A MACHINE OR APPARATUS ENTITLED "HYDRAULIC BALANCE FOR ELEVATING WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS TO GREAT HEIGHTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, MANUEL DURAN Y GOST, of Barcelona, in the Kingdom of-Spain, do hereby
"
declare the nature of said invention, for A MACHINE OR APPARATUS ENTITLED
"HYDRAULIC BALANCE FOR ELEVATING WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS TO GREAT
HEIGHTS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statements:
This invention relates to machinery for raising liquids to high levels.
In order to obtain this result I mount a system of pump barrels opposite each
other at the ends of a balance beam (having two arms of equal length) as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2, which will be referred to
in the further description of this invention. At the ends of the arms of the
balance beam, the length of which may vary according to requirements, are
suspended the barrels A A¹ which are alternately immersed into the liquid
contained in the reservoir X and raise the same into another reservoir F placed at
a higher level.
The machine is arranged and works substantially as follows:
The pump barrels indicated in the drawings by letters A A¹ are connected
with the discharge pipes E E¹ and communicate with the same through lateral
openings.
The length of the pipes E E¹ varies according to the height or distance to which
the liquid is to be raised.
The pipes E E terminate in an overflow discharging the liquid into the upper
reservoir indicated in the drawing by the letter F. The valves C C¹ serve to open
and close the communication between the pump barrels and the discharge pipes
E E' during the working of the machine in the manner hereinafter described.
At the bottom of the barrels A A¹ are mounted the valves D D' which control
the ingress of liquid from the lower reservoir into the interior of the cylinders in
the manner explained in the description of the general working of this machine.
Finally the fixed pistons H H' held by the rods R R¹ guided in the bearings N N¹
serve to close the upper ends of the pump barrels A A¹.
As already mentioned in the second paragraph of this specification, "the machine
consists of a system of pump barrels mounted opposite each other at the ends of a
balance lever having arms of equal length and moving in opposite directions so aš
to form a regular balance." Only by keeping this condition in view, will it be
possible to thoroughly understand the function of the machine.

page_text: By an oscillating movement imparted to the balance the two barrels, suspended
at the ends of their corresponding arms of the balance, are caused to ascend and
descend in the same manner as a piston under pressure in a fixed cylinder. In
this case the piston being fixed, as already mentioned, the cylinder is caused to
produce the pressure on the piston.
In the lowest position of the cylinder A, the latter is immersed in the
reservoir X, to a depth equal to the arc of the circle described by the arm of the
balance lever to which the cylinder is secured. The space below the fixed piston
is filled by the inflow of liquid contained in the reservoir through the valve D.
The pressure of the liquid column contained in the pipe E can not prevent the
effect above indicated, because the pressure is cut off and interrupted by the
valve C which, as already known, closes the communication between the pipe E
and the cylinder A.
The pressure on the cylinder by the liquid column in the discharge pipe E
having ceased (being cut off by the valve C in the manner described), the cylinder
is disengaged that is to say, it is subjected to no further pressure than that due to
the level of liquid in the reservoir.
This liquid level being always higher than the lower surface of the piston, as
may be seen in the drawing, its pressure is sufficient to cause the liquid in the
reservoir to enter the cylinder through the open valve at its bottom.
During this operation the opposite takes place as regards the other pump
barrel A¹.
It will be seen that the pump barrel has been lifted from the bottom of the
lower reservoir for a distance equal to the arc of the circle described by the arms
of the balance lever on which the barrel A' is mounted or suspended, and as the
piston H remains fixed, the interior capacity of the cylinder A¹ is diminished by
the advance of its bottom towards the fixed base of the piston and causes an
internal pressure of the liquid contained in the cylinder; the reaction on the walls
of the latter being sufficient to close the valves D¹ D at the bottom, through
which the cylinder communicates with the reservoir, and to open the lateral
valve C which puts it in communication with the upright discharge pipe E¹.
Owing to this arrangement of the valves, it is evident that the liquid contained in
the pump barrel is forced through the discharge pipe E¹ which discharges the same
through its upper end into a high level reservoir F.
It will thus be seen, that while the valves D D at the bottom are open in the
barrel which descends, the corresponding valves D¹ D' of the barrel which ascends
will be closed, and the lateral valve C of the descending barrel will be closed, while
that of the ascending barrel will be open.
The reversal of the movement of the balance lever on its arrival at the extreme
position of its course coincides with the reversal in the position of the valves of
the pump barrels, in the manner indicated.
It should, however, be observed that the valves are not placed instantaneously
and simultaneously in their respective position, but the change in their position
takes place alternately and gradually.
