Improvements in Pumping Apparatus for Mining Shafts and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pumping Apparatus for Mining Shafts
and the like.
I, JAMES WHITTALL, of 9, Fenchurch Avenue, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of the said invention which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Claude William Kinder, of Tientsin, North
China, M.I.C.E. Engineer in Chief of China Railway to be as follows:-
This invention is intended to obviate or avoid the difficulties and delays incident
to the fixing of pumps in mining and other shafts and the like situations and the
trouble expense and loss of time incurred in lowering and refixing the pumps from
time to time as the shaft is advanced, or otherwise, and relates to the suspension
of the pump in the shaft and the transmission of power thereto by rope-gearing
whereby the usual heavy rods, or steam or other pipes, are dispensed with and
which arrangement permits the pump to be slung at any desired level with great
facility and expedition without the adjusting or cutting heavy rods, steam-pipes or
the like, the motive rope being utilised for lowering or raising the pump. The use
of buntons and other devices for holding the pumps is also avoided, and the space
gained thereby rendered available for securing a more plentiful air supply. It
also permits of walling being better carried out.
The pump may comprise a large grooved wheel placed between suitable frames.
The shaft may carry two outside crank pins to work connecting rods attached to
pump piston buckets or plungers, the valves are so placed as to be readily
removable for cleaning or otherwise.
If a high speed rope is employed a smaller wheel will suffice and power may be
gained by gearing-wheels, but as weight is necessary to insure proper friction, the
more complicated type is not preferable.
The wheels used to give and take power from the rope may be one of the many
various forms now in use for rope tramways, underground haulage, and otherwise,
but the groove lined with wood, or some soft substance, is preferred as being
cheap and less liable to injure the rope.
The engine on the surface may be either fixed or moveable on rails; in the first
case a suitable tension wheel has to be used placed on a carriage on rails, in the
latter case, which is the better system, the engine and boilers are placed on a suitable
carriage running on rails placed near the shaft.
By bringing the said engine near the shaft the pump can be lowered and by
hauling the engine by means of a tail rope thrown into gear on said engine, the
pump can be raised while working or otherwise to the surface or kept at any
desired level, it being understood that the railway is rather longer than the depth
of shaft worked by any given endless rope.
After some depth has been sunk, say for instance four or five hundred feet and
the upper pump fixed, a long rope can be employed as the suspended pump need
not afterwards be brought higher than the fixed set.
The ropes can if desired be so boarded off as to entirely prevent risk to the men
below, and, if found desirable, safety ropes can be attached to the pump to assist
in taking its weight.
The water pipes are preferably of wrought iron and being gripped at top are
also strong enough to carry the whole weight of the pump should the rope break,
and balance-weights on chains over pulleys may be employed to take part of
the weight.
A flexible rubber or other hose may conveniently be used for a top delivery.
The pump can also be worked by a rope placed on the drum of the winding

page_text: engine which requires to be reversed at suitable intervals, or an endless rope and
tension apparatus can easily be fitted where a waggon siding is available. The
raising and lowering of a pump and its working can all be done by one engine
driver with a couple of men at rare intervals to attach or detach the pipes-and a
boy to oil the pulleys.
Owing to the simplicity of the method thus described shaft sinking can be far
more rapidly carried out, and delays due to injury to bottom pumps from blasting
can be entirely avoided, while the valves and pumps can invariably be above water
for repairs and renewals. The system is particularly well adapted for the recovery
of flooded shafts and damaged pumps as the parts are all light and easily
transported the shaft work weighing probably under one sixth of the usual sets
employed for the purpose.
Dated the Fifth day of Anril 1801
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pumping Apparatus for Mining Shafts
and the like.
I, JAMES WHITTALL, of 9 Fenchurch Avenue, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Claude William Kinder of Tienstin, North
China, M.I.C.E. Engineer in Chief of The North China Railway Company and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention is intended to obviate or avoid the difficulties and delays incident
to the fixing of pumps in mining and other shafts, and the like situations, and the
rouble, expense and loss of time incurred in lowering and refixing the pumps from
time to time as the shaft is advanced, or otherwise, and relates to the suspension of
the pump in the shaft and the transmission of power thereto by rope gearing
whereby the usual heavy rods, or steam or other pipes, are dispensed with, and
which arrangement permits the pump to be slung at any desired level, with great
facility and expedition without the adjusting of heavy rods, steam pipes or the like,
the motive rope being utilised for lowering or raising the pump. The use of
buntons and other devices for holding the pumps is also avoided and the space
gained thereby rendered available for securing a more plentiful air supply and
greater shaft space for the work. It also permits of walling being better
carried out.
The pump may comprise a large grooved pulley placed between a suitable frame
or frames. The shaft may carry two outside crank pins to work connecting rods
attached to pump piston, buckets or plungers, the valves are so placed as to be
readily removable for cleaning or otherwise.
If a high speed rope is employed a smaller pulley will suffice and power may be
gained by gearing-wheels, but as weight is necessary to insure proper friction, the
more complicated type is not preferable.
The wheels or pulleys used to give and take power from the rope may be one of
the many various forms now in use for rope-tramways, under-ground haulage, and
otherwise, but the V groove lined with wood, or some soft substance, is preferred
as being cheap and less liable to injure the rope.
The engine on the surface may be either fixed or moveable on rails or otherwise;
in the first case a suitable tension wheel has to be used placed on a carriage on
rails, in the latter case, which is the better system, the engine and boiler is placed
on a suitable carriage running on rails placed near the shaft.
By bringing the said engine near the shaft the pump can be lowered, and by
hauling the engine away from the shaft by means of a tail rope thrown into gear

