Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Pumping Gritty Fluids.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Pumping Gritty
Fluids.
I, WILLIAM JORDAN, of 120 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent,
Agent for The International Contract Company a corporation organized under
the laws of the State of New Jersey, U.S.A, and doing business at Syracuse,
County of Onondaga, State of New York, U.S.A. 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 statement annexed:-
The present improvements relate to means for preventing the intrusion of grit
into the piston packing in apparatus for pumping gritty fluids by means of a
cylinder and a single acting piston.
In such apparatus the gritty fluid presses upon the lower side of the piston
during the forcing stroke, and is especially liable to crowd into the piston packing
at such times, and such intrusion of the grit is in the present invention prevented
by constantly maintaining a pressure of clean fluid upon the upper side of the
piston in excess of the pressure of the gritty fluid upon the opposite side, and
permitting a regulated leakage of the clean fluid past the edge of the piston. The
wall of the cylinder is thus washed in advance of the piston's movement throughout
the discharge stroke of the latter.
The invention also includes means for actuating two pistons alternately by water
pressure or by mechanical agency, and special constructions for the valves and pipe
connections to prevent concussion in the pipes or the settling of the sand therein.
The apparatus is especially adapted for use in dredging operations; where it
would be located upon a boat floating in the water where the dredging was
required, the suction pipe being arranged to draw the mud from the bottom of the
water.
In case the pistons are moved by the direct application of water pressure, a force
pump would be arranged with its suction pipe immersed in the surface of the water,
and clean fluid thus be obtained to actuate the pistons.
By arranging the pistons vertically, the clean fluid would be forced into the
same at the upper end, and directed alternately into either cylinder by a suitable
shunt valve. By discharging the clean fluid from the upper end of each cylinder,
through an outlet pipe back to the water level, the power required to discharge the
water from the cylinders would be greatly reduced; as the columns of clean fluid
would thus balance one another. To prevent the clogging of the suction pipe
which draws the sand from the bottom of the water body, a sleeve is sustained
around the nozzle of the suction pipe, and its upper end supplied with fluid
automatically from the water body above the sand. A suitable proportion of
water may thus be admitted to mingle with the sand as it enters the nozzle of the
suction pipe.
These improvements will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing, in
which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus ;
Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus ;
Fig. 3 a side elevation with one of the cylinders and sand chambers removed;
Fig. 4 is a vertical section where hatched, at the center line of one cylinder ;
with the air chamber in section on line y, y, in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 shows in elevation the inner wall of the air chamber with check valve
moved laterally.

page_text: Fig. 6 is a view partly in section, of an alternative construction for the check
valve joint;
Fig. 7 the inner face of the bonnet, and valve shifting crank;
Fig. 8 is a section, where hatched, on line =,, in Fig. 7; and
Fig. 9 shows the under side of the trunnion pivot with section of the valve stem.
Fig. 10 is a section of the by-pass valve.
A. portion of the dredging boat or scow X is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and Fig. 11
shows an end elevation of the boat and pumping apparatus with the suction pipe
removed.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the boat and apparatus floating in a water body
with the suction pipe extended to the mud at the bottom. The boat X is shown in
section at the couter line of the nearer pump cylinder, and the boat and the sand
discharge pipe are both broken at the right hand end for want of space upon the
drawing to represent the whole length.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the suction nozzle with the sleeve in section
thereon; Fig. 14 is a sectional plan of the same taken on line 14, 14, in Fig. 13;
and Fig. 15 is a sectional plan of the same taken on line 15, 15, in Fig. 13.
In Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive, the pump cylinders are shown provided with means
for actuating the pistons by water pressure; while Figs. 11 and 12 show the
pistons connected with a mechanically vibrated walking beam. The apparatus will
first be described in connection with Figs. 1 to 10.
