IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS FOR PUMPING, COMPRESSING, OR FORCING AIR, WATER, Gas, OR OTHER FLUIDS OR LIQUIDS.”
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wilson, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, and George Wilson, of Glasgow, aforesaid, Ironfounder,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS FOR PUMPING, COMPRESSING,
OR FORCING AIR, WATER, Gas, OR OTHER FLUIDS OR LIQUIDS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wilson and George
Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1879.
THOMAS WILSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer,
and GEORGE WILSON, of Glasgow, aforesaid, Ironfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUMPS FOR PUMPING, COMPRESSING, OR FORCING AIR, WATER, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS
OR LIQUIDS."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in pumps for pumping, com-
pressing, or forcing atmospheric air, gas, or other fluids to any desired pressure,
and for pumping or forcing water or other liquids, consists of a steam and pumping
cylinders, the pistons of which are mounted on opposite ends of the same piston rod.
Under one arrangement a valve chest is placed at one side of the steam cylinder,
in which a double piston or slide valve is situated. The steam for actuating the
pump is admitted to the space between the two pistons, or to the back of the valve,
from whence it is distributed to actuate the piston of the steam cylinder through
steam ports in the ordinary manner. Exhaust ports are also provided, leading
from the valve chest to an exhaust pipe. On the same spindle with the double
piston or slide distributing valve another piston valve is fixed, the said valve being
situated in a separate valve chamber or casing, which is provided with two ports
leading into another chamber or casing, wherein a slide valve is situated. The said
slide valve is connected to a spindle, one end of which projects into the steam
cylinder, and the other into the pumping barrel of the apparatus.
When the piston of the steam cylinder or plunger of the pump approaches the
termination of its stroke it comes in contact with the spindle of the slide valve,
whereby the said valve is moved so as to admit steam through one port to the
piston valve last referred to. The pressure of steam on the said valve causes it to

page_text: move and actuate the double piston or slide valve, and thereby admit steam
through the steam ports to the actuating piston of the pumping apparatus. The
exhaust steam-from-the-slide-valve-and-the-single-piston valve in connection there-
-with passes through a_port_or_passage. into the double piston valve casing, from
whence it passes to the exhaust pipe-In-conjunction with the slide valve and the
single piston valve a coil-or-other-suitable spring is or may be used to assist in
starting the double piston valve, the said spring being specially of use when the
-pump has been stopped with the double piston valve covering both ports.
Induction and eduction valves of ordinary construction are provided-for-the
ingress and egress of the air, gas, water, or other fluid or liquid to and from the
barrel of the pump.
Under a modification of the apparatus a steam tight sleeve is formed on or fixed
to one end of the steam cylinder. In an enlargement of the sleeve a slide valve is
situated, and formed with a tail projecting into the steam cylinder. A rod or
spindle screwed or otherwise fixed into the piston passes through the projection on
the valve, and is formed with a flanch or shoulder on its upper end. When the
piston descends the said flanch acting on the slide valve moves it in one direction,
and on the reascent of the piston the said piston acting on the projection moves
the valve in the opposite direction. The slide valve distributes steam to a single
piston valve, which actuates the double piston or slide distributing valve in the
manner herein before described. A spiral or other spring is or may also be used
with this arrangement, as and for the purpose herein before set forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by .
the said Thomas Wilson and George Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th January 1880.
THOMAS WILSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer,
and GEORGE WILSON, of Glasgow, aforesaid, Ironfounder. IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUMPS FOR PUMPING, COMPRESSING, OR FORCING AIR, WATER, GAS, OR OTHER
FLUIDS OR LIQUIDS."
Our said Invention relates to improvements in engines for pumping, forcing, or
compressing atmospheric air, gas, or other fluids to any desired pressure, or for
exhausting such fluids from any receptacle, chamber, or other space, and also to
engines for pumping, raising, or forcing water or other liquids, and it consists in
improved arrangements of apparatus for distributing steam to the steam cylinders
of such engines, whereby the said engines are rendered automatic in their action.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood we now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or under which
the same is or may be used or carried out in practice, reference being had to the
appended Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
On the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a
side elevation of a pumping engine, the steam distributing valves and valve appa-
ratus of which are arranged and constructed in accordance with our said Invention.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line a, b, Figure 1; Figure 4, a horizontal
section on the line c, d, Figure 1; and Figure 5, a plan of the engine.
