IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Richard Archibald Brooman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th March 1865.-A communication from abroad by Honoré Maury,
of Havre, France.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing pumps as hereafter described.
Upon two hollow columns or pillars which serve as the suction and discharge
pipes of the pump I mount a horizontal cylinder, the interior of which is in
communication with the interior of each of the hollow columns. Within
the cylinder a drum is caused to rotate on horizontal axes, this drum is
always in contact at one point with a longitudinal packed rib on the inner
surface of the cylinder, which shuts off direct communication between the
two hollow columns; the drum is not in contact with the cylinder at any other
point, but carries four or other convenient number of spring pistons, which
as the drum rotates bear against the inner surface of the cylinder; these
pistons are fitted in pairs at diagonally opposite points of the drum, each
pair being connected by a tube passing through the axle of the drum; a
spring is fitted behind each piston and keeps it in contact with the surface
of the cylinder; as the pistons in their revolution approach the longitudinal

page_text: rib before mentioned they recede into the drum until they have passed the
longitudinal rib, the corresponding piston being forced out on the opposite
side. The cylinder is closed at each end by a plate; one of the plates is
formed with an aperture and stuffing boxes to receive the axle of the drum,
and the other plate has on its inner face a socket to receive the other end
of the axle. These plates are fixed to the cylinder by bolts, india-rubber or
other washers being interposed to make the closing hermetic; the inner face
of each plate has an annular groove filled with leather for the ends of the
drum to bear against. The cylinder is formed with two openings near its
upper part for use in priming or starting the pump when required; these
openngs are closed hermetically by plates. One of the hollow columns is in
communication with the well or other reservoir from which the liquid is to
be pumped, and each column is formed with a socket to receive a pipe when
required; where the liquid has to be raised from a great depth I fit the
column in which it is to be raised with a valve to prevent return of the
liquid. The action is as follows:-The drum with the pistons being caused to
rotate by a crank handle in connection by toothed gearing with the axle of the
drum, or in any other convenient manner, the pistons produce a vacuum in
the first column, the liquid rises therein, is carried by the pistons round the
upper part of the cylinder, and enters the other column, from which it may
be led to any point required. The action of the pump may be reversed
if desired, that is to say, the drum may be driven in the reverse direction,
so that the discharge pipe becomes the suction pipe, and vice versa.