IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean André Cécile Nestor Delpech, of Castres, in
the French Empire, Manufacturer of Engines and Machinery, for tho
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS."
Sealed the 4th Novmeber 1862, and dated the 26th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean André Cécile Nestor
Delpech at the Office of the Commissioners of. Patents, with his Pétition,
on the 26th May 1862.
I, JEAN ANDRÉ CÉCILE NESTOR DELPECH, of Castres, in the French Empire,
Manufacturer of Engines and Machinery, do hereby declare the nature of. the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," to be as follows:-
According to my Invention I construct a pump consisting of a casing, chest,
or shell, herein-after called "casing" only, composed of or divided into two
portions or chambers, which communicate with each other, and one of which,
herein-after called "cylinder chamber," contains a cylinder or barrel. in which
works a piston, and the other, herein-after called "valve chamber," contains
suction and delivery (or force) valves.. The cylinder chamber is divided into
two parts by a partition, ledge, or piece, through which the cylinder or barrel.
passes; this cylinder is open at both ends, and a space is left between.it. and
the chamber ends for fluid to circulate. The valve chamber is divided into
two compartments, each compartment contains. two valves; viz., a suction and.. a.

page_text: delivery or force valve, one below the other, with a space between one con-
partment of the valve chamber, say, No. 1, communicates with one part of the
cylinder chamber, and the other compartment of the valve chamber, say, No. 2,
with the other part of the cylinder chamber. I use ball valves.
The pump is double acting, that is, the piston forces at one side while
effecting suction at the other, each side alternately performing each office, and
the pump works as follows:-The casing is filled with fluid, and reciprocating
motion communicated to the piston, which in performing its stroke in one, say
forward direction, forces the fluid before it, and opens the upper valve in com-
partment No. 1, the suction valve of which remains closed; at the same time
the piston is exerting suction behind it, so as to open suction valve in compart-
ment No. 2, and draw up fluid into the space between that valve and the
delivery valve in same compartment. At the reverse stroke of the piston the
fluid which followed it in its previous stroke is in turn forced, the suction valve
in No. 2 closes, and the valve above it opens, and the fluid is expelled from
compartment No. 2, its place being taken by fluid in the casing displaced
by the piston. At the same time the suction behind the piston opens, the
lower valve in No. 1 compartment (the delivery valve therein closing), and
fluid is drawn into this compartment between the valves. When the piston
performs its second forward travel, the suction valve of No. 2 and delivery
valve of No. 1 again open while the other valves close, and so on; thus fluid
is being expelled while a fresh supply enters, and suction and delivery are
going on continuously owing to the continuous motion of the fluid in the casing,
which follows the piston in each direction alternately, while the fluid on the
opposite side is being forced; the fluid which 'is being raised does not enter the
cylinder, but only into the valve chamber, in which it takes as direct a course
or passage as may be, ie., in à direct rectilinear direction without contraction,
its delivery being affected directly over its suction; and lead point being pre-
vented by one valve opening as the other closes.
In one arrangement the cylinder chamber is horizontal and the valve
"chamber upright, the latter rising 'above the former, though its height is less
than the length of the cylinder chamber. Within and in the middle of the
cylinder chamber is a ledge, ring, or annular partition or plate formed with an
opening through it, in which the cylinder is fitted at about the middle of its
length, 'and is preferably secured by tie rods, fixed at one end to the ledge and
at the other to a flange on the cylinder end, being tightened by nuts or other-
wise to adjust the cylinder in the ledge, on which is a groove in which is a
'caoutchouc or other elastic packing, pressed down by a ring or collar on the
cylinder. I prefer to cast the whole casing in a single piece, and to close the

page_text: cylinder chamber ends with covers fastened by bolts and flanges with an inter-
vening caoutchouc or other elastic packing.
