US784773A - Pump. - Google Patents

Description

No. 784.773. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. A. A. BALL, JR.

PUMP.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 10.1903.

Ir1\/e who r qugustus 04. Ba! ldr UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS A. BALL, JR, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A (JOB- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

PUMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,773, dated March 1 1905. Application filed August 10, 1903. Serial No. 168,922.

f0 (til whom it 711/11, concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS A. BALL, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

The efliciency of a pump depends upon certain factors, among which valve leakage is of vital importance. The output is directly dependent upon the action of the valves, and to obtain the maximum delivery of which the pump is capable the valves should open or close simultaneously with or slightly in advance of the change of stroke of the plunger. In certain classes of pumps this condition does not exist, because of the independent action of the valves, and consequently there exists a certain lag in their action relatively to theplunger, tending to produce a partial vacuum at the beginning of the suction-stroke and a leakage of fluid at the beginning of the discharge-stroke of the plunger. This time element or lag is particularly emphasized at high speeds, because the valves, due to conflict of their changing inertia between the strokes, do not respond quickly to the action of the plunger, and in this manner the efliciency of the pumps is much reduced.

My invention relates more especially to high-speed pumps, and has for its principal object to increase their efficiency.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple means for supporting and alining the pumps, whereby they can be installed or removed with a minimum expenditure of labor. I also arrange them in such manner that the valves and connections are readily cylinder. I find it desirable to so proportion the parts that the amount of fluid thus indrawn forms a substantial part of the total volume discharged at each delivery-stroke. For convenience I term this the major or principal suction-stroke. The plunger is connected to a rod or tube of substantial crosssection which passes through a suitable packing, so that when the plunger is on the return stroke the cubical contents of the cylinder will be further increased by an amount corresponding to the displacement of that portion of the rod or tube which passes from the cylinder. From this it follows that as the displacement of the rod is decreased by moving it outwardly a corresponding amount of liquid is indrawn into the cylinder, and this I term the minor suction-stroke. l have found the pump to work satisfactorily when two-thirds of the charge is indrawn on the major suction-stroke and one-third on the minor; but I do not limit myself to this or any other specific relation.

In order to hold the charge in the cylinder while the plunger is moving backward and its actuating rod or tube is moving outwardly, a valve is mounted in the plunger, which is positively opened and closed at a period when the plunger is practically idle ri. e, at the end of the forward stroke and the beginning of the backward stroke. The opening and closing of the valve is accomplished positively by the rod or tube, and the latter is connected to the plunger through a lost-motion connection. At or about the instant the valve is opened the piston starts on its return stroke and the charge is transferred from one side of the piston to the other. \Vhen the return stroke is completed, the valve closes and then the discharge-stroke begins.

In order to prevent the pump from being air-locked, which is a common trouble in pumps and more especially in those designed for high-speed work, I dispense with the usual clearance between the end of the cylinder and the plunger and make the parts lit snugly when the latter is at the end of its stroke.

1 have made careful tests with various types of displacement, double valve, and other pumps of ordinary construction havinga ninesiXteenths-inch bore and a one-inch stroke, and at fifteen hundred strokes per minute the delivery for the best of them was about one hundred and eighty pounds per hour. I then tested a pump of my improved construction havingthe same bore and length of stroke. At low speeds the output of the pump was about the same as that of the ordinary pumps previously referred to; but at fifteen hundred strokes per minute the output increased to about eight hundred pounds per hour. Intermediate speeds gave corresponding results; but the di fference became, more marked as the speed increased.

I assign two principal reasons for the efliciency of my improved pump over prior existing structures first, that the suction-valve is positively opened and closed by the plunger-rod; second, that practically double the length of time is provided in which the cylinder can fill. I also think that mounting the suction-valve in the plunger as described has its advantages, owing to the fact that the passage for the fluid is relatively unrestricted and free from objectionable bends and turns.

The novel features of construction and combination of parts will be more fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a, front view of an assemblage of pumps embodying my invention, one of the pumps beingshown in section. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections, respectively, on lines 4 4 and 5 5, Fig. 1, drawn on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of my preferred form of packing for the plunger and plunger-rod.

In the equipment of an automobile it is desirable to have the various devices that comprise the power system readily accessible for the purpose of inspection, removal, or repair. Particularly in a steam-power system wherein a number of pumps are employed a simple means for supporting the pumps is likewise advantageous. To this end the pumps are arranged in such a manner that they constitute a unitary structure which can be readily installed and removed, as the means for supporting the same on the vehicle-frame is correspondingly simplified. In the drawings three pumps are shown, this number being sufl'icient to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention and such as is adapted for an automobile steam system. These are employed separately as the water, fuel, and air pumps.

