US1203926A - Water-elevator. - Google Patents

Description

JAMES M. STAFFORD, OF WASHINGTON, INDIANA.

WATER-ELEVATOR.

Application filed November 17, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. STAFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at W'ashington, in the county of Daviess, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful ater-Elevator; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improved construction of water elevator, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construct-ion whereby the partial vacuum will enable water to be raised at slight expense, and which requires but little attention on the part of the operator.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the noval features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a water elevator constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the water elevator, showing a modified construction for igniting the inside lamp.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates a closed chamber or tank which is arranged at a suitable elevation above the surface of the water in the well or stream from which the water is to be elevated. A water supply pipe 2- leads from the source of supply to the bottom of the chamber 1, and a discharge pipe. 3 through which the water is conveyed to the reservoir or other recep- Specification of Letters Patent.

7 ing check valve at.

Patented Nov, F, 191

Serial No. 61,980.

tacle in which it is to be collected leads from the bottom of the chamber 1, said outlet pipe 3 being provided with an outwardly open- An air inlet opening 5 is provided in the top of the chamber 1, said opening being controlled by a valve (3 which has a stem 7 pendent therefrom.

Arranged within the chamber 1 at a sin"- able point is a lamp 8, said lamp being fitted against one of the side walls of the chamber with the wick or burner 8 thereof adjacent an opening 9 which is controlled by a valve 10. A. pilot light 11 is arranged upon the outside of the chamber 1 with the wick or burner 11 thereof opposite the opening 9, so that when the valve is opened, a few drops of gasolene or the like sprayed from the pipe 12 will cause the wick 8 to be lighted or ignited from the flame of the outside lamp 11. The spraying pipe 12 communicates at its upper end with a small gasolene tank 13,

and a valve 14: controls the flow of gasolene from the tank through the spraying pipe.

A float 151s arranged w1th1n the chamber r l, and normally rests upon a seat 16 proectlng upwardly from the bottom of the chamber. Carried by the float is a stem 17 which projects upwardly therefrom and passes loosely through suitable guides 18 which may be carried by the cross bars 19.

The air valve 6 and the side valve 10 are both closed when the lamp 8 is burning, the flame from the said lamp serving first to heat the air confined within the chamber 1 so that it expands and a portion thereof is expelled through the outlet pipe 3, the check valve 4: opening for this purpose, the inwardly opening check valve 2 at the upper end-of the water supply pipe 2 being closed at this time. After the initial expansion of the confined air by the heat of the flame the consumption of oxygen incident to combustion will produce a partial vacuum in the chamber until the flame is ultimately extinguished. As the result of this partial vacuum water will flow upwardly into the chamber 1 through the water supply pipe 2, and the cooling of the previously heated air or gases confined within the chamber will cause a contraction thereof, said contraction causing a further quantity of water to flow upwardly into the chamber 1. At this point the upper end of the valve stem 17 will contact with a valve opening lever 20 and swing the same upwardly, one end of the said lever being pivoted at 20 upon the walls of the chamber 1, while the opposite end thereof will engage a lateral arm 7 upon the valve stem 7 and lift the valve 6, thereby opening the air inlet 5. 20 is arranged to limit the downward swinging movement of the lever 20.

Practically simultaneously with the opening of the valve 6, the beveled nose 21 of a trip finger 21 projecting laterally from the valve stem 17 will engage a roller 50 on one of the arms of a bell crank lever 51 which is pivotally mounted at 52 upon a bracket 53 projecting from one side of the chamber 1, the opposite arm of the bell crank having a pin and slot connection 5% with an arm 22 projecting from the side valve 10 and slidable through an opening in the bracket 53. A coil spring 55 engages the bell crank lever 51 and normally swings the same to close the valve 10, although when the said bell crank is actuated by the trip finger 21 the valve 10 is moved into an open position. The nose of a detent 24: then engages a hook 56 on the bell crank 51 to hold the same against the action of the spring 55 and lock the valve 10 in an open position. In a similar manner, when the valve 6 is opened a detent 23 swings under a head 7 at the lower end of the stem 7 to lock the valve in an open position. This detent 23 is pivotally mounted at an intermediate point in its length upon the upper cross bar 19, the lower end thereof being provided with a laterally projecting arm 23 which has a roller 28 at the end thereof, and is connected by a tension spring 57 to the cross bar 19. As soon as the valves 6 and 10 are opened the water which previously flowed into the chamber 1 through the water supply pipe 2 will flow by gravity through the outlet pipe 3, the check valve 4: being open while the check valve 2 is closed. As the water flows out of the chamber 1 the float 15 drops, and before it reaches the lower limit of its movement a trip finger 25 thereon having a roller at the extremity thereof engages the beveled nose 26 of an arm 26 which is connected to the gasolene .valve 14, thereby operating the said valve and causing a few drops of gasolene to be sprayed through the lower end of the gasolene p1pe 12. This causes the inside lamp 8 V to be ignited from the outside lamp 11. A

