IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN RAISING WATER FROM ARTESIAN AND OTHER WELLS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Mather, of the Firm of Mather and Platt, of
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN RAISING WATER FROM ARTESIAN
AND OTHER WELLS."
Sealed the 28th March 1877, and dated the 5th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Mather at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1877.
WILLIAM MATHER, of the Firm of Mather and Platt, of Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineers. “IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN RAISING
WATER FROM ARTESIAN AND OTHER WELLS."
In boring wells it frequently happens that the top water is hard or impure while
the water at the bottom is soft and pure, or the contrary may occur; the object of
my Invention is to separate the top water from the bottom water, so that only the
bottom or good water is discharged at the top of the well.
The apparatus consists of a bush fixed to the bottom of the rise pipes and below
the pump barrel when pumps are used; the lower end of this bush fits in a busb
attached to the upper end of the pipe which collects the water from the bottom of
the well. The two bushes are connected by studs in the one fitting into slots in
the other, and the upper bush is surrounded by three or other number of india-
rubber or other packing rings.
When the apparatus with the pipes attached is lowered into the well the studs
above referred to are at the upper ends of the slots and no pressure is on the
packing rings, consequently they pass freely down the bore hole, but as soon as the
bottom of the collecting pipe touches the ground or the bearing on which it is
supported the weight of the upper pipes compresses the packing rings and expands
them, thereby closing the bore hole at that place and preventing the top water
from descending and mixing with the water at the bottom, or vice versa.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Mather in. the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st July
1877.
WILLIAM MATHER, of the Firm of Mather and Platt, of Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN RAISING
WATER FROM ARTESIAN AND OTHER WELLS.”
In boring wells it frequently happens that the top water is hard or impure while
the water at the bottom is soft and pure, or the contrary may occur; the object of
my Invention is to separate the top water from the bottom water, so that only the
bottom or good water is discharged at the top of the well.
The apparatus consists of a bush fixed in the rise pipes above (or in the suction
pipes below when pumps are used); the lower end of this bush fits in a bush
attached to the upper end of the pipe which collects the water from the bottom of
the well. The two bushes are connected by studs in the one fitting into slots in
the other, and the upper bush is surrounded by three or other number of india-
rubber or other packing rings, which are expanded by the weight of the rise pipes
and contract when the weight is removed.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood, and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in
which Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of my improved apparatus; and Fig. 2
is an elevation on a small scale of the same.
In these views a is supposed to be the bore hole of an artesian or other well
which has been bored in any convenient manner; and b, the bottom end of the riso
pipes, which reach up to the surface of the ground; c is the upper end of the pipe
which collects the water from the bottom of the well. To the lower end of the rise
pipe b is attached the bush d, in which are four or other convenient number of
slots d; above these slots are three or other suitable number of packing rings f
made of vulcanized india-rubber or other clastic material; between these packing
rings are the metal washers f¹. The bush & fits within the bush e, which is
secured to the upper end of the pipe c; the bushes & aude are connected by the
studs e¹ fitting in the slots d³.
The Drawing, Fig. 1, represents the parts in the positions they occupy when the
whole apparatus, with the rise pipes 6 and the pipes c that collect the water from
the bottom of the well, are boing lowered into the bore hole a; the studs e¹ are now
bearing upon the lower ends of the slots d', and no pressure is on the packing
rings, consequently they pass freely down the bore hole, but as soon as the bottom
of the collecting pipe c touches the ground or the boaring on which it is supported,
the weight of the upper pipes b causes the bush d to descend into the bush e,
thereby compressing the packing rings and expanding them laterally until they
completely close the bore hole at that place, as shewn in Fig. 2. The packing rings
thus form a self-acting stop or plug in any part of the well, and if at any time it
should be desirable to remove the set of pipes from the well the first part of the
action of lifting them takes the pressure off the packing rings, thereby allowing
them to contract and to pass freely up the well, and they remain in the same
position when the pipes are being lowered in the well, but expand again when the
suction pipes reach the bottom.
By means of this self-acting apparatus the top or impure water is prevented
from descending and mixing with the pure water at the bottom of the well, or
vice versa.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a convenient
mode of carrying the same into operation, I wish it to be understood that I do not
intend to limit myself to the details given, as the same may be considerably varied,
and I declare that I claim, the self-acting apparatus described, or any modification

page_text: of the same, whereby the bore hole of an artesian or other well is closed at any part
to separate the top from the bottom water.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Mather, have hereunto set my hand
and, seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, One thousand oight hundred and
seventy-seven.
W. MATHER. (LS.)