Improvements in and relating to Steam Pumps.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug. 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Pumps.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, doing
business at Number 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex,
England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, which has been commu-
nicated to me from abroad by the Bruno Nordberg Company, located in the City of
Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, United States of
America, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The invention has, for its object, primarily, the construction of a steam-pump
comprising the combination of the suction and delivery chambers with a cylinder
opening at one end to the suction chamber, and at the other end to the delivery
chamber, and a piston working in and out of said cylinder adapted for separating the
suction and delivery chambers from each other during part of its stroke and for
establishing communication between them during the remainder of the stroke, as
woll, as in various details of construction by which this desired end may he
properly accomplished, all as more fully explained hereinafter, in connection with
the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of the said steam pump, looking from the
rear,
Figure 2 is a section taken on the line of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line y y of Figure 4,
Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line
of Figure 1,
Figures 5 and 6 represent, respectively, a vertical section and a horizontal section
through a somewhat modified form of the pump,
Figures 7 and 8 represent, respectively, an elevation, and a horizontal section on
the line 8-8 of Figure 7, of one form of the pump, illustrating one method of
adjusting the pistons in a double acting pump with relation to each other and
the engine piston to determine the point in the stroke of the pump pistons at which
direct steam pressure shall cease and expansive pressure shall begin,
Figure 9, is a vertical longitudinal section through the centre of another form of
the pump,
Figure 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10-10 of Figure 9,
Figure 11 is an elevation, partly in section, of the form of pump shown in
Figure 9,
Figure 12 is a section through another form of the pump on the line 12-12 of
Figure 13,
Figure 13 is an end view, and
Figure 14 a side elevation of this form of the pump,
Figure 15 is a side elevation of still another form of the pump,
Figure 16 is an end view, and
Figure 17 a vertical section on the line 17-17 of Figure 16, of the form of pump
shown in Figure 15,
Figure 18 is a vertical section of another form of the pump,
Figure 19 is an elevation of the same,
Figure 20 is a vertical section of a slightly modified form of the pump, and
Figure 21 is a plan view of the forms of pump shown in Figures 18, 19
and 20.

page_text: Figure 24 is a plan view of this form of the pump, and
Figure 25 is a horizontal section on the line 25-25 of Figure 23.
The construction of the form of pump shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, will first
be described.
1°
A is the outer shell or casing of the pump and A' its base. The shell or casing A
is formed with two compartments B which extend from the bottom of the casing to
the partition a that separates it from the outlet chamber b.
Cis a partition that separates the compartments B from each other. On each side
of the partition (the shell is provided with a flange d which forms a short cylinder
and each cylinder d has a port e that opens upward from the rear, and from the inner
termination of the cylinder d, ribs d¹ extend to the partition C and form guides for
the heads D of the pistons D1 and D2 after they leave the cylinders d in their forward
stroke.
Above the path of each piston head D is arranged a chamber E which opens from
inlet port G and leads through suction valves E' into another chamber F which latter
are each connected with the rear of its subjacent cylinder by a port e and through
cylinders d each with a chamber B.
The chambers B and Fon each side also communicate with each other through
valves just beneath the outlet chamber and chambers B communicate with the outlet
chamber through valves g.
The pistons D and D are connected by a cross head H and rods K, or in any other
suitable manner, and piston D2 is coupled to the piston D³ of the steam engine as
shown in Figure 8.
As steam is let into the steam cylinder the pump will operate as follows:
Suppose piston D' is in its extreme position and ready for forward stroke, and
piston D ready for backward stroke, and the pump is filled with fluid, with the valves
all down in their seats; now as piston.D is drawn forward by the piston of the engine,
it will be seen that while the piston head is in the cylinder d it will force the fluid
through chamber B and up through valves into the discharge chamber in a volume
equal to the displacement of the piston head, and fluid will be drawn by it through
port e from the chamber F, and through the valves E' from chamber E, which valves
are therefore opened during this part of the stroke as are also the discharge valves g,
while the valves fare closed by the pressure of fluid in the chamber B above them.
