IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING LIQUIDS AND FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Alcide Bonnefin of Leadenhall Street in the City
of London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS
FOR RAISING LIQUIDS AND FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Alcide Bonnefin ab
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st November 1882.
FRANÇOIS ALCIDE BONNEFIN of Leadenhall Street in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING LIQUIDS AND FOR
SEPARATING SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM".
This invention relates, means or apparatus for raising water or other liquids
and separating solid matters therefrom and is based upon the application of
capillarity or capillary attraction both as an elevating power and as a means of
removing solid matters from liquids.
I employ a vertical shaft or tube higher than the distance between the level of
the liquid to be raised and the point to which it is required to raise it. In this
shaft which communicates at bottom with the liquid to be raised I place at suitablo
distances apart small vessels or receivers, fixed or movable, and arranged by
preference at the two sides of the shaft alternately. From each vessel to that next
above it I carry one or more pipes open at both ends the lower end extending down
into the lower vessel while the upper end extends above the upper vessel and is
then bent down in the form of an elbow or crook so that its mouth opens towards
this vessel. In order to facilitate the fitting and adjusting of these pipes, I fit tubular
supports or guides in the upper vessel for the pipes to pass through, the pipes having
shoulders to rest upon the top of these guides or supports. Through each pipe I
pass a wick or skein of cotton or other suitable fibre so as to project beyond both
ends thereof. The lower end of this wick, when the apparatus is in action will dip
in the liquid in the lower vessel while its upper end will be a certain distance from
the level of the liquid in the upper vessel so as to break the continuity between the
liquid in the wick and that in the vessel. The vertical shaft is provided with such

page_text: doors as are necessary, these doors being hermetically closed when the apparatus is
in action, and the top of the shaft is likewise hermetically closed. The topmost
vessel in the shaft is by preference deep and double, one compartment being within
the shaft and the other compartment outside. At the bottom of the partition
between these two compartments are pipes with or without cocks. The discharge
from the outer compartment will preferably be by an overflow pipe.
The entire vertical shaft is in connection with an air pump for producing vacuum
therein; and while this vacuum is being formed the cocks on the pipes communicating
between the two compartments of the highest vessel must of course be temporarily
closed. As soon as the vacuum has been formed the liquid will flow rapidly by
capillarity up the wicks from one vessel to another in succession until it reaches
the highest when after the communicating cocks have been opened it will rise in
the outer compartment and discharge itself by the overflow. The repeated capillary
action will also have the effect of purifying the liquid from matters held in
suspension therein, these matters being retained by the fibres. The lower ends of
the wicks should be fixed or held so as to avoid any liability to rise.
In order to facilitate the work, the wicks can be primed beforehand by means of a
pipe in the vertical shaft having branches with their ends terminating in holes
made in the tops of the wick pipes. This priming pipe may be fixed at top to a
funnel and be fitted with a cock to intercept the air after priming.
The wicks or fibres employed should be preserved from decomposition or fermen-
tation by being previously impregnated with sulphate or tannate of iron.
When the liquid to be raised is very foul or dirty it is preferable to give it a
preliminary purification and this may be effected by passing it between or through
hollow walls containing porous bodies and pieces or rags of wool, cotton or
other fabric previously impregnated with sulphate or tannate of iron or other
preservative.
If the liquid to bo raised is already pure-the-arrangement herein before described
will of course act to raise it only. On the other hand when it is required to purify
or separate solid matters from a liquid without raising it to a higher level, I employ
instead of the vortical shaft or tubo a horizontal tube or closed channel containing
a similar arrangement of vessels with pipes and wicks for conveying the liquid by
capillarity from vessel to vessel. This arrangement will be found well suited for
removing the liquids mixed with solid matters in the manufacture of starch, for
purifying oils and various liquids such as beers, wines, drinking water, sewage &c;
the apparatus being suitably modified to adapt it to the various purposes as will be
well understood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said François Alcide Bonnefin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st May 1883.
