Improved Apparatus. for Raising Liquids by Means of Compressed Air or Compressed Gas.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
UNIT LEID DIAPICATION.
Improved Apparatus. for Raising Liquids by Means of Compressed
Air or Compressed Gas.
1. GUSTAVE LELIEVRE of Tricot, in the Republic of France, Hydraulic Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement -
The object of my invention is to raise water or other liquids by means of compressed
air or of a compressed gas.
Contrarily to what is done with ordinary liquid raising apparatus I place the whole
of the actuating mechanism in such a position as to be near at hand and within sight
at the surface of the ground, which renders its maintenance and repairs not only
easier, but, as I shall explain, it is possible to lower and raise that part of the apparatus
which is sunk into the water without detaching any part of it or descending into the
well thus avoiding the necessity of lining the well with masonry or tubing.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have appended the accom-
panying sheets of drawings.
The apparatus which forms the subject of my invention consists principally of an
iron casing A, Fig. 1 the bottom of which is provided with a valve B which opens
inwards. The ascension pipe 0, 0, which descends almost to the bottom of the
casing A passes through the top of the casing A, and is provided with a valve D which
opens upwards. Another pipe E connects the casing A with the pump P which
compresses the air.
It must be understood that the pipes C. C, are continuous, as if
the casing A' and its accessories, shown in the middle of the figure did not exist.
That being so, to raise the water to the required height it will be necessary to
operate in the following manner.
The casing A having been entirely sunk in the water and having been placed in
communication with the atmosphere by means of the tap or valve F the water lifts the
valve B and fills the casing A. If, after having turned the tap or valve F so as to
place the casing A in communication with the air pump Pair is driven into the casing,
the water rises by means of the ascension pipe C.. When the level of the water in
the casing A bas sunk below the ascension pipe C. C', notice of the fact is given by the
whistling of the air which succeeds the flow of the water. The casing A is then placed
in communication with the atmosphere by means of the tap or valve F and it is again
filled and the preceding operation is repeated.
As a means of indicating that the level of the water in the casing A has sunk below
the ascension pipe C. C, I prefer to provide a third pipe H H₁, of very small diameter,
the lower end of which descends a little below the ascension pipe C. C₁, and terminates
at its upper end in a warning whistle S. which indicates the correct time for turning
the tap or valve F.
In working thus, a certain volume of compressed air is lost at each stroke. To
avoid this inconvenience, I provide a reservoir R in combination with the tap or
valve F to which I give another way or passage. The tap or valve allows, firstly,
of the casing A being placed in communication with the pump P, as shown in Fig. 1.,
secondly, in another position, (by turning it in the direction of the arrow) of the
casing A being put in communication with the reservoir Rand, thirdly, in the other
position, of the casing A being put in communication with the atmosphere.
When all the water in the casing A has been raised by the compressed air I
establish by means of the tap or valve F communication with the reservoir R into
which a part of the compressed air expands, after which on turning the tap or valve F
a little more, I entirely empty into the atmosphere the contents of the casing A which
then becomes filled with water. On turning the tap or valve F in the direction

page_text: opposite to the arrow the compressed air from the reservoir R expands into the
casing A, and on completing the turning of the tap or valve F the pump P forces into
the casing A the air necessary for raising all the water in the same.
I can then utilize the compressed air which has collected in the reservoir R in
different ways. In the case of a very deep well, for example, in order to dispense
with the necessity of forcing the air at a very high pressure into the casing A, I
place in the well at about one third of the depth from the top of the same, a tank,
into which at first raise the water in a jet by the above described means. I place in
this tank, a casing similar to the casing A for the purpose of raising the water to the
surface of the ground by utilizing the compressed air collected in the reservoir R.
The arrangement that I have just described is represented by the casing A¹ and its
accessories, Fig. 1. and produces in a simpler manner the same result as that herein-
before described with reference to Fig. 1,--from the description of which it has been
omitted up to the present.
