IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM VACUUM PUMPS
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM VACUUM PUMPS" 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 that class of pumps by which water is elevated by the
production of a vacuum in cylinders by means of steam.
The difficulty heretofore encountered with this kind of pump has been the tardy
movement of water into and out of the cylinders in consequence of the time
required for producing a vacuum, the result of which has been an intermittent
flow of water and uncertainty of action.
:
According to this invention these objections are overcome by employing a valve
and a pipe connection of novel construction between the cylinders, in consequence
of which it is unnecessary to wait for all the water to be driven from a cylinder
before the steam valve will shift, for the reason that the discharge pipe is above
the bottom of the cylinder, so that steam comes under the water in the pipe and
then suddenly commingles with the water, thereby relieving the cylinder of so
much pressure and the end of the valve over it, that the more active steam at the
other end of the valve will shift the valve.
Heretofore the construction has been such that the steam so impinged on the
water being discharged that a largely decreased vacuum was the result.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of the pump and of the
valve, valve case and pipe connection with the cylinders.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the valve case and connecting pipes, with the
valve removed.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the valve removed from the case.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the valve and case on the line x x
Figure 2.
i..
B. D indicate the two vacuum cylinders of ordinary construction and W is the
base connecting their bottom ends.
D

page_text: :
F is the discharge pipe which is made large enough at the place of connection
with the base W to provide room for the two exit valves I over the inner ends of
the pipes or channels H, H, which pipes or channels connect the cylinders with the
discharge pipe F.
G is the supply pipe which communicates with the cylinders B, D, by means of
the pipes or channels H H¹, baving valves 6 placed over their ends which enter
the cylinders.
R, S represent two pipes which respectively connect the cylinders B. D, with the
valve case A, L, K, This case with litsvalve is constructed as follows:-The
valve E has four parts J, J, L, L, connected by the core a a¹ as shown. The seat
for the valve is longer than the valve as shown at Figure 1, so that the valve may
have a longitudinal movement; and in the lower part of the case are formed two
openings 1 and 4 which communicate with the valve chamber, and pipes R, S,
Formed annularly around the valve seat and inside the case are three grooves d, m, d.
The grooves d; d, communicate with the valve chamber and respectively with the
pipes R, S, but the groove m only communicates with the valve and with the
steam pipe C. A partition N placed below the groove m prevents any communi-
cation of the pipes R, S.
A 10
That part of the valve case shown at A with the pipes R, S, is by means of
suitable cores cast in one piece, but the heads L' K are cast separate with
lugs in order that they may by suitable bolts, be secured to the part A.
The valve consists of a four-barred core a a¹a with rings L L and cupped
heads J cast solid therewithras more clearly shown in Figure 3. Through each
head J J is formed a small hole c for the passage of steam into the chambers e, e,
in the heads L, K. This I consider an improvement as the steam acts against a
solid head, and there is also more surface for the steam to act upon and more
elasticity is utilized in the action of steam. The valve however will shift by the
action of steam from the holes c against a solid head, but such action is not found
to be quite so prompt.
1.7
1
11
The openings 1, 4 are to admit steam to the chambers e, e, at the ends of the
valve, the annular grooves d, d, to the spaces 'between the parts J, L; and the
groove m to the space between the parts L, L.
".
The material of which the apparatus is composed is preferably mostly cast iron,
but the cylinders B, D may be made of boiler iron with cast heads and flanges:
The water enters the cylinders alternately through the pipes or channels G, H, H',
and is discharged through pipes H, F, and the action of the valve and steam is as
follows. By means of a suitable connection steam from a boiler is admitted through
the pipe C, and (assuming the valve to be in the position shown at Figure 1, that
is abutting against the head K of the valve case) passes into the space a' between
the parts L; thence through the left hand part L into the space a to the left of it
and from thence onto the top of the water in the cylinder B and into the
chamber ein the head L¹ between 'the end of the valve and the said head. :
The pressure of steam forces the water out of cylinder B, and when the steam
reaches the lowest part of the pipe H it suddenly commingles with the water
rushing up through it thereby condensing and causing a partial vacuum at the left
hand end of the valve, while the steam in chamber e in the head K is more active
and shifts the valve to the left, allowing steam to enter the cylinder D in which
the steam operates in the same manner as in cylinder B. The pump will continue
to work automatically so long as steam 'and water are supplied.
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.
I. .
L
J
First. In a steam vacuum pump for elevating water, the valve case A L' K
constructed with the pipe attachment R, S openings 1, 4 communicating with the
valve chamber and the pipes RS, the annular grooves d d m, the steam pipe C
and the partition N, in combination with the valve having the four parts J, L, L, J,

page_text: spaces a, a, a between them and holes c through the heads J, J, the said valve
alternately directing steam into the cylinders B D as specified.
Second. The valve case A, L', K, and valve constructed as described in com-
bination with the steam chambers e e in the heads L'K, for the purpose specified.
Third. The valve, the valve case and the pipes RS in combination with the
cylinders B D pipes or channels H H and with valves I placed above the pipes H
at their points of connection with the pipe F the said pipes H being so arranged
as to bring the steam below the discharging water all substantially as specified,
Dated this 18th day of Anril 1885
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.