IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF A VESSEL OR VESSELS FOR THE COMPRESSION OF AIR AS APPLICABLE TO LIFT OR FORCE PUMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fielding Fletcher, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Plumbers' Brassfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF A VESSEL OR VESSELS FOR THE COMPRESSION OF AIR
AS APPLICABLE TO LIFT OR FORCE PUMPS."
Sealed the 15th May 1863, and dated the 20th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fielding Fletcher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
November 1862.
I, FIELDING FLETCHER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Plumbers' Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OP A VESSEL OR VESSELS FOR THE COM-
PRESSION OF AIR, AS APPLICABLE TO LIFT OR FORCE PUMPS," to be as follows:-
Whereas it is now the practice, in constructing or making lift or force
pumps for the purposes of raising water out of deep wells, or for supplying
cisterns on buildings, or for other purposes, to fix such pumps on solid planks
of wood, and then to bolt or fix such plank against a wall or other support, or
in cases where such pumps are fixed down in wells, to bolt or fasten them to
a solid piece of wood placed either vertically or horizontally, as the case may
require, and when a vessel for the compression of air is used, to attach such
vessel externally to what is technically called the chamber of the rising main,
and it is usual to make such air vessel' of copper.
In my Invention I dispense with the solid plank of wood, and substitute in

page_text: the place thereof a hollow box or frame of iron or other suitable material on or
against which box or frame I fix the cylinder or barrel of the pump, and if the
situation require it, the handle or other apparatus necessary for working the
same; this hollow box or frame of iron or other suitable material I make
into a vessel for the compression of air, by inserting or attaching the delivery
pipe thereto, by which arrangement a continuous flow of water from the
delivery pipe is obtained while the pump is at work.
My Invention consists in using the above-named hollow box or frame for
the purposes of a rest or support for the pump, and for a vessel in which to
compress air. In making the hollow box or frame or air vessel, I do not
confine myself to any particular configuration, size, or material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Fielding Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FIELDING
FLETCHER, Plumbers' Brassfounder, of Fordrough Street, 'Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Fielding Fletcher, Her special licence that I, the said Fielding
Fletcher, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Fielding Fletcher, 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 THE ARRANGEMENT OF A VESSEL OR VESSELS FOR THE COMPRESSION OF AIR, AS
APPLICABLE TO LIFT OR FORCE PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Fielding Fletcher, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Fielding Fletcher, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention for "Improvements in the Arrangement of
a Vessel or Vessels for the Compression of Air, as applicable to Lift or Force
Pumps," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
Whereas it is now the practice in constructing or making lift or force pumps
for the purposes of raising water out of deep wells, or for supplying cisterns
on buildings, or for other purposes to fix such pumps on solid planks of wood,
and then to bolt or fix such plank against a wall or other support, or in cases
where such pumps are fixed down in wells, to bolt or fasten them to a solid
piece of wood, placed either vertically or horizontally as the case may require,
and when a vessel for the compression of air is used, to attach such vessel
externally to what is technically called the chamber of the rising main, and it
is usual to make such air vessel of copper.
In my Invention, I dispense with the solid plank of wood and substitute in
the place thereof, a hollow box or frame of iron or other suitable material, into
which I insert a suitable tube through a hole at the top, and on or against
which box or frame I fix the cylinder or barrel of the pump, and if the
situation require it, the handle or other apparatus necessary for working the
same. This hollow box or frame of iron or other suitable material I make
into a vessel for the compression of air by inserting or attaching the delivery
pipe thereto, by which arrangement a continuous flow of water from the
delivery pipe is obtained, while the pump is at work.
My Invention consists in using the above-named hollow box or frame for
the purposes of a rest or support for the pump or pumps, and for a vessel in
which to compress air. In making the hollow box or frame, or air vessel, I
do not confine myself to any particular configuration, size, or material.
At the top of this box or vessel, or wherever the outlet is placed, I fix a
suitable stop-cock, so that the stream of water may be directed into a cistern
or diverted to extinguish a fire, or for other purposes.
In my Invention I dispense with any air vessel fixed externally or on the
the rising main, and attach the cylinder to the support or hollow box, in such
a manner that the water is pumped direct into the hollow cavity or box which
forms the air vessel until the air is so far compressed in the upper part of the
air vessel that its elasticity causes a continuous stream of water to flow through
the inner tube, entering at the lower end, and escaping by any of the outlets
as may be required. By this arrangement I obtain a pump for domestic
purposes, a lift pump, and a fire-extinguisher combined.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front view of one of the pumps adapted for fixing in ordinary
positions. a is the box or air vessel; 6 is the cylinder; c, c, c, the handle and
apparatus for working the pump; d is a stop-cock at which to fill a bucket; e
is a stop-cock fixed at the outlet; f is the supply pipe to cistern; g is a hose
to be used in case of fire.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section. a' is the air vessel; b', cylinder of pump;
c', c', c', handle and apparatus for working the same; h, the outlet or discharge
pipe; i, a valve to prevent the return of the water into the cylinder; j, the
bucket of pump; k, bottom valve to pump.
In witness whereof, I, the said Fielding Fletcher, have hereunto set my
..hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Fielding Fletcher,
in the presence of
.
EARL BIRD, Agent,
London.
FIELDING FLETCHER. (L.S.)