IMPROVE- MENTS IN PULSOMETERS OR LIQUID RAISING AND FORCING APPARATUS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOSEPH LYNN BERRY, of 27 Cornelius Strasse, Düsseldorf, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PULSOMETERS OR LIQUID RAISING AND FORCING APPARATUS," to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to a new or improved construction and arrangement
of the parts and fittings for that class of pumps or pumping apparatus which raise
the water into their working chambers, and force it to the desired height above, by
the alternate automatic admission of steam to the vessels to produce a vacuum in
and fill them with the water, and then force it out and up the delivery pipe, and
known as the pulsometer pump; and which is fitted with an inlet and discharge
water valve to each vessel, and a steam valve common to both, so fitted in the
throat of the steam pipe where it branches off to both vessels that the vacuum
formed in the one vessel instantaneously shuts the valve on its own steam entrance
and opens that of and to the other, to let in the steam to and force the water out
of it, the steam getting condensed by the water in this vessel forms a vacuum and
closes its steam entrance and opens that of the other, thus simultaneously by the
vacuum formed in the one vessel filling it with water, while by the pressure of the
steam admitted to the other forcing the water out of it; and these series of actions
continue to be repeated alternately and successively as stated, as long as the steam
is supplied at the throat valve and sufficient water supplied to the suction pipe
and valves below; which invention or improvements will make such pumping
apparatus more simple in construction and more easily repaired, or kept in good
working order and more efficient in their action and suitable for purposes to which
they have not heretofore been applied.
My improvements consist as follows, in forming and leading off from the vertical
inlet suction branch (jointed to the top of the lifting water pipe below the centre
line of the whole apparatus) a broad chamber curving up to a large round water
inlet for valve seat, formed through the flat bottom web of the two main steam
and water working chambers or vessels, which are preferably cylindrical for about
half their length up, and as much larger in diameter than the said inlet holes, as to
CD.

page_text: allow of round ring seats and india rubber disc valves being secured over these
inlet openings, and admit of the water flowing in freely all round these up
into the working chambers, which are placed close together. The upper part of
these chambers are rounded off conoidally or in a pear shape into a separate top
piece jointed to both chambers above, into which they converge towards each other
in the form of small circular ports opposite each other, with twin faced ring seats
at a sufficient distance apart and at such an angle (widest at top) as to allow of a
single improved two-faced metallic disc valve oscillating sufficiently on its lower
edge, to act on either face and port to close it, on a correspondingly hollowed upper
edge of a thin supporting plate fitted for the purpose in a tight slot made for it in
the lower central part of this top steam valve chest, which has a small steam space
all round the seat of and valve disc which is considerably larger in diameter, so
that the pressure of steam in this space acts on this outer ring face and on the
whole area of the disc to reverse it the moment the vacuum fails on the 'one side
and begins to act on the other, the valve would thus quickly close the port of the
latter; and give a greatly increased efficiency of action in filling the vessels with
and discharging the water from them. A hollow conoidal top piece is jointed
to the upper flange of the said steam chest of the automatically acting disc
twin valve, and which has the service steam pipe with regulating hand screw
valve fitted to it at the top or apex of the whole conically shaped body. The
lower part of this body has formed in one piece with it a separate discharge
water vessel or chamber in front of and centrally between the two working
chambers, from the lower sides of each of which a round or other curved
discharge branch channel is carried round into each side of the lower end of the
discharge vessel, where there are formed large round entrances with flat round
surfaces for carrying the ring seats and india-rubber disc of the discharge valves,
preferably at a considerable angle towards each other to take up less room
where they open into the lower part of this discharge vessel, which is made dome-
shaped above, leading direct into a vertical discharge branch above, to which the
main forcing water pipes would be jointed. These inlet and discharge water valves
are of the ordinary general india-rubber disc construction (used for the air-pumps
and other water pumps) but they are here fitted in an improved manner on chill
cast beds as close together as possible by their outer bearing ring seats with radial
ribs and central eye, so that each is jointed and secured to its chill bed round the
