SINKING PUMPS.

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.

Fig. 439.

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.

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.

Table.

Size. Capacity.  
Diameter
of Steam
Cylinder.		 Diameter
of Large
Plunger.		 Diameter
of Small
Plunger.		 Length
of
Stroke.		 Gallons
per
Stroke.		 Strokes
per
Minute.		 Gallons
per
Minute.		  
  8   53⁄4   4 16   .87 75   65  
10   53⁄4   4 16   .87 75   65  
  8   7   5 16 1.35 75 101  
10   7   5 16 1.35 75 101  
12   7   5 16 1.35 75 101  
12 111⁄2   8 16 3.48 75 261  
14 111⁄2   8 16 3.48 75 261  
16 111⁄2   8 16 3.48 75 261  
18 111⁄2   8 16 3.48 75 261  
16 141⁄4 10 24 8.16 50 408  
18 141⁄4 10 24 8.16 50 408  
20 141⁄4 10 24 8.16 50 408  
24 141⁄4 10 24 8.16 50 408  
Size. Pipe Sizes.
Diameter
of Steam
Cylinder.		 Diameter
of Large
Plunger.		 Diameter
of Small
Plunger.		 Length
of
Stroke.		 Steam. Exhaust. Suction. Discharge.
  8   53⁄4   4 16 1 11⁄2   4 2
10   53⁄4   4 16 11⁄2 2   4 2
  8   7   5 16 1 11⁄2   5 3
10   7   5 16 11⁄2 2   5 3
12   7   5 16 2 21⁄2   5 3
12 111⁄2   8 16 2 21⁄2   8 4
14 111⁄2   8 16 2 21⁄2   8 4
16 111⁄2   8 16 2 21⁄2   8 4
18 111⁄2   8 16 2 21⁄2   8 4
16 141⁄4 10 24 2 21⁄2 10 6
18 141⁄4 10 24 3 31⁄2 10 6
20 141⁄4 10 24 3 31⁄2 10 6
24 141⁄4 10 24 4 41⁄2 10 6
Size. Approximate
Dimensions
in Inches.		    
Diameter
of Steam
Cylinder.		 Diameter
of Large
Plunger.		 Diameter
of Small
Plunger.		 Length
of
Stroke.		 Length. Space
Occupied.		    
  8   53⁄4   4 16 111 25 × 23    
10   53⁄4   4 16 112 27 × 24    
  8   7   5 16 111 26 × 24    
10   7   5 16 112 29 × 24    
12   7   5 16 112 31 × 24    
12 111⁄2   8 16 132 40 × 32    
14 111⁄2   8 16 132 40 × 32    
16 111⁄2   8 16 136 43 × 32    
18 111⁄2   8 16 136 44 × 32    
16 141⁄4 10 24 176 50 × 38    
18 141⁄4 10 24 178 50 × 38    
20 141⁄4 10 24 178 52 × 38    
24 141⁄4 10 24 180 54 × 38    

This table refers to Fig. 439.

Fig. 440.

Fig. 441.

The Cameron vertical plunger sinking pump is shown in Figs. 440 and 441.

Fig. 442.

Fig. 443.

This is one of the most successful mine sinking pumps designed; there are no parts exposed to rust, and instances have occurred when this pump has started off and cleared a shaft of water when the pump itself had been buried for weeks under a mass of fallen rock and debris.

This pump has no outside valve gear, arms or levers; all movable parts are inside and enclosed, to prevent collision with the walls of the mine shaft nor is it likely to receive injury from blast explosions. Being fitted with special exhaust cut-off, it will continue to run as fast as steam will drive it (with an irregular or intermittent supply of water, or when the water fails entirely,) not only without danger of the piston striking the heads, but without injury to the valves. It is designed and intended to handle gritty water.

Telescopic pipe joint shown in Figs. 442 and 443, supplies a convenient means for lifting and lowering a sinking pump, and is usually made in lengths of sixteen feet. This enables the operator to drop the pump that distance without disturbing the rest of the pipe; by its use irregular lengths of pipe can be added, whereas, otherwise when the pump is lowered the pipe would have to be cut of equal length.

