Improvements in Apparatus for Raising Liquids.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising Liquids.
I, RICHARD WEGNER, of 10 Landstrasse, Neu-Britz, near Rixdorf, in the
Empire of Germany, Student, 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 :-
The improved liquid-raising apparatus or siphon which forms the subject of the
present invention is devised on the principle that the variations of the volume of air
confined in a closed vessel or chamber which are brought about by combustion, are
capable of being utilized direct for raising liquids, that is to say, without the
assistance of a plunger or pump, or the like.
One form of apparatus by which this principle may be carried into practice is
illustrated in the accompanyiny drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an apparatus constructed according to
this invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, and
Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in vertical section of a modified form of
apparatus adapted for raising liquids to comparatively great heights.
In a large vessel a, is arranged a frame or support 6 which is adapted to support
a lamp and at the same time to hold and guide the inner mechanism, that is to say,
the two floats i and k. The top c of the vessel is in the form of a lid or cover
hinged or pivoted at f and provided with an adjustable balance weight g, the said
cover being adapted to be temporarily opened for the admission of fresh air.
Connected with the bottom of the cylinder is a suction pipe d, which is fitted
with a foot valve and suction device. The lower end of this pipe descends into the
liquid to be raised, while another pipe e, also provided with a valve, which affords
the liquid a passage to the exterior, serves to discharge the elevated liquid. In the
hinged lid c, is provided a small air-valve h, in such a manner that, by opening it,
the inner and outer pressures may be equalized.
In the lower part or space of the vessel are arranged two floats i and k capable
of movement, in the vertical direction, the float k, being adapted to release or
withdraw a small spring bolt 1, by means of a cord 2 passing round a roller k¹ ;.
which bolt is normally pressed from right to left by a spring .
The float, is moved up and down by a straight rod which is provided with
a conical enlargement to enable the said rod and float to be secured in its highest
position by means of the spring bolt 1, its downward stroke being limited by the
length of a cord or chain, by means of which the upper end of the float-rod i¹ is
suspended from the lid c and which is adapted to close this lid automatically as
soon as the float sinks by its own weight. When, however, the float i is raised by
the rising fluid, the upper end of the float-rod i strikes the small lever h¹ and
thereby opens the air-valve h when equalization of pressure or tension takes place.
The operation of the apparatus may be accounted for in two ways:
(1) The lamp arranged within the vessel a first burns while the lid c is closed..
As soon as the greater part of the oxygen contained in the air is consumed by the
flame, the flame decreases in size, while at the same time the diminution of the
oxygen causes a gradual rarefaction of the air owing to which the liquid rises in
the elevating tube or siphon; the sucking action being moreover enhanced by the
fact that, as the air becomes heated by the flame, a portion of the air is expelled,
thereby assisting the creation of a vacuum.
As the water rises the float i is lifted, and the rod ¹ secured thereto consequently
impinges against the lid c, which, however, for the time being remains closed
owing to external pressure; it only opening when the valve h opens and mutual

page_text: compensation takes place between the external and internal pressures. The lid then
springs open to the extent to which it is permitted to do so by the cord or chain n
attached to the float-rod, and the water issues from the vessel.
The float i is now retained in its highest position by the bolt / until the said bolt
is released by the auxiliary float 4, as it sinks together with the liquid. The float
then drops, and, carrying with it the lid c, through the medium of the cord, causes
the said lid to close by its own weight. While the lid c was open, a fresh supply
of air was admitted into the vessel, with the result that the flame resumed its
normal size; so that when the lid is closed. the arrangement operates as before.
(2) The lamp within the vessel first burns while the lid c is closed. The air,
expanded by the heat, or the gases generated by combustion, escape through the
valve h. As the quantity of oxygen contained in the air diminishes, the flame
decreases in size, and the hot gases cool down by radiation. The vacuum thus
created draws up the liquid through the siphon d; the liquid, in rising, raises the
float, and as soon as the suction chamber a is filled, the valve h and lid c open.
The air thus allowed to rush in, in a powerful current, restores the normal pressure,
so that the liquid may leave the suction-chamber through the pipe e. The float i
is not capable of following the liquid as it sinks, as it is retained by the bolt
engaging with the conical projection 2². When the liquid has almost completely
run out, the bolt is released by the second float k, and the main float i descends
and closes the valve h and lid c. In the meantime, fresh air having been admitted
into the chamber, the flame has grown to its normal size and the apparatus operates
as before. The liquid is in this manner intermittently raised.
