Improvements in Apparatus for Water Supply System.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application. 9th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Water Supply System.
I, OSCAR DARLING, of Babylon, County of Suffolk and State of New York,
United States of America, Engineer, 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:-
In supplying towns or even large buildings with water where large storage
reservoirs are not used, the water is sometimes pumped directly into the main,
which requires heavy and expensive pumping apparatus and constant pumping, or
it is pumped into stand pipes which results in varying pressures in the mains
according to the level of the stand pipe, which is also expensive, and which
frequently must be placed at a considerable distance from the town in order to
secure the requisite elevation, while the water stored therein is exposed to the
atmosphere; while there is no means whereby an excess of pressure can be secured
for fire purposes or other exigencies.
The object of this invention is to avoid the expense incident to both of these
described systems to secure a normally uniform pressure in the delivery mains and
permit a very much higher pressure whenever requirel for any service and preserve
the water in an uncontaminated state; and to this end, an apparatus is used, fully
set forth hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which illustrates
diagrammatically the main features of the improved system.
The water is stored in one or more storage or water tanks, and if there are more
than one, they may be suitably arranged in proximity to each other or may be at
separated points. As shown in the drawing, the water tank A is arranged adjacent
to the steam-actuated water pump D, while the water tank A' may be at any
desired distance. If the water tanks of a series are approximately on the same
level, they may all communicate with the same service main E which also com-
municates with a pump D, by which water will be forced into all of the tanks at once,
each tank, however, being provided with a valve 1, which may be a check valve or
a cock, by which communication may be cut off between the tank and the main
when desired.
In order to preserve a proper proportion of air in each of the water tanks, the
pump D may be provided with an air inlet valve 2, of a well known character
whereby from five to ten per cent. of air may he drawn in and expelled from the
pump with the water into the storage tank.
With the upper portion of the storage tanks or tank, communicates a compressed
air tank C through a pipe 3 provided with a reducing valve 4, whereby to secure a
uniform pressure of air upon the water in the storage tank. Thus assuming
that the pressure in the tank C is one hundred and fifty pounds, the reducing
valve is so set as to maintain a uniform pressure of say, fifty pounds in the
storage tank which will be the normal pressure in the delivery main, and house
service.
In case, however, of fire or under other circumstances where a higher pressure is
required, the valve 4 is so adjusted as to permit the air under higher pressure to
pass to the tank A, or to pass freely, so as to secure in the tank A and in the mains
the full pressure of the air in the tank C. Accordingly an air compressor D¹ by
which the air is forced into the tank C is employed, and the inlet port of the air
compressor is connected with the air space of the water tank, so that the air
compressor when the water tank is being filled by the action of the pump D will
receive the air from the water tank under the pressure at which it is in the said

page_text: water tank and to this extent, avoid the necessity of compressing the air. Thus,
when the supply tank is nearly empty under the normal compression of fifty pounds
and the air compressor D' takes its supply of air from the tank A, much less power
is required to compress the air and deliver it to the high pressure tank C than
would he the case if the pump was supplied directly from the atmosphere. It will
be seen that whatever may be the pressure within the water tank, the pressure is
maintained in said tank and in the delivery mains while the tank is being filled,
and such pressure inay he maintained with storage tanks and compressors of less
capacity than otherwise would be required.
To supply the air compressor with air on starting, it is provided with an inlet
pipe 5 having a valve 6, which may be closed after the tank A is filled with water
and which needs thereafter to be opened only in case there is necessity to make up
a deficiency in the air supply otherwise secured.
The details of construction of the pump D and compressor D' are not shown, as
each may be of the usual construction.
It will of course be understood that where there is more than one storage tank,
there is a reducing valve 4 between each tank and the air tank C, and it will also
be evident that the pipes 7 leading from the tanks A to the inlet of the air
compressor may be provided with valves 8 for closing them when required.
It will also be evident that when the distant storage tanks differ materially in
their elevation from that of the nearest storage tank, there must be a separate
connection between the distant tanks and the steam pump D as otherwise the
variation of level in the different tanks would cause variation of pressure interfering
with operations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. In a water supply system, a storage tank communicating with the delivery
main, and a pump for supplying the tank with water, a compressed air tank and
means for supplying it with air under high pressure and a communication between
the air tank and the water tank provided with a reducing valve, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a water supply system, a storage tank communicating with the delivery
main, and a pump for supplying the tank with water, a compressed air tank, an air
compressor for supplying it with air under high pressure and a communication
between the air tank and the water tank provided with a reducing valve, the air
compressor receiving its supply of air from the storage tank and discharging into
the air tank, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a water supply system of a storage tank and an air
pressure tank communicating with each other through a pipe provided with a
reducing valve, a water supply pump communicating with the storage tank and
provided with an air inlet 2, and means for supplying the air tank with air under
high pressure and a delivery main communicating with the storage tank, substan-
tially as set forth.
4. In a water supply system, a storage tank and water feed pump therefor, an
air tank, and air compressor therefor, a service main communicating with the storage
tank, a communication provided with a reducing valve between the storage and air
tanks, and an independent communication between the storage tank and the inlet
port of the air compressor, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 9th day of February 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.