The shell A. of each cylinder is shown formed with removable head B and
nozzle C at one side adjacent to the head. The nozzles C have connection with
the opposite sides of a cylindrical casing G containing a shunt valve G'. At the
top of the casing is provided a connection H to the force pump, and at the bottom
a connection to a discharge pipe H¹ termed the siphon pipe herein.
I designates the pistons with rods I connected by links 12 to the opposite ends
of a beam 13. The beam is pivoted upon frame J' which is shown supported upon
the nozzles C. A sand chamber J is projected from the bottom of each cylinder
and provided at one side with an outlet pipe L which is extended through the wall
of an air chamber M2. Within the sand chamber the pipe L is formed with an
elbow or mouth K turned toward the bottom of the chamber, which is shown of
concave shape. M designates the inlet pipe of each sand chamber, which is
projected inside of the wall of the same, and suitably connected with a suction
nozzle which would be properly supported in the mut or sand to be pumped.
Check valves L' and M' are applied, respectively, to the inner ends of the
pipes L and M, being formed upon the back with a transverse joint m to which is
hinged a pivot arni N. The outer end of the arm is swiveled in a trunnion
socket N' which is hinged by pivot n in the end of a crank N².
The crank N is shown mounted upon a shaft N³ secured trausversely within a
removable bonnet N adjacent to the inlet pipe, the end of the shaft being pro-
jected outside the bonnet and fitted to apply a wrench or handle to turn it when
required. The crank N is provided to slide the valve across its seat in case stones
or sand accumulate behind the valve so that it cannot swing back from its seat, and
a priming of water can then serve to wash away such obstructions.
The universal joint formed by the hinge pivots of the valves enables them to
seat approximately when obstructed upon any side. A delivery sand pipe M³ is
connected with the air chamber at or about the same level as pipes L and M, the
space above the pipes serving as an air reservoir, to equalize the flow of the fluid
in such delivery pipe. The outlets Lenter the chamber at its opposite side, thus
directing their currents toward the delivery pipe M³, as indicated by the arrows b
in Fig. 2, and serving to scour the bottom of the air chamber, as indicated by
arrows in Fig. 3. The plug of the shunt valve G is made as a rectangular plate
which is shown in Fig. 1 turned to direct the fluid into the right hand cylinder A ;
but in Fig. 4 is turned to discharge the fluid from such cylinder to siphon
pipe H
The downward movement of the right hand piston, which would be effected by

page_text: the adjustment of the shunt valve shown in Fig. 1, then operates to elevate the
opposite piston mechanically, and to discharge the clean water above such piston
from the cylinder. The face of the valve plug is formed as a cylindrical segment G²,
made a little narrower than the receiving passage from the supply pipe H, and thus
permits a certain portion of the fluid to enter the casing G as the plug moves over
such passage.
The supply pipe H is thus relieved from shocks and jars which would be caused
by a complete stoppage of the flow. To prevent a stoppage of the flow through
the delivery sand pipe M³, a pipe O with a by-pass valve O is extended from the
pipe H above the shunt valve to the air chamber M². In case of any stoppage in
the movement of the pistons, the water under pressure is then delivered to the sand
pipe M3 and prevents the settling of the sand therein. The by-pass valve O¹ i3
loaded, as by a weight 02, with only sufficient force to balance the frictional
resistance of the pistons, with their rods and walking beam, and the friction of the
sandy fluid through the outlet pipes and the air chamber M². When operating
the apparatus upon a dredging boat X, as shown in Fig. 1, the clean fluid for the
force pumps would be drawn from the surface a, a, of the water about the boat,
and the pipe H' would discharge to the same level. Such discharge pipe acts as a
siphon pipe, its height being much greater than the height of the fluid in the
cylinders A above the pistons, and thus operating to diminish the pressure above
the pistons when moving upward upon its suction stroke.
