IMPROVEMENTS IN. COMBINED AIR AND WATER PUMPS ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM ENGINE CONDENSERS
Year: 1884

page_text: Applicable in Connection with Steam Mogin C
[Communicated from abroad by Miers Coryell, of the City and State of New
York, Engineer, and Frederick Meriam Wheeler, of Montclair, in the State
of New Jersey, Engineer, both in the United States of America.]
I EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Instute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN. COMBINED AIR AND WATER PUMPS ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM ENGINE CONDENSERS" (A communication
to me from abroad by Miers Coryell, of the City and State of New York, Engineer,
and Frederick Mériam Wheeler, of Montclair in the State of New Jersey, Engineer,
both in the United States of America) to be as follows:-
.7,
This invention is made for combining a horizontal direct acting pumping engine
with a vertical single acting air pump, whereby the water cylinder of the pumping
engine renders the movements of the steam engine and air pump very uniform,
the air pump is.of the most reliable character being vertical and single acting, the
whole mechanism is very compact and strong and at the same time the parts are
easy of access.
This combined direct acting pumping engine and air pump, is available with
marine and other engines, for maintaining the vacuum in a surface or jet condenser,
for simultaneously pumping the water required in feeding the boiler, or for
circulation through a surface condenser, it is also available in sugar boiling or
refining, for maintaining the vacuum required in the different pans, and other
apparatus, and for pumping the water that is used in cooling, condensing or other
kindred operations, or this improvement may be used whenever available.
The steam and water cylinders are of usual character and the piston rod passes
from the piston of the water cylinder to the piston of the steam cylinder. The
steam cylinder is provided with a chest containing a suitable valve, and there are
the usual steam and exhaust pipes. The water pump has an air vessel, and inlet
and discharge water-ways; the inlet ways for the water-pump may be in the bed
of the pump.
The air-pump cylinders are supported upon the bed of the pumping engine:
these cylinders are vertical and each contains a piston or bucket containing valves.
The inlet passages for the air pump are in the bed of the engine and the foot valves
are in these passages. There are openings in the top plate of the bed to give
access to these foot-valves and these openings are covered by plates.
If desired, pipes and supplemental inlet valves, may be provided above the
pistons of the air pumps, so that air and light gases or vapors may be drawn into

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the air pumps on their downward stroke and so improve the vacuum in those
portions of the condenser to which such pipes may be connected.
Between the air pumps is an air vessel supported by flanges upon the air pump
cylinders and into this vessel the discharge ports of the air pumps open: at the
lower part of this air vessel is the opening for the discharge of the water of
condensation: a pipe leads from this opening to a receiver, preferably placed at
such a level as not to load the discharge valves with a column of water. This
receiver may be used as a filtering chamber.
Within the air vessel there is a pendant pipe open at its lower end to receive
the water, and convey the same to a lateral discharge opening, which may be used
in place of the opening at the bottom of the air vessel.
Upon this air vessel of the air pumps there are pillar blocks that support a rock
shaft carrying a working beam the ends of which beam are connected to the piston
rods of the air pumps.
There are links between the working beam, and the piston rods, and each piston
rod is.guided by a slider that partially surrounds a vertical guide bar formed with
a foot and bolted to the top of the air pump.
There is a cross head clamped to the piston rod of the steam and water cylinder,
and to this cross-head is provided with a box that slides back and forth upon a
stationary guide rod between the steam and water cylinder, and to this crosshead
a link is attached connecting the crosshead to a crank that is affixed to the rock
shaft of the working beam before referred to. By this construction the steam
engine and cross-head are made to give motion to the crank, rock-shaft and air
pump. pistons, and the stroke is regular, and the motion uniform, or nearly so in
consequence of the pump forming a nearly uniform resistance to the motion of
the direct acting steam engine.
