AN IMPROVED PUMPING ENGINE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich Wilhelm Köttgen, of Barmen, in the Kingdom
of Prussia, German Empire, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PUMPING
ENGINE."
Sealed the 28th July 1876, and dated the 8th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich Wilhelm Köttgen
at the Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1876.
FRIEDRICH WILHELM KÖTTGEN, of Barmen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German
Empire. "AN IMPROVED PUMPING ENGINE."
This Invention relates to an arrangement of pumping engines by which certain
important advantages are attained over the constructions at present in use.
The engine is arranged with two cylinders properly supported on beams and
columns. Below the cylinders is placed a crank shaft with a fly wheel, the con-
nection between the piston rods and the cranks as well as the arrangement of the
guides being similar to the engines called inverted cylinder engines. The two
cranks, however, are not placed at an angle of 90 degrees to each other as usual but
in opposite directions, i.c., at an angle of 180 degrees, so as thereby to balance the
two sets of pump rods and other parts in reciprocating motion. The piston rods
pass through the tops of the cylinders, and the upper end of each of them is attached
to the end of an oscillating beam in the usual style of beam engines. The two
beams however converge towards each other, so that their extreme ends to which
the pump rods are attached are brought close together over the shaft of the mine
or in general over the two sets of pumps.
The arrangement of the steam valves, the valve gearing, the condensers, and so
forth, may be made in any desired manner, and instead of two single cylinders any
convenient combination of high and low pressure cylinders may be adopted.
Also the arrangement of the engines may be inverted so as to have the crank
shaft above and the beams below.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Friedrich Wilhelm Köttgen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th August 1876.
FRIEDRICH WILHELM KÖTTGEN, of Barmen, in the Kingdom of Prussia.
PROVED PUMPING ENGINE."
"IM-
This Invention relates to an arrangement of pumping engines by which certain
important advantages are attained over the constructions at present in use.
The engine is arranged with two cylinders, properly supported on beams and
columns. Below the cylinders is placed a crank shaft with a fly wheel, the connec-
tion between the piston rods and the cranks as well as the arrangement of the guides
being similar to that of the engines called inverted cylinder engines. The two cranks,
however, are not placed at an angle of 90 degrees to each other as usual but in
opposite directions, i.c., at an angle of 180 degrees, so as thereby to balance the two
sets of pumps rods and other parts in reciprocating motion. The piston rods pass
through the tops of the cylinders, and the upper end of each of them is attached to
the end of a working beam in the usual style of beam engines. The two beams
however converge towards each other, so that their extreine ends to which the
pump rods are attached are brought close together over the shaft of the mine, or
in general over the two sets of pumps.
The arrangement of the steam valves, the valve gear, condensers &c., may be
made in any desired manner, and instead of two single cylinders any convenient
combination of high and low pressure cylinders may be adopted.
Also the arrangement of the engines may be inverted so as to have the crank
shaft above and the beams below.
The pumping engine, so far described in its general principles, is shown on the
annexed one Sheet of Drawings.
The valve gear, condensers, air pumps, &c., have been omitted in the same, as
they present no special points. The cylinders are placed at such a distance from
each other as to secure a proper length of shaft between its two bearings, and a
fly wheel is fixed on the centre of the shaft. The two cranks being placed opposite
to each other as stated, it is necessary to cast the fly wheel with teeth on its rim,
and to arrange a lever with a pall (which may be moved by a small steam engine)
for the purpose of turning the cranks over the dead centre before starting the
engine in case it should have stopped at this point. The cranks being placed
opposite to each other, as described, the weights of the pump rods and of the other
moving parts are balanced in every position of the engine and the pumps work
alternately. For the latter reason the current of water in the common discharge
pipe will be more continuous than in the case of a single set of pumps, and the
diameter of this pipe may therefore be reduced as compared with a pipe in which
an intermittent flow takes place. This continuity of current may yet be enhanced
by the application of air vessels. The angular position of the two wrought-iron
beams will be seen from the elevation, Fig. 1, as well as from the ground plan
Fig. 2, whilst Fig. 3 shows the crank shaft, &c., in plan. The weight of the pump
rods and appendages I prefer to calculate, so that it materially overbalances the
head of water acting on the plungers, so as to have a constant tensive strain on
the moving parts of the engine, the keys thereby being prevented from working
loose.
The advantages which any arrangement presents consist in the following,―
1. An efficient expansion of steam of any desired grade is thereby to be attained,
whilst in the common pumping engines without fly wheel the expansion is in
practice not to be carried out to any effectual amount, although the design of the
valve gear may be adapted for the purpose.
2. As by the arrangement of the engine and of a double set of pumps the weights
of all the parts in motion, as well as the momenta of the same, are completely
balanced, the engine may run at a much higher speed and it may make a greater

page_text: number of strokes in comparison to former constructions without rotative motion
as well as to the more recent pumping engines with fly wheels.
3. The engine presents all the advantages of the underground pumping engines,
whilst the disadvantages of the latter, especially their liability to be swamped by
an accidental rise of water in the mine, are removed.
Having now explained the nature and object of my Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim
as my Invention.—
1. The arrangement of a pumping engine with two cylinders, or two sets of
cylinders, the piston rods of which are connected at one end to two working beams
for operating the pumps, and at the other end by means of connecting rods to a
crank shaft with fly wheel, as and for the purpose stated.
2. In a pumping engine having two cylinders, or two sets of cylinders, the piston
rods of which act on two working beams, I claim the arrangement of these beams
at an angle to each other as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Friedrich Wilhelm Köttgen, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundered and seventy-six.
FRIEDRICH WILHELM KÖTTGEN. (L.S.)