US1766156A - Pumping system - Google Patents

Description

' PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 1928 HUM INVENTOR. [MI E Ill/K900" ATTORNEY U T D Patented .li1ned2 i930,

ELMERE. Vinson, or, SAN FRAn-orsco, CALIFORNIA V PUMPING SYSTEM Application filed December 5, 1928. Serial No. 323,820.

This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for IELlSlIlgQlliLIltltlGS ofwater to suitable elevations Where the same maybe available for the operation ofidevices used in the generation of electrical power.

. :My improved-apparatus comprises, in brief,

one or more pumpingunits having means embodied therein for elevating by gravity, suitable quantities of water to be used in produc 110 ingelectrical energy. The unit isprovided with a float having'a plunger secured thereto insuch'a manner that it fits into a compression chamber adapted to receive quantities of water. The float is movably located in a '5 tank, and-through suitable conduits suflicient water is admitted to the tank from the :sea

or other suitable source to-elevatethe float, whereby upon its being again lowered by the lowering of the water level in the tank, the

7 e plunger is permitted to operate in the compression chamber to force the water therein to a suitable receptacle such as an elevated storage reservoir, where it is available for any desired purpose.- h

An object of my invention is to provide apparatus for elevating quantities of water to desired elevations by the power of gravity, whereby it may be available for use in'pro- 'ducing electrical energy;

Another object of my invention is to provide', an-improved hydro-electric power system comprising one or more pumping units which is actuated by theriseand fall of water therein to elevate quantities of water to de- 3 sired elevations.

Other objects more or less apparent will present themselves or will be specifically pointed out in the description to follow.

' In the accompanying'drawings which show the preferred embodiment of my invention,

The figure is a vertical sectional view'of my improved pumping apparatus. 7 I My improved pumping apparatus'consists of'aqtank' 1, positioned preferably beneath "1. the level of the sea and connected to the latter by one or more pipes 2, through'which suitable quantities of watermay proceed to and from the tank, dependent upon the rise and fall of the tide. .Movably located in; the

tank 1 is'afloat 3 carrying aside 4 which is secured" thereto, andalso a telescoping extension side 5 which fits tightly against the side 4 but still is .adaptedto move u andfdown therein. The topofthe side@5 1s enclosed-by a movablecover 6 having a plunger 7 secured to its'underneathsurface. The plunger 7 slidably fits inside a I cylinder8 which is secured to thefloat 3' at points around a central cut out portion inthe latter. Extending through the float no 3 with their ends revolvably attached tothe top and bottom ofthe tank 1 are a numberof standards 9 which are provided with threads I thereon with screwably operate in threaded lugslO, secured to the extension side 5. Part ly imbedded within float 3 and extending vertically above the top of the tank are a plurality of stand pipes 11 which communicate with; openings '12 located in etheibottomlof the float,lthe'said openings 12 in turn communicati'ng'with the inside oflthe cylinder v 8 through the large' central cutout portion 1 in the float 3. The pipes llbeing connected. to the inside of the cylinder 8 are adapted to receive quantities of water ejected from the Y said cylinder by the plunger 7 moving downa wardly. A valve 13' locatedin thebottom of the plunger 7 may be opened. and closed by a rod 14 which extends upwardly through anopeni'ng through the plunger, thesaid rod vso being rotated through connecting gears 15 and 16 bya 'niotor17; The motor 171 is adaptedto operate in a, direction to open the valve 13 by the meeting of contactiplates18 and 19, .the latterplate being "connected 130,85

a source of;electricity and V. mounted on the side 5, and the former platebeing mounted on the cover of the side 5. The motor P17 is adapted to ;;operate in a reverse direction to cl0se the .valve 13 by the meeting of contact plates 20 and 21, the former contact plate 2O being supported by the cover 6, and the latter contact plate'21- being mounted on the side 5 and connected to the source of electricity. Asecond motor 22 is connected by a shaft 23 through gears 24 and 25 with standards 9, thereby affording means for raising and lowering the telescopic side '5 inside side 4i; The said motor is actuated in a direction to turn the shaft23 in a direction adapted 1 to lower side 5, by themeeting of contact:

I plates 20 and 21 which are suitably connected to the said motor. The motor 22 is operated to turn the shaft-23 in a reverse direction so as to raise side 5 by the meetingoftwo other contact plates35 and 36 which are also connected to the'said motor. A contact plate 39 is mounted on the side 5 while'another (contact plate 38 .is attached to a small'float 37 which is moved upward and downward by,

the rising and falling of the" water-in the tank 1', dueto the rise and fall of the tide ofthe sea. These contact plates 38 and 39 upon meeting causethejmotor to'turn the shaft 23 so as to lowerthe side 5. a