I have an improved arrangement of piston consisting of two dished cupped
or lipped discs of leather or other flexible material, in each of which is a metal
ribbed disc or washer; the flexible discs are set back to back so that their lips
or flanges extend in opposite directions; the piston rod passes through the
discs, which are secured by a nut, against which one metal disc bears while the
other bears against a shoulder on the rod. The flexible discs, especially when
of caoutchouc, may be strengthened by an internal wire web, or skeleton, or a
metal core. When the piston is at work, the lip or flange of the disc on the
side at which the fluid is being forced, is closely pressed by the fluid against
the cylinder sides, the other lip being free. The valve chamber is divided in
the middle by an upright partition, and may have a flange at each end, to the
bottom one of which is secured the suction pipe head, and to the top one the
air vessel, when one is used. Each compartment contains two valves, the
suction and delivery openings and valve seats, being one directly under the
other, with a space between; each compartment communicates with its cor-
responding part of the cylinder chamber through broad passages at the upper
part of the latter (to keep out grit and render the pump self-priming). I
construct improved elastic ball valves of solid vulcanized caoutchouc, first
forming a core of liquified or very plastic caoutchouc kneeded or masticated
with white lead, minium, or other substance, which renders it dense without
impairing its elasticity, and I enclose this core in very pure caoutchouc and
vulcanize the whole, and form it into one body.
The valve seats, instead of being concave, should be raised convex or
projecting, and the orifices rounded to prevent grit or foreign matters from
resting thereon. A stay or cross piece is fixed across the orifices in the seats
to keep the valves from being forced through; the cross pieces in the upper
valve seats act as stops to the suction valves in their upward travel, and cross
pieces at the top of the chambers act as like stops to the upper valves; the
sides of the compartments are so near together that the balls are forced to
drop duly on their seats. The seats should be of bronze or other material
which will not .oxidize or rust. Sight holes, one to each valve, should be
formed in the valve chamber.
In another arrangement the cylinder chamber is upright instead of horizontal,
and is best supported on feet strengthened by stays and bolted to a foundation
plate, or otherwise. In most other respects this arrangement is mainly similar
to that just described.
When I apply my pump in fire engines I generally fit two delivery pipes

page_text: and two hose to the air vessel. My pump may be fixed on a portable steam
or traction engine, and its piston connected to and worked direct from the
steam engine shaft.
On board vessels my pump may be placed in the hold and worked direct
from the screw shaft, and two or more auxiliary hand pumps communicating
with the main pump may be placed under water and shot line in the orlop
deck, each set with its gear on a carriage, or travelling frame, to keep up the
action of the main pump if the engine should be stopped. A hose or flexible
pipes for suction and delivery may be fitted to ships' pumps. The pump may
be used to project hot water from the engine boiler.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean André Cécile Nestor Delpech in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
ANDRÉ CÉCILE NESTOR DELPECH, of Castres, in the French Empire, Manufac
turer of Engines and Machinery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Jean André Cécile Nestor Delpech, Her special licence that I, the said Jean
André Cécile Nestor Delpech, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Jean André Cécile Nestor Delpech, 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 PUMPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Jean André Cécile Nestor Delpech, 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 1, the said Jean Andre Cecile Nestor Delpech, 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 :-
This pump of an entirely new principle may be placed either in a horizontal
or vertical position. In both cases it is double acting, i.e. the piston produces
at once a vacuum on one side, whilst it forces the water on the other side.
.
In both arrangements of the machine the principle and combination are
identical, though they produce two distinct machines differing not only by
their action, but also by their arrangements, whilst in their application the
effects and results are the same; also in both arrangements the apparatus is
invariably composed of an external metallic casing divided into two distinct
portions, the one containing the cylinder in which the piston moves, and
which is called cylinder chamber, whilst the other contains four elastic balls
acting as valves or clacks, and is called ball-chamber. The cylinder chamber
itself is divided into two parts by a vertical partition or diaphragm, according
as the pump is a horizontal or vertical one. In both arrangements this
partition is provided at its centre with a round opening for the cylinder, that
passes through the same, and on which it is fixed. The tight joint of the
cylinder on this partition separates thoroughly the two compartments, which
communicate by the interior of the cylinder in which the piston moves. The
cylinder is open at both ends, and between its extremities and the chamber
ends a space is left for the circulation of the liquid contained in these vessels.
The ball chamber is also divided internally into two equal compartments by a
vertical partition. Each of those compartments however communicates by a
wide opening with one of the compartments of the cylinder chamber. Such
are the principal arrangements of the outer casing. This casing may be
constructed of various metals, such as iron, sheet iron, rolled copper, cast iron,
cast copper, or bronze. The cylinder in which the piston moves may also be
secured on the inside casing in various modes, either by screwing it on the
casing itself, or by fastening it by means of collars and bolts, or by means of
strong tie rods. In the pumps that have been constructed hitherto, the
outside casing is generally made of iron cast in one piece. I have constructed
several of copper and bronze, but only as an exception, they being too costly;
some cast-iron casings have been galvanized, others have been coppered;
the greater number have only been coated with a galvanic paint. The
cylinder in which the piston moves is generally secured on the partition by
means of iron tie rods.
