Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Raising Liquids.
Year: 1895

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as allowed by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 7th day of September 1898.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Raising Liquids.
I, JULES LEMICHEL, of 52, Rue Lourmel, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in liquid raising apparatus of the kind
referred to in the Specification of prior British Letters Patent No. 21024 of 1890
that is to say to apparatus embodying a syphon so constructed that when in action
a portion of the liquid passing up the short leg of the syphon is automatically and
intermittently discharged into a tank or receptacle at or near the bend of the
syphon without destroying the syphonic action. According to the invention
described in the aforesaid specification the liquid discharged from the syphon at
or near the bend thereof was not raised by the syphon to a further height. Accord-
ing to my present invention however the height to which the liquid can be raised
is not limited as above indicated. For this purpose I provide that the only out-
let for the liquid discharged from the bend of the syphon is a pipa that rises to
the height to which the water is to be raised. I preferably provide a suitable
clack valve at the foot of the said pipe, and I also provide an air chamber in con-
nection with the said pipe to act as a cushion to the liquid and thus avoid excessive
shock in the apparatus.
In apparatus of this kind it is desirable to prevent the formation of a void or
vacuum in the long leg of the syphon while the syphonic action is temporarily
stopped by the closure of the valve in the syphon pipe. This object was effected
according to the invention described in the above mentioned' specification by means
of a device termed a regulator consisting of a chamber furnished with flexible
ends which are forced inward by the pressure of the atmosphere immediately any
tendency to form a void or vacuum manifests itself, and thus prevent the formation
of a vacuum.
A very important feature of iny present invention is the provision of improved
means for effecting this object. For this purpose I employ a regulator chamber
having rigid ends, and I place in the said chamber a flexible expansible bag or
two or more such bags containing air. These bags expand when the surrounding
pressure is reduced and contract when the surrounding pressure is increased so
that they instantly respond to the variations of pressure within the syphon and
operate in such a manner as to prevent the formation of a void or vacuum in the
water space so that there is no break of continuity of the liquid in the syphon
during the time that the clack valve remains closed. The bags may be anchored
in position, or they may be enclosed by a wire or other cage to prevent their being
carried out of the syphon by the liquid.

page_text: According to a modification of this part of my invention I accomplish the same
object by means of a. piston arranged within a tubular extension of the wall of
the regulator chamber and controlled by weights or a spring. This piston moves
in and out according as the pressure within the regulator chamber decreases or
increases.
My present improvements are not only applicable for raising a portion of the
liquid passing through the syphon but they are also applicable for raising other
liquid.
;
L
According to my invention the tank or receiver for containing the liquid taken
from the syphon is situated immediately above the distributing box, the lift-
valve of the latter opening directly thereinto. The spindle of this valve may
be arranged to work in an adjustable socket or bushing carried by suitable sup-
ports within the tank or receiver. This valve may be controlled by a spring
or by india-rubber buffers which are regulated by the aforesaid bushing and the
said valve may be provided with a movable seating fixed to the top of the dis-
tributing box by bolts or studs or other suitable means. Or in place of this con-
struction of valve I may use a ball valve or any other device suitable for the pur-
pose. When the apparatus is intended to raise a portion of the liquid passing
through the syphon the aforesaid tank or receiver is provided with an air chamber
above it so that the liquid entering the said chamber can be elevated to a higher
level through a suitably arranged pipe provided with an appropriate valve. When
however I employ the apparatus for raising a different liquid from that flowing
through the syphon, say for instance sewage, I may connect a pump or similar
contrivance to the beforementioned lift-valve, by means of suitably arranged
levers, or instead of employing a pump I may divide the beforementioned recep-
tacle or air chamber that is situated immediately above the lift-valve into two
compartments by a flexible diaphragm which may be connected to the spindle of
the aforesaid lift-valve or instead of the diaphragm I may employ a piston. The
compartment below the diaphragm would then receive the liquid taken from the
syphon and the compartment above the diaphragm be employed. to receive the
sewage or other liquid to be raised. Then as the said lift-valve opened and closed
the flexible diaphragm would be lifted at each up stroke of the lift valve and a
corresponding portion of the sewage or other liquid above the diaphragm be
thereby caused to flow through a suitable outlet pipe with which the air chamber
is provided: The clack-valve within the distributing box is carried by a rotary
axis passing through the said distributing box, and one of the outer ends of such
axis is provided with an arm furnished with a movable counterbalance weight.
The extent of movement of this arm is capable of being limited by means of
adjustable stops mounted vertically one above and the other below the said arm.
For the purpose of avoiding the entrance of air to the distributing box through
the bearings of this rotary axis, I may surround or enclose the projecting end of
the said axis with a flexible cover or sleeve which while. being air-tight will not
impede die movement of the said axis. This clack valve instead of working in
a rotary manner as above stated may be arranged to operate in any other con-
venient manner.
The regulator may conveniently consist of a cast iron chamber preferably of
cylindrical shape and provided with a detachable air-tight cover. This cover
may be retained in place on the receiver by means of a yoke or stirrup-piece ex-
tending diametrically across the cover., The ends of this stirrup-piece may be
hooked so as to fit beneath projecting lugs on the regulator and a screw passing
centrally through the said stirrup-piece and bearing on the cover of the regulator
may be employed for keeping the cover tightly pressed on to the regulator.
The ascending and descending limbs of the syphon may be provided with cocks
or valves for enabling the flow of the liquid through the syphon to he controlled.
I would remark that although I have herein stated that the reciprocating
movements of the lift valve are employed for operating mechanism for lifting

