IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Adair, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS."
Sealed the 1st October 1867, and dated the 5th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Adair at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1867.
I, WILLIAM ADAIR, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," to be
as follows:-
My pump consists of one closed cylinder containing a spear box or plunger,
of one open cylinder, and of a feed pipe inserted at the bottom of the
cylinders and carried up between them, and having communication with the
open cylinder at its bottom and with the closed one near its top, the whole
being connected together. The plunger consists of two cup leathers placed
back to back, and is attached to a plunger rod. The top of the closed cylinder
consists of a metal cover fitting closely round the plunger rod, yet so as to
allow of its slipping upon it when forced upwards by the water to be discharged
during the ascending stroke, at the conclusion of which it again descends to its
ordinary position and rests upon the flange at the top of the cylinder. It
therefore acts both as a cover to the cylinder and as a valve to allow of the
discharge of the water; it also does away with any necessity for a stuffing
box, for as the discharging nozzle is placed some distance above it it remains
always under water, and effects between it and the plunger the necessary

page_text: vacuum for the supply of water on the upper side of the plunger to be discharged
during the upward stroke.
In the apparatus there are three clack valves, No. 1 opening from the feed
pipe up into the bottoin of the open cylinder; No. 2 in and across the open
cylinder at, say, about 3 inches above No. 1, these two valves forming between
them the necessary vacuum for the supply of water on the under side of the
plunger to be discharged during the downward stroke; and No. 3 situate in
and across the feed pipe near its top. In addition there is a port or com-
munication between the two cylinders, but closed to the feed pipe, and situate
at a level between valves No. 1 and No. 2. During its upward stroke the
plunger raises the water in the closed cylinder (previously admitted through
No. 3 valve, which is now closed), slightly elevating the cover and discharging
the water through the nozzle; at the same time the water in the feed pipe
opens valve No. 1, No. 2 remaining closed, and pours through the port into
the closed cylinder under the plunger to be ready for the downward stroke.
During the downward stroke the plunger forces the water now collected below
it through the port, closing No. 1 valve, and opening No. 2 up through the
open cylinder and discharges it through the nozzle; during this time the water
in the feed pipe, No. 1 valve being closed, is drawn upwards, raising the
valve No. 3 and filling the space above the plunger between it and the cylinder
cover to be ready for the upward stroke.
The peculiarities of this pump are :—
1. That the pump possessing two vacuum chambers, one between the
plunger and cylinder cover for the up stroke, the other between the valves
No. 1 and No. 2 for the down stroke, is rendered continuous in its action, and
hence is a veritable double-action one. That as there are two vacuum
chambers, either cylinder with its valves can be cleaned without the water in
the feed pipe being allowed to run away, which usually entails much loss of
time in re-establishing the vacuum and drawing the water up again.
2. That it does away with the necessity for a stuffing box, the vacuum above
the piston being effected by means of the cover..
3. That the cover whilst replacing the stuffing box acts as a cover to
the closed cylinder, and also as a valve to the same for the emission of the
water.
4. That by the removal of the cover it becomes a single-action pump, as it
then only possesses one vacuum, viz., between valves No. 1 and No. 2.
5. That as the plunger is solid there is no necessity to remove it to clean
any valves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Adair in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ADAIR, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Adair, Her special licence that I, the said William Adair, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Adair, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein.
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
for Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Adair, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Adair, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, reference being bad to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that
is to say:
My Invention consists in constructing, as hereafter described, a double-
acting pump chiefly intended for use on board ship, but also applicable in
mines, waterworks, fire engines, and other purposes.
My pump consists of a closed cylinder containing a spear box or plunger, of
an open cylinder, and of a feed pipe inserted at the bottom of the cylinders
and carried up either between them or outside, and having communication
with the open cylinder at the bottom and with the closed one near its top, the
whole being connected together. The plunger consists of two cup leathers
placed back to back, and is attached to an ordinary piston rod. The top of
the closed cylinder consists of a metal cover fitting closely round the plunger