The periphery of the piston is provided near its upper edge with a packing R¹
having an adjustable packing ring R, and an annular groove Q is formed below
the packing and connected with the upper side of the piston by holes Q¹. The
piston, below the groove, is made loose enough to discharge an annular film of
water. The vacuum beneath the piston is always greater than that produced
by the siphon, as the sand is drawn from a lower level, and with a greater
frictional resistance, and an excess of pressure is thus maintained above the
piston.
The pressure above the piston is also greater during the forcing stroke as the
fluid pressure applied to the upper side of the piston is required not only to
discharge the sand but to overcome all the frictional resistance of the apparatus
and of the fluid in the pipes.
Such excess of pressure thus operates constantly to produce a discharge of clean
water downward through the annular leakage space below the groove, thus washing
the grit from the wall of the cylinder, and preventing the grit from crowding
upward into the packing R'.
To discharge air which may accumulate below the piston, an aperture S is
extended through the piston rod, and a pipe with cock T is connected to the top
of the rod to discharge the air. To prime the sand chamber and its connecting
pipes, in starting the pump, a pipe V is connected with the upper part of the
cylinder A and the bottom of the sand chamber. Such pipe is directed toward
the mouth of the elbow K, and thus operates to loosen the sand and throw it into
such pipe. A cock V is provided to open pipe V when required, and a branch
pipe W is shown to drain off all the water from the sand chamber when desired.
A cock W would be placed in the pipe W to keep it closed at other times, and a
steam siphon W2 may be used to drain the water from the chamber to a higher
level.
Hydraulic cylinders c, c', are provided to shift the shunt valve, having trunk
pistons connected by rods d, d', with a double armed lever e upon the shaft e¹ of
the shunt valve. Boxes f, f', for piston valves, are shown connected with a
chamber g having inlet and outlet pipes h, ³, for the water supply. The valve
boxes are connected by pipes k, k', with the cylinders c, c', and the piston valves
are connected by a walking beam i operated by tappets upon the walking beam 13.
The tappets operate alternately, near the end of the stroke of the pistous I, to
shift the beam and valves within the boxes f, f1, thus actuating the rods d. d',
alternately, and shifting the sbunt valve in the desired manner,

page_text: The tappets are shown fitted in slots in the walking beam 1³, and may be
adjusted therein and clamped in a suitable position.
To release the rod I readily from the piston, a detachable connection is used,
consisting of a bushing having a shoulder l' at its lower end and divided
longitudinally, and fitted to a socket in the hub of the piston.
The piston rod is formed with an annular groove, and the interior of the bushing
is fitted to such groove upon the rod and held from longitudinal movement in the
piston by the shoulder. The bushing 1 may be applied to the groove upon the rod
before the rod is inserted in the piston, and the introduction of the bushing into
the hub of the piston then locks the bushing upon the rod.
Such connection detaches itself automatically if the piston be obstructed when
moving downward, and thus prevents accidents.
Figs. 11 and 12 show means for washing the wall of the piston where the piston
rods are actuated by the walking beam instead of fluid pressure. The walking
beam is shown provided with a rock shaft I and lever arm, to which power may
be applied by any suitable means, to reciprocate the pistons I alternately.
The upper parts of the cylinders A are joined by a direct channel or water
connection C¹, and as the pistons move in opposite directions the fluid above the
pistons moves back and forth from one cylinder to the other.
A steam pump p is shown drawing water from the water body a through a piper
and delivering it into the channel C₁ by pipe 2ª. The movement of the pump is
adjusted to deliver a fixed volume of fluid through the pipe r', while the pistons I
are in motion, and as the volume of water above the pistons is unchanged by their
movement, the fluid delivered from the pump operates to discharge a film of water
continuously downward past the edge of the pistons, thus washing the wall of the
cylinder as desired.
To prevent the delivery of more fluid to the cylinders A than could be discharged
past the edges of the pistons, a loaded safety valve may be applied to the pipe r¹
or to the connection C¹, or a by-pass valve which is indicated diagramatically
at s in Fig. 11, may be inserted in the pipe and connected with the pipe r, thus
delivering the excess of fluid back to the suction of the pump p.