There is also during this part of the stroke full pressure on the piston D' corresponding
to the pressure in the discharge pipe multiplied by the full area of the piston head
and also the full steam pressure in the steam cylinder; but when the piston head
passes out of the cylinder d the steam is cut off from the steam cylinder and the
chambers on each side of the pump piston head D come in communication with each
other and then the pressure on each side thereof is equalized, that is, there is obtained
the discharge pressure on the back side of the piston which closes the valves E', and
during the rest of the stroke the volume of fluid discharged is equal to the displace-
ment of the plunger and the fluid will be forced through valves g into the chamber b
in volume equal to the displacement of the piston rod or plunger.
The final pressure of the expanding steam on the steam piston must be equal to or
greater than the pressure on the piston D₁ which during this part of the stroke
corresponds to the pressure in the discharge pipe multiplied by the area of the piston
rod or plunger.
In its backward stroke plunger D'as it retires will increase the space in chamber B,
in proportion to the bulk or area of the plunger withdrawn, and create suction through
chambers E and F until the piston head enters cylinder d and then the fluid in
chamber F will be forced out through valves finto chamber B and at the same time
finid will be drawn into F from E and ready to be expelled by the next forward stroke.
Each piston head has a short plunger L in front of it which fits in a short cylinder M
on the partition C and these cylinders are connected at their sides each with a
chamber B by a pipe N having a suitable valve or cock N' by which the water in
the cylinder M is regulated in its escape to give the proper amount of cushioning
resistance to the plunger.

page_text: While the pump is sufficiently powerful for all uses, it is economical, in that steam
can be used expansively for the greater part of the stroke. Instead of extending the
cylinder d by ribs d', as shown, the cylinder may be perforated for part of its length
to accomplish the same result or the same object may be obtained in various ways.
For instance, solid cylinders d may be used, as in the form of pump shown in
Figures 9, 10 and 11, and these cylinders are each formed with a port de at one end
and a port at the other end, opening down, respectively, to pipes d³, d, the outer
ends of which pipes intersect, and are connected by valves d', the stems d³ of which
project up through suitable guides and are provided each with a yoke that hangs
from a cam-plate on one of the rods K, each yoke carrying a suitable friction
roller and its upper end is preferably formed with a guide that slides in a lug
on the shell A. The valves are suspended on their stems by collars and beneath
the lower end of each stem is an opening in each valve, which, when the stem is
down, is closed by it.
The pressure in the pipes d is always greater than that in the pipes d³ and therefore
fluid from pipes d² will exert a constant pressure on the valves d until the plunger
or piston in its forward stroke has travelled a distance nearly equal to the length of
the cylinder in Figure 3, for instance, when the cam-plate will begin to lift
stem out of its scat and admit fluid to pipe and as the plunger or piston still
further advances plate will lift valve d full open and establish an equilibrium as
hereinafter more fully described.
The cam-plates are made adjustable on the rod K by means of a screw-rod ' that
passes through a lug 3 on the rod K and lugs h*, *, on the cam-plates h³, ', so that
they can be made to lift their valve stems at any point in the stroke of the pistons
that may be desirable.
The operation of this form of device is, in general, practically the same as that of
the form first described, being specifically as follows: When one of the plungers or
pistons starts on its travel, the valve is closed, by the pressure above it, and the
fluid is sucked by the bead 1) of this plunger or piston as the latter advances, into the
pump, through chambers E and F and port e on one side of the pump, (chamber E
leading from the inlet-pipe G of the pump) and the fluid is forced out of chamber B
into the outlet chamber through the valves g by the plunger or piston, until the
highest part of cam-plate begins to lift upon the yoke this first lifts stem d
and starts communication between pipes d², d³, and then, as the plunger further
advances the yoke is entirely lifted and the valve d fully opened, producing
equilibrium before and behind the piston head, so that for the rest of its stroke, the
plunger will expel a quantity of fluid equal only to the mere displacement of that
portion of it that enters the pump after the valve d is lifted. Equilibrium continues
during the latter part of the forward stroke just described, and the plunger will
continue, by displacement, to expel fluid in amount equal to its entering bulk. On
the return or backward stroke of the plunger equilibrium will continue and suction
will be produced in this side of the shell by the withdrawal of the plunger, but just as
soon as the plunger begins another forward stroke, a vacuum is formed behind the
piston head and fluid is drawn through valves E' from chamber E and the fluid in
chamber B is forced out through valves g into the outlet chamber b, the pressure of
the fluid in chamber B keeping valve d closed until the cam-plates begin to act.
