IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS APPLICABLE FOR MINES, SHIPS, AND OTHER PUR- POSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Ward, of 36, Church Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Glass and China Dealer, for the Invention. of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS APPLICABLE FOR MINES, SHIPS, AND OTHER PUR-
POSES.
Sealed the 9th February 1858, and dated the 1st October 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Ward at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the .1st
October 1857.
I, JAMES WARD, of 36, Church Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Glass and China Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS APPLICABLE FOR MINES, SHIPS, AND OTHER PUR-
POSES," to be as follows (that is to say):
My Invention consists in constructing a cylinder, say of about six feet high,
varying its size according to the amount of water I may wish to raise at each
stroke. At the base of this cylinder I fix a reservoir of about one foot deep,
and of sufficient size to hold about the same quantity of water that may be con-
tained in the cylinder, there being two or more valves made to open into this
reservoir from the cylinder at each return stroke; and in connection with the
bottom of the cylinder are secured two or more tubes, say of about twenty-six
feet high, the upper ends of which terminate with valves into the cylinder, in
which is fitted a piston with the rod downward. The ends of the tubes before-

page_text: named are opened at the bottom, and rest in a second reservoir in connection
with another cylinder, as before described, and so on down to any depth that
may be required. The piston rods being connected one with the other, it is
evident that at each upward stroke all the cylinders that may be so connected
would be filled with water, as it will naturally follow the vacuum generated
by the piston moving up the cylinders, which upon the return stroke will
close the valves in the top of the tubes and open the valves into the several
reservoirs in connection with each cylinder, as before referred to, and the
water would immediately flow from the several cylinders into their respective
reservoirs, to be again elevated at the next stroke, and so on. The quantity
of water raised at each stroke being the contents of each reservoir, as raised
from one to the other, namely, the contents of the second reservoir would be
raised to the top and discharged, the contents of the third raised to the second,
and that of the fourth up to the third, and so on. The size and number of
each cylinder and its accompanying reservoir being regulated according to
requirements, I propose to work or move the piston or pistons by a crank
and winch handle, or steam or other power, as most convenient, preferring to
use a fly wheel, as it will assist by its momentum to carry the piston or
pistons through their stroke, in which they would derive great assistance, first,
in being elevated by the rising water, and in the downward stroke by the
compressed air between the crown of the cylinder or cylinders and the top of
the pistons.
For domestic and ship pumps I use a modification of the foregoing plan,
sometimes placing the cylinders in an horizontal instead of vertical position,
and in adapting the several parts to the position and depth of water intended
to be raised, applying a spout or pipe from the top reservoir for carrying off
the water as raised.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WARD, of No. 36, Church Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Glass
and China Dealer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Ward, Her special license that I, the said James Ward, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Ward, my executors, administrators, or 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 PUMPS APPLI-
CABLE FOR MINES, SHIPS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Ward, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Ward, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (tliat is to say):-
My improvements in apparatus or machinery for raising water is based, like
most other hydraulic machines, on the law of atmospheric pressure, that by
producing a vacuum in the upward stroke, the fluid will rise to an equivalent
height, and by producing a vacuum in the downward stroke the power of the
vacuum finds an equivalent in the weight of the rods, gearing, and other
causes of resistance; this principle being multiplied by continuous connection,.
placed beneath each other for the purposes. of raising water, say, out of deep
mines or such like places, will be found of the hightest importance, as the
power required is greatly diminished over that absorbed in raising the same
quantity of water through the same space on the present plan. This principle
is applicable for all purposes where the lifting of water is required, and may,
when applied for ship purposes, be easily converted into a force as well as a
suction pump, and be applicable for throwing water for extinguishing fires,
washing decks, or other purposes.
In carrying out my improvements for the purposes of pumping water out of
mines, or for such like purposes, I fix a series of cylinders about of twenty-six
feet below each other, applying the top one in such a position that its base may
be sufficiently elevated to ensure a convenient fall for carrying away the water-
as it is raised, and fixing the lower cylinders below each other the distance
before named down the bottom of the mine; these cylinders are connected.
each to its respective reservoir, and with a descending tube or tubes connected

