IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Roberts, of Millwall, Poplar, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS."
Sealed the 7th May 1861, and dated the 13th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
November 1860.
I, WILLIAM ROBERTS, of Millwall, Poplar, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in pumps. Heretofore
pumps have in some cases been constructed having two buckets or pistons
in the same cylinder or barrel, in such manner that the water entering from
the suction pipes having passed through one of the buckets or pistons it
then passes through the other bucket or piston, and thence to the outlet.
Now my Invention applies to improvements in the means of constructing
and working such descriptions of pumps. The requisite length of cylinder or
barrel is by preference cast in one length to receive a bucket or piston near
each of its two ends. The two ends of the cylinder or barrel, when the two
buckets or pistons work, are similarly bored out truly, which may be readily
done at the same time by one boring shaft or axis, and it is preferred that

page_text: the intermediate part of the cylinder or barrel should be cast of a somewhat
larger diameter than the ends, but this is not essential. The cylinder or
barrel may, however, be made in parts and fixed together. The ends of
the cylinder may be closed by screwing covers thereon, or by covers fixed
by screws and nuts and flanches, or otherwise. The cylinder or barrel may
be arranged to work in an upright position, in which case, if an air chamber
be used, it is preferred to be at the upper part and to surround the upper
part of the cylinder or barrel, or the cylinder or barrel may be arranged to
work in a horizontal or inclined position, in which case it is preferred, if an
air chamber be used, that it should be on the upper side or upper end, and
cast with the cylinder or barrel. Motion is given to the two pistons or buckets
by means of a rocking shaft, which passes through a stuffing box into the
cylinder or barrel, intermediate of the two pistons or buckets, and if it passes
through the cylinder or barrel, then it passes out of the cylinder or barrel
through a stuffing box. On the part of the shaft or axis which is within
the cylinder there are two arms projecting, one on each side of the shaft or
axis, and to these projections or arms two links are attached by pin joints.
The other ends of the links are pin jointed to the piston or bucket rods,
and in order to guide such pistons or buckets and to retain them correctly
in the cylinder or barrel, the lower end of the piston or bucket rods are
each made into the form of a pair of horns or double projections; one pair
or set of the horns are guided by sliding on the axis or shaft, and the other
pair of horns are caused to be guided by sliding on a boss on the shaft or
axis. The horns or projections are made in such manner as to aid in
guiding each other. At the end of the cylinder, to which the suction pipe
is attached, there is a grating, and it is preferred that each of the pistons or
buckets should consist of a grating covered with a flexible disc of vulcanized
india-rubber or other suitable material, but other constructions of pistons or
buckets may be used. A rocking motion is given to the shaft or axis by
means of arms and handles applied externally of the cylinder or barrel, or
such rocking motion may be otherwise applied to the shaft or axis.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May 1861.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Roberts, Her special licence that I, the said William
Roberts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Roberts, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Roberts, my executors or administrators; by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly 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 William Roberts, 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 thereof, that is to say. :-
This. Invention has for its object improvements in pumps. Heretofore
pumps have in some cases been constructed having two buckets or pistons in
the same cylinder or barrel, in such manner that the water entering from the
suction pipes having passed through one of the buckets or pistons, then passes
through the other bucket or piston, and thence to the outlet.
Now my Invention applies to improvements in the means of constructing and
working such descriptions of pumps. The requisite length of cylinder
or barrel is by preference cast in one length to receive a bucket or piston near
each of its two ends. The two ends of the cylinder or barrel when the two
buckets or pistons work are similarly bored out truly, which may be readily
done at the same time by one boring shaft or axis, and it is preferred that
the intermediate part of the cylinder or barrel should be cast of a somewhat
larger diameter than the ends, but this is not essential. The cylinder or barrel
may, however, be made in parts and fixed together. The ends of the cylinder
may be closed by screwing covers thereon or by covers fixed by screws, and
nuts, and flanches, or otherwise. The cylinder or barrel may be arranged to
work in an upright position, in which case, if an air chamber be used, it is