As the plungers and D alternate with each other it is obvious that while during
the first part of a stroke one is forcing, the other is displacing, or rather creating a
vacuum by its own displacement, and that during the latter part of the stroke both
are merely displacing. The forcing action occurs during the first part of the stroke
of the steam piston, when it is acted upon by steam under pressure, but the
displacement occurs when the steam piston is acted upon by the mere expansive force
of the steam.
In Figures 5 and 6 is shown still another form of the pump, which differs somewhat
from the forms already shown, in details of construction, while retaining the same
principles.
The pistons are connected with each other and with the engine piston as before

page_text: described but the valves fare omitted and the top of chamber F is made solid so that
the only communication between climbers B and F is through ports e and the
cylinders &, or valves P in the piston heads. The piston heads D are made hollow
each having a cross piece p and are connected to the ends of the pistons by bolts pl
cach of which secures a flexible valve P and a cup washer P¹ to each piston, the
convex portion of each washer P' lying next to its valve and being sufficiently remote
from it to permit the valve to open far enough for its purposes.
In operation, from the time piston D' for instance, begins to advance until it has
carried the head D out of its cylinder d the water will be drawn by suction from the
chamber E through valves El and chamber F and after that the displacement of the
piston as it enters will close valves E and force water out through valves g until
the stroke is finished and then on the return stroke the retiring piston leaving a
vacuum will again cause suction through valves E' which will continue until the
stroke is finished as the valve P opening outward will permit a free circulation of
water through the piston head.
As already stated, Figures 7 and 8 are to illustrate one method of adjusting the
pistons in a double acting pump with relation to each other and the engine piston to
determine the point in the stroke of the pump pistons at which direct steam pressure
shall cease, and expansive pressure shall begin.
In this instance, the piston rod D³ of the steam engine or other motor is provided
with right hand threads at its end next the pump, while the adjacent end of the pump
piston D has a left hand thread, the latter being double the pitch of the former. Both
are tapped into a sleeve Qin the cross-piece H, and each has a limiting nut s, while
the sleeve is held in the cross-piece H by a nut R. If it is desired to adjust the
pump for an earlier cut-off than the device is set for in Figure 7 of the drawings, it
will be necessary to bring the pump pistons closer together that they may sooner
leave the solid part of the cylinder and sooner establish an equilibrium. To do this,
it is necessary to loosen the nuts R and sand turn the sleeve Q to the right when
looking at the sleeve from the steam end of the pump, when both guide rods and
pump piston will be drawn toward the steam cylinder a certain distance, but at the
same time.
The form of pump shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14 will next be described.
C
A is a cylinder that is connected with the inlet chamber B by an intermediate
chamber and a valve b, and this cylinder is connected to another larger cylinder C
by a pipe D which also connects both cylinders with the outlet chamber E through a
valve e.
A rocking valve F is located in the chamber of pipe D. G, H, are plungers,
one, G, working in cylinder A through a stuffing box I, and the other, H, working
in the cylinder (through a stuffing box J. The stem K of the plungers is
controlled by a cross-head L and a rod M that slides in lugs m on the side of the two
cylinders.
The stem of the valve F projects through a stuffing box N in the pipe D, and has
fixed on it two arms, P, p, one of which, I, extends down at right angles to the
pipe D, when the valve F is closed, and the other, p, extends at an acute angle to the
pipe D, and this arm has a horizontal finger q.
