IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bush Duckett, of Chapeltown, in the County of
York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR
RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bush Duckett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1880.
JOHN BUSH DUCKETT, of Chapeltown, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
"
My Invention relates to apparatus or means to be employed in substitution for
ordinary pumps for raising water, and for other like purposes.
In carrying out my Invention, as applied for example to the raising of water, I
employ a strong closed metal chamber or tank, connected by pipes fitted with suit-
able valves with the source of the water to be raised, and with the receptacle into
which the water raised is to be delivered. In the interior of this chamber or tank
I arrange a flexible chamber or chambers, which is or are connected by a pipe or
pipes fitted with suitable valves, with a steam boiler or other steam source, so that
steam may be introduced into the said flexible chamber or chambers, the latter being
also provided with suitable valves for discharging the steam as required into the
water of the tank surrounding the flexible chamber or chambers.
In the operation of the apparatus steam is alternately admitted into the flexible
chamber or chambers, and condensed by being discharged into the water of the tank,
whereby the flexible chamber or chambers are alternately expanded and contracted;
a vacuum is thus produced in the tank at each contraction of the flexible chamber
or chambers, and water is caused to ascend into the tank from the source below, an
equivalent quantity of water being discharged by the delivery pipe above on the
next expansion of the flexible chamber or chambers, to be followed by the elevation
of a further quantity from the source below on the next contraction of the flexible
chamber or chambers, and so on in succession, repeating the operations before
mentioned. The apparatus thus constitutes an effective force pump for raising
liquid to a height proportional to the pressure of the steam employed, The steam
inlet and outlet valves of the flexible chamber or chambers may be operated
automatically by the expansion and contraction of the said chamber or chambers,
and springs or weights may, if necessary, be employed to cause or assist in causing
the flexible chamber to collapse, for the purpose of expelling the steam therefrom
into the outer chamber.
. Safety valves or other suitable means are provided, in order to prevent the
liability of the flexible chamber or chambers being unduly distended.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Bush Duckett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th January 1881.
JOHN BUSH DUCKETT, of Chapeltown, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR RAISING WATER AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to apparatus or means to be employed in substitution
for ordinary pumps for raising, water, and for other like purposes...
In carrying out my said Invention as applied (for example) to the raising of
water, I employ a strong closed metal chamber or tank connected by pipes fitted
with suitable valves, with the source of the water to be raised, and with the
receptacle into which the water raised is to be delivered. In the interior of this
chamber or tank I arrange a flexible chamber or chambers, which is or are
connected by a pipe or pipes fitted with suitable valves with a steam boiler
or other steam source, so that steam may be introduced into the said flexible
chamber or chambers, suitable valves being also provided for discharging the
steam as required into the water of the tank surrounding the flexible chamber'or
chambers.
In the operation of the apparatus steam is alternately admitted into the flexible
chamber or chambers, and, condensed by being discharged into the water of the
tank, whereby the flexible chamber or chambers are alternately expanded and
contracted; a vacuum is thus produced in the tank at each contraction of the
flexible chamber or chambers, and water is caused to ascend into the tank from the
source below, an equivalent quantity of water being discharged by the delivery
pipe above on the next expansion of the flexible chamber or chambers, to be
followed by the elevation of a further quantity from the source below on the next
contraction of the flexible chamber or chambers, and so on in succession repeating
the operations before mentioned. The apparatus thus constitutes an effective force
pump for raising liquid to a height proportionate to the pressure of the steam
employed. The steam inlet and outlet valves of the flexible chamber or chambers
may be operated automatically by the expansion and contration of the said
chamber or chambers, and either springs or weights (or both, if necessary,) may be
employed to cause or assist in causing the flexible chamber to collapse, for the
purpose of expelling the steam therefrom into the outer chamber.
Safety valves or other suitable means may be provided in order to prevent the
liability of the flexible chamber or chambers being unduly distended.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in both the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a vertical section of an
apparatus for raising water, constructed according to my said Invention, and
Figure 2 is a half plan and a half horizontal section of the same.
A is a chamber or tank made of' cast iron (or other suitable rigid material) and
fitted with a removable cover E, the same being bolted on to the tank with the
⚫ interposition of packing material, thereby constituting an air tight chamber or cell
hereinafter designated the "rigid chamber." This rigid chamber is connected with
a properly valved feed or suction pipe F, and also with a properly valved delivery
pipe G, after the manner of ordinary force pumps. The rigid chamber has two
openings into the 'delivery 'pipe,videlicet, a lower one H and an upper one J, for
facilitating the passage into the feed pipe of sediment and gases respectively..
