IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY PUMPS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY PUMPS."-A com-
munication.
Sealed the 30th September 1858, and dated the 14th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th April 1858.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the.
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY PUMPS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention is an improvement on that class of hydraulic engines having
two heads or pistons revolving within an enclosing case, and relates, firstly, to
a form of revolving twin piston adapted to effect the maximum delivery of
water from a chamber of given dimensions; and, secondly, to certain forms
of compensating packing for the peripheries and ends of the pistons. The
enclosing case is of the usual oblong form, its interior cross section being
bounded by the segments of two circles which correspond to the sweeps of the
pistons. The ports for the induction and eduction of the water or other fluid
are on opposite sides of the case. On a pair of parallel shafts two oblong
pistons are mounted, whose major diameter is slightly less than that of the
circular segments, and whose minor diameter is such only as to afford the
substance of metal requisite for strength.
The apex of each piston is formed by the arc of a circle whose diameter

page_text: equals the excentricity of the piston, and the "waist" or narrowest portion is
formed by a similar but reversed arc, so as to present depressions adapted
to receive the ends of the other piston. The intermediate portions of the
periphery increase from the "waist" to the apex by regular gradations for
each degree, so that in every position of the pistons their peripheries shall
touch and prevent leakage. The shafts are geared together outside the case
by spur wheels.
For pumping water the pistons should not come nearer to the concavity of
the case than one-sixteenth of an inch or more, in order that grit or other small
obstructions may not clog the pump; the interval thus left is closed by
metallic packing, consisting of rectangular blocks of brass or other soft metal.
One of these blocks occupies a radial socket in each apex, and is capable of a
slight play therein, the range of motion being limited by heads on the blocks
aud corresponding shoulders in the sockets. In rear of these portholes are
made, which admit water to the back of the blocks; these portholes are so
arranged as to communicate with the discharge side whenever the valve
is in contact with the case, and thus the packing is pressed outward by the
combined forces of the centrifugal action and fluid pressure.
Leakage at the ends of the case is prevented by "end packing or
"followers," and which consists (at each end) of two plates whose united
contour corresponds to the cross section of the case. The journal boxes are
cast solidly, one to each plate of the follower, and pass loosely through the
heads of the case. This arrangement enables the journal box and the external
circle of the packing to be made truly concentric, and afterwards their straight
joining edges are made by cutting off a segment from each plate.
The edges of these plates, both where they meet each other and where
they meet the concavity of the case, are grooved for the reception of cotton 'or
other gasket.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on 3
the 14th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of ller
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY PUMPS," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and inmediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the. said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
relates to the improvement of that class of hydraulic engines which have two
heads or pistons revolving within an enclosing case; to this end the Inventor
employs, firstly, a form of revolving twin piston calculated to effect: the
maximum delivery of water from a chamber of given dimensions; and, secondly,
certain forms of compensating packing for the peripheries and ends of the
pistons.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a transverse section, of a pump
embodying the improvements; Fig. 2 is a vertical section.at right angles
to Fig. 1.
A is the enclosing case of the usual oblong form (its-interior cross section
being bounded by two circular segments corresponding to the sweeps of the
pistons), but more compact for reasons below explained. F, G, are the ports
for the induction and eduction of the water. or other fluid. Occupying
parallel bearings are. the shafts H, H', of two oblong pistons B, B', whose
major diameter is slightly less than that of the circular segments, and whose
minor diameter is such only as to afford the substance of metal requisite for
strength. The apex of each piston is formed by the arc of a circle whose

page_text: diameter equals the excentricity of the piston, and the "waist" or narrowest
portion is formed by a similar but reversed arc, so as to present depressions
adapted to receive the ends of the other piston. The intermediate portions of
the periphery increase from the "waist" to the apex by regular gradations for
each degree, so that in every position of the pistons their peripheries shall
touch, or so nearly touch as to prevent any serious leakage.
When the pistons are forged or cast in one piece with their shafts, the
"waist" need not much exceed the diameter of the shaft, and then the greatest
possible volume of delivery is obtained within a given dimension of case, but
when, as in the present illustration, the shaft and the piston are distinct pieces
provision must be made for a hub. The pattern of one piston being got out,
that of the other may be obtained by successive markings at every degree
upon a rotating disc of the points of impingement of the first, and the more
perfect the first is got out the more closely will the two correspond. By this
arrangement of maximum excentricity the shafts can be brought near together,
and great compactness obtained with a given volume of delivery.
The shafts H, H', are geared together outside the case by spur wheels L, L',
which oblige the two pistons to revolve with equal velocities and in opposite
directions. In that part of their revolution where their radial lines to their
point of contact are equal the pistons roll upon each other; in all other parts
of their revolution where these lines are unequal they slide upon each other. :
For pumping water the pistons should not come nearer to the concavity of
the case than one-sixteenth of an inch or more, in order that grit or other
small obstructions may not clog the pump; the interval thus left is closed by
metallic packing consisting of rectangular blocks C of brass or other soft
metal. One of these blocks occupies a radial socket in each apex, and is
capable of a slight play therein, the range of motion being limited by heads e
on the blocks and corresponding shoulders in the sockets. D, are portholes
which admit water to the rear of the packing blocks C. These portholes are
so arranged as to communicate with the discharge side whenever the packing
is in contact with the case, and thus the packing is pressed outward by the
combined forces of the centrifugal action and fluid pressure, but so that when
a port communicates with the suction side, the fluid pressure then presses the
packing block back, so that the head effectually closes the port.
Leakage at the ends of the case is prevented by "end packing" or what
the Inventor calls the "followers;" these consist of two pairs of plates I, I',
and J, J,, whose united contour. corresponds to the cross section of the case.
The plates are fitted one pair at each end of the case, and they are. provided
with journal boxes P, P, Q, Q', which are cast solidly one to each plate, and

page_text: pass loosely through the heads S, S', of the case. This arrangement permits
of the journal box and the external circle of the packing being made truly
concentric, and afterwards their straight joining edges are made by cutting off
a segment from each plate. The edges of these plates, both where they meet
each other and where they meet the concavity of the case, are grooved for the
reception of cotton or other gasket. The journal boxes have suitable stuffing
collars or glands R. Set screws K tapped through the head S¹ enable the
lateral adjustment of the "followers" with respect to the pistons.
The pistons being geared together rotate with a perfectly equal velocity
notwithstanding their excentric form, and their peripheries, consisting of easy
curves, devoid of cogs or other abrupt projections, roll and slide alternately
over each other with scarcely any friction, and with a more voluminous delivery
than is obtainable with any other rotary pump of equal dimensions with which
I am acquainted.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in
Rotary Pumps," as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters I claim,―
Firstly, in the described connection with a suitable case the pair of
excentric pistons formed, geared, and operating together substantially as
set forth.
Secondly, I claim in this connection the metallic packing provided with the
described water ports, whereby at the proper periods the fluid pressure acts
alternately in opposite directions on the packing, in the manner and for the
purposes explained.
Thirdly, I claim the adjustable "followers," constructed so as to serve as
journal bearings and end packing for the pistons, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)