This new system of pumps, forming as aforesaid two distinct machines,

page_text: according as they are placed in a horizontal or vertical position; and that they.
may be fully understood, the two annexed Plates of Drawings are intended to
illustrate the arrangements and working of both.
Fig. 1, Plate 1, represents an elevation of the horizontal pump. Fig. 2,
Plate 1, is a longitudinal section of the ball chamber, and air reservoir of that
apparatus. Fig. 3, Plate 1, is a horizontal section of the entire arrangement;
and Fig. 4, Plate 1, is the cross section thereof. Fig. 1, Plate 2, is an
elevation of the vertical pump. Fig. 2, Plate 2, is a longitudinal section
of the whole of that apparatus. Fig. 3, Plate 2, is a cross section of
the ball chamber, and Fig. 4, Plate 2, is a horizontal section of the apparatus.
Fig. 5, Plate 2, is also an clevation of the vertical pump, constructed with
two cylinders, and two pistons equally double acting. Fig. 6, Plate 2, is a
longitudinal section of said apparatus, constructed especially with the view of
extinguishing fires by manual labour. The horizontal arrangement of the
apparatus presents the same facility of uniting two cylinders and two pistons
(double acting) in a single pump. In the horizontal pump (see Fig. 3,
Plate 1) the outside casing is shewn by the letter A, the interior cylinder in
which the piston moves by B, and the piston itself by C.
In this arrange-
ment of the apparatus the cylinder chamber is cast with open ends, each of
these ends is provided with a flange or external curbing cast with the piece
itself. These flanges are intended to secure the bottom and top respectively
on the cylinder chamber by means of bolts. The interior vertical partition
which divides this chamber into two portions is also cast together with the
piece itself. Round the opening through which the cylinder passes there is a
groove into which enters a wäslier of vulcanized caoutchouc, or any other
flexible substance. The cylinder is generally composed of copper or bronze,
'and provided on the outside at 'the required height with a ring fitting well in
the groove in the partition of the cylinder chamber, and at its end above the
ring said cylinder is provided with a perforated flange or 'exterior curbing;
'strong iron ties are secured by one end on the partition, whilst their other end
passes through the holes in 'the flange of the cylinder, and by means of copper
'nuts screwed on the before-mentioned ends of the ties the ring of the cylinder
'is pressed down at will on the bottom of the groove in the partition of the
cylinder chamber, which is its seat; and the flexible washer pressed between
the two metál surfaces ensures a tight joint, the same pressure securing the
'cylinder on the partition, which is its only support, but tightened by the ties,
and resting well on its central ring, the cylinder is thus thoroughly fixed.
This is the most advantageous mode of securing the cylinder on the partition,
not only by its warranting great solidity, but also because of the facility it

page_text: affords in removing the cylinder, if required. Nevertheless I do not limit
myself to the above arrangement, especially for small apparatus, in which
most of the cylinders are only screwed in the thickness of the partition with a
simple packing of red lead to make the joint. The joints of the cylinder
chamber ends may be made with red lead, still I prefer using washers of yul-
canized cautchouc, or any other flexible substance placed between the two
metal surfaces. This arrangement allows any person to open and close them
at pleasure. At the centre of one of the chamber ends is situated a bronze
stuffing box, through which the bronze piston rod passes; said stuffing box is
intended to prevent the return of the air into the interior casing, and the.
escape of the forced liquid during the double action of the piston. The
improved piston used by me is composed of two dished, cupped, or lipped discs
of leather, or of any other flexible substance. Each of these discs receives
inside a ribbed metal washer, generally of copper. These two discs are set back
to back, so that their ends lie in opposite directions, and the piston rod passes
through them; a collar on the piston rod presses against a metal washer
the
placed in the inside of the upper disc, whilst the nut which is fixed on
end of the rod, and which secures the whole, presses against the metal washer
placed in the inside of the lower disc. The piston constructed in this manner,
as seen at Fig. 3, Plate 1, presents the flexible lips in opposite directions.
