IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAINS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Storer, of Hammersmith, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAINS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Storer at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1879.
JOSEPH STORER, of Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOUNTAINS.'
The Invention has for its object improvements in fountains, and relates to means
whereby a small quantity of water or other liquid contained in the basin is in
communication with a small pump or forcing apparatus, and is constantly used and
re-used to produce a continuous or apparently continuous jet through the nozzle of
the fountain.
For this purpose I connect the lower end of the jet pipe with a. chamber into
which it opens. This chamber also communicates by a hole in the top plate thereof
with the water in the basin, and such hole is provided with a valve which opens
inwards.
The bottom of the said chamber is formed of flexible material, and is acted upon
by a lever or striker set in rapid motion by means of electrical or mechanical
power.
By these means I give a number of very rapid pulsations to the bottom of the
forcing chamber, thereby producing apparently a continuous jet from the nozzle.
Or the lever or striker may be dispensed with, and a cone or conical roller with
continuous rotary motion employed in lieu thereof, in which case the inlet valve is
dispensed with, and a division is fixed in the forcing apparatus between the inlet
and outlet openings.
When using electrical power other forms of forcing apparatus may be employed.
One form of electrical power I have found to answer consists of a battery con-
nected with an electro-magnet and an armature, the latter having formed or fixed
thereon a lever or striker which acts against the flexible part of the forcing
apparatus.
I would however remark that other forms of electrical apparatus may be employed
without departing from the nature of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Storer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th April
1880.
JOSEPH STORER, of Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOUNTAINS.".
The Invention has for its object improvements in fountains, and relates to means
whereby a small quantity of water or other liquid contained in the basin or dish is
in communication with a small pump or forcing apparatus, and is constantly used
and re-used to produce a continuous or apparently continuous jet through the nozzle
of the fountain.
For this purpose I connect the lower end of the jet pipe with a chamber into
which it opens. This chainber also communicates by a hole in the top plate thereof
with the water in the basin or dish, and such hole is provided with a valve which
opens inwards. The bottom of the said chamber is formed of flexible material, and
is acted upon by a lever or striker set in rapid motion by means of electrical or
mechanical power. By these means I give a number of very rapid pulsations to
the bottom of the forcing chamber, thereby producing apparently a continuous jet
from the nozzle..
Or the lever or striker may be dispensed with, and a cone or conical roller with
continuous rotary motion employed in lieu thereof, in which case the inlet valve is
dispensed with, and a division is fixed in the forcing apparatus between the inlet
and outlet openings. When using electrical power other forms of forcing apparatus
may be employed.
One form of electrical power I have found to answer consists of a battery con-
nected with an electro magnet and an armature, the latter having formed or fixed
thereon a lever or striker which acts against the flexible part of the forcing appa-
ratus. I would however remark that other forms of electrical apparatus may be
employed without departing from the nature of my Invention.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
Figures 1 and 2 are two vertical sections at right angles to each other of a
fountain constructed according to my Invention, and operated by electro motive
power.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of parts of the same drawn to an enlarged
scale, and Figure 5 is an underside view of parts of the forcing apparatus.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a slightly modified form of fountain operated
by electro motive power in which the upper part can be lifted off the base.
Figure 7 is a plan of the base of the fountain shown at Figure 6.
Figure 8 is an underside view of the lower parts of the removeable portion of
Figure 6. Figures 9 and 10 are two elevations at right angles to each other, and
Figure 11 is a plan of the working parts of Figure 6; and Figure 12 is an under-
side view, and Figure 13 is a vertical section of parts thereof. Figures 9 to 13 are
drawn full size.
Figure 14 is a vertical section of parts of similar forcing apparatus to that shown
in the above Figures, but representing one mode of driving the same by clockwork
or other mechanical power.
Figure 15 is a vertical section, Figure 16 is an underside view, and Figure 17 is
an underside view with parts removed of another form of forcing apparatus which
may be driven either by electrical, clock work, or other mechanical power.
In all the Figures like parts are marked with similar letters of reference.
I will first describe the apparatus represented at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

page_text: a is the base of the fountain; 6 is the basin or disn; and c is the jet nozze,
ower end of which is open to the interior of the chamber d of a small pump or
orcing apparatus consisting of a rigid top plate d', a flexible bottom or cover d²,
and a valve d³, which acts to open and close the hole d' communicating with the
nterior of the chamber d and with a chamber d³ communicating with the bottom
of the basin or dish b.
The flexible bottom or cover d* is acted upon by a lever or striker e connected to
and set in rapid motion by an armature f which is acted upon by an electro magnet
7 placed in communication with a battery formed of one or more cells h.