spring 58 is connected to the valve arm 26 for normally holding'the valve in a closed position, and the trip finger 25 is pivotally mounted at 25 upon the float stem 17, said trip finger being free to swing downwardly against the action of a spring 59, while the upward swinging movement thereofis limited by a stop 60. The upward swinging movement of the gasolene valve arm 26 is also limited by a stop 61, so that upon the upward movement of the float stem 17 the trip finger 25 will swing downwardly and clear the valve arm 26, although upon the A stop downward movement of the float stem the trip finger will actuate the valve arm;

WVhen the float 15 reaches the full limit of its downward movement the beveled nose 2" of another trip finger 27 thereon engages the roller 28 upon the arm 23 of the detent 23 so as to swing the detent into in operative position and permit the air valve 6 to drop into a closed position by the action of gravity. At substantially the same time the beveled nose 29 of still another trip fin ger 29 engages a roller 61 at the end of an arm 30 projecting from the detent 24 so as to move the detent into an inoperative position and permit the side valve 10 to be closed. The valves 6 and 10 are thus closed, with the inside lamp 8 burning, and the device is thus started upon another cycle of operation similar to that which has just been described.

At the beginning of a cycle of operation the parts are in the position shown by Fig. 1, the valves 6 and 10 being closed, and the inside lamp 8 being lighted. The burning of this lamp 8 will first heat the air confined within the chamber land cause a portion thereof to be expelled through the outlet pipe 3. After this initial expansion of the confined air, the consumption'of oxygen incident to combustion will produce a partial vacuum in the chamber, thereby causing water to be drawn upwardly into the bottom of the chamber through the inlet pipe 2. This water will raise the float 15, together with the stem 17, until the upper end of the said stem engages the lever 20 and lifts the air inlet valve 6 into an open position. At the same time the air inlet valve 6 is opened,

the nose of the trip finger 21 engages the roller 50 at the end of the bell crank lever 51 and opens the side valve 10; The detent 23 then locks the air valve in an open position, while the detent 24c locksthe side valve 10 111 an open position. Upon this upward movement of the float stem 17, the pivoted trip arm 25 for the gasolene valve will have swung downwardly and cleared the end of the gasolene valve lever 26, as previously explained. The water drawn intothe chamr her 1 by the partial vacuum produced therein will now be discharged through the outlet pipe 3 by the action of gravity, and the products of combustion will escape to a sufficient extent through the openings con trolled by the valves 6 and 10. These openings can be made of any suitable size, and the heated products of combustion will tend to rise through the top opening as cool fresh air enters the chamber through the side opening. As the water flows through the outlet pipe 3, the float 15 drops back to its original position. WVhile the side valve 10 is still open, the trip arm 25 will engage the gasolene valve arm 26 and temporarily open the gasolene valve so that a small quantity of gasolene will flow through the pipe position, while the trip arm 29 will release the detent 24; and cause the side valve 10 to be closed by the action of the spring 55. The burning of the inside lamp 8, with the valves 6 and 10 closed, will then operate as previously described to produce a partial vacuum within the chamber and draw a fresh supply of water upwardly through the inlet pipe 2.

