump, but the advantage of this arrange-
ment is that the air reservoir may be charged at one convenient time,
and the liquid be drawn or clevated by its means at any other times.
when it may be wanted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William McGeorge Mason and Thomas Lockerbie
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th August 1870.
WILLIAM
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
McGEORGE MASON and THOMAS LOCKERBIE, both of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William McGeorge Mason and Thomas Lockerbic,
Her special licence that we, the said William McGeorge Mason and
Thomas Lockerbie, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said William M'George Mason and Thomas Lockerbic,
our 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,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man; an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILEZING WATER PRESSURE, IN RAISING LIQUIDS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR, ALSO IN PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES FOR THE SAID. Ap-
PARATUS, AND APPLICABLE OTHERWISE," upon the condition (amongst others) {
that we, the said William McGeorge Mason and Thomas Lockerbic, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 1
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William McGeorge Mason and,
Thomas Lockerbie, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,.
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly ]
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
.
Our said Invention relates to the utilising of the surplus pressure,
such as frequently accompanies the water publicly supplied to large
towns, and comprises apparatus, which by compressing air into a
reservoir thereby stores up the energy of the surplus water pressure
without interfering with the withdrawal and use of the water at any
times for ordinary purposes.
Our Invention also relates to the using of the oxpansive force of air
compressed in the manner indicated, or otherwise for raising liquids, as,
for example, from cellars to the higher flats of houses and from tanks
in the holds to the cabins or decks of ships.
:
The apparatus is to be fitted with improved pressure reducing valves
in order to make the pressure acting in it regular and to prevent
excessive and unequal strains, and such improved valves are also 3
applicable in other cases wherein it is required to withdraw a supply
of fluid under a reduced pressure from a source of a comparatively high
pressure.
And in order that our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended a
Sheet of explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and
representing examples of our improved apparatus.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing two flats of a building
with our apparatus applied for elevating beverages from a series of
casks 1 in the lower flat or cellar up to a set of taps 2 in the flat or shop
above; Figures 2 and 3 are sections of two modifications of our improved
pressure reducing valve.
The apparatus for utilising the surplus water pressure consists of a
vessel 3, which may be of any suitable shape or material, and which is
divided into three compartments 4, 5, 6. One compartment 4 is the
reservoir for compressed air, whilst the other two 5, 6, are fitted with
inlet and outlet pipes 7, 8, for water at the bottom, and with valves 9, 10,
at the top for air. The water is admitted from the service pipe 11
through a reducing valve 12 of the kind herein-after described, and
thence through a four-way cock 13 to one of the two water compart-
ments 5, 6, which it fills, forcing the air from it into the air reservoir 4.
When one water compartment, 5, for example, is filled the cock 13 is
turned to let the water off from it by the crane or swan neck 14, and to
put the other compartment 6 in communication with the service pipe 11.
There are two air valves 9, 10, at the top of each compartment 5, 6, one
opening into the air reservoir 4 and the other allowing air to enter from
the atmosphere into the water compartment, when the water is drawn
off from it. It is not essential for the three compartments 4, 5, 6, to be
combined together as shown, as any one of them, the air reservoir, for
example, may consist of a vessel quite separate from the others, or in
some cases the air reservoir may be dispensed with, the pipe 15 for
leading the air away being connected by branches to the tops of the
water compartments 5, 6, and each branch pipo having a float valve
which closes on the water reaching the top of the compartment. When
a compartment is filled with water it may flow off at once into a cistern,
or it may be drawn off as wanted by a separate cock or tap on the outlet
pipe 14. If preferred the pressure reducing valve may be fitted to the
air pipe 15, as indicated at 16.
In the modification of our improved pressure reducing valve shown
in Figure 2, a hollow cylinder or plug 17 has its upper end working in
a cylindrical closed cavity 18 in the top of a small chamber 19 forming
the inlet for the water, air, or other fluid. The outlet from this chamber
19 is a round hole directly below, and which is closed and covered
by the plug 17 when in its lowest position. In a cavity in the outlet

page_text: passage 20 and directly below the outlet opening there is a piston or
diaphragm 21 directly connected by a spindle 22 to the plug 17, and
pressed upwards by a spring 23 (or it might be a weighted lever, or if the
apparatus is inverted a direct weight). The spring 23 (or weight) lifts
or opens the plug only so far as to allow as much water or other fluid to i
pass as will counterbalance it on the piston or diaphragın 21.
In the modification shown in Figure 3 the parts are disposed so that
the water or other fluid may pass through as nearly as possible in a
straight line. The hollow plug 17 is clongated, and instead of closing
against an outlet opening it closes against a disc 21 in the inlet ]
chamber 19, to which the water or other fluid enters by openings round
the disc 24, and the water passes off through the plug 17 itself. The
regulating piston 21 in the outlet chamber 20 is shown as made tight
by a diaphragm of rubber, and the regulating spring 23 is applied round
the tubular plug 17, being adjusted by the screw 25.
]
The air compressed by means of our improved apparatus may be
applied for various purposes, but when using it for elevating liquids the
vessels or casks 1 containing the liquids must be air-tight, and the
ascension pipes 20 must be connected to the bottoms of the casks,
whilst branches 27 from the air pipe 15 must be led to their tops. Then 2
in order to draw the liquid from any cask 1 all that will be necessary
will be to turn the corresponding tap 2, when the pressure of air acting
in the cask will force the liquid up the ascension pipe 26.
The compressed air to be used in this way on board ship must be
compressed by a common air pump; but the advantage of this arrange-
ment is that the air reservoir may be charged at one convenient time,
and the liquid be drawn or elevated by its means at any other times
when it may be wanted. The compressed air will also in this way
effect the elevation of liquids from parts not otherwise conveniently
accessible.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we have to state that we do not
restrict ourselves to the precise details herein described or delineated; but
that what we believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention
secured to us by the berein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
2

page_text: 1. The utilising of water pressure by employing it to compress
air by means of apparatus substantially such as is hercin-before
described.
2. The elevating of liquids by means of air compressed by apparatus
substantially such as is hercin-before described.
3. The constructing of pressure reducing valves substantially in the
improved modes as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McGeorge Mason, on
behalf of myself and the said Thomas Lockerbic, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.