IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LIPTING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Nelson, of New York, in the United States
of America, temporarily residing at Ramsey, in the Isle of Man, Mariner,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND
LIPTING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 20th May 1859, and dated the 22nd November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Nelson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
November 1858.
I, ROBERT NELSON, of New York, in the United States of America, tempo-
rarily residing at Ramsey, in the Isle of Man, Mariner, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING
AND LIFTING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
My apparatus for raising and lifting water is altogether a new device. I
obtain a vacuum by the ignition of heated hydro-carbon fluids, such as
turpentine, naptha, & alcohol. It will be fully understood, reference being
had to the Drawings accompanying this, and to the letters thereon, which
represent the same parts in both views.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an end section of that part of Fig. 1
marked a'. a, the suction pipe, on the top of which is a valve b, shewn in
dotted lines; c, the receiver; d, the discharge or outlet, also shewn in
dotted lines; e, vessel containing the hydro-carbon fuel or liquid to be burned,

page_text: which is allowed to flow through the tube f into the bottom of the bent pipe
or tube g; the quantity is regulated by the tap h. a', the valve and igniting
apparatus, which consists of a slide valve i, spring catch j, weighted igniting
aperture cover k, k, lamp 1, and igniting aperture m. My pump or water
elevator is put in operation as follows:-The lamp is lighted, the tap h is
turned on, allowing a quantity of the liquid to flow into the bottom of that
part of Fig. 1 shewn broken off and marked 9; by moving the slide and
opening the valve i by hand or other power, it will pass the spring catch j,
but in its return will tap it and lift the aperture cover k, the flame from the
lamp will at once ignite the liquid. The slide valve is at this time shut, and
the cover k, by the weight of the balance k¹, will have shut the aperture_m; the
flame will almost instantly have consumed the atmosphere in the apparatus,
and there being no fresh supply, must die out; the vacuum is thus formed,
and the water or other liquid rushes in; by again opening the valve i, the
atmospheric pressure discharges it by the valve d, the return stroke of the slide
again opens and ignites the fuel, and so on. By this apparatus, which is made
of metal, a very large volume of watar can be raised a limited height at a
trifling cost; the whole apparatus is light and portable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Nelson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
NELSON, of New York, in the United States of America, temporarily residing
at Ramsey, in the Isle of Man, Mariner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Nelson, Her special license that I, the said Robert
Nelson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Robert Nelson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LIFTING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS," upon the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Nelson, 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 Robert Nelson, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 (that is to say):-
My apparatus or machine for raising, lifting, or elevating water and other
liquids and semi-liquids is altogether a new device. I obtain a vacuum in
a receiver, which is part of the apparatus or machine, by the ignition or
explosion of volatilized or heated hydro-carbon fluids.
My Invention will be fully and clearly understood, reference being had to
the Sheet of Drawings accompanying this, and to the letters and figures
thereon. The Drawings shew three modifications of my Invention, all
employing the same principle or means of obtaining a vacuum, viz., by the
ignition of volatilized hydro-carbon fluids.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of my elevator or pump; and Fig. 2, a
section of that part of Fig. 1 marked a¹, and used for volatilizing and
igniting the hydro-carbon fluids; in both views the same letters of reference
are used to represent the same parts. a represents the suction pipe, on the
top of which is a valve b, shewn in dotted lines; c, the receiver; d, the discharge
valve or outlet, also shewn in dotted lines; e, vessel containing the hydro-
carbon fuel or liquid to be burned, and which is allowed to flow through the
tube finto the bottom of the bent pipe, tube, or receptacle g; the quantity is
regulated by the tap h. a, the valve and volatilizing and igniting or exploding
apparatus, which consists of a slide valve i, slide valve port or passage ¹º,
spring catch j, weighted igniting aperture cover or stop valve with cork
packing k, lamp 1, and box or receptacle with igniting aperture m. My
elevator or pump is put in operation as follows:-The lamp is lighted, the
taph turned on, allowing a small quantity of the liquid to flow into that part
of Fig. 1 shewn "broken off" and marked g, by moving the slide valve i, and
opening the port or passage i¹ by hand or other power, the slide will pass the
spring catch j, but in its return it will tap it and lift the aperture cover k,
allowing the flame from the lamp to ignite the liquid. The slide valve i, 10,
is at this time shut, and the cover k will have also (by its own weight).shut.

