IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF BUCKETS FOR AIR AND OTHER PUMPS."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Bird, of Bromborough Pool, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF BUCKETS FOR AIR AND OTHER PUMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Bird at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th April
1867.
I, JACOB BIRD, of Bromborough Pool, in the County of Chester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUCKETS FOR AIR AND OTHER PUMPS," to be as follows:-
The main object of this Invention is to provide a metallic bucket or piston
for single-acting pumps which shall expand and fit tight against the inner
surface of the cylinder in the up stroke, and contract in the down stroke so as
then to work with a minirium of friction.
In air pumps the bucket or piston rod, the bucket frame or piston, and the
valve guard are made and connected in any ordinary or suitable manner; the
ring of the bucket or piston is cut obliquely, it is cylindrical for the greater
part of its length on its outer circumference, but inside and concentric to its
circumference it is formed with an inclined surface, the smallest diameter being
at the bottom. The perforated plate or seating and valve.are of the ordinary
form, but according to my Invention they are shipped on to the rod and are
free to move thereon a short distance up and down for the purpose herein-after
mentioned; to the under side of the said perforated plate there is attached an
expansion split ring wedge-like in section, the small edge of which passes

page_text: downwards and rests on spiral or other springs in or on the bucket frame,
whilst its sloping side rests against the inclined surface formed on the bucket
ring and mentioned above. Two semicircular packing rings with obliquely cut
terminators encircle the expansion ring and part of the bucket ring.
From the manner in which these parts are constructed and arranged it will
be obvious that in the down stroke the pressure on the under side of the
perforated plate will allow the expansion ring to assume its normal position,
and the metallic periphery of the bucket to work free over the surface of the
cylinder, whilst in the up stroke the pressure on the top surface of the whole
bucket will depress the perforated plate, and cause the expansion ring to force
outwards laterally the bucket ring and packing rings, and form an air-tight
joint between the periphery of the bucket and the cylinder. In case any solid
substance should get underneath the valve and prevent it from reaching its
seating I usually fasten to the under side of the perforated plate a fast ring,
that ring projects downwards and fits into a circular groove over a ring in
the bucket frame, these parts serve as a valve. In pumps for ordinary lifting
purposes the perforated plate and the expansion and fast rings are dispensed
with, the other parts above described as being used in air pump's buckets
being retained, a solid cover or valve is added,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Jacob Bird in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACOB
BIRD, of Bromborough Pool, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Jacob Bird, Her special license, that I, the said Jacob Bird,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jacob,
Bird, 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 CON-

page_text: STRUCTION OF BUCKETS FOR AIR AND OTHER PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jacob Bird, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jacob Bird, 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, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative Drawings, and
to the figures and letters thereou, that is to say:
The main object of this Invention is to provide a metallic bucket or piston
for single-acting pumps which shall expand and fit tight against the inner
surface of the cylinder in the up stroke, and contract in the down stroke so as
then to work with a minimum of friction.
In air pumps the bucket or piston rod, the bucket frame or piston, and the
valve guard are made and connected in any ordinary or suitable manner. The
ring of the bucket or piston is cut obliquely, it is cylindrical for the greatest part
of its length on its outer circumference, but inside and concentric to its circum-
ference it is formed with an inclined surface the smallest diameter being at the
bottom. The perforated plate or seating and valve are of the ordinary form,
but according to my Invention they are shipped on to the rod and are free to
move thereon a short distance up and down for the purpose herein-after
mentioned. To the under side of the said perforated plate there is attached an
expansion split ring wedge-like in section, the small edge of which passes down-
wards and rests on spiral or other springs in or on the bucket frame, whilst its
sloping side rests against the inclined surface formed on the bucket ring
mentioned above. A semicircular packing piece or pieces with obliquely cut
or other terminations encircle the expansion ring and part of the bucket ring.
From the manner in which these parts are constructed and arranged it will
be obvious that in the down stroke the pressure on the under side of the
perforated plate will allow the expansion ring to assume its normal position,
and the metallic periphey of the bucket to work free over the surface of the
cylinder, whilst in the up stroke the pressure on the top surface of the whole
bucket will depress the perforated plate and cause the expansion ring to force
outwards laterally the bucket ring and packing rings and form an air-tight
joint between the periphey of the bucket and the cylinder. In case any
solid substance should get underneath the valve and prevent it from reaching