Upon the crank arm before referred to there is a pin for a link that is connected
to a slider upon the rod of the steam valve. Upon said valve rod there are
collars or tappets, and the slider comes into contact with first one tappet and then
with the other thereby giving motion to the.valve rod.
The piston or bucket for the air-pump is provided with packing fitting the
cylinder, and there are openings through the bucket, with seats for the valves.
The valves are usually circular with. central stems.
In order to remove the water of condensation from the pump well a displacer is
provided below the bucket, which displacer passing down into the water in the
well causes the water to rise and flow through the valve openings in the bucket.
When the bucket is raised the vacuum action will open the foot valves and the
water and vapours will pass into the pump well.
The displacer must be smaller than the diameter of the air pump cylinder so
that the water and air may rise freely around it.
There are lateral openings between the displacer and the bucket for the air and
water to pass freely to the valve opening. When all the valves are in the top of
the bucket, the lateral openings will be above and all around the displacer.
Usually the displacer is made hollow, and in one with the bucket and some of
the valves are at the surface of the bucket and the balance in the bottom of the
displacer.
All the valves will be opened by the pressure of the column of water as it rises
by the action of the displacer but the air and vapors will pass off through the
valve openings in the top of the bucket afterwards followed by the water. By
this construction of bucket, a more perfect vacuum in the condenser is obtained
than heretofore.

page_text: I EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED AIR AND WATER PUMPS ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM ENGINE CONDENSERS" (A communication
to me from abroad by Miers Coryell of the City and State of New York, Engineer,
and Frederick Meriam Wheeler of Montclair in the State of New Jersey, Engineer
both in the United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Before this invention it has been common to employ horizontal pumping engines,
the piston of the pump being upon the same rod as the steam piston.
In some cases the piston rod has extended through the back head of the steam
cylinder and been connected to a horizontal air pump.
In practice it is found that a horizontal air pump for marine and other engines
is not as efficient, especially when it is double acting, as a single acting vertical air
pump, and frequently there is not sufficient space in steam vessels for the three
cylinders to be in line with each other.
In marine engines it has been found to be advantageous to employ a separate
engine for the air pump of the condenser and for the circulating pump. that forces
water through the case of the surface condenser (when this character of condenser
is used) because the vacuum can be made and maintained in the condenser before
the main engine is started and with engines that are used in sea going vessels, the
air pump, connected with the main engine is liable to injury from the rapid motion,
sometimes resulting from the screw or paddles rising out of the water, in which case
an unusual.concussion results from the bucket piston coming into contact with the
water in the air pump.
This invention is made for combining a horizontal direct acting pumping engine
with a vertical single acting air pump, whereby the water cylinder of the pumping
engine renders the movements of the steam engine and air pump very uniform; the
air pump is of the most reliable character being vertical and single acting, the
whole mechanism is very compact and strong and at the same time the parts are
easy of access.
This combined direct acting pumping engine and air pump is available with
-marine and other engines for maintaining the vacuum in a surface or jet condenser,
for simultaneously pumping the water required in feeding the boiler, or for
circulation through a surface condenser; it is also available in sugar boiling, or
refining for maintaining the vacuum required in the different pans and other
apparatus and for pumping the water that is used in cooling, condensing or other
kindred operations; 'or this improvement may be availed of in any other connection
wherever available.
This invention is further made for removing the air that is drawn into the pump
well and for displacing the water so that it may be drawn off to a lower level to

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4, is a cross section at the line x, x.
5, is a vertical section of the lower part of the air pump and the bucket.
6, is a plan view of the bucket..
7, is a sectional view of a modification in the displacer.
The steam cylinder is represented at A, the water cylinder at B. C. is the piston
rod passing from the piston of the water cylinder to the piston of the steam
cylinder.
The valve chest D. contains any suitable valves; the steam is admitted at E. and
.the exhaust passes away at F..
The water inlet or suction pipe is connected at G. the discharge water way is at
H. and I. is the air vessel. The valves of the air pump B. are of any desired
character.
