AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Elliott and Cuthbert Burnett, both of Stockton-
on-Tees, in the County of Durham, Engineers, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 15th May 1877, and dated the 18th November 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Elliott and
Cuthbert Burnett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th
November 1876.
ARCHIBALD ELLIOTT and CUTHBERT BURNETT, both of Stockton-on-Tees, in
the County of Durham, Engineers. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RAISING WATER
AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention relates to an improved method of raising water and other liquids,
whereby that operation is performed in a more simple and economical manner than
by the means hitherto employed for that purpose.
According to this Invention one or more vessels of any desired size and form, and
constructed of any suitable material, is or are employed, and which vessel or vessels
is or are provided with a suction or supply and delivery pipes. Into such vessel or
vessels steam is admitted and allowed to expand to its utmost limit compatible
with efficiency, a sufficient quantity of water being then injected into the vessel
causing a rapid condensation of the steam, thus creating a vacuum in the vessel; or
the steam may be allowed to condense naturally with the same result, and the
vacuum is displaced by the atmosphere filling or charging the vessel or vessels
with the water or other liquid it is desired to raise. When the vessel or vessels is
or are so filled with water or other liquid the latter may be discharged therefrom
by the admission of steam or air, by preference steam, into the vessel or vessels.
The vessel or vessels may be provided with the necessary inlet and outlet valves
for the admission and discharge of the water or other liquid, and with a suitable valve
or valves for the alternate admission of steam and injection water when the latter is
employed-for-condensing the steam, and also with an air valve when it is preferred
to employ air for discharging the liquid. These valves may be actuated by a float
rising and falling with the liquid being raised, or by an air or water cataract, or a
combination of both, or by any other suitable and convenient arrangement.
When it is desired to raise water or other liquid to a greater height than could

page_text: be effected by the atmospheric pressure, as, for instance, when raising water from
the bottom of a mine shaft, it will be necessary to place separate vessels at
suitable distances apart from each other, and which vessels would then be connected
with a main pipe running the entire length of the shaft, and when the lower vessel
was charged with water a vacuum would be created in the vessel above it, as
herein-before described, and the water forced from the first vessel through the main
pipe to the second vessel by the admission of steam or air, the operation being
repeated as often as desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Archibald Elliott and Cuthbert Burnett in the Great Seal Patent Offico
on the 18th May 1877.
.
ARCHIBALD ELLIOTT and CUTHBERT BURNETT, both of Stockton-on-Tees, in
the County of Durham, Engineers. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RAISING WATER
AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Our said Invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for raising
water and other liquids, whereby that operation is performed in a more simple and
economical manner than by the means hitherto employed for that purpose.
According to our said Invention one or more vessels of any desired and suitable
size and form, and constructed of any suitable material, is or are employed, and
which vessel or vessels is or are provided with suction or supply and delivery pipes.
Into such vessel or vessels steam is admitted and allowed to expand to its utmost
limit compatible with efficiency, a sufficient quantity of water being then injected
into the vessel or vessels, thus causing a rapid condensation of the steam, and
creating a vacuum in the vessel or vessels; or the steam may be allowed to con-
dense naturally with the same result, and the vacuum is displaced by the atmo-
sphere filling or charging the vessel or vessels with the water or other liquid which
it is desired to raise. When the vessel or vessels is or are so filled with water or
other liquid, the latter may be discharged therefrom by the admission of steam.or
air, by preference steam, into a vessel or vessels.
The vessel or vessels may be provided with the necessary inlet and outlet valves
for the admission and discharge of the water or other liquid, and with a suitable valve
or valves for the alternate admission of steam and injection of water when the latter is
employed for condensing the steam, and also with an air valve when it is preferred
to employ the same to discharge the liquid. These valves may be actuated by a
float rising and falling with the liquid being raised, or by an air or water cataract,
or by a combination of both, or by any other suitable and convenient arrangement.
When it is desired to raise water or liquid to a greater height than could be
effected by the atmospheric pressure, as, for instance, from the bottom of a mine
shaft, it will be necessary to place separate vessels at suitable distances apart from
each other, and which vessels would then be connected with a main pipe running
the entire length of the shaft, and when the lower vessel is charged with water a
vacuum will be created in the vessel above it, as herein-before described, and the
liquid forced from the first vessel through the main pipe to the second vessel by
the admission of steam or air, the operation being repeated as often as desired.
We will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the nature
of our said Invention will be more clearly understood. The Figures are numbered
consecutively in the several Sheets.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents one form of the apparatus embraced by our Inven-
tion, and which may be applied either separately or in conjunction with other
arrangements. On starting the apparatus steam is admitted into the vacuum
chamber A, through the pipe B, by the stop valve C, through the steam valve D,
thereby expelling the air. The steam supply is now shut off by either of the

