IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Philip Preston, John Theodore Prestige,
and Edwin James Preston, carrying on business as Engineers, Brass
and Iron Founders, at Deptford, in the County of Kent, under the
style of Josiah Stone and Company, also John Allen Fowler, in the
employ of the said Firm, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUMPS."
Scaled the 11th May 1875, and dated the 13th November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Philip Preston,
John Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston, and John Allen
Fowler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 13th November 1874.
We, FREDERICK PHILIP PRESTON, JOHN THEODORE PRESTIGE, and
EDWIN JAMES PRESTON, carrying on business as Engineers, Brass and
Iron Founders, at Deptford, in the County of Kent, under the style of
Josiah Stone and Company, also JOHN ALLEN FOWLER, in the employ of
the said Firm, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," to be as follows:—
This Invention relates to improvements in pumps, and consists in
fitting one or more pistons combined with one or more buckets in a pump

page_text: barrel, so that each piston has the effect of a double-acting pump and
each bucket the effect of a single-acting pump without the intervention
of any fixed covers between the pistons or between the pistons and buckets.
The Invention is carried into effect as follows:-Into an ordinary pump
barrel (vertical preferred) we fit two pistons and one bucket with suitable
rods and cranks, so as to give each of them the same amount of traverse
in the pump barrel. The bucket is placed at the top and is attached to
the same rod as the lower piston, the rod of which works through the
middle piston while the rod of the middle piston works through the
upper bucket, the parts where these rods work through the piston and
bucket being fitted with cupped leathers so as to prevent leakage. We
fit 2 channels or passages to the outside of pump barrel, No. 1 passage
leading from the bottom of the pump barrel to the top thereof, with a
communication from it into the interior of pump barrel midway between
the lower and middle pistons, and the No. 2 passage leading from the
bottom of the pump barrel to nearly the top thereof, where it enters into
the pump barrel midway between the upper bucket and the middle
piston. The No. 1 passage is fitted with a suction valve at its bottom
inlet and a delivery valve near its outlet, while the No. 2 passage is fitted
with a suction valve at its bottom inlet, the valves in the upper bucket
being made to act as its delivery valves.
During one half the stroke the middle and lower pistons move towards
cach other, drawing water behind them through No. 2 passage, and
forcing water before them through the communication in pump. barrel
into No. 1 passage, and thence through the delivery valve into the pump
head, at the same time the top bucket ascends, drawing water behind it
through No. 2 passage, and forcing water before into the pump head.
During the other half of the stroke the middle and lower pistons move
in-opposite directions, drawing water behind them through No. 1 passage,
and forcing water before them, that from the lower piston passing through
No. 2 passage, and thence through the valves of the top bucket, and
that from the middle piston passing through the valves of the top
bucket (which would then be descending) into the pump head.
It will thus be seen that the lower piston performs the work of one
double-acting pump, as it is fully effective at both the up and down
strokes. The middle piston also performs the work of another double-
acting pump, and the top bucket the work of a single-acting pump, so
that we get the power of five ordinary single-acting pumps from one

page_text: pump barrel; besides, this result is obtained without the use of any fixed
covers, as it is usual to fit in the case of the employment of double-
acting pumps, as by our arrangement we utilize the working plungers
and buckets as covers, and by these means the whole of the internal
working parts of the pump barrel can be drawn out together through the
pump head, and the number and description of parts are rendered
exceedingly simple.
We prefer to employ one bucket and 2 pistons with a two-throw crank
as above described, but sometimes use the same arrangement with a
three-throw crank, the two pistons and the bucket being then each on-
separate rods. Sometimes we use 2 buckets and one piston, which give
the effect of 4 single-acting pumps; sometimes we use 1 bucket and
1 piston, which give the effect of 3 single-acting pumps; sometimes
we use 2 pistons, which give the effect of 4 single-acting pumps; and
sometimes we use three pistons, which give the effect of 6-single-acting
pumps, but in the two last-mentioned cases we have to employ a fixed
cover on the top of the pump barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Philip Preston, John Theodore Prestige,
Edwin James Preston, and John Allen Fowler in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
PHILIP PRESTON, JOHN THEODORE PRESTIGE, and EDWIN JAMES PRESTON,
carrying on business as Engineers, Brass and Iron Founders, at Deptford,
in the County of Kent, under the style of Josiah Stone and Company,
also JOHN ALLEN FOWLER, in the employ of the said Firm, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Frederick Philip Preston,
John Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston, and John Allen Fowler,
Her special licence that we, the said Frederick Philip Preston, John
Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston, and John Allen Fowler, our

page_text: •
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Frederick Philip Preston, John Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston,
and John Allen Fowler, our 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 5
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Frederick Philip Preston, John
Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston, and John Allen Fowler, or 1
one of us, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or one of our 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 1
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Frederick Philip Preston, John
Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston, and John Allen Fowler, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner 2
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to improvements in pumps, and consists in
fitting one or more pistons combined with one or more buckets in a pump
barrel, so that each piston has the effect of a double-acting pump and 2
each bucket the effect of a single-acting pump without the intervention
of any fixed covers between the pistons or between the pistons and
buckets, also to general arrangement and construction of parts of pumps
substantially as herein-after described.
The Invention is carried into effect as follows:-Into an ordinary pump 3
barrel (vertical preferred) we fit two pistons and one bucket, with suitable
rods and cranks, so as to give each of them the same amount of traverse
in the pump barrel. The bucket is placed at the top, and is attached to
the same rod as the lower piston, the rod of which works through the
middle piston, while the rod of the middle piston works through the a
upper bucket, the parts where these rods work through the piston and
bucket being fitted with cupped leathers so as to prevent leakage. We
fit two channels or passages to the outside of pump barrel, No. 1 passage

