Water Motors for other Purposes.
Year: 1885

page_text: Water Motors for other Purposes.
I, JOSEPH EVANS, of the firm of Joseph Evans and Sons, of Culwell Pump
Works, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, hydraulic and general
engineers, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUMPING ENGINES, PARTLY APPLICABLE ALSO TO WATER MOTORS FOR OTHER
PURPOSES, to be as follows:-
This invention relates chiefly to duplex, triplex etc. steam pumping engines
employed to force water and other liquids, but is in part applicable also to other
descriptions of pumping engines, and to water motors for other purposes.
The chief object of this invention is (1).to provide simpler means than those
heretofore employed, for enabling the motive power cylinders of direct-acting
pumping engines to operate on a duplex or triplex etc. principle, that is so that one
of such cylinders operates the valve mechanism of a second cylinder to set the
piston of such second cylinder in motion before the piston of the first cylinder has
reached the end of its stroke, and so that (if the engine is desired to work triplex)
the second cylinder operates the valve mechanism of a third cylinder in like
manner, and so on with any desired number of cylinders, with the effect of keeping
the column of fluid in the main continuously in motion; and (2) to provide simple
and efficient means for condensing the exhaust steam from the motor cylinders of
pumping engines (when steam is the motive-power employed) whether working
simple or duplex, triplex etc., and whether high pressure or compound.
The means employed, according to this invention, by which the first cylinder of
a pumping engine is caused to operate the valve mechanism of a second cylinder,
consists of two puff ports, pipes or passages, passing from the side of the first
cylinder to the steam (or other motor) chest of the second cylinder, and in such
position, and in combination with any convenient type of valve moved by steam
or other fluid pressure in such chest, so that as the piston in the first cylinder
approaches one end of its stroke it uncovers one of such puff ports, or opens a
valve therein, thus allowing the steam (or other motor) to pass through such puff
port to the valve chest of the second cylinder, by which means the valve in such
chest is operated, and the piston in the second cylinder consequently commences its
stroke before the piston in the first cylinder has reached the end of its stroke
The piston in the second cylinder continues its stroke (or if such stroke is

page_text: '
completed remains at rest) until the piston in the first cylinder is approaching the
end of its return stroke, when the same operation takes place as before, that is the
piston in the first cylinder uncovers the second puff port or opens a valve therein,
and thus the stroke of the second piston is reversed before the first piston has
reached the end of its return stroke, and so on as before. The second cylinder may
be used to operate the valve of a third cylinder in a like manner, and so on
throughout any desired series of cylinders; and the cylinders may of course be
made to vary in diameter to meet the requirements of compounding, or for any
other purpose, and the strokes of the pistons may also be made to vary if found
convenient. This part of my invention is applicable also in the case of two or
more water-motor cylinders employed to act direct in driving bellows, or for
analogous purposes, as will be readily understood.
The method of condensing the exhaust steam, according to this invention, of the
engines above-described (whon steam is the motive power employed, and whether
the same are working simple or duplex, triplex etc., high pressure or compound)
consists in formning the plunger of the pump hollow so as to use the same as the
condenser, and passing the end of the exhaust pipe through a packing-box in the
end of such plunger. Tho exhaust pipe is fixed to the end of the pump. A. suction
or waste water pipe also passes into the hollow plunger, such pipe being preferably
brought through the exhaust pipe, and this pipe is connected with a suitable pump
which acts as the air-pump for the condensor. The engine bed may be formed as a
tank and be placed within a secondary tank, the space between such tanks being
supplied with a stream of water or other cooling medium. The main suction pipe
may be made to pass through the hollow bed, and the main exhaust pipe may be
connected with such hollow bed, in addition to its connection with the hollow
plunger, so that the cooling surfaco around such bed and suction pipe may assist in
condensing the steam The hollow bed thus forms part of the condensing apparatus,
and is of course properly connected with the air-pump. The hollow bed may be
used separately as a condenser in cases where it is not convenient to use the
hollow plunger as such. A separate pump may be employed, if desired, for the
hollow plungor, in which case the pump barrel may be formed within the hollow
plunger, and the suction pipe passing into the hollow plunger may form the
plunger for the air-pump. The condensation of the steam within the hollow
plunger and the hollow-bed may be assisted, if desired, by a small water jet.
