IMPROVE- MENTS IN PUMPS AND VALVES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Holman, of 18, Cannon Street, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PUMPS AND VALVES."
Sealed the 9th December 1862, and dated the 21st June 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Holman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
June 1862.
I, STEPHEN HOLMAN, of 18, Cannon Street, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS AND VALVES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of pump. The pump
consists of a barrel or inner cylinder made of iron, brass, or other material
placed within a cylindrical case (which may be used as an air vessel) leaving
a space all around between the inner and outer cylinders to permit the
necessary expansion or opening of the delivery valves for the discharge of the
fluid that may be forced out at or beyond each end of the barrel alternately.
The piston, by its reciprocating motion to & fro in the barrel, operates upon
the suction and delivery valves, so as to cause water or other fluids to flow
into and out of the pump whichever way it is moved, whether upward or

page_text: downward, forward or backward, it will thus be a double-action pump. In
order to render this a cheap and efficient pump, I purpose using valves made of
indian-rubber or other suitable material arranged in the following manner :-
The delivery valves are made to encircle the outside of the cylinder or working
barrel, or seating beyond the cylinder or barrel; at the top & bottom the
upper suction valve or compound valves, as the case may be, are made to
encircle the rod and are to be operated upon from the top side of the piston;
the lower suction valve or compound valves are to be on seatings, which may
be either for cylindrical or flat valves, so as to be operated upon from the
bottom side of the piston. The cover of the pump is constructed in such a
manner as to form a chamber or space all around the stuffing box, so that at
the descent of the piston the fluid will be admitted to the barrel above the
piston through the upper suction valve or valves, and at the same time be
forced out from the barrel by the lower side of the piston through the lower
delivery valve or valves, and at the ascent of the piston the fluid will be
admitted to the barrel below the piston through the lower suction valve or
valves, and at the same time be forced out from the barrel by the top side of
the piston through the upper delivery valve or valves. The bottom of the
pump has also a hollow chamber or space for the water or other fluid to pass
freely to the lower suction valve; the fluid may be conducted to the top &
bottom of the pump by separate suction pipes, or by a suction pipe or passage
common to both, and may be discharged from the pump through one or more
outlets in the outer cylinder or case. If for any object it may be desired to
embrace the barrel at any part between the upper & lower delivery valves,
then an outlet would be necessary for each delivery valve, because they would
not deliver into one common chamber for many purposes. However, no other
support will be necessary for the working barrel than
between the pump cover and bottom, the cover and bottom of the pump being
secured by bolts (or any other convenient mode of fastening) to the case or
outer cylinder, are at the same operation made to press on each end of the
working barrel which may have flexible rings between to ensure soundness of
joint, thus leaving the outside of the working barrel entirely free. I note
here that I have used the terms valve or compound valves, because when I
determine to use the new valves and seats specified in the second part of this
Invention I may use one or more of them according to the number of spaces
that may be considered necessary to obtain the required area or opening for
the discharge or passage of the fluid, and inasmuch as one ring,-or strip, or
piece of indian-rubber, or other flexible material constitutes a valve, I call
them compound valves when more than one are used. In this pump I leave
that of holding it