As shown by Figures 1 and 2 the engine consists of a steam cylinder A and
pumping cylinder B, the pistons of which are mounted on opposite ends of the
same piston rod C, which passes through stuffing boxes in the adjacent ends of the
cylinders, which ends may or may not be formed in one casting. At one side of
the steam cylinder A a valve chest D is formed, and preferably lined with a hollow
cylindrical sleeve E composed of brass, gun-metal, steel, or other suitable metal.
In the lining two double rows of holes or openings communicating with the ports F
of the cylinder A are made, as seen at Figure 1. The holes nearest the centre of
the valve chest act as steam induction passages, whilst the holes nearest the ends
of the chest are eduction passages, from whence the exhaust steam passes outwards
into the exhaust passage through ports or openings a at the ends of the valve chest.
A double piston steam distributing valve G is situated in the hollow cylindrical
lining of the valve chest D, and steam to actuate the pump is admitted through
the steam pipe H between the two pistons, from whence it is distributed to the
piston of the cylinder A through holes, openings, or ports in the hollow cylindrical
lining, as hereinbefore described. On the same spindle with the double piston
valve G another piston valve I is fixed, the said valve being situated in a separate
valve casing or chamber J secured to the lower end of the steam cylinder A, and
provided with two ports b and c leading into another valve casing or chamber K,
formed preferably in the same casting with it. In the chamber K a slide valve L
is situated and connected to a spindle d, one end of which projects into the steam
cylinder A, and the other into the pumping cylinder B, as shown at Figure 1. The
chamber K communicates by a steam port or passage e, shown in dotted lines at
Figure 1, with the hollow cylindrical lining E of the valve chamber D, at that part
of the said lining which forms the steam space between the pistons of the double
piston valve G, by which means steam to actuate the piston valve I is supplied to
the chamber K, from whence it is distributed by the valve L to the valve I alter-
nately through the ports b and c. The exhaust steam from the said valve is con-
ducted into the main exhaust passage N of the cylinder A, seen more particularly
in dotted lines at Figure 2, and in horizontal section at Figure 3;. by an exhaust

page_text: passage f, shown in dotted lines at Figure 1 of the Drawings. The auxiliary slide
valve Lis circular or curvilinear in contour, and it is situated in a round or cylin-
drical chamber, a pin or stud h screwed through the back of the chamber, as seen
at Figure 1, being employed-to-prevent-the-valve- from turning round; or instead of
-the pin-or stud a plate, spring, or equivalent means may be used for that purpose;
_or_the_valve L may be of ordinary construction; and work over a flat valve face in
the usual manner.
In the pumping engine under reference the valves M of the pumping cylinder B
-are-shown.adapted for compressing, forcing, or exhausting atmospheric air, gases, or
other fluids, but it is to be understood that the pumping cylinder and-its valves-
constitute no part of our said Invention, and that the said cylinder may have valves
adapted for the pumping of water or other liquids fitted to it according to the
purpose for which the improved engine is to be employed.
The action of the steam distributing valves of the improved engine is as follows:-
When the piston of the steam cylinder A, or that of the pump B, approaches the
termination of its stroke towards the centre of the engine it comes in contact with
the end of the spindle d of the auxiliary slide valve L projecting into the steam or
pumping cylinder, and acting on the said spindle shifts or so moves it, and with it
the valve L, as to admit steam from the chamber K through one of the ports b, c,
to the upper or under side of the single piston valve I. The pressure of steam on
the said valve causes it to move downwards or upwards, and the double piston
valve G being mounted on the same spindle with it is at the same time actuated
in the like direction, whereby steam is admitted to the upper or under side of the
piston in the cylinder A through the ports F. In conjunction with the auxiliary
slide valve L and the single piston valve I a coiled spring O situated in a chamber
made in the end of the valve casing D, as seen at Figure 1, is or may be used to,
by its pressure, assist in starting the double piston valve G, the said spring being
specially servicable when the improved pumping engine has been stopped with the
double piston valve covering both the induction ports F of the steam cylinder A.
