IMPROVE MENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Henry Knott, of Nelson Square, Blackfriars
Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN PUMPS."
Sealed the 16th October 1863, and dated. the 5th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Henry Knott
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th May 1863.
I, JOSEPH HENRY KNOTT, of Nelson Square, Blackfriars Road, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of "Improvements in Pumps" relates to that description of
pump which is known by the name of rotary pumps. My improved rotary pump
consists of a cylinder in which works a piston resembling in form the excentric
gear of a steam engine. The excentric is mounted on a central spindle, and
works in a strap which envelopes it; this strap is provided with a tail which
works in a spindle or socket at the lower end of the cylinder, and thereby-
forms a stop which divides the cylinder into two compartments, one of which
is in communication with the suction pipe and the other with the exit pipe.
It will of course be understood that the piston and strap, with its tail or stop,
are made accurately to fit the cylinder, so that when the cylinder head or end
plate is secured in its place the ends of the piston may be water-tight, and
therefore-on communicating rotary motion to the piston shaft the piston will

page_text: move in the cylinder, and will draw in the water by one pipe and force it out
by the other. The spindle through which the tail of the stop passes is fitted
water-tight in its socket or bearing in which it is free to vibrate, so as to
accommodate itself to the movements of the tail-piece. It will be seen by this
arrangement of parts, that all movable valves may be dispensed with, and a
that a continuous or nearly continuous suction takes place, and that the pump
will act as a force pump as well as a suction pump.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Henry Knott in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, JOSEPH
HENRY KNOTT, of Nelson Square, Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight-hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph Henry Knott, Her special license that I, the said Joseph Henry
Knott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Joseph Henry Knott, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Henry Knott, 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 Joseph Henry Knott, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in Pumps" relates to that descripton of

page_text: pump which is known by the name of rotary pumps. My improved rotary
pump consists of a cylinder in which works à piston resembling in form the
excentric gear of a steam engine. The excentric is mounted on a central
spindle, and works in a strap which envelops it; this strap is provided with
a tail which works in a spindle or socket at one end of the cylinder, and
thereby forms a stop which divides the cylinder into two compartments, one of
which is in communication with the suction pipe, and the other with. the exit
pipe. It will of course be understood that the piston and strap with its tail
or stop are made accurately to fit the cylinder, so that when the cylinder head
or end plate is secured in its place, the ends of the piston may be water-tight,
and therefore on communicating rotary motion to the piston shaft the piston
will move in the cylinder, and will draw in the water by one pipe, and force it
out by the other. The spindle through which the tail of the stop passes is
fitted water-tight in its socket or bearing in which it is free to vibrate so as to
accommodate itself to the movements of the tail piece. It will be understood
that by this arrangement of parts all moveable valves may be dispensed with,
and that a continuous or nearly continuous suction takes place, and that the
pump will act as a force pump as well as a suction pump..
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section taken
through the working parts of the pump; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical
section of the same, the section in this instance being taken at right angles to
that shewn in Fig. 1.
a, a, is the shell cylinder or casing of the pump; b, b, the moveable piston,
the stem b' of which passes up through an oscillating socket c, which is
properly fitted so as to be water-tight; d is the entrance aperture for admitting
water to the cylinder; e is the exit aperture. The piston 6 is actuated by
means of an excentric strap f keyed on to the shaft g, which passes through
the cylinder, and is properly fitted so as to render it water-tight. On the
outer end of the shaft g is mounted a pulley, over which passes a band for the
purpose of driving the shaft and the excentric strap within. As the excentric
rotates it communicates motion to the piston, and draws in water from the
aperture d, and forces it out at the aperture e, as will be well understood on
inspecting the Drawing.
Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of a pump in which the positions of
the working parts are changed. The difference in the arrangement will be at
once evident upon referring to the Drawing; in this instance, however, for
convenience of manufacture, the-stem-6 of the piston,-instead of being cast on
the piston as in Figures 1 and 2, forms a separate piece, and is secured
thereon by bolts, screws, or otherwise.

page_text: Fig. 4 is a section of a pump, in which in place of the excentric strap f of
Figures 1, 2, and 3, a crank h is employed to actuate the piston, as will be
seen in the detached sectional view, Fig. 5. It will be seen that in Fig. 4
the crank shaft g passes entirely through the pump, and is packed at both
ends; for some purposes, however, this will not be required, a simple crank
pin being only secured in the block piece i, as shewn in Fig. 6.
Fig. 7 represents a pump such as that shewn in Fig. 3, adapted to act as a
lift or force pump. It will be evident that pumps of the construction above
described may be made to act in either direction, by reversing the motion of
the piston, so that the exit pipe will be used as the suction pipe, and the latter
as the exit pipe; this will be found a very great advantage for many pur-
poses, as, for instance, in breweries, The pump can, moreover, be readily set
in action without a foot valve, and can be driven at any speed; it will not,
therefore, be necessary to arrange shafting expressly for it.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Pumps," and
.baving explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, the mode herein set
forth of constructing pumps whereby the use of moveable valves may be dis-
-pensed with.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henry Knott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
JOSEPH HENRY KNOTT. (L.S.)