page_text: sewage or other liquid, such movements of the lift-valve can equally well be
utilized for other purposes.
Dated this 13th day of November 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Raising Liquids,
I, JULES LEMICHEL, of 52, Rue Lourmel, Paris, in the Republic of France,.
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 relates to liquid-raising apparatus in which is employed a syphon
BO constructed and arranged that when it is in action a portion of the liquid pass-
ing through it is caused to be intermittently discharged into a tank or other
receptacle arranged above the syphon without destroying the syphonic action.
The apparatus I employ consists essentially of a syphon having at its upper
part a regulator, which constitutes an essential feature of my invention; a dis-
tributing box having a clack-valve and a lift-valve; a tank or receptacle situated,
immediately above the distributing box; and means for enabling the liquid as it
is intermittently discharged from the syphon to be elevated to a higher level.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 a plan of the apparatus as con-
structed for use in raising a portion of the same liquid that is passing through
the syphon.
Figure 3 is a plan of one of the flexible expansible bags hereinafter referred to.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of a modified construction of the regulator.
Figure 5 is a vertical section shewing a modified arrangement of the lift-valve
whereby a different liquid from that passing through the syphon can be raised.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus adapted for actuating a pump
or other piece of machinery.
In all of these figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts. .
A is the ascending limb of the syphon which communicates at its upper end
with the distributing box B. C is the regulator connected to the distributing box
by the passage C, and A¹ is the descending limb of the syphon which is in com-
munication with the regulator at C³.
The distributing box B has two valves D and E the former of which is a clack-
valve and the latter a lift-valve. The clack-valve D is mounted on a horizontal
axis or spindle D1 having at one end an arm 18 provided with an adjustable
weight D³. D is a covering of india-rubber or other suitable flexible material
which encloses this end of the spindle D. The other end of this spindle is carried
by a bushing D that is closed at its outer end and is screwed into the wall of the
distributing box. In this manner the entrance of air to the distributing box
through the bearings of. this spindle is prevented without interfering with the
free movements of the said spindle. D³ D are two resilient adjustable stops which
are carried by brackets projecting from the distributing box and serve to limit
the extent of movement of the said arm D and thereby regulate the stroke of
the clack-valve,

page_text: Fis a receptacle mounted immediately above the distributing box B and pro-
vided with an opening which is kept normally closed by the lift-valve E. The
spindle E of this valve passes through an adjustable bushing E screwing into
cross bar E3 and the said spindle is surrounded with rubber washers or buffers E
which act to return the valve to its seating each time it is raised.
Gis an air chamber which is bolted on to the aforesaid receptacle F, and Fa
is an outlet to which a pipe F3 is connected: This pipe extends upwardly to the
required height to which the liquid is to be raised and may be provided with a
non-return valve near its lower end. The air within the chamber C acts as a
cushion to the liquid so as to avoid excessive shock to the apparatus during
working.
Within the regulator C are elastic bags H enclosed in a metal wire or other
cage. I which limits their movement and prevents them from interfering with the
free flow of the liquid through the syphon when the said liquid is in motion.
These bags are air vessels formed of comparatively thin rubber or other suitable
material and have necks H¹ (see Figure 3) which are closed by metal plugs held
in place by convolutions of cord He wound on the outside of the said necks around
the plugs. These bags are slightly inflated with air so that they can expand when
the surrounding pressure within the regulator is reduced and can contract again
when the said pressure is increased. The aforesaid cage I is cylindrical and is
open at its ends where it is provided with rubber rings I¹ Is one of which rests on
the bottom of the regulator and the other against the underside of the cover C³.
This cover is hermetically secured to the regulator by a yoke Chaving bent
ends that engage with lugs C on the regulator; a screw (7 passes through the
said yoke and presses the cover tightly against a packing ring C interposed
between the said cover and the flange of the regulator. The aforesaid flexiblo
bags contained in the regulator constitute an essential feature of my invention
and act to prevent the formation of a vacant space or vacuum in the regulator
during the temporary stoppage of the syphonic action when the aforesaid clack-
valve 1) closes, as will be hereinafter explained.
The aforesaid air-chamber G and the pipe F³ also constitute important features
of this invention as they serve as the means whereby I am enabled to raise the
liquid to the required height above the syphion.
The lower end of the ascending limb A of the syphon is furnished with a
valve box A³ containing an inlet valve A³; the descending limb A¹ is provided
with a stop-cock or valve A for controlling the flow of the liquid through the
syphon. The upper part of the syphon, may be provided with a filling opening
which is kept closed by a screw plug A'. By removing this plug and closing, the
cock A the syphon can be readily charged with liquid when desired.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:
When the syphon, distributing box and regulator are all full of liquid the
apparatus is started by opening the cock A. The liquid then commences to flow
through the syphon, and as soon as it attains sufficient velocity the clack-valve 1)
is, by the action of the moving liquid, caused to close, thereby suddenly stopping
the flow of liquid to the regulator C. This sudden stoppage of the flow of
the liquid causes the lift-valve E to be momentarily raised so that a portion of the
water in the syphon escapes into the receptacle F and thence passes through the
inlet into the pipe F3 and raises the column of liquid therein, the air within
the chamber G acting as a buffer or cushion. During this temporary stoppage of
the flow of liquid in the syphon the aforesaid bags H expand and operate in such
a manner as to prevent the formation of a void or vacuum in the water space so
that the syphonic action shall not be interfered with to such an extent as to pre-
vent the proper flow of liquid through the syphon when the clack-valve D again
opens. Therefore immediately the said clack-valve opens the liquid once more
commences to flow through the syphon and after attaining a sufficient velocity
again closes the valve Das before stated, a fresh quantity of liquid being again
discharged from the syphon past the lift-valve E. A constant pulsation of the

