IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lako,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS." A communication from abroad by Henry S.
Lockman, of New Brighton, and William F. Jobbins, of the City of New
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th June 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS." [A communication
from abroad by Henry S. Lockman, of New Brighton, and William F. Jobbins, of
the City of New York, both in the State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in pumps to be operated by hand, steam,
or other power, and comprises a double acting pump, having a valveless piston
oscillating or swinging in a triangular piston chamber and other devices, as heroin-
after described.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I employ a triangular piston
chamber which may have two end walls, and a curved floor or bottom cast in one
piece, the said walls being a little farther apart at the top than at the bottom, to
ensure the better fitting of the oscillating piston, as more fully hereinafter explained.
The side walls of the piston chamber aro set obliquely, being fastened in place by
screws or otherwise. The walls of the said chamber are completed by a metallic
cap, the joints of which are closed by suitable packing. The oscillating piston, to
the sides of which is secured the metallic packing, having at its upper ends the
metallic washers, fits and swings between the two end walls, said walls being a
little wider at the top than at the bottom, as above stated, to accommodate
themselves to the conformation of the piston. The piston is supported upon the
circular terminations or washers of the metallic packing, which washers rest upon
semi-circular grooves in the top of the end walls. By this construction the joints
at the bottom and sides of the piston are tightened as the parts wear by the slight
descent of the piston between the end walls, and thus forms a self-adjusting suction.
The packing of the piston-under the fixed metallic cap is effected as follows, that is
to say-I employ an adjustable metallic plate grooved on its face to adapt itself to
the crown of the piston, and provided with leather or other suitable packing and a

page_text: thumb-screw, by which means the crown of the piston is kept sufficiently packed,
while the lower edge of the piston is held in its proper relative position to the
curved floor. Instead of the thumb-screw, a metallic or other self-adjusting spring
may be placed between the fixed cap and the metallic plate.
The vertical edges of the piston have grooves, into which plates are fitted with
suitable packing of an elastic nature (leather being preferred), the washer at the
top of this plate fitting around the trunnion of the pump. The lower edge of the
piston has a metallic packing, and also other suitable elastic packing. This
packing prevents the friction and wear between the piston and chamber. The said
elastic packing holds the metallic packing in the vertical and lower edges of the
piston in proper working position, but permits free motion without undue friction
between the piston and the walls of the chamber. Motion may be given to the
piston by means of an oscillating lever, or by any other suitable means.
Attached to the oblique sides of the piston-chamber are two branch tubes, tho
first one of which is connected with the supply tube, and the second with the
discharge tube. The first branch tube has at each end a valve opening or swinging
into the piston chamber to admit the water alternately on one side, and then on
the other side of the chamber as the piston is moved to one side or the other. The
second branch tube also has two valves, one at cach branch, the said valves being
attached on the outside of the side walls of the piston chamber, and opening
outwards to discharge the water. By this construction the valves are all accessible
from the outside of the piston chamber, by simply loosening the screws (or other
fastenings) which connect the branch tubes to the side walls of the triangular
chainber.
As the piston is swung to the right, the supply valve at the end of the first
branch tube upon that side is closed by the pressure of the water, while the
discharge valve on the same side is opened, and thus the stroke of the piston
discharges the water froin the chamber on the right hand side, at the same time
the supply valve on the opposite side is opened and the discharge valve closed,
then the reverse stroke of the piston opens the discharge valve on the left hand
and closes the supply valve.
The discharge openings are situated in the sides of the piston chamber opposite
the broad face of the piston which travels directly to such discharge, and drives tho
water in the shortest direction to its oxit from the chamber, thus easily and
completely emptying the same. The supply valves, on account of their peculiar
location in the sides of the triangular chamber admit the water, so that the
inflowing current strikes the broad surface of the piston, equally distributing its
force, and thus assists in expelling the water from the chamber on the opposite side
of suid piston.