A slight modification is shown by Fig. 2, in which an electric spark is utilized for igniting the wick of the inside lamp 8. A suitable sparking device, such as the spark plug 62 may be mounted in a suitable position for igniting the wick 8 the terminals of the spark plug being connected to an or dinary sparking coil 63. A battery 64: may supply the current, one of the terminals thereof being connected to an insulated bracket 65 having an inclined contact member 66 at the end thereof, said inclined contact member having an insulated lower end 66 and being adapted to be engaged by a roller 67 on an arm 68 which is pivotally mounted upon the float stem 17 and insulated therefrom. The other terminal of the sparking circuit is connected to this arm 68, and springs 69 normally hold the arm in a substantially horizontal position, although it is free to swing both up and down. When the float 15 rises, the roller 67 engages the insulated nose 66 of the inclined contact member 66, and eventually slips by the same without closing the sparking circuit. However, upon the downward movement of the float 15 the roller 67 engages the inclined contact plate 66 and closes the sparking circuit so that the wick 8 of the lamp 8 is ignited.

The idea of the invention is to utilize combustion to intermittently produce a partial vacuum within a closed chamber, the combustion first heating the confined air and causing it to expand with the result that a portion thereof is expelled through a check valve, and a continuation of the combustion then using a portion of the oxygen of the confined air, with the result that a partial vacuum is produced, suflicient to draw water upwardly into the confined chamber through the water supply pipe. The entrance of this water into the closed chamber cools the air and produces a contraction thereof which results in drawing a still further quantity of water into the chamber. The water thus elevated into the chamber is then released and the inside lamp ignited preparatory to the next cycle. Any suitable means may be pro vided for producing the combustion within the chamber.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A water elevator, including a closed chamber, a water inlet, a water outlet, check valves controlling the water inlet and water outlet, an air valve, a detent for locking the air valve in an open position, a float within the chamber, means actuated by the rising and falling of the float to alternately open the air valve and release the detent, and means for establishing combustion within the closed chamber when the air valve is closed to produce a partial vacuum therein and cause water to enter the chamber through the inlet.

2. A water elevator, including a closed chamber, a water outlet, a water inlet, check valves controlling the water inlet and water outlet, a float within the chamber, top and side valves for the chamber, means actuated by the rise and fall of the float for simultaneously opening and closing the two valves at intervals of time, and means for estab lishing combustion within the closed cham ber when the valves are closed, thereby pro ducing a partial vacuum therein and causing water to enter the chamber through the inlet.

3. A water elevator, including a closed chamber, a water inlet, a water outlet, check valves controlling the water inlet and water outlet, a float within the chamber, top and side valves for the chamber, means actuated by the rise of the float for simultaneously opening the two valves, detents for locking the valves in an open position, means actuated by the float when it reaches the lower limit of its movement for simultaneously releasing the detents, and means for establishing combustion within the chamber when the valves are closed, thereby producing a partial vacuum therein and causing water to enter the chamber through the inlet.

4. A water elevator, including a closed chamber, a water inlet, a water outlet, check valves controlling the water inlet and water outlet, a float within the chamber, a stem projecting upwardly from the float, guide means for the stem, an air valve at the top of the chamber, a second valve at one side of the chamber, trip actuated means controlled by the float for simultaneously opening the two valves when the float reaches the upper limit of its movement, detents for locking the two valves in an open position, trip means actuated by the float when it reaches the lower limit of its movement for simultaneously releasing the two detents, and means for establishing combustion within the through the water inlet.

5. A water elevator, including a closed chamber, a water inlet, a water outlet, check valves controlling the water inlet and water.

outlet, a float within the chamber, a burner within the chamber, an air valve for the chamber, means actuated by the float for igniting the burner and closing the air valve when it reaches the lower limit of its movement, and means actuated by the float for automatically opening the air valve when it reaches the upper limit of its movement.

6. A water elevator, including a closed chamber, a water inlet, a water outlet, check valves for the water inlet and water outlet, a float within the chamber, a burner within the chamber, an air valve for the chamber, means for opening the air valve when the float reaches the upper limit of its movement, a detent for holding the air valve in an open position, means actuated by the tuated by the float for opening the first mentioned valve when it reaches the upper limit of itsmovement, detents for holding the two valves in open positions, means actuated by the float for depositing a combustible between the outside burner and the inside burner so that the inside burner will be ignited, and means actuated by the float when it reaches the lower limit of its movement to release the before mentioned detents and cause both valves to be closed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

7 JAMES M. STAFFORD.

Witnesess SAMUEL C. ESKRIDGE, LUOINDA HARROD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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