_The original pulsometer_ was an instrument called by that name for
measuring the force and frequency of the pulse; it was invented in
1626 by Santovio of Padua, Italy. The term has been largely applied
to _a form of vacuum pump_, soon hereafter to be described; this
has a pulsative action—like a heart beat. The pulsometer, _the
aqua-thruster_, _the pulsator_, and other regular _double acting
two oval reservoirs_ (one filling while the other is discharging)
_automatic condensing steam vacuum pumps_ are all patterned after the
Thomas Savery pump shown in Fig. 552; this was patented in England in
1698. It is thus described:
“The upper end of the suction pipe shown at the mouth of the pit
consists of two branches, which are connected to similar branches on
the lower part of the forcing pipe N. The suction valves are at B A and
the forcing ones at E F, all opening upwards. Between these valves two
short curved tubes connect the bottoms of the receiver I M with the
branches, as represented, and two other bent tubes, P Q, unite the top
of the receivers with the boiler H. On top of this boiler, and forming
a part of it, is a stout round plate, having two openings of the same
size as the bore of the tubes last mentioned. In these openings the two
steam tubes P Q terminate. Between the openings, and on the under side
of the plate, is a movable disk, which by a short arm is connected to
an axle and moved by the long lever shown on the top of the boiler;
so that by moving this lever the disk can be made to open or close
either opening, so as to admit or exclude steam from the receivers, and
answering every purpose of a three-way cock.
[Illustration: FIG. 553.]
“The face of the disk is ground smooth, so as to fit close to the
under side of the plate, against which it is pressed by the steam.
The perpendicular axle by which the disk is turned passes through the
plate, and the opening is made tight by a stuffing-box. (The plate and
movable disk are represented in the small figure at the top, one of the
openings, Q, being covered by the disk and the other, P, exposed.)
A small cistern, U, is placed over the receivers, and kept supplied
with cold water from the forcing pipe by means of a ball cock, viz.:
a cock that is opened and shut by a ball floating in the cistern.
From the bottom of this cistern a short pipe, T, proceeds; and to
it is connected, by a swivel joint or stuffing-box, another one at
right angles. This pipe furnishes water to condense the steam in the
receivers, over both of which it can be moved by the rod attached to
the plug of the cock as shown in the figure. The upper cistern denotes
the place where the water raised by the engine is to be discharged.
“A communication is made between the boilers by a syphon or bent tube,
R, whose legs extend nearly to the bottom of the boilers. In the leg
within the small boiler is a valve opening upwards, which permits the
water of G to pass into H, but prevents any returning from the latter.
When the attendant wishes to inject into H a fresh supply of water, he
increases the little fire kept up under the boiler G (which is always
kept supplied with water by the pipe S), and as soon as the liquid
boils and the force of the steam exceeds that in H, the contents of G,
both steam and hot water, are forced through the valve; and thus H is
kept supplied without the action of the machine being stopped.
“The cock on the pipe S is then opened, the small boiler again charged,
and the water becomes gradually heated; so that by the time it is
wanted in the other boiler, a small addition to the fuel quickly raises
its temperature, and it is again forced in as before. The quantity
of water in the boilers was ascertained by _gauge cocks_. These were
inserted at the top (see figure) and pipes soldered to them descended
to different depths.”
[Illustration: FIG. 554.]
_The modern pulsometer_ is a low-service pump, and is not recommended
for duties exceeding about eighty feet total vertical service. With
this limitation, its uses are many and various and for some purposes it
is particularly adapted. Years of practical work with the pulsometer,
under widely different conditions, have demonstrated the merits claimed
for it.
[Illustration: FIG. 555.]
Its advantages are: 1. Its low cost, as it does not require an engine
or other machinery to operate it. _A steam pipe connecting it with the
boiler_ that is to furnish steam supply is all that is necessary, and
after the pump is once adjusted, it will always be in order with free
power when the steam is turned on. 2. It is absolutely noiseless in its
operation; the slight click of the steam ball-valve in the neck-piece,
as it changes its position, _is the only evidence that it is working_.
3. _In its capability of operation while in suspension_, and of being
lowered or raised and swung about without at all interfering with its
working.
The pulsometer does not _require oil_, having no pistons, glands,
stuffing-boxes, eccentrics, beams, levers, supplementary valves,
complicated mechanism, etc., which need attention and adjustment.
The Pulsometer Steam Pump Co., New York, makers of the pump and owners
of the word-symbol, “Pulsometer,” emphasize the importance of its
proper installation, and ask that the questions given in the note below
be answered when suggestions relative to the placing of the pump are
desired.