large escaping orifices, by a single long central screw bolt with a central collar head,
having its long end passed down through said eye and outer shell of water spaces
leading to valves, so as to be screwed up on the outside of the vessel by a screw and
lock nut, while the short inner end of the bolt carries the rubber disc valve, with
ordinary curved guard at back, by a screw and lock nut also. Each chamber above
the valves is forined with a narrow rectangular opening for the insertion and
removal of these valves and seats, and fitted with flat closing door, so secured by
two or more bolts outside that by merely slackening their nuts a few turns the
doors may be removed and replaced in a few minutes for inspection or other
purpose. Each working chamber near the top is as usual fitted with a very small
automatic suction valve for the admission of a small portion of air, not sufficient
to destroy the vacuum but only to cushion the blow of the water and prevent the
⚫ over filling of the chamber. This valve is of an improved construction, consisting
of a valve seat in the form of a plug screw at one end through the case of the
vessel, with a collar or jam nut outside, and having the small conical feathered
valve working within a chamber and seat formed in this screw part, while an outer
stem or spindle on the valve would work out through the outer projecting part of
the seat and an outer finger and thumb regulating head or nut, screwed on this
projecting part, which would regulate the short distance the valve could be opened,
by the vacuum, by a button on the outer end of valve stem, a spring projecting
from the collar or jam nut of the valve would take into nicks in or flats on the
inner end of the screw regulating and retaining and hand turning head where set,
and which would be oscillated by an india rubber ring for the fingers. The air

page_text: would enter to the valve through lateral holes in the hollow stem outside of the
valve seat.
To effect the instantaneous condensation of the steam in each working chamber
at the proper time when the water has been forced out of it down to the proper
level desired some distance above the inlet and discharge valves. At this level or
part, a small hollow conical or thimble jet spray tube or nozzle is fitted through
the vertical wall of the discharge water chamber into each working chamber, with
joint collar on the large end in the discharge chamber and securing screw jointing
nut on the small end in the working chamber; which would admit a spray jet of
water with the full force of the head or column on discharge pipe into each working
chamber when the steam reached or passed this nozzle with better and more
uniform effect than when taking this injection jet from each working chamber to
the other alternately as is the common practice in pulsometers.
Another improvement consists in fitting the upper branch of the suction water
pipe, a small live steain jet air exhaust ejector, for drawing off and discharging or
ejecting all air from the suction pipes and instantaneously fill these with water and
start the pulsometer at any time, and especially useful where air is frequently
admitted to the suction pipe by the water to be raised falling below the lower end
of this pipe. This steam jet air exhauster in its most convenient form is inserted
across the upper branch of the suction pipe and jointed air-tight at both ends in
the bored seats inside of the branch. The steam branch and nozzle enter at one
end so as to draw the air from the inside of the suction pipe into an annular
opening round the steam nozzle into and through the induction or duplex vena-
contracta air and water tube of the ejector to exhaust and force the air and water.
out at the discharge wide end through a check valve opening to the outside, but
which would close automatically by the pressure of the atmosphere as soon as the
pipes were filled with water and the steam jet was shut off and the pulsometer put
to work.
A further improvement consists in combining with these pumps any ordinary
non-suction injectors, and in so fitting this injector by its inlet water pipe to a
branch on the delivery chamber of the pump, or its discharge pipe above its valves,
that the pump draws and supplies the water at a proper height to enable the
injector to take it with little or no suction, and work properly to force the water
through it into the boiler, while the live steam from the boiler, for working the
injector, would be taken from a branch on the pipe leading the steam to the pump.
In some cases exhaust low pressure steam would work the injector when there
was a considerable head pressure on the discharge water pipes. Both the branches
or small pipes leading the water and steam to the injector would be fitted with
controlling screw valves for regulating the working of the injector and putting
it into or out of action when desired; and these valves, as also the steam valve for
pulsometer, would be fitted with hand wheels, with a spring taking into notches in
the rim or ring on the hand wheel.