The air pumps K. L are provided with pistons or buckets containing valves as
hereafter explained and l. are the piston rods.
The main inlet to the air pumps is at M: it extends in between the water and
steam cylinders and branches off to the air pumps.
The foot valves Care beneath the respective plates or covers n. which are
removable to give access to said valves.
The inlet passages for the water pump may be cast in the bed of the pump.
Between the air pumps K. L. is the air vessel P. supported by flanges q. q. upon
the air pump cylinders and into this vessel P. the discharge ports r. from the air
pumps open, and at 3 is the outlet or discharge to which there is to be a pipe
connected for conveying away the water of condensation to the desired point of
delivery, preferably into a receiver placed at such a level as not to load the discharge
vàlves with a column of water: this receiver may be used as a filtering chainber.
Within the vessel P is a pendant pipe p¹.open at its lower end to receive the
water and convey the same to the lateral external discharge r¹ which may be used,
if desired, in place of the discharge r².
The air that is confined in the vessel P. serves as a cushion to prevent injury by
the sudden discharge of water. from the air pump.
Upon the air vessel P. there is a pillar block Q. and at R. there is a second
'bearing supported upon a flange that extends out from the air vessel towards the
front These bearings Q. R. support the rock shaft S. upon which is the working
beam S¹ the ends of which are connected to the piston rods of the air pump in any
convenient manner. It is preferred to employ the links t. between the upper ends
of the piston rods 1. and the working beam studs or pins, and to guide the upper
end of each piston rod by a slider or box u. that partially surrounds the vertical
guide bar or slide v. that is formed with a foot and bolted to the top of the air
pump as shown.
'
There is a cross-head w. clamped to the piston rod C. and provided with a box 2.
at its lower end which slides back and forth upon the stationary guide rod C
between the cylinders A. B. and to this cross-head a link, 4. is attached connecting
the cross-head to the crank V. that is affixed to the end of the rock-shaft S.
By this construction the steam engine and cross-head are made to give motion
to the crank V. rock-shaft S. and air pump pistons D D' and the stroke is regular
and the motion uniform or nearly so, in consequence of the pump forming a nearly
uniform resistance to the motion of the direct acting steam engine..
A crank pin 10. is provided upon the crank arm V. and a link 11. to the
slider 12. upon the valve rod 13. One end of this valve rod 13. is supported upon
a bearing 14. the other end passes through a stuffing box 18. to the valve, and upon
the rod there are tappets or movable collars 15, and 16. The slider 12. coming into
L

page_text: contact with first one collar and then the other, gives to the steam valve the
respective motions required near the ends of the stroke of the direct acting steam,
engine.
1
In cases where more than one pair of air pumps are required, or where, as in
sugar refineries or plantations, syrup or other pumps are made use of, the rock shaft
may be prolonged and provided with crank-arms or working beams and connecting
rods to such pumps; or the working beam may be longer or the air pumps be
placed further apart so as to receive the connections to other pumps from the one
working beam.
.
The cylinders K and L are each provided with a piston or bucket D that has a
packing at fitting the inside of the cylinder and there are openings through the
bucket with seats for the valves F at or near the upper surface of the bucket.-
These valves may be of any suitable character but usually they are circular with
central stems. These valves F' are at or near the surface of the bucket so that but
little water will remain above them and they will open freely by the pressure of
the air and vapors confined in the lower part of the air pump above the water.
In order to remove the water of condensation from the pump well a displacer H*
is provided below the bucket which passing down into the water in the well
causes the same to rise and flow through the valve openings in the bucket.
When the bucket is raised the vacuum action will open the foot valves Cand
the water and vapors will flow into the pump well. The displacer must be smaller
than the diameter of the pump so that the water and air may rise freely around it..
There are lateral openings between the displacer and the bucket for the air and water
to pass freely to the valve openings. In some instances the lateral openings may
be all around and above the displacer and all the valves at the top of the bucket as
seen in fig. 7.
