IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, VACUUM PUMPS, AND BLAST ENGINES, AND IN LUBRICATORS FOR PROVISIONAL SPFICATIONAME, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER LRICATING PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Renton Gibbs, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PUMPS, VACUUM PUMPS, AND BLAST ENGINES, AND IN LUBRICATORS FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Renton Gibbs
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd September 1869.
I, ROBERT RENTON GIBBS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN PUMPS, VACUUM PUMPS, AND BLAST ENGINES, AND IN LUBRICATORS
FOR THE SAME, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER LUBRICATING PURPOSES," to
be as follows:-
One of the objects of my Invention is to overcome the necessity of
relying upon the motion of liquid for the action of the valves as here-
tofore. Valves in pumps for water of ordinary construction frequently
stick fast, especially in their downward motion, thus causing the ejected
water to return into the barrel of the pump and so stopping its
action.

page_text: The first part of my Invention consists in the employment in pumps,
vacuum pumps, and blast engines of a sliding valve or valves worked by
the same mechanical power or force as the pump itself instead of loose
valves, whereby it is impossible for the pump to be in motion at all
without an equivalent motion being communicated to the valve and
consequently without pumping.
The second part of my Invention consists in affording means for
regulating the quantity of water or air ejected from the pump. For this
purpose I unite a sliding link to the piston or plunger, the other end of
which is in connection with a lever capable of receiving when required
a to-and-fro motion, and provided with a rod taking into the teeth of a
quadrant for retaining the lever in any particular position required;
thus to regulate the stroke I. cause the link by means of the aforesaid
lever to travel along the piston rod, and when in the position required
for the length of stroke to be obtained I secure the lever as before
described, and by these means I lengthen or shorten the stroke of the
piston or plunger to a very great nicety.
The third part of my Invention consists in the lubrication of piston
or other rods for pumps and other purposes by the introduction and
employment of a grease cup, as hereafter described, in the upper portion
of the stuffing box glands. As the stuffing underneath the glands
becomes warm by the friction of the rod working through it, it absorbs
a portion of the oil or tallow which runs from the cup down the small
grooves in the sides of the gland.
Now this part of my Invention consists in providing a reservoir for
grease, oil, or other lubricating material immediately over the stuffing,
in combination with a casing to shield it from dust and sight, and at the
same time made in one casting with the rest of the gland.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Renton Gibbs, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Renton Gibbs, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Renton Gibbs,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PUMPS, VACUUM PUMPS, AND BLAST ENGINES, AND IN LUBRICATORS FOR THE
SAME, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER LUBRICATING PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Renton Gibbs, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Renton- Gibbs, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:-
One of the objects of my Invention is to overcome the necessity of
relying upon the motion of the fluid for the action of the valves as
heretofore. Valves in pumps for water of ordinary construction fre-
quently stick fast, especially in their downward motion, thus causing
the ejected water to return into the barrel of the pump and so stopping
its action.
The first part of this Invention consists in the employment in pumps,
vacuum pumps, and blast engines of a sliding valve or valves worked
by the same mechanical power or force as the pump itself instead of
loose valves.

page_text: The second part consists in regulating the quantity of water or air
ejected. A sliding link is united to the piston or plunger, the other end
of which is in connection with a lever capable of receiving when
required a to-and-fro motion and provided with a rod taking into the
teeth of a quadrant for retaining the lever in any particular position
required.
The third part consists in providing a reservoir for grease, oil, or other
lubricating material immediately over the stuffing, in combination with
a casing to shield it from dust and sight, and at the same time made in
one casting with the rest of the gland.
The annexed full sized Drawing clearly shews one way of carrying
out this Invention.
arrows.
A is the cylinder or barrel of the pump, with the piston B and piston
.rod C. The water or other fluid is admitted to either end of the cylinder
by means of a slide valve D worked from the same power as that which
drives the pump. Valves of the mushroom or other suitable form and
worked similarly to the aforesaid slide valve may, however, in many
cases be used with advantage. The inlet and outlet are marked by
To regulate the quantity of fluid pumped according to the
exact requirements of the case the stroke of the pump can be regulated,
as shewn. The piston rod of the pump has a block fitted to its outer
end; this block fits and can slide in a slot link E, the other or fulcrum
end of which is jointed to a lever F having its fulcrum by preference
on a part of the pump casting itself, as shewn. The lever F can be set
and fixed in various positions. One way of doing this is shewn here,
but the same object may be accomplished in other and well known ways.
The other end of the link E has a rod G jointed on, which again has a
reciprocating motion given to it by means of crank, eccentric, or other
well known means for such purpose. The nearer the block in the link is
set to the fulcrum the shorter will be the stroke of the pump, and vice
versa.
The gland of the stuffing box both at the piston rod and the slide
rod is formed according to this present Invention, that is, with a chamber
for retaining the lubricant, as shewn.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, I would have it
understood that what I claim as the Invention is,―
First. The combination in pumps, vacuum pumps, and blast engines
of a sliding valve or valves (worked by the same mechanical power or

page_text: force as the pump itself instead of loose self-acting valves), and an
adjustable block and link for altering and regulating the stroke of the
pump and thereby the quantity of water pumped, substantially as
described.
Second. The use and application of a chamber for retaining the
lubricant in glands of stuffing boxes immediately over the packing, as
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Renton Gibbs, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
ROBERT RENTON GIBBS. (L.S.)