provided in its side with a one-way inlet valve'28 andit's inside is connected through outlet 29 with pipe which is provided with a check valve-31, thesaid checkvalve functioningto prevent water from flowingb'ack .into the cylinder, 27 through the said pipe 30. An opening. 33 in the side of the float 3' connects with an airvent 34, thereby providfing means for the passage of air to and from V the inside of the fioat.- A contactplate 10' mounted on the cover 6 and connected with the source of electrical energy is "adapted'to co ntact with another 3 contact plate 41 sej cured to one of the pipes11, thereby causing a motor 42, to which the contact plates are connected, to operate to open a valve 43' l which is connected to the operating shaft of the motor by suitable gears 43 43 and an upright rod 43 thus allowing water to enter the stand pipes 11 from the tank 1 and pass 'intothe cylinder 8. Suitable guides 44: located between the cover 6' andthe bottom of the float 3 's'erveto insure the smooth upward and downward movement of the cover 6 with-. .in the side 5. Similar guides'i5 are provided between the bottom of tank 1 and the bottom of Heat 3 to insure the smooth vertical move} ment of the float 3 in an, upward and down 1 ward direction. "Aswitch4 6 connected to the wires leading to motors 17, 22 and s2 from the source of electrical energy, serves to turn on or shut; off the flow of electricity coming totheapparatus; r

Assumev tht thefvvater in the tank, has reached thelhigh tide mark and that the float 3 has been raised with the top edge of the extensionsidef5' located' 'a few inches above the I water level in the tank and the cover 6 is 10- cated appr'oximately'flush with the top edge i a, V V

' to the motor 17; through the contacting of ofs'aidiside 5. l At tliistimethe switch46. is closed,thereby allowing the current to flow the contact plates 18 andc19. Thesaid motor is thereby, actuated in such a direction that the valve 13 is opened toallow the water in cylinder 8 to. pass upwardly through the 7 causing the plunger 7 to descend still-farther central opening in the plunger? and onto the top oi' cover 6. The weight of the plunger l 7 and the cover 6 causes the-plunger 7 to sink downward into the cylinder 8. The area of the plunger 7 being much lessthan thearea of cover 6, the depth of the water thus transferred to'the top of the latter is much less than the depth of the water removed from the cylinder. 8 to the top of cover 6 by this p r o v action, leaviiigthe cover 6 and the water thereon considerably below the top edge of the extension side 5 and also below the water level'in tank 1. The movement of the cover h tact plate 20 into engagement 'withcontact plate 21, thereby closing another circuit to themotor 17 which rotates in'a reversefdi- 76in a downward vdirection carries the con l rection to close the valve 13." *The ,enga'gement of these same contact plates 20 and 21" 7 causes motor 22 to operate in a direction to turn the vertical standards 9-in' the lugs 10 so the extension side 5 is lowered to a desired position below the level-of the water in tank 1, thereby causing the water in the tank to flow over the upper edgeof the side 5 and upon the cover 6. The weight of the water 0n the cover 6 forces the cover and plunger 7 downstill farther into the cylinder 8. The

downward movement of the plunger '7; in the-cylinder 8 forces the water in the said stand pipes ll'where it at all times maintains cylinder through the openings12'into the an exact equilibrium with the pressure ofthe 7 water supported by the cover-6.

"When the cover 6 reaches a certain point in its descent, the weight of the water in the movable extension-side 5andabove'thecover 6 is such thatit iorcesthe float 3 and the plunger 26 downward with sufficient pressure that the water in the cylinder 27 is forced through the pip'e'30into reservoir 32. Y As the float 3 descends the water inthe tank continues flowing over the top edge of the eX-V 7 1 tension side 5 and upon the cover 6, thereby so as to force the wateriii the cylinder 8 out into the stand pipes 11, where "it rises. to a still higher elevation. p When the bottom of the float'3 reaches the top edge of the cylinder 27 the water in the latter has'beenemptied, and the contact plates 35 and 36 have been brought into contact.

with each other. The engagementof the contact plates 35 and 36 closes another circuit to the'motor 22, thereby causing the said motor to operate in a direction to turn the;

rial

standards 9 in a reverse direction andelevate the extension side 5.

*When the tide has fallen so thelevel of thejwater'in the tank isat the desiredlevel be- 7 low the water in the extension side 5, the small float 37 has descended so as to causethe meeting of contact plates'38 and 39'. The

meetingof the contacts 38 and 39 closesfanother circuit to the motor 22, thereby causing 'permittin side 5 to ow by gravity back into the tank, At the same time that the pressure of the the motor'to turn in a direction reverse to its last mentioned operation. The standards '9 are again actuated to lower theextension side 5 so that the latters upper edge is even with or below the water level in the tank; thereby water from inside the extension water on the cover 6 is removed, the water in stand pipes 11 flows back into the cylinder 8, thereby raising plunger 7 .to the point it was when valve 13 was closed. When the cover 6 moves upward contact plate 40 is'carried with it, thereby causing a contact to be'made between contact plates 40 and 4.1, which closes the circuit to motor 42. The motor 42'is thereby made to operate to open valve 43, thus permitting the gradual flow of water into the cylinder 8 through 11 and 1-2. The

water again entering the cylinder 8 moves the piston 7 and the cover 6 to their former positions, thus restoring the air space between the float 3 and the cover 6. The restor-.