page_text: to valve boxes placed immediately below the cisterns; the pipe or pipes from
cach descend and rest in the reservoir of the one next below, and so on. The
bottom of the cylinders are fitted with a stuffing box, through which a piston
rod passes to the piston, and the top of the cylinder being closed, it is evident
that the atmospheric pressure will prevent its voluntary descent, to do which
power must be applied, but which power will be greatly assisted by the weight
of the piston rods and connecting or side rods (all the pistons that may be
necessary to be used being geared together), so that when the piston or pistons
are to the bottom of their respective cylinders, the space above them will be
in vacuo, which vacuum is ready to contribute its equivalent power for the
upward stroke, and as the piston rises the water follows the piston in its
upward course, which, on rising to the height of the stroke, the valves below
the several cisterns close, while a side valve opens, allowing the water to flow
out from the respective cylinders into the several reservoirs to which they are
connected; thus the water is raised from reservoir to reservoir from the bottom
of the mine to the surface, each reservoir holding a little more than the
internal capacity or volume of each cylinder; thus it is evident that by
working the piston in vacuo, and lifting the water at each stroke below its
equivalent in atmospheric pressure, I am enabled to apply the difference. to
the diminution of power necessary in pumping water in the ordinary way.
The mode of applying the power for working such pumps may be varied
according to circumstances, and may be affected with a balance beam and a
crank, so as to convert the up-and-down motion into a rotary one, or any
other convenient action; but in order that I may be well understood as to the
nature and character of my Invention, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed, wherein I have exhibited on Sheet One my improvements
as adapted for pumping water from mines; and on Sheet Two, an apparatus
embodying my improvements as applicable for ship purposes; and in the
various views and sections I have in each case marked the same part or parts
as they occur with the same letter or letters of reference.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents as much of my arrangement for pumping water out of
mines as will be found necessary to illustrate my improvements. A is a
reservoir, here represented as made of sheet iron, and riveted together in the
manner in which boilers are put together, but of course they may be cast or
made of wood. or other suitable material, or other shape from that here
exhibited part of the side is represented torn away for the purpose of
exhibiting the parts within B is a cylinder fitted with a valve at a; this

page_text: cylinder is cast with a flange around the bottom for the purpose of attaching
it to the part C, which is also formed with a flange for the convenience of
bolting or uniting it to the flange of the cylinder B; the lower side of this
part is fitted with a cover marked b, b, and stuffing-box marked c, c, through
which the piston rod works, partly shewn in dotted lines, marked d, d, with the
piston attached to the top of it, also shewn in dotted lines marked e, e; on
each side of the part C the angle pipes, marked D and D', are attached, and
which angle pipes are formed with valve boxes attached to them, marked E
and E, and flanges (as here shewn), for the convenience of attaching the
vertical pipes F and F, which are broken off for convenience of space; but
in an ordinary way these pipes I intend to descend about of twenty-three feet,
a little more or less, as convenience may require, resting in the reservoir
below, in like manner as the pipes G and G¹ (also broken off for convenience
of space) rest in the reservoir A, with holes at their bottom ends, to allow the
water to flow freely in; H is a socket standing slightly above the reservoir
and secured by a flange to its bottom; there being one in the same position on
the other side behind the cylinder, as seen in Figure 2, which is an edge view
of Figure 1; the use of those sockets are for the side rods I and I' to pass
through, which for convenience of space are also represented broken off; these
side rods extend to a convenient height above the top reservoir, down to as
much below the lower one as may be necessary to bolt or connect them with
the cross bar of the lower piston rod, such cross bar or cross bars being
exhibited at J and J', Figure 2, the latter being partly shewn in dotted lines,
secured to the piston rod marked d, as in Figure 1. f. f, are guide rods,
bolted securely through the flanges of the part C, and connected at their lower
ends by a cross or stay piece maked g, g; these guide rods are for steadying
and guiding the piston rods. Having thus given a general outline of the parts,
we will suppose that the cylinder B is the top cylinder, and as many as may
have been required, having been arranged with their respective reservoirs,
side rods, &c., down to the bottom of the mine, cross pieces of the piston rods
having been secured to the side rods in their respective positions. This being
done, we may suppose to be ready to commence pumping; the power and mode
of applying the same being such as to be most suitable for the upward and
downward action of the side rods. The pistons shown in dotted lines at e, e,
are about midway of tlic stroke, but for convenience we will suppose that the
pistons are at the bottom of their respective cylinders; in that case the cross
bars J, &c. will be down to the end of the guide rods f, f; and to effect this
the whole power of the agent employed, whether steam, water, manual
Jabor, or otherwise, will be exerted to its greatest requirement, notwith-

