THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



211 



GETTING WATER FROM MOTHER EARTH'S HEART 



'T 1 HE many difficulties encountered in 

 1 pumping from deep bored wells or 

 shafts has rendered this a fertile field for 

 the inventor of pumping machinery. From 

 the nature of the service it is invariably re- 

 quired to obtain the maximum possible ca- 

 pacity from a given size bore hole. Large 

 capacity entails high pumping speeds, which 

 in turn cause rapid deterioration of pumps. 

 Rapid deterioration of pump parts is most 

 serious, as, from their location, great diffi- 

 culty and delay are encountered in making 

 repairs. 



In their triple-acting well pump, the 

 Deane Steam Pump Company of Holyoke, 

 Mass., believe they have a machine which 

 overcomes several objections to other types 

 of deep-well pumps. The Deane type of 

 machine consists of three single-acting 

 buckets, superimposed and operating in one 

 cylinder. The buckets are independently 

 reciprocated by means of individual coaxial 

 working rods, which are in turn actuated at 

 the ground level by means of the connect- 

 ing rods and crossheads. The cranks are 

 located at 120 degrees. Consequently, at 

 least one plunger is constantly being raised 

 and that plunger discharges while it is ris- 

 ing at maximum speed. This very simple 

 and beautiful mechanical movement gives 

 precisely that constant and continuous flow 

 in the riser pipe most necessary to prevent 

 inertia shocks. Further than this, the ca- 

 pacity, as compared with a single-acting 

 bucket, is equal to approximately 2.6 times 

 as much as the single-acting bucket, and 

 the load is taken up by each plunger in turn 

 as the preceding plunger slows down, with 

 practically no jar or shock. This feature is 

 almost as important as the large capacity 

 and continuous flow, as it means few re- 

 pairs or renewals of parts which are most 

 expensive and difficult to make. Any ar- 

 rangement which will minimize the wear on 

 the buckets and working parts and prevent 

 the necessity of renewal is of great value. 



The successful application of this pump to very 

 severe conditions of service during two years has 

 proven the entire reliability of the mechanism. The 

 continuous flow of water lessens the liability of sand 

 sticking in the working parts and cutting. The con- 

 tinuous flow also tends to extremely high mechanical 

 efficiency. In addition to the saving in operating cost, 

 due to the high efficiency and consequently to the small 

 amount of power consumed, the extreme evenness of 

 the load permits the use of a smaller prime mover than 

 will any other type of deep well pump of the same 

 capacity, and as the load is constantly uniform a motor 

 can be operated at full load and consequently with 

 high power factor. The triple-acting pump, on ac-; 

 count of its steady flow, the valve action and the me- 

 chanical construction, can be run at speeds higher than 

 other reciprocating deep well pumps. Hence, from a 



Two Views of the Deane Triple-Acting Pump. 



given well a greater capacity can be obtained with a 

 triple-plunger pump than with other types rated at the 

 same piston speed. 



Bored wells are becoming more and more im- 

 portant in furnishing a sufficient quantity of fresh 

 water for every purpose. In a great many sections of 

 the country the bored well is the only means of pro- 

 viding fresh water, since the greater quantity of pure 

 water lies between strata at some distance below the 

 surface of the earth. In the last few years the sizes 

 of driven wells have increased considerably. It is, 

 therefore, of tremendous importance that satisfactory 

 pumping equipment be obtained for handling the large 

 quantities of water required. The Deane pump is 

 suitable for irrigation work, municipal supply, factories 

 of all kinds and, in fact, wherever a large water supply 

 is required. 



