CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY PUMPS FOR RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Thomson, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, for
the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY PUMPS FOR RAISING
WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 10th May 1861, and dated the 13th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Thomson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th November 1860.
I, DAVID THOMSON, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY PUMPS
FOR RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
Firstly, in causing the liquid that is being pumped to support the weight of
the vertical driving shaft, or such portion of it as may be desired, or in certain
cases to relieve one side of the revolving wheel of pressure, so that it may be
entirely in equilibrium, which is accomplished by forming a communication
between a portion or the whole of the top side of the revolving wheel, and the
bottom or suction side at which the water is drawn in. The liquid in the
rising main pipe being prevented from returning into the revolving wheel by a
fixed plate placed immediately over it, and fitting close to the upper surface of
the revolving wheel at one part. Secondly, in fixing the aforesaid plate and
the requisite guides for the vertical shaft, seats are provided for them in the
pipe in such a manner that the whole of the working parts can conveniently be
removed and replaced without disturbing the body of the pump, whilst the said
pump is immersed in the liquid.
This second part of my Invention is also applicable to rotatory pumps, which
draw the liquid from both sides of the revolving wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Thomson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
THOMSON, of Grovenor Road, Pimlico, send greeting.
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 David Thomson, Her special licence that I, the said David
Thomson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said David Thomson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATORY PUMPS FOR RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Thomson,
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 David Thomson, 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 follow-
ing statement thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements are applicable to rotatory pumps acting on the centrifugal
principle, and their object is to remove a difficulty hitherto experienced in the
use of such pumps, namely, that if the pump is placed above the liquid to be
pumped a valve is required in the suction pipe to enable the pump to be
charged before it can commence work. This valve, especially when pumping
muddy or impure water, is continually liable to derangement, and being under
water is very difficult of access, and thereby causes a great objection to the use
of this form of pump. To obviate these objections, I have often made these
pumps with the revolving spindle vertical, and the pump itself placed under water,
thereby obviating the necessity of using any valve whatever, and this form of
pump have found to act well, but it is liable to this disadvantage, that before

page_text: it can be fixed the liquid in the well or reservoir must be lowered to a point
below the level where the pump is intended to be fixed, and it must in like
manner be lowered to this level whenever access is required to the pump for
examination or repair. In all cases thus lowering the level of the water is
attended with inconvenience and expense, and my present Invention consists
in so altering the arrangement and construction of the pump as to enable me
to fix and work the pump under water, and thereby obviate the necessity of
using any valve whatever, while at the same time I am enabled to fix or
remove the whole pump or the working parts separately, whilst the liquid in
the well or reservoir remains at its ordinary level, entirely covering the working
parts of the pump. This is effected by fixing the requisite guides for the
vertical shaft or spindle in seats provided for them in the rising main pipe, in
such a manner that they, and also the whole of the working parts, can be con-
veniently removed and replaced without disturbing the body of the pump, and
whilst the said pump is immersed in the liquid.
Another part of my Invention consists in causing the liquid that is being
pumped to support the weight of the vertical driving shaft, or spindle, or such
a portion of it as may be desired, or in certain cases to relieve one side of the
revolving wheel of pressure, so that it may be entirely in equilibrium, which is
accomplished by forming a communication between a portion or the whole of
the top side of the revolving wheel and the bottom or suction side of the same
at which the water is drawn in, the liquid in the rising main pipe being pre-
vented from returning into the revolving wheel by a fixed plate placed
immediately over it and fitting close to the upper surface of the revolving
wheel at one part.
But in order that my Invention may be more easily understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now describe the best means I am acquainted with of
performing the same, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my improved pump; Figure 2
represents an inverted sectional plan of the revolving wheel. A is the rising
main pipe, to the bottom of which is attached the pump chamber B; at the
top the rising main pipe is fixed to the framing C, provided with the bearings
a, a', in which the vertical pump spindle D works. This passes down the
centre of the rising main pipe A into the pump chamber B, where it is
attached to the rotatory fan E, while at the rop it is provided with the drum F,
through which the fan receives its rotatory motion. The guides b, d, and c are
fitted into conical seats provided for them in the rising main pipe and at the
bottom of the pump chamber.
The rotatory fan E is fixed on the spindle D, as shown.
An inverted sec-