page_text: preferred to be at the upper part, and to surround the upper part of the
cylinder or barrel, or the cylinder or barrel may be arranged to work in a
.horizontal or inclined position, in which case it is preferred, if an air chamber
be used, that it should be on the upper side or upper end, and cast with the
cylinder or barrel. Motion is given to the two pistons or buckets by means of
a rocking shaft, which passes through a stuffing box into the cylinder or barrel
intermediate of the two pistons or buckets, and if it passes through the
cylinder or barrel, then it passes out of the cylinder or barrel through a stuffing
box. On the part of the shaft or axis which is within the cylinder there are
two arms projecting, one on each side of the shaft or axis, and to these
.projections or arms two links are attached by pin joints. The other ends of
the links are pin-jointed to the piston or bucket rods, and in order to guide
such pistons or buckets, and to retain them correctly in the cylinder or barrel,
the lower ends of the piston or bucket rods are each made into the form of a
pair of horns or double projections; one pair or set of the horns are guided
by sliding on the axis or shaft, and the other pair of horns are caused to be
guided by sliding on a boss on the shaft or axis. The horns or projections are
inade in such manner as to aid in guiding each other; at the end of the cylinder
to which the suction pipe is attached there is a grating, and it is preferred
that each of the pistons or buckets should consist of a grating covered with
a flexible disc of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable material, but other
constructions of pistons or buckets may be used. A rocking motion is given
to the shaft or axis by means of arms and handles applied externally of the
cylinder or barrel, or such rocking motion may be otherwise applied to the
shaft or axis.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 represent two side elevations, and Figures 3 and 4 two
vertical sections, of a pump. constructed according to my Invention, the sections
being taken at right angles to each other. In these Figures the same letters of
reference are used to indicate the same parts.
A, A, is the barrel of the pump, the two ends, of which are cast of less
diameter than the intermediate portion; at the upper end is an air chamber B,
which may be applied to or formed with the barrel A, A. In Figures 1 and 2,
it is shown to be formed with and to surround the upper part of the barrel,
whilst in Figures 3 and 4, the air chamber is shown to be applied to the
upper end of the barrel of the pump; C is a rocking shaft, which (where it

page_text: passes through the barrel) works in stuffing boxes L, L. On the shaft C is
fixed a boss D, having thereon two projections, to which the links or connecting
rods K are attached by pin joints. The other ends of the links or connecting
rods K are pin-jointed to the horns or guides to which the pistons or buckets
are fixed. Each of the pistons or buckets has four horns, two of which in
their movement rest against the boss or enlargement on the axis, and two of
them being wider apart rest against the shaft itself, and as the pair of horns
which are widest apart of one piston come on the opposite side of the shaft
to the corresponding horns on the other piston, the pairs of horns which are
nearer together fit between and are guided by the wider pairs of horns, so that
the horns of the two pistons mutually aid in guiding each other. The means
of giving a rocking motion to the shaft may be varied in the Drawing; such
motion is obtained from a crank axis put in motion by manual power by means
of a handle and fly wheel, as shown; F, F, are the two pistons or buckets';
they are formed with perforations, and they are each covered by a disc, of
vulcanized india-rubber or other flexible material I. The pistons or buckets
may, however, if desired, be formed in various ways; G, G, are cups of leather
or other suitable material applied to the pistons; H, H, are supporting per-
forated cones, against which the disc of india-rubber or other flexible material
used comes when the water is passing through the perforations of the piston
or bucket; J, J, are screw nuts, by which the buckets or pistons are fixed to
their rods or horns; a, a, are induction ways, either of which may be used, the
other being stopped; a', a¹, are the outlets to either of which the hose pipe is
attached, the other being stopped.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I måke no claim
to any of the parts separately; but what I claim is the combination herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Roberts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year
of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
.