IMPROVE- MENTS IN PUMPS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO SHIPS' LIFT PUMPS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hays Wilson, of the Firm of John Hays,
Wilson, and Company, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass
Founders and Ship's Ironmongers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 14th March 1862, and dated the 19th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hays Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th September 1861.
I, JOHN HAYS WILSON, of the Firm of John Hays, Wilson, and Company,
of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founders and Ship's Iron-
mongers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PUMPS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO SHIPS' LIFT PUMPS," to be as follows
(that is to say) :-
This Invention is chiefly applicable to ships' lift pumps, and consists in
placing the lower valve in a chamber on the head of the suction pipe, and
enclosing the top of the chamber with an air-tight cover, and constructing the
working barrel on the side and parallel to the chamber on the head of the
suction pipe, a side opening or port being formed to connect the chamber

page_text: on the head of the suction pipe at a point above the lower valve with the
bottom of the working barrel, which is provided with an upper valve or
bucket of a peculiar construction, and consists of an annular ring of cast metal
forming the valve seat, and having springing therefrom an arch for connecting
it with the pump rod. A cupped leather is placed on the horizontal annular
ring, which is kept in its place by a flat annular ring or washer screwed on
to the under side of the cupped leather by headed screws which pass through
the bottom of the cupped leather, and are screwed into the under side of the
valve seat. The clack or cover of the valve is formed in the ordinary way,
the centre of the cupped leather being removed to the extent of the valve port.
By this arrangement a cheap and serviceable pump bucket is obtained that
requires little labor to fit, as the sides of the cupped leather accommodates
itself to any inequality on the side of the casting forming the valve seat.
The lower valve is provided with a hollow screwed plug or vent, which has
a lateral opening in the side about the middle of its length, the object being
to admit air under the lower valve when it is desired to remove it for
examination or repair, or for sounding the pump, which can be readily done
by removing the cover on the head of the chamber in which it is enclosed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Hays Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAYS WILSON, of the Firm of John Hays Wilson and Company, of Liver-
pool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founders and Ship's Ironmongers,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Hays Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said John
Hays Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Hays Wilson, 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO SHIPS' LIFT PUMPS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hays Wilson, 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 per-
formed, 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 John Hays Wilson, 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 (that is to say):-
This, my said Invention, is chiefly applicable to ship's lift pumps, and
consists in placing the lower valve in a chamber on the head of the suction
pipe, and enclosing the top of the chamber with an air-tight cover, and con-
structing the working barrel on the side and parallel with the chamber on
the head of the suction pipe, a side opening or port being formed to connect
the chamber on the head of the suction pipe at a point above the lower valve
with the bottom of the working barrel, which is provided with an upper
valve or bucket of a peculiar construction, and consists of an annular ring of
cast metal forming the valve seat, and having an arch springing therefrom for
connecting it with the pump rod. A cupped leather is placed on the hori
zontal annular ring, which is kept in its place by a flat annular ring or washer
screwed on to the under side of the cupped leather by headed screws, which
pass through the bottom of the cupped leather, and are screwed into the under
side of the valve seat. The clack or cover of the valve I form in the ordinary
way, and the centre of the cupped leather I remove to the extent of the valve
port. By this arrangement I am enabled to obtain a cheap and serviceable
pump bucket, that as it requires little labour to fit, the side of the cupped
leather accommodating itself to any irregularity on the side of the casting
forming the valve seat.
The lower valve I provide with a hollow screwed plug or vent, which has
a lateral opening in the side about the middle of its length, the object being
to admit air under the lower valve when it is desired to remove it for
examination or repair, or renewal, or for sounding the pump well, which can
be readily done by removing the cover on the head of the chamber in which
it is enclosed.

page_text: That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto annexed Drawings in partial illustration of two lift pumps
constructed according to my improvements. Like letters and figures marked
in the Drawings are used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one of my improved lift pumps, having
the head of the suction pipe fitted with a conical-seated lower valve; Figure 2
is a sectional elevation of another modification of my improved lift pump
fitted with a ball valve, the sphere of which I prefer to form of vulcanised
india-rubber or of metal, or of any other suitable material covered with india-
rubber; Figure 3 is a plan of the casting forming the clack valve seat of the
pump bucket, which will be generally found sufficiently smooth as it comes
from the sand to have fitted upon it the cupped leather; Figure 4 shows the
form of cupped leather in section; and Figure 5 is the under side plan of the
pump bucket.
A, the suction pipe; B, air-tight chamber on the head of suction pipe
containing the lower valve; C, the pump barrel; D (Figure 1), air-tight lid on
the top of the lower valve chamber, which is cast with a projection on the
under side to prevent the valve rising too far; D' (Figure 2) is an air-tight
cover, having the lower side formed with four feathers forming a cage to keep
the sphere of the valve within the required limit; E (Figure 1), a conical-
scated valve on the head of the suction pipe; E' (Figure 2) is a ball valve
on the lead of the suction pipe; F, the pump bucket which cousists of (9)
a circular cast valvo seat spanned by an arch, into the crown of which is
screwed or otherwise attached the pump rod, and surrounded externally with
(h) a cupped leather which, is held in position by (i) a circular ring or
washer, screwed on to the under side of the valve seat of the pump bucket;
K, the discharge pipe; L, screwed vent piece for admitting air below the
valve when it is desired to remove the same for sounding or other purposes.
I may remark, that a clack or any other description of lower valve may
be used.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of these my said
improvements in the construction of lift pumps, I wish it to be understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details, relative dimensions, or pro-
portions herein-before described and set forth, as it will be obvious to all
adepts that the same may be considerably varied without departing from the
Invention, nor do I claim as new the forms of the several parts when taken
separately; but what I claim is,-
First, the peculiar method of constructing pump buckets, substantially and

page_text: in the mauner herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modification
of the same.
And, lastly, the peculiar arrangement and combination of the various
parts herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modification of the
same as applied to the construction of lift pumps.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hays Wilson, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
JOHN HAYS (L.S.) WILSON.