IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John North, of Southington, Connecticut, United States
of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PUMPS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John North at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1876.
JOHN NORTH, of Southington, Connecticut, United States of America. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM PUMPS."
Figure 1 represents a side elevation ; Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section;
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the pumping cylinder in the plane x, y, Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a similar section of the steam cylinder, in the plane 5, 6, Fig. 2.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the main steam valve, in the plane 1, 2, Fig. 2;
Figure 6 is a similar section of the same, in the plane 3, 4, Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a plan
of the pump cylinder, the bonnet of the valve chamber having been removed;
Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are details, which will be referred to as the description pro-
gresses. Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all of the Figures.
This Invention consists in the combination of an oscillating steam valve with a
steam moved piston valve, extending transversely to the steam valve, and fitted
into an auxiliary cylinder, the ends of which communicate with the main cylinder.
The oscillating steam valve works in glands fitted into the steam cnest, and it is
provided with a stem which extends through one end of the steam chest, so that by
applying to this stem a suitable lever or starting bar the steam valve can be moved
by hand for the purpose of starting the pumping engine. The steam cylinder and
the pump cylinder are secured together by a tubular connection, which is made in
sections, each section containing a gland and stuffing box, so that when said
sections are drawn together, either by a nut or by flanges and bolts, a steam-tight
joint is formed on the piston rod, which extends through said tubular connection.
The double acting pump cylinder has two induction and two eduction ports located
each side, or nearly on line with the centre of the pump cylinder, and all of said
ports have separate passages one from the other, and the valve of each pump and
its seat are likewise independent of each other, so that the pump can be worked
single or double acting.
In the Drawing the letter A designates the steam cylinder, and B is the pump
cylinder of my steam pump. In the steam cylinder is fitted the piston C, which
connects by a rod D with the plunger of the pump cylinder. The steam piston C
[Price Gidl

page_text: extends throughout one half the box of the steam cylinder, or nearly so, and said
cylinder is provided with four ports a, a, b, b', Figs. 2 and 4, the ports a, a', being
situated near the ends of the cylinder, and serving as the regular steam and exhaust
ports, while the ports b, 61, are situated near the middle of the cylinder and commu-
nicate with the opposite ends of the auxiliary cylinder E, best seen in Fig. 4 of the
Drawing. In this cylinder is fitted a double piston F, F¹, a detached section of
which is shown in Fig. 10. This piston is fitted loosely on a rod G, and its two
heads are connected by a tube H, which is provided in the middle with hollow
nipples C, C. On these nipples is placed a yoke I, a detached view of which is
shown in Fig. 8. The tubular body of this yoke embraces the cylindrical central
part of the steam valve J, being fastened to the same by a set screw d
C
The steam valve, a detached view of which is shown in Fig. 11, is made in the
form of a tapering plug, which works in the glands e, e¹, that are fitted into the
steam chest K, as shown in Fig. 2. Said steam chest is supplied with steam
through a pipe L, and the steam exhausts through the pipe M. The steam valve
is hollow nearly throughout its entire length, and from its solid small end extends
a pin through a stuffing box in one end of the steam chest, so that by applying a
lever or a starting bar to this pin the steam valve can be turned and the pump
can be started. Those portions of the steam valve which work in the glands e, e¹,
are provided with ports g, g¹, which communicate with the internal bore or
channel of the valve, and through this channel with the steam pipe L. In said
portions are formed, recesses h, h, by cutting away parts of the plug, and these
recesses communicate with the exhaust pipe M. The glands e, e¹, are provided
with ports i, i, the ports i in the gland e being in communication with the port a
of the cylinder (see Fig. 5), while the ports in the gland e¹ communicate with
the port a¹ of the cylinder (see Fig. 6). If the steam valve is turned to the posi-
tion shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6, the steam passes into the steam cylinder through
the ports g¹¹, and a¹, and it exhausts through the ports a and spaces h, as
indicated by the arrows.
