Improvements in Steam Vacuum Pumping Apparatus.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 10th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Vacuum Pumping Apparatus.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm. Brookes & Son of 55 & 56
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents (a communication to me from abroad by Max Greeven & Co. of 71 Pempel-
forterstrasse, Düsseldorf in the German Empire, Engineers,) do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate firstly to the steam valves of steam vacuum pumping
apparatus of the character known as pulsometers these valves fitted in cases or boxes.
A lever is provided having two arms, which serves to lift or to lower the said valves
alternately. The lever carries at its under side or bottom two projecting points or
legs which preferably rock in notches in their supporting base to support the lever.
If the one valve is opened the lever will rest on the leg or support further from that
valve, and on the other hand it will rest on the other 'leg if the other valve is lifted.
By this construction it is intended to render the said steam valves more suitable for
a ready and quick change of the distribution of the steam and this object is attained
hereby because the lever works with uneven arms at the moment of changing or
reversing the steam in such manner, that the valve, which through the condensation
of the steam always must sink, works upon the longer end of the lever. It is evident
that the supporting projections need not form a part of the lever itself, they may just
as well be linked jointed or quite separate, or these supports may be made adjustable,
so that they can be put adjusted closer together or farther asunder in order to obtain
the most correct working of the valves as may be desired.
Secondly to the main condensing or forcing chamber arrangements of steam
vacuum pumps or pulsometers.

page_text: According to the present invention the improved parts differ from the known
constructions chiefly in that the liquid to be lifted does not enter immediately through
the suction valve into the pump chamber, but first passes through a forcing chamber
worked by steam.
Supposing the apparatus to be arranged with suitable suction pipe, suction valve,
first forcing chamber, pump chamber, communication valve between the forementioned
chambers, discharge valve, discharge pipe and steam distributing valve. Suppose the
said two chambers to be filled with water, and steam valve in suitable position with
the pump or retaining chamber open to the steam, the water will at first be driven by
the steam from this chamber into the discharge pipe until the condensation of the
steam takes place. The steam distributor now changes its position, opens the first
chamber and allows the steam to force the water from that first into the second
chamber. As soon as the condensation then takes place in the first chamber the steam
distributor changes again, opens the second chamber the steam forces the water into
the discharge pipe, whilst the first or fore chamber receives a fresh supply of water
from the suction pipe; the apparatus is now in its regular work and the same actions
will be repeated.
The advantages obtained by the application of a fore-chamber, consists, especially
if compared with one chambered pulsometers of the ordinary type, in the abbreviation
of the time for suction, which is attained because the steam will force the water much
quicker from the fore-chamber into the pump chamber, than the mere pressure of the
atmosphere could perform this work with a direct suction into the pump chamber.
The apparatus will therefore work in a more rapid manner.
When comparing the improved arrangements with steam vacuum pumps generally,
as well as with ordinary, two chambered pulsometers, it will be found that by the
adoption of a fore-chamber, according to the invention in which the suction has to
work against steam of very low tension only, much more reliable working results
and more complete filling of the chambers with water is obtained, than can possibly
be the case with direct suction into a pump chamber, which is filled by steam of high
tension and which therefore has a much higher temperature.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the pump chambers p, p and shewing
one form of the invention in which the legs m, n on which the lever c tilts form part
of the lever itself, or are attached thereto.
Figure 2 shews a like view of a modification in which the parts m n on which the
lever c tilts are stationary and separate from the lever c being formed on or attached
to the bridge piece d between the pump cases.
C
a, bare valves fitted in the cases or boxes a', respectively, applied to the upper
ends of the chambers p. c is a lever having at each end one of the two arms or
links c which being connected one to each of the valves a, bserve to lift and to lower
the said valves a, b alternately.
This lever c carries at its under side or bottom edge two legs or projecting
points m, n of which one alternately is lifted out of a small indent or groove, which
is preferably provided as a seat for it, whilst the other leg serves as the fulcrum for
the lever c. When as shewn in the drawings the valve bis open, the valve a mean-
while being closed, the lever c will rest on the leg or projecting support m further
from the valve b and correspondingly when on the other hand the valve a is open
and valve b shut the lever e will rest on leg n and leg m will be lifted.
It will be evident that the supporting projections or supports as m, n need not be
fixed to lever c as in Figure 1 but may be separate therefrom as in Figure 2, or again
these supports as m, n may be adjustably affixed either to the lever c or to the bridge
piece d (as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2) by screw nuts or in other equivalent
manner so that the position of the alternate fulcrums of the lever c may be adjustable
from time to time as desired, to bring the points of support nearer together or
farther asunder in order to secure the most correct working of the valves a, b.