The pipe is surmounted by a casing A' which is provided with a valve. The
casing A can be put in communication either with the air pipe E by the tap or
valve I, or with the atmosphere by the tap or valve J. A single rod terminating at
the surface of the ground fulfils the double function of closing or opening the tap
or valve I at the same time as it opens or closes the tap or valve J. When the tap or
valve I is closed and the tap or valve J. is opened, water rises from the casing A into
the casing A. By means of the rod L the tap or valve J. is then closed at the same
time as the tap or valve I is opened. The compressed air in the casing A in expanding
into the casing A' raises to the surface of the ground, through the pipe C, the water
contained in the latter casing. It will be seen that by this means the reservoir Ris
dispensed with because the compressed air in the casing A expands directly into the
casing A¹. It will be understood that the operation is finished by emptying the
contents of the casings into the air before recommencing the cycle of operations.
By means of Fig. 2. I will describe the arrangement of my apparatus when I desire
to obtain a double effect.
The part of the apparatus which is plunged into the water consists of a casing
divided into two compartments or consists of two parallel contiguous casings A and A'.
The two ascension pipes unite in a single pipe C, C, which is furnished with a valve D²
and leads the water to the surface of the ground. Each casing is provided with its
air supply pipe E and E¹ and each of these pipes is forked in such a manner that it
can communicate alternately with the inlet and outlet pipes of an air pump P by
means of three way taps or valves F and F. In the position shown in Fig. 2, the
casing A is in communication with the inlet pipe a of the air pump P by means of the
tap or valve F, and the casing A' is in communication with the outlet pipe of the air
pump P by means of the tap or valve F. The air pump P in working, exhausts the
air from the casing A which becomes filled with water, and it forces this air into the
casing A which becomes emptied of the water that it contained, and the water is thus
raised to the surface of the ground. By simultaneously moving the two taps or
valves F and F so as to give them at the proper time the position indicated by F
and F³ respectively.the reverse result will be produced and so on.
Instead of the taps or valves shewn I find it more advantageous to employ for the
different methods of distribution slide valves such as are used in steam engines, the
most simple arrangement of which is the following.
Fig. 4 represents an air pump P which forces air into the casing R in which a
D slide valve is placed. The pipes A and A' communicate respectively with the
casings A and A' placed at the bottom of the well and the pipe E opens into the
atmosphere. In the position shown in Fig. 4 and at 1 in Fig. 5, the casing A being
in communication with the atmosphere becomes filled with water whilst the air forced
or compressed by the pump P raises the water in the casing A¹. If at the moment
when the latter is emptied of water the slide valve is lowered into the second position,
shown at 2 in Fig. 5, the compressed air in the casing A' will expand into the casing A
and commence to raise the water contained in the latter. As soon as the descending
slide arrives in the position shown at 3 in Fig. 5 the casing A', being in communication

page_text: with the air, is filled with water, whilst the air forced by the pump will raise the water
in the casing A. If at the moment when the casing A is emptied of water the slide is
raised the operations will take place in the reverse order and so on.
I automatically give the required movements to the slide valve in the following
manner, reference being had to Fig. 4. A. suitable motor worked by steam or other-
wise, turns a shaft, the double crank S of which works the pump P. Upon this shaft
is an endless screw T which turns the worm wheels. The shaft of the worm wheel O
carries a very long cam N which moves in the interior of a hox M fixed upon the
rod K of the said slide valve to which it gives an upward and downward movement
only at the end of each half revolution of the worm wheel O. The periods of rest
corresponding to the intervals of time which are necessary for the raising of the water
from each casing by the air pump and the number of the teeth the worm wheel O
ought to have would be determined by experience.
When the air pump is actuated by a simple lever T, S, as shown in Fig. 6 the latter
carries a pawl, the movement of which communicates a rotary motion to the ratchet
wheel O provided on the cam shaft and the same result as that already described
ensues.