_The body of the pulsometer_ is shown in Fig. 555, and a _sectional
view_ in Fig. 556. It is a single casting consisting of two
bottle-shaped chambers, _A, A_, placed side by side. These are called
_working chambers_. They taper toward each other at their upper halves
and meet at their upper ends at a point at which is situated the _steam
valve-ball, C_. This oscillates with a slight rolling motion between
_the seats_, with which it makes a steam tight joint, formed at the
upper entrance to each of the working chambers, _A, A_.
NOTE.—For what purpose is the pump to be used? How many gallons per
minute or hour are to be pumped? Is the liquid hot, cold, clear or
gritty—fresh, salt, alkaline or acidulous? What will be the required
vertical height of delivery? What will be the horizontal length of
delivery? What will be the required vertical height of suction? What
will be the horizontal length of suction? Does the level of the
liquid vary? If so, how much? How many bends or elbows will there be
in delivery? How many bends or elbows will there be in suction? What
horse-power is the boiler? What is the average steam pressure at the
boiler?
A rough sketch showing how and where it is desired to place the pump
will be of considerable assistance in furnishing information.
The portion, _B_, of the pump, containing the steam ball-valve, _C_, is
called _the neck-piece_, and is a separate casting bolted to the main
body of the pump, so that it can be readily removed for renewal when
necessary. To the top of this neck-piece, _B, the neck-cap_ is bolted,
into which the steam supply pipe is screwed.
[Illustration: FIG. 556.]
The openings communicating between the chambers, _A, A_, and the
induction, or _foot-valve chamber, D_, are covered by suitable valves,
_E, E_, called _suction valves_, the valve seats, _F, F_, and _valve
guards, I, I_, which latter prevent the valves from opening too far.
A third chamber, _J_, called _the vacuum chamber_, is situated behind
the chambers, _A, A_, at their lower halves, and between them at their
upper, or tapering halves, and communicates with them through the round
opening in the induction, or foot-valve chamber, _D_.
A fourth chamber, called _the discharge chamber_, situated on the
lower side of the working chambers, _A, A_, opposite to the vacuum
chamber, _J_, and represented by the dotted lines in the sectional view
communicates with each of the working chambers, _A, A_, by passages at
the lower half of its intersection with these chambers. This discharge
chamber contains _the discharge valves, E, E_, their valve seats, _G,
G_, and the valve guards, _I, I_, which cover the passages leading from
chambers, _A, A_.
_The delivery pipe, H_, connects with the discharge opening in the top
of the discharge chamber by means of a flanged joint.
The induction, or foot-valve chamber, _D_, contains the valve, _E_,
its valve seat, _F_, and the guard, _I_, which serve the purpose of
holding the charge of water in the pump. The lower end of this chamber
is connected to the suction pipe by a flanged joint.
Parts, _K, K_, are _oval plates_ covering the openings through which
the seat, valve and guard are inserted, to their respective chambers,
and are fastened in position by means of clamps and bolts, _N, N_. The
ends of these clamps fit loosely into suitable recesses and are thus
held in position while the cover plates are being applied. Another
set of similar clamps and bolts serve in a like manner, to fasten the
seats, valves and guards in place.
The object in employing four openings to the pump, instead of two,
is to make it possible and convenient to get at the interior for
examination, and easy to remove all deposit that may form on the walls
of the chambers which could not be reached otherwise.
Vent plugs are inserted in the cover plates for the purpose of draining
off the water in the pump to prevent freezing.
Near the top of each of the working chambers, _A, A_, and of the
vacuum chamber, _J_, is a small tapped hole, into which is screwed
a brass air check-valve, so that its check hangs downward. The air
check-valves in the chambers, _A, A_, allow _a small quantity of air
to be automatically admitted above the water_, and ahead of the steam,
separating the steam and the water upon their first entrance, thus
preventing condensation, and forming an _air piston_, which is always
new and tight. The _air check-valve_ in the chamber, _J_, likewise
admits air automatically, which serves to cushion the ram action of
water consequent upon the alternate filling of the chambers, _A, A_.
[Illustration: FIG. 557.]
[Illustration: FIG. 558.]
[Illustration: FIG. 559.]
[Illustration: FIG. 560.]
_The action of the pulsometer is as follows_: When all chambers and
pipes are empty, the air check-valves have to be closed, and the
globe valve opened for an instant; then steam will enter one of the
chambers, expel the air, and condense, forming a vacuum. This operation
being repeated several times, both chambers will be filled with water
through the induction pipe. Each air-valve in the chambers must now
be opened a little, to secure a regular and successive action, which
will be recognized by the regular pulsations and smooth working of the
steam-ball without rattling.
