IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER BOXES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Norton, of No. 47, Tynemouth Road, Heaton, in
the Parish of Longbenton and County of Northumberland, Engineer, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER BOXES."
66
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Norton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1880.
ROBERT NORTON, of No. 47, Tynemouth Road, Heaton, in the Parish of Long-
benton and County of Northumberland, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER
BOXES."
My improvements in strainer boxes consist in the application of a covering piece
actuated by a screw or other convenient mechanism, so as both to scrape outside
the perforations of an ordinary strainer box for the removal of impediments to the
passage of the fluids strained; and also for regulating the amount of opening in
the strainer box in such way as to enable a pump applied to it to suck to a lower
level (without drawing air) than it could do with the ordinary strainer box. My
Invention, altho' applicable to other purposes where strainer boxes are required, is
specially applicable to bilge strainer boxes on board ships.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Robert Norton in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February 1881.
ROBERT NORTON, of No. 47, Tynemouth Road, Heaton, in the Parish of Long-
benton and County of Northumberland, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER
Boxes."
My improvements, in strainer boxes consist, in the application of a covering
piece actuated by a screw or other convenient mechanism so as both to scrape
outside the perforations of an ordinary strainer box for the removal of impediments
to the passage of the fluids strained; and also for regulating the amount of
opening in the strainer box in such way as, to enable a pump applied to it to suck
to a lower level (without drawing air) than it could do with the ordinary strainer
box. My Invention, altho' applicable to other purposes where strainer boxes are
required, is specially applicable to bilge, strainer boxes on board ships. Having
thus described the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more particularly to
describe the manner of its operation as follows, that to say, reference being had
to the Drawings and lettering thereon annexed':-Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a
bilge strainer box according to, my Invention; Fig. 2, is a section of the same on
the lines A, B, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same as seen from the side A.; the
same letters represent similar parts in each Drawing. C, C, is the passage of the
bilge suction pipe D, D, D, D; E, E, E, are perforations in the same pipe, of such
size as to allow of the passage of water, thin mud, or small particles of matter; but
to prevent the passage of larger solid bodies, which might choke the passages or
block the pump valves, as is well understood; F, F, is a sleeve pipe with a gland
and stuffing box, as shewn, which sleeve pipe is capable of being moved up and
down on the bilge suction pipe by means of the screw G and the hand wheel H. I
prefer to turn the pipe D and to bore the sleeve pipe F and its gland so as to make
them approximately fit each other so as to secure facility of movement, and that
the stuffing box on F be approximately air tight.. When the apparatus is thus
arranged, if the water to be pumped be in large quantity, so as to have its level
above the highest of the perforatious E, I raise the sleeve pipe so as to be also
entirely above that level. If in the progress of pumping it be found that impedi-
ments accumulating round the inlets to the suction pipe interfere with the free
action of the pump, I apply the screw G to depress the sleeve pipe, the lower edges
of which being bevelled off, as shewn at J, shear off or depress external obstructions,
so that on again raising the sleeve pipe a more free passage is obtained than
previously existed. If however the quantity of water to be pumped be small in
quantity, or its level below the level of the highest of the perforations E, so that
the pump would without a sleeve pipe draw air, I lower the sleeve pipe by means
of the screw by degrees, as the water level falls, so as to prevent the entrance of
air to the pump until, if needful, the level of the water falls to the level of the
lowest row of perforations, and thus I effect two very important objects. I remove
accumulations of impediments to the passage of water to the pump by a very
simple operation, and by regulating the position of the sleeve pipe I am enabled
to draw water from a much lower level than could be done with strainer boxes or
pipes of the ordinary construction. I have described, for the sake of illustration,
a very simple form of strainer box, but I would have it understood that my
Invention is not confined to any particular form of box or pipe, but consists in the
application of a sliding cover to a strainer box of any convenient form, for the
purposes and substantially as described. And I would have it also understood
that it is not merely applicable to bilge pumps on board ship, but to pumps used
for any other purpose, as, for instance, in the sinking of shafts where the

page_text: sleeve piece is to some extent, if strongly made, of further service in protecting the
suction pipe from the effects of blasting. And I desire further to say that in cases
where the impediments likely to accumulate over the openings E, E, are of such
character as to present difficulties in shearing off or depressing, I make these.
perforations in the form of vertical slots, and attach to the sleeve piece plough
pieces of iron or steel approximately fitting such slots, and so arranged as to force
away the impediments in question, and altho' I have described a screw and
other matters of detail, any convenient mechanism may be substituted for such
details.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Norton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness to the signature
of Robert Norton,
B. G. NICHOL,
28, Falconar Street,
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
ROBERT NORTON. (L.S.)