IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gwynne, of Hammersmith, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS."
Sealed the 18th March 1879, and dated the 19th September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gwynne at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1878.
JOHN GWYNNE, of Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS."
"IM-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
centrifugal pumps, and consists essentially in the application and use of a rotary air
exhauster of ordinary or other construction to such pumps in combination with a
specially constructed frame and bed plate, carrying the pump and exhauster in such
a manner that the latter is driven by belt or gearing directly from the driving
shaft or spindle of the pump, the whole forming one compact and simple arrange-
ment.
In carrying out my Invention the centrifugal pump is carried by a central flanged
boss mounted and radially adjustable in a circular bearing, and through which
works the horizontal driving shaft or spindle of the pump.
The outer bearing of this shaft or spindle (which in this case is straight) is in
the form of a cylindrical tube fitted into a corresponding hole in an upright frame
or standard, within which hole it can be turned round or adjusted, but is prevented
from shifting longitudinally by a set screw taking into a groove formed on its
circumference.
The two upright frames or standards carrying the pump and its driving shaft or
spindle project from a cast-iron bed plate for bolting down to the foundation. In
the body of the standard carrying the pump is formed the cylindrical chamber of a
rotary air exhauster, the spindle of which passes through to the opposite standard
where it is carried by a suitable bearing. The suction pipe to this exhauster passes

page_text: through to the outside of the standard, where it is connected with the discharge
pipe of the centrifugal pump, whilst the delivery pipe of the exhauster communi-
cates with the atmosphere. On the shaft or spindle of the centrifugal pump is
fixed a grooved or other shaped, pulley wheel which communicates by gut, belt or
gearing with a similar pulley on the spindle of the exhauster underneath or adjacent
thereto.
By this arrangement, on motion being given to the shaft or spindle of the centri-
fugal pump the blades or pistons of the exhauster are caused to rotate, and drawing
the air from the chamber and suction pipe of the pump causes a vacuum to be
formed therein, thereby dispensing with the usual foot valve in the suction pipe,
and rendering the action of the centrifugal pump certain under every condition of
working.
This combined arrangement of pump may be either driven by a cranked shaft or
spindle direct from the engine, or by a pulley fixed on the outer end of a straight
shaft or spindle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Gwynne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th March
1879.
JOHN GWYNNE, of Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS."
&
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
centrifugal pumps, and consists essentially in the application and use of a rotary air
exhauster of ordinary or other construction to such pumps in combination with a
specially constructed frame and bed plate, carrying the pump and exhauster in such
manner that the exhauster is driven by belt or gearing directly from the driving
shaft or spindle of the pump, and drawing the air from the chamber and suction
pipe of the latter causes a vacuum to be formed therein, thereby dispensing with
the usual foot valve in the suction pipe, and rendering the action of the centrifugal
pump certain under every condition of working, the whole forming one compact
and simple arrangement.
And in order that my said Invention may be well understood, I shall now proceed
particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
"
Figure 1 is an end sectional elevation of a specially constructed frame and bed
plate carrying the centrifugal pump and exhauster according to my Invention, and.
Figure 2 a side sectional elevation of the same.
A represents the centrifugal pump formed on one side with a central flanged boss
B, which is mounted in a circular bearing C formed in the hollow upright standard
D of the specially constructed frame and bed plate D, D1, D2, as shewn; the flange
of the boss B is secured against the front end of the standard D by T headed bolts
a, a, which are inserted from the inside of the hollow standard D, and passed
through an annular space b formed in its front end, concentric with the circular
bearing C, and through the flange of the boss B, against the front of which they
are tightened up. On loosening the bolts a, a, the flanged boss B with the centri-
fugal pump A can be shifted or adjusted radially in the circular bearing C to any
desired angle according to the direction in which it is required to discharge the
water delivered from the pump A, the bolts a, a, meanwhile slipping round and
taking up a fresh position in the annular "space b, where they are tightened as
3 before, and the pump thereby securely fixed in the desired position. Through the
stuffing box and gland E formed in the central flanged boss B passes the driving
shaft or spindle F of the pump A, which shaft revolves near its outer end in a
specially constructed bearing composed of a long metal (or other material)
cylindrical tube G, mounted and capable of radial adjustment in a corresponding
> hole formed through the top of the hollow standard D2 in which it is prevented
from shifting longitudinally, but kept in its proper normal fixed position by the
set screw H taking into a groove on its circumference. When the tube or bearing
G becomes too much worn on its driving side the set screw H is loosened, and the
bearing G turned round in the standard D² so as to present a fresh surface to the
5 driving side of the shaft or spindle F, which is thereby kept true to its work. To
the outer end of the shaft or spindle F is keyed the rigger I which is driven by
belt from the engine. Or in lieu of a straight shaft or spindle F as shewn the
centrifugal pump A may be driven by a crank shaft direct from the engine, or by
gearing or in any other manner that may be found most convenient. The upright
O standards D, D2, project from the cast-iron bed plate D' for bolting down to the
foundation, the whole forming one casting, which being of a hollow or box-like
construction ensures a strong and at the same time light and compact arrangement,
amongst the advantages of which are, that when the pump is required to be placed
on the banks of a river, canal, or lake, the suction pipe of the pump may be placed
5 at any angle to suit the inequality of the banks without the intervention of ball

page_text: joints, bends, and other appliances. Also, in case any obstruction finds its way
into the suction pipe the same could be lifted up and the obstruction_removed
without breaking the joints of the pipe by simply removing a few bolts. It admits
of the bolts and flanges of the suction pipe, being got at more easily than with the
old form of bed plate, and the whole is much lighter in weight.
In the body of the upright standard D underneath or adjacent to the driving
shaft or spindle F is formed the cylindrical chamber K of a rotary air exhauster L,
the spindle M of which passes through to the opposite standard D³, where it is
carried by a suitable bearing N ; the suction pipe O of the exhauster L passes through
to the outside of the standard D, where it is connected by a flexible (or other) pipe
P with the discharge pipe of the centrifugal pump A as shewn, whilst the delivery
pipe Qof the exhauster L communicates with the atmosphere. On the driving
shaft or spindle F of the pump A is fixed a pulley wheel R which communicates
with a similar pulley wheel S on the spindle M of the exhauster L, or the spindle M
may be driven off the shaft or spindle F of the pump A by gearing if preferred.
On the revolution of the shaft or spindle F of the centrifugal pump A the blades
or pistons x, x, of the exhauster L are caused to rotate, and drawing the air from
the chamber and suction pipe of the pump A causes a vacuum to be formed
therein, thereby dispensing with the usual foot valve in the suction pipe, and
rendering the action of the centrifugal pump certain under all conditions of working,
a great desideratum with this class of pump.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modified form of my Invention, in which the
exhauster is mounted on the front side of the discharge pipe of the centrifugal pump
A¹, the outer end of its spindle M' being furnished with a pulley S₁ which is driven
by belt from a similar pulley on the projecting pump end of the driving shaft or
spindle F of the pump A¹; the suction pipe O¹ of the exhauster communicates
directly with the discharge pipe of the pump A', the whole operating in a similar
manner to that described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
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 what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
'
1. The application and use of a rotary air exhauster to a centrifugal pump,
radially adjustable on a central flanged boss, in combination with a specially con-
structed frame and bed plate, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
2. The application and use of a rotary air exhauster to a centrifugal pump (or
pumps), substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gwynne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOHN GWYNNE. (L
(L.S.)