page_text: standing it will be greatly assisted by the weight of the side rods and other
moveable parts, because to force down the several pistons requires a force
equal to the area of each cylinder, first multiplied by the number of cylinders
employed, and, further, by the pressure of the atmosphere, taken at fourteen
pounds to the square inch, which will give the resistance. As the great object
of my Invention is to produce a vacuum above the pistons in the downward
stroke, and thereby to turn to an account the weight of the moveable parts
and the power overtaxed in the upward stroke, as of ordinary pumps, and
which power is useless in the downward stroke, while my system tends not
only to equalize the power required in the upward and downward stroke, but
to greatly diminish the amount required when compared to the power necessary
when pumps of the ordinary construction are being used.
It will naturally occur to practical minds that there would be great difficulty
in making pistons to work so accurate that some little water against such a
pressure should not escape upward into the several vacuums; and as from
practice I have found that this does occur, I prefer to construct my
cylinders (as shewn in the Drawings) with moveable caps, in order that
a valve may be placed in a scat formed at the top of the cylinder, so
that as the piston riscs, the water (if any had escaped above the piston)
will be forced through the valve and descend to the reservoir through
the pipe marked K, K. The rising of the water will now be easily
understood, the several pistons being elevated by being connected (as before
stated) by means of the cross bars to the side rods; the water will follow
the pistons by rising through the side pipes F, F, &c., and prevented from
again descending by the closing of the valves in the several valve boxes
before referred to, marked E, E. The difference between the column of water
here raised, say, about twenty-six feet, and its natural equivalent in atmo-
spheric air thirty-three feet, is used for lifting up the dead weight of the
gearing. Immediately that those valves close, the valves at the bottom of
the cylinders, shewn in an end view marked a as connected to the cylinder B,
Figure 1, will immediately open and allow the water to flow out into their
respective reservoirs, and so on, passing from reservoir to reservoir, the water
in the first instance being pumped up to the first reservoir and at the next
stroke to the second, until it arrives at the top, when each cylinder will be in
full action sucking up its quantum according to its diameter and length at
each upward stroke. I have not thought it necessary to exhibit a mode of
carrying away the water from the top reservoir, because that can be done in
any convenient way, and forms no part of my Invention, nor have I exhibited
a plan or mode of connecting the side rods with the power or agent employed

page_text: in lifting them up and down, as that also may be effected in a variety of
ways, and does not interfere with the nature and character of my Invention;
nor have I studied in my Drawing the necessity for exhibiting any particular
way by which the several parts may be staid or held in the shaft or shafts to
which such apparatus may be applied, as that likewise may be effected in
many ways; as, for instance, the several reservoirs may form landing or resting
stages for ladders to pass from one to the other, so as to make them conduce
to a safer and better mode of descending and ascending mine shafts, an
improvement greatly needed in the working of the "Cornish mines."
On Sheet 2 I have exhibited my improvements in the raising of water as
applied to an apparatus suitable for ship purposes, contrived so as to pump
or suck water with each forward or backward stroke of the piston, and at the
same time without deranging any of its working parts, with the exception of
the alteration of a slide valve, to change the character of the pump and
convert it into an engine for throwing water with a strong force for
extinguishing fires, washing of decks, and other purposes to which it may be
required. Figure 3 is a side view of what I call a ship's pump, fitted for
working by winch handles and a fly wheel. The suction and delivery pipes
A and B are not extended farther than here shewn for convenience of space;
in connection with these pipes the valve boxes C and D are placed, the side
at D being partly broken away for the purpose of exhibiting the valves,
which at C are shewn only by dotted lines; on the valve box the cylinder E
rests, and connected by means of bolts and flanges surrounding the water way
marked F, F, at each end; G is an air box that surrounds the cylinder,
required only when this apparatus is intended or desired to be worked 'as
a fire engine; at the ends of the valve box covers, marked P, P, are fitted
and held by screws and cross pieces, and is so constructed for the purpose of
applying, renewing, or adjusting the valves; H and H' is a guide and stay
rod for carrying the piston rod, which is attached by a cross piece, marked I,
to the connecting rod, marked J, J, which is secured to the crank shaft K in
the ordinary way; the parts L and M form standards for supporting the
machine as well as the carrying of the crank shaft, to which the fly wheel,
partly broken off for convenience of space, is also attached; the lower parts
of these standards are spread out, in order that bolts may be applied for
sccuring or holding down the machine or apparatus to the deck or place
desired; the piston and piston rod in this case moves horizontally, and is
secured in the front by packing held in by a metallic cap, marked N, screwed
or bolted to the cover of the cylinder, marked O, O. The direction of the
various arrows indicate the course the water takes while the machine or

