Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Liquids, and for other purposes for which Compressed Air or Gas is required.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Liquids, and
for other purposes for which Compressed Air or Gas is required.
I, ARCHIBALD BRUCE, of 67 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, Plumber, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for raising or forcing beer and other liquids
and for other purposes where compressed air or gas is required.
In raising or forcing engines, as is well known, water or other fluid pressure is
used to compress air or gas in a tank or cylinder. From the tank or cylinder the
compressed air or gas is drawn off for raising beer, blowing organs, and other
purposes.
The present invention comprises improvements in the valve mechanism for
regulating and controlling the water or other fluid pressure supply and exhaust and
also improvements in the general construction of apparatus of the class. hereinbefore
set forth.
The apparatus, as constructed under this invention, consists of a water tank or
cylinder preferably with a domed top. Fitted to the bottom of this cylinder is a vertical
rod upon which a ball float or valve is adapted to move up and down. The ball is
preferably fitted loosely to a sleeve which can slide on the rod aforesaid and which is
provided with a slotted arm at its lower end. The slotted part of the arm catches
on a pin or projection at one end of a weighted lever which is secured at or about its
centre to the plug of a four way cock. This plug has an annular groove.or space in
it which is filled with packing. The barrel of the cock is made in one with a
cylindrical casing in which works a piston valve as hereinafter set forth. The barrel
of the cock has four passage ways in it, one, at one side, leading to one end of the
cylindrical casing aforesaid, and, another, at the opposite side, leading to the other
end of the said cylindrical casing. A third passage way communicates with the water
or other fluid inlet whilst the fourth passage way communicates with the water or
other fluid outlet or exhaust. The cylindrical casing has three ports in it, preferably
at the underside, one, a large one, at the centre communicating with the exhaust,
and two smaller ones, one near each end, communicating with the interior of the
tank. A fourth port is made in the casing to communicate with the water inlet.
The piston valve which works in the casing consists of, preferably, a solid casting
made of a reduced diameter.at the centre. The ends of the valvo are, preferably,
hollowed out for lightness. The reduced part of the valve forms a passage way which
is capable of communicating with the exhaust and also with one of the porta leading
to the interior of the tank. A second passage.way, in the shape of a groove or the
like, made on the exterior of the piston, towards one end, is likewise capable of
opening communication between the water or other fluid inlet and the interior of the
tank.
The arrangement is such, that, on water being supplied to the tank, the float rises
until it eventually moves the weighted lever and plug cock thereby allowing. the
pressure water to gain access to one end of the piston valve and move it longitudinally
to such an extent as to open communication, by its passage ways, between the

page_text: interior of the tank and the exhaust. As a consequence the water runs out of the
tank through the exhaust and the float falls again until it eventually turns the cock
back again to its former position so as to admit water to the opposite end of the piston
valve and move it longitudinally in order to re-open, by its passage ways, the inlet of
pressure water to the tank and to cut off the exhaust. Each time the cock is turned
by the rising or falling of the float the piston valve is operated so as to either open
the water inlet to the tank or to open the exhaust therefrom.
The piston valve may have packing grooves in its circumference.
In order to deaden the sound of the pistou valve as it moves from end to end of its
casing rubber discs or cushions are provided at each end of the casing. Each disc
may have a slot in it to allow the pressure water to gain access to the end of the piston
valve.
1900
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Liquids, and
for other purposes for which Compressed Air or Gas is required.
I, ARCHIBALD. BRUCE, of 67 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, Plumber, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for raising or forcing beer and other liquids
and for other purposes where compressed air or gas is required.
In raising or forcing engines, as. is well known, water or other fluid pressure is
used to compress air or gas in a tank or cylinder. From the tank or cylinder the
compressed air or gas is drawn off for raising beer, blowing organs; and other
purposes.
The present invention .comprises improvements in the construction and, in the
valve mechanism of single acting apparatuses of the class hereinbefore set forth.
The improvements are pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.
My Patent No. 29808 of 1896 (of even date herewith) refers to double acting
apparatuses or engines and their valve mechanism.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings whereon:-
Fig 1 shows, in vertical section, by way of example, a single acting beer engine
constructed in accordance with iny invention.
Fig 2 is a plan of the engine the top a' being removed.
Fig 3 is a plan, fig 4 is a sectional plan, fig 5 is an inverted sectional plan; and
fig. 6:is a cross section of the valve.
Fig 7 is a view of the valve piston...
The apparatus, as constructed under this invention, consists of a water tank or
cylinder a preferably provided with a domed top a¹. Fitted to the bottom of this
tank is a vertical rod b upon which a ball float c is adapted to nove up and down.
The ball is preferably fitted loosely on a sleeve d which can slide on the rod aforesaid
and which is provided with a slotted arm ejat its lower end and a stop button at its
upper end. The slotted part of the arm catches a pin or projection f at one end of
a weighted lever g which is secured, at or about its centre, to the spindle of the
plug of a four way cock i. The plug, as shown at figs 4, 5, and 6, has two passages