page_text: improvements in Pulsometers or Liquid Raising and Forcing
Apparatus.
I, JOSEPH LYNN BERRY, of 27, Cornelius Strasse, Dusseldorf, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention has reference to a new or improved construction and arrangements
of the parts and fittings of that class of pumps or pumping apparatus which raise
the water into their working chambers, and force it to the desired height above,
by the alternate automatic admission of steam to the vessels to produce a vacuum
and fill them with the water, and then force it out and up the delivery pipe, and
known as the pulsometer pump. When there are two such vessels, each is fitted
with an inlet, and a discharge water valve, and a steam valve common to both, so
fitted in the throat of the steam pipe where it branches off to both vessels, that
the vacuum formed in the one vessel instantaneously shuts the valve, on its own
steam entrance, and opens that of the other vessel, to let in the steam to and force
the water out of it. The steam then getting condensed by the water in this
vessel forms a vacuum in it, draws over the valve and closes its steam entrance
and opens that of the other, thus simultaneously by the vacuum formed in the one
vessel filling it with water, while the pressure of the steam admitted to the other
forces the water out of it; and these series of automatic actions continue to be
repeated alternately and successively as stated, as long as the steam is supplied at
the throat valve and sufficient water is supplied to the suction pipe and valves
below; which invention or improvements will make such pumping apparatus more
simple in construction, and more casily repaired, or kept in good working order,
and more efficient in their action and suitable for purposes to which they have not
heretofore been applied.
י
In order that the full nature and novelty and mode of putting my said invention
into effect or practice may be properly understood I shall now proceed to describe
the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for
that purpose, the reference letters indicating the same parts in all the figures
where shown.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation through the centre of the two working
steam and water chambers A2, A2 of the apparatus; and Figure 2 is a corresponding
transverse sectional elevation taken on an irregular line to shew the inlet steam
valve X to the working chambers, and its fittings, and the discharge water
chamber D, and its valves C1, C2, and Figure 3 is a sectional plan, corresponding to
Figure 1, taken on a line at the inlet and discharge valves C¹, C, D, D³, of the
working and discharge chambers A, A' B¹; all of one modification of this
improved pumping apparatus.
---
Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal section taken on the line 1
1 through the
steam valve chamber A³ in figure 1; and figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on
the line 2-2 figure 1, further down than the former section in the duplex top
part A3 of the working chambers A A¹ of the pulsometer,

page_text: Referring to these Figures my improvements consist as follows, in forming and
leading off from the vertical inlet suction branch B (jointed to the top of the
lifting water pipes below the centre line of the whole apparatus) a broad
chamber B¹ curving up to a large round water inlet valve seat C¹ formed through
the flat bottom web of the two main steam and water working chambers or
vessels A, A, which are preferably cylindrical for about half their length up, and
as much larger in diameter than the said inlet holes in the seat C as to allow of
round ring seats C¹ and india rubber disc valves C" being secured over these inlet
openings by the screwed guards and nuts C above them, and admit of the water
flowing in freely all round these up into the working chambers which are placed
close together.
The upper part of these chambers is rounded off conoidally or in a pear shape
into a separate top piece A' jointed to both chambers above, into which they
converge towards each other in the form of small circular ports opposite each
other at a a¹, with twin faced ring seats at a sufficient distance apart and at such
an angle (widest at top) as to allow of a single improved two-faced metallic disc
valve resting on the plate V₁ oscillating sufficiently at its lower edge to act on
either face and port a, a¹ to close it. The supporting plate V₁ is fitted in a tight
slot at the lower central part of the steam valve chest A³, formed at the upper
part of the top piece A2, and has a small steam space all round the seats a, a¹, and
valve disc V, which is considerably larger in diameter than the seats, so that the
pressure of steam in this space A³ acts on the outer ring surface and whole area
of the disc valve V, to reverse it the moment the vacuum fails on the one side and
in the one vessel and begins to act on and in the other; the valve thus quickly
closes the port of the latter vessel. This quick action gives a greatly increased
efficiency in the filling of the vessels A, A¹, and in the discharging of the water
from them.The hollow conoidal inlet steam chamber As is shown formed on, but
it might be jointed to, the upper part or top piece A', and has a side door and lid
at G for the insertion of the automatically acting disc twin valve V; and has an
inlet steam branch A³ on top, for jointing the service pipe fitted with an ordinary
regulating hand screw steam valve x, at the top of the whole conically shaped body
of the apparatus.