The lower ends of these arms P, p, hang in the path of a roller, that is carried by
rod M, so that, when the parts are in the position shown in full lines, Figure 14, the
roller, by lifting on finger g, will cause arm p to open valve F, which valve will
remain open until the forward stroke of the plunger carries roller from beneath the
fingery and causes it to strike arm P, and when this occurs the arm p will be carried
to a vertical position and the valve closed.
The operation of this device is as follows:
Imagine the valve F to be open; now, as the plungers advance from the position
shown in Figures 13 and 14, a vacuum will be created in chamber C, and the fluid
will be sucked from chamber B through valve b, chamber c, cylinder A, pipe D and
valve F, into chamber C, and displaced from cylinder A by plunger G, until the
aru P' is struck by roller, and valve F closed thereby, and this occurs just as the

page_text: plungers have finished their forward strokes. On the backward stroke, as the valve F
is closed when the plungers start, the plunger H will force the fluid from the
cylinder by displacement into outlet chamber E through valve e, and the retiring
of plunger G from cylinder A will cause a vacuum in cylinder A and thus suck from
chamber B until the rolier lifts arm p, and thereby opens valve F, when the fluid
will be expelled from the pump to the extent of the difference in area of plungers G
and H.
The form of pump shown in Figures 15, 16 and 17, differs slightly in construction
from the form last described. There are two cylinders A and C, differing in diameter
from each other, as before, and having corresponding plungers G and H, passing
through stuffing-boxes I and J, respectively, but the cylinders and plungers, in this
last named form of puup, are shown as being vertically arranged, instead of hori-
zontally, and connected with each other by a walking beam K', which latter is
trunnioned in standards L'. A short pipe D connects the cylinders A and C and a
valve chamber is situated in this pipe and contains a valve F that is operated by the
walking beam K through a strap one end of which is looped to a pin g¹on the
walking beam K¹, and the other end is wristed as shown at 2 to a crank arm Pion
the stein d of valve F. The inlet chamber B has a valve b, and the outlet chamber E
a valve e, as in the other form of pump. In operation, during the first part of the
downward stroke of plunger H, the valve F is closed, and there is no equilibrium,
therefore the pump has a forcing action, sucking water into cylinder A and expelling
from cylinder C until the parts are in the position shown in Figures 15 and 17, when
the pin acting on the loop of strap p will open valve F and establish equilibrium,
which will exist until plunger H completes a downward stroke, and plunger G an
upward stroke, and the plunger H has made an upward stroke and the plunger Ga
downward stroke, during which time the pump will take in and expel water in
proportion to the difference in area of the two plungers, forcing action taking place
only during that portion of the downward stroke of plunger H in which valve F is
closed.
The times at which the valve F will be opened and closed may be regulated by the
adjustment of the roller in the form of pump shown in Figures 12 to 14, and by the
shortening or lengthening of the strap p¹ in the form of pump shown in Figures 15
to 17. The particular form of valve, or connection between the two cylinders, shown
in these just described two forms of the pump may be varied indefinitely without
departing from the spirit of this invention.
The invention will next be described as applied to upright single acting pumps.
Figures 18 to 21, inclusive, illustrating two slightly different forms of such pumps
constructed in accordance with this invention,--first referring to the form of pump
shown in section in Figure 18.
A is the shell of the pump, B the main chamber, C the cylinder, D an arm of the
cylinder, E an outlet chamber, F a valve leading from said arm of the cylinder to the
outlet chamber, G an inlet chamber and H a valve leading from the inlet chamber to
the main chamber B.
I is the plunger or piston which works in a stuffing-box J in the upper portion of
the shell A. The piston head which is hollow is properly fitted in the cylinder C
and provided with two rows of perforations a and b in its sides and with a valve c'
that opens outward from its bottom.