page_text: its seating, I usually fasten to the under side of the perforated plate a fast ring,
that ring projects downwards and fits into a circular groove over a ring in
the bucket frame, these parts serve as a valve. In pumps for ordinary lifting
purposes the perforated plate and the expansion and fast rings are dispensed
with, the other parts above described as being used in air pump's buckets
being retained. a solid cover or valve is added.
and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, are side elevations of buckets without the rods
and guards. In all these views the same letters denote like and corresponding
parts.
a, pump barrel; b, bucket or piston rod; c, bucket frame or piston formed
with radial arms in the usual manner; d, valve guard; e, bucket ring fitted
over the feather c; f, perforated valve plate or seating; and g, the india-
rubber or other flexible valve; h, expansion. split ring secured to e; i, spiral
springs to assist in lifting f, g, and h, so as to allow the bucket to collapse
during the down or return stroke; in ordinary cases in practice these springs
can be dispensed with; j, a packing piece or pieces encircling hand part of e.
In both Figs., 1 and 2, the bucket is represented in the up. stroke and
consequently fitting tightly against a; the space between d and f represents
the distance f, and the parts thereto connected are at liberty to travel on the
boss of the guard plate or on the rod so as to allow the bucket to collapse for
and during the down stroke so as to reduce friction. In Fig. 1 j are used
(I prefer to form these in three segments, although they can be inade in one or
more pieces), but in Fig. 2, e is made deeper so as to provide larger depth
of wearing surface than has been used hitherto; k, in Fig. 1 represents the ring
fastened to f which by its being fitted to slide over c, or it can be made to slide
into a groove in c; serves to form a valve should any solid substance prevent g
from reaching its seating f.
In the modification shewn by Fig. 2, k is not used; the packing shown in
Fig. 2 can be easily applied to buckets now in use.
The modifications of the splits or cuts of e and j which I prefer are shewn
by Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7; Fig. 3 are simple oblique cuts, the junctions
of e and being broken; Fig. 4 is another obliquely cut; Fig. 5 consists of
a vertical cut for about half the depth at two points, these two vertical cuts being
connected by a horizontal one; Fig. 6 is a zig-zag cut, and Fig. 7 a tongued
and grooved cut; all of these cuts or splits can be made obliquely or otherwise
so as to allow the one termination to overlap or fit into the other.

page_text: In Figs. 8 and 9, which are respectively views in vertical section and plan of a
lifting or forcing pump, is the pump barrel; m, the bucket frame; n, the
split bucket ring fitting into the groove m¹ formed in m; o is a cover secured
to m by screws p, which when tightened up forces the expansion ring
or piece against n, and causes it to fit tightly against 1. In this
modification which is more particularly suitable for double-acting pumps, no
part of the bucket is free to slide or move up and down on the rod r or on the
boss of the bucket.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and shown how
the same can be carried into practical operation, I would bere state that
I do not confine myself to every detail shewn as many modifications may be
made without departing from the leading features of my Invention; what I
claim is,
First, constructing buckets for air and other pumps in such manner that
parts of them are at liberty to expand and contract respectively in the up and
down strokes, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth,
practicable details of a suitable arrangement are shewn on the accompanying
Drawings.
Second, the combination of the so called fast ring k with the bucket
frame carranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose
set forth.
Third, the combination and arrangement of the whole of the parts forming
the bucket as delineated by Figs. 1 and 2 on the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the general construction and arrangement of the parts forming the
bucket or piston delineated by Figs. 8 and 9, and described herein for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Bird, 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-seven.
In the presence of
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
JACOB BIRD. (L.S.)