Improvements in Rotary Pumps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Pumps.
We, ALFRED WELLS CASE and LAWRENCE WELLS CASE, both of Highland
Park, in the Town of Manchester, and State of Connecticut, U.S.A., Manu-
facturers, 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:-
This invention relates to the class of pumps which have fans so constructed
and arranged that when rotated they will cause a flow of fluid under suitable
pressure.
The object of the invention is the production of inexpensive pumps of this
nature having fans of simple form which are particularly adapted for driving air
or other gases against pressure but which may be utilized with facility for
forcing water or similar liquids under pressure, and that whatever the mediums
required to move, are capable of producing flows of considerable power.
The embodiments of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings
have shells formed of headed cylinders with suitable inlets and outlets for the
ingress and egress of fluid. Power shafts provided with the necessary pulleys are
rotarily held by approved bearing blocks supported outside of the heads of the
shells so that the shafts extend axially through the shells. The shafts inside of
the shells carry fans that have the spaces between the angularly arranged radiating
fan biades entirely closed around the outer ends of the blades, partially closed
at the fronts or suction sides from the outer ends of the blades inward and
enclosed at the back or pressure sides from the hub outwardly nearly to the
outer ends of the blades, where narrow openings are left for the outflow of
fluid.
Of the views Fig. 1 shows a side elevation with a part of the shell broken
away to expose the interior, of the pump arranged for driving air or other gases.
Fig. 2 shows an elevation of one end of this air form of pump. Fig. 3 shows
the back or pressure side of a fan used in this pump. Fig. 4 shows the front or
suction side of this fan. Fig. 5 shows a diametrical section of the fan. Fig. 6
shows a side elevation with the shell cut in central section, of the
for forcing water or similar liquids. And Fig. 7 shows an end elevation of the
pump arranged
liquid form of the pump.
The shells of the pumps, which may be formed of any ordinary material
having the requisite strength, consists of cylinders 1 and of heads 2, all of which
may be held together by tie rods, as shown in the air pump, or by bolting the
heads to the flanged ends of the cylinder, as shown in the water pump, and the
shells can be supported by legs 3 formed by a part of the heads or by legs 4
beneath the cylinders. In the form of air pump shown, openings 5 are made
through the heads for the free ingress of air, and in the water pump the inlets 6
are arranged for the attachment of pipes leading from the source of supply. In
both forms the outlets 7 are arranged for the attachment of pipes for conducting
the fluid under pressure to a reservoir or to the locality where it is to be
utilized.

page_text: A shaft 8 extends through the center of each shell and, after passing through
the heads, is supported by suitable bearing boxes. The bearing boxes 9 are
shown as attached to the heads while the boxes 10 are adjustably supported by
bolts 11 turning in the annular ends of brackets 12 that are bolted to the heads.
As it is necessary to keep the shell of the water pump tight, stuffing boxes 13
are provided to prevent leakage of fluid around the shaft where it passes through
the heads. A pulley 14 is mounted upon each shaft in position to be belted to
the driving means.
Any desired number of fans 15 may be mounted upon the shafts and they may
face in the same direction or some in one direction and some in the opposite
direction. The shells are of the requisite size to just enclose the fans and may be
placed horizontally or vertically, as desired. If there is but a single fan or if
there are a number of fans facing in the same direction, the outlet opening may
be near one end, but if the fans face in opposite directions the outlet opening
should be near the middle of the shell. In the air pump, two fans are mounted
upon the shaft each side of the middle and in the water pump one fan is mounted
upon the shaft each side of the middle. These fans are arranged to force fluid
that enters through the inlets toward the walls of the shells at the middle so
that it will collect under pressure between the fans and flow away through the
outlets.