page_text: valves referred to, when, owing to the low pressure of the steam in the vacuum
chamber A, a partial vacuum is immediately formed by natural condensation, when
a portion of the water previously placed in the trough E is forced by the atino-
spheric pressure through the injection pipe F into the vacuum chamber A, thus
completing the vacuum in and allowing the latter to fill with water or other
liquid through the suction valve G, which may be of any suitable kind. In the
operation of filling, the radial float H with its eccentric or cam I is carried into
the position shewn by the dotted lines H¹, when the tumbling bob J will be
promptly thrown over into the position indicated by the dotted line J¹, thereby
carrying the quadrant K and steam valve D into the position shewn, and again
admitting steam and allowing the water to discharge through the delivery valve L
(by preference formed of india-rubber secured to an inclined grated seating) into
the trough E, over the regulating valve M. The float H in its descent with the
water carries over the tumbling bob J to the catch N attached to the small float O,
in which position it is held until the water in the trough E has passed through the
orifice P in the regulating valve M, when the float O falls, raising the catch N and
releasing the tumbling bob J, when it will fall to J2, shewn by dotted lines, carrying
with it the quadrant K and steam valve D, shutting off the steam when condensa-
tion takes place, a vacuum is again formed and the vacuum chamber A fills with
water as before described, and the operation is repeated automatically.
Figure 2, Sheet 2, is a longitudinal vertical section and plan shewing another
self-acting arrangement. Contained in the vessel A is a basin B, with its tube C
and regulating valve D. Connected to the spindle E of the steam valve F, and
suspended on the arm of the counter weight G, H, is a starting lever. When
the vacuum chamber I fills with water a portion overflows at J into the basin B,
promptly opening the steam valve F and raising the weight G to the position shewn
by the dotted lines, the time it shall be so retained being determined by regulating
the escape of water from the basin B by the valve D into the tube C, the bottom of
which tube is lower than the level of the water, into the trough K. The necessary
weight of water having passed from the basin B3 through the valve D and tube C
the counter weight G closes the steam valve, natural condensation takes place, and
a partial vacuum is formed which is completed by water being forced by the
atmospheric pressure from the trough K through the injection tube and rose L,
when the vacuum chamber again fills with water and the operation is completed.
The delivery valve L serves as a non-return valve for the vessel A, but an
independent valve may be employed for the purpose when desirable.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, shews a machine working in concert with that represented in
Figure 2; the self-acting arrangement is similar to that represented in Figure 2,
but inside instead of outside. The trough or chamber N for injection of water is
cast with or attached to the vacuum chamber O, the communication between the
two being by means of the valve P, which may be of any suitable kind.
Figure 4, Sheet 3, represents an intermediate machine with another self-acting
device which operates as follows:-When the vacuum chamber A fills with water
the float B rises to the height shewn at B¹, carrying over the quadrant C, and
opening the steam valve D, admitting steam to the top of the piston E, thus
depressing the same, opening the steam supply valve F and closing the injection
valve G. As the water runs out of the vacuum chamber A, the float falls into the
trough H, the speed at which the said trough is allowed to empty itself being
regulated by the valve I, and it is not until the water escapes from the trough H,
and the float falls to B, that the steam valve is closed and the injection valve G
is opened. When this takes place the water enters through the injection valve G,
condenses the steam which has accumulated in the vacuum chamber A and com-
pletes the vacuum as before.
Figure 5, Sheet 4, shews machines working in conjunction with the steam valve
a, a, a, and the injunction valves B, B, being worked by rocking levers c, c, c,
actuated by the tappet rod d by any suitable mechanical device. The steam and
injection valves in alternate machines are inverted, so that whilst one vacuum

page_text: chamber is receiving steam the one next it is receiving injection water from the
rising main e or from an independent injection supply pipe when desirable. Gis
the steam supply pipe. Foot valves h are used between each vacuum chamber and
an air valve i may be used in these or any of the machines before described.
Figure 6, Sheet 4, represents one of a series of machines, the injection' water
being taken from a separate trough j, as explained in the description of Figure 3.
Figure 7, Sheet 4, is the same as Figure 6, but fixed on an incline, and arranged
to be worked by a cataract or other suitable mechanical contrivance.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, we
would observe in conclusion that what we consider novel and original, and there-
.fore claim as constituting the Invention secured to us by the said herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, are,-
First. The method of raising water and other liquids, substantially as hercin-
before described and set forth.
And Secondly. The combination and arrangement of parts and mechanism,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth, or any
mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Archibald Elliott and Cuthbert Burnett, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ARCHIBALD ELLIOTT. (L.S.)
CUTHBERT BURNETT. (L.S.)