When my improved pump is to be used as a household or bilge pump, I prefer to
attach to the side walls an additional chamber, the curved floor or bottom having
extended ledges. The said additional chamber has an open passage in one portion
of the same for the incoming water, but at another portion is furnished with a
plate having a passage or outlet for the water; to the under surface of this plate
tho outlet valve is affixed. The extended ledge is also provided (on each side) with
inlet and outlet passages for the water. The inlet valve in this construction of
pump is placed horizontally instead of vertically, as in the pump first herein
described. The branch tubes may then be placed underneath the curved floor and
its ledges, and have inlet and outlet passages at the ends of the pump; when so
placed they may be cast with the curved floor.
In the ordinary construction of this pump an air chamber is not required, but
when used I prefer to employ a check-valve. This pump is almost free from wear
by friction, and has a perfect suction; the distance to which water can be thrown
by it can be increased by lining the inlet and outlet pipes and curved floor or
bottom with glass, enamel, or other suitable smooth and durable proparation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th December 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS." A communication
from abroad by Henry S. Lockman, of New Brighton, and William F. Jobbins, of
the City of New York, both in the State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention consists essentially in a double acting pump having a valveless
piston oscillating or swinging in a triangular piston-chamber, and comprises various
devices, all of which will be understood by the following description, and the
Drawing accompanying the same.
In the Drawing,―
Figures 1 and 6 are perspective views of a pump constructed according to this
Invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof through the shell and a portion
of the piston.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view.
Figures 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent detached parts.
The construction of this double acting pump is as follows:-The triangular piston-
chamber may have the two end walls A and the curved floor B enst in one piece,
and the walls A are slightly farther apart at the top than at the bottom thereof, in
order that the oscillating piston C may fit well therein, as will be more fully
explained when the piston is described. The side walls D of the piston-chamber
are set obliquely, being fastened in place by screws or otherwise. The walls of the
chamber are completed by the cap E, the joints of which are closed by suitable
packing. The oscillating piston C, to the sides of which are secured the metallic
packing plates F having at their upper ends the metallic washers, fits and swings
between the two walls A, Figure 2, said walls being a little wider at the top than
at the bottom, as herein before mentioned, to accomodate them to the conformation
of the piston. The piston is supported upon the circular terminations or washers
of the metallic packing F (see Figure 4), which bear upon semi-circular grooves in
the top of the walls A, as shewn at Qin Figures 2 and 3. By this construction
tho joints at the bottom and sides of the piston are automatically tightened as the
parts wear by the slight descent of the piston between the end walls, and thus
perfect suction is maintained. The packing of the piston C is very complete, and
is arranged as follows:- Within the fixed metallic cap E is an adjustable metallic
plate G (see Figures 3 and 5), suitably adjusted and grooved on its face to adapt it
to the crown of the piston; it is provided with leather or other suitable packing a
(see Figure 3) and thumb-screw 6, by which means the crown of the piston is kept
sufficiently packed, while the lower edge of the piston is held in proper relative
position to the curved floor B. Instead of the thumb-screw b a metallic or other
self-adjusting spring may be placed between the cap E and the metallic plate G.
The vertical edges of the piston have grooves, into which are fitted the plates F
(Figure 4), having suitable packing of an elastic nature (leather being preferred),
the washer at the top of this plate fitting around the trunnion c, as seen in section
in Figure 2. The lower edge of the piston has a metallic packing H with other
suitable elastic packing L (see Figures 3 and 4). This packing prevents undue
friction and wear between the piston and chamber. The elastic packing L holds
the metallic packing F and H in proper working position, and yet allows free
motion without undue friction between the piston and walls of the chamber.
Motion may be given to the piston by means of the oscillating lever M, Figures 1
and 6, or by any other suitable means. Attached to the oblique sides D of the piston-

page_text: chamber are the branching tubes & and c, the former connected with the supply
tube fand the latter with the dischargo tube g. The branching tube d has at each
end a valve opening or swinging into the piston chamber (as seen in Figure 3) to
admit the water alternately at the two sides of the chamber as the piston is moved
to one side or the other. Also the branching tube c, in like manner, has two
valves, one at each branch; one is shewn in dotted lines at i, Figure 2, the same
being attached on the outside of the walls D of the piston chamber, and opening
outward to discharge the water. By this construction the valves are all accessiblo
from the outside of the piston-chamber by simply loosening the screws X (or other
fastenings) which connect the branching tubes & and e to the side walls D of tho
triangular chamber, Figures 1 and 3.