The lever or striker e is carried by a spring e', and is weighted at e² to prevent
too rapid an action thereof.
The lever e carries a spring contact piece e³ which acts in combination with
another spring contact piece i, the latter of which is capable of regulation by a
lever k to regulate the extent of motion given to the lever e.
The coils around the electro magnet are connected to one pole (the zinc) of the
battery by wires in contact with the hinge m by which the basin or dish and
working parts of the fountain are connected with the base; the coils are also con-
nected to the other (the carbon) pole of the battery by wires n, one of which is
connected to the contact piece i, and such contact piece i is connected through the
regulator and plate with the carbon pole of the battery by other wires n;
these connections may however be otherwise arranged, as will be well understood.
In the arrangement above described I have shown four cells h, but other numbers
of cells, or only one, may be employed.
In the arrangement represented at Figures 6 to 13 only one cell his employed,
and the wire from the coils is connected to a contact piece m² which is in contact
with an annular contact piece m² which by the screw m³ and contact piece m* is in
contact with the zinc pole of the battery, whilst the wire n is connected with the
other (the carbon) pole of the battery through the regulator k and framing g', rod
g2, and contact piece g³.
The action of the fountains represented at Figures 1 to 13 is as follows:-Water
having been supplied to the basin or dish b, and the electrical apparatus set in
action, a comparatively rapid motion is given to the lever e, but not so great as
that ordinarily given to the armature of an electro magnet. This action causes the
upper end of the lever e to strike the flexible bottom or cover d² in rapid succes-
sion, thereby causing the water contained in the chamber d to be forced through
the jet nozzle c whilst, as the chamber d expands in the interval between each blow
of the lever e, such chamber is supplied with water or other liquid from the basin
or dish b, through the hole d*, and past the valve d³ which at such time opens for
such purpose, but which when the blow is given to the flexible cover d³ closes,
thereby causing the water forced out of the chamber d to pass out thereof through
the nozzle c. By these means a continuous or apparently continuous jet is produced
through the jet nozzle c.
I would here remark that other forms of electro motive apparatus may be
employed for giving motion to a small pump or forcing apparatus for a fountain, as
will be readily understood.
At Figure 14 I have represented a method by which the small pump or forcing
apparatus herein before described can be operated by clockwork. In this view I
have not thought it necessary to show the train of gearing, but I have represented
the lever e as provided with a tail piece e', which is operated by a pinion o', or it
may be by a crank or eccentric on the abaft o to which rapid rotary motion is
given, such shaft o being geared with shaft p, which carries a fly p' and heavy
wheel or disc p², as shown, to regulate the speed of the clockwork.
At Figures 15, 16, and 17 I have represented a different form of small pump or
forcing apparatus which may be operated by means of clockwork or other
mechanical power, or may be operated by any convenient electro motive power. In
this arrangement the valve d³ is dispensed with, but the chamber d is divided on
one side of its centre by an abutment or division piece q pressing the flexible cover

page_text: or bottom d² at such part against the plate ď. A cone or conical roller which is
formed with a slot or opening to receive the abutment or division piece g receives
rapid rotary motion by means of the crank s on the shaft s operated by electrical,
clock work, or other mechanical power. Thus by the rapid rotation of the cone or
conical roller the chamber d is caused to be alternately and gradually filled and
emptied, and there is no interval in the action of the pump or forcing apparatus
except during the short period when the cone or conical roller r is passing the
abutment q.
I would here remark that fountains constructed according to my Invention may
be made of various ornamental designs, and the basin or dish b and operating parts
may be connected with the base a by an intervening pedestal of any desired design,
in which case the electrical or other motive power could be placed in the base of
the apparatus, and motion could be communicated to the small pump or forcing
apparatus from the striker or lever e or other operating part of the motive power by
a balanced rod or shaft, as will be readily understood; but the arrangement shown
at Figure 6 is preferred when employing electro motive power.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and modes in which the
same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First. The employment of electro motive power to give motion to the pumping
or forcing apparatus of fountains.
Second. The employment in fountains of a pumping or forcing apparatus com-
municating with the liquid in the basin or dish and with the jet nozzle, and having
a flexible bottom or cover to which a number of rapid pulsations are given by
means of electro motive power, clockwork, or other mechanical power, in manner
substantially as herein shown and described.
Third. The employment in fountains of a small pumping or forcing apparatus
communicating with the liquid in the basin or dish, and with the jet nozzle,
and provided with a flexible bottom or cover acting in combination with a stop
or abutment, and with a cone or conical roller set in rapid rotary motion by
any suitable power, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Storer, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.