Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 13th May, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by FRANÇOIS ROMAIN, of Avenue de la Gare à l'Echallion,
par Vareppe Isère, in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman 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 improved apparatus for raising and forcing liquids is more particularly adapted
for raising beer or other liquids from the cellar to the bar or place where they are
consumed but it is also evidently applicable for raising and forcing liquids generally
and for obtaining motive power.
Pumps worked by hand are commonly employed to force air under pressure into a
vessel for the purpose of raising beer or other liquids from cellars to the Bar or
apartment where they are consumed.
All these arrangements as heretofore employed produce varying pressures and it
becomes necessary to work the apparatus frequently in order to maintain a uniform
pressure. Moreover many of these systems owing to their arrangement and especially
to the air chamber which is indispensable to their action presents serious disadvantages
from a hygienic point of view. They are found after a time to contain deposits of
stale beer, for example containing much noxious matter, such as a mixture of rust,
coom and various growths, poisoning the air which is contained under various
pressures in the air-chamber, being intermittently forced in, frequently with excessive
energy.
The arrangement hereinafter described is perfectly automatic in its action, it utilises
the natural pressure of a head of water and obviates the employment of an air-
chamber or accumulator into which air is forced by a pump. This arrangement
comprises a motor cylinder for water and an air-compressing cylinder, coupled
together by a rod common to the pistons in the two cylinders as hereinafter described.

page_text: When the apparatus is employed as a motor the air-compressing cylinder is
dispensed with, and the piston rod of the motor cylinder is connected by a connecting
rod to a crank shaft provided with a fly-wheel and a driving pulley, for example.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I will now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents an elevation partly in section of
an automatic apparatus constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan partly in Section, the Section being taken along
the line 1-2-3, Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a vertical Section taken along the line 4-5, Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a detail of a handle or lever hereinafter described, being for use when the
supply of water fails.
This apparatus is composed of a motor cylinder A, containing water and an air
compressing cylinder B, the pistons in these two cylinders being connected by a
common piston rod C, D, working in suitable stuffing boxes. Before entering the
cylinder A, the motive fluid is caused to pass through a pressure regulator or
reducer M, placed upon the conduit a r, so. This pressure regulator is provided with
a valve whereby the pressure is adjusted as required by means of a screw serving to
regulate the pressure exerted by a spring upon the valve. Once adjusted, the pressure
keeps constant without further attention. At the lower part of the cylinder A there
is a distributing valve or slide which may work upon a flat or cylindrical scat being
operated by any ordinary or suitable means, but it is preferred to use a conical or plug
valve E as indicated in the Drawing. This plug valve works in a socket or body cast
in one with the cylinder A. The plug is hollow and is divided into two
compartments F, F, by a partition f, Figure 3. The motive fluid from the pressure
regulator M enters the cylinder A through the compartment F, and after doing work
in the cylinder is discharged through the compartment F.
The inlet and outlet compartments are each provided with two orifices G G¹ and
HH corresponding with ports in the socket communicating with the ends of the
cylinder A. A lever I is pivoted on the axis of the plug or valve and is provided
with a counter-weight, being also connected by a rod with a cross-head T on the
common piston rod C, D, of the cylinders A and B.
The lever is thus caused to oscillate by the reciprocating motion of the piston
rod but only acts upon the valve when it comes in contact with shoulders or
projections J, formed on the latter, and the extent of its oscillations are limited on
both sides by stops KK cast on the body or case of the valve. The extent of movement
imparted to the valve is consequently very small relatively to that of the lever.
When the orifices G and H uncover the corresponding ports, the piston of the
motor cylinder A moves in the direction of the arrow a, figure 1, until it reaches the
end of its stroke. At this moment, the lever I comes in contact with the left hand,
shoulder J, and turns the plug E so that the orifices G₁ and H uncover their
respective ports, thereby reversing the introduction and escape of the motive fluid.
The piston is then propelled in the opposite direction, the valve being again operated
at the end of the stroke as hereinbefore described.
The reciprocating motion of the motor piston is transmitted to the piston in the air-
compressing cylinder B, by the piston rod C. D. The cylinder B draws in air
at a through ball valves, and forces it out through similar valves into a pipe so
which conducts the air to a glass purifying vessel O.
This purifier contains cold water and acts as a filter for the air which is caused to
pass through the water and in its passage is separated from any dust or impurities
that it may carry. The air from the purifier which is provided with a suitable
manometer passes through a pipe so" to the liquid which it is required to raise by
pressing on the surface thereof.
There is no dead point so that whatever be the position of the parts when the
apparatus is at rest, it starts automatically, directly the relative pressure of the liquid

page_text: to be raised is below that of the head of water actuating the apparatus. This is an
important advantage for Licensed Victuallers, as it saves the time usually lost in
going to the cellar to re-establish the pressure. The action is perfectly automatical ;
whenever any liquid is drawn off, the apparatus comes into action, and makes good the
resulting loss of pressure. The speed increases in direct proportion to the delivery and
the motion of the apparatus ceases directly the equilibrium is re-established. The
cylinders A and B, are fixed on the same cast iron bed-plate which also carries the
pressure regulator or reducer M, and the purifier O. In case of failure of the supply
of water the apparatus can be worked by hand, by means of a lever L, R, fulcrummed
at N, and connected to the cross-head T, by an elongated hole passing over a stud on
the cross-head.
It is evident that the apparatus may be made of any suitable shape or dimensions as
regards the individual or constituent parts thereof and that it may be used as a motor
by converting the reciprocating motion into a circular motion by means of a
connecting rod and cranked shaft carrying a fly-wheel acting as a pulloy. Employed
in this manner, the apparatus may be used for raising water to considerable elevations
or as a motive power Engine in small Establishments.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In an apparatus for raising and forcing liquids, the combination of the motor
cylinder A, and the air-compressing cylinder (B,) with a common piston-rod (CD,)
operating the distribution valve for the motive fluid in the manner and for the purpose
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second. The combination of the motor cylinder A and a pressure regulator or
reducer M in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In apparatus for raising and forcing liquids, the combination of the air-
compressing cylinder B, with an air purifier O in the manner and for the purpose
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In combination with the motor cylinder A the means for effecting the
distribution of the motive fluid consisting of a conical or plug valve E with a
partition f, and orifices G G and H, H' acting in combination with ports in the
socket or body in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. The general arrangement and combination of the motor cylinder A, the
distribution valve E, the pressure regulator M, the compressing cylinder B and the
purifier O, constituting an automatic apparatus for raising liquids, maintaining a
continuous pressure and acting in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Sixth. The combination of the cylinder A, the distribution valve E and a connecting
rod and crank for converting the rectilinear motion into a circular motion, employed
as a motor, all combined and operating as and for the purpose substantially as
hereinbefore described.