The pumps (indicated by numeral 1) are arranged on a supporting-rod 2. Each pump has cast integral with its casing rearwardlyextending eye-lugs 3, one at each end thereof, and by means of these eye-lugs the pumps are threaded on the supporting-rod 2. The pumps may be arranged according to any desired combination, singly or in pairs, on the supporting-rod. As shown, two of the pumps are arranged together and the other pump is disposed centrally above them directly in front of the supporting-rod. hen the pumps are grouped in pairs, the eye-lugs 3 are disposed laterally at an angle, Fig. 3, so that when assembled on the supporting-rod the pumps are suitably spaced apart to permit connection between the upper pump and the actuating means to be hereinafter explained.

The supporting-rod is secured at its ends in brackets4 and 5. The bracket 4 is bolted to a portion of the underframe of the vehicle, and the upper end of the supporting-rod engages in an eye 6 of the bracket. The bracket 5 is sleeved upon a shaft 7, mounted in a suitable manner on the underframe. In an eye 8 of the bracket 5 the lower end of the supporting-rod is screwed and pinned or otherwise secured. The eye-lugs of one lower pump rest upon those of the other, and the eye 8 of the bracket 5 forms a bearing for the lowermost of the eye-lugs. A sleeve 9 is loosely threaded on the pillar between the lower eyelug of the upper pump and the uppermost eye-lugs of the lower pumps and forms a spacing member. A sleeve 10 is assembled on the upper end of the pillar between the eye 6 of the bracket4 and nearest lug of the upper pump, and the nut 11, screwed on the end of the pillar, jams the intermediate pumps and sleeves together between the eyes of the brackets, forming thereby a rigid structure.

A cross-head 12 forms a common connection for the plunger-rods 13 of all the pumps. It consists of a plate 14 and a central member 15, integral with the plate. The plate is provided with two perforations 16 in line with the axes of the lower pumps. These perforations are tapped and into them the ends of the plunger-rods of the lower pumps screw, the latter being screw -'threaded for this purpose. Nuts 17 serve the obvious function of locking the rods in the plate. The plate 14 thus forms a yoke for the plungerrods of the lower pumps. The upper end of the central member 15 of the cross-head is bored and tapped, and the plunger-rod of the upper pump screws into the same. A locknut 18, carried on the upper plungerrod, screws down to impinge upon the end surface of the central member, providing thereby a locking connection. The cross-head is guided by the supporting-rod 2, so that perfect alinement or parallelism is provided between the plunger-rods of the pumps. For this purpose the lower end of the supporting-rod projects below the eye of the bracket 5, and the plate is formed with a bored lug or eye 19, which engages the lower end of the supportingrod, which acts as a guide. The upper end of the central member is also provided with aguidelug 20, which engages the supporting-rod, and is adapted to move between the eye-lugs 3 of the lower pumps, as will be clearly understood by inspection of Fig. 2. A depending lug 21 is formed on the plate of the crosshead, and this affords connection with a suitable actuating means. This latter comprises a bell-crank lever 22, arod 23 connecting one arm of the same, preferably with the crosshead of the engine of the vehicle or to any suitable motive device, and the other arm of the bell-crank lever is connected by a link 24 with the depending lug 21. The bell-crank lever is fulcrumed on the shaft 7, and by the oscillating motion which it receives through the connecting-rod 23 rectilinear reciprocating motion is imparted to the cross-head, and consequently to the plungers of the pumps.

The pumps are shown to be of similar construction, and therefore the detail description of the section shown in Fig. 1 will apply to the other pumps.

The pump-casing 25 is a casting which is formed with a suction-chamber 26, a discharge-cham ber 27 and a plunger-cylinder 28 intermediate of the chambers. The suctionehamber and plunger-cylinder are bored out in the casing, the former being of larger diameter than the latter. The plunger-cylinder has a finished bore to provide a true surface for a close moving fitof a pump-plunger 29. Between the plunger-cylinder and the discharge-chamber is an annular flange 30, which forms the head of the cylinder and is provided with a central discharge opening or port 31, through which fluid is transmitted from the plunger-cylinder to the dischargechamber. The end or head of the plunger is adapted to seat against this flange at the end of the discharge or in stroke in order that all fluid in front of the plunger will discharge, there being, therefore,no clearance. The head of the plunger is preferably turned off square, or it may be otherwise formed, if desired. In either case the annular flange or head is shaped to correspond with the form of the plunger-head in order to do away with clearance to render the pumping of compressible fluids possible.