page_text: myself free to use the flexible cylindrical valves according to my Specification
dated 16th June, 1857, No. 1679 (which Patent was not proceeded with), or
the disc valves as frequently used for pumps, or the new valves and seats
made according to the description in the second part of this Invention, or the
double ring valves as described in the third part of this Invention.
T.
This Invention relates secondly to a novel construction of pump valves.
and seats; viz., I purpose to make flexible valves of indian-rubber or other
suitable material in such forms and proportions as that each valve shall close
an opening or space by a lateral or inclined bearing against the two sides, the
said two sides forming the only seating for the valve. I purpose to make the
valves generally of round pieces of india-rubber or other flexible material,
& to form them in round rings such as would be represented by making a
round bar into a hoop and welding it into an endless ring. The endless ring
thus formed of flexible material may be either put or stretched on to a
cylindrical seat to be expanded therefrom by the action or pressure of the
fluid against the inner surface, and to close thereupon when the internal
pressure is removed; or they inay be placed upon the surface as upon the area
of a bucket, or they may be made in longitudinal pieces, either singly or
several pieces connected at the ends or other parts, & placed at distances
corresponding with spaces on the area of the seat. [ purpose to form the
seats of cylindrical or longitudinal openings or spaces without any trans-
verse bearing for the valves whatever, leaving the inner circumference of
the ring valves or inner surface of the longitudinal valves (as the case may
be) entirely free throughout, being supported only by a lateral or inclined
bearing against the two sides, and the valve will be prevented from being
forced into or through the opening or space by its superior diameter or dimen
sions in relation to the opening or space, the two sides of which throughout
its circumference or length forms the seat or seats; for instance, if the
opening or space in the seat be half an inch, and the flexible valve be one
inch in diameter, it will be evident that immense pressure would be required
to force the 1 in. valve through the in. space; the valves may be made of
other sections than round, such as oval, half-round, triangular, or any other
shape which shall not require any transverse or lap-over bearing for its
support. The small spaces in which it is necessary to form the seats for the
flat indian-rubber valves hitherto used being unnecessary for my valves accord-
ing to this Specification, a comparatively free and unobstructed assage will
be obtained.
This Invention relates, thirdly, to the application of a double flat ring flexible
valve made in the U form similar to the double cup leather used for hydra ilie

page_text: presses, the inner ring to form. the suction valve and the outer ring to form
the delivery valve; or the outer ring may be made to form the suction valve
& the inner ring the delivery valve, depending on the arrangement, of the.
communicating passages, perforated, seats would, be adopted for these, valves as
described in my Specification dated, 16th June 1857, No. 1679; these valves.
are most suitable for air pumps.
This, Invention relates, fourthly, to a novel arrangement of metal valves by
which air & other fluids may be confined in vessels or pipes, or released.
or.diverted from one course. to another; & when used for pumps they can.
be. so. adjusted. as to cause the air or other fluids to flow in two directions
simultaneously or alternately. The stopping portion of the valve is an enlarged
end formed on a spindle, which enlarged end is coned on one or two sides as
may be desired; a flexible stopper-may be placed in the enlarged part between
the two valves or bevelled sides, or in the enlarged part when one cone or.
valve only is made, and by making the spindle hollow a piece of wire may be.
passed through it to clear any obstruction in the aperture beyond the valve
(they may, however, be made without this provision); the seats are not bevelled,
but left with a true edge formed by the face being at an angle of 90 degrees
in relation to the aperture, so that the valve being forced against the edge,
both being true, the passage of the fluid will be stopped. The spindle of the
valve is screwed or otherwise worked in a portion of the valve case in which
an outlet is made; the case may be made in one or more pieces. An enlarged
space is formed around that part of the spindle in close proximity to the outer
cone, the inner edge of which space forms the outer seat. When the valve or
cone is released from the seat the fluid will enter the space around the spindle.
and escape through the outlet at the outer end of the space (formed in the
same piece) direct into the atmosphere. When used for water gauges or
similar purposes, hydraulic and other valves, two coned sides may be used, one
coned inwards at the inner end of the spindle and one coned outwards near
the inner end of the spindle, so that when forced inwards the inner cone,will
stop the aperture forming the inner. seat; and when,drawn outwards the out-
ward cone will stop the discharge through, the space around the spindle and
the outlet into the atmosphere by the same operation. When the valve case is.
made in more than one. piece,, which. will be necessary when the double seat
valve is used, the outlet must be formed in the piece in which the spindle
works beyond the part where the connexion is made; by this, arrangement
the outlet can be adjusted to discharge the fluid in any direction desired.;. For
single cone valves I use the outer cone only, the case. may, then, be made in
one piece without a separate nut, which is necessary for inward cone valves.

