Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Pumps.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Pumps.
I, PAUL MALLEVILLE of 6 Boulevard Dugommier, Marseilles, in the Republic of
France, Surgeon-dentist, 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 :-
The object sought to be attained by means of this improved pneumatic pump may
be stated as follows ;-Supposing a body of water situated at any distance say one
kilometre or more, and that its level is at any given depth, say a hundred metres or
more, the problem to be solved is to be able to draw the water to the spot where the
pump is located, without having to consider either the position, the depth, the distance
or the resistance of the water it is desired to elevate; and to obtain these results
economically and almost instantaneously.
In the accompanying drawings is represented a complete plant showing all the
details but merely for purposes of demonstration and in order to facilitate the
comprehension of my improvements;-
In these drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of the complete pump in a simplified form.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the body of the air pump at right angles to Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the air pump.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the valve interposed between the body of the pump and the
air reservoir.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are vertical sections respectively on lines 1-2, 3-4, and 5—6,
of Fig. 9.
Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively a front view and a cross section of one of the valves
with a rose at the lower or suction end of the pump.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the water drawing or suction arrangement, specially illustrating
the arrangement of the valves fitted with roses.
Fig. 13 shows the cock for forcing the air through the pump and the arrangement
of the ports also shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 14 is the whole of a plant erected for the purpose of raising water to a height
exceeding 10 metres by means of air pressure not exceeding one atmosphere.
Fig. 15 is a vertical section of a modified form of air pump.
Fig. 16 is a plan thereof.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that the water elevating plant.comprises
an air pump a an air reservoir a water drawing apparatus consisting of two compart-
ments c c with valves d d and a compressed air conduit e leading to the distributing
valve or cock where it branches off by means of two pipes el and e² to the respective
compartments of the water drawing arrangement. The water is forced through the
conduit or pipe g which is formed by the connection of two conduits g' g² entering the
compartments c c of the water drawing apparatus.
The inlet of compressed air to either of the compartments c c' alternately is controlled
by means of the cock foperated by the escape of compressed air from the said com-
partments c c through conduits provided with pistons which are both connected
to one disc secured upon the extension of the plug of the cock f. I will now
proceed to describe successively the various parts of which the water drawing plant is
composed.
The air pump. The air pump proper comprises a cylinder a and a piston k the
od of which passes through the top a' of the cylinder and is jointed to the operating
ever . This lever oscillates upon and with its support pivoted at
い
connecting the flanges of the cylinder a and air reservoir b.
12 upon the pin
Around the piston a tight joint is formed by a leather packing ². This piston

page_text: draws in the air which enters freely above it, at a² a², and through the top by means
of the spring controlled valve k³. As will be seen from Fig. 2 a tight joint is ensured
round the piston rod by the air itself forced through the ports k³.
The bottom surface of the cylinder receives the valve box m' wherein the valve m
controlled by the spring m² opens downwardly so as to allow of the passage of the air
forced in that direction by the piston k.
The air reservoir is a cylindrical chamber integral with a cylinder bottom at its
lower part and with a flange at its upper part. With this flange coincides the
flange a of the pump cylinder. The junction of these flanges is effected by means of
bolts with the interposition of an indiarubber ring or any other suitable packing 2
whereby a perfectly tight joint can be obtained.
Towards its lower portion the reservoir is provided with a cock 63 and joins
the conduit e.
A pressure gauge mounted upon the support n² indicates the pressure in the
air reservoir.
C
The water drawing or suction apparatus.-Water is drawn in by the two compart-
ments or chambers c c which are of cylindrical shape and are closed at their lower part
by bottom plates integral with them, while at the top they both join one common
cover wherewith they form a perfectly tight joint by the interposition of a rubber or
other suitable washer or packing.
Integral with the lower portions of the cylinders ce are two lengths of tubes d² ²
to which the seats d³ ³ of the hinged valves d d' are bolted. A screen or rose d
prevents stones pebbles and the like from being drawn in with the water.
To the top plate c³ are connected the air chambers ee which convey the compressed
air alternately into either of the compartments e and el owing to the peculiar operation
of the cock which is hereinafter more fully explained.
Through this top plate c² also pass the water pressure pipes gl g² and the pipes h
for the escape of the compressed air, all of which form tight joints with the said top
plate.
As will be seen by reference to Fig. 6 the lower ends of the conduits or pipes g
are flaring and are fixed by bolts above the cover c² to the flanges of pipes g³g which
almost reach the bottoms of the respective chambers ce. The pipes gy2 at their
widened portion form boxes for the cut-off valves o o'.
As shown in Fig. 7 the air-escape pipes are provided with supports
carrying floats made of cork or formed of hollow metal bodies.
ין
The rods of these floats are provided with india-rubber cylinders
which are
within the chamber c
adapted to close the ends of the pipes when the floats reach the extreme limit of
their upward movement. It has been assumed that the float
closes the pipe and that the float within c opens the pipe .
The pistons are connected with the plate wheel or disc by means of small
links. These pistons are hollow and perforated as shown at 2. Air holes 3 are
also provided in the cylinder for the escape of the compressed air after the pistons
have accomplished their effect upon the wheel or disc j.
As shown in Figs. 8 and 13 the plug" of the cock distributing the air alternately
to either chamber c c is of peculiar construction being provided with the following
poris; ss for conveying the compressed air alternately from e into e' or e² and s' s¹ for
the escape of the air after it has exerted its influence within the chambers c c¹.
Operation. By operating the lever the pump is caused to act and the air within
the reservoir b is compressed. When the required pressure is obtained which is
ascertained by the inspection of the pressure gauge n the cock 63 is opened and the
lever is further operated so that the pressure thus produced is retained the effect
resulting from such action being as follows;-
The compressed air is conveyed into the chamber c which is here assumed to be
filled with water. This water is forced into the pipe g³, it raises the valve o and
within the conduit g' grises to the level at which it is required to be discharged o
collected.