page_text: leading from the bottom of the pump barrel to the top thereof, with a
communication from it into the interior of pump barrel, midway between
the lower and middle pistons, and the No. 2 passage leading from the .
bottom of the pump barrel to nearly the top thereof, where it enters into
the pump barrel midway between the upper bucket and the middlo
piston. The No. 1 passage is fitted with a suction valve at its bottom
inlet and a delivery valve near its outlet, while the No. 2 passage is fitted
with a suction valve at its bottom inlet, the valve in the upper bucket
being made to act as its delivery valves. During one half the stroke the
middle and lower pistons move towards cach other, drawing water behind
them through No. 2 passage and forcing water before them through the
communication in pump barrel into No. 1 passage, and thence through
the delivery valve into the pump head; at the same time the top bucket
ascends, drawing water behind it through No. 2 passage, and forcing water
before it into the pump head.
During the other half of the stroke the middle and lower pistons move.
in opposite directions, drawing water behind them through No. 1 passage
and forcing water before them, that from the lower piston passing
through No. 2 passage, and thence through the valves of the top bucket,
and that from the middle piston passing through the valves of the top
bucket (which would then be descending) into the pump head.
strokes.
It will thus be seen that the lower piston performs the work of one
double-acting pump, as it is fully effective at both the up and down
The middle piston also performs the work of another double-
acting pump and the top bucket the work of a single-acting pump, so
that we get the power of five ordinary single-acting pumps from one pump
barrel; besides, this result is obtained without the use of any fixed covers,
as it is usual to fit in the case of the employment of double-acting pumps,
as by our arrangement we utilize the working plungers and buckets as
covers, and by these means the whole of the internal working parts of
the pump barrel can be drawn out together through the pump head
and the number and description of parts are rendered exceedingly
simple.
We prefer to employ 1 bucket and 2 pistons, with a two-throw crank
as above described, but sometimes use the same arrangement with a
three-throw crank, the two pistons and the bucket being then each on
separate rods. Sometimes we use two buckets and one piston, which give
•

page_text: the effect of four single-acting pumps. Sometimes we use one bucket
and onc piston, which give the effect of three single-acting pumps:
Sometimes we use two pistons, which give the effect of four single-acting
pumps, and sometimes we use three pistons, which give the effect of
six single-acting pumps, but in the two last-mentioned cases we have to
employ a fixed cover on the top of the pump barrel.
The annexed Drawings will fully explain the mode of construction
we prefer to adopt in making a pump as first above described.
Figures 1 and 2 are sectional elevations of pump. A is the pump
barrel, B is the top bucket, C is the middle piston, D is the lower piston
fixed on same rod as top bucket B; E is the No. 1 passage leading from
bottom of pump barrel to the top thereof, with a communication G upon
it into the interior of the pump barrel, midway between the lower and
middle pistons, fitted with suction valve H and delivery valve K, with
doors Hand K' for ready access thereto. F is the No. 2 passage leading
from the bottom of pump barrel to nearly the top thereof, where it enters
into the pump barrel midway between the upper bucket B and the
middle piston C. This passage is fitted with suction valve J with door J'
for ready access thereto; L is the pump head acting as air vessel, and
into which the water is discharged by the pistons and buckets, thence
escaping by delivery outlet O; M, M, are the slides to which the rods
of buckets and pistons are attached, and to which motion is given by the
crank N.
The action of the pump is as follows:-During one half the stroke
the middle piston C and the lower piston D move towards each other,
drawing water behind them through suction valve J and passage F, and
forcing water before them through the communication G into the
passage E, and thence through delivery valve K into pump head L; at
the same time the top bucket B ascends, drawing water behind it through
suction valve J and passage F, and forcing water before it into pump
head L.
During the other half of the stroke the middle and lower pistons move
in opposite directions, drawing water behind them through suction
valve H and communication G, and forcing water before them, that from
the lower piston passing through the passage F and thence through the
. valves of the top bucket, and that from the middle piston passing through
the valves of the top bucket (which would then be descending) into the
pump head L.

page_text: Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a pump as above, but fitted with a
bucket containing the suction valve J, such bucket being below the
lower piston, and having the suction valve within it instead of as in
Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation and Figure 5 an exterior view of a
pump as above, but fitted with one piston and one bucket on separate
rods, and having the effect of three single-acting pumps.
During one half of the stroke the piston descends, drawing water
behind it, and. forcing water before it into the pump head, while at the
same time the top bucket ascends, drawing water behind it, and forcing
water before it into the pump head.
During the other half of the stroke the piston ascends, drawing
water behind it, and forcing water before it through the valves of the
top bucket (which would then be descending) into the pump head.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not
confine ourselves to the exact arrangements specified above (as other
details and combinations may be used), but what we claim is,—
Firstly. The fitting of one or more pistons combined with one or more
buckets in a pump barrel, so that each piston has the effect of a double-
acting pump and each bucket the effect of a single-acting pump without
the intervention of any fixed covers between the pistons or between the
pistons and buckets, as set forth.
Secondly. The general arrangement and construction of parts of pumps,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Philip Preston, John
Theodore Prestige, Edwin James Preston, and John Allen Fowler,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of
May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
.