Improvements in Pumping Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan.,
1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
IRUVIDIONAL DIUITIONIN
Improvements in Pumping Apparatus.
I, JOHN GWYNNE of Hammersmith Iron Works, Hammersmith, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to improved pumping apparatus adapted for use
when pumping from a tank or vessel to a higher level liquid containing matters
which are liable, when the pumps are not at work, to deposit and clog the
apparatus; as, for instance, is the case with apparatus employed to pump tailings;
as applied to which apparatus I will describe the nature of my invention.
The tailings are received intermittently in a tank having an inclined bottom with
the lower part of which there communicates the suction pipe of a centrifugal pump
the interior of which is provided with a chilled iron lining adapted to resist as far
as possible the wearing action of the tailings. From the delivery pipe of the pump
there is a branch return pipe to the interior of the tank. In this return pipe is a
valve the spindle of which is fitted with a weighted lever connected with a chain or
its equivalent that passes over antifriction wheels, or is connected through a lever
with another chain or equivalent, on which a float located in the tank is free to
move up and down within certain limits the arrangement being such that if the
float descends below a given level it exerts a pull upon its chain the lower end of
which is suitably moored to the bottom of the tank. To the outside chain or
equivalent there is also connected the lever arm of a valve that controls the supply
of steam to the engine which drives the centrifugal pump. Preferably I arrange
the float to slide upon a tube of convenient length secured around the chain and
provided at its lower end with a collar upon which the float rests when the liquid
drops below the given level.
The arrangement is such that when there is an ample supply of liquid in the tank
the float will be retained at such a level that the valve in the branch pipe that leads
from the delivery pipe of the pump will be closed and the valve supplying steam to
the engine full open, but, if the level of the liquid in the tank descends to such an
extent that only a small quantity is left therein, then the valve in the branch pipe
from the delivery pipe will be opened by the descending float acting through its
connections upon the lever of the said valve and simultaneously the steam supply
valve will be partially closed, thereby reducing the steam supply to the engine, and
the pump will be kept at work but delivering back into the tank, and this will
continue, thus keeping any solid matters contained in the liquid in motion, until a
further supply of liquid is received in the tank, the float thereby raised, the valve
in the branch from the delivery pipe closed, and the steam supply valve further
opened, and so on.
As will be evident the details of construction may be more or less modified
without departure from the essential characteristics of my invention.
Dated this 18th day of January 1895.

page_text: I, JOHN GWYNNE, of Hammersmith Iron Works, Hammersmith, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has reference to improved pumping apparatus adapted for use
when pumping, from a tank or vessel to a higher level, liquid containing matters
which are liable, when the pumps are not at work, to deposit and clog the
apparatus; as, for instance, is the case with apparatus employed to pump
tailings.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention as applied in an apparatus
suitable for pumping tailings.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 shows the apparatus partly in side elevation and partly (i.e. the tank) in
section; and
Fig. 2 shows an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.
The tailings are received, intermittently, in a tank A having an inclined bottom;
with the lower part of this tank there communicates the suction pipe B of a
centrifugal pump C the interior of which is provided with a chilled iron lining or
other material adapted to resist as far as possible the wearing action of the tailings
as well understood. From the delivery pipe D of the pump there is a branch
return pipe E to the interior of the tank A. In this return pipe E is a valve F
the spindle fof which is fitted with a weighted lever G connected by a chain H or
its equivalent to one arm K of a lever pivoted at K¹ and to whose other arm K² is
connected the upper end of a tube or rod L provided with a collar or flange L'.
A float M located in the tank is free to move up and down upon the tube or rod L
within limits determined by the collar L'. The lower end of the tube or rod L is
moored to the bottom of the tank by a chain N. The chain H or equivalent is
also connected to the lever arm O of a valve P that controls the supply of steam
to the engine Q which drives the centrifugal pump. In the example shown, the
connection is effected indirectly by connecting the lever arm O to the lever G by
means of a connecting rod R whose length is adjustable by turning a screwed
collar R which connects the screw threaded ends of two separate lengths of rod
which form the complete rod R. The chain N might be continued through the
tube L to the lever arm K2, and the chain H might be arranged to directly (instead
of indirectly) operate the lever arm O.
As will be seen, the arrangement is such that when there is an ample supply of
liquid in the tank A, the float M will be retained at such a level that the valve F
in the return pipe E will be closed, and the valve P which supplies steam to the
engine will be full open; but, if the level of the liquid in the tank A descends to
such an extent that only a small quantity is left therein, as, for example, if the
liquid falls below the level S, then the valve F in the return pipe E will be opened
by the descending float M acting through its connections upon the lever G of the
said valve and simultaneously the steam supply valve P will be partially closed,
thereby reducing the steam supply to the engine, and the pump C will be kept at
work, but it will then deliver back into the tank A, and this will continue, thus
keeping any solid matters contained in the liquid in motion, until a further supply
of liquid is received in the tank A, whereupon the float M will be thereby raised,
the valve F closed, and the steam supply valve P further opened, and so on.
As will be evident, the details of construction may be more or less modified
without departure from the essential characteristics of my invention. Thus, for
example, the arms K K² might be fixed and the chain H might pass over pulleys

page_text: at KK to the tank. Also, although I have mentioned steam as the motive fluid,
I might employ some motor or motors other than a steam engine to drive the pump
or pumps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A pumping apparatus in which when the liquid in its tank falls below a given
level, the pump is, in an automatic manner, caused to deliver liquid back into the
said tank.
2. A pumping apparatus in which when the liquid in its tank falls below a given
level, the pump is, in an automatic mauner, caused to deliver liquid back into the
said tank, and the supply of actuating fluid to the motor that drives the pump is
reduced.
3. A pumping apparatus in which the pump suction pipe and a branch from the
pump delivery pipe are connected to the supply tank, and the said branch pipe is
provided with a valve controlled through suitable connections by a float so that
when the liquid in the tank falls below a given level, the valve in the branch pipe
will be opened, and the liquid pumped will be returned to the tank until the latter
receives a further supply of liquid.
4. In a pumping apparatus the construction and arrangement substantially as
hereinabove described with reference to the drawings, whereby, when the liquid in
the tank falls below a given level, the pump is caused to deliver liquid back to the
tank so that the pump can be kept at work until the tank receives a fresh supply of
liquid, and the admission of actuating fluid to the motor that drives the pump is
automatically controlled as set forth.
5. My improved pumping apparatus as described and shown.
Dated this 18th dow of October 1905
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.