page_text: clack-valve thus takes place which causes a corresponding alternate opening and
closing of the lift-valve. The operation of the apparatus will therefore continue
automatically, a portion of the liquid passing through the syphon being abstracted
and elevated eich time the lift valve E rises.
Instead of employing the aforesaid elastic bags H within the regulator, I some-
times employ the modified arrangement illustrated in Figure 4 wherein the upper
part of the regulator is provided with a piston J working in a cylinder J. The
rod J of this piston is fitted to slide through a stuffing box J. J is a collar
which is formed on the rod J³ for the purpose of supporting weights J5 which are
employed for regulating the movements of the piston. The capacity of displace-
ment possessed by this piston will be such that the regulator will always be kept
full of liquid notwithstanding any tendency of the descending limb of the syphon
to empty itself during the short intervals of time that the clack-valve remains
closed.
When it is desired to raise a liquid separately from that passing through the
syphon, I may employ the device illustrated at Figure 5 which comprises a flexible
diaphragm K dividing the chamber G into two distinct superimposed compart-
ments g g, the upper one of which receives the liquid to be raised and the lower
one the motive liquid escaping from the syphon past the lift-valve E. The afore-
said diaphragm is connected to the stem of the lift-valve which latter is provided
with guide pieces e extending from its lower face into the passage F. K³ is an
inlet pipe for conducting the liquid to be raised to the compartment gl and having
an inlet valve K; K³ is a discharge pipe for the liquid forced from the said com-
partment g' by the lift-valve E. This pipe is provided with a non-return valvo K6
of any appropriate construction. It will thus be obvious that each time the lift-
valve rises a portion of liquid is ejected from the compartiment g' past the
valve K, into the pipe K, and that each time the said lift-valve returns to its
seat a fresh quantity of liquid is allowed to enter the aforesaid compartment g¹
from the supply pipe K³. If preferred I may employ a piston in place of the
diaphragm K.
The compartment is provided with an outlet pipe G through which the
liquid escaping from the syphon past the lift-valve E can flow away. The upper
or outlet end from this pipe G¹ is arranged at a point above the diaphragm K so
that the compartment will always be kept full of liquid.
When the apparatus is to be employed for actuating a pump or other machinery
I sometimes arrange the parts as illustrated at Figure 6 wherein I have shewn
an open chamber L above the lift-valve E, the spindle of the latter being con-
nected to an oscillating lever M pivoted at M to an arm M³ articulated to some
fixed point such as M. The free end of the oscillating lever is connected to the
part of the machine to be actuated and transmits the reciprocating movements of
the lift-valve thereto. The aforesaid chamber L is as before stated in this case
left open and is provided with an outlet L' for allowing the liquid escaping from
the syphon past the lift-valve to flow away. I do not confine myself to the
arrangement of levers just described as any suitable mechanism can be employed
for transmitting the motion of the valve E to the machine to be actuated.
The aforesaid clack-valve D instead of working in an oscillatory manner as
herein before stated may be arranged to operate in any other convenient manner
and a ball valve may be employed in the place of the valve E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:.
1. In a syphonic apparatus such as that herein specified a regulator in which
air or gas confined within an elastic chamber operates for restoring the action
after each interruption by the clack-valve.
2. In a syphonic apparatus such as that herein specified the use within the
regulator chamber, of flexible bags containing air or gas for the purpose specified,
'

page_text: "
3. In a syphonic apparatus the modified construction of the regulator substan-
tially as described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings
and for the purpose specified.
4. A syphonic apparatus provided with means for enabling the liquid to. 'be
elevated to a higher level than the highest part of the syphon by the aid of air
or gas confined within an elastic chamber substantially as described.
5. A syphonic apparatus such as that herein specified, provided with means
substantially as described with reference to Figure 5 whereby the liquid passing
through the syphon is used to raise another liquid.
G. A modified construction of the syphonic apparatus whereby it can be used for
actuating a pump or other mechanism substantially as described with reference
to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The improved syphonic apparatus having its parts constructed arranged
and combined to operate substantially as described with reference to the accom-
pauying drawings.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.