TRANSMISSION OF POWER FOR. OPERATING PUMPS IN MINES
Year: 1884

page_text: CITICATION.
I, PIERRE AUGUSTUS HUMBERT, of the City and County of San Francisco,.
State of California, one of the United States of America, Mining Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my Invention for TRANSMISSION OF POWER FOR.
OPERATING PUMPS IN MINES, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to a new and useful method mode or system of trans-
mitting power from the surface to operate the pumps in a mine, whether station
or sinking pumps, and to certain details and novelties of construction; and it
consists in working the pumps by means of an endless traveling wire rope or.
cable, passing from the source of power over and around suitable sheaves on the
surface and in the shaft and mine. In this mode, method or system, the arrange-
ment of the sheaves, to provide for the necessary course of the cable, whether its
power be transferred to station pumps, or to a sinking pump requiring to be.
lowered periodically, as the shaft is sunk, means for taking up its slack in either
case, means for altering the stroke of the pumps without diminishing the speed of
the cable, means for lowering the sinking pump, and its extensible suction and
discharge pipes, all form part of, and are included in my Invention.
The object of my Invention is to operate continuously the pumps in a mine by
means which are most advantageous in original cost of construction, in lightness,
strength and space which they occupy and in general efficiency.
:
In the accompanying Drawings, which illustrate my Invention
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sheaves at the surface, which carry the endless
cable for the station pumps. Figure 2 is a plan of the same. Figure 3 is a side.
elevation of the sheaves, gearing and station pump in the mine. Figure 4 is a
plan of the same. Figure 5 is a side view of the sheaves and other apparatus of
my sinking pump in the shaft of a mine. Figure 6 is a top view of sane. Figure 7
is a detail view of the fast and loose sheaves J¹, J2. Figure 8 is a similar view of
the loose sheaves K', K². Figure 9 is an end view of the clamp or grip S¹.
Figure 10 is a vertical section of the discharge pipe, Figure 11 is a vertical'
section of eccentric crank and pin.
I shall describe first my Invention in consequence with the station pumps.
A, is the shaft of a mine and B, the surface of the ground. C, is the driving
sheave to which power is to be transmitted in any suitable manner. On the same

page_text: shaft is a double faced sheave D (Figure 2). E is a deflecting sheave in line with
sheave D. F is a double-faced directing sheave mounted at an inclination
(Figure 2). O, is the endless wire rope or cable the course of which above the
ground is in this-wise. Coming out of the shaft as represented by the ascending
arrow (Figure 1) it passes over the deflecting sheave E, thence to, under and over
the sheave D, on its near face, thence to, over and under the near face of inclined
sheave F by which it is led past itself without chafing, thence to, under and over
the off face of sheave D, thence again to sheave F to its off face, by which direction
it is led past itself again without chafing and thence down the shaft as indicated
by the descending arrow in Figure 1.
1765
In the bottom of the shaft, to one side is a sheave H, (Figure 3). Behind it is
a sheave I mounted at an inclination (Figure 4). On the other side of the shaft
is a double faced sheave J, on a shaft K. Behind this sheave is a double-faced
sheave L inclined as shown. The course of the cable over these sheaves is as
following.
It comes down the shaft as indicated by the descending arrow in Figure 3, and
passes under the deflecting sheave H, to under and over the inclined sheave I,
which by reason of its inclination leads it past itself without chafing; it thence
passes across the bottom of the shaft to the inclined sheave L, over, around and
under the off face of which it passes, back to the, off-face of directing sheave J,
under and over which it passes, back again to the near face of sheave L; thence
forward again to the near face of sheave J, and up the shaft as indicated by the
ascending arrow in Figure 3.
The inclination of certain sheaves of this arrangement prevents the cable from
chafing and enables me to lead it back and forth to obtain the necessary, driving
tension. By the arrangement shown, my shaft is unincumbered by any machinery
nothing being in it but the cable. I do not confine myself to this exact course of
the cable, nor to the number and particular arrangement of sheaves shown, for the
device might be altered in these particulars, without changing the nature of my
Invention. But for practical purposes I deem the devices shown to be well adapted
for the purpose.