The lower part B, B' of the body A, A' has formed in one piece with it a
separate discharge water vessel or chamber D in front of and centrally between the
two working vessels or chambers A, A¹; from the lower sides of each of which a
round or other curved discharge branch channel D' is carried round into each side
of the lower end of the discharge vessel D, where there are formed large round
entrances with flat round surfaces D", for carrying the ring seats D² and india
rubber disc D³ of these discharge valves with securing guards D¹¹, preferably set
at a considerable angle towards each other below, to take up less room where they
open into the lower part of this discharge vessel D, which is made dome-shaped
above, leading direct into a vertical discharge branch D, to which the main forcing
water pipes would be jointed. These inlet and discharge water valves C¹, C³,
and D2, D3, are of the ordinary general india-rubber disc construction (used for air
pumps and other water pumps) but they are here fitted in an improved manner,
with their under bearing ring seats C and D as close together as possible, by
having their bearing ring seats C' and D³ with radial ribs and central eye, so that
each is jointed and secured to its under bed seat C and D with insertion or
rubber cloth round the large escaping orifices, by a single long central screw
bolt c and d, with a central collar head, having its long end passed down through.
said eye and outer shell of water spaces B¹ and D' leading to these valves, so as to
be screwed up on the outside of the vessel by a screw and lock nut as shown
at c and d; while the short inner ends of the bolts carry the rubber disc valve C²
and D, with ordinary curved guard C and D, at back, secured by screw
nuts cd and it may be by a lock nut also. Each chamber A, A¹ and D above
the valves, is formed with a narrow rectangular opening E and F for the insertion
and removal of these valves and seats, and fitted with flat closing doors E¹ and F'

page_text: BO secured by two or more bolts e, f, on joint pins e', f', outside that by merely
slackening their nuts a few turns the doors may be removed and replaced in a few
minutes for inspection or other purpose. The side door G for retaining the steam
valve V in position and for removing it when desired, is similarly fitted with three
swivelling jointed bolts g, for quickness of removal and replacement, without
breaking the steam tight joint and the top steam chest part A2, A3, is jointed in an
equivalent manner by T headed bolts g, so that this part can also be quickly
removed and replaced. Ench working chamber A A¹ near the top is as usual
fitted with a very small automatic suction valve chamber H and valve h for the
admission of a very small portion of air, not sufficient to destroy the vacuum but
only to cushion the blow of the water and prevent the over-filling of the chamber.
This valve arrangement may be of either of the improved constructions shown
respectively screwed to the chambers A and A', with jam nuts outside, and consists
of a valve seat in the form of a plug screw at one end, and having the small
conical feathered valve, or it may be a spherical valve, working within a chamber
and seat formed in this screw part H h¹, while an outer stein or spindle on the
former would work out through the outer projecting part of the seat, and an outer
finger and thumb regulating head or nut B¹ would regulate the short distance the
valve would open, or the amount of air which would be admitted by the
valve h or h (and the suction of the vacuum) fitted with a retaining spring 8,
secured to the seat of the valve behind, which would take into nicks in or flats
formed on, the screw regulating hand turning heads H₁ where set; and which
might be fitted with an india-rubber ring s¹ for the fingers. The air would enter
to the valve through lateral holes h³ in the seat outside of the valve.
