A GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUMPS, THE CHAMBERS, PISTONS, AND BOXES THEREUNTO BELONGING, SO AS TO PREVENT THEIR BEING CHOAKED WITH GRAVEL, SAND, AND FILTH, ON SHIP BOARD, AND FOR RAISING WATER WITH LESS POWER THAN THOSE NOW IN USE
Year: 1789

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WALTER
TAYLOR, of the Town and County of Southampton, Blockmaker, and WILLIAM
COLLINS, of the Parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth, in the County of Surry,
Engine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under His Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
the Nineteenth day of September, in the twenty-ninth year of His reign,
give and grant unto us, the said Walter Taylor and William Collins, His
especial licence that we, the said Walter Taylor and William Collins, during
the term of years therein expressed,. should and lawfully might use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our
Invention of "A GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUMPS, THE
CHAMBERS, PISTONS, AND BOXES THEREUNTO BELONGING, SO AS TO PREVENT THEIR
BEING CHOAKED WITH GRAVEL, SAND, AND FILTH, ON SHIP BOARD, AND FOR RAISING
WATER WITH LESS POWER THAN THOSE NOW IN USE;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging us, the said Walter Taylor and
William Collins, under our hands and seals, to cause a particular description
of the nature of our said Invention, and how the same is to be performed, to
be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar
month after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same
(relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Walter Taylor and William Collins, do hereby declare that our said Invention
or Improvement in the Construction of Pumps, the Chambers, Pistons, and
Boxes thereunto belonging, is described in manner following (that is to
say):
This Invention or improvement in the pumps, as now on trial in the Royal
Navy, consist, in the first place, in the metal chamber being so constructed as
as to permit the ball or pendulum box to work in the bottom part thereof,
and to admit the upper box or piston to work in the upper part of the same
chamber.
Secondly, the pendulum box being made of a circular form, with a shank
and ball, or made larger at the bottom thereof, makes the said pendulum fall
in its proper direction in the said chamber, after giving a clear passage for
water, gravel, or any other kind of filth.
Thirdly, the angle box has 2, 3, or 4 straight parts or angles, in order to
direct it into the bottom part of the chamber; it is also useful to put angles
on the shank of the pendulum, to prevent its spinning round too fast while
working.
Fourthly, the upper piston has an impression in its centre to admit of the
pendulum or angle box to work therein; it also has a metal flanch or ferrel
to go over the leather, so as to press it close to the piston, in order to prevent
the gravel, &c., getting between the leather and piston. The said piston has
metal staples instead of iron.
Fifthly, the pump brake is made at the working end in a circular form, to
work in the head of the piston rod, which has a mortice to admit the same,
and one or two rollers fixed therein, by which means the piston rod is drawn
parralel in the pump. The pump may be made to discharge double the quan-
tity of water, by a piston rod working through a hole in the valve, if an
upper and lower piston, the said valves sliding up and down on the said piston
rod to admit the water and filth to pass freely through the pump. This said
valve has the advantage of all other, as it needs no fastning to the box, being
guided by the said rod to its seat in the piston passing thro' the said valve,
a rack being fastned to the said piston rod, which has teeth or coggs on both
sides thereof, on the one side to admit a quadrant brake to work therein, the
teeth on the other side to turn a wheel, which has coggs all round, which
being sett in motion by the quadrant brake or any other power draws the
piston rod through the foot of the rack and valve, so that two pistons are
worked alternately up and down in the chamber. This pump may be worked
with one or two pistons, as single or double pump.

page_text: Another improvement, which is applicable to all kinds of pumps, and con-
sists in a new method of constructing or applying the following parts, viz*:-
1st. The suction pipe. 2ndly. The stop box or valve. 3rdly. The piston.
4thly. The leaver or leavers.
First. The suction pipe. Suction pipes are liable, in all pumps where the
water is foul, to be choaked, particularly in ship pumps. We have therefore
contrived this pump that the suction may be taken off and replaced at pleasure,
which effectually remedies that inconvenience. And whereas in common
pumps the suction are fixed at the bottom of the water, where the substances
which rise and form the obstructions generally are found, these suction pipes
may be varied in length according to circumstances and situation, and of course
may be fixed to avoid the filth, and be lowered as the water decreases.
2ndly. The stop box or valve is either placed above or below the piston.
When it is placed below it, it consists of a valve guided to its situation by a
rod or bar which passes through it; and when the water is foul, so as to
affect the working parts of the pump, a strainer is worked by or through the
valve to prevent its rising into them. When the valve is fixed above the piston,
the spear of the piston works through it. In both cases all the working.
parts of the pump may be made to draw up with the piston, without the usual.
method of hooking the lower box or valve seperately.
3dly. The piston is made to work either above or below the stop box or
valve, and is made in both cases with its side pierced, to give passage to the
sand or other substances which usually get between the solid parts and the
leather of common pistons, and thereby causes them to have much friction
in the pump chamber. The leather is also kept close by a ring or ferril at
the bottom. The piston valve either opens at bottom by means of the spear,
or at top in the same manner and of the same kind as our other valve. When
it works under the stop box, a strainer is fixed to it, to prevent the gravel, &c.
rising into the working parts. In our pumps which produce a constant
stream of water, one piston works in another, which piston or box works in a
chamber, or through leather or some other proper substance fixed to its seat.
Our forcing pumps or engines are provided with the same means to prevent
the gravel or other matters from choking them.
4thly. The leaver or leavers, in lieu of an arch head, with rack or chain, to
produce parralel strokes, consists of a method of making the leaver (besides
its circular motion) to traverse upon its centre; or the centre of motion to
traverse or move in the same degree that the head of the leaver would move
out of the straight line in case this method was not applied. To direct it to
this action, a moveable arm is fixed to the leaver from a common centre, or

page_text: otherwise the spear acts against rollers which guide it straight, and the centres
(as described) conform to its action. Two or more of these leavers may be
made to act alternately when required, either by crank, winch, or common
brake.
In witness whereof, we, the said Walter Taylor and William Collins,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of October,
One thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.