Each of the fans has angularly arranged blades 16, of which there may be
any desired number, radiating from the hub 17. The outer ends of the blades
are joined by an encircling band 18 and the back edges are joined by a disk 19
that extends from the hub nearly to the encircling band, leaving only a narrow
space 20 between the outer edge of the disk and the band, while the front edges
are joined by an annular plate 21 that extends from the outer band some distance
inwardly toward the hub. The blades, the encircling band, the back disk and
the front annular plate may be cast in a single piece or may be formed of
several pieces and secured together in a common manner. By this means the
spaces between the fan blades are completely closed at the outer ends of the
blades, all closed at the back except for the narrow annular opening or slit near
the outer ends of the blades, and closed in front for some distance from the
outer ends of the blades toward the hub. The annular plate may be omitted from
the front face of the fan but it is preferred to utilize the annular plate, for the
fan will operate more effectively when the annular plate is employed. To prevent
the fluid from rotating with the fans and thus failing to become caught by the
blades of the fan in advance, a wing 22 may be connected with the walls of the
cylinder so as to project inwardly between the fans.
When these fans are rotated fluid is drawn inwardly and, after being caught
by the blades and becoming subject to the resulting action of the angles of pitch
and inclination of the blades and centrifugal force, is driven toward the backs
of the fans and at the same time toward the outer edges of the fans in such manner
as to be compressed into the spaces between the outer edges of the blades, from
which the only escape is through the narrow discharge outlets around the outer
edges of the backs. The effect of this is to drive the fluid violently through the
narrow discharges in a direction that will cause it to impinge against the walls
of the shells just back of the fans. This flow of fluid forms a barrier around
the walls of the shell near the peripheries of the fans which precludes fluid from
returning around the peripheries of the fans, so that the only avenue of escape
for fluid forced between the fans is through the outlets.
When two fans are arranged oppositely upon a shaft, as in the water pump,
the end pressure of one balances that of the other. If two fans be located upon
the shaft so as to face in the same direction, as in the air pump, the action of the
second fan adds to the pressure generated by the first fan so as to accumulate
pressure. With the shafts set vertically, the fans can be arranged so that thei
end pressure may be utilized to overcome the effect of gravity and relieve the step
bearing.

page_text: This pump is simple to build and does not occupy a large amount of space.
It is effective in operation, durable in use and requires but a small amount of
power for obtaining satisfactory pressures with the fluids it is called upon to
set in motion, whether it be air or any other gas, or water or any other liquid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A fan for a rotary pump having angularly arranged radiating blades that
at their inner ends are attached to a cylindrical hub, that at their outer ends
are connected with a peripheral enclosing band, and that at their back edges
are joined by a disk that is nearly as large in diameter as the diameter of the
enclosing band, whereby the area of space for the flow of fluid to the blades is
much larger than the area of space for the flow of fluid from the blades.
2. A fan for a rotary pump having angularly arranged radiating blades entirely
enclosed except for an inlet opening in front near the hub and for a narrow
discharge opening at the back near the periphery of the fan.
3. A fan for a rotary pump having angularly arranged radiating blades that
have their inner ends connected with a hub, their outer ends joined by a band,
and their back edges, except near the periphery, joined by a disk.
4. A rotary pump having a shell with an inlet and an outlet, a shaft supported
by the shell, and a fan with radiating blades carried by the shaft, said fan
having the spaces between the blades closed around the outer ends of the blades,
closed in front from the outer ends of the blades some distance inward, and
closed in back from the hub outward nearly to the outer ends of the blades so
that fluid enters between the blades near the hub and passes out from between
the blades near the periphery of the fan.
5. A rotary pump having a shell with inlets and an outlet, a shaft supported
by the shell. fans with radiating blades carried by the shaft with their faces in
opposite directions, said fans having the spaces between the blades closed around
the outer ends of the blades and closed in back from the hub outward nearly
to the outer ends of the blades so that fluid enters between the blades from the
front and passes out from between the blades at the back near the peripheries of
the fans.
1
1
1000
ALFRED WELLS CASE.
LAWRENCE WELLS CASE.