The inside pipe is brass tubing which freely slips through the packing and is non-corrosive.

Fig. 441 exhibits the sinking pump in practical operation; it is the same as that shown on the previous page.

Note.—Mining pumps require to be made “to gauge” and interchangeable; an advantage which commends itself to experienced mining engineers. Many “parts” should be provided in duplicate on account of the rough usage and hard service alluded to above.

The “Scranton” pattern of a mining pump is illustrated by the cuts shown below (Figs. 444 and 445).

Fig. 444.

Fig. 445.

The plungers of this machine work through middle, exterior stuffing-boxes, into four separate and distinct water cylinders. The valve areas and water ways are unusually large in proportion to the displacement of the plunger, so that the velocity and consequent destructive action of the water currents is decreased in passing through the pump.

These pumps are designed to withstand safely a working pressure of 250 pounds to the square inch, and all their attachments are especially strengthened with a view to meeting the rough usage and hard work to which they are liable to be subjected in mining operations.

Fig. 446.

Table.

Diameter
of
Steam
Cylinders		 Diameter
of
Water
Plunger		 Length
of
Stroke		 Gallons
Per
Revolution		 Revolutions
per Minute		 Gallons
per
Minute		  
14   81⁄2 10   9.56 54   516  
16   81⁄2 10   9.56 54   516  
181⁄2   81⁄2 10   9.56 54   516  
             
16 101⁄4 10 13.95 54   753  
181⁄2 101⁄4 10 13.95 54   753  
181⁄2 12 10 19.16 54 1035  
             
20 12 10 19.16 54 1035  
17   81⁄2 15 14.14 40   565  
20   81⁄2 15 14.14 40   565  
             
17 101⁄4 15 20.83 40   833  
20 101⁄4 15 20.83 40   833  
20 12 15 28.78 40 1151
 
Diameter
of
Steam
Cylinders		 Diameter
of
Water
Plunger		 Length
of
Stroke		 Sizes of pipes for
Short Lengths
To be increased as
length increases
Steam
Pipe		 Exhaust
Pipe		 Suction
Pipe		 Delivery
Pipe
14   81⁄2 10 21⁄2 3   8   6
16   81⁄2 10 21⁄2 3   8   6
181⁄2   81⁄2 10 3 31⁄2   8   6
             
16 101⁄4 10 21⁄2 3 10   8
181⁄2 101⁄4 10 3 31⁄2 10   8
181⁄2 12 10 4 31⁄2 12 10
             
20 12 10 21⁄2 5 12 10
17   81⁄2 15 4 31⁄2   8   6
20   81⁄2 15 21⁄2 5   8   6
             
17 101⁄4 15 4 31⁄2 10   8
20 101⁄4 15 4 5 10   8
20 12 15 5 5 12 10
 
Diameter
of
Steam
Cylinders		 Diameter
of
Water
Plunger		 Length
of
Stroke		 Approximate
Space
Occupied
Feet and Inches
Length Width
14   81⁄2 10       9    8       3    2
16   81⁄2 10       9    9       3  10
181⁄2   81⁄2 10       9  10       4    0
         
16 101⁄4 10     10    9       3  10
181⁄2 101⁄4 10     10    9       4    0
181⁄2 12 10     11    1       4    0
         
20 12 10     11    2       4    2
17   81⁄2 15     10    5       3  11
20   81⁄2 15     10    6       4    2
         
17 101⁄4 15     11    6       3  11
20 101⁄4 15     11    8       4    11⁄2
20 12 15     11    9       4    3

The Worthington Pressure Pump. This pump, presented in Fig. 446, is specially designed for use in connection with hydraulic lifts and cranes, cotton presses, testing machines, hydraulic riveting and punching machines and hydraulic presses of all kinds. Also, for oil-pipe lines, mining purposes and services requiring the delivery of liquids under heavy pressures.

There are four, single-acting, outside-packed plungers, which work through the ends of the water cylinders, the latter having central partitions. The arrangement of compound steam cylinders shown in Fig. 445, or a triple expansion arrangement, can be applied to these pumps where a saving of fuel is desired. The water valves are easily accessible and are contained in small independent chambers, capable of resisting very heavy pressure.