IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, AND VALVES USED THERE WITH
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Henry George Wells, of the firm Wells
and Vasserot, of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London, Patent Agents,
Mechanical Draughtsmen, &c., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PUMPS, AND VALVES USED THERE WITH."-A communication from
Hippolyte François Bérenguier, of Toulon, France.
Sealed the 26th June 1857, and dated the 29th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Henry George
Wells at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th December 1856.
1, JOSEPH HENRY GEORGE WELLS, of the firm Wells and Vasserot, of 45,
Essex Street, Strand, London, Patent Agents, Mechanical Draughtsmen, &c.,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUMPS, AND VALVES USED THEREWITH," a communication from Hippolyte
François Bérenguier, of Toulon, France, to be as follows:-
This pump is more especially adapted to ships and other like purposes, and
consists, firstly, in maintaining the pump always ready to work; secondly, in
keeping the valves always in the liquid; and, thirdly, in preventing any
possible obstruction of working the pump. The body of the pump is fastened
to the deck of the vessel, with the suction pipe (also secured to the deck) bent
as a syphon. The liquid enters the suction pipe by a large opening at its base
and not on the sides, and is formed in such a manner that a flat body cannot
adhere to it and obstruct the passage of the liquid. All the solid matters,

page_text: wood, stone, or otherwise, of a size less than the suction pipe, are absorbed by
the ascending current of the water. At the upper part of the said syphon is
placed a little cock, having for its object to introduce air in that part of the
syphon or suction pipe open to the liquid to be raised as soon as the pumping
is done, and by the said admission of air the liquid is retained in the other
part of the syphon and in the body of the pump; and by that means all the
valves are in the liquid even when the pump is not at work, and by closing
the said small cock the pump is again ready for use.
With the above precautions, suet, oil, fine coal powder, tow, gravels, greasy
rags, &c. are kept in suspension in the liquid, and cannot accumulate and
form a paste-like cement, which soon renders the playing of the pump
impossible. The apertures of the valves are formed like a sack without a
bottom at both extremities, and reposing at their base on metallic chill valves,
which are a little larger than the lower part of the suction pipe, for the
purpose of allowing the solid matters to pass through them. The valves are
fastened on the two sides, and are formed of two rectangles, of leather, oil-
cloth, caoutchouc, or any other malleable and waterproof matter. If at the
end of the stroke of the piston or bucket, a solid body should be passing
through a valve, it will, owing to its (the valve) ductile property, adhere to the
said body, and the pump will continue its work, and at the next stroke it will
be dragged along and discharged without the possibility of perceiving its
stoppage in one of the valves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Henry George Wells in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
HENRY GEORGE WELLS, of the firm Wells and Vasserot, of 45, Essex Street,
Strand, London, Patent Agents, Mechanical Draughtsmen, &c., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Henry George Wells, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Henry George Wells, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joseph Henry George Wells, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, AND VALVES USED THEREWITH," a communication
from Hippolyte François Berenguier, of Toulon, France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Henry George Wells, 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 Joseph Henry George Wells, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
-
This Invention is more especially adapted to ships and other like purposes,
and consists, firstly, in retaining the pump always ready to work; secondly, in
the construction of the valves, as well as keeping them always in the liquid;
and, thirdly, in preventing any possible obstruction in the working of the
pump.
The accompanying Drawing fully illustrates the Invention, in which Fig. 1
is an elevation of the pump fastened to the deck of a vessel; Fig. 2, a vertical
section of the pump shewing the valves; Fig. 3 is a plan on line A, B,
Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shews the extremity of the suction pipe. The body of the
pump C is fastened to the deck A of the vessel, with the suction pipe F bent
as a syphon, also secured to the deck by a collar H. The liquid enters the
suction pipe by a large opening at its base (see Fig. 4) & not on the sides,
& is formed in such a manner that a flat body cannot adhere to it and
obstruct the passage of the liquid. All the solid matters, wood, stone, or
otherwise, of a size less than the suction pipe, are absorbed by the ascending
current of the water. At the upper part of the said syphon F is placed a
little cock G, having for its object to introduce air in that part of the suction
pipe as soon as the pumping is done, & by the said admission of air the
liquid is retained in the descending part of the syphon and in the body of the
pump C, as indicated by blue lines; and by that means the body of the pump
C, the reservoir D, part of the syphon F, and the valves K, I, are in the liquid
even when the pump is not at work, & by closing the said cock G the
pumpis ag ain ready for use.

page_text: With the above precautions, suet, oil, fine coal powder, tow, gravel, greasy
rags, &c. are kept in suspension in the liquid, and cannot accumulate and
form a paste-like cement, which soon renders the playing of the pump
impossible. Figure 5 shews the form of the valves, which has its lower part
of a cylindrical form terminating with a lip; at its upper extremity are
hanged two valves of wood, metal, or other suitable substance, in form and
action similar to a bivalve shell; Fig. 5 shews these closed; when full open
the area is equal to the open lower end. The whole is encased in an envelope
of leather or other suitable substance, so as to be open at top and bottom, a
flange on the outer surface of the lower part serving as a seat for the envelope.
a, the lower cylindric part; b, b, the shell valves; c, the envelope; d, the
flange. If at the end of a stroke of the piston or bucket P a solid body
should be passing through either of the valves, it will, owing to their ductile
substance, adhere to it, & the pump will continue its work, and at the next
similar stroke it will be drawn through the valve & finally discharged at B,
without the possibility of producing a stoppage in the valves. The valves
K, I, are fixed on the piston or bucket P, and to the reservoir D at X, in
any convenient manner. The part E is a moveable muffle or coupling box,
fixed at S by means of a stuffing box or lid, and easily ascends the syphon F
of the suction pipe when it is necessary to repair or change the shell valve M.
A hole R is made & provided with a screw plug at the bottom of the reservoir
D, to have easy access to the said valve I. The reservoir, pump, & part of
the suction pipe can be emptied by means of the screw plug Q. The pump
rod O may be connected to the usual brake, or to any convenient mechanism.
Having thus fully described the particulars and nature of the said Inven-
tion, what I claim is, maintaining the pump always ready to work by means
of the syphon, so that the valves are always kept in the liquid; as well as the
construction of the valves for preventing any possible obstruction of the
working of the pump, substantially in the manner as shewn in the accom-
panying Drawing, & herein fully described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henry George Wells, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
J. H. G. WELLS. (L.S.)