CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Edwards Amos, of the Grove, South-
wark, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CENTRIFUGAL
PUMPS."
Sealed the 19th February 1858, and dated the 3rd January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Edwards
Amos at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd January 1853.
I, CHARLES EDWARDS AMOS, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CENTRI-
PUGAL PUMPS" to be as follows:-
The main objects of this Invention are to facilitate the manufacture
of rotary or centrifugal pumps, and to render the same more serviceable
for contractors' uses. It has hitherto been the practice to cast the case
containing the wheel or fan in two parts, and to face-up the contact
surfaces of those parts in a lathe, which operation, together with that
of bolting the parts together, has been attended with considerable
expense and trouble.

page_text: To avoid these inconveniences I cast the case in one piece, and by
means of a man-hole made in one side of the case in a line with the
axle of the wheel I introduce into the case a cutter to face-up that
part of the case which forms the extremity of the two suction pipes to
enable the wheel to work smoothly therein.
By this means I avoid the necessity of "chucking the case, and
turning it in a lathe. To admit of the insertion and withdrawal of
the wheel I form a man-hole in the top of the chamber which contains
the wheel, and I provide a bearing for the axle of the wheel of such a
construction that while it will maintain the axle in its proper position
will admit of the axle being drawn back out of contact with the wheel
on the removal of a nut that fixes the wheel thereto.
In order to render this class of pump serviceable for contractors I
find it desirable to provide a suction pipe which, without the necessity
for elevating or lowering the pump after it is once fixed, will accommodate
itself to the varying level of the water to be raised or drawn off. For
this purpose I connect together at their lower part the two suction
pipes or ways which lead to opposite sides of the wheel.
This I effect by two cast iron elbow pipes or other equivalent means,
and between these elbows I mount a swing pipe made, by preference,
of sheet iron, which pipe completes the communication between the
side pipes, and leads down to the tank or reservoir that is required to be
exhausted. The swing pipe is provided with lips which take into the
elbows like a hollow shaft into its bearing, and the position of the pipe
is maintained laterally by annular shoulders on the pipe bearing
against the face of the elbows.
The joint is made water-tight by means of a ring of India-rubber or
other suitable material applied to the outside of the adioining parts.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Edwards Amos, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Edwards Amos, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Edwards Amos, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Edwards Amos,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Edwards Amos, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that is
to say):
The main objects of this Invention are to facilitate the manufacture
of rotary or centrifugal pumps, and to render the same more service-
able for the use of contractors. In manufacturing this class of pump
it has hitherto been the practice to cast the case for containing the
wheel or fan in two portions, which are counterparts, or nearly so, of
each other, and to face-up in a lathe the surfaces of those part
between which the wheel or fan runs, and then to bolt the two castings
together; but this system has been attended with considerable expense
and trouble, more especially in the manufacture of pumps of large
capacity. To remedy these inconveniences I cast the cse in one

page_text: piece, and by means of a man-hole made in one side of the case in a
line with the axle of the rotating wheel or fan I introduce into the case
a cutter to face-up that part of the case which forms the extremity of
the two feed pipes, to enable the wheel to work smoothly therein. By
this means I avoid the necessity of "chucking" the case, and turning
it in a lathe. To admit of the insertion and withdrawal of the wheel
I form a man-hole in the top of the case, and I provide bearings for
the axle of the wheel of such construction that while they will main-
tain the axle in its proper position, they will admit of the axle being
readily drawn back out of contact with the wheel when the wheel
is from any cause required to be removed.
In order to render this class of pumps serviceable for contractors I
find it desirable to provide it with a suction pipe, which will accommo-
date itself to the varying level of the water to be raised or drawn off,
and will therefore prevent the necessity of disturbing the position of the
pump (for such cause) after it has been once fixed. In carrying out
this object I connect together at their lower ends the two waterways
which lead to opposite sides of the wheel, and form one piece with the
casing, by bolting thereto two cast iron elbow pipes, which form hollow
bearings to receive a swing suction pipe made, by preference, of sheet
iron, and of sufficient length to lead down to the tank or reservoir that
is required to be exhausted.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1, shews my improved centrifugal
pump in side elevation; Fig. 2, is an end view thereof; Fig. 8, is a
sectional elevation taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, is
a plan view of the same; a, a, is the case for containing the rotary fan
or wheel b. This fan is affixed to an axle c, which works in a gland d,
and a bearing d*, and carries a driving pulley e. The gland d, is fitted
into a stuffing box cast with and forming a portion of the case a, and
it is held in its place by means of bolts and tightening nuts, as shewn
at Fig. 3. A bracket piece e*, bolted to the case a, carries the bearing *,
and is capable of being readily removed together with its bearing
when the axle is required to be withdrawn. It will be seen that the
axle c, is provided with a collar against which the fan or wheel b, is
tightened up. and that a removable metal bush closes the inner end of

page_text: the stuffing box.
with it this bush,
When therefore the axle is drawn out it will bring
and also the gland d, and the packing contained in
the stuffing box. The case a, it will be seen, is formed of one casting,
and it is provided at one side with a man-hole f, and at its upper end
with a man-hole g. By removing the caps, which respectively cover
these man-holes, access is obtained to that part of the case in which
the fan b, is to be mounted. In order to mount the fan on its axle,
the fan is let down into the case through the man-hole g, and the axle c,
is pushed forward through its bearing d, to meet the fan; the nut or
other fastening is then applied through the man-hole f, to the end of
the axle, and the bearing d*, being fastened down, and the gland d,
tightened up in the usual manner, the axle is firmly secured in its
proper position. On either side of the fan are the feed pipes or
channels h, h, and to the lower extremities thereof the elbow pipes i, i,
are bolted. These elbow pipes carry between them a suction pipe /,
which is made capable of rocking in its bearings, for the purpose of
reaching different levels of water, without any re-adjustment of the
pump being required. This rocking or swinging pipe is provided with
lips, which take into the elbows i, i, like a. hollow shaft into its bearing,
and the position of the pipe is maintained laterally by annular shoulders
on the pipe bearing against the face of the elbows. The joints are
made water-tight by means of a ring of India-rubber, or other suitable
elastic material placed in an annular recess formed by grooving the
abutting parts, and rings of India-rubber or other suitable material are
applied to the outside of the abutting parts, and held firmly in their
place by a hoop of wire or other binding material. It will now be
understood that when the pump is started in the usual manner the
water will traverse up the suction pipe, and dividing into two streams
when it reaches the elbow pipes will enter the fan at both sides
thereof, and find an outlet from the case at the vent l.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim as of my improve-
ments in the construction of centrifugal pumps, first, casting the
case in one piece, and furnishing the same with man-holes arranged in

page_text: the manner and for the purpose above set forth. Secondly, I claim
mounting the axle of the fan or wheel in the manner above described,
which will admit of its being readily withdrawn from the case to
allow of the removal of the fan or wheel. And, thirdly, I claim the
application to centrifugal pumps of a suction pipe capable of rocking
in its hearings as above explained
the manner and for the purpose above set forth. Secondly, I claim
mounting the axle of the fan or wheel in the manner above described,
which will admit of its being readily withdrawn from the case to
allow of the removal of the fan or wheel. And, thirdly, I claim the
application to centrifugal pumps of a suction pipe capable of rocking
in its bearings as above explained
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Edwards Amos, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Edwards Amos, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness, J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
C. E. AMOS.
(L.S.)