ing of the air spaceas described causes the float 3 with its side 4 to rise, the cover 6 in the meantime havingybeen forced upwardly untilthe said cover again becomes flush with the top edge of the extension sideb5. This movement of the cover 6 to its former position causes the contact plate 18 to come into engagement with the contact plate 19, thus commencing another operation of the apparatus as described' As the plunger 26 is lifted upward in cylinder 27, the check valve 31 closesand holds the water in a suspended state in the pipe 30. The valve 28 in the cylinder 27 has opened during the upward forms shown are intended primarily for illustration purposes.

By constructing my improved pumping apparatus in other forms than the one shown,

but by still utilizing the principles described,

quantities of water from fresh water streams may be raised to desired elevations; It is apparent to those skilled in the art that my invention may be constructed in other forms than the one shown and described, so for this and other apparent reasons I- desire my invention included broadly within the spirit of the appended claims; Y

Having described my invention, what I claimis: I f g 1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a tank,'having an inlet, a float movably located in the tank, carrying a plurality of telescopic sides, a cylinder carried by the fl oafl a cover movably' inside" the sides,

, carryinga plunger movably-fitting inside the cylinder, means for allowing water. to pass upwardithrough the plunger, a cylinder attaclie'd' to the tank, a plunger carried by" the float and "adapted to inside the cylinder attached to the tank, means associated" with each cylinder for"allowingwate r to pass to' and from the cylinders, and meansffor' ele- .vatin'g and lowering one of the sides. f QIApparatus of the class described comprising a tank having awater'inlet therein, a float'movably located in the tank, a plurality of telescoping sides carried bythe float, the u'ppermos'tof the sides havinga cover mov ably located therein, means for raising' and lowering the 'Lipper side, a cylinder attached to the float havin'gwatercarryin'g pipes connected thereto, a plunger attached to the cover and operating" in. the cylinder, a-cylin der attached to the tank having an inlet and an outlet, a piston attached to the float and operating in the cylinder attached to the tank, andmeans for allowing water to pass I from the cylinderattached to the float to the top surface 'ofthe' cover. i

3. In apparatus of'the class described, a tankhaving'a water inlet'and outlet, a float located in the tank and adapted to rise and fall withthe water in the tank, means mounted on the float for increasing and decreasing] the weight of the float, whereby the float may be raised and lowered, a cylinder havingla water inlet and a water outlet, and a piston carried by the float and operating in the cylinder chamber to draw water into the cylinder and vto expel it therefrom.

4,. In apparatus ofv the class described, a tank having a water inlet, a float movably located in the tank, means mounted on the float for increasing and decreasing the buoyancy of the float, whereby the float may be raised'and lowered and means actuated by the rise and fall'of the fioat'for pumping water from the tankto an elevated'reservoin- 5. In apparatus of the class described, a tank having a water inlet, a float movably located in the tank, a cylinder mounted on the float, having a movable cover thereon, means associated with the cylinder for allowing water to flow onto cover, whereby the float may be lowered, means for removing the water from the top of the cylinder whereby the float may be raised, a second cylinder 10- cated inside the tank having an inlet and an f outlet, and a piston carried by the float and operating inside the second mentioned cylinder. V

c 6. In apparatus of the class described comprising a tank having a pumpingmechanism therein, the said pumping mechanism includ-- ing a float, means for increasing and decreasing the buoyancy of the float wherebythe float may be raised and lowered, a cylinder I I mounted in the tank, and a piston carried by V float endrnovehly leeated inside the cyl inder. r

7 I 7. In apparatus of the cldss deseribedcenn prising'a tank having a water-inlet andout-.

let, a float moyably lo catedin the tank, water supporting means movably" mounted on the float, means for delivering water to landfrom the vwater supporting .means; wherebylthe 'float may be raised and"lowered', a Cylinder; mounted in the tank-having an'inlet, and; an

outlet,- anda plunger carried by float'and l0 7 cated inthe cylinder, the said plunger being r adapted tonioveupwardly with the float to draw water into the cylinder endto 'move downwardly with the float to i expel Water 7 from the cylinder; 1 r

8. In apparatusof the class deseribedcorn prising a' water containingrtank having an inletandoutlet, a floatmovably mountedin the tank, means for increasing and, decreasing the buoyancy ofrthe float, whereby the float may be'raised and lowered, and a pumping'mechanisrn operated the raising and lewering of thefleauwhich said mechanism includes a cylinder located in the tank having an inlet and outlet, and a plunger carried by the float and locatedin thecylinder.

' In testimony whereof I a'fiix my signature. V

. QELMER E. VINS ON.

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