Year: 1887

page_text: 1, FRANCIS BRENNER of Brennerberg, Mayor of the town of Kronstadt, in the
Empire of Austria-Hungary, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
:-
This invention consists in a certain combination of devices for the removal of the
inconveniences arising in the present arrangements for supplying water for domestic
purposes, namely the liability of the water remaining in the pipes after using the taps
to become unfit for use in summer or to freeze in winter.
The improvement consists essentially in an arrangement for letting off the water
contained in the pipes after the use of the tap, into a reservoir in the lower part of
the house, and for pressing the water again into the pipes, when a fresh supply of
water is required. This pressing of the water into the pipes and also the opening
of the main water pipe is effected by compression of the volume of air contained in
the said reservoir by means of a piston, while the water is drawn off and the main
supply pipe closed by the reduction of the said amount of air to its usual tension.
The improved arrangement consists of an air compressing pump situated in the
storey, where the water is taken, a horeinafter described apparatus in the cellar or
lower part of the house, and an air-pipe leading from the air-pump to the apparatus.
Referring to the annexed drawing Fig. I is a longitudinal section of an air-pump
of suitable construction.
Fig. II a longitudinal section of the above mentioned apparatus, and
Fig. III a detail view of a valve for regulating the apparatus.
. The air-compressor differs from those heretofore employed only by the communi-
cation of the pipe a for conducting the compressed air to the apparatus with a short
lateral pipe b provided with an air-valve c.
The air compressing apparatus is so placed near the tap as to enable the person

page_text: taking water, while moving the lever of the compressor, to place that foot, on which
the greater part of the bodily weight rests commodiously on the knob e of the valve c,
said knob being preferably covered with leather to protect it from dust.
The apparatus placed in the cellar or lower part of the house consists of the
following parts:
A is a cylinder in which the piston C is adapted to move up and down. The
piston rod H is tubular and carries at its lower end a second piston C³, moving in the
cylinder F.
In the piston C that is to say in its piston rod is contained a piston D. The tubular
piston rod H is provided at its lower extremity with perforations T. The cylinders A
and F are separated from each other by a diaphragm G¹ which is perforated to allow
of the communication of air between the two cylinders.
A partition E separates from the cylinder A a chamber I in which terminates the
water pipe R supplying the tap. Into this chamber extends the point K of a valve
piston L of known construction. Immediately below its head the valve piston is
cylindrical for a height of about 8 centimètres and fits with very slight play into the
guide cylinder N. The lower surface of the valve piston has a collar of leather or
other material V. Above the valve piston is situated a spring O which operates to
close the valve. G is the main supply pipe, Q the valve chamber, P a sieve wall
therein. Va screw for enabling the cylinder F to be emptied of any water that
may drop therein.
The cylinder A and the chamber I being filled with water from the tap-pipe R the
pistons and valves occupy the position shown in Fig. II, the tap-pipe R being empty.
The person requiring water presses with one foot on the knob e of the valve c Fig. III
and continues in this position while taking water, so that the valve c is kept closed.
By the movement of the lever of the air-compressor the air in the air-pipe a
Figs. I and II is compressed and presses on the piston (Fig. II and passes
through the perforations T of the piston rod and through those of the diaphragm G¹
so as to act on the piston C in the cylinder A. By this pressure the piston C rises
and presses the water situated above it in A and I into the pipe Ŕ. When the
piston Creaches the stationary wall E the perforations T are simultaneously
closed by a collar on the diaphragm G. The air-pressure is now restricted to
the piston C¹ and acts through the tubular piston-rod H on the piston D. The
air pressure acting on the piston D presses the same through the wall E further
upward and causes it to abut upon the point K of the valve-piston L and press
up the latter, so that the cylindrical part of the valve leaves its guiding tube and
allows the water situated thereover to flow into the chamber I and thence into
the pipe R. No further pumping at the compressor is now necessary, but the
knob of the valve c must be kept down as long as water is taken.
e
When releasing the knob e, the valve c is opened by the air-pressure in the
tubes a and b and the compressed air flows out of the cylinders F and A and
air pipes a and b until its tension is equal to that of the atmospheric air. The
spring encountering now no resistance closes the valve thus cutting off the
main supply. The weight of the water column contained in the pipe R acts on
the piston C, which resumes its previous position and carries down with it the
piston D, the water in the pipe R descending into the cylinder A; the piston
and the valve occupy the position shown in Fig. II and the pipe R is emptied
of water.
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 :-
In appliances for the supply of water for domestic or other use,
1. The application of air-pressure against water-pressure and vice-versa substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The apparatus for the application of air-pressure against water-pressure and vice-
versa, having a piston sliding in a cylinder and having a tubular perforated piston

page_text: rod, a second piston situated at the extremity of said piston-rod and sliding in a
cylinder, a third piston moving in the said tubular piston rod in combination with
the valve L of main supply pipe substantially as illustrated and described and for
the purpose set forth.
3. The combination of the apparatus referred to in Claim 2, with an air-compressor
and valve c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.