page_text: at each side and a contral web between. is one passage and the other passage..
The barrel of the cock is made in one with a cylindrical casing in which works a
piston valve indicated in dotted lines at figs, and 5 and in full lines, at figs. 6
and 7. "The barrel of, the cock has four passage ways in it, one l, at one side,
leading to one end of the cylindrical casing aforesaid and another, at the opposite
side, leading to the other end of the said casing. A third passage way 12 in the
casing communicates with the water or other fluid inlet p whilst the fourth passage
way communicates with the water or other fluid outlet or exhaust pl... It will be
noticed that all the passage ways 1,,,, are made in the metal of the casing.
The passage is made in the rib o of the casing whilst the passages .,, are inade
in the ribs o, o of the easing. The casing has three ports in it, at the underside,
ohe, a large one; m, at the centre communicating with the exhaust pand two
smaller ones n, n', one near each end, communicating with the interior of the
tank a. A fourth port 8 is or may be made in the casing at the upper side. This
port corresponds with the port and communicates with the interior of the tank.
A passage way n is made in the rib o and communicates with the inlet p.
The piston valve k consists of a-solid casting made with a reduced part at the
centre as shown at fig 7. The ends of the valve are preferably hollowed out for
lightness as indicate 1 in dotted lines at fig 7. The reduced part forms.a passage
way which is capable of opening communication between the exhaust pl and also
with the ports n, n³, leading to the interior of the tank. A second passage way in
the shape of a groove q, or its equivalent, is made on the .exterior of the piston at
one end and is capable of opening communication between the passage n* leading
from the water inlet p and the port n leading to the interior of the tank.
In order to deaden the sound of the piston valve as it moves froin end to end of
the casing rubber discs or cushions »,, are provided at each end of the casing.
Each disc has a slot or cut out parts in it to allow the live water or other fluid to
gain access to the ends of the piston valve.
The arrangement is such, that, on water being supplied to the tank a, the Boat a
rises until it eventually, by catching against the button d, lifts up the sleeve and
slotted arm e to such an extent as to move the weighted lever g and turn the plug
cock and cause it to open communication between, say, the passage 12, and the
passage thereby allowing the pressure water to flow froin the inlet p to the left
hand end (fig 4) of the piston and move it longitudinally to such an extent as to
open communication between the passages n¹, ns, and the exhaust outlet p¹ and
thereby allow the water in the tank to run away through the ports n¹, n³, round the
reduced part of the piston valve to the exhaust. As the water drains away the
float falls again until it eventually, by the movements of the slotted arm e and
weighted lever g, turns the cock back again to its former position, that is, to the
position to admit water from the inlet p and passage to the passage 1, 8, and the
right hand end of the casing so as to move the piston valve back again and open
communication between the inlet p, passage n', groove q, and port n and thereby
allow water to again flow into the tank a. This return movement of the piston
valve also cuts off communication between the ports n', ns, and the exhaust pl. It
will thus be seen that each time the cock is turned by the rising, or falling of the
float the piston valve is operated so as to either open communication between the
water inlet and the tank in order to permit water to flow into the tank or to open
the passages communicating with the exhaust in order to allow the water to drain
away from the tank. As will be seen at figs 4 and 5 the outlet passages n¹, n³, are
larger than the inlet passage n.
The piston valve may have packing grooves in its circumference.
The compound cock and valve can be adapted for use, where suitable, with other
forms of mising or forcing apparatus besides the apparatus shown on the drawings.
At figa 1, and 2 the compound valve is shown as screwed down to the bottom of
the tank the exhanst p communicating with the exhaust pipe t.
The air or gas valves u, u, shown at the top of the dome fig. 1 may be the oame
as those described in the Specification of my prior patent No 18337 of 1889,

page_text: The present invention is to a certain extent an improvement, upon my prior
Patent No 15,941 of 1890.
Having now particularly described and' ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim is
1. A compound piston-valve and plug cock adapted for single acting engines
having its parts constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to figs. 3 to 7 of the drawings annexed.
2. In combination, a tank, a float, a sleeve (d) and slotted arm (e), or equivalent,
operated by the float, a weighted lever (9) operated by the arm (e) and the compound
piston-valve and plug cock for controlling the supply of pressure fluid to the. tank
and the exhaust therefrom, the several parts being constructed and arranged
substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 27th day of Sentember 190*
H. D. FITZPATRICK
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.