page_text: the igniting aperture, the flame or ignited fluid will almost instantly have
consumed the atmosphere in the apparatus, and there being no fresh supply,
must die out; the vacuum is thus formed, and the water or liquid rushes in;
by again opening the valve i, 10, the pressure of the atmosphere will discharge
the liquid by the valve or outlet d, the return stroke of the slide i again taps
the spring catch j, attached to the igniting aperture cover, lifts it, allows the
fuel or fluid to be again ignited, and so on.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6 represent another modification of my Invention; Fig. 3
is a front elevation, Fig. 4 a side elevation, Fig. 5 a front view of the valve
apparatus shewn in a different position to Fig. 3, the stop valve or igniting
aperture being open, and the flame igniting the fluid; and Fig. 6, a plan of
the valve apparatus in the same position as shewn in Fig. 3. The same
letters of reference are used to represent the same parts in the different views
of this modification. a' represents the suction pipe; 1, the suction valve; c',
the receiver; d¹, the discharge valve; e¹, vessel containing the hydro-carbon
fluid, which flows into the box or receptacle g¹, and is regulated by the tap h',
this tap being operated by the slide valve ¹, each stroke allowing only a
sufficient or proper quantity to pass; ¹, spring catch; k¹, the stop valve or
igniting aperture cover, packed with cork or other elastic substance; l, the
lamp; m, the box or receptacle for the fluid falling into, to be volatilized, with
igniting aperture in same; n¹, stud to keep the spring catch in its place; o¹,
a catch fastened to the slide valve ¹, which unlocks or frees the spring catch j¹
in its motion, and taps it in its return, thus working the igniting apparatus or
stop valve; p', a valve, to which is attached a chain q', moving over pullies ¹,
thence to the suction valve 1; when the latter valve is open the former will
be closed, thus entirely preventing the volatilizing and igniting part of the
machine from damp and cold. The mode or manner of operating my elevator
or pump under this modification is substantially the same as that described
under Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of another modification exactly similar to
the last described, to wit, Figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6, but with the addition of a fire or
furnace for volatilizing the hydro-carbon fluid. The same letters of reference
are used to denote the same parts as in Figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6, but have each the
figure 2 added instead of 1. s² represents the fire-place or furnace used for
heating a plate t%, on which the hydro-carbon fluid is made to fall from the box
or receptacle m², each stroke; u² the chimney.
Although I have described my Invention under certain arrangements, still
I do not confine myself to the precise details laid down, as such may be varied
and further modified without departing from the principle of the same; but

page_text: what I claim as my Invention, aud which to the best of my knowledge and
belief has not been hitherto used within the realm, is,―
I. Producing a vacuum by the ignition or explosion of volatilized bydro-
carbon fluids in a suitable receiver, for raising, lifting, or elevating liquids.
II. Volatilizing and igniting or exploding hydro-carbon fluids, (thus
forming a vacuum) from one and the same source of heat, for raising, lifting,
or elevating liquids.
III. The arrangement of the parts of the machine or apparatus employed
for volatilizing and igniting or exploding hydro-carbon fluids in connection
with a receiver and appurtenances, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, for
the purpose of raising, lifting, or elevating liquids, or separately for other
purposes.
IV. Volatilizing and igniting or exploding hydro-carbon fluids by means of
a fire and lamp or other flame, as shewn in Fig. 7, for raising, lifting, or
elevating liquids.
And, lastly, the arrangement of the parts of the machine or apparatus
employed for volatilizing and igniting or exploding hydro-carbon fluids in
connection with a receiver and appurtenances, as shewn in Fig. 7, for the
purpose of raising, lifting, or elevating liquids, and also separately for other
purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Nelson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
In the presence of
JOHN T. KING, Patent Agent,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool.
ROBERT NELSON.
L.S.)