M is the pump having pitman rod m. On shaft K, is a pinion N, which meshes
with a large gear O', having a crank pin o, with which the pitman m is connected,
whereby the power of the traveling cable is transmitted to the pump.
It is obvious that although I have shown but one station or level and' one pump,
I can apply the system to pumps on different levels.
In transmitting power by means of an endless cable, it is always necessary to
provide for its proper tension, known commonly as taking up the slack where the
cable is run between points on the same level, its own sag accomplishes this end;
but in sending it down a shaft of a mine, some other means must be employed,
whether an independent device, or by the arrangement of the pump itself, as by
suspending it, together with the cable sheaves, whereby the weight keeps the cable
taut. In connection with the station pumps I use the following means for taking
up the slack. The double faced sheave L is mounted in pillow blocks P, set in
guides and adapted to slide therein. In front of these on the supporting frame
work are pressure cylinders Q, having solid plungers, the rods q of which are
connected with the pillow blocks. A pressure pipe R, leads from the pump
column S, to the pressure cylinders. The weight of the water in the pump column
is therefore always upon the plungers of the cylinders, the rods of which press back
the pillow blocks continuously and thus force back the sheave L to keep the cable
tight.
In the use of a sinking pump which requires to be lowered as the shaft is
deepened, the course of the cable is varied somewhat to meet the special require-
ments of the case.
To operate such a pump by an endless cable passing directly from the source of
power to the pump would be impractical for the reason that when the pump

page_text: t
required to be lowered the cable would have to be spliced to lengthen it, thus
causing considerable delay and the suspension of the work. Accordingly I have
to provide a means for allowing the pump to be lowered without having to splice
the cable, and means for keeping it tight all the time. The application of my
system to this kind of pump is shown particularly in Figures 5 and 6.
In the shaft B of the mine are tracks a a¹ for the carriages or trucks. B¹ is the
carriage upon which the pump C is located. The lower end of the carriage has
dogs b and its upper end. has dogs b', adapted to engage with the shaft timbers to
hang up and steady the carriage. The upper dogs have tightening nuts b², by
which the carriage is tightened to its seat. E¹, is a carriage above. Its
upper end
has safety dogs e, which are used only in case of a break. These two carriages are
upon the same track a, and upon the adjacent track is a third carriage F, having
at its ends dogs ff.. Upon this carriage is a windlass G¹, from which a wire rope
or cable H¹ extends up the shaft to a guide sheave h over which it passes down the
shaft again to the top of carriage E, to which it is secured. This rope suspends
carriage E¹ to keep the main driving cable tight as I shall show.
-
Upon carriage B¹ is a double faced - sheave I¹ in front of which are two sheaves
the one J¹ being keyed to the shaft, and the one J' loose upon it and held to place
by a collar, j as shown in Figure 7.
Upon the lower end of carriage E¹ is a shaft k upon which are loosely mounted
the sheaves K1 K2 (Figure 8). These are of equal diameter with a sheave L', above
them, and which is set at an angle as seen in Figure 6. Above this is a larger
sheave M¹, above which is a sheave N¹.
-
The course of the endless traveling wire rope or cable O, over these sheaves is
as follows:-
-
Down the shaft taking the top of M', down to the inner face of I¹; around said
face, up between it and J; over the latters top up the shaft to K¹; over the top of
this and down between it and inclined sheave L¹, the bottom of which it strikes;
it is thence carried around and to the top of L', by whose inclination it is directed
down again striking the outer face of I¹, by which it is carried around, beside itself
and over J; thence up the shaft inclining downwardly to the bottom of K²;
thence missing the lower portion of inclined sheave L¹, it passes up to the top
of N¹ and up the shaft. This course avoids all chafing and keeps the cable clear
of the lower wall of the shaft, a very necessary result in an inclined shaft, though
not in a vertical one, for which reason, in-such a shaft, those sheaves which have
for their object the holding of the cable might be dispensed with.
