Four-Barrel Piston Pump

Four-Barrel Piston Pump Four-Barrel Piston Pump

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Four-Barrel Piston Pump, by Braithwaite, 1817, removed from Lord Brownlow's Estate 1933

This pump was commissioned to pump water in the gardens at Belton House, Lincolnshire. It was built by notable London engineer John Braithwaite, who constructed with John Ericsson the 'Novelty' locomotive which in 1829 became the first loco anywhere to travel a mile in under one minute, and also the first practical steam-powered fire engine.

The pump was driven by a water-wheel, which through gearing operated its four individual reciprocating pumps feeding a single receiver to produce a constant out-flow. It is both a functional machine, and one which was designed with a strong aesthetic sense, having architectural detail cast into its frame and Gothic pointed arches.

Main framing, with all bearing brasses, caps, cap screws (varying numbers of washers) and bottom screws, blots and nuts and tap-bolts for connecting /2 and /3

Main framing

Four Barrel Piston Pump by Braithwaite, 1817, removed from Lord Brownlow's Estate 1933. Two upper frames

Four Barrel Piston Pump by Braithwaite

Manifold with valve chamber, with 8 tap bolts for connecting /4, delivery clack plate ( with only one clack leather and that lacking its weight), and broken leather washer

Manifold with valve chamber

Four Barrel Piston pump by Braithwaite, 1817, removed from Lord Brownlow's estate 1933. Air vessel with delivery branch, with 2 leather washers and 6 bolts and nuts and 5 washer for delivery pipe

Four Barrel Piston Pump by Braithwaite, 1817

1817

Four Barrell Piston Pump, by Braithwaite, 1817, removed from Lord Brownlow's Estate, 1933. Suction elbow with suction clack piece (screwed together)

Four Barrell Piston Pump by Braithwaite

1817

Four Barrell Piston Pump, by Braithwaite, 1817, removed from Lord Brownlow's Estate 1933. Delivery branch with relief valve

Four Barrell Piston Pump

1817

Four Barrell Piston Pump by Braithwaite

Four Barrell Piston Pump by Braithwaite

1817

Two cast iron cranks each with a pinion straked on.

Two cast iron cranks

4 forked connecting rods, complete with brasses, keepers, cotters, nuts etc except 1 lacks the pair of brasses & cotter at 1 side of upper end. NB : "brasