These special mining pumps are used to drain water from the shaft
bottom, so that work in deepening or repairing may be carried on. As
shown in the illustration they are made to be suspended by a chain or
bail attached to eye-bolts in the upper cylinder head at points of
support which will enable the pump to hang vertically and be raised and
lowered at will.
The bail is so constructed that while the pump is suspended the
cylinder head can, if necessary on the smaller sizes, be removed and
the steam piston examined and adjusted. As the shaft gets deeper the
chain may be lengthened out and an extra joint placed on the end of the
delivery pipe.
The sinking pump is subjected to the hardest usage of any, hence any
steam pump that is to be used in sinking a mine shaft must be strong,
certain in operation, capable of handling gritty water and require
little attention.
Fig. 438 exhibits _a hand-power mining pump_, designed especially for
prospecting, etc., and made by the Edson Manufacturing Co., Boston,
Mass. It is listed for three sizes:
No. 6, capacity 1200 gallons per hour, 1 man.
No. 8, capacity 4000 gallons per hour, 2 men.
No. 10, capacity 6000 gallons per hour, 2 men.
[Illustration: FIG. 439.]
_The outfit_ which usually goes with this diaphragm lift and force
pump includes special suction and conducting hose, brass coupling and
strainer; these pumps will raise and force water containing gravel,
sand, dirt or tailings without choking.
_The Deane single vertical sinking pump_ is shown in Fig. 439; a table
of dimensions and capacities of this pump is also given below.
The pump illustrated is double acting and of the differential plunger
type; the water end is in three parts and consists of a water cylinder,
a lower plunger and an upper plunger. The water passes directly up and
through the plungers, both of which are hollow. These plungers are
outside packed. The water valves are reached by hand holes provided for
that purpose. Split pins are used in the ends of the bolts to prevent
the nuts from working off.
These pumps are designed to stand a working pressure of 150 lbs. to the
square inch. They have the regular Deane valve motion and will work
under water.