IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING WATER
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan Brown, of the Firm of Brandon
and Morgan Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, South-
ampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING WATER."-A
communication from abroad by Charles Houghton, of Boston, Mas-
sachusetts, United States of America.
Scaled the 21st January 1873, and dated the 30th July 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Morgan Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 30th July 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORGAN BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, and 13, Rue Gaillon,
Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: strength, not liable to corrode or melt, and of a size to correspond
with the capacity of the steam generators to generate steam, it being
necessary to make steam enough to drive the water out of this pipe or a
considerable distance up in the pipe before the steam. If the pipe is
too large the steam will not drive the water before it in the pipe, which
it must do to secure the proper operation of the apparatus.
F is a steam pipe from the steam generator to the top or upper part of
the cylinder A. This pipe should also be of a size to correspond with
the capacity of the steam generator to make steam.
G is a branch from the pipe K conducting cold water from it to the
steam generator to replenish what is expended in steam in driving the
water out of the cylinder A.
H, H, are check valves in pipe G opening toward the steam generator
and closing to prevent the passage of water or steam through the pipe G.
The lower one of these valves is preferably furnished with vulcanized
rubber ball gates.
I is a branch from the pipe K conducting cold water into the
cylinder A at or near the top for the purpose of producing condensation
of the steam therein when the water has been expelled from it. This
pipe is entered into the cylinder with a proper attachment for scattering
or diffusing it within the cylinder in a shower or spray.
J, J, are valves in branch pipe I opening upward and closing to
prevent passage of steam from the cylinder A through the pipe I.
K is the water supply and condense pipe for conducting cold water
from the tank to which the water is raised by the apparatus to supply
the steam generator through the branch G and to condense the steam in
the cylinder A. The pipe may be of any convenient size above the
branches G and I, and should preferably be one and one quarter to two
inches in diameter. It is connected with the bottom of the cylinder A
above the valve B by the pipe S and valve S¹ in such way that when
steam is driving the water from the cylinder A it will not only flow to
the tank above through the inlet pipe D, but will also have free passage
up this pipe, thereby facilitating the flow of water from the cylinder.
L is the steam generator. It is made of two cylinders of suitable
metal (preferably iron), one within the other, with space enough between
them to contain the proper amount of water, the ends being united by

page_text: rivets so as to make it tight, the inner cylinder constituting the fire-pot.
The grate is suspended on ears attached to the inner cylinder a little
way above the rivets. The fuel is intoduced through an opening in the
top, which may be of cast or wrought iron. The base is preferably
cast iron.
The steam generator when the apparatus is to be run by a cooking
range or stove is rectangular in form, say about six to eight inches wide,
eighteen to twenty-four inches long, and one and one half to two inches
thick, and is located at one side of the fire-pot.
The water supply pipe should enter the steam generator about as high
up as the water will stand in it when enough has been boiled out to
make steam sufficient to expel the water from the cylinder, and the steam
pipe should be taken out at or very near the top.
M is a loop of iron pipe or of other suitable metal connected with the
steam generator at the lower end, and at the top entering into a cup or
receptacle N. This loop of pipe is to be filled with mercury about half
way up. This loop should be about six feet long, and the diameter of
the pipe may vary according to the capacity of the steam generator. On
a generator twelve inches in diameter, half inch or five-eighths diameter
is sufficient. This column of mercury acts in relation to the steam
generator as a safety valve, and to the cylinder A as an air cushion or
chamber. N is a hollow receptacle or cup placed at the top of the loop
of pipe M to receive and hold the mercury in the tube M where there is
pressure of steam sufficient to drive it out of that tube.
extended up into the cup N about half the height, and
so as to discharge downward, and at the bottom of the cup it is opened
with small holes to allow the mercury to run back into the tube when
the pressure of steam is released. On the side of the cup near the top or
on the top an aperture is provided for the escape of steam.
The tube N is
there bent over
When the pressure of steam is much in excess of what is needed to
raise the column of water in the outlet pipe, it will drive the mercury
out of the tube M into the cup N, opening a free passage for steam to
the open air. When the pressure of steam is released the mercury will
return to the tube M through the holes in the tube provided for that
purpose.
O is a plank upon which the cylinder A and pipes and valves are
fontannd for convenience of transportation.

page_text: P is a pipe around valve C, with a cock Q arranged to drain the
cylinder and pipes when desirable to do so.
R is an opening and cock for the purpose of draining the steam gene-
rator and supply and condense pipes when desirable to do so.
S is a pipe with a valve opening upward and closing toward its
connection with the bottom of the cylinder A, opening a passage for
water from the bottom of the cylinder A to the lower part of the
condense and supply pipe K, the object of it being to allow a flow of
water from the cylinder A through the condense pipe to the tank above
when steam is forcing the water from the cylinder A.
T denotes brackets to hold cylinder A in its place on the plank.
U is a cock to stop flow of water through pipes G and I when
desirable to do so.
V denotes three-way cocks in Figure 2 to turn steam from cylinder A
to hot water boiler.
W denotes the hot water boiler and connections.
The cylinder A and steam generator, as well as all the other parts,
being made entirely tight, are to be filled with water through the
pipes G and I, or otherwise as may be convenient. Fire being then
kindled steam is generated and conducted to top of the cylinder A,
forcing the water out of it up the pipes D and K to the tank above, thus
leaving the cylinder A filled with steam instead of water. Steam will
then follow the water up the pipe D, and when it has driven the water
in pipe D above the valve E, water in the pipe K will flow through the
pipe I past the valve J, refilling the water space in the steam gene-
rator L, stopping the generation of steam, and then through the pipe G
past the valves H into the top of the cylinder, entering it in a diffused
spray, condensing the steam, and thereby producing a vacuum in the
cylinder.
The cylinder being placed within the distance from the water to be
drawn, to which atmospheric pressure will raise water in a vacuum, is
again filled with water as rapidly as the size of the pipe B will admit the
flow. The fire continuing, the same operation will be repeated inde-
finitely as long as the supply of water continues.
The apparatus, as shewn in Figure 1, will raise three hundred gallons
of water per hour, and requires no further attention than making a fire
•