page_text: rod, yet so as to allow of its slipping upon it when forced upwards by the
water to be discharged during the ascending stroke, at the conclusion of which
it again descends to its ordinary position, and rests upon the flange or rim at
the top of the cylinder. It therefore acts both as a cover to the cylinder and
as a valve to allow of the discharge of the water; it also does away with any
necessity for a stuffing box, for inasmuch as the discharging nozzle is placed
some distance above it, it is consequently always under water while the pump
is working, and thus effects between itself and the plunger the necessary
vacuum for the supply of water on the upper side of the plunger to be
discharged during the upward stroke.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the pump;
Figure 2 is a cross section taken at right angles to Figure 1; Figure 3 is á
sectional plan taken through the line A, B, of Figure 1, or at a level slightly
above valve No. 2; Figure 4 represents a sectional plan of Figure 2 on the
line C, D, of Figure 2, that is, slightly above the level of valve No. 3.
A is the working or closed cylinder; B, the open cylinder; C, the feed
pipe; D, the branch of the feed pipe to the bottom of the open cylinder;
E, the branch from the same to the top of the closed cylinder; and F, the
port or communication between the two cylinders.
In the apparatus there are three ordinary clack valves, No. 1 opening from
the feed pipe up and into the bottom of the open cylinder; No. 2 is placed in
and across the open cylinder about 3 inches above No. 1; it opens upwards,
allowing the water to pass off through the open cylinder. These two valves
form between them the vacuum necessary for the supply of water to the
under side of the plunger to be discharged during the downward stroke. No. 3
valve is situate in and across the upper branch of the feed pipe, and just
before its entry into the closed cylinder. In addition to these valves there is a
port or communication F between the bottom of the two cylinders, but closed
to the feed pipe, and situate at a level intermediate between valves 1 and 2.
During the upward stroke the plunger raises the water which is above it in
the closed cylinder A (previously admitted through No. 3 valve now closed),
slightly elevating the cover and discharging the water through the nozzle.
At the same time the water in the feed pipe D opens valve No. 1, No. 2
remaining closed, and pours through the port F into the closed cylinder A
under the plunger to be ready for the downward stroke. During the
downward stroke the plunger forces the water now collected below it through
the port F, closing valve No. 1, opening No. 2, up through the open cylinder B,
and so discharging it through the nozzle. During this time the water in the
feed pipe C, No. 1 valve being closed, is drawn up through the branch E,

page_text: raising valve No. 3, and filling the space above the plunger between it and
the cylinder cover to be ready for the upward stroke.
The advantages gained by the employment of this pump are,―
1st, continuous action, for as the pump possesses two vacuum chambers, one
between the plunger and the cylinder cover for the up stroke, the other
between the valves 1 and 2 for the down stroke, its action is rendered
continuous, and hence is a veritable double-action pump.
2nd, facility of cleaning and repair and simplicity of construction, inasmuch
as very easy access can be had by hand to all parts of the pump, the valves
being all situate directly under an opening and exactly over one another, and
also as the plunger is solid no valves have to be removed to obtain access to
its under side, as is usually the case.
3rd, that there is much time saved during the process of cleaning, as the
water is not lost during the operation; for as there are two vacuum
chambers, either cylinder with its valves can be cleaned without the water in
the feed pipe being allowed to run away.
4th, that no stuffing box is required, the cylinder cover acting as such
in preserving the upper vacuum, while at the same time it also serves as a
valve for the emission of the water.
5th, that it may easily be converted into a single-action pump by the simple
removal of the cylinder cover, destroying at the same time the upper vacuum
chamber.
The form and application of the pump berein-before described and shewn
in the Drawings is that in which it is best applicable to use on board ship;
its employment and application for mining and other purposes will be readily
understood without further explanation.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim constructing
double-acting pumps arranged and working substantially as herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Adair, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ADAIR. (L.S.)