page_text: on said engine, the pump can be raised while working, or otherwise, to the
surface or kept at any desired level, it being understood that the railway is rather
longer than the depth of shaft through which the pump may be required to be
moved.
After some depth has been sunk, say for instance four or five hundred feet, and
the upper pump fixed, a long rope can be employed, as the suspended pump need
not afterwards be brought higher than the fixed set.
The ropes can if desired be so boarded off as to entirely prevent risk to the men
below, and if found desirable, safety ropes can be attached to the pump to assist in
taking its weight.
The water pipes are preferably of wrought iron and being gripped at top are
also strong enough to carry the whole weight of the pump should the rope break;
and balance-weights on chains over pulleys may be employed to take part of the
weight or the pumps may be directly in part suspended by ropes or the like
connected with and operated by the engine.
A flexible rubber or other hose may conveniently be used for a top delivery.
The pump can also be worked by a rope placed on the drum of the winding-
engine which requires to be reversed at suitable intervals, or an endless-rope and
tension-apparatus can easily be fitted where a waggon siding is available. The
raising and lowering of a pump and its working can all be done by one engine
driver with a couple of men at rare intervals to attach or detach the pipes, and a
boy to oil the pulleys.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings I have represented a pump according to
my invention and have shown one method of carrying the same into effect. It will
be readily understood that the arrangements of the above-ground apparatus must
differ according to the nature of the engine available, the surface levels, and other
circumstances affecting each case.
Fig. 1 is a general view representing a shaft in section and pump connected with
a travelling engine and boiler.
Figs. 2, and 3, are front and side elevations of the pump.
A, is the suction pipe; B, B, the cylinders of the pumps; C, C, the cranks
keyed on the axle of the pulley D;-E, is the driving rope passing under the
pulley D, and over pulleys F, F, or otherwise at the head of the shaft as may be
required, and thence to the engine K-G is the water delivery pipe, preferably of
wrought iron with flanged joints;-H, is a top water delivery pipe preferably of
flexible material. I, is a sling with suitable arrangements for carrying the end
of the pipe G;-J is a rope or chain which may be attached to the sling I, or may
extend to the pump and be directly attached thereto, so as to relieve the delivery
pipe from the strain of suspending the weight of the pump as well as its own
weight, or partially relieve it, and which rope passing over suitable pulleys and to
the engine is to be used for raising and lowering the apparatus;-L is a counter-
poise, balancing, when the apparatus is being worked, as much of the weight as
may be advantageous; m is a keep retaining the pulley D in its bearings; Ŏ, is a
fixed post, anchor, or the like to which the tail rope from the engine may be
attached.
It will be obvious that the pump may be steadied if desired by side ropes or
attachments to timbers from which it can be detached for lifting.
The suction branch pipe a is connected to the pumps by bolts and nuts or the
like and admits of being quickly disconnected so as to admit of the driving rope
being removed from the pulley D when and if required.
Where the arrangement of the engine or other circumstances render it desirable
the driving rope may be made to pass under an idle pulley (instead of under the
direct acting pulley D) and gearing for reducing or increasing the speed may be
employed between such pulley and the pump.
If a fixed engine is employed it will obvious that the slack of the driving rope
may be taken up or vice versa, as the depth of the pump is changed, by any one of
the devices commonly in use for taking up slack, such for instance as diverting the

page_text: rope from its direct course by passing it over a series of pullies one or more of
which is adjustable with the varying quantity of slack.
Owing to the simplicity of the method thus described shaft sinking where water
has to be dealt with can be far more rapidly carried out and delays due to injury
to bottom pumps from blasting can be entirely avoided, while the valves and pumps
can, invariably, be above water for repairs and renewals. The system is
particularly well adapted for the recovery of flooded shafts and damaged pumps as
the parts are all light and easily transported, the shaft work weighing probably
under one sixth of the usual sets employed for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. The apparatus for pumping water from mining and other shafts substantially
as hereinbefore described.
2. A pump for mining and other shafts and like purposes suspended in the shaft
and worked by a rope operated from above substantially as described.
3. The combination of a suspended pump with or without speed gearing, a
driving rope, and engine operating same substantially as described.
4. Withdrawing water or liquid from a mine shaft or the like by a pump
suspended or partly suspended by its driving rope or band substantially as
described.
5. Suspending a pump for withdrawing water or liquid from a mine, shaft, or
the like, by its driving rope, or partly by its driving rope and partly by its
delivery pipe, with or without other suspending rope or ropes, and adjusting its
position by moving the rope-operating-drum or equivalent, or by diverting the
course followed by the rope by taking it up or slackening it out substantially as
described.
6. In apparatus for withdrawing water or liquid from a mine-shaft or the like
the combination with a pump suspended as described of a portable engine for
operating the rope and by the travel or horizontal adjustment of which engine
the pump is raised or lowered substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings.
7. The apparatus for withdrawing water or liquid from a mine shaft or the
like the combination with a pump suspended as described, of a stationary
engine for operating the rope or ropes and a device for taking-up or slackening
out the rope and thereby adjusting the position of the pump substantially as
described.
Dated the Wifth day of Fah 1800
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.