These lips are formed by the sides of the cupped discs, which extend to a
certain height beyond the thickness of the metal washers placed inside. The
description of its action will shew the advantages of this kind of piston, which
does not absorb any power by friction uselessly consumed. When the pumps
are used for raising corrosive liquids, or liquids at a high temperature, the
discs are made of vulcanized india-rubber, and in large diameters to prevent
the depression of the india-rubber through the resistance of the forced liquid.
These, discs are furnished with an edging of wire let into the thickness of the
india-rubber. That part of the casing called ball chamber is always constructed
in a vertical position, whatever may be the arrangement of the apparatus. This
chamber is also provided at both ends with exterior flanges intended to secure
by means of bolts the suction pipe bead to the lower flange, and the,air
vessel or delivery pipe to the top flange. This chamber, divided inside by
a vertical partition, forms two equal and separate. compartments; but each of
them by means of a wide opening is in direct communication with one of the
Within these two compartments are
compartments of the cylinder chamber.
placed the four elastic balls superseding the common valyes or, clacks. These
balls are placed one in each compartment at the lower part intended for the
suction, the two others are placed directly above the others in the upper part

page_text: of the compartments intended for forcing the water. These balls act always
on bronze seats that are not of hemispherical shape, but on the contrary, very
projecting, and having rounded orifices, so as to prevent any foreign matter
mixed with the liquid from resting thereon. These seats are provided in the
centre with a cross bar called buffer, to prevent the balls from entering the
scats, whatever may be the pressure of the liquid on the balls. The sides of the
compartments in which the balls are placed are sufficiently near each other to
make the balls drop in the centre of the orifice, which they are intended alter-
nately to open and close. The lower part of the buffers of the upper seats.
regulates the elevation of the lower balls, and two cross bars arranged for
that purpose regulate the elevation of the upper balls. By this arrangement
these balls confined each in its own compartiment are not the less entirely free
and independant in their action, and move with the greatest ease at the least
movement of the piston. Their lightness renders an abrupt action un-
necessary for making them rise and open a wide passage to the liquid sucked
or forced, whilst their unalterable elasticity allows them always to hermetically
close the opening on which they are repelled by the reversed action of the
piston. Common valves or clacks, however well fitted, could not work with
the same ease of action, and certainly not with the same precision, since the
unalterable exactness of these balls is entirely owing to their natural elas-
ticity, which also renders all repairs unnecessary. The balls which I have
adopted for my system of pumps are composed as follows:-I first form a core
of liquified caoutchouc mixed with a substance of great density, such as
white lead, ceruse, minium, or any other substance of great density, and
not impairing to any degree the natural elasticity of caoutchouc. A sufficient
quantity of aforesaid substance reduced into impalpable powder is mixed with
the liquified caoutchouc, in order to give it the required density.. The first
core formed by this mixture is covered with a thick coat of very pure caout-
chouc, and the whole vulcanized together forms but one and the same body.
The balls composed in this way preserve the elasticity of pure caoutchouc
whilst they acquire the required density for what they are intended. They
may be flattened in a vice, and be left therein for some time, and when
removed therefrom they will take again their natural shape; small sliot intro-
duced into the interior of the balls, with the view of giving them the required
density, has the inconvenience of facilitating their flattening under great
atmospheric pressure produced by liquid at a certain elevation, and the balls
formed in that way do not take again their natural shape, whilst the intro-
duction of a metal core into the interior of the ball presents the still greater
inconvenience of bursting its coat. It is very essential for the perfect

page_text: working of these balls that they should not act on seats liable to oxydize,
since the contact of vulcanized caoutchouc with a substance liable to oxydize
soon produces rust, and if the apparatus be not worked for some time oxyda-
dation would make the balls stick to the seats, whereby the apparatus would
not work well when put in motion, and the precision of the balls moreover
would be impaired by the rust. Said inconvenience is not to be apprehended,
however long the stoppage of the apparatus when bronze seats are used. The
ball chamber is provided with four sight holes, which allow an instantaneous
examination of the chief parts of the machine, and which may be undertaken
by the least experienced person in machinery. It suffices to loosen two screws
for removing the balls from their compartiments, and for ascertaining whether
their seats are obstructed, and if so, remove the obstruction. For replacing
the balls none of those precautions required for common valves are necessary;
it suffices to throw the balls into the compartments indiscriminately, the balls
thrown into their compartments are obliged to take up their respective places.