page_text: The pump according to the first of this Invention can be worked either
in a vertical or horizontal position without alteration. The valves and seats
according to the second part of this Invention may be adapted to various
kinds of pumps and blast engines. The valves according to the fourth part
of this Invention may be applied to air & other pumps, water & steam gauges;
they are less liable to leakage than ordinary cocks, and can be produced at
less cost
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Holman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
HOLMAN, of 18, Cannon Street, London, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Stephen Holman, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen
Holman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Stephen Holman, 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 of Man, an Invention" for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PUMPS AND VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Stephen Holman, my executors or administrators, 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 Stephen Holman, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures, marked thereon. (that is to say):-

page_text: pump
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of pump. The
consists of a barrel or inner cylinder, made of iron or other material, placed
within a cylindrical casing (which may be used as an air vessel), leaving a
space all round between the inner and outer cylinders to permit the discharge
of the fluid at or beyond each end of the barrel alternately. The piston, in its
reciprocating motion to and fro in the barrel, operates upon the suction and
delivery valves so as to cause the water or other fluids to flow into and out of
the pump whichever way it is moved, it will thus be a double-action pump.
In order to render this a cheap and efficient pump I purpose using valves
made of india-rubber or other suitable material, as follows:-The delivery
valves are made to encircle the outside of the cylinder or working barrel or
seatings at the top and bottom, the upper suction valve or compound valves
(as the case may be) to encirle the rod and to be operated upon from the top
side of the piston, the lower suction valve or compound valves to be placed on
the seatings (which may be either cylindrical or flat, so as to be operated upon
from the bottom side of the piston. The cover of the pump is constructed
with a chamber or space formed all around the stuffing box, so that at the
decent of the piston the fluid will be admitted to the barrel above the piston
through the upper suction valve or valves, and at the same time be forced out
from the barrel by the lower side of the piston through the lower delivery
valve or valves; and at the ascent of the piston the fluid will be admitted to
the barrel below the piston through the lower suction valve or valves, and at
the same time be forced out from the barrel by the top side of the piston
through the upper delivery valve or valves. I note here that I use the terms
valve or compound valves because, when I determine to use the new valves
and seats, hereafter described as forming the second part of my Invention, for
either cylindrical or plane seats, I may use one or more of them, according to
the number of spaces considered necessary to obtain the area required for the
passage of the fluid; and inasmuch as one ring or one strip or piece of india-
rubber or other material constitutes a valve, I call them compound valves
when more than one are used. The bottom of the pump has also a hollow
space or chamber for the water or other fluid to pass freely to the lower
suction valve. The fluid may be conducted to the top and bottom of the
pump by separate suction pipes, or by a suction pipe common to both, and
may be discharged from the pump through one or more outlets in the outer
cylinder or case. For many purposes no other support will be necessary for
the working barrel than that of holding it between the pump cover and bottom,
the cover and bottom of the pump being secured by bolts or any other con-
venient mode of fastening to the case or outer cylinder, are at the same

page_text: operation made to press on each end of the working barrel, which may have
flexible rings between to ensure soundness of joint, thus leaving the outside of
the working barrel entirely free. For the modes of working the pumps see
description of Drawings.
In this pump I leave myself free to use the flexible cylindrical valves,
according to my Specification, dated 16th June 1857, No. 1679, or the disc
valves, as frequently used in pumps, or new valves and seats made according
to the following description, in the second and third parts of this Invention...
This Invention consists, secondly, of new forms of pump valves and seats,
viz., I purpose to make flexible valves of india-rubber or other suitable
material, in such forms and proportions as that each valve shall close an
opening or space by a lateral or inclined bearing against the two sides forming
the seating for the valve. I purpose to make the valves generally of round
pieces of india-rubber or other flexible material, and to form them in round-
ings, such as would be represented by making a round bar of iron into a hoop
and welding it into an endless ring. The endless ring of flexible material
thus formed may be either put or stretched on to a cylindrical seat, to be
expanded therefrom by the action or pressure of the fluid against the inner
surface, and to close thereupon when the pressure is removed from the inner
surface; or they may be placed upon the surface as upon the area of a bucket;
or they may be made in longitudinal pieces, either singly or several pieces
connected at the ends or other parts, and placed at distances corresponding,
with spaces on the area of the seat. The seats are formed of continuous
cylindrical or longitudinal openings or spaces without any transverse bearing
for the valves whatever, leaving the inner circumference of-the ring valves, or
inner surface of the longitudinal valves, as the case may be, entirely free
throughout its length. The valve will be prevented from being forced into or,
through the opening or space by its superior diameter or dimension in relation
to the opening or space, the two sides of which form the seat; for instance,
suppose the opening or space in the seat to be half an inch and the flexible.
material forming the valve to be one inch, it will be evident that im-.
mense pressure would be required to force the valve through the opening or
space in the seat; it will thus be a single valve with a double seat.
I have,
stated it to be my intention generally to make the valves of india-rubber or,
other material round in section, but by this I do not preclude other sections,
such as oval, or triangular, or any other shape which shall not require any,
transverse or lap-over bearing for the support of the valve; hence the very;
great obstructions to the flow of fluids caused by the small spaces in which it
has been necessary to form the seats for all flexible valves hitherto used will