page_text: Secondly these improvements relate to the main condensing or forcing chamber
arrangements of steam vacuum pumps or pulsometers.
The present improved steam vacuum pumps which form the subject of the second
part of this invention differ from the constructions already known, chiefly in that
the liquid to be lifted does not enter immediately through the suction valve into the
pump chamber, but is first caused to pass through a forcing chamber worked by
steam.
Figure 3 shews such an arrangement, according to my invention, the drawing
shewing a pump in vertical section. A being the first or forcing chamber and B the
second or pump chamber, C is the suction or supply pipe, D the valve to the suction
pipe C, E the valve controlling the passage of communication for the pumped liquid
between the chambers A and B.
F is the discharge valve controlling the passage of liquid through the discharge
pipe G, H is the passage for supply of steam for forcing and condensation and K
being the steam distributing valve vibrating in its seat formed at the base of the
passage H.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows-Supposing the chambers A B to be
filled with water and the steam valve K is in the position indicated in Figure 3
keeping chamber B open to the steam, the water will at first be driven by the steam
from the chamber B into the discharge pipe G until the condensation of the steam
takes place.
The steam distributing valve K now changes its position opens communication for
steam to chamber A and allows the steam to force the contained water from chamber A
into the chamber B. As soon as the condensation then takes place in the chamber A
the steam distributing valve K changes position again, opens communication afresh
with chamber B, the steam forces the water into the discharge pipe G whilst the
chamber A receives a fresh supply of water from the suction pipe C. The apparatus
is now in its proper operation and repetitions of the described operations take place in
succession.
1°. By the described construction of tilting lever it is intended to render steam
valves of pulsometer or vacuum pumps better adapted to effect a ready and quick
change of the distribution of the steam employed and this object is attained by
reason of the lever c working with uneven lengths of arm at the moment of changing
or reversing supply of steam so as that the valve which through the condensation of
the steam must sink to its seat operates the longer end of the lever.
20. The advantage obtained by the application of a fore chamber, as A, is found,
especially in comparison with single chambered pulsometers of ordinary type now in
use, in the abbreviation of the time of suction which effect is attained because the
steam will force the water much quicker from the fore chamber A into the pump
chamber B, than the mere pressure of the atmosphere could perform that work when
using a direct suction into the pump chamber and consequently the improved
apparatus will work in a more rapid manner.
Thus too, when comparing the present invention with existing arrangement of
steam vacuum pumps generally with the ordinary two chambers, it will be found that
by the adoption of a fore chamber A in which the suction has to work against steam
of very low tension only much more reliable working results and more complete
filling of the chambers with water is obtained, than can possibly be the case with
direct suction into a pump chamber, which is filled with steam of high tension and
which therefore has a much higher temperature.
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:
In a steam vacuum pump or pulsometer.
1 A lovar having two supports and linkad at annasita ands to stawn distribution

page_text: the time being of the rocking lever, in combination with a chamber A, operating and
constructed substantially as set forth.
2. A lever having two alternately operating supporting parts, as m, n, and
connections adapted to operate two valves, as a, b, so arranged that as the said lever is
resting on either pivot the longer arm thereof is towards and so as to be acted upon
by the valve for the time open substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination or arrangement of a chamber, as A, into which water is first
drawn from a channel of supply controlled by a valve, with a pump chamber, as B,
from which is a passage of communication for the pumped water controlled by a
suitable valve, said pump chamber communicating with a delivery channel controlled
by a suitable valve and with means for supply of steam by a pipe controlled by a
valve acting in common for the two chambers substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.