A steam pipe t is shown connected with the power cylinder of the pump p, and
a throttle valve t¹ is shown inserted in the same; which may be governed by a
pressure regulator inserted in the pipe ', such regulator being diagramatically
indicated and designated by the letter u, and connected by link u with the lever of
the valve t¹.
By such construction the pressure regulator may control the speed of the pump,
and any excess of pressure above the pistons I may be automatically prevented.
In Figs. 11 and 12, the pipes M are shown connected with a hinged pipe Y
having a nozzle turned downward to reach the saud; which is designated by the
letter Y¹.
A sleeve Z is shown in Fig. 13 sustained upon the nozzle by a clamp collar
and adjusting screws z having nuts z¹ fitted to opposite sides of a flange Z¹ upon
the top of the sleeve, which is left wholly open for the admission of water.
The
sleeve is centered around the lower end of the nozzle by a clamp collar q¹ formed
with lugs w which project in different directions to the inner side of the sleeve, as
shown in Fig. 15. The sleeve is represented without its fastenings around the
nozzle in Fig. 12, its upper end extending above the sand into the water body, thus
drawing the water freely into the upper end of the sleeve, and permitting it to
mingle with the sand which flows into the nozzle; the movement of the sand and
the water being indicated by suitable arrows.
The greater the projection of the sleeve beyond the mouth of the nozzle the
greater the proportion of water which would enter the nozzle with the sand or
mud; and the degree of dilution may thus be regulated by suitably adjusting the
sleeve by the nuts. The pipe Y is represented with an car y having a rope y
which would be used to raise and lower the same, and the sleeve may thus be readily
adjusted when the nozzle is thereby lifted above the water.

page_text: From the above description it will be seen that the apparatus affords an efficient
means of moving a gritty fluid by a piston, without exposing the piston or the
cylinder lining to contact with such fluid. It also furnishes means for diluting the
sand or mud as it enters the suction pipe, for maintaining the flow of fluid in
the sand pipe M³, in case the pumps are obstructed, and for clearing away all such
obstructions in the most convenient manner by a water current. A dredging
apparatus constructed with these improvements may therefore be used continuously,
thus securing the utmost economy in its operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed herein is :
1. The method of cleansing the wall of the cylinder in pumping gritty fluids
within a cylinder having a moving piston, which consists in discharging a film of
water past the edge of the pistou during the forcing stroke, as herein set forth.
2. The method of preventing the access of grit to pistons, in pumping gritty
fluids within two connected cylinders having pistons moved by means of their
piston rods in opposite directions, which consists in forcing water into both
cylinders above the pistons with a pressure exceeding the resistance below the
same.
3. In a sand pump, the combination, with two upright cylinders and pistons
connected to move in opposite directions, of a suction pipe for sand projected from
the lower part of the cylinder into a body of water, means for moving the pistons
to draw in the sand, means for drawing the clean fluid from the said water body
and forcing it into the cylinder under pressure to move the piston downward, and
a siphon pipe for discharging the clean fluid, upon the return stroke, to the same
water body.
4. In a sand pump, the combination, with two cylinders and pistons connected to
move in opposite directions, of the shunt valve casing G, nozzles C extended from
the sides of the casing to the upper ends of the two cylinders, a water pressure
pipe H connected to the casing, and the pivoted shunt valve G operated to direct
the water from the pipe H alternately into the upper ends of the cylinders, and
suitable connections to the lower ends of the cylinders, for admitting and discharging
the sand.