My improvements in the means of condensing are applicable to steam pumping
engines generally, besides only such as are direct-acting.
D
1
1007

page_text: Improvements in Pumping Engines, Partly Applicable also to
Water Motors for other Purposes.
I, JOSEPH EVANS, of the firm of Joseph Evans and Sons, of Culwell Pump
Works, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, hydraulic and general engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of
reference marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This invention relates chiefly to duplex, triplex etc. steam pumping engines
employed to force water and other liquids, but is in part applicable to other
descriptions of pumping engines, and to water motors for other purposes also.
The chief object of this invention is (1) to provide simpler means than those
heretofore employed, for enabling the motive power cylinders of direct-acting
pumping engines to operate on a duplex, triplex, etc. principle, that is so that one
of such cylinders operates tho valve mechanism of a second cylinder to set the
piston of such second cylinder in motion before the piston of the first cylinder has
reached the end of its stroke, and so that (if the engine is desired to work triplex)
the second cylinder operates the valve mechanism of a third cylinder in like
manner, and so on with any desired number of cylinders, with the offect of keeping
the column of fluid in the main continuously in motion; and (2) to provide simple
and efficient means for condensing the exhaust steam from the motor cylinders of
pumping engines (when steam is the motive agent employed) whether working
simple or duplex, triplex etc., and whether high pressure or compound.
The means employed, according to this invention, by which the first cylinder of
a direct-acting pumping engine is caused to operate the valve mechanism of a
second cylinder, consists of two puff ports, passing from the side of the first
cylinder to the steam (or other motive agent) chest of the second cylinder, and in
such position, and in combination with any convenient type of valve moved by
steam or other fluid pressure in such chest, so that as the piston in the first
cylinder approaches one end of its stroke it uncovers one of such puff ports or opens
a valve therein, thus allowing the steam (or other motive agent) to pass through
such puff port to the valve chest of the second cylinder, by which means the valve
in such chest is operated, and the piston in the second cylinder consequently com-
mences its stroke before the piston in the first cylinder has reached the end of its
stroke. The piston in the second cylinder continues its stroke (or if such stroke is
completed, remains at rest) until the piston in the first cylinder is approaching the
end of its return stroke, when the same operation takes place as before, that is the
piston in the first cylinder uncovers the second puff port or opens a valve therein,
and thus the stroke of the second piston is reversed before the first piston has
reached the end of its return stroke, and so on as before. The second cylinder
may be used to operate the valve of a third cylinder in a like manner, and so on

page_text: throughout any desired series of cylinders; and the cylinders may of course be
made to vary in diameter to meet the requirements of compounding, or for any
other purpose, and the strokes of the pistons may also be made to vary, if found
convenient.
The method of condensing the exhaust steam, according to this invention, of a
steam pumping engine (and whether the same is working simple, or duplex,
triplex, etc., high pressure or compound) consists in forming the plunger of the
pump (or the plungers of two or more of the pumps) hollow so as to use the same
as the condenser, and carrying the exhaust steam thereto, either through a pipe fixed
to the end of the pump and passing through a packing-box in the end of the
plunger, or through a hollow piston-rod connecting the steam piston with the
plunger. A waste-water and air-delivery pipe is passed into the hollow plunger,
and, preferably, forms the plunger of a small pump carried within the hollow
plunger and which acts as the air-pump for the condenser. The engine bed is
formed as a tank divided by means of a diaphragm into an upper and lower
chamber, the upper chamber acting as part of the main suction pipe, and the lower
as a condenser, the exhaust piping being connected with such latter chamber. An
air-pump is, of course, provided to draw off the water and air from this chamber.
