A NEW OR IMPROVED PUMP FOR FORCING WATER, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Munro, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
PUMP FOR FORCING WATER, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES
OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 9th July 1875, and dated the 11th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Munro at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th May 1875.
I, WILLIAM MUNRO, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
5 Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of*" A NEW
OR IMPROVED PUMP FOR FORCING WATER, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR EXTINGUISHING
FIRES OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which relates to a new or improved pump for forcing
water, may be used for extinguishing fires or other purposes wherein a
jet of water or water under pressure is required..
The
pump
constituting this Invention consists of one or more barrels,

page_text: each of which is provided with a piston or plunger and with inlet and
outlet valves, the pump or pumps being double acting.
The pump or pumps, if more than one is employed, is (or are)
contained within a box or chamber, and bolted to the upper part or
cover thereof, the water inlet by preference being situated at the upper
part of the chamber, and the water.exit at the lower part thereof.
The new or improved pump may be operated by manual labour, or by
steam or other power, and the water on escaping from the pump cylinder
passes into the box or chamber which contains the pump, this box or
chamber constituting an air vessel, the pressure of air in which imparts
the requisite force to the jet or stream.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Munro in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MUNRO, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
38th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Munro, Her special license,
that I, the said William Munro, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Munro, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED PUMP
FOR FORCING WATER, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR
OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Munro, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performing a
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 William Munro, 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 following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention, which relates to a new or improved pump for
forcing water, may be used for extinguishing fires or for other purposes
wherein a jet of water or water under pressure is required.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of -Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side
elevation of one arrangement of the new or improved pump as con-
structed in accordance with my said Invention; Figure 2 is a
longitudinal section thereof, and Figure 3 a plan of the same; whilst
Figure 4 is a detailed view of one of the pump barrels.
The pump illustrated by the Figures referred to is constructed with
two pump barrels A, cach of which is provided with a piston or
plunger B, and with chambers C and D at the upper and lower ends
respectively thereof. In the chambers C, D, inlet and outlet valves a
and respectively are placed, which valves are preferably made of
leather or other flexible material, and arranged on the hanging or flap
principle, each valve being provided with a weight c to keep it shut,
excepting at the required intervals. The pump is double acting, so that
whilst water is being drawn into the barrels A thereof through the inlet
valves at the upper ends the downward motion of the pistons or
plungers B is causing the water below the pistons or plungers to pass
outwards from the barrels through the outlet valves in the chambers D,
the inlet valves in these chambers being closed and kept shut partly by
the weights c and partly by the pressure of water against them. Similarly,

page_text: 1
whilst the inlet valves in the chambers D are open and water passing
into the lower parts of the pump barrels A, the inlet valves in the
chambers C are closed, and the pistons or plungers B are by their
upward motion forcing the water above them outwards through the
upper outlet valves b. The outlet valves 6 of the pump are retained in 5
position by straps & of metal placed on their inner ends, and bolted to
lugs or projections e formed on the sides of the chambers C, D; or the
said valves may be secured by other equivalent means. The inlet
valves a are retained on their seats in the chambers C, D, by flanches g
bolted or otherwise secured to the flanches of the said chambers, and 1
into each of the flanches g an arm or branch leading from the main inlet
or suction pipe L is inserted and fixed, as shewn on the Drawings. It
being explained that the main inlet or suction pipe L is made preferably
of lead or other soft metal which will easily yield to the tightening
action of the bolts, thereby enabling the joints at the flanches g being 1
more easily made than would be the case if the inlet or suction pipe L
was made of cast iron or other hard or stiff metal.
The pump barrels A are contained within a chamber M, and bolted to
the upper part or cover thereof, the water inlet L by preference being
passed through the upper part of the chamber and the water exit situated a
at the lower part thereof, as shewn at N, Figure 1.
The new or improved pump herein-before described and shewn on the
accompanying Drawings may be operated by manual labour, to permit
of which it is provided with a cross head O centred at P, and to which
the rods R of the pistons or plungers B are attached by links S, as a
shewn. The extremities of the cross head O are provided with cross
handles or poles T, by actuating which the pistons or plungers B are
raised and lowered alternately. Steam or other power may however be
employed to actuate the pump, and the water on escaping from the
pump cylinders A passes into the box or chamber M which constitutes
an air chamber, the pressure of air within which imparts the requisite
force to the jet or stream issuing through the exit N.
In lieu of constructing the pump with two pumping cylinders or
barrels A, as herein-before described, any other suitable number of
barrels greater than two, and with valves arranged as set forth, may be a
employed; or the pump may be constructed with one barrel only, as
shewn in vertical section at Figure 5 of the Drawings.

page_text: The pump constructed under either of the modes set forth may be
mounted on a carriage or truck, so as to render it capable of being
moved about with facility either by manual, horse, steam, or other
power.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the arrangement or construction of double-acting
force pump herein-before described, wherein the pump barrels are
attached to the cover of the chamber containing them, and the inlet
and outlet valves thereof placed as shewn on the appended Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Munro, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, One thousand
WILLIAM MUNRO: (L.S.)