US57188A - Improvement in steam-pumps - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATESv PATWE@ LOUIS C. RODIER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-PUMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,188, dated August 14, 1866.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS C. RODIER of Springfield, Hampden county, Commonwealth ot' Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Pumps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon.

My improvements relate to that kind of pumping-en gine known as direct and double acting,77 consisting ot' a steam-engine the piston-rod of which is continued outward and enters a water-cylinder of a pump attached to the same bed with the steam-cylinder, the piston of the pump being attached to the opposite end of this piston-rod from the steampiston.

It has been customary in such pumping-engines to use a tappet-arm attached to the piston-rod between the two cylinders for the purpose of working the steam-valve; but this engine is so arranged that no tappet-arm or other outside connection between the workin g parts and the valve is used.

By this arrangement I do away with all the complicated mechanism generally used to operate the steam-valve, and also am able to place the engine and pump nearer together on the bed, making a lighter and more compact machine, and one which is necessarily stronger and more durable, from the tact that the cylinders are so much nearer together th at there is no chance for spring or breakage in the bed between the cylinders, and the piston-rod, being shorter and unencumbered by additional weight, is not so easily sprung out of line.

Theseimprovements relate both to the engine and pump; and they consist of, in the engine, a peculiar and advantageous arrangement of steam-ports,in connection with the main valve and two smaller valves in the cylinder-heads, the manner and purpose of which arrangement I will more fully show hereinafter; also, in the pump, a compact and convenient arrangement ofthe valves.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure l is a side view of myimproved steam-pump. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, looking at the pump. Figs. 3 and 4 are side views of the upper and lower valveplugs of the pump, respectively.

I will rst describe the construction of the engine A is the cylinder in which the pistou B works, steam being let on at the two ends through the ports G C and received into these ports from the interior ot' the hollow cylindrical slide-valve D, into which the steam is taken from a jacket, E, in the valve-chest around this valve, through the opening F in the valve, which communicates with thejacket by means ot' a similar opening, G, in its side, the jacket receiving steam from the boiler through the pipe H. After being used in the cylinder, this steam is exhausted through the ports C G', passing out into the exhaust Kthrough the Valve, which, acting like an ordinary slidevalve, forms a connection with this port C or C' and the exhaust-port, to let od the steam before it had formed a connection between the live-steam pipe and the same port C or C.

It will be seen from the above description that the arrangement and opera-tion of the main steam ports and valve are like that of an ordinary slide-valve, excepting that steam is let into thc interior of a hollow valve, which is cylindrical, instead of on the top of a dat slide.

In the arrangement of secondary ports and valves for operating the main valve D consists my improvements in the engine. These I will now describe: In each end of the cylinder I form a cavity, L, which acts as a reservoir for live steam received from the jacket E, before mentioned, through the port c. In this cavity, and nearly filling it diametrically, I place the small valve I), communicating with the interior ofthe steam-cylinder by means of the stem c, workingthrough asteam-tightopening,d. This valve has a small opening, c, cutinit, to allow of the passage of steam by it. From this reservoir the port f runs, leading into the valvechest, and from the valve-chest the small exhaust-port g runs, communicating with the main exhaust K, so that the main valve forms a piston working in its cylinder, which is the valve-chest, and operated precisely like the main piston below it, by alternately letting on and exhausting steam at either end of this piston-valve.

The operation of this engine is as follows: The piston and valves being in the position shown in Fig. 1, steam, being let on, goes into the interior of the main valve D, and passes out through the port C into the cylinder, driving the piston to the opposite end of the cylcape..

inder. When it `(the piston) arrives at the opposite end of the cylinder it strikes the stem c of the valve 'b, forcing it open and allowing live steam from the reservoir to pass over the valve, through the cut e, and up through the port f into the interior of the valve-chest. This starts the valve, which immediately travels to the opposite end of the chest, bringing it to the position shown at Fig. 1 in red lines, and allows the steam to pass fromy the interior of the valve D into the opposite end of the cylinder from that which it has before been entering, and also this motion of the valve uncoversthe opening of the port g Where it enters into the valve-chest, thus allowing the steam which has propelled the valve D to es- This operation reverses the motion of the piston, causing it to return to its original position, and as it starts to return the pressure in the reservoir on the small valve geloses it. Arriving at the opposite end it acts on the small valve g at that end, causing the other parts to operate in a similar manner to that described, reversing its motion again, and these operations are repeated alternately at each end of the cylinder, causing a continuous reciprocating motion of the piston.