5. The combination, with two cylinders A having pistons connected by a walking
beam, of the nozzles C at the upper ends of the cylinders connected by a shunt
valve casing G, the shunt valve G having shaft e¹ with double armed lever
P the
hydraulic cylinders c, c', with pistons connected to the arms of the lever
means actuated by the walking beam for admitting the water alternately to such
hydraulic cylinders.
e,
and
6. In a single acting sand pump, the combination, with the cylinder having
piston I and means for supplying a motive fluid to the cylinder above the piston,
of the sand chamber J having an inlet and outlet near the bottom, and the pipe V
with cock V¹connecting the opposite ends of the cylinder and chamber to flush the
bottom of the chamber when desired.
7. In a single acting sand pump, the combination, with the cylinder A having
piston I movable therein, and sand chamber with suitable inlet and outlet for the
sand, of the pipe V and the cock V₁ connecting the opposite ends of the cylinder
and chamber, and the pipe W with cock W₁, provided with steam siphon W² to
discharge all the water from the cylinder and chamber to a higher level.
8. In a sand pump, the combination, with an upright cylinder and piston movable
therein, of a sand chamber below the same having a suitable inlet with check valve,
and an outlet pipe extended through the side of the chamber and having its
mouth K projected downwardly toward the bottom of the chamber, and the pipe V
with cock V adapted to discharge fluid from the top of the cylinder into the
bottom of the sand chamber beneath such mouth, to clear out the same when
required.
9. In a single acting sand pump, the combination, with an upright cylinder, of a

page_text: piston movable therein and piston rod having an air vent extended through the
same with valve or cock to regulate the discharge of air.
10. In a sand pump, the combination, with the cylinders having pistons I
connected to move in opposite directions, of the nozzles C upon the sides of the
cylinders near the top, with the valve casing G between the same, the water
pressure pipe H with passage through the top of the casing, the pipe H' with
passage into the bottom of the casing, and the shunt valve G₁ having face G2
narrower than the passage from the pipe II, to avoid closing such passage in its
movement over the same.
11. In a sand pump, the combination, with the cylinders and pistons connected
to move in opposite directions, of a shunt valve arranged and operated to direct
water alternately into the cylinders, a water pressure pipe for supplying water to
the shunt valve, a by-pass pipe connecting the delivery pipe with the discharge of
the sand pump, and a slightly loaded valve in the by-pass pipe to relieve the water
pressure pipe and maintain the flow of water in the sand discharge pipe.
12. In a single acting sand pump, the combination, with a vertical cylinder
having piston with rod projected through the top, with an inlet for clean water
above the piston, and an inlet for the sand below the same, of means for main-
taining a pressure of clean fluid continuously upon the upper side of the piston, a
piston packing at the upper edge of the piston, a water groove near the lower edge
of the piston with annular leakage space below the saine, and holes extended from
the groove to the upper side of the piston, to wash the wall of the cylinder with
water therefrom during the forcing stroke.
13. In a sand pump, the combination, with a suitable seat, of a check valve
hinged to swing to and from its seat, and provided with joints to oscillate in any
plane, and stops to limit its movement.
14. In a sand pump, the combination, with a suitable seat, of a check valve
hinged to swing to and from its seat, and provided with joints to oscillate in any
plane, stops to limits its movement, and means for sliding the check valve laterally
upon its seat when obstructed in its swinging movement.
15. In an apparatus for dredging, the combination, with a suction pipe having a
nozzle adapted for insertion in the mud, silt, or sand, of a sleeve sustained around the
nozzle at a suitable distance therefrom, with its upper end extended into and open
to the water, substantially as herein set forth.
16. In a dredging apparatus, a suction pipe having a sleeve sustained around
the nozzle at a suitable distance therefrom with its upper end open, and means for
adjusting the sleeve longitudinally upon the nozzle, substantially as herein set
forth.
17. In combination with the vertical cylinder A and piston I actuated by water
pressure upon its upper side, of the piston rod I having annular groove, and
bushing divided longitudinally and fitted internally to the groove in the red and
externally to the bore of the piston, and provided with the shoulder to bear
upon a shoulder on the piston, as and for the purpose set forth.
8th October 1895.
WM. JORDAN.