For instance; when the barrel A¹ has arrived at its highest position, as
represented in the drawing, and begins to descend, or when it is in what may be
called its first period of descent, the interior pressure ceases and the weight of the
liquid column contained in the discharge pipe tending to fill the empty space
formed in the interior of the cylinder creates a current in this direction (towards
the cylinder) which current working on the lateral valve C'forces the same to turn
or close and shut off the communication between the discharge pipe E¹ and the
cylinder. Once this valve is closed and the communication between the dischargé
pipe and the cylinder interrupted, the pressure caused by this communication
ceases, and at this moment which may be called the second period of descent, the
valve.at the bottom opens owing to the pressure of the liquid in the reservoir on
the interior of the cylinder. In this position the barrel continues its course
towards the lower position until a renewed reversal in the movement forces the

page_text: barrel to ascend, in which case the periods in the function of the valves above
described again succeed each other, viz. first the closing of the valves at the bottom
owing to the excess of the interior pressure of the cylinder over the exterior
pressure due to the level in the reservoir, secondly the opening of the valve C also
owing to the excess of the interior pressure over the pressure due to the level of
the liquid column contained in the pipe E.
It evident that, owing to these successive periods in the position of the valves,
the quantity of liquid, raised is not exactly equal. to the capacity of the pump
barrel when in its highest position; a larger or smaller quantity of liquid has to
be deducted which represents the loss through escape of liquid during the period
while the valve is not placed in its definitive position.
It should here be observed that this loss in the total of the work might be
minimised by replacing the valves employed in the machine by automatic cocks:
The cocks have the advantage over the valves, to occupy their respective position
instantaneously, thus avoiding the escape of liquid during the interval of time in
the change of position of the valves.
This is, however, a simple detail of mechanism of little importance, and the
description and illustration of which may be omitted, as it is evident that the
valves employed in this machine may always be replaced by cocks without
departing from the principle of this invention.
From the above description it will be seen, that while one pump barrel descends
or is immersed in the reservoir, and thereby filled with liquid from the same, the
other pump barrel ascends, forces the liquid into the discharge pipe and causes the.
latter to discharge the same through its upper end; which function is performed
alternately in the two pump barrels mounted to their corresponding arms of the
balance.
It should here be observed that it is not absolutely necessary that the barrels
should be immersed in the reservoir X. The barrels may just as well be placed
outside and above the reservoir, and the same effect of the machine will be
obtained by the addition of a tube hermetically connected to the lower end of the
pump barrel and extending downward into the contents of the reservoir.
By this simple modification the machine may be made to draw liquid from the
reservoir into the pump barrels by atmospheric pressure.
It will be easily seen that the height to which the liquid is to be raised does
practically not influence (except by the friction of the liquid along the length of
the tube, but this small amount of friction is insignificant.in practice and of no
influence) the amount of motive power employed or absorbed for raising the same,
and that the motive power required for raising is equal for all lifts or heights of
level.
This phenomon is due to the peculiar conditions under which the apparatus
works.
The pump barrels being mounted, as described, opposite each other at the ends
of a balance lever, equilibrate each other during their relative movements and
change of position around the axle or pivot of the balance.
Whatever the weight of the liquid column in the discharge pipe E, it will be
compensated or equilibrated by the opposite E¹ of equal weight, which action will
consequently result in equilibrium of the machine.
It is, therefore, evident that a small motive power applied to the lever, M is
sufficient to overcome the passive resistance of the pivot or axle, on which the
apparatus is mounted and held, and to overcome all other inert or passive
resistances which oppose its functions, as well as the useful resistances caused by
the height of immersion of the pump barrels and the friction of the liquid during
its passage through the apertures and along the walls of the discharge pipes.
This machine may be set in motion either by manual or horse power, wind power,
steam power, or by hydraulic power derived or produced by the machine or
apparatus itself.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing is represented a turbine of Tonvals system, which
is fed with water from the upper reservoir F, and set in motion owing to the fall
or difference of level between the two reservoirs F, X thereby operating the rod M
connected to the balance.
The motive power generated by the said turbine is applied partly to the above
mentioned purpose, while the remainder may be applied to any industrial or
mechanical purposes.
The equation Tm = Tp + Tu shows the relation between the work performed
by.the driving power, the work due to the passive resistance of the machine, and
the useful work done by the machine.
Any hydraulic motor may be applied, such as a turbine, water wheel, or a water
pressure engine.
In the accompanying drawing A. A¹ are pump barrels, E E¹ lifting or discharge
pipes, C Clateral valves of communication, D D' bottom valves, H H¹ fixed
pistons, R R¹ piston rods; N N₁ supports holding the pistons and the piston rods;
B is the balance beam, Z the pivot or axle of the same, 9 9' rods or levers holding
the pump barrels, P the connecting rod serving to maintain the pump barrels in
position and equilibrium; ✗ the lower reservoir, F the upper reservoir, TJ the
casing of the turbine, S the discharge pipe of the turbine, G tooth gearing and
shafts, M rod or lever setting the balance in motion, Y bearing or stand on which
rests the axle of the balance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination of the three principal parts above described, viz. the pump
barrels and accessories, the balance beam or double armed balance lever and the
motor imparting motion to the same.
2. The pump barrels, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described
above, forming a new system of fixed pistons and movable cylinders connected
with the upright discharge pipes also movable, and forming with the cylinders one
body, the ascending and descending motion of the discharge pipes taking place
simultaneously with that of the cylinders or pump barrels.
3. The parts substantially forming the above described system of pump barrels.
4. The combination and arrangement of all parts for working the whole
machine.
The whole substantially as described and illustrated.