As soon as-the main valve passes over the opening of the exhaust-port g in itsforward motion, in the act of reversing, 'the air inclosed Y in the valve-chest between the end of the valve and thevhead of the chest is compressed, forming a cushion, so that the valve may move easily and not strike against the end of the valve-chest; also, in order to prevent this pressure from acting on the small valve b to open it, a small port., lz, is provided in the main valve, which communicates, when the valve D has passed far enough toward the end of its stroke, with the exhaust-port g by means of the small port s, arranged in the valve-seat for that purpose, thus allowing the compressed airor steam to escape; also, by allowing the stem of the valve b to extend into the interior of the cylinder, so that the -pistonstrikes it before it reaches the end of its stroke, a steamcushion for the main piston is formed. In both these Ways of cushioning no steam is wasted and no extra steam used, as is the casein some pumping-engines.

I will now show my improvements in the pump. This pump is double-acting, and has two flap valves beneath the cylinder communicating with the suction pipe, and two similar valves above the cylinder communicating with the delivery-pipe. Each pair of these valves is placed in a plug or cylinder, which is inserted in an opening made for the purpose, and fastened there in any desired manner, the object being,in such arrangement,

' to place the valves in such a manner that they may be readily removed and examined.v These l valves are secured in place in a peculiar manner, having trunnions 7a 7s', which fit in notches out in the upper surface of the plugs, so that when the plugs are inserted the valves are secured in place; but when the plugs are re- The arrangement of the lower plug consists merely of a single cavity communicating with the suction-pipe, and having an opening on each side, which the valves alternately open Vand close,l allowing the ywater to flow into either end of the cylinder as the piston is moved, and preventing it from being forced out from the other end in the manner of ordinary valves Virnrsimilar situations. The upper plug is formed into three apartments by a longitudinal and lateral partition, so that the Water maynot, when forced, tlovvr through the opposite valve back into the cylinder, but may have a free passage out into the delivery-pipe or up into the yair-chamber.

Sometimes, even when the valves are arranged as before described, the opposite valve from that through which the water is forced becomes accidentally raised, allowing the water to flow through into the cylinder. In order to prevent this and insure the closing of one valve when the other is opened, I arrange the yoke U, hung on a pivot, in such a manner that when one valve is raised it strikes this yoke and causes it to press down on the valve on the opposite side, thus rendering ts closing sure. I also connect the lower valves together by means of a iiexible connection in the interior, though this is not so essential, as the tendency of the current of Water through this plug is to draw down and close the opposite valves, while in the upper valves the tendency is more to open them.

The advantages I claim for this pumpingengine, considered as a whole, and arising from the various improvements here described,

united and used in connection with each other,

are perfect surety of operation, (as, if the piston moves to the end of the cylinder, it must operate the small valve, thusmovin g the main -valve and reversing its own motion, no dependence being placed on outside and complicated mechanism,) compactness, and a small number of parts, and consequently cheapness of construction.

The arrangement of the valves in the Water-cylinder, which renders them sure in their operation and easily removed for examination or change, is of great importance, as it is at this place that4 pumps most. frequently need examination.

Now, having described my invention, what I` claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf 1. The arrangement, in each end of a steamcylinder, of the valve b, with a steam-reservoir, L, and port f, so as to be operated by the piston to admit steam tothe main valve-chest, substantially in the manner an( for the purpose set forth. f

2. rlhe construction ofthe stem of the valve b at each end of the cylinder in such a manner that it shall be moved, reversing the main valve before the piston reaches the end of the cylinder, so as to cushion the piston, as setforth.

3. The arrangement of the ports h and s, respectively, in the main valve and its seat7 so as to communicate with the exhaust'port and the valve-chest, substantially as set forth.

4. The arrangement of the Water-valves, hung on trunnions in the plugs, substantially as set forth.

5. The construction of the upper plug, di-

vided into three parts by means of partitions Communicating with either end of the Cylinder, and with the delivervpipe and air-chamber, as shown and described,

6. The arrangement of the yoke U, operating substantially as set forth.

L. U. RODIER.

Witnesses:

J. B. GARDINER, EDWARD H. HYDE.

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