The engine bed is placed within a tank which is supplied with a stream of water
to circulate around the bed. When the engine bed is employed as a condenser, in
addition to the hollow plunger, such hollow plunger may be drained into the bed,
and thus the air-pump within the hollow plunger be dispensed with.
My invention will be clearly understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of direct-acting steam
pumping engines working on the duplex principle, and having my improvements
applied thereto. The back end pump of one of the pairs of pumps is shewn, by
this view, in longitudinal section. Figure 2 is a plan of figure 1, but shews one of
the steam cylinders partly in section. Figure 3 is a front end view of figure 1,
but shows the engine bed in transverse section. The remaining views will be
explained hereinafter. The same letters of reference occurring upon two or all of
the views 1, 2 and 3, indicate corresponding parts. A B is the engine bed,
divided by a diaphragm C into an upper chamber A and a lower chamber. B.
D and E are the steam cylinders, and F, G, H and J, the pump barrels. The
cylinder D operates by means of a valve mechanism and ports in any usual manner
for this class of engine, but is provided with two puff ports a a situated in such
position in the side of the cylinder, as shewn, that during each stroke of the piston
one of them may be passed over and uncovered by the piston before it has quite
reached the end of its stroke. Each port is connected, by means of one of a pair
of pipes bb, with the valve chest of the cylinder E, in such a manner, as will be
readily understood, that immediately upon one of such ports being uncovered by
the piston, the high pressure steam, flowing through the corresponding pipe b,
actuates the valve mechanism in the chest of the cylinder E and sets the piston
in such cylinder in motion in one direction of its stroke. A corresponding effect is
produced on the uncovering of the other puff port a, that is, the piston in the
cylinder E is set in motion in the opposite direction of its stroke, and thus such
piston always commences its stroke in one direction or the other before the piston
in the cylinder D has completed its stroke. These puff ports act in respect of the
cylinder E precisely as, and in lieu of, the puff ports which would, according to
means commonly adopted in the class of engines having valves actuated by fluid
pressure, be employed in the cylinder E itself. Similar puff ports in the cylinder E
may, correspondingly, operate the piston in a third cylinder, if such is used, and
so on throughout any number of cylinders. The cylinder E is provided with puff
ports by which it may be operated in the usual manner, by its own piston, in case
of a stoppage with the cylinder D, but such ports are plugged up when the engine
is working duplex. If the cylinder E is worked independently, the connection
through the pipes b b must, of course, be stopped. Corresponding provision may
be made also for operating each additional cylinder independently.

page_text: In lieu of simply uncovering the puff ports a a, the piston may be made to open
valves in such ports, if preferred, in any manner in which valves for analogous
purposes are opened by the travel of the piston, as will be readily understood.
K is a hollow plunger, and acts as a condenser for the cylinder D. c is a pipe
fixed to the back end of the pump barrel F and passed through a packing-box d
into the plunger. ee is the exhaust pipo from the cylinder D, and f a pipe con-
necting the pipe ee both with the chamber B of the bed and with the pipe c. g is
a force-pump within the plunger K, and acts as the air-pump therefor. h is the
delivery pipe for the pump, and is fixed to the back end of the pump barrel F, and
acts also as the plunger to the pump 9, such pipe remaining stationery while the
pump g reciprocates with the plunger K. j is a nozzle which may be employed
within the pipe c to supply a jet of water from the water main L, as a cooling
medium in addition to the cooling surface around the plunger K. M is a bend
pipe connecting the suction main with the chamber A of the bed, and N N are
branches on the pump barrels F and G, connecting such chamber with the suction
valves of those pumps. The pumps H and J are correspondingly connected with
the chamber A. O is an air-pump for the condensing-chamber B. PP is a tank in
which the bed is placed, and this tank is supplied with a stream of water to assist in
cooling the chamber B. The condensation of steam within the hollow bed, or within
the exhaust pipe leading thereto, may be assisted if desired by a small water jet.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of part of my invention, according to
which the exhaust steam is carried to the hollow plunger F through a hollow
piston-rod, instead of through the back end of the pump barrel. Figure 4 is a
longitudinal vertical section through the hollow plunger F, and figure 5 is a plan
of the cylinder D, partly in section, and corresponds to the view of the cylinder D
shewn by figure 2. The parts in figures 4 and 5 corresponding to parts in any of
the figures 1, 2 and 3, are similarly lettered. The piston-rod R is hollow and
open at each end. The front end is continued beyond the piston and passes
through a packing in the cylinder lid into a sleeve or chamber S. This sleeve is in
constant communication with the exhaust port in the steam chest, by means of the
passage m, and thus the exhaust steam passes from the exhaust port, first into the
sleeve S, and thence through the hollow piston-rod R into the hollow plunger K.