L
In this rigid chamber, and bound air tight to, its removable cover, I place a second

page_text: chamber K. (hereinafter designated the "flexible chamber,") having walls u made of ·
the most suitable india rubber, or other flexible fabric I can obtain for the purpose,
and a bottomb of suitable inflexible materials. The structure of this flexible
chamber admits of its being collapsed by its inflexible bottom b being forced up
against the cover E of the rigid chamber A, and a tendency to so collapse'is main-
tained by a spring or springs L. It is obvious that the arrangement of the spring
or springs may be varied, and that weights may be substituted for springs with a
like effect. The inflexible bottom b of the flexible chamber is steadied in its up
and down motion by three equi-distant small guide friction wheels M, and by a
hollow guide rod N, working' easily through a hole in a plate N' suspended across
the rigid chamber.
.
1
The apparatus operates in the following manner :-
The apparatus being filled with water poured through the valve at P, in the
delivery pipe G, steam from a boiler or steam generator is turned into the flexible
chamber R, through a port or passage S, thereby inflating the flexible chamber and
forcing water out of the rigid chamber above the valve at P. Before the flexible
chamber is unduly inflated the steam is automatically shut off, and a port or
passage R is automatically opened for the collapsing tendency of the flexible chamber
to force out the steam into the water contained in the rigid chamber, where its con-
densation tends to form a vacuum, which is filled by water forced up the feed pipe
by atmospheric pressure. It is this alternate inflating and collapsing of the flexible
chamber that raises the water. The steam and exhaust ports are controlled in the
the following manner, videlicet :-
The removable cover has formed on its under side a recess or cavity, in.
which is fitted a lever, which has its 'centre or fulcrum in the cover at U, and is
jointed at V to a link c which, in its turn, is jointed at W to a spring X. Connected
to this lever are two valves Y, Z; the former of which (Y) is intended for the
admission of steam to the flexible chamber, whilst the valve Z is for the egress of
the steam from the flexible chamber into the surrounding water. At right angles
to the lever T is fitted another spring, shown in transverse section at B, to which is
attached one end of a connecting rod 4, which connecting rod passed down the
hollow guide bar N. The spring B carries a pin or bolt 5 passing loosely through
the lever T, and provided with a head 6 so as to limit the extent of play thus
allowed.
و
Near the upper part of the hollow guide bar N is secured a ferrule 1; on this ferrule
rests a loose fitting piston 2; between this piston and the collar of the the hollow
guide bar is arranged a spiral spring 3; the connecting rod 4 passes loosely through
the collar at 7, and loosely through the piston at 8, and terminates in a knob or
button at 9.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-As the inflexible bottom b of the
flexible chamber K rises it ultimately presses against the spring B, and increases its
pressure until the spring X is overpowered, and the lever T with the link c is carried
to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, and this movement of the
lever closes the exhaust valve Z, and opens against the steam pressure the
steam valve Y.
.The inflow of steam inflates the flexible chamber until the button or knob 9,
in which the connecting rod terminates, comes in contact with the piston 8, and the
connecting rod 4 is drawn down, pulling the lever T back to its original position,
thus opening the exhaust valve and allowing the steam pressure to close the steam
valve. The spring X maintains the lever T in the normal position indicated by
full lines in the Drawing, until the pressure of the rising bottom of the flexible
chamber overpowers it. The lever T does not begin to open either valve until it
has about reached or passed the position when it and the link c are in a straight
line.
It will be observed that the connecting rod 4 is fastened to the lever T, so that
its traction first pulls the spring B without pulling the lever, until the headed pin
or bolt 5 fixed to the spring B, but passing loosely through the lever T, pulls the

page_text: lever after the spring. As the traction increases the lever (by the steam pressure on
the valve, and by the action of the spring jointed to the end of the lever) springs
'down to overtake the springs B.
In order to admit of the discharge from the flexible chamber of any water that
may be contained or formed in it; the inflexible bottom is pierced by a small pipe
to which is attached a length of flexible tubing. This length of flexible tubing may
either extend down the feed pipe F if the situation of the valve or valves in the
feed pipe shall permit of, it, or a pipe closed at its lower end should be fitted air
tight into the bottom or low down the side of the rigid chamber for the reception
of the flexible tubing. The perpendicular length of this flexible tubing should be
proportional to the internal pressure of the flexible chamber, which pressure depends
on the strength of the spring L, and need not reach higher than, say, one pound per
square inch, so that in order to void water but not steam from the flexible chamber
the perpendicular length of the flexible tube need not exceed, say, two feet.
Having now described and particularly, ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine myself to the precise arrange-
ment of parts hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
as it is obvious that the apparatus may be greatly modified without departing from
the principal of my said Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The employment of a flexible steam chamber or chambers, alternately
expanding by the admission of steam, and contracting on the condensation of such
steam, and so arranged in combination with a rigid liquid chamber and suitable feed
and delivery pipes that liquid shall be drawn into the said liquid chamber on the
contraction of the flexible chamber or chambers, and shall be forced out or elevated
on the expansion of the same, all substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
Secondly. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting an
apparatus for raising water, and for other like purposes, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bush Duckett, .have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN BUSH DUCKETT. (L.S.)