The operation of the device is as follows:
When the piston begins its downward stroke, the pump being full, as long as the
row of perforations are closed from the cylinder by the packing or stationary
bushing the piston will have a forcing action, oxpelling from the cylinder through
valve and sucking into chamber B through valve H, but just as soon as the per-
forations & pass below the packing d there will be circulation established through
perforations a and b and between chainber B and the cylinder, and the plunger I will
merely displace for the remainder of the stroke, and suction will coase, and this
equilibrium will continue throughout the return or upward stroke of the plunger, as

page_text: the valve e will permit a circulation through the piston head I¹ during the stroke of
the piston, but though the equilibrium will continue, expulsion will cease when the
downward stroke is completed, and suction, occasioned by the withdrawal of the
planger, will begin with the upward stroke.
The form of pump shown in Figure 20 differs from that just described in that the
valve c is located in the bottom of the cylinder instead of the bottom of the piston
head.
C
In Figures 22 to 25, inclusive, still another form of pump, similar to the two last
described, is illustrated.
C
A is the shell of the pump which is formed with an inlet chamber a that is con-
nected with the main chainber B by a valve b. The main chamber is formed with a
partition that forms part of the cylinder C, an arm D of which extends to one
side beneath an outlet chamber E with which it communicates through a valve d.
The plunger F, which is coupled in any suitable way with the plunger of a steam
engine, is fitted in the shell A through a stuffing-box g and the piston head G is fitted
water tight (as by packing g¹) in the cylinder C, which latter at its lower end is
provided with a valve chamber e which opens from the cylinder to chamber B and
contains a rocking valve the stem f¹ of which projects out through a stuffing-box h
and is connected by a crank arm i and strap with a cross-head K on the upper end
of the plunger F, a loop m in the upper end of strap j catching over a pink of the
cross-head to make a loose connection.
The operation of the device is as follows:
Suppose the pump to be full of water. Now, when the piston head G begins its
advance or downward stroke it will expel the water from the cylinder through valve d
and out of the pump through chamber E, and suck water into chamber B through valve b
until the pin of cross-lead K reaches the lowest limit of loop m when the pink will
depress strap, and through crank arm i open valve f, and just as soon as valve fis
opened an equilibrium will be established, so that during the remainder of the down-
ward stroke the valve b will be closed, and an amount of fluid expelled from the pump
equal only to the displacement of the entering plunger, and on the upward stroke of
the piston the pressure on both ends of the piston head G will be the same and suction
produced only to the extent of the area of the plunger F as it is withdrawn until the
pink acting on the upper portion of loop m lifts strap j and again closes the valve f,
or, in other words, until the piston has completed its backward stroke and is ready
to return.
The pump forces only during the first part of the initial or downward stroke
of the piston, and hence only when the steam is acting upon the steam piston
under pressure, and then, when the steam has been cut off from its cylinder and
can only act expansively, the plunger of the pump has only a displacing action.
The valve should fit rather loosely on its seat so that it will lift to permit a
slight communication between chamber B and cylinder C before it is opened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination with the suction and delivery chambers of a steam pump,
of a cylinder opening at one end to the suction chamber and at the other to the
delivery chamber and a piston working in and out of said cylinder adapted for
separating the suction and delivery chambers from each other during part of its
stroke and for establishing communication between them during the remainder of
the stroke.
2. In a steam pump, a cylinder having a port leading from its suction chamber,
and an extension that communicates with the delivery chamber, in combination with a
piston adapted to travel in the cylinder and extension alternately, said piston having a
forcing action while in the cylinder proper and a mere displacing action when in the
extension.

page_text: 3. In a steam pump, two chambers, the first chamber provided with suction and
delivery valves, the former sucking from the second chamber which in its turn com-
municates with the suction pipe through the suction valves, a cylinder open at or
near its ends, a piston travelling therein beyond the open portions for separating the
suction from the delivery chambers during a portion of its stroke and for throwing
them into communication during the remainder of the stroke whereby the piston has
at first a forcing action and then a mere displacing action during each stroke.
Dated this 12th day of August 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.