As the piston is swung to the right hand the valve upon that side is closed by
the pressure of the water, while the discharge-valve i on the same side is opened,
and thus the stroke of the piston discharges the water from the chainber on the
right hand sido; at the same time the supply valve on the opposite side is opened
and the discharge valve closed; then the reverse stroke of the piston opens the
discharge-valve on the left hand and closes the supply valve.
The discharge openings are situated in the sides of the piston-chamber, opposite
the broad face of the piston, which travels directly to such discharge openings and
'drives the water in the shortest direction to its exit from the chamber, thus easily
and completely emptying the same. The supply valves, on account of their peculiar
location in the sides of the triangular chamber, admit the water so that the inflowing
current strikes the broad surface of the piston, equally distributing its force, and
thus assists in expelling the water from the chamber on the opposite side of said
piston. This has been determined by practical experiment.
This pump, when intended for a household or bilge pump, is preferably constructed
as shewn in Figure 6; that is to say, attached to each of the sides or walls D there
is an additional chamber D', formed by the curved floor B, and having extended
ledges (see Figure 8). The additional chambers, Figure 7, form on each side an
open passage at 6 for the incoming water, but at m they are furnished with a plate,
having a passage or outlet for the water, to the under surface of which the outlet
valve is affixed. The extended ledge (Figure 8) is also provided (on each side)
with inlet and outlet passages for the water, as shewn at n and o, the inlet valve h,
previously referred to, being placed at n (Figure 8), but horizontally instead of
vertically, as in Figure 2. The branching tubes may then be placed underneath
the curved floor B and its ledges k, as shewn at q and r, the inlet passage being
at 8, and the outlet passage at t; when so placed they may be cast with the curved
floor B.
In the metallic packing of the piston C (Figure 9) for the side piece F
(Figure 4) may be substituted the piece f' (Figure 9), and the whole of such
packing may be cast in one piece if desired.
Figure 10 shews the stuffing box ring, in and on which the piston is mainly
supported and works, when the metallic packing f¹, Figure 9, is used instead of
the piece F, Figure 4.
In the ordinary construction of this pump an air-chamber is not required, but
when used I prefer that a check-valve be placed at u (Figure 6), the air-chamber
being affixed to the pump, as shewn at c, Figures 6 and 11. This pump is almost
entirely free from wear by friction, and has a perfect suction; the distance to which
water can be thrown by it can be increased by lining the inlet and outlet pipes
and curved floor B with glass, enamel, or other smooth and durable substance or
material.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. In a double-acting pump, a triangular piston-chamber having a discharge
and a supply passage located on each of two opposite sides of said chamber, and
directly facing the broad surfaces of the piston, in combination with a valveless

page_text: piston swinging between said passages, in the manner and for the purposes set
forth.
Second. In a double-acting pump an oscillating valveless piston C, having the
above described end and bottom packings, in combination with the triangular
chamber having inclined end walls whereby the wear is compensated for, as shewn
and set forth.
Third. In a double-acting pump, the valvėless piston C, in combination with the
metallic and elastic packing in the ends and bottom of said piston, constructed in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In a double-acting pump, the combination of an oscillating piston C,
with a fixed metallic cap E, an adjustable plate C, a thumb-screw b, and elastic
packing a, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. In a double-acting pump, the combination with an oscillating valveless
piston and a triangular chamber, of branching supply and discharge pipes d, e, and
valves located on both sides of said triangular chamber, the same boing accessible
from the outside thereof, as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. The modified arrangement illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of
the Drawing, consisting chiefly of the chambers D₁, constructed as shewn and
described, the ledges k, and the inlet and outlet passages n and o, for the purpose
above set forth..
·
Seventh. The metallic packing pieces f¹; and the stuffing box ring constructed as
shewn, for the purposo specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
UTM PORT LAKE