The reason for the fast and loose sheaves' J¹ J2 is to allow one to conform to the
speed of the other irrespective of any slight difference in diameter, wherely
dragging is avoided.
The reason for the loosely mounted and independent sheaves K1 K2 is that such
a construction is required in the course of the cable, as the cable passes them in
opposite directions. The main feature to be noted in this course of the cable, is
that by reason of going up the shaft again to the sheaves on carriage E', it
forms a loop of itself, which can be drawn on to practically lengthen the cable
when the pump is lowered, without having to splice it. The loop takes up the
surplus cable, which may be utilized by shortening the loop, which is done by
allowing the carriage E to approach the pump carriage, the limit being their
contact.
But I can, in the first place dispose of enough surplus in the loop, to permit the
pump to be lowered considerably before the limit is reached. It is obvious, that
the cable must be kept tight, and in a small shaft with a light pump and short
driving rope or cable, I could allow the pump frame or carriage to remain suspended
in the shaft, with no other support than that which the driving cable would itself
afford, the upper carriage or frame being temporarily secured; in which case the
weiglit of the pump and frame would keep the cable tight.
.)
-

page_text: But in a deeper shaft and with heavier machinery I would have to use
independent means to accomplish this object. For this purpose I have the
carriage F, which I shall now more fully explain.
Upon the windlass on said carriage is a strap brake P', having handle p.
The windlass has also a gear Q₁ which meshes with a pinion q¹ on a shaft 92
which also carries a gear q³ meshing with a pinion on a shaft R¹ adapted to be
operated by a crank
Under a beam of the carriage F1 (Figure 9) is a rope clamp or grip S¹, through
which the suspending rope H passes. This clamp is tightened by bolts 8 and is
secured to a slide s¹, mortised in the beam in order to allow the rope to adjust
itself to the proper plane from sheave h to the windlass. The tightener carriage F¹
is made heavy enough to draw up on and suspend the carriage E', and is itself
suspended, when its dogs are released by the weight of the latter carriage and its
connection with the pump carriage B¹ which is firmly placed below by means of
its dogs.
The upward tension on the carriage E¹ takes up the slack on the driving cable.
The operation of lowering the pump is as follows:-
The brake lever p, is first grasped, and the rope H¹, is unclamped; the carriage F¹
is lowered until it rests on its upper dogs and its lower dogs drop in to place.
Then, the nuts 62 are loosened to slack up the lower dogs of the pump carriage,
which are then knocked out; after which the windlass is wound up on until the
upper dogs of the pump carriage are freed, and the carriages B₁ and E¹ are suspended
in the shaft. Then the windlass is operated to pay out on rope H¹, thus lowering
the carriage B, E, the latter moving down faster than the former, shortening the
loop of the driving cable until carriage B¹ has reached a point where the suction of
the pump will again act.
Then the windlass is stopped the dogs 6 6¹ of carriage B¹, dropped into place and
tightened by nuts b².
The dogs of carriage F¹ are loosened and the windlass operated to raise said
carriage until its dogs fare free, when the rope H¹ is clamped.
The carriage F is thus suspended, and its weight suspends carriage E¹ and takes
up the slack of the driving cable. In order to make the adjustments of the pump
as few as possible, and render it unnecessary at every adjustment to fit on a length
to the discharge pipe, I make both suction pipe T and discharge pipe T¹ telescopic,
by means of the slip joint shown in Figure 10.
But when it does become necessary to add to the discharge pipe I provide
for the continuous operation of the pump during the work of fitting the new
piece.
