Improvements in or connected with Air and Water Pumps Worked by Steam.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Air and Water Pumps Worked by
Steam.
I, ALVAR GRÖNHOLM, of the Parish of Jämsä, Government of Tavastehus,
Finland, in the Empire of Russia, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In order to obtain a cheap pump requiring very little attendance, I have devised
the following arrangement of automatic steam regulator.
The improved steam-regulator will be described with reference to a cylinder
used for the purpose of working an air-pump for locomotives.
The steam goes from the engine through a pipe to a pipe-like case made of
brass, consisting of two compartments, the one for the inlet, the other for the
outlet. This pipe-like case is placed upon the cylinder cover.
or.
From the steam-
entrance in this case the steam is led down through an iron-pipe to the piston
of the cylinder. This iron-pipe is fixed to the piston and thus moves with it
when at work. Where the pipe goes through the cylinder cover there is a stuffing-
box for giving tightness. After the steam has entered the piston, it goes along a
channel to and round the slide or valve which is arranged in the piston. In this
construction the slide consists of a brass-cap like a
with rectangular openings, the
piece of pipe.
total area of which is equal to,
somewhat larger than the area of the inlet-pipe to the piston. In this
cap a little piston is movable up and down, by means of which the steam is led
either to the under or upper side of the cylinder piston. This little piston,
called a fixed slide-piston, is guided by a steel-spindle, which is made all in one
piece with the slide-piston for small machines and of a
larger machines, and runs through two holes in rectangular pieces made of steel,
special material for
which cross the slide cap and prevent the slide piston from slipping out of the
same. In adjusting the slide, special care should be taken that the level (height)
of the rectangular slide ports be equal to 1 of the length of the slide cap. and
that the thickness of the slide piston be equal to the level (height) of the slide-
steam ports, also that the length of the spindle at each side from the slide
piston be equal to twice the thickness of the slide piston + the thickness of the
rectangular steel pieces which cross the cap.
Change of steam occurs, when the cylinder piston approaches the cover or the
bottom. When the cylinder piston moves upwards, the slide-piston spindle then
touches the cover and presses down the slide piston, which causes the steam to
change and now act on the cylinder piston to push this downwards. The same
thing occurs again with the slide piston, when the cylinder piston approaches
the bottom, and a rise of the same will be the consequence. If the slide piston
should happen to shut the slide steam ports of the cap when the pump has
refused to work, a little "cut out" is made in the top edge of the slide piston,
hrough which
cut out" the steam at first leaks past and fills the upper part
of the cylinder until the pressure has risen so high that the pressure on the
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page_text: slide-piston becomes greater than its weight together with the friction of the
spring of the same and the slide piston is pressed down, opening at the same
time the slide ports and the pump begins to work.
At the same moment that the slide piston spindle touches either the cover or
the bottom, an exhaust valve also touches the same surface and begins to shut at
the same time that the slide-piston opens. The exhaust valve slides into two brass
glands. The valve is of brass and constructed in such manner that the middle
part is like the slidè cap, only longer, and is then continued by a flange of the
same diameter projecting from the seat of the valve The top and bottom ends
of the valve are connected with each other by means of a stay, which also receives
the pressure caused by the valve touching the cylinder cover and bottom. In
adjusting the exhaust valve care must be taken that the distance between the
seats of the gland is three times the level (height) of the rectangular outlet
ports of the valve, which is the same as that of the ports of the slide cap.
The distance between the seats of the valve should be five times the height
of the valve ports, and the length of the whole valve from the top to the bottom
nut should be equal to the whole length of the slide piston spindle. Box nuts
should be used in the outer end, where they get a cylindrical form. The valve
between the two seats, is divided into five equal parts of which the two parts
adjacent to the centre are provided with rectangular openings, their total area
in each part separately being equal to, or larger than that of the outlet pipe
from the cylinder piston. whereas the middle and end parts remain whole.
At the same moment that the steam shifts the slide, the exhaust steam rushes
also through the valve opening on the opposite side of the cylinder piston
into a channel in the cylinder piston, whence it is led through an iron pipe, also
fixed to the cylinder piston, up to the outlet compartment of the case on the
cylinder cover, whence the steam is led through a pipe into the air.
Moreover, there is fitted on the bottom of the cylinder, a spring loaded escape
valve for the outlet of possibly condensed water.
The piston rod runs down direct from the cylinder piston into the pump, which
is of double action for suction and pressure.
If the piston be used for doing the work in a water pump, it performs the same
swiftly and well to the entire satisfaction of the owner. Owing to the little space
it occupies it can be placed upon any sort of narrow and inaccessible place, as it
requires very little attendance and only by the throbbing sound of the valves gives
notice that the work is in full swing. Two or more of these pumps can be com-
bined for forwarding large quantities of water, but all the same one may quite
well be at rest while the other is working, for instance, if for the time a smaller
supply of water were desirable.
This construction of a pump can be used with great advantage also for steam
fire engines.
T
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Air and Water Pumps Worked by
Steam.
I, ALVAR GRÖNHOLM, late of Jamsä, Gov. Tavastehus,..but now of 46, Wladmir
Street, Helsingfors, Finland, in the Empire of Russia, Engineer, do hereby declare

page_text: the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed;
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In order to obtain a cheap pump requiring very little attendance, I have devised
the following arrangement of automatic steam regulator.
It is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus
Figure 2 a horizontal section through the cylinder piston and valves;
Figure a vertical section at right angles to Figure 1;
Figure 4 a sectional plan view of Figure 3;
Figure 5 a general elevation;
Figure 6 a plan of the cylinder piston and valves;
Figures 7 to 10 are details of the valves.