page_text: apparatus is in use. Figure 4 is a top view of Figure 3, the parts referred
to in the last Figure being here marked by the same letters, and in this view
the air box Ġ is exhibited as being passed down over the cylinder E, and
secured by bolts passing through the flanges to the parts below, which flanges
are marked Q, Q, Q, Q. Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 3, showing the
front of the valve box D, marked here with the same letter, the cap of the
cylinder marked 0, 0, the cross bar I secured on the end of the piston rod
by the nut R; the cranks K, K, are in this view seen to the height of their
throw, thereby defining the position of the piston, which is exactly in midway
of its stroke. The union of the suction and delivery pipe A and B is here
exhibited, will also shew that it has been cast with a vertical flange marked
S, S, by which it is bolted to a vertical valve box, hereafter to be described,
which valve box, marked T, T, is also formed with vertical flanges for uniting
it to the part U; these parts S, T, and U, are further held together by the
top plate marked V, shewn best in the top view, Figure 4, and marked with
the same letter; this plate is formed with a stuffing box, marked W, through
which the valve rod, marked X, passes. Figure 6 is a transverse section
(taken through the dotted line y and Z, Figure 4,) of the cylinder E, air
box G, valve box C, with the suction and delivery pipe A and B, the arrows
a, a, and b, b, indicating the course of the water when in use, which I will
now describe: The handle of the pump being turned in the direction of the
arrow exhibited on the fly wheel will cause the water to flow up through the
suction pipe A into the cavity of the valve box marked D¹, Figures 3 and 6,
passing through the valves, shown only in the former Figure, passing through
the water way F, passing into the cylinder, following the piston, while the
water on the other side of the piston is being forced down the water way
marked F, escaping through the valve marked c, shewn there in dotted lines,
and marked with the same letter at Figure 6, that being identically the same
valve, to ascend through the syphon-formed delivery pipe, best seen in the
section, Figure 6. The piston having gone through its stroke from right to left
may be supposed to be now moving back again from left to right, when the
water will be rushing in through the valve d¹ to ascend into the cylinder
behind the piston, when the water in front of it will be forced down into the
front of the valve box marked f¹, Figure 3, escaping through the valve g¹ to
fall over the syphon or delivery pipe B, as before described. Thus it is
evident that a continuous flow of water may be kept up by the simple action,
of the piston moving backward and forward in the cylinders, in which all air
is excluded, as its existence there would only tend to diminish the working
capacity of the cylinder, and the pressure of the atmosphere acting only on

page_text: the ingress or suction pipe, the whole arrangement may be said to be a
mechanical syphon, the mechanism employed being only required to lift the
water in the suction pipe a little above the mouth of the delivery pipe, which,
for the purpose of diminishing the amount of power required, should be
conducted down near to the. watermark or surface of the sea; the difference
between that and the surface of the water in the hold of the ship gives-the
weight of water lifted (and the consequent amount of power required), as all
beyond flows on the principle of the syphon; thus I appropriate to its greatest
extent the natural pressure of the atmosphere to the diminution of power
that otherwise would be required. I do not think it necessary to illustrate
my improvements in pumps for domestic purposes, as either of the principles
exhibited in the Drawings are capable of being modified for that purpose as
occasion or situation may require; therefore I have only again to direct
attention to Sheet 2 to shew with what facility the ship or other pumps there
exhibited may be converted into an engine for throwing water for extinguish-
ing fire or other purposes, as before referred to. To effect this I bring the
vertical slide valve into action by forcing it down, the action of which may be
seen by referring to Figure 6. The valve h, and h¹ is attached to the valve
rod marked X, and by pushing these valves down, the ingress into the part U
through the suction pipe A will be cut off, and the egress through the opening
K will also be cut off, but the opening here marked k, between the valves h
and h', will then occupy the position of h, allowing the water to be drawn up
from the sea through what in the ordinary action of the pump would be the
delivery pipe into the chamber U, and escape through a hose attached to a
socket, represented by the circular hole marked m, and in this position I have
exhibited a cap screwed on both in the side view, Figure 3, and top view,
Figure 4, and which caps are marked respectively n, n; but at Figure 3
I have represented in dotted lines a hose and delivery pipe marked p, p, and
in order to ensure a steady delivery of the water to this important conversion
of my pump from one use to the other, I have provided an air box, as in
ordinary fire engines, for giving out its elastic force and equalizing the
pressure on its delivery; for this purpose a hole is formed in the crown of
the valve box, as exhibited at Figure 6, with the arrows S, S, passing up.
The air box, as before described, is made for convenience in parts, the top
part being passed down encircling the cylinder, and secured by bolts passing
through the flanges, as exhibited at Q, Q, Figures 4 and 5.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that I do not
limit myself to the proportion, size, or capacity of the parts herein described

page_text: and exhibited, or to any exact distance or position of the cylinders I purpose
using and placing one under the other for mine operations, as the whole is
capable of considerable modification or alteration of structure without de-
parting from the nature of my Invention; but what I do claim by these my
part recited Letters Patent is, the general arrangement for raising and
forcing water, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Ward, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JAMES WARD. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALFRED PERRY,
Clerk to Mr. J. S. Cockings, Patent Agent,
26, Ann Street, Birmingham.