FRANÇOIS ALCIDE BONNEFIN of Leadenhall Street in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING LIQUIDS AND FOR
SEPARATING SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM'
"
This invention relates to means or apparatus for raising water or other liquids
and separating solid matters therefrom and is based upon the application of
capillarity or capillary attraction both as an elevating power and as a means of
removing solid matters from liquids.
I employ a vertical shaft or tube higher than the distance between the level of
the liquid to be raised and the point to which it is required to raise it. In this
shaft, which communicates at bottom with the liquid to be raised, I place at suitable
distances apart horizontal partitions which divide it into a series of superposed
vessels or receivers. From each vessel to that next above it I carry one or more
pipes open at both ends the lower end extending down into the lower vessel whilo
the upper end extends above the upper vessel and is then bont down in the form
of an elbow or crook so that its mouth opens towards this vessel. In order to
facilitate the fitting and adjusting of theso pipes, I may fit tubular supports or
guides in the upper vessel for the pipes to pass through, the pipes having shoulders
to rest upon the top of these guides or supports. Through each pipe I pass a wick
cr skein of wool or cotton or other suitable fibre or material so as to project
beyond both ends thereof. The lower end of this wick, when the apparatus is in
action will dip in the liquid in the lower vessel while its upper end will be a
certain distance from the level of the liquid in the upper vessel so as to break the
continuity between the liquid in the wick and that in the upper vessel. The
vertical shaft is provided with such doors as are necessary, these doors being
hermetically closed when tho apparatus is in action, and the top of the shaft is
likewise hermetically closed. The topmost vessel in the shaft is by preference
deep and double, one compartment being within the shaft and the other compart-
ment outside. At the bottom of the partition between these two compartments
are one or more cocks. The discharge from the outer compartment will preferably
be by an overflow pipe.
The entire vertical shaft is in connection by means of branch pipes from each
vessel with an air pump for producing vacuum therein, and while this vacuum is
being formed, the cock or cocks on the pipes communicating between the two
compartments of the highest vessel must of course be temporarily closed. As soon
as the vacuum has been formed the liquid will flow rapidly by capillarity up the
wicks from one vessel to another in succession until it reaches the highest when
after the communicating cock or cocks have been opened it will rise in the outer
compartment and discharge itself by the overflow. The repeated capillary action
will also have the effect of purifying the liquid from matters held in suspension
therein, these matters being retained by the fibres. The lower ends of the wicks
should be fixed or held so as to avoid any liability to rise.
For the purpose of facilitating the ascent of the liquid by the effect of the
atmospheric pressure I fit in connection with each vessel (except the topmost) an
open vessel outside the vertical shaft or tube, a valve being fitted between this
open vessel and the lower part of the vessel within the vertical tube. When the
apparatus is not in action the level of the liquid will be the same in both the inner
and outer vessels, or it may be higher in the inner vessels if still under the action

page_text: of the vacuum; when on the other hand the apparatus is at work the atmospheric
pressure acting against the liquid in the outer vessel forces the liquid therein
down to nearly the level of the valve, the liquid in the inner vessel rising to a
corresponding extent.
