Year: 1887

page_text: 1, SAMUEL SECCOMBE, of Pendowrie, near Liskeard, in the county of Cornwall,
Mining Agent, 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 :-
My invention relates to improved apparatus for raising and forcing water or other
liquids.
Pumping apparatus as heretofore constructed for raising water from mines, wells
and the like comprises a bucket or piston working in a cylinder or barrel or (more
particularly in pumping apparatus for use in mining operations) plunger-poles. Both
of these forms of apparatus necessitate considerable cost for maintenance, the former
requiring the frequent change of the buckets or pistons and the latter the repacking
of the plunger-poles which operations, especially in mines or deep workings where
there are large quantities of water, cause great delay and loss of time. Also as water is
only raised during either the up or down stroke of the pump, large and heavy
machinery has to be used which requires large motive power for operating it and
occupies considerable space in the pits or shafts.
The objects of my present invention are to construct pumping apparatus in such a
manner that the cost required for maintenance is reduced to a minimum and that the
space occupied by the said apparatus and the power required for operating the same
are considerably less than for apparatus of corresponding capacity as heretofore
constructed.
In the accompanying drawings figure 1 is a side elevation of pumping apparatus
constructed according to my invention. Figure 2 is a plan of the same partly in
section and figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line x, x, figure 2.
a, is a cylinder in which works the piston 6, of metal or other material most suitable
to the condition of the liquid to be raised. The upper part of the cylinder a, cou-
municates by means of a cross tube c, with a tube or column d, through which the
liquid is forced by the piston. A valve e, is placed in the tube or column d, above the
cross tube c. The lower ends of the cylinder a, and the tube or column d, communi-
cate through valves and g, respectively with the suction tube h, extending into the
Did I

page_text: mine, well or the like. A tube i, is also provided forming a communication between
the lower part of the cylinder a, above the valve f, and the tube or column d, at a
point above the valve e, such communication being controlled by a valve j, in the
tube i.
The operation of the improved pump is as follows:-
On the down stroke of the piston b, the valve e, is closed, the valve j, is opened and
water is forced by the pistón through the tube i, into the tube or column d, the
valve f, being closed by the pressure and the valve g, opening and admitting water
which follows the piston b, ready for being raised by the upstroke.
On the upstroke of the piston the valve e, is opened by the upward pressure of the
water and the valves j and g, are closed so that the water or other liquid will be forced
into the tube or column d, through the tube c, and valve e; the valve f, will also be
opened so that liquid will enter the cylinder a, beneath the piston b. On the down
stroke of the piston the liquid will lift the valve; and enter the column d, above the
valve e, through the tube i. At the same time the suction valve g, is opened the
liquid entering the space above the piston through the lower part of the column d, and
the cross tube c.
To obviate the necessity for employing the usual expensive system of balancing rods
or the like I provide a cock k, which is placed above the valve j, in the tube i. The
said cock can be adjusted to cause wire drawing on the down stroke of the piston
which with the extra long distance the water has to be drawn from the wind bore
through the valve g, to the top of the piston b, will render unnecessary the employment
of little if any balance except in very deep workings.
A double acting pump constructed according to my invention and having a 14 inch
piston is equivalent to say a 20 inch plunger pole or drawing lift raising water during
the up or down stroke only. On this basis therefore a saving of nearly 50 per cent
will be effected in the cost of pit work and further great savings would be effected in
the cost of fixing and the like as well as say from 30 to 50 per cent in the motive
power and the maintenance of the same.
In the drawing I have shewn the apparatus provided with flat hinged valves but it
will be obvious that other suitable valves such as ball valves can be employed.
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
1. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawing
and operating as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with a double acting pump of the class hereinbefore described,
of a cock arranged substantially in the manner set forth for the purpose specified.
Dated this 9th day of August 1887
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.