Improvements in Apparatus for Raising Water and other Liquids by Air or Gas under Pressure
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising Water and other Liquids
by Air or Gas under Pressure.
I, JAMES EDWARD BACON, residing at No. 1212 Grove Avenue, Richmond,
in the State of Virginia, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer and
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Water has been elevated from wells by the action of air passing into the bottom
of the column of water and displacing the water in such a manner that the uptake
column extending to the desired height is not heavier than the column of water in
the well itself, and the pipe which conveys the air down to the lower end of the
uptake pipe has usually been of the same size, or nearly so, all the way down, and
for this reason it has become necessary to employ a separate reservoir or receiver
at or near the surface of the ground in order that the flow of air down the well pipe
may be as nearly uniform as possible so as to prevent the reciprocations of the air
compressing piston causing the air to pass out from the upward ejector intermittently
or with greater force at one moment that at another.
The object of this invention is to render the discharge or jet of air uniform as it
is forced upwardly in the uptake pipe of the well, so as to lessen the weight of the
column of water by numerous nearly uniform bubbles, and to prevent the pulsations
in the air, consequent upon the reciprocations of the air pump, reaching the jet
nozzle.
In this improvement an uptake pipe is provided with an air reservoir at or near
the lower end, and within the well, into which a fluid under pressure is supplied by
a pipe leading down to the same, and there is a discharge pipe or nozzle for the air
under pressure, passing from near the lower end of the air reservoir up into the
uptake pipe, and openings for the admission of the water or other liquid into the
uptake pipe, so that the reservoir at the lower end of the uptake pipe equalizes
the action of the air in causing a continuous and uninterrupted jet of air to drive
the water or other liquid up the uptake pipe and aerate the column so as to
lessen the pressure sufficiently for such column to be raised to the point of discharge;
and to facilitate the operation of the apparatus, separate pipes may be provided for
supplying air into the uptake pipe at one or more places, the separate pipes passing
down to the respective points of discharge and having valves to regulate the
action of the air as may become necessary according to the height of the water in
the well.
When the apparatus is started, the reservoir will usually be full of water, and the
air pressure must be sufficient to displace this water, hence there is a heavy pressure
that suddenly drives the air up the jet tube, and the pressure of water at the upper
end of the jet tube being less that at the bottom of the reservoir, there is a powerful
action in starting the water that stirs up and discharges any sediment or deposit
and frees the well each time the apparatus is set in operation.
Dated this 29th day of July 1895
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5 Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Raising Water and other Liquids
by Air or Gas under Pressure.
1, JAMES EDWARD BACON, residing at No. 1212 Grove Avenue, Richmond,
in the State of Virginia, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer and
Manufacturer, 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 :-
Water has been elevated from wells by the action of air passing into the bottom
of the column of water and displacing the water in such a manner that the uptake
column extending to the desired height is not heavier than the column of water in
the well itself, and the pipe which conveys the air down to the lower end of the
uptake pipe has usually been of the same size or nearly so all the way down, and
for this reason it has become necessary to employ a separate reservoir or receiver
at or near the surface of the ground in order that the flow of air down the well pipe
may be as nearly uniform as possible so as to prevent the reciprocations of the air-
compressing piston causing the air to pass out from the upward ejector intermittently
or with greater force at one moment than at another.
The object of this invention is to render the discharge or jet of air uniform as it
is forced upwardly in the uptake pipe of the well so as to lessen the weight of the
column of water by numerous nearly uniform bubbles and to prevent the pulsations
in the air, consequent upon the reciprocations of the air pump, reaching the jet
nozzle.
In this improvement an uptake pipe is provided with an air reservoir at or near
the lower end and within the well into which a fluid under pressure is supplied by
a pipe leading down to the same, and there is a discharge pipe or nozzle for the air
under pressure passing from near the lower end of the air reservoir up into the
uptake pipe, and openings for the admission of the water or other liquid into the
uptake pipe so that the reservoir at the lower end of the uptake pipe equalizes
the action of the air in causing a continuous and uninterrupted jet of air to drive
the water or other liquid up the uptake pipe and aerate the column so as to
lessen the pressure sufficiently for such column to be raised to the point of discharge,
and to facilitate the operation of the apparatus, separate pipes may be provided for
supplying air into the uptake pipe at one or more places, the separate pipes passing
down to the respective points of discharge and having valves to regulate the
action of the air as may become necessary according to the height of the water in
the well.
