Improvements in Steam Vacuum Pumps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1.91-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE EDWARD NYE, of Chicago, County
of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Steam Vacuum Pumps.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents.
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare 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 :-
The first part of my invention relates to a novel construction of removable
induction valve seats which are provided with recessed attaching portions, in which
the rubber valves and valve stops are placed and the valves, where secured to the
seats, are prevented from being spread out laterally by pressure of the stop, and are
not so weakened as to be torn loose by the force of water and debris entering
the pump.
The second part of my invention relates to a hollow steam valve forming a portion
of a circle and bounded by a segment and radial lines with its apex rounded to form
a bearing in its case. The ports are made through the segment. One port com-
municates with a steam pipe, and by means of other pipes the valve communicates
with the main water chambers. The case allows the valve to oscillate so that
by alternate vacuums in the said chambers the valve is shipped to reverse
the ports.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1, is an elevation of a steam vacuum pump in which my invention is
embodied.
Fig. 2, is a detached section of the lower portion of the air chamber and its base,
on line x Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the base of the pump with the air and water chambers
removed.
Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation of the steam valve and its
case shown as attached to the head of the main water chambers.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section of Fig. 4 on line z.
Fig. 6 is a perspective representation of one of the induction valves and its
attachments removed from the base of the pump.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of the end Y of the valve and connections.
A A represent the main water chambers which are square in cross section. A
base P P.is provided with flanges to which the said chambers are bolted in the
usual manner.
The base has a hollow downward portion G H which is divided by
a central partition indicated by dotted lines Figs. 1 and 3, so that there is no
communication between the two compartments except by a small pipe p.
c are the
pipes which lead from the respective water chambers A A to the discharge
chamber I, and m, l, are the ordinary large and small pipes which lead from
chambers A to the air chamber M. 6 represents one exit valve in chamber I.
The valve of the same construction is omitted in the other chamber to show the
port c. Each valve consists of a removable seat d secured to the base by bolts;
one end is provided with upwardly projecting supports 9 with a recess between, in
which the end of a rubber valve k is placed and held in position by the valve stop j
which also lies between the supports 9 and is bolted fast to the base, whereby the
rubber cannot be spread out laterally by the pressure of the stop, and the said stop
is prevented from swinging edgewise by the said supports. To the edges of the
seat d are rigidly affixed two guides which project above the valve and prevent
it from being thrust edgewise by the incoming water and debris. It will be under-
stood that water rushes through the ports c with great force, carrying often much
g

page_text: solid matter with it and that a rubber valve is the only kind which will properly
seat itself. The utility of the means therefore to protect and guide the valve is
apparent. A vacuum in one water chamber is the means by which the steam valve
is shipped to reverse the ports ss, therefore the valve must be subject only to
minimum friction or it will not ship. The hollow steam valve shown at W, U, V,
is about one sixth of the area of a circle and bounded by a segment and radial lines
with the upper apex rounded to form a bearing on the inside of the case portion B.
The steam ports S, S, 3 are formed through the segment, and the case portion B, B
is formed to permit the valve to oscillate about one sixth of its segment length.
The case is shown at D, B, B, D', with flanges E for attaching it to the tops Q, Q,
of the chambers A, A, and it is formed with pipes R, R, leading to each water
chamber, and it is recessed at each edge of the valve as shown at T, to permit
steam to come in contact with those portions of the valve alternately as it is brought
against the case. V¹, 2, are the valve seats and is the pipe by which steam enters
the valve through port 3. A pipe C is connected with the pipe and also by an
extension, with a steam boiler.
The operation is as follows:-The valve is in the position it occupies when the
left hand chamber A is taking steam to drive the water therefrom, while the right
hand chamber is taking water. As soon as the water has passed out of the left
hand chamber the weight of water in the right hand chamber will force cold water
through pipe p and the water forced into the air chamber M will enter the left
hand chamber A and a vacuum will be formed, the said vacuum will extend to the
left of the valve and the valve will instantly ship to the left and the operation will
be reversed. The improved pump is capable of forcing water up to a height of
about one hundred feet.
I do not claim broadly an automatic steam vacuum pump as such pumps have
heretofore been in use but of different construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein described improvements in steam vacuum pumps consisting of
removable valve seats provided with upwardly projecting supports between which
the fixed end of the rubber valve is placed in combination with the valve stop also
placed between the said supports and secured to the base, and guide standards
attached to the seats to bring the valves to their seats as hereinbefore described
and shown.
2. A. hollow steam valve consisting of a portion of a circle bounded by two radial
lines and a segment line with the steam ports through the segment, and having its
top angle rounded to form a bearing within the case, and the case provided with
pipes leading to the respective water chambers and a receiving steam pipe, and
the valve chamber having a width greater than the valve, whereby the latter
is automatically shipped to reverse the ports as hereinbefore described and
shown.
Dated this 5th dor of Mar 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.