"
In order to facilitate the work, the wicks can be primed beforehand by means
of a pipe having branches with their ends terminating in holes made in the tops
of the wick pipes. This priming pipe may be fixed at top to a funnel and be
fitted with a cock to intercept the air after priming.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is a vertical section of an apparatus con-
structed according to my invention. Figure 2 is a section on the line A B of
Figure 1. aa is a vertical shaft or tube the bottom of which is in communication
with the liquid to be raised whilst its top is above the height to which it is required
to raise it. b b are partitions in the shaft a dividing it into a number of superposed
vessels or receivers c c. dd are vertical pipes passing hermetically through the
partitions bb from each vessel c to that next above it as shown, their upper ends
being bent down in the form of an elbow or crook; there may be one or more of
these pipes in each vessel according to the amount of liquid to be raised. Through
each of these pipes I carry a wick or skein of cotton or other suitable fibro; the
lower end of the wick when the apparatus is in action dips in the liquid in the
lower vessel while its upper end should be above the level of the liquid in the upper
vessel as already explained. Outside each vessel c (except the topmost) is an open
vessel e for the purpose herein before described, and between the vessels cand e aro
valves f. These vessels e aro however not essential as the apparatus will work well
but not so rapidly without them. The topmost vessel c is made deep and also
double, that is to say, it has a compartment g outside the shaft not open like the
vessels e but closed. In the wall dividing the two compartments are two valves or
cocks h h or there may be only one valve or cock; they may be connected with a
-rod or other appliance outside so that they can be closed while the vacuum is being'
formed in the tube a a. The compartment-g is provided with an overflow pipo i
which is fitted with a ball cock or similar device j and may lead to a tank k or
otherwise. The vessels cc (except the topmost) are each fitted with a hermetically
closed door which may be partly made of glass so as to allow the inside of the
vessel to be inspected. m is an air pump for producing vacuum in the tube a a
by means of the pipo m' and branches m²; this pump may be put in action by
steam or other available power, but when the liquid begins to flow from the com-
partment g it may be made to turn a wheel for keeping the pump in action. Or
other means may be adopted for producing the necessary vacuum. n is a pipo
having branches o o terminating in holes made in the tops of the wick pipes d d
and used for priming as already explained.
.
The wicks or fibres employed should be preserved from decomposition or
fermentation by being previously impregnated with sulphate or tannate of iron or
other suitable material.
When the liquid to be raised is very foul or dirty it is preferable to give it a
preliminary purification and this may be effected by passing it between or through
hollow walls containing porous bodies and pieces or rags of wool, cotton or other
fabric previously impregnated with sulphate or tannate of iron or other preservative
or by submitting it to the action of an apparatus such as those represented at
Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings accompanying the specification of former Letters
Patent granted to me and dated 27th June 1882 N° 3034.
If the liquid to be raised is already pure the arrangement hereinbefore described
will of course act to raise it only and in this case the wicks in the pipes & might
be dispensed with but the action of the apparatus would then be very slow. On
the other hand when it is required to purify or separate solid matters from a liquid
without raising it to a higher level, I employ instead of the vertical shaft or tube
a horizontal tube or closed channel such as that represented at a a in Figures 3
and 4 containing a similar arrangement of vessels c c with pipes d d and wicks for
conveying the liquid by capillarity from vessel to vessel; the vessels c c may also

page_text: have connected to them open vessels like those shown at ee Figure 1. Each
vessel c may also be fitted at bottom with a valve communicating with a pipe or
accumulator in which the matter deposited in the vessel will collect and from which
it may be removed from time to time as described with reference to Figures 6
and 7 of the specification of my said former Letters Patent.
In Figures 3 and 4 similar letters to those in Figures 1 and 2 indicate corre-
sponding parts. This arrangement will be found well suited for removing the
liquids mixed with solid matters in the manufacture of starch, for purifying oils and
various liquids such as beers, wines, drinking water, sewage &c, the apparatus
being suitably modified to adapt it to the various purposes as will be well
understood.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
The means or apparatus hereinbefore described for raising liquids or for separating
solid matters from liquids, or for both raising liquids and separating solid matters
therefrom, the said means or apparatus consisting of a series of vessels in a tube or
closed channel which cominunicates with the liquid to be dealt with and is provided
with means for producing a vacuum therein, such vessels being fitted with wick
tubes through which the liquid travels by capillarity from vessel to vessel, all
substantially as described and illustrated in the annexod drawings.
In witness whereof I the said François Alcide Bonnefin have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twenty eighth day of April One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
F. A. BONNEFIN. (L.S.)