The improved, steam regulator will be described with reference to a cylinder
used for the purpose of working an air-pump for locomotives.
The steam goes from the engine through a pipe A to a pipe-like case made of
brass, consisting of two compartments B C, the one B for the inlet, the other
C for the outlet. This pipe-like case is placed as shown by the drawings upon
the cylinder cover. From the steam-entrance B in this case the steam is led
down through an iron-pipe D to the piston of the cylinder. This iron-pipe
is fixed to the piston and thus moves with it when at work. Where the pipe
goes through the cylinder cover there is a stuffing-box E for securing tightness.
After the steam has entered the piston, it goes along a channel F to and round
the slide or valve which is arranged in the piston. In this construction the slide
or valve consists of a brass-cap G like a piece of pipe with rectangular openings,
the total area of which is equal to, 01 somewhat larger than the
area of the inlet-pipe, to the piston. In this cap G a little piston H
is movable up and down, by means of which the steam is led either to the under
or upper side of the cylinder piston. The little piston H which may be called a
fixed slide-piston, is guided by a steel-spindle I. which is made in one piece with
the slide-piston for small machines and of a special material for larger machines,
and runs through two holes in rectangular pieces K made of steel, which cross the
slide cap G and prevent the slide piston H from slipping out of the same. In
adjusting the slide or valve, special care should be taken that the level (height)
of the rectangular slide ports be equal to of the. length of the slide cap G,
and that the thickness of the slide piston H be equal to the level (height) of the
slide-steam ports, also that the length of the spindle I at each side from the
slide piston H be equal to twice the thickness of the slide piston + the thickness
of the rectangular steel pieces K which cross the cap G.
Change of steam occurs, when the cylinder piston approaches the cover or the
bottom. When the cylinder piston moves upwards, the slide-piston spindle I
then touches the cover and presses down the slide piston H which causes the steam
to change and now act on the cylinder piston to push this downwards. The same
thing occurs again with the slide piston H, when the cylinder piston approaches
the bottom, and a rise of the same will be the consequence. If the slide piston H
should happen to shut the slide steam ports of the cap G, when the pump has
refused to work, a little "cut out" L (Figures 6 and 8) is made in the top edge
of the slide piston, through which "cut out "the steam at first leaks past, and fills
the upper part of the cylinder until the pressure has risen so high that the
pressure on the slide-piston H becomes greater than its weight together with the
friction of the springs of the same and the slide piston is pressed down, opening
at the same time the slide ports and the pump begins to work.
At the same moment that the slide piston spindle I touches either the cover or
the bottom, an exhaust-valve M also touches the same surface and begins to shut
at the same time that the slide-piston H opens. The exhaust valve M as shown
by the drawings slides in two brass glands N. The valve is of brass and con-
structed in such manner that the middle part is like the slide cap G, only longer,
and is then continued by a flange of the same diameter projecting from the seat

page_text: of the valve. The top and bottom ends of the valve are connected with each other
by means of a stay P, which also receives the presssure caused by the valve
touching the cylinder cover and bottom. In adjusting the exhaust valve M care
must be taken that the distance between the seats of the gland is three times the
level (height) of the rectangular outlet ports of the valve, which is the same as
that of the ports of the slide cap G.
The distance between the seats of the valve should be five times the height of
the valve ports, and the length of the whole valve from the top to the bottom
nut should be equal to the whole length of the slide piston spindle. Box nuts
should be used in the outer end, where they have a cylindrical form. The valve
between the two seats, is divided into five equal parts of which the two parts
adjacent to the centre are provided with rectangular openings, their total area
in each part separately being equal to, or larger than that of the outlet pipe S from
the cylinder piston, whereas the middle and end parts remain whole, as shown in
Figure 7.
At the same moment that the steam shifts the slide, or valve, the exhaust, steam
rushes also through the valve opening on the opposite side of the cylinder piston
into a channel R in the cylinder piston, whence it is led through an iron pipe S,
also fixed to the cylinder piston, up to the outlet compartment C of the case on the
cylinder cover, whence the steam is led through a pipe T into the air.
Moreover, there is fitted on the bottom of the cylinder, a spring loaded escape
valve for the outlet of possibly condensed water.
The piston rod runs down direct from the cylinder piston into the pump, which
is of double action for suction and pressure.
If the piston be used for doing the work in a water pump, it performs the same
swiftly and well to the entire satisfaction of the owner. Owing to the little space
it occupies it can be placed upon any sort of narrow and inaccessible place, as it
requires very little attendance and merely by the throbbing sound of the valves
gives notice that the work is in full swing. Two or more of these pumps can be
combined for forwarding large quantities of water, but all the same one may quite
well be at rest while the other is working, for instance, if for the time a smaller
supply of water be desired.
This construction of a pump can be used with great advantage also for steam
fire engines.
It is obvious that the details of the invention may be modified without departing
from the fundamental principles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
The construction of an automatic steam regulator in air and water pumps,
worked by steam, characterised by the steam being led by means of pipes to a
case on the cylinder cover, in which there are two compartments, the one for
the inlet, the other for the outlet; the case having two pipes moving within it
which go through the cylinder cover down to the piston and are fixed to the same
and channels being formed in the piston to lead from the ends of both pipes to
and round valves mounted in the piston and so constructed that they are opened
and shut by touching the cylinder cover and bottom, substantially as hereinbefore
set forth.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.