page_text: As the water is thus forced out of c the float opens the pipe and the compressed
air acts upon the piston driving it into the cylinder. This upward stroke of the
piston causes the discj to rotate with the following results ;-
The piston in the pipe noves back and the plug of the cock which conveys
compressed air from e into either e² or e' and which connects e' with the escape sis
turned round.
с
While the chamber c is being thus emptied through the action of the compressed
air, the other chamber c¹ receives the water which has previously raised the inlet
valve d¹. As the water enters the chamber eit gradually raises the float r¹ until
the air escape pipe is tightly closed so that all is automatically prepared for an
efficacious action of the compressed air as it is distributed by the cocky.
The operation of the water drawing system is thus perfectly continuous and uniform
aud so is also the flow of the water current forced through g.
By generating a sufficient air pressure within the air reservoir bit will be under-
stood that water can be raised from any depth to any height uninterruptedly so as to
obtain an even and steady supply. The water drawing arrangement inay consist of
one cast or other receiver or chamber only, divided into two compartments by a
partition or otherwise.
The air pump may be operated either by hand or from a motor by means of a lever,
fly-wheel etc. It may be separated from the water-drawing apparatus and be
utilized as a compressing pump either for divers or in breweries and other industries
in which compressed air is made use of.
The connections of pipes and the floats, distributing cocks, air cocks, etc., may be
modified according to the requirements in each particular case. The air distributing
cock for instance may be operated by a single piston working with a double effect
through the air escaping alternately into the spaces in front of or behind the.
piston.
The employment of compressed air at low pressure for elevating water to any
desired level. This application of compressed air is illustrated in Figs. 14, 15 and 16
the air pressure being set down for example at one atmosphere.
The same letters of reference designate in these figures parts corresponding to
those illustrated in the figures mentioned above. The portion of the air escape pipe
in which the pistons are adapted to work and also the pipes provided for the passage
of the air at the points where the distribution cock fis arranged must always rise above
the water level. As regards the water clevating pipes and their valves their complete
immersion does not interfere with their satisfactory operation. The length of the
air-pipes depends on the depth at which it is desired to immerse the water drawing
apparatus.
vv designate the water receivers, the overflow pipes. c c are the water drawing
chambers. e* are compressed air branch pipes.
The air pump may be modified in such a manner that air is forced into two com-
partments B B by valves M M in which case the said compartments B B' feed the
water drawing chamber c c¹ with compressed air.
The air reservoir may be divided into two or more compartments according to
requirements in which case the body of the pump is provided with as many valves as
there are compartments the air outlets of which valves are connected respectively
to as many inlets.
.
By reference to the drawing it will be understood that my improved water drawing
system provides practical means for drawing and elevating water to any desired
height, say 1000 metres and more, through the pressure of one atmosphere only ;
all that is required for this is to arrange the required water inlets and the receivers
adapted to contain them at a distance of 10 metres one above the other.
The pump and the air conduits may be arranged as shown in Fig. 14 but I prefer
the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 15 which enables the water drawing operation to
be more easily started. When the pump is in operation it is sufficient in the latter
arrangement to turn off all the cocks of the air pipe except that which corresponds
to the deepest of the water inlets say the one marked C. This chamber when

page_text: operated raises the water within d where there is the inlet C¹; when this receiver is
filled the cock in the corresponding air pipe is opened and the other water inlets are
similarly and successively set in operation. To enable the arrangements with the
branches e Fig. 14 to be used it is necessary that the receivers should be filled with
water before the operation is commenced. .
In both these constructions the apparatus need only be started once that is after
it has been first arranged in position. By means of the water drawing plant carried
out in accordance with this improved system water may be drawn in mines and in the
deepest wells and raised to the suminits of the highest mountains with only one
atmosphere of pressure.
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 1
claim is ;-
1. An improved pneumatic pump substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings mainly characterized by the following parts ;-
(a) An air pump and a compressed air reservoir divided or not into two or more
compartments.
(6) The water drawing apparatus consisting of two separate chambers or of a
receiver divided into two compartments each provided with suitable inlet and outlet
valves.
(c) The compressed air conduit and its distributing device whereby compressed
air is conveyed alternately into either of the water drawing compartments or
chambers.
(d) The air escapes provided in the conduits, within which pistons act so as to
operate the distributing cock, thus effecting automatically the distribution of the
compressed air alternately to either of the water drawing chambers and also the
escape of such compressed air after its useful effect has been put to advantage.
.
(e) The water force pipes with their cut-off valves, this improved pump being also
characterized by the details of construction described above and chiefly by the
combination of its elementary parts, owing to which water may be drawn at any
depth and raised to any height whatever the situation of the pump.
2. The arrangement of this improved pneumatic pump in connection with water
drawing apparatus in series one above the other for the purpose of obtaining by
means of compressed air at a low pressure (one atmosphere for example) the
desired water elevating effect, substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 14
of the accompanying drawings.
3. The complete pneumatic pumping apparatus substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of June 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.