The motion of the steam valve takes place as follows:-When the steam piston,
as the same moves in the direction of the arrow marked on it in Fig. 2, clears the
port b steam enters the auxiliary cylinder E, and throws the piston F, FI, to the
position shown in Fig. 4, and by this motion the steam valve is turned to the
position shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. The steam from the auxiliary cylinder exhausts
through the hollow part of the piston F, F¹, and through the nipples c, c, as
indicated by the arrows in Fig. 10. The motion of the steam valve takes place
before the steam piston has reached the end of the stroke, so that the said piston
is cushioned and prevented from slamming against the cylinder head.
When
the steam piston on its return stroke clears the port 61 (Fig. 2) the steam valve
is changed, and by these means steam is admitted into the steain cylinder alternately
at one end and then at the other end, and a uniform reciprocating motion is imparted
to the steam piston. The cylinders A and B are secured together by a tubular con-
nection N, which is made in sections, one section being fastened to the head of the
cylinder A, and the other to the head of the cylinder B, while the two sections are
fastened together either by a coupling nut O, with a right and left hand thread,
as shown in Fig. 2, or by bolts and flanges. The piston rod D enters through the
tubular connection N, and in the interior of this connection are formed stuffing
boxes, the glands of which are forced in when the coupling nut O is tightened
up, so that a steam tight joint is formed round the piston rod, and at the same
time the two cylinders are firmly united. The pump cylinder B is provided with four
ports k, k, 2, and 3, each of which communicates with a separate valve chamber
P, P1, P2, P³, and in these valve chambers are formed the seats 1, 11, 12, 13, for the
valves m, m³, m³, m³. The ports k¹ and k² are situated above the valve seats 1, P²,
while the ports k¹, k³, are situated below the valve seats 11, 13, and the valve chamber
P, P, communicates with the supply pipe 2, through the channels n, n², while the
valve chamber P1, P³, communicates through channels n¹, n³, with the delivery pipe R.
The two induction and the two eduction ports of the double-acting pump cylinder are

page_text: located each side or nearly on line with the centre of the pump cylinder, and each of
said ports have separate passages one from the other, as clearly illustrated in the ac-
companying Drawings. If the pump is in operation, and the plunger moves in the
direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7, the pump draws water through the valve m,
and it delivers water through the valve m³, and when the plunger moves in the
opposite direction to said arrow the pump draws water through the valve m², and
it delivers water through the valve m³. The valves and valve seats are entirely
independent from each other, and if either of the valves from some cause becomes
inoperative the pump continues to act. For instance, if the valve m should become
inoperative, the pump will draw water through the valve m², and deliver water
through the valve m³, but on its return stroke the pump will not act. In other
words, if all the valves are in good working order the pump is double acting, but
if one of the valves becomes inoperative the pump is simple acting; but in no case
my pump will fail to act entirely unless two of the valves become inoperative at
the same time. The bonnet S which serves to close the several valve chambers in
the pump cylinder is provided with four projections O, which are bored out to form
the guides for the valve stems, and which fit into corresponding cavities leading
down into the valve chambers. Round each of these projections is placed a gasket p,
and if the bonnet is screwed down by the screw q the joints round the projections o
are rendered tight. By removing the bonnet free access can be had to all the
valves.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is―.
1. The combination of an oscillating steam valve with a steam moved piston
valve extending transversely to the steam valve, and fitted into an auxiliary
cylinder, the ends of which communicate with the main cylinder, substantially as
shown and described.
2. The combination with a steam moved piston valve of an oscillating valve
which may work in glands provided with a stem extending through the steam chest
to allow of the oscillating valve being turned within its seat by means of a wrench
or other device.
3. The combination of a tubular connection with a steam cylinder and pump
cylinder of a direct acting steam pump, said connection being made in sections
which are drawn together, and when drawn together form a tight joint on the
piston rod, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The double acting pump cylinder having two induction and two eduction
ports located each side, and nearly on line with the centre of the pump cylinder,
all said ports having separate passages one from the other, substantially as set
forth.
In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.
In witness whereof, I, the said John North, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM EDGAR SIMONDS.
JOHN NORTH. (L.S.)