Improvements in Hydraulic Engines for Use with Pumps and for other Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Engines for Use with Pumps and for
other Purposes.
I, EDWARD HARDING WEATHERHEAD, a Citizen of the United States of America,
residing at No. 152, Brookfield Street, in the City of Cleveland, County of
Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, Manufacturer, 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;-
My invention relates to a combined hydraulic engine and pump, and the inven-
tion consists particularly in an engine and pump which, as here shown, are united
in one structure and adapted to be connected up with a service pipe or source
of water supply in cities and to run automatically and continuously as long as
the pressure is on. However, the engine or motor portion of the structure is not
necessarily limited to use with a pump, as hereinafter fully described.
In many towns and cities the water supplied through the mains in undesirable
for any domestic or family use, and in others it is undesirable for particular uses.
For example, in some cities the city water is so heavily impregnated with lime that
it is unsuited for any kind of washing. In others, the city water is undesirable
for drinking or cooking. In all such and kindred cases there is a growing
demand for pumps which can be coupled up with the city water supply and used
as a medium for forcing cistern, spring, or well water in the service pipes through-
out the building, or into a tank or reservoir from which the building can be
supplied.
I am, of course, aware that this is not a newly discovered need, and that a
great many pumps have been invented and made which have for their object to
supply this need, but I am also aware that comparatively few of all the pumps
designed for this purpose have been able to withstand practical tests and enter
the market on their merit, so that after all it remains true that it is still difficult
for the public to find a thoroughly good hydraulic pump suited to this service and
where my new and improved pump is doing its work.
Having reference now to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 a plain elevation
of my pump.
Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional elevation thereof showing the parts in one
position, and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in the opposite position, as
hereinafter described, but Fig. 3 is enlarged over Fig. 2 and the upper portion of
the pump is removed.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line 5, 5, Fig. 5, of the lower portion
of the upper part of the pump not shown in Fig. 3 but shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of Fig. 4 on line, 4, 4.
From the foregoing views it will be seen that the engine proper or motor is
in the lower section or part of the apparatus, while the pump proper is in the
upper part thereof, and for convenience this separation will be observed in the
further description of the invention.
A represents the entire outer casing of the apparatus, but for convenience of
manufacture and the introduction of the operating parts is made in two principal

page_text: sections A¹ and A2, and a base A3 on which the entire structure rests. Within
the lower section are the piston B, the valve C of the same size as said piston,
and the smaller valve G, all rigidly connected together by neck E. This neck E
is open at its lower end so as to afford communication with the space immediately
beneath piston B and is closed near its middle and top portions by packing
against tube F.
The pressure fluid inlet passage or port 2 is between the two valves C and G.
The interior of the casing A is differential in its bearing surfaces to conform to
the size of said valves and piston, and these members being all rigidly connected
together have all their strokes or movements in unison and more or less in
mutual dependence one on the other.
Fluid spaces are shown on opposite sides of both piston B and of the valves C
and G, the space a between the piston B and valve C, the space between the
upper valve C and valve G, the space c above valve G and the space d below
piston B. The power pressure inlet port 2 communicates directly and always
with space b, and the length of the neck coming between valve C and valve G is
sufficient to enable this to occur...
The exhaust or outlet port, 3, from the engine, is in open communication with
the fluid spaces a and c at all times, and at given times with the openings 4 below
valve C, as in Fig. 2, and which, in this view, are in the portion of wall of the
space traversed by valve C. This open communication through openings 4
with the exhaust port occurs every time the piston and valves reach the limit of
their upward stroke, as seen in Fig. 2. Another series of openings 5 and annular
belt 6 is in the wall of the casing traversed by valve G, and these at certain
times communicate with the fluid space c above the said valve as in Fig. 3, and
at other times with the space 6 beneath said valve according to the positions of
the parts as hereinafter described.
The piston B and valves C and G all have more or less part in changing in their
own movements to control the direction of the flow of the motive Huid as one
or another is under the direct pressure of said fluid, and their reversal is partly
effceted through auxilliary valve tube F as also will hereafter more fully appear.
Those parts aiso control piston H which works in the cylindrical upper portion of
the casing section A¹ and is double acting as the fluid comes first on one side and
then on the other. When in position as seen in Fig. 2 the motive fluid enters
beneath said piston from fluid pressure space through holes 5 and duct 7 and
forces the piston upward. When the piston reaches the end of its upward stroke
the parts are in position as in Fig. 3, and the operation is reversed and the motive
fluid now finds inlet through holes 4 to outer duct S, and thence to the space above
piston H, causing it to travel downward. In either case the present fluid pressure
supply channel has just been the exhaust channel for the spent fluid and in this
respect said channels alternate. This is seen in Fig. 3, where the holes 5 are
exhausting the fluid from beneath piston H, whereas a moment before they were
passing said fluid in the opposite direction for power, and the same result is seen
in Fig. 2, with respect to the channel 8 and holes 4, which are now exhausting
the fluid from above piston H.
This is accounted for by the fact that as said piston approaches the limits of its
strokes up and down the valve and piston mechanism which controls the direc-
tion of flow of the motive fluid are also doing their appointed work and reversing
the direction of flow, and of exhaust. In this operation of piston B and valves C
and G, the auxilliary valve tube F performs an important part. This tube has
a limited rectilinear movement in its packing, h, h¹, h², at the terminations of the
open spaces and g₁ about the same within the neck E and two sets of openings 9
and 10, through which and the interior of said tube communication is effected
with the fluid space & beneath piston B.
As seen in Fig. 2 the upper series of holes 10 are in position to receive the
fluid pressure directly from inlet port, 2, and to convey the same down beneath
piston B through the center of the tube and outlet holes 9. This balances