Having thus described my apparatus, I shall now explain its working and
its results, reference being had to the annexed Drawings.
The reader being supposed to stand in front of the apparatus, and that
to be full of liquid. From this position it will be seen that the first forward
movement of the piston presses the liquid contained in the vessels on the
right side of the casing. The liquid contained therein of course resists with
its entire weight the forward movement of the piston, and this resistance
chiefly takes place within the flexible lip formed by the disc on the top of the
piston, and immediately causes this lip to press tight against the side of the
cylinder. This pressure prevents the liquid from flowing out at the back of
the piston, whilst the fore stroke of the piston by still pressing the liquid con-
tained in the aforesaid vessels, effects thereby the rising of the upper ball 1 of
the compartment on the right, which opens a passage to the forced liquid,
whilst the same forward stroke of the piston causes a vacuum in the vessels
on the left of the casing, and introduces the liquid contained in the aforesaid
vessels into the interior of the cylinder. The displacement of the liquid causes
the rising of the lower ball (2) of the compartment on the left, which opens a
passage to the same amount of sucked liquid as was displaced by the forward
stroke of the piston. It may be observed here that during the forward stroke
of the piston the lip formed by the lower disc of the piston has remained com-
pletely inert and slack, and consequently did not cause the least friction against
the side of the cylinder. At the end of its stroke the piston immediately
changes its direction, and at the beginning of its back stroke the flexible lip
formed by the lower disc feels the resistance of the liquid contained in the

page_text: vessels on the left, which the preceding movement of the piston has sucked in.
This resistance of the liquid immediately causes the aforesaid lip to press tight
against the side of the cylinder, whilst at the same time the lip of the upper
disc undergoing no resistance of the liquid, gets slack in its turn and offers no
friction; moreover as soon as the piston alters its direction, the two balls
raised by the preceding action suddenly drop on their seats, which they close
hermetically, and, the backward stroke of the piston still compressing the
liquid contained in said vessels, causes the rising of the upper ball (3) of the
compartment on the left, which thereby opens a passage to the forced liquid,
and the same backward stroke of the piston causes a vacuum in the vessels on
the right; and introduces the liquid contained in these vessels into the cylinder.
The displacement of said liquid causes the rising of the lower ball (4) of the
compartment on the right, which opens a passage to the same amount of sucked
liquid as was displaced by the backward stroke of the piston. Thus the
double action of suction and delivery is effected. The foregoing description,
however imperfect, of the double action of the piston, will sufficiently shew its
great advantages. It is shewn to cause no other friction against the side of
the cylinder than by one or other of those flexible lips acting alternately
during its forward and backward stroke, thereby avoiding any waste of power,
such as is caused by friction in common pumps with solid pistons which have a
rubbing surface throughout their thickness, unless a diminution in the volume
of pumped water is but little or no consequence.
From the foregoing description it is easy to perceive that, owing to the con-
tinuous movement of the liquid contained in the chambers of the casing which
the piston forces or draws continually in its course on one side or the other,
which also causes a continuous suction and delivery, forming as it were a
kind of syphon in the ball chamber, where the suction and delivery valves are
placed one above the other. The result is that the raised liquid follows a direct
course free from all contraction, not having even to penetrate into the interior
of the cylinder, in which the piston moves. The liquid in the suction pipe
rising continuously undergoes no interruption of motion from the dead point,
which is inevitable in the common system of pumps in use, and avoided in this
system by the arrangement of the apparatus, since the instant one ball drops
to close its orifice, the other rises to open its orifice. Amongst the advantages
resulting by the combination and arrangement of my apparatus may be men-
tioned the following, its extraordinary effective force in comparison with the
power used, which yields nearly 70 per cent. A delivery still more extra-
ordinary compared with the volume generated, which at a small elevation is
nearly 100 per cent. Finally the ease with which this pump raises and ejects

page_text: all kinds of foreign matter mixed with the liquid, such as ores, cinders, coals,
rags, grit, pieces of rope, oakum, in short all matter whose size does not
exceed one half the diameter of the suction pipe, and not only without causing
any obstruction to its parts, but also without lessening in the least its delivery.
These are advantages possessed by no other machine at present in use for
raising liquids.