To effect the instantaneous condensation of the steam in each working chamber A
and A¹, at the proper time, after the water has been passed out through their
discharge valves D2, D3, down to the proper level desired some distance above the
inlet valves C1, C2. At this level or part a small hollow knee jet spray nozzle I is
fitted through the vertical wall of the discharge water chamber D into each
working chamber A and A', with joint collar on the knee end in the working
chambers, and securing screw jointing nut I' on the screwed end within the
discharge chamber D. The securing nut I' would preferably be fitted with a rose
or perforated cap, which would admit a spray jet of water with the full force of
the head or column in the discharge pipe D into each working chamber when the
steam reached or passed the nozzle I within each working chamber, with much
better and more uniform effect than when taking by an injection and condensing
jet from each working chamber to the other alternately as is the common practice
in pulsometers. The whole apparatus might either be carried by brackets Z, or
snugs with holes for hanging it when preferred, and screw plugs s may be fitted to
the chamber for filling these and the suction pipes with water as usual.
Another improvement consists in fitting on the upper branch of the suction
water pipe B, a small live steam jet air exhaust ejector, for drawing off and
discharging all air from the whole of the suction pipes below, and thus instan-
taneously fill these with water and start the pulsometer at any time, which would
be especially useful where air is frequently admitted to the suction pipe below, by
the water to be raised falling below the lower end of this pipe.
This steam jet air exhauster in its most convenient form is inserted across the
upper branch B of the suction pipe, or just below this, and jointed air tight at both
ends into bored seats inside of the branch. The steam branch and nozzle entering
at one end so as to draw the air from the inside of the suction pipe into an annular
opening round the steam nozzle into and through the induction or duplex vena-
contracta air and water tube of the ejector to exhaust and force the air and water
out at the discharge wide cod through a check valve opening to the outside but
which would close automatically by the pressure of the atmosphere as soon as the
pipes were filled with water and the steam jet was shut off and the pulsometer
put to work.

page_text: A further improvement consists in combining with these pumps any ordinary
non-suction injector J, and in so fitting this injector by its inlet water pipe J¹ to
the branch D on the delivery chamber D, as shown at D³, or it might be to a part
of the discharge pipe above this chamber to which the water is raised to enable the
injector to take it with little or no suction, and work properly to force the water
through it into the boiler. And the live steam from the boiler, for working this.
injector, would be taken from a branch on the pipe X, leading the steam to the
pump chambers A, A¹; the injector J being fitted with suitable inlet valves or
cocks j, and actuating hand wheels 1, for controlling the admission of steam and
water to this injector to make the whole arrangement complete and portable
with the pulsometer. In some cases exhaust low pressure steam when available
could be used to work this injector, especially when there was a considerable head
pressure on the discharge water pipes supplying it with water.
Both the branches or small pipes J, J, leading the water and steam to this
injector would be fitted with controlling screw valves j, or cocks with hand
wheels for regulating the working of the injector and putting it into or out of
action when desired; and the hand wheels of these valves, as also that of the steam
valve X for the pulsometer, would preferably be fitted each with a spring & taking
into notches in the rim or ring on their hand wheel to retain them in the working
position they were set to by hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The general construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts, of a
pulsometer or pumping apparatus, having the working vessels and discharge water
chambers with their water valves and the steam valve and its chamber, and fittings
connected with these including the injection spray and air valve fittings and
injector all substantially as described in reference to and shown in the accoin-
panying Drawings.
2. In pulsometer pumps, the forming of the automatically acting disc steam
valve and its seats and chamber in one piece with a lateral removing door, and
jointing flange and screw bolt fittings substantially as described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings..
3. In pulsometer pumps, the improved construction and mode of fitting the
automatically acting air inlet valves and injection water nozzles to the working
vessels substantially as described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
4. In pulsometer pumps, the improved construction and arrangement of an air
ejector with check valve in the upper part of the suction water pipe or branch,
substantially as described in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
5. In pulsometer pumps, the construction and arrangement or combination of an
injector and its fittings to the discharge or forcing chamber or its column pipe for
feeding the steam boiler of the apparatus, substantially as described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.