One of the advantages of my method or system of raising water or other liquids is
that the pump and its motor can be placed at a distance from the place where the
water is brought to the surface of the ground. In this case I give motion to the slide
valve in the following manner represented by Fig. 3.
A float G is placed in a tank; the rod Q of this float, which is guided by the
collars b, b, carries an arm N, which by acting either upon the tappet M' or upon the
tappet M produces the raising or lowering of the rod K of the slide valve each time
the float approaches the highest or lowest point of its travel. The water which raises
the float is allowed to flow into and out of the tank by the travel of a piston valve
which uncovers a passage leading into the tank. The stem of the piston valve carries
two tappets R and R'. The tappets R and R¹ are actuated by the arm N¹ of the
float G every time it arrives near the lower or upper end of its travel.
In the position shown in Fig. 3 the float G in arriving at the lower end of its travel
has just stopped the outward flow of the water and has uncovered the passage leading
into the tank so that the water can immediately flow into the tank and raise the
float G.
The flowing of the water into and from the tank is further regulated by the taps or
valves V and Z respectively, which must be opened and closed by hand at the proper
time. On arriving at the upper end of it travel the float G will stop the admission of
water into the tank and will uncover the said passage so as to allow of the flowing out
of the water from the tank.
By Fig. 71 shew that in order to place my apparatus in a well of any depth
whatever all that is necessary is to suspend the casing or casings A by means of a
chain e which is wound on a drum T and to stop the descent of the same at such
height as to effect the junctions of the sections of the pipe E. The chain e allows of
the apparatus being raised for inspection or repairs.
As the water and air pipes are never subjected to any outside pressure they can be
made of a very flexible substance, which allows of the apparatus being constructed so
as to be easily moved and transported.
Although I have described the apparatus illustrated by the accompanying drawings
as being applied to the raising of water from the bottom of the well it is evident that
the said apparatus could be used for raising to a height other liquids. It is also
evident that in the working of the apparatus compressed air might be replaced by
a compressed gas.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the saine is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
First. Apparatus for raising water or other liquids, consisting of a casing provided
with two pipes, one for the supply of air under pressure or of a gas under pressure

page_text: and the other for the raising of the water or other liquid and the necessary valves,
substantially as described herein.
Second. In apparatus of the kind described by the preceding claim a reservoir
which receives a part of the air that is compressed by the first operation in order
to utilize it at the commencement of a second operation, substantially as and for
the purpose described herein.
Third. In apparatus of the kind described herein the method of utilizing a part of
the air compressed at one operation to raise the water a second time, consisting of first
forcing the water from a casing and jet into a second casing, placed for example
in the case of a well at two thirds of the height from the bottom thereof, and
then raising the water from the second casing to the surface of the ground by means
of the compressed air retained in the first casing, substantially as described herein.
Fourth. The double acting apparatus consisting of two casings and an air pump
which alternately exhausts the air from one casing and forces it into the other casing,
as described herein and illustrated by Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. The arrangement of distributing valve by which the compressed air contained
in one casing which has been emptied of water expands into a second casing which
has become filled with water and by which the first casing is put in communication
with the atmosphere whilst the air pump forces air into the second casing to raise
the water contained therein, as described herein and illustrated by Figures 4. and 5
of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. The means for giving the requisite up and down movement to the distributing
valve, referred to in the preceding claim, consisting of the long cam N, contained in a
box fixed to the rod of the distributing valve, which is actuated in either of the ways
described herein and illustrated by Figs. 4 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Seventh. The arrangement of float which at the two ends of its travel moves the
distributing valve, referred to in the preceding claims and also moves a piston valve
controlling the flow of water into and out of the tank containing the float as described
herein and illustrated by Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Eighth. The arrangement of winding drum and cable for lowering into a well of
any depth whatever the single or double acting apparatus which is provided with
flexible pipes in sections capable of being joined together when the downward motion
of the apparatus is stopped, as described herein and illustrated by Figure 7 of the
accompanying drawings.
תר:הות
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1000
Dated this 20th day of July 1890.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.