The casing 25 is provided with an inlet-passage 32 and a discharge-passage 33, and bosses 34 are cast at these passages. These bosses are exteriorly threaded to afford connection, respectively, with a supply-pipe 35 and a discharge-pipe 36. Coupling-nuts 37 are screwed on the bosses and serve to connect the pipes with the pump. The coupled ends of the pipes are circumferentially flanged to provide means by which the coupling-nuts engage the pipes and jam the ends thereof against the bosses to form tight joints.

The plunger is a cylindrical shell having an opening at each end, and the transfer of fluid from the suction to the discharge-cham- The end of the plunger-rod 13 cooperates with the plunger in such a manner as to permit of the plunger acting as a valve in addition to its function as a piston. Thehead of the plunger has a central suction opening or port 38, which registers with the dischargeport 31. At this opening 38 is a conical seat 39, and the end of the plunger-rod is likewise conical or disk shaped to form a valve that snugly fits the seat. The plungerrod is adapted to have a slight play independently of the plunger, so as to provide for the positive opening and closing of the suctionopening 38 at the reversing of the strokes of the plunger-rod. This limited movement of the plunger-rod relatively to the plunger is obtained by loosely attaching the plunger to the rod. The inlet end of the plunger is provided with a semi-annular lip 40, and this engages between two annular shoulders 41 on the plunger-rod. These shoulders are suitably spaced apart, so that the independent movement of the plunger-rod will positively open or close the suction-port in the head of the plunger at the change of strokes and still not materially affect the effective stroke of the plunger by the slight lost motion of the rod.

The diameter of the plunger-rod is much smaller than the bore of the hollow plunger, and. in order to guide the plunger-rod relatively in axial alinemen't with the plunger radial guide-lugs 42, Fig. 4, are formed on the plunger-rod adjacent the valve portion thereof, these lugs having a sliding bearing upon the inner surface of the plunger and being suitably spaced apart, so as to permit a free passage of fluid through the plunger.

A packing 43 is provided for the plunger, and, as shown in Fig. 6, the preferred form is a continuous ring of soft compressible metal, such as babbitt. This packing is placed under compression by a gland-ring 44, which screws into an interiorly-threaded portion of the casing at the inlet end of the plungercylinder. This form of packing is particu larly adapted to the use for which it is designed, as it affords a tight and uniform seal around the plunger, yet one that offers slight friction to the reciprocating parts. The pl Linger-rod is also provided with a ring-packing of babbitt. This ring 45 is arranged in a stuffing-box 46, and a gland 47 serves to ob' tain the proper degree of compression of the packing.

On the discharge side of the internal annular flange 30 is a ball-valve that closes the discharge-port 31 while the suction-valve of the plunger is open, as during the suction-stroke of the pump. A ball 48, a spring-actuated follower 49, and a screw plug or cap 50 comprise the parts of the ball-valve. The screw plug or cap 50 is provided with a bore at its inner end in which is contained the follower 49 and a spring 51 for actuating the same.

here takes place through the plunger itself. 1 The ball readily unseats by the pressure of the fluid at the discharge-stroke and immediately reseats under the action of its spring at the beginning of the suction-stroke.

The upper pump is preferably the air-pump and is shown without the herein-described packing and stufling-box for the plunger rod, it being immaterial in the air-pump what sort of packing is employed.

It will be apparent from the above description that the pumps have the same throw by reason of their connection with the cross-head common to them all. The plunger-rods are individually adjustable, so that the proper relation of the end of the plunger to the discharge-ports can be obtained. In other words, the plunger-rods may be so adjusted in the cross-head that in all the pumps there will be a minimum of clearance.

Taking up the operation of the pump, consider the plunger, as shown in the section of Fig. 1, to be in a position when the suctionstroke is about to occu r. The d ischarge-stroke has been completed, and the ball-valve is closed. At the beginning of the suction-stroke the plunger-rod moves a slight distance outwardly independently of the plunger until the lip at the inlet end of the plunger engages a shoulder of the plunger-rod. This independent or lost movement of the rod positively removes the valve at its end from the suction-port of the 1.)lunger, or, in other words, opens the suctionvalve. As the outstroke continues after the lip of the plunger engages the outermost shoulder of the rod, the plunger and plungerrod move together as one device. The hollow of the plunger and suction-chamber are filled with fluid, and as the plunger moves outwardly the fluid is transferred through the suction-valve, the plunger scooping, in a sense, the fluid. During this suction-stroke the fluid that is transferred through the plunger fills the space in front of the latter, and the ball-valve serves to retain the transferred fluid therein until the discharge or in stroke of the plunger occurs. Now after the limit of the suction-stroke has been reached reversal takes place. Again there is an initial movement of the plunger-rod independently of the plunger. By means of this the suction-valve is closed, and thus the plunger becomes virtually a solidheaded plunger. Upon the continuance of the discharge or in stroke the pressure of the fluid in front of the plunger overcomes the tension of the ballvalve, and thereby outlet is afforded for the fluid as the plunger advances. The fluid is forced out of the plunger-cylinder by reason, as hereinbefore stated, of there being no clearance for the plunger. Simultaneously with the instroke suction of fluid into the suctionchamber occurs to take the place of the advancing plunger. This may be considered as the main suction of the pump; but a minor suction of fluid takes place durlng the outstroke of the plunger. This latter is occasioned by the displacement of that portion of the plunger-rod which withdraws from the pump-easing at the outstroke. In other words, the minor suction of fluid is equivalent to the cubical contents of the portion of the plungerrod that withdraws.