My horizontal pump may be fixed on a portable steam or traction engine,
and its piston connected with and worked direct from the shaft. By thus con-
necting the pump with the aforesaid engine, the whole forms but one machine
and may be used for draining, irrigation, and especially in extinguishing great
fires in large towns, docks, arsenals, warehouses, railway stations, and wherever
sufficient water can be found to feed a pump of this power. The enumeration
of the many applications of this machine necessitates some precise details of
its power, especially when applied to extinguish large fires. I will take for
this example a horizontal pump, with a cylinder of 9.84 inches diameter,
and with a. stroke of 9.84 inches, attached to a portable steam engine of
12 horse-power, the cubic contents of the vacuum produced by a piston of
9.84 inches diameter, with 9.84 inches stroke is equal to 2.696 galls. The
piston being double acting, the product of the foreward and backward stroke,
or for each revolution of the motor is equal. to 5.392 galls., from which must
be deducted .33 gall. for the displacement of the piston rod, leaving 'thus a
net product of 5.062 galls., for each double stroke of the piston, or for each
revolution of the motor, therefore at 50 revolutions of the motor (per minute)
the delivery of the pump would amount to 253 galls., or 4.216 galls. per
second. Seeing that it is not possible to supply a like machine by hand, suppose
the
pump supplied at 19.685 ft. below where it is placed, it then would have
to raise 4.216 galls. of water (per second,) which at an elevation of .19.685
feet would represent a power exerted equal to 829.9.ftylbs. The effective
power of the pump being 70 per cent. of the power exerted, and 'one horse
power being equivalent to 550 lbs., raised one foot high per second, it follows
that the pump 'requires but little more than two horse-power of the portable
steam engine to work it, leaving nearly ten horse-power free to -throw the
water on the fire, to which the apparatus is applied. The air chamber of
the pump is arranged to receive two hose and two branch pipes for same; the
nose of these branch pipes have 669 of an inch opening, each branch pipe
throws out from 120 to 130 galls. of water per minute, with a power
unequalled by any other fire engine at present in use.
This arrangement of apparatus admits of the fire being played upon at
two places at once by one engine; however, if found more advantageous to

page_text: play upon the fire at one place only, a single delivery hose, and branch pipe
with 866 inch opening is used, whereby from 240 to 260 galls. of water are
thrown out per minute, with a power sufficient to carry it 160 feet high.
Such are the results obtained by combining one of these pumps with a
portable steam engine. This arrangement of pump possesses not only the
greatest facility.of connection with a portable steam engine, but as a portable
pump may be conveyed on any convenient vehicle, and worked by any
convenient motor directly, or by gearing; when thus used for draining or
irrigation it is inexpensive, and does not require the attendance of an engineer.
This horizontal arrangement offers the greatest facilities as a stationary
pump for irrigation, draining mines and quarries, on board vessels, and
especially screw steamers of the Navy. It may be placed in the hold, and
worked direct from the screw shaft, thus being protected from shot in action.
Besides these horizontal pumps placed in the hold of men-of-war, and connected
with the engine, a certain number of vertical auxiliary pumps may be placed
on the orlop deck. These latter are intended to be worked by hand in case
of the engine being stopped; they are fixed on a wooden frame or carriage,
each being complete in itself.
This arrangement renders their convayance from one place to another very
easy, which is of great advantage in vessels with water-tight compartments,
and being placed on the orlop deck they are equally protected from the shot
of the enemy.
The advantages offered by these pumps on board vessels may be summed
up as follows:-
The ships pumps of the French Navy have generally a cylinder of 11.81
inches diameter, with a stroke 11-81 inches. The vacuum produced by
such a piston is = 4.66 galls.; the pump being double acting, the product of
each forward and backward stroke of the piston is 9.32 galls. The displace-
ment of the piston rod being about 44 galls. the net product of each forward
and backward stroke of the piston is therefore 8.88 galls, reckoning 45 strokes
per minute. The delivery therefore would be 399 galls per minute. One of
these pumps when worked by 12 men produce easily such a number of strokes.
