112 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



AMES DOUBLE ACTING CONTINUOUS FLOW PUMPS 



In practice, with ordinary types of double-acting pumps, ihe piston speed must be slow enough to allow the water col- 

 umn to start gradually. Water is non-elastic and incompressible as iron. A water column hundreds of feet long: must be 

 started its whole length at once. A large part of the useful power applied is wasted In starting the water column from rest 

 at every stroke. With such cylinders a foot valve is required, and there is generally some loss caused by slippage here. 

 The efficiency of such cylinders and power heads is usually figured at 40 per cent to 50 per cent. 



Small capacity, due to low piston speed, a large loss of useful power, and short life due to the shocks on the moving 

 parts, are the objections to the use of the ordinary types of double-acting pumps. 



The Ames Double-Acting- Continuous-Flow Pumps overcome all the foregoing objections by keeping the water column in 

 constant motion upwards, without stopping at each stroke. This permits high piston speed and great capacity; saves power 

 lost in starting the water column from rest, and there are no shocks on the moving parts. This action is produced by 

 the patent eccentric gearing shown in the cut. 



There are two sets of this gearing in each power head. Eacli bucket Is connected to the crankpin of a gear. Each gear 

 is on a separate shaft, independent of the other, and driven by a double eccentric pinion. Both pinions are keyed fast 

 on the same pinion shaft. Uniform revolution of the pinion shaft produces uniform upward motion of the buckets and water, 

 but the down stroke is made in less time than the up stroke. 



As the upper bucket carries the load up, the lower bucket, with clapper wide open, travels down at a higher speed, passes 

 the lower dead center, and travels part of its up stroke before the upper bucket has passed the upper dead center. As the 

 lower bucket rises, It reaches a point where its speed is exactly equal to the speed of the upper bucket, when the lower clap- 

 per closes, and the lower bucket takes the load. As the lower bucket is then traveling at exactly the same speed as the 

 upper bucket, and consequently at the same speed as the water column, it follows that it takes the load without shock, no 

 matter what the piston speed may be. It is like giving a push to a moving body instead of starting the same body 

 from rest. 



This action of the valves, termed lap, takes place with each bucket alternately, or twice in each revolution of the 

 power head, and this combination of a spur gear with a crankpin is the simplest and most efficient known way of producing 

 such action. There are no cams, levers, or exposed sliding surfaces as in all other devices, and in combination with the 

 other mechanical features of our pumps is the best and most economical way of pumping water. 



The power head is placed on the surface of the ground, and may be driven by steam or gas engine or electric motor. 

 The driving pulley is furnished to suit the type and speed of the motive power, using a friction clutch pulley when 

 driven by engine or jack shaft, or a plain pulley when drlveen by electric motor. 



The cylinder is placed at a point in the well where it is always submerged, and requires no priming. The discharge 

 may be at the surface or against high hearts through long pipe lines above the surface. 



A. T. AMES MANUFACTURING CO. 



NILES, CAL. 