page_text: piston B and valve C and gives the pressure against valve G opportunity to act
and raise the said valves and the piston as has been done and is shown in Fig. 2.
On the other hand when the operation is reversed the fluid is exhausted from space d
upward through tube and out through holes 10 into the space e and thence
cut.
A peculiarity of the construction of the base A3 is shown which is of material con-
sequence in this case. It will be noticed that the lower end of tube F at no time
leaves the well 12, which is packed at h² against said tube, and that said well has
an outlet duct 13 to the exhaust 3. Therefore at no time is there any fluid pres-
sure endwise against the lower end of said tube F. This is important because
such pressure would reverse the tube at the wrong times and defeat the action
of the engine. Such untimely reversal is impossible with my present construction.
It has been noted that the power piston H is cut off from the motive fluid except
through holes or passages 4 and 5 and ducts 7 and 8, which are supply and exhaust
ducts and passages alternately, as before described, and the direction of flow in
these governed by piston B and valves C and G.
Now, referring to Fig. 2, we see one application and use of the engine or motor
shown in the lower section of the apparatus. Here we have the pump portion
proper of the structure, comprising the cylinder 20, the piston L working therein,
and the tubular shaft M connecting said piston with power piston H through the
closely packed diaphragm 21 at the top of lower casing section A¹.
The pump, like the engine, is double acting, and to this end has four valves, 22,
23, 24, and 25, and ducts or passages 26 and 27, and a common outlet 28 for the
water and inlet 29. The operation is as follows; Having the piston L in position
as seen in Fig. 2 and the piston H to drive it upward, the water above piston L
is forced forward through valve 25 and out at 28, and at the same time the suction
causes the cylinder 20 to fill behind said piston through passage controlled by
valve 22. Then said piston having reached the end of its stroke and begun the
descent by the reverse action and power of piston H, the water beneath the same
will be forced up through channel 27 past valve 23, and out at 28, while a fresh
supply is being received above piston L through channel 26 by valve 24. This
operation is then again alternated as the piston L reverses and so on.
It will be observed in Figs. 2 and 3 that the shaft M connecting pistons II and I,
is not only tubular but that the rod l', which is connected to the tube F extends
into the same and operates therein, so that when the said pistons descend the
said rod and tube F stand still until pressed downward by the shaft M, and
then remain down until they are again drawn upward. The changing of position
of tube F precedes the movements of the piston B and valves C and G, and the
tube F depends for its movements on the positions of piston H and the shaft M.
All the movements co-operate, however, and the action of the apparatus is auto-
matic and exceedingly satisfactory by reason of its high efficiency and its quiet
operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In an apparatus substantially as described, the main casing comprising the
base having a well in its bottom and an open passage therefrom to the exhaust
port, in combination with the piston and valves in said casing and the auxilliary
valve extending through said piston and valves and having its lower end projected
into said well, and packing about said tube to prevent the motive fluid from
reaching and pressing against the extremity of said auxilliary valve, substantially
as described.
2. The main casing having inlet and exhaust ports and a well in its bottom,
and an open passage from said well to the exhaust port, in combination with the
valve and piston mechanism in the casing and an auxilliary valve tube extending

page_text: into said well and packing at the entrance to the well to prevent the fluid escaping
about the tube, substantially as described.
3. The main casing having a well in its bottom and an outlet therefrom to the
exhaust, in combination with the valves and pistons in the casing, a connecting
tube rigidly uniting two of said pistons, H and L, the auxilliary valve tube and a
rod thereon working in said connecting tube, the said auxilliary valve tube having
its lower end packed to operate in the said well in the bottom of the casing, where-
by the said auxilliary valve protected from water pressure against its end and
the said parts are caused to reverse at the appointed times and places, substantially
as described.
4. The main casing divided centrally into upper and lower sections and separate
fluid passages in each section, a power piston in the lower section and a pump
piston in the upper section and a shaft connecting said pistons, in combination
with a piston and valves in the lower section rigidly connected, a valve tube through
said piston and valves and a connection between said tube through the power
piston to control the position of said valve tube, the lower section having a well
in its bottom open to the exhaust port and the upper section having four several
valves in its fluid passage, substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of March 1899.
EDWARD HARDING WEATHERHEAD.