It will be noted that the action of the suction-valve is positive in character by reason of the positive motion of the plunger-rod and plunger, which are virtually the suction-valve as well as the pumping member of the pump, and the pump is thus adapted for high-speed operation. The pump thus operates on a double-suction and single-discharge cycle, and by reason of the minor suction of fluid supplementing the main suction the pump is enabled to deliver its maximum output atall times whether running at low or high speeds.

The pump is equally adaptable for pumping air, gas, or liquid, and in the case of liquids the tendency to become air-locked is reduced to a minimum.

In order to avoid destructive stress upon the lips of the plungers as they alternately engage the shoulders of the plunger-rods, the reversal of strokes of the pumps is arranged to be simultaneous with the period through which the actuating mechanism passes through the dead-centers. Another important advantage derived from the change in strokes occurring at the time of passing through the dead-centers is that the rectilinear movement of the rod at such times is relatively slow compared with the rotative movement of the actuating mechanism. This permits the suction valve to remain open a sui'ficient period of time to enable a full charge of fluid to pass through the valve before closing, as would otherwise likely occur when operating at high speeds.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

I/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a pump, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger working therein without substantial clearance between them, inlet and discharge ports, a rod which is connected to the plunger through a lost-motion connection, and a valve at the head of the plunger which is positively actuated by the rod for controlling the transfer of fluid from one side of the plunger to the other.

2. In a pump, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger which works in the cylinder without clearance, a valve in the head of the plunger which controls the passage of fluid through the latter, and a rod which actuates the plunger and positively opens and closes the valve.

3. In a pump, the combination of a casing provided with suction and discharge chambers and a plunger-cylinder intermediate the same,

a hollow plunger having a suction-port at one end, a plunger-rod which extends into the plunger from the end opposite to that of the suction-port, a valve at the end of the rod adapted to open and close the suction-port, and an outwardly-opening discharge-valve in the discharge-chamber.

4. In a pump, the combination of a casing provided with suction and discharge chambers and a plunger-cylinder intermediate the same, a hollow plunger having an inlet-opening at one end and a suction-port at the opposite end, a plunger-rod which extends through the plunger from the inlet end thereof and adapted to move independently of the plunger at the beginning of each stroke, a valve on the end of the plunger-rod for opening and closing the suction-port by the independent movement of the rod, and a valve in the discharge-chamber.

5. In a pump, the combination of a casing provided with suction and discharge chambers and a plunger-cylinder intermediate the chambers, a hollow plunger having an inlet-opening at one end and a suction-port at the opposite end or head, an internal annular flange between the discharge-chamber and plungercylinder forming a seat for the head of the plunger and having a discharge-port registering with the suction-port, a plunger-rod adapted to open and close the suction-port, and a spring-actuated valve controlling the discharge-port.

6. In a pump, the combination of a casing, 4 a hollow plunger provided with an inlet-opening at one end and a suction-port at the opposite end, a lip formed at the inlet end of the plunger, a plunger-rod extending into the plunger through the inlet end thereof, a valvedisk formed at the end of the plunger-rod, adapted to open and close the suction-port, and spaced shoulders provided on the plunger-rod and adapted to alternately engage the lip of the plunger.

7. In a pump, the combination of a casing, a hollow plunger provided with an inlet-opening at one end and a suction-port at the opposite end, a plunger-rod extending into the hollow plunger, a valve on the end of the plunger-rod adapted to open and close the suction-port, means permitting a partial movement of the plunger-rod independently of the plunger for operating the suction-valve, and guide-lugs at the valve end of the plungerrod engaging the inner wall of the plunger.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of August, 1903.

AUGUSTUS A. BALL, JR.

Witnesses:

DUGALD MoK. MoKiLLor, CHATTIN BRADWAY.

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