IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, APPLICABLE TO STEAM AND OTHER FIRE ENGINES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moses Merryweather, of Long Acre, in the County
of Middlesex, and Richard Moses Merryweather, of the same Place,
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, APPLICABLE TO
STEAM AND OTHER FIRE ENGINES."
Sealed the 5th November 1861, and dated the 3rd August 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moses Merryweather and
Richard Moses Merryweather at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd August 1861.
We, MOSES MERRYWEATHER, of Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex
and RICHARD MOSES MERRYWEATHER, of the same Place, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
APPLICABLE TO STEAM AND OTHER FIRE ENGINES," to be as follows:-
These improvements have reference, firstly, to the position and arrange-
ment of the parts of double-acting horizontal pumps, and consists in
placing both the suction and delivery valves in a chamber beneath the
pump barrel, which the water enters and leaves at its extreme ends, so
that any dirt or grit that may be drawn up with the water is ejected, and
prevented from injuring the pump barrel.
Secondly, in surrounding a horizontal pump barrel eccentrically with a
cylinder communicating with the delivery outlet, so as to form an air
vessel for equalising the stream of water.
Thirdly, in an arrangement for lubricating the piston of pumps, by

page_text: mounting on the piston rod two pistons with a space between them; this
space being filled with oil continually lubricates the piston.
Fourthly, the introduction into air vessels of elastic receptacles filled
with air, by which means all the advantages arising from the elasticity of
air will be obtained, while the absorption of air by the water will be prevented.
SPECIFICATION in pusuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Moses Merryweather and Richard Moses Merryweather in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MOSES
MERRYWEATHER, of Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex, and RICHARD
MOSES MERRYWEATHER, of the same Place, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Moses Merrywea her and Richard Moses Merryweather, Her special
licence that we, the said Moses Merryweather and Richard Moses Merry-
weather, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Moses Merryweather and Richard Moses Merryweather, our 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, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, APPLICABLE TO
STEAM AND OTHER FIRE ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we
the said Moses Merryweather and Richard Moses Merryweather, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should
particularly 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 we, the said Moses Merryweather and Richard
Moses Merryweather, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-

page_text: These improvements have reference, firstly, to the position and arrange-
ment of the parts of double-acting horizontal pumps, and consist in placing
.both the suction and delivery valves in a chamber beneath the pump barrel,
which the water enters and leaves at its extreme ends, so that any dirt or
grit that may be drawn up with the water is ejected, and prevented from
injuring the pump barrel.
Secondly, in surrounding a horizontal pump barrel eccentrically with a
cylinder communicating with the delivery outlet, so as to form an air
vessel for equalizing the stream of water.
Thirdly, in an arrangement for lubricating the piston of pumps, by
mounting on the piston rod two pistons, with a space between them; this
space being filled with oil continually lubricates the piston.
Fourthly, the introduction into air vessels of flexible or clastic
receptacles filled with air, by which means all the advantages arising from
the elasticity of air will be obtained, while the absorption of air by the
water will be prevented.
And in order that the same may be more fully understood, reference is
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the following description
thereof, the same letters referring to similar parts in each of the Drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a horizontal double-acting pump con-
structed agreeably to one part of our said Invention, and Figure 2 is a
sectional view of the same.
A, A, is the pump barrel, with two valve chambers Band Cattached to its
under side, and communicating with it by means of the passages D, D. The
suction valves are situated in a chamber B, and the delivery valves in a
chamber C on the other side of a central dividing partition. One of the
delivery valves is shewn in position at E, the covering plate being removed;
F is the other covering plate in its place; G is the pisten rod working through
a stuffing box g'; a passage h, on the outside of the pump barrel, forms a
communication between the delivery valve chamber C and the air vessel H.
I is the suction orifice, and J the delivery; k, l, are screw plugs, closing
apertures in the passages D, D, through which access can readily be had to
the valves in case of obstruction. In the section Figure 2, Eare the suction
valves; K is the cupped piston, formed double, with a cavity at 7 for holding
oil. When the piston is at the extreme end of its stroke, the cavity / comes
under an aperture m, through which oil can be introduced, and the aperture
then closed by a screw plug. As the piston moves backward and forward,
the barrel is effectually lubricated by the oil in the cavity 1. We do not,
however, confine ourselves to this particular arrangement for supplying oil-to

page_text: the piston, as various other methods may be conveniently used for that
purpose, neither do we confine this mode of lubrication to double pistons only,
as the ordinary pump pistons may be lubricated in like manner by providing
an oil chamber between the two cupped discs; but in pumps where great
pressure is to be employed we prefer to use double pistons, as shewn. This
pump may be worked by manual power applied to a lever or crank by steam
or other power. The traverse of the piston is so arranged as to move the
whole length of the barrel, by which means any dirt, grit, or other foreign
substance that may be drawn up with the water will be effectually ejected
at every stroke, and prevented from injuring the pump barrel.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, and Figure 4 a section, of a horizontal
double-acting pump, surrounded eccentrically (or otherwise) by a cylinder
in communication with the delivery outlet, so as to form an air vessel.
A, A, is the pump barrel; N, the surrounding cylinder,communicating with
the delivery valves and outlet; E are the suction valves; I, the suction, and
J the delivery orifices, leading to aid from their respective valve chambers.
Figure 5.is a sectional view of a spherical air vessel, into which has been
introduced a flexible or elastic receptacle or air-holder P, filled with air,
either at the ordinary atmospheric pressure,or, by preference, with a pressure
of two or more atmospheres, by which means all the advantages arising from
the elasticity of the contained air will be obtained, while the absorption of
air by the water will be effectually prevented. We do not confine ourselves
to the spherical or any other form of air vessel or of air holder, as the form
and position thereof may be varied to suit the articular requirements of
the pump or other hydraulic machine to which they are to be applied.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our Invention, and
the manner of performing the same, we desire it to be understood that we
claim,―
Firstly, the construction and arrangement of horizontal double-acting
pumps, with the suction and delivery valves arranged and placed in valve
chambers beneath the barrel, substantially as herein-before described and
shewn in the annexed Drawings, Figures 1 and 2.
Secondly, in surrounding horizontal pump barrels with a cylinder or
casing, so arranged as to form an air vessel, as herein before described and
shewn in the annexed Drawings, Figures 3 and 4.
Thirdly, the lubrication of pistons and barrels of pumps by means of oil,
held by a suitable chamber provided in the piston for that purpose, as
herein-before described and shewn.
Fourthly, confining the air in air vessels of pumps and other hydraulic

page_text: engines within a flexible or elastic receptacle out of contact with the water
to prevent absorption, and to permit air of more than atmospheric density
to be employed.
In witness whereof, we, the said Moses Merryweather and Richard
Moses Merryweather, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
First day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eigh
hundred and sixty-two.
10 Witness,
W. BADD LE, Patent Agent,
13, Angell Terrace,
Islington.