Each of these pumps is provided with an air vessel; this air vessel itself,
besides its chief opening for draining, is provided with four box joints for
receiving the flexible hose and branch pipes of 629 inhs. opening. In case
of fire on board one single pump is sufficient to play upon it at four different
points, and delivering at each point 99 galls. per minute, and if the hose are
limited to two with openings of 787 inch, 198 galls. per minute are thrown
out at each place, a volume which may be considerably increased when the

page_text: pumps are worked by the engine, and by giving the latter a greater speed,.
a power of projection unknown in any other pump is obtained, hitherto
used for this purpose. As an engine of warfare, this apparatus forms a most
formidable, weapon, since in case of boarding, which with the modern iron.
plated vessels seems to be the only point of attack, a few men will suffice to:
prevent such boarding with one or two of these pumps by ejecting on the
enemy volumes of boiling water from the boiler, and with a power of
projection quite irresistible. The small pumps on the same plan intended for
various services on board vessels, such as washing the deck, &c., have also
great advantages, they render the use of baskets unnecessary; it suffices to fix.
a single hose with a spout at its outlet, and the water pumped out by one:
man may be ejected a distance of 60 feet. These small pumps which are.
always ready for work may at the outbreak of a fire render most important
service. The same may be said of the portable pumps provided with portable
suction hose, which can be instantly passed through a porthole and dropped.
in the sea, and thereby secure a ready supply of water, to subdue a fire at its
outbreak.
From the foregoing it is easy to see the important service which these
pumps are likely to render, especially on board steamers, whose hold generally.
contains a quantity of cinder, coal, oakum, cotton-waste from the engine room,▸
&c.; this matter on the least leakage is carried off to the bottom of the
pumps and soon obstructs the passage of the water in common pumps.. This
inconvenience cannot take place in my pumps, which throw out with the
greatest ease and without causing the least obstruction, all kinds of foreign
matter mixed with the liquid. The foregoing details are not complete without
adding a comparison between the effective power and the power used in
working my pumps and that of those in use. I may safely assert without
fear of contradiction that of all the pumps hitherto submitted to dynamometic
tests, not one has reached an effective power of 55 per cent. of the power.
used. The greater number have not reached 40 per cent. and a large number
have been below 35 per cent. whereas my pumps were submitted to the most
searching dynamometric tests, by order of General Morin, Director of the
Conservatory of Arts and Trades at Paris, and were found to give an effective:
power of 66 per cent. of the power used. I may here remark that since that
time, owing to various improvements I have introduced in my pumps, I have:
obtained an effective power of 70 per cent. of the power exerted.
In comparing the effective power of these pumps with that of the various'
water raising machines now in use, the greater number of which do not:
produce more than 40 per cent. of the power exerted, it is clear there
.

page_text: This
is a great saving in the consumption of fuel in favor of my system.
economy in fuel offers great advantages in applying them to the irrigation
of meadows near rivers without means of flooding, especially at the present
time when a portable engine is to be found on every farm of any importance;
and to make good my assertion, I will now give the expense of raising the
water in cubic feet in comparision to the consumption of fuel.
I will take, for example, a piece of land situated 16.4 feet above the level
of a river, a height which exceeds the mean elevation of meadows on rivers,
and a portable pump with a cylinder of 11.81 inches diameter, the piston
having 11-81 inches stroke. The net produce of each double stroke or each
revolution of the motor is. 8.8 galls. For this kind of work great speed is
not required, I therefore reduce the action of the piston to 40 double strokes
per minute; the pump, will then deliver 352 galls. per minute, or 5-866 galls.
per second. This volume, raised 16.4 feet, gives an effective working power
=962 ft., lb. One horse-power being equal to 550 lb. raised one foot high
per second, 2 horse-power would, therefore, be equal to 1,375 lb. raised
one foot high per second. Now, this pump possessing an effective working
power of 70 per cent. of the power used, a motor of 2 horse-power would
be sufficient to work it; nevertheless, in order that I may not underrate the
expense, I will take as a basis a three horse-power engine to work it, and I
will even grant that the portable engine will consume 6.6 lbs. of coals per horse-
power, making 19-8 lbs. of coal per hour, or 237.6 lbs. per day of 12 hours.