page_text: tional plan of this fan or wheel is shewn at Figure 2 with the arms as usually
made; but I do not confine myself to any particular form of the arms. The
revolution of this fan or wheel in the direction of the arrow when covered with
liquid expels the same round the circumference of the wheel, causing it to
ascend in the rising main pipe, whilst it draws in fresh liquid at the centre
opening h. On the top of the revolving fan or wheel is formed a small pro-
jecting rim e, fitting closely to the plate G. This rim prevents the water from.
the rising main passing into the centre part of the top of the revolving fan
except in such small quantities as can leak through between the plate G and
the rim e, or down the pipe k, through which the spindle passes. To provide
for the escape of such water as may leak through the small holes f,f, are made
in the top plate of the revolving wheel, and through these the leakage passes into
the body of the revolving wheel, and thence passes into the rising main. The
water raised through the rising main is discharged through the opening O,
placed at any convenient part of it.
In fixing this pump it is necessary that the revolving wheel should be under
the level of the liquid to be pumped, and the pump being entirely fixed to the
girders or other framing R, R, at the top; it can be so fixed or removed at
whatever height below that point the liquid may stand. The guides b, d, and c,
which rest on cppical seats are made so that each guide will pass' through the
conical seats above it, by which means the whole may be drawn out or replaced
from the top, whilst the seats themselves are under water.
The pump as now described eyen without the holes f,f, and plate G attached
to the guide & would discharge the water and effect the main object of my In-
vention, but in that case the whole upper surface of the revolving wheel being
exposed to the pressure of the liquid in the rising main pipe, whilst a portion of
the lower surface equal to the area of the central opening his exposed to a less
pressure or partial vacuum; this excess of pressure on the upper side of the
fan or revolving wheel would cause a great additional friction on the upper
bearing a which carries the weight of the revolving parts. By the addition of
the holes f,f, and plate G, and the rim e, as above described, the pressure of
the liquid in the rising main is removed from that part of the upper surface
of the revolving wheel which is contained within the rim e, and by making this
rim of a larger diameter, than the opening h, not only is the pressure of the
liquid in the rising main removed from the bearing a, but a sufficient excess
of pressure is obtained on the lower side of the wheel to support or nearly sup-
port the weight of the revolving parts themselves. The friction in the upper
bearing a is thus reduced to a minimum, which is of great importance when the
speed is so great as is required for centrifugal pumps.

page_text: Figure 3 in the accompanying Drawing shews one of my improved pumps
with two revolving wheels placed in connection with each other, in such a way
that the water discharged by the lower wheel passes into the suction part of
the upper wheel; by this means I can raise water or other liquids to any
height with the same speed of revolution of the wheel that would be required
for half the height with one wheel; and, if necessary, three or more wheels
may be placed in conjunction in a similar manner with the effect of still
further reducing the necessary speed of rotation.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself
to the exact details as shewn on the accompanying Drawing, as these may be
modified according to circumstances; but what I claim is,―
Firstly, the general arrangement of rotatory pumps as herein-before described,
by which the before described objects of my Invention are effected.
Secondly, the arrangement as herein-before described, by which, in my
improved rotatory pumps, the pressure of the water is removed from the bear-
ings, and by which the weight of the revolving parts is also wholly or partially
supported by the pressure of the column of water or other liquid in the rising
main on the under side of the wheel. .
Thirdly, the arrangement, as herein-before described, by which the revolving
wheel and spindle, and the guides thereof, may be taken out or replaced
without the necessity of taking the pump out of the liquid, and whilst the liquid
covers the said working parts.
Fourthly, the employment of two or more of my before-mentioned improved
rotatory pumps conjointly, placed one over the other, with the guides fixed in
conical seats, so that they can be removed or replaced while under water, as
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Thomson, 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.
DAVID THOMSON. (L.S.)