n is a small port which may be employed to inject a stream of water into the
plunger K, in lieu of the arrangement for the same purpose illustrated by figure 1.
n is a screw plug to regulate the quantity of injection water. A screw plug is not
essential for employment in the port n, but is preferred.
The engine illustrated is constructed to work high pressure in both cylinders,
and condensing apparatus is provided for each cylinder, as shown; but, if the
engine were constructed to work compound, condensing apparatus would be required
for the low pressure cylinder only, though more than one hollow plunger may be
employed in such case also, if desired.
The air-pump g in the hollow plunger is not necessary, when the chamber B also
is employed as a condenser, as the pipe h may be connected with such chamber,
and the wasto-water and air be thus drawn off from the hollow plunger K, through
the chamber B, by means of the air-pump O.
The part of my invention for enabling the motive-power cylinders of direct-
acting pumping engines to operate on a duplex, triplex, etc., principle is applicable
also in the case of two or more water motor cylinders employed to act direct in
driving bellows, or for analogous purposes, as will be readily understood.
My improvements in the means of condensing are applicable to steam pumping
engines generally, besides only such as are direct-acting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a direct-acting pumping engine, having two or more motive-power cylinders,
the means by which such engine is made to work duplex, triplex, etc., that is puff

page_text: ports a a in the side of one cylinder (with or without valves therein capable of
being operated by the motion of the piston) communicating with the valve chest
of another cylinder, and, if the engine has three cylinders, puff ports a a in the
second cylinder communicating with the valve chest of the third cylinder, and so on
throughout any number of cylinders completing a series, substantially as described,
and shewn and for the purpose set forth; and also such means applied to a direct-
acting water motor engine employed in driving bellows, or for analogous purposes.
2. In a direct-acting pumping engine, and also in a direct-acting water motor
engine employed in driving bellows, or for analogous purposes, working duplex, or
triplex etc., in the manner referred to in the preceding claim, the means by which
each cylinder which has its operation normally controlled by the puff ports of
another cylinder is made capable of being worked independently therefrom, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In a steam pumping engine, the employment of a hollow plunger as a con-
denser, and conveying the exhaust steam thereto, either through a pipe fixed to
the end of the pump and passing through a packing-box in the end of the plunger,
or through a hollow piston rod, with suitable means by which the waste-water and
air are drawn from such hollow plunger, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a steam pumping engine, the employment of a hollow plunger as a con-
denser, substantially as described and shewa.
5. In a steam pumping engine, the employment of a pump g within a hollow
plunger K, substantially as described and shewn, and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a steam pumping engine, the employment of a delivery pipe has the
plunger of a pump g carried within a hollow plunger K, substantially as described
and shewn and for the purpose set forth.
7. In a steam pumping engine, the port n and, preferably, the plug n', substan-
tially as described and shewn, and for the purpose set forth.
8. In a steam pumping engine, the combination of the hollow piston-rod R with
the sleeve or chamber S, substantially as described and shewn, and for the purpose
set forth.
9. In a steam pumping engine, the hollow bed divided, by means of a diaphragm,
into suction-water and condensing chambers, and provided with a suitable air-
pump for the condensing chamber, substantially as described and shewn, and for
the purpose set forth.
10. In a steam pumping engine, the hollow bed, employed as a condenser, carried
in a water tank, substantially as described and shewn, and for the purpose set
forth.