page_text: in it, and reversing the grate when the pumping is to be stopped. The
apparatus shewn in Figure 2 being much smaller in all its parts, is
reliable with an ordinary cooking fire to raise forty to sixty gallons, per
hour, and it may be allowed to run continuously, the surplus water
being returned by the waste pipe to the cistern or well, or it may be
stopped at any time and the steam turned into the hot water boiler by
turning the cocks V.
The convenience and economy of this water elevator, whether attached
to the kitchen range or the special generator, is apparent. It is not liable
to get out of order, and is durable, having no working or wearing parts.
It is not dangerous, as (unless the outlet pipes should be obstructed by
freezing) the pressure of steam can never be much greater than the
pressure of water in the hot water boiler. Should the outlet pipes be
obstructed the pressure of steam will force the mercury out of the
tube M, giving a free passage for steam to the open air.
The following directions will be found useful in adapting the appa-
ratus to an ordinary cooking range or stove:-The ordinary cast-iron
water back, if very thick and strong and uniform in its thickness, may
be used for a steam generator, but it is better to make a wrought-iron
steam generator, which can be done by rivetting plate iron or by taking
a piece of iron tube of sufficient size and thickness and flattening it, and
closing the ends by rivetting. It should be made to contain four to six
quarts of water, and so set in the back of the range as to give the
greatest amount of heating surface. If a wrought-iron one is made, it
will be better to have it long enough to project out beyond the brick-
work to admit of the water and steam pipe entering it outside the
range.
The steam pipe should be taken out of it on its upper side as near as
may be, and the cold water pipe entered into it near the bottom.
The pipe to heat the boiler should be three-fourths inch diameter, and
in a very large range one inch may be used. It should be thick strong
brass pipe. The cold water end of it should enter the range low down in
front of the steam generator for the water elevator, but not near enough
to touch it, and running the length of the fire-pot should be made to
return close up under the top plate of the range or stove, and in all cases
it should be particularly observed that there is no downward dip in it
where steam can collect, as in such case it will make a rattling in the
boiler.

page_text: It is desirable to drop the water pipe K down some distance before
branching it for the water supply pipe I and condense pipe G.
If it is not convenient to carry the outlet pipe D to the tank it may
be joined to the water pipe K ten or twelve feet above the bottom of the
cylinder, and both may be joined to the outlet pipe of the common force-
pump if desirable. This pipe K should terminate in the bottom of a small
tank X, see Figure 4, adapted for the purpose, holding enough to fill the
cylinder A and the steam generator L, and so arranged that the water
raised will flow from it into the main reservoir. When the uplet pipe of
the water elevator is joined to that of the common force pump, there must
be a valve in the latter below the junction to prevent the water running
out of the pipe and the small tank just mentioned. In the small tank
mentioned a floating valve is arranged to close the aperture of the uplet
pipe K when water enough to fill the steam generator and condense the
steam in the cylinder has gone down. This valve need not be exactly
tight, though it must be very nearly so. It is of more importance where
there is a long draught than where it is short.
At the entrance of the condense pipe into the cylinder it should be
contracted; and so arranged as to discharge its water into the steam in a
fine spray.
The coil 4 heating the water in the hot water boiler and the pipes
from the steam generator should be connected, as shewn in the
engraving, the three-way cocks X serving to open a passage from the
steam generator to the hot water boiler, thus stopping the action of the
water elevator by allowing the steam generated to escape into the hot
water boiler.
In all cases a water pipe from the tank above to the cistern from
whence the water is drawn should be provided to prevent an overflow,
and then it will not be necessary to stop the operation of the water
elevator at all, unless additional heating power is desired for the hot
water boiler.
The mercury column M, operating as a safety valve and air chamber,
should always be attached and should be placed directly upon the steam
generator, or as near it as possible on the steam pipe. This will render
explosion in case of obstruction of pipes by frost or otherwise impossible.
A good safety valve might answer the same purpose, but is not so

page_text: reliable. Every hot water apparatus in a house should have a safety
valve or mercury column on it.
The suction pipe should always have two good reliable valves in it, so
that in case of any defective action in one the other will hold.
It is particularly to be observed in putting the pipes together that no
chips, dirt, or extraneous matter of any kind is allowed to be left inside,
and that the valves and pipes are entirely clear and clean; and it is
equally important that the water to be drawn should be strained or
filtered, so that nothing which may obstruct the operation of the valves
· may enter the suction pipe. If the valves close properly and there is 1
no leakage the apparatus cannot fail to operate as expected if steam is
generated.
VLAIME
The general construction and arrangement of the apparatus for raising
water, and the specific construction and arrangement of the pipes, valves,
generator, and other parts, substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan Brown, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the 2
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.