Reckoning the price of coals at £1 per ton, the daily consumption of coals
would come to about 2s. 1d. Now, the pump delivers 352 galls. per minute,
which is equal to 21,120 galls. per hour, and for 12 hours is equal to 253,440
galls., which is equivalent to 40,550 cubic feet, of water would be about
2s. 1 d., raised 16.4 feet high..
difference between the
The outer casing of the
To complete my description, I will point out the
horizontal and vertical arrangement of my pumps.
vertical. pump,:
, as in the borizontal pump, is cast in one piece, but the cylinder
chamber is.cast with only one opening, and that at the top, which opening is
provided with a strong outer flange for securing the cover that closes it by
means of bolts. The bottom of this said chamber is cast with the chamber itself,
and, is provided with four strong feet, one at each angle, bound together by
strong ribs, the whole.forniing one piece. These. feet are for the purpose of
fixing the pump by means of four strong bolts, one at each foot. The interior
of the cylinder chamber is divided into two parts by a diaphragm, as seen in
Fig. 2, Plate 2, representing the longitudinal section of this arrangement.
The copper or bronze cylinder is adjusted on the diaphragm in the same

page_text: manner as in the horizontal. pump, the chief difference between the two
arrangements is in the latter having its cylinder placed vertically, whilst
in the former it is placed horizontally. In the horizontal arrangement the
cylinder chamber forms two compartments side by side. In the vertical
arrangement the cylinder chamber forms two chambers one above the
other, and completely separated by the tight joint of the cylinder on the
diaphragm, but each has direct communication by a wide opening with
one of the ball chambers, the top chamber with the compartment on the
right, and the bottom chamber with the compartment on the left. The
tight joint of the cylinder chamber cover in the vertical pump is made in
the same way as that of the horizontal pump. The bronze stuffing box,
through which the piston rod passes is also the same, only it is vertical instead
of horizontal. The piston is also the same except its double action operates
vertically instead of horizontally. The ball chamber, the piston, and action of
the balls, are not altered by the double action of the piston, and are the same
as in the horizontal pump. Such is the difference between the two arrange-
ments, a difference that is in a measure sufficient to constitute two distinct
machines notwithstanding the principle, the combination of parts, and their
results are exactly the same. The vertical arrangement with two cylinders
and two double-acting pistons does not differ from the arrangement of the
vertical pump with one cylinder and piston. They represent two single cylinder
pumps joined by the ball chamber. The outer casing of these pumps, although
double, is nevertheless cast in one piece, as seen in Fig. 6, Plate 2 representing
the longitudinal section of this arrangement. This little apparatus so arranged
unites advantages which are invaluable, for extinguishing fires, especially in
small towns. The two pistons being double-acting, require a very small
diameter to deliver an equal quantity of water to common fire engines. This
diminution in the diameter of the pistons, causes a considerable diminution in
the power required to work them. Eight men are quite sufficient to work
this machine, projecting water as high as 114 feet from the nozzle of the
branch pipe. Their construction is remarkably simple, and guarantee a
strength that has not hitherto been attained in such machines. The air
chamber placed at the centre of the two cylinders, and which contains all the
movements, can bear the most violent shocks without being damaged. The
precision of their chief parts is unalterable, and these parts may be instantly
examined by the most inexperienced man in machinery. They are self-
supplying, and they can raise their supply water from the greatest depth
that has yet been obtained by the most perfect system of suction pumps;
they are always self-priming, and besides all these advantages, they possess

page_text: that of cheapness, hitherto unknown, and which will put them within reach
of the poorest parish.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is carried into effect, I hereby declare that I claim,―
1st, the exclusive right of making, using, and selling the pump herein-
before described, called "pump locomobile," whether horizontal or vertical,
combined with a portable engine or otherwise, and for all purposes to which it
may be applied.
2nd, the exclusive right of making, using, and selling the piston herein-
before described, as well as its application to any other arrangement of
pump.
3rd, the peculiar arrangement of the ball chamber, completely independent
of the cylinder and piston, and provided with openings situated one above the
other, these openings being provided with seats, that
brought into contact with vulcanized caoutchouc, the
pherical, but very projecting with rounded orifices, on
act in place of valves or clacks.
will not oxydize when
seats not being hemis-
which the elastic balls
4th, the exclusive use of the balls herein-before described, in the place of
clacks or valves.
Lastly, I claim the liberty of varying at pleasure the shape, dimension,
proportion, metal, and material, used in the construction of my pumps, as
well as the mechanical arrangements, parts, and accessories thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean André Cecilé Nestor Delpecb,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
Witness,
ROBERT SMITHI.
J. A. C. N. DELPECH. (L.S.)