Figure 3 represents a complete liquid raising plant arranged to elevate liquid to
comparatively great heights and to deliver it on to the several ficors or stories of a
building or the like by means of the siphon above described, 1 designates the same
vacuum chamber which is marked a in Figure 1. This chamber or vessel 1 in the
present arrangement is situated at the highest point or limit and from it branch off
the pipes leading down to the several Hoors or stories. The suction pipe 2 com-
municates with a vessel 3, closed on all sides and arranged on the level to which
the liquid must be raised for the first or lowermost floor. This vessel, is provided
with a float 5, which acts upon the lever 6 in the manner illustrated in the drawing,
and which through the medium of a chain 7, first slightly lifts the air-valve 8 from
its seat, and then opens the lid 9 (corresponding to the lid c, Figure 1). The
suction-pipe 4, extending into the well, (and corresponding to the pipe d, Figure 1)
is provided at its lower part as in the first arrangement with a foot-valve and a
suction device, and has a sufficiently wide diameter to suit the requirements; while
the pipe 2, already mentioned, may be of smaller diameter.
When suction commences in the vessel 1, in the manner described with reference
to Figure I, the vacuum extends through 2 and 3 into the pipe 4; the water rises
and fills the vessel or receptacle 3, while the valve 10 in the said receptacle 3 is
closed by the external upwardly acting pressure of the air.
As the water-level rises, the float 5 is lifted and through the float 5, lever 6,
chain 7 and valve 8, the opening of the lid 9 is effected with the result that air is
admitted into the chamber 3, so that the valve 10 opens, and the water rushes into
another reservoir 11, which is open at the top.
When suction re-commences, the same operations are repeated, while at the same
time, the float 14 having opened the valve 15, the pipes 12 and 13 draw in liquid
and convey it into the reservoir 16; from which, as before explained, it may be
further raised as far as the next storey.
It will readily be understood that the satisfactory continuance or repetition of
the operations above described is not limited to any number of floors or storeys.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved apparatus for raising or elevating liquids, in which, owing to

page_text: combustion which takes place within a vessel or chamber a, closed on all sides, a
reduction of the pressure of the air confined therein is effected, and consequently
liquid is forced into the said vessel, whereupon, when communication is restored
between the interior of the vessel and the external atmosphere, the liquid is allowed
to run off.
2. In the apparatus above referred to characterized by a float (i) which is raised
by the liquid drawn in by suction, and opens the cover or lid of the vessel a the
said float being retained at the topmost limit of its upward movement by a spring-
bolt (1) operated by a second float (k), until nearly all the liquid raised has run off;
for the purpose of causing the vessel to automatically and intermittently close and
open.
3. In the above described apparatus for the purpose of automatically and alter-
nately heating the air contained in the chamber (a), the provision therein of a
constantly burning flame, which flame, after burning for a short time, diminishes to
a small size in consequence of the diminution of the quantity of oxygen contained
in the air, but expands. again to its normal size when fresh air is re-admitted,
whereby the air confined in the vessel or chamber is automatically heated to an
intermittently increasing and decreasing temperature.
4. In combination with the apparatus hereinbefore referred to of a process for
rendering more complete the vacuum produced by cooling, within the closed vessel
or chamber which consists in periodically introducing either certain substances,
capable of absorbing the products of combustion generated by the heating flame or
in the periodical combustion of bodies, yielding solid products of combustion, and
thereby absorbing the oxygen contained in the air.
5. In the arrangement described in the 2nd Claim, a bolt (1) controlled by a
float (k), adapted through the medium of a tappet-shaped enlargement or projection
formed on the float-rod (¹), to temporarily retain the first or main float (i) in its
highest position; for the purpose of admitting a fresh supply of air for the next
succeeding operation into the interior of the chamber or vessel.
6. The modification of the apparatus referred to in the first Claim, consisting in
the arrangement in storeys or floors, of a number of vessels or receptacles (1, 16, 3)
closed on all sides, and connected by pipes and fitted with suitably arranged valves,
so that, as a vacuum is created in the vessel 1, liquid is conveyed or drawn in by,
each of the closed vessels periodically and simultaneously; the water raised from
the lowest point being first delivered into an open vessel, then raised to the next
storey, and there again discharged, and so forth; until the water is carried to the
extreme height or limit to which it is intended to be lifted.
Ddh 19th
T1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.