US2553276A - Air-impelled liquid pump - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 1951 Fig. l.

W. M. REED AIR-IMPELLED LIQUID PUMP Filed Feb. 26, 1948 20 Fig. 4.

William M.

Reed

INVENTOR.

Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR-IlVIPELLED LIQUID PUMP William M. Reed, Flippin, Ark.

Application February 26, 1948, Serial No. 11,073

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in liquid pumps, more specifically, pumps used in water wells, and the like, and the principal object of the invention is to assure positive delivery of water from subterranean levels, particularly from deep water wells.

This object is achieved by impelling the water by air pressure, rather than by depending on atmospheric pressure, as in pumps of the conventional suction type.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of what may be referred to as an air-impelled liquid pump which is simple in construction, convenient in operation and which may be quickly and easily installed in wells of various depths and types.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an air-impelled liquid pump which may be either single acting or double acting, as desired.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention, showing the same in situ in a well;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an underside plan view of the subj set shown in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of an air-impelled liquid pump designated generally by the reference character Hi, the same embodying in its construction a pair of liquid-receiving cylinders l2, I4 and a delivery cylinder 16, these cylinders being cast en bloc if desired, or alternatively, being rigidly secured together in juxtaposed relation by welding, or the like, as indicated at l8.

In any event, the cylinders [2, I4, I6 are provided with a removable cylinder head 20 which is secured thereto by suitable bolts 22, the cylinders being vertically disposed and the head being provided at the lower ends thereof, as will be 2 clearly apparent from the accompanying drawmgs.

A liquid delivery conduit 24 is connected at one end thereof to the upper end of the delivery cylinder I6, while air tubes 28, 2B are similarly connected to the upper ends of the cylinders l2, M respectively.

As in best shown in Figure 1, the cylinders l2, It, It? are disposed in a well 36 (from which the liquid is to be pumped), and the conduit 24, together with the tubes 26, 28 pass upwardly through the well above the ground level 32.

The cylinder head 20 is provided with a pair of liquid inlet valves 3 35 which communicate with the cylinders l2, [4 respectively, the valves 34, 36 being of the spring-pressed, ball check type, as is best shown in Figure 4. Moreover, the cylinders [2, M are provided on the head 20 thereof with outlet valves 38, 49 respectively, these outlet valves communicating with passages 42 formed in the cylinder head and entering the delivery cylinder l6.

Moreovenrfloat valves 44 are provided in the upper end portions of the cylinders l2, l4, these float valves being pivotally mounted as at 46 and being engageable with end portions 48 of the tubes 26, 28 which project into the cylinders, substantially as shown. As will be readily apparent, the rising level of liquid in the cylinders I2, M, will cause the valves 44 to close the ends 48 of the tubes 26, 28, while falling of the liquid level will cause the valves to open.

An air cylinder 58, provided with closed ends 52, 54 is disposed above the ground level 32 and contains a reciprocable piston 55 actuated by a rod 58. The aforementioned air tubes 26, 28 are connected to the relatively opposite end portions of the cylinder as indicated at 60, 62 respectively, and needless to say, the piston 56 may be reciprocated in the cylinder 50 in any suitable, conventional manner. When the invention is placed in use, the pump is installed in the wall 30 substantially as shown, and assuming that the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 64, increased air pressure Will exist on the lefthand side of the piston while decreased air pressure exists on the right-hand side thereof. It should, of course, be understood that the ends 52, 54 render the cylinder 50 substantially airtight.

Accordingly, while the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 64, the pressure of air in the cylinder M will be substantially reduced (the valve 44 remaining open by virtue of gravity), and liquid in the well 30 will be drawn into the cylinder I4 through the valve 36. On the other hand, when the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 66, increased air pressure in the cylinder I4 will cause the liquid therein to open the valve 60 and to travel through the associated passage 42 into the delivery cylinder I6 and thence, through the conduit 24 to ground level. Simultaneously, air pressure in the cylinder I2 will be reduced (while the piston 56 moves in the direction of the arrow 66) so that a further supply of liquid will be drawn from the well into the cylinder I2, in readiness for subsequent delivery into the cylinder I6 when the piston 56 again moves in the direction of the arrow 64-.

Inasmuch as the pump is operated by compressed air pressure, so to speak, and inasmuch as it is of a double acting character, a positive}.

continuous delivery of liquid will be efiected. I

However, if only single acting pump operation is desired, one of the cylinders I2, I4 may be eliminated and the air cylinder 53 may be open at one end thereof, whereby intermittent delivery of liquid will be effected.

In any event, it is to be noted that the purpose of the fioat valve 4 3 is toprevent the entry of liquid into' the air tube 26, 23, as the cylinders I2, I4 become filled. Moreover, the end portions of the cylinder 50 may be equipped with suitable air valves 68 of conventional type (such as are commonly used on tire tubes), so that by applying a hand pump to the valves, all water may be forced out of the pump by air pressure after the pump is first lowered into a well. In this manner, the cylinders I2, I4, I6, 50 as well as the tubes 26, 28 will be filled with air and an ample supply of air will be on hand for the liquid impelling operation. Needless to say, inasmuch as the cylinder 50 is hermetically sealed and the volume of air in the pump system does not increase or decrease while the pump is in use, an ample supply of air is necessary to compensate for its compressibility, so that the pumping operation may be properly efiected.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is;

An air-impelled liquid pump, an elongated cylinder unit comprising a block of two liquid receivin cylinders and one liquid delivery cylinder, said cylinders contiguously disposed in a substantially triangular relation and having closed upper and open lower ends, a cylinder head secured to the bottom of said block and constituting a unitary closure for the lower ends of the liquid receiving cylinders, air ports provided at the upper ends of the liquid receiving cylinders, float valves pivotaily mounted over-said air ports, a liquid delivery conduit extending upwardly from the upper end of the delivery cylinder, spring-pressed ball check type liquid inlet valves provided in said head at the lower end of the receiving cylinders, said head being provided with a pair of liquid passages connecting said receiving cylinders to a common port in said delivery cylinder, springpressed ball check type valves provided on said passages in the lower ends of the receiving cylinder, a reciprocable air pump comprising an air cylinder having a piston slidablether'ein, air tubes connecting said liquid receiving cylinders at opposite ends of said air cylinder, means for reciprocating said piston. I

WILLIAM M. REED.

REFERENCES" CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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