Instead of employing a double piston valve in conjunction with the single piston
valve I and auxiliary slide valve L to distribute steam to the steam cylinder A, as
herein before described and shown at Figure 1 of the appended Drawings, an
ordinary slide valve P may be employed for that purpose, in conjunction with the
valves I and L, as seen by the section, Figure 6 of the Drawings, which represents
a portion of the steam cylinder. With this arrangement in order that the main
or second motion slide valve P may be operated in unison with or in the same
direction as the piston valve I the ports for admitting steam to actuate the said
valve from the chest or casing K of the first motion or auxiliary slide valve L cross
each other, as seen at Figure 6. Steam is admitted to and exhausted from the
chest or casing K. by steam ports or passages leading from the slide valve casing D,
and to the main exhaust port Q of the steam cylinder A, in the manner herein before
described with reference to the first arrangement. In lieu of employing an ordinary
slide valve in conjunction with the valves I and L, as in the arrangement last
described, a double ported slide valve may be used as seen in section at R, Figure 7
of the accompanying Drawings. Under this arrangement the inner ports k, which
are constructed in the ordinary method of a double ported valve, communicate
through their open ends at each side of the valve with the valve chest or casing D,
and through the ports n with the cylinder A, whilst the ports m communicate with
the exhaust Q. When a main slide valve of this construction is used the ports
leading from the valve casing or chamber K to the casing of the piston valve I are
not crossed, as in the preceeding arrangement.
Under another arrangement, seen at Figure 8 of the Drawings, and which is
applicable to lift pumps for collieries and other pumps used for lifting purposes, the
auxiliary slide valve instead of being actuated in one direction by the piston of the
pumping cylinder, as in the arrangements herein before described, is actuated by a
pin or striker formed on the slipper guide S, to which the piston rod T of the
steam. cylinder A and connecting rod U to the bell crank ✓ of the pump are

page_text: attached. The piston of the cylinder A in approaching the termination of its stroke
towards X actuates the auxiliary slide valve in one direction, in the manner herein-
before described, whilst the said valve is operated in the opposite direction by the
pin or striker l.
Instead of placing the steam and pumping cylinders close together, as seen at
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings, they may be placed the full length of the stroke,
or a greater distance apart, in which case the spindle of the auxiliary slide valve is
actuated in one direction by a pin or striker formed on the piston rod or on a
sliding guide block, as at Figure S, in lieu of being actuated in the said direction by
the piston of the pumping or steam cylinder.
The arrangement shown at Figure 8 may also be made applicable to the steam
distributing valves of steam hammers by attaching to or forming on the head of
the "tupp
a pin or striker, which will shift the auxiliary slide valve when the
hammer approaches the termination of its upward stroke.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and several systems or modes in or under, which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we con-
sider to be novel and original, and therefor claim as the Invention secured to us
by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination and arrangement of the double piston valve G, single
piston valve I, and auxiliary slide valve L, with its spindle d, or any mere modi-
fication thereof, and the employment of the said combination in pumping engines,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown at Figures 1
to 5 of the appended Drawings.
Second. The combination and arrangement of a single piston valve and an
auxiliary slide valve with an ordinary or with a double ported main distributing
slide valve, substantially as described, and the employment of the said combination
in pumping engines, as and for the purposes set forth with reference to Figures 7
and 8 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Third. The combination and arrangement of a double piston or of an ordinary
slide, or of a double ported main distributing slide valve, with a single piston valve
and auxiliary slide valve actuated by a pin or striker on a slipper guide or on the
piston rod, and the employment of the said combination in pumping engines, sub-
stantially as herein before described and in part shown at Figure 8 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilson, on behalf of myself and the
said George Wilson, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
THOMAS WILSON. (LS.)