Steam, being now admitted, continuously enters the chamber not closed
by the ball, and forces out the water through the discharge-valves,
until its surface is lowered below the discharge-orifice. At that
instant the steam begins to escape into the discharge-pipe, and
condenses; thus a partial vacuum is formed in the chamber. The water in
the other chamber now presses the ball, which rolls over and closes the
first chamber, when water enters through the induction-valves to fill
the vacuum. This operation alternately changes from one chamber to the
other.
_The principal parts of a pulsometer_ are shown in the seven figures
upon this and the preceding pages.
[Illustration: FIG. 561.]
[Illustration: FIG. 562.]
[Illustration: FIG. 563.]
Fig. 557 represents the regular flat valve, seat and guard, Fig. 558
the guard detached, while Fig. 559 is the plain flat rubber valve. The
valve seat for clean water is shown in Fig. 560.
[Illustration: FIG. 564.]
NOTE.—For emptying vats or tanks and for distributing the liquors
from one tank to another or throughout the building, the pulsometer
arranged as per accompanying ills., Fig. 564, will be found to be
of great usefulness. At convenient intervals along the steam main
and discharge main, suitable couplings can be provided for quickly
attaching a short section of steam and discharge hose, as the pump,
suspended from a trolley, is moved along from tank to tank.
In pumping muddy water or other liquids containing matter which would
obstruct the valve seat shown in Fig. 560 the ball valve, Fig. 561, is
used. The engraving illustrates this valve with its guard and seat.
Fig. 562 represents the neck-piece containing the ball steam valve,
while Fig. 563 conveys the idea of the manner of covering the ball by
the cap after which the neck-piece is ready to be bolted to the top of
pump.
_The Maslin automatic steam vacuum pump_ is presented in Fig. 554, page
271. Its principle is identical with that of the pulsometer but it
differs somewhat in detail, as for example, the three valves with their
seats, H, H, H, are introduced through one opening or hand-hole. The
two suction valves, E, E, are secured by one bolt, I, likewise the two
discharge valves, K. The combination of the foot valve, G, in the pump
requires no bolting on being held by the bolt, I.
The plain cover is of such a shape that no nuts are removed to afford
access to the valves; all that is necessary is to slack up one nut and
swing the cover to one side.
The valves are of very thick rubber but are cut away near the center
so that they readily yield to the pressure underneath, giving a full
area of opening. The two air valves are attached at the end of the
neck-piece.
There are no projecting set screws or bolts running through the main
body of this pump attended as they often are with more or less leakage.
A hook is provided to suspend the pump in a shaft or over sewer work.
The two drip cocks at the bottom drain the chambers when necessary to
prevent freezing, etc.
NOTE.—“One of the most important points to be attended to, and which
is so often overlooked, is that _dry_ steam should be supplied to the
pulsometer. Take steam from the highest part of the boiler. Do not
connect steam pipe to a pipe furnishing steam for any other purpose;
but if you have to take steam from a large steam pipe, tap it on the
upper side so as to avoid the drip caused by condensation in the
large pipe. When the boiler is some distance from the pulsometer the
steam pipe to it should be larger than is needed at the pulsometer,
and be protected by some non-conducting substance. Reduce to size
required at the pulsometer and provide a pet cock to draw off
condensed steam before starting it. Be sure and blow out steam pipe
thoroughly before connecting the pulsometer so as to remove any dirt,
rust or scale that may have accumulated in pipes, also remove all
burrs on ends of the pipe caused by cutting, and which in most cases
greatly decreases their capacity and effectiveness.”
The illustration, Fig. 565, represents the pulsometer and boiler
in portable form. This will be found a very convenient outfit for
certain classes of irrigation, and for pumping out flooded cellars,
excavations, etc. Also for sewer-trench excavating operations, where
water accumulates at different sections of the work, and where it is
desired to move the pump and boiler frequently.
[Illustration: FIG. 565.]
The pump is suspended from a strong framework and is controlled by a
chain hoist, by means of which it can readily be lowered or raised.
When the trench or ditch is too deep for the pulsometer to lift the
water to the surface of the ground by suction, the truck can be run
out on planks over the ditch, when the pump can be lowered to the
necessary suction distance from the water. Suitable lengths of steam
hose, with universal couplings, suction hose, also suitable lengths
of light flanged galvanized pipe for the discharge, which can be
readily connected may be carried on the truck, proper brackets being
provided for their reception. As the suction and discharge connections
are flanged, they can be connected or disconnected in a few minutes;
provision is made to prevent the pump from swinging.
PUMP SPEED
GOVERNORS