page_text: be obviated by this Invention, and the fluid having a free passage on all sides
of the valve, a comparatively free and unobstructed ingress and egress will be
obtained.
This Invention consists, thirdly, of the application of a double ring valvė
made in U form, similar to the double cup leather used in hydraulic presses;
the inner ring to form the suction valve and the outer ring to form the delivery
valve, by operating upon seats adapted for them, or the outer ring may be
made to form the suction valve, and the inner ring the delivery valve,
according to the arrangement of the communicating passages.
In 'the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents the pump in longitudinal
sectional elevation; Fig. 2 is a section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1, on
plan; Fig. 3 represents a single cylindrical bar rubber or fexible valve; and
Fig. 4 represents a single longitudinal valve; Fig. 5 represents a compound
longitudinal valve in plan; and Fig. 6 represents three cylindrical ring valves
on a treble space seat, the middle ring or valve being in section; thus the
number of valves will be determined according to the area required; Fig. 7
represents the double ring valve, with so much of the pump as is necessary to
illustrate its application.
A, A, is the cover of the pump; B, B, the bottom; C is the pump barrel ;
D, the pump case (which can be used as an air vessel); E, the piston; F, F,
the seats of the two suction valves; G, the inlet; H, the passage, communi-
cating to the upper and lower suction valves; I, I, I, I, are the four flexible
valves; K, the space or passage around the barrel, into which the fluid is
forced at the ascent and decent of the piston through the upper and lower
delivery valves; L is the outlet; M represents a hand lever; N, a spring
stanchion; the spring in the stanchion obviates the necessity of a third pin,
and reduces the number of wearing parts; but the pump may be worked by
any ordinary method of actuating reciprocating rods.
The action of the pump is as follows:-When the piston performs the upward
stroke, the lower suction valve and the upper delivery valve will be expanded
from their seats simultaneously, the fluid will then enter the barrel below the
piston, and be discharged from the barrel above the piston at the termination
of the upward stroke; these two valves (being elastic) will close quickly on
their seats, and at the downward stroke of the piston the upper suction valve
and lower delivery valve will be actuated in a precisely similar manner; the
quick repetition of this action will effect a copious and continuous discharge at
the outlet L.
The pump, as specified in the first part of this Invention, can be worked in
any convenient possition, vertical, incline, or horizontal, without alteration or
:

page_text: the necessity of two sets of patterns, and the whole of the valves and seats,
together with the working barrel and piston, are accessible simultaneously by
simply removing the pump cover A.
The valves and seats, as specified in the second part of this Invention, may
be adapted to various kinds of pumps, blast engines, &c.
The double ring valves, as specified in the third part of this Invention, may
also be adapted to various kinds of pumps, chiefly to air pumps.
The metal valves provisionaly specified will be unnecessary for my purpose.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of improvements in pumps
and valves, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of pump as above set forth
by description and Drawing, or any mere modification thereof, wherein a great
working capacity is obtained in a small compass and at a comparatively small
cost.
Secondly, I claim the construction, application, and arrangement of valves
and seats above described as single and compound bar rubber or other fexible
valves and the continuous spaces, the two sides of which form the double seat
for the valve.
Thirdly, I claim the application of the double ring valve, for the purposes
above described, whereby I am enabled to combine an inlet and outlet valve
in the same piece of material.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Holman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
STEPHEN HOLMAN. (L.S.)