Usually the displacer is made hollow and in one with the bucket as seen in
figs. 5. and 6. with openings in the bottom covered by the valves L' so that these
valves will be opened by the impact upon the water and by the pressure of the
column of water as it rises in the pump well by the action of the displacer. The
air and vapors, however, will pass off through the openings in the upper part
of the bucket followed by the water, the valves F¼ lifting easily as before
described.
It is preferable to employ two valves F' at the surface of the bucket and four
valves at the bottom of the displacer as shown.
By this construction of bucket a more perfect vacuum in the condenser is
obtained than heretofore, especially when the lateral pipe to the condenser is of
considerable length. If desired pipes and supplemental inlet valves may be provided
as at n¹ above the pistons or buckets D' so that air or light gases or vapors may
be drawn into the air pump on its downward stroke so as to improve the vacuum
in those mortions of the condenser to which such pipes may be connected.
If desired a pipe at B with a gate or valve in it may be used to connect the two
inlet water ways of the pump above the valve so that the amount of water
discharged by the pump may be lessened to the extent of water passing from one
side of the pump piston to the other side through such pipe B*.
This is useful in lessening the quantity of water pumped into the condenser in
cold weather.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination with the horizontal pumping engine, of vertical single
acting air pumps, a working beam connected with the piston rods of such air
pumps, a rock-shaft for the working beam, and a crank arm connected with the
cross-head of the direct acting horizontal pumping engine, substantially as set
forth.
Second. The combination with the direct acting pumping engine, of two vertical
air pumps, the air vessel between the air pumps, the rock shaft and pillar blocks

page_text: which are upon the air vessel; the working beam, the connections to the piston rods
.of the air pumps, and the crank arm and connection to the cross head of the engine,
substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the air pump and its rock shaft and working
beam, of a crank arm upon the rock shaft, a steam engine, a water pump, a piston
rod connecting the pistons of the steam engine and pump, a cross-head upon the
piston rod, a guide rod for the cross-head, a link extending from and connecting
the cross head to the crank arm substantially as specified.
Fourth. The combination with a steam pumping engine, of a vertical air pump,
the inlet to the air pump passing in below and between the steam and water
cylinders, and mechanism substantially as specified for connecting the direct acting
pumping engine to the vertical air pump, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the direct acting pumping engine and the steam
valves, of a rock shaft, a crank arm, a connection between the cross head. of the
engine and the crank arm, a crank pin, a link, a slider and collars on the valve rod
for giving to the steam valve a motion from the rock shaft substantially as set
forth.
Sixth. The combination with the vertical single acting air pumps of an air
vessel between the air pumps, the ports between the pumps and air vessel, the
inlet pipes to the air pumps, the rock shaft and its pillar blocks, the working beam,
and the direct acting horizontal steam engine and a crank arm connecting the engine
to the rock shaft, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. In combination with a direct acting pumping engine having the piston
of the steam cylinder and the piston' of the pump cylinder attached to the same
rod, two single acting vertical pump cylinders and pistons and connections to the
pumping engine and a hollow bed containing passages for the admission of the
fluids and vapors to the respective pump cylinders, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. In combination with a direct acting pumping engine having the piston
of the steam cylinder and the piston of the pump cylinder attached to the same
rod, two single acting vertical pump cylinders a chamber or receiver common to
both of said single acting pump cylinders and a bed plate to which the whole
mechanism is connected, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The combination with the air pump bucket having one or more valves at
or near its upper surface, of a displacer below the bucket and lateral openings for
the admission of air, vapors and water to the valve openings, substantially as set
forth.
Tenth. The combination with the air pump bucket, having valves at or near its
upper surface, of a hollow displacor below the bucket with openings through the
lower part of the displacer and valves to such openings, substantially as set forth.
Talad this 24th dort of Anril 1005