When the apparatus is started, the reservoir will usually be full of water, and the
air pressure must be sufficient to displace this water, hence there is a heavy pressure
that suddenly drives the air up the jet tube and the pressure of water at the upper
end of the jet tube being less than at the bottom of the reservoir there is a powerful
action in starting the water that stirs up and discharges any sediment or deposit
and frees the well each time the apparatus is set in operation.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section representing a well with the water raising apparatus
applied to the same.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan in larger size at the line 2, 2, and Fig. 3 is a similar
sectional plan at the line 3, 3, and
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a modification of the lower part of the apparatus.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section, and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan at the line 6, 6, of
Fig. 5, and
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of modifications containing a large uptake pipe.

page_text: The well A, Figs. 1 to 4, may be of any desired character, the same is usually
bored and provided with a lining tube extending down to the rock, and the uptake
or discharge pipe B is of a size adapted to the volume of liquid to be discharged,
and the lower end of this uptake pipe is sometimes slotted, preferably in a tube of
larger diameter, as represented, and below the slotted tube C an air reservoir D is
provided, the same having upper and lower heads 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. 1, and
the air supply pipe F passes down to the reservoir D and opens into the same
through a quarter circle bend as seen in Fig. 1, or when the head of the reservoir D¹
is made in the form represented in Fig. 4, such air supply pipe F may be screwed
into the upper head 6.
Within the air reservoir is an ejector nozzle or tube G passing through the top
bead of the air reservoir and rising above the inlet openings in the pipe C and in
consequence of such nozzle G extending to near the bottom of the reservoir D the
pressure of the air in starting the well must be sufficient to drive the water out of
the reservoir D and then the air will discharge the water rapidly from the
Bozzle G and start the well suddenly by the upward movement given to the column
of water in the uptake pipe, and in so doing any sediment or foreign materials in
the well will be rapidly carried out and the pressure afterwards necessary to
continue the flow of water in the uptake pipe will be but little in excess of the
weight of the column in the well above the upper end of the ejector nozzle G.
In some instances it is advantageous to supply air to the uptake pipe at one or
more places above the air reservoir D, and with this object in view, pipes H are
provided with quarter circle bends and nipples screwed into the uptake pipe B at
the respective places, and this separate tube or tubes H extend to the top of the
well and are provided with valves K to regulate the admission of air or other fluid
under pressure, so that its discharge into the uptake pipe may aerate the water to
the extent necessary to raise the same to the required place of delivery.
When the apparatus is in the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the pipe F through
which air under pressure is forced down into the reservoir descends through the
uptake pipe B to the reservoir D and the jet pipe G passes up outside the reservoir,
and the uptake pipe B is sufficiently large to contain the reservoir and jet pipe, in
fact the uptake pipe may be the well tube and it is open at the bottom, and provided
with a delivery bend or tube at the upper end. The action of the parts when
arranged in this manner is the same as before described; that is to say, the
reservoir causes the air to issue in a continuous and uniform stream through the jet
pipe G and drives the column of water up through the uptake pipe B, and fills the
water with small bubbles so that the column is rendered sufficiently light to rise to
the place of discharge.
When there is a smaller uptake pipe B₁ within the well the jet pipe G may be
central and the reservoir D and air pipe F are outside the uptake pipe B', as seen
in the sectional plan, Fig. 7.
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
claim is:
First. The combination with the uptake pipe in a well, of an air reservoir at or
near the lower end of such uptake pipe, a pipe for leading a fluid under pressure
down into such reservoir and a jet pipe passing from the reservoir up into the
uptake pipe for driving up the column of water and filling the same with bubbles
so as to lighten the column and cause it to rise to the place of delivery, substantially
as set forth.
Second. The combination with an uptake pipe, of a closed air reservoir at or
near the lower end of the uptake pipe and connected therewith, and a pipe for
supplying air into such reservoir, and a jet tube from the said reservoir extending
up into the uptake pipe, there being an opening into the lower end of the uptake
pipe for the admission of the liquid, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the uptake pipe in a water elevating apparatus, of

page_text: a slotted tube at the lower end of such uptake pipe, a head screwed to such slotted
lower end, a tubular reservoir connected with such head and having a closed lower
end, an air inlet pipe for supplying air to the reservoir, an ejector nozzle passing
from near the lower end of the air reservoir through the upper head of such
reservoir and centrally within the uptake pipe above the lateral inlet openings, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Fourth. In a water elevating apparatus, an uptake pipe, an air supply pipe
descending within the well and a long tubular jet pipe connected at its lower end
with the air supply pipe whereby a continuous jet of air is ensured from the upper
end of the nozzle and when the apparatus is started a heavier pressure of air is
required, which by its sudden action in the well effects a rapid upward movement
of the column of water, substantially as specified.
Dated this 18th day of February loud.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5^, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.