In Figure 10, U is the forking valve below which in the pipe is an upwardly
swinging.clack valve V. Below this is an outlet valve W which I call the lowering
valve. When the pump is being lowered the valve W is opened and all the water
passes out through it and is conducted into the sump again; the clack valve being
relieved falls down and supports the column of water above, thus relieving the
pump of its weight. But when a new piece of pipe has to be added above, then,
in order to protect the workmen from occasional splashes through the valve, I have
the lever operated by à crank wheel u and adapted to press upon and hold the
valve down tight. The mechanism by which the power of the cable is transferred
to the pump is as follows:-
Upon the end of shaft i upon which the sheave I is mounted is a pinion <
which meshes with a gear X to which the crank pin Y is attached.
The pitman y of the pump is connected with the crank pin.
In operating mining pumps by means of my system, I find it necessary to
decrease the work of the pumps without having to decrease the speed of the driving
cable.
To do this I'make the crank pin adjustable, to vary the stroke of the pitman, by
the means shown in Figure 11.

page_text: rim.
Z is a disc keyed eccentrically on to the shaft i. This disc has a rim z with a
lip extending inwardly and forming a groove. Z is a disc having a lip on its
This is laid upon the disc Z and is bolted to it by bolts w. Upon the
discs Z Z¹ is fitted a plate c which is adapted to turn thereon, being guided by a
small tongue and groove at , and secured in any position by means of bolts the
heads of which have been previously seated in the groove, formed by the lips
of the discs Z Z¹, and whose bodies extend up between the lips and through
plate c.
'
The crank pin Y is secured in this plate as shown. By loosening the bolts the
plate c may be turned on its bearing to give the pin Y more or less throw,
according to its position with relation to the shaft i. Although this device is here
shown in connection with the sinking pump it is applicable and necessary for the
station pumps and in fact for any pumps driven by an endless cable.
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 mode, method or system of transmitting power for operating the pumps
in a mine, by means of an endless traveling wire, rope or cable, passing down and
up the shaft and supported and guided upon and by suitable sheaves substantially
as herein described.
2. Operating the pumps in a mine by means of power transmitted from the
surface of the ground, by an endless traveling wire rope or cable, passing up and
down the shaft and supported and guided upon and by sheaves within the mine
and on the surface substantially as herein described.
3. The improved system for transmitting power from the surface for operating
the pumps in a mine consisting of an endless traveling wire rope or cable passing
down and up the shaft and supported and guided upon and by sheaves within the
mine and on the surface, and driven by power from the surface, and a mechanism
for taking the power of the wire rope or cable and transferring it to the pumps.
4. In connection with a system for operating the pumps in a mine by means of
power transmitted by an endless traveling wire rope or cable, a suitable mechanism
or a means for taking up the slack of said rope or cable to keep it tight substantially
as herein described.
5. In a system for transmitting power from the surface to operate pumps within
a mine by means of an endless traveling wire rope or cable, passing down and up
the shaft, suitable sheaves at and near the mouth of the shaft and near the pumps
therein for directing the cable and deflecting and leading it substantially as herein
described.
6. In a system for transmitting power from the surface to operate pumps within
a mine by means of an endless traveling wire rope or cable passing down and up
the shaft, an arrangement of single, double and inclined sheaves at the surface and
in the shaft and nine for directing, deflecting and leading the cable and preventing
its chafing, substantially as herein described.
7. In the system as herein described mounting the shaft of one of the sheaves
over which the endless traveling wire rope or cable passes, in sliding pillow blocks
and applying to said blocks a pressure sufficient to force the sheave back to takė
up the slack of the cable substantially as herein described.
8. In the system as herein described mounting the shaft of one of the lower
sheaves, over which the endless traveling wire rope or cable passes, in sliding
pillow blocks, and applying the pressure of the water in the pump column to said
pillow blocks by means of pressure pumps connected with the pump column and
with the pillow blocks, to force the sheave back to take up the slack of the cable,
substantially as herein described.
9. The gearing between the shaft of the sheave or sheaves deriving power from
the endless traveling wire rope or cable, and the pump or pumps in the mine or
shaft, for transferring the power of said rope or cable to the pumps to operate them
substantially as herein described.

page_text: 10. Changing the stroke of the pumps to reduce or increase their work
independent of the speed of the endless traveling wire rope or cable by which
they are operated by altering the position of the crank pins with which the pump
pitmen are connected by the mechanism (or its equivalent) as herein described and
as illustrated in Figure 11.
11. The improvement in operating a sinking pump suspended in the shaft of a
mine consisting in driving it by an endless traveling wire rope or cable passing
down the shaft to the pump and forming a loop around a suitable sheave or sheaves
located at a point above and adapted to be lowered to shorten the loop and allow
the pump to sink without having to splice said rope or cable, substantially as
herein described.
12. The arrangement in a sinking pump apparatus of a carriage or frame in the
shaft of a mine and bearing a pump and suitable sheave or sheaves, a carriage or
frame having suitable sheave or sheaves and suspended in the shaft above and
adapted to be lowered, an endless traveling wire rope or cable passing from the
source of power to the pump sheaves and forming a loop around those above, and
a mechanism for transferring the power of the endless wire rope or cable to the
pump, substantially as herein described.
13. In a sinking pump apparatus for a mine, a pump having a frame adapted to
be secured in the shaft of the mine and temporarily released and suspended therein,
_said frame carrying a suitable sheave or sheaves, a suitable sheave or sheaves in the
shaft at a point above the pump, a counter weight in the shaft and a connection
between said counter weight and the upper sheave or sheaves whereby the latter
are suspended in the shaft, a means for lengthening said connection to lower said
sheave or sheaves, an endless traveling wire rope or cable passing down the shaft
to the pump sheave or sheaves and forming a loop around the upper ones, and a
mechanism for transferring the power of the rope or cable to the pump substantially
as herein described.
14. In a sinking pump apparatus in which the pump is operated by means of
an endless traveling wire rope or cable as described, the arrangement of single
double and inclined sheaves on the pump carriage and the carriage suspended
above, by means of which the cable is directed and is kept from chafing substantially
as herein described, and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
. 15. Avoiding the drag of the endless traveling wire rope or cable by which the
pumps in a mine and shaft are operated, when said rope is made to pass in the
same direction and beside itself, by means of a fast and loose pulley on the same
shaft substantially as described and as illustrated in Figure 7.
16. In a sinking pump apparatus as herein described the pump carriage or frame
having holding dogs above and below, by which said carriage is secured to the
timbers of the shaft, and the sheaves on said frame connected with mechanism for
transmitting their power to the pump, the carriage or frame suspended in the shaft
above and having sheaves as described, the endless traveling wire rope or cable
passing over the sheaves and transmitting its power to the pump, in combination
with the counter weight truck in the shaft, having holding dogs for temporary use
when suspending the other carriages, a windlass on said carriage, with brake and
crank mechanism, a wire rope or cable from said carriage, up the shaft, over a
sheave and down to the upper carriage where said carriage is suspended, and a
clamp on the counter weight carriage for temporarily holding the suspension rope,
all arranged and adapted to be operated substantially as herein described.
17. In a sinking pump apparatus as herein described for a mine, a suction pipe
for the pump, made of telescoping sections whereby as the shaft is deepened the
suction may be slipped out to its limit before the pump need be lowered substan-
tially as herein described.
18. In a sinking pump apparatus as herein described for a mine, a discharge
pipe for the pump.made of telescoping sections whereby when the pump is lowered
the discharge
herein derde pipe may be lengthened without having to piece it, substantially as

page_text: 19. In a sinking pump apparatus for a mine in which the pump is adapted to
be lowered from time to time and is driven by an endless traveling wire rope or
cable as herein described the discharge pipe having a forking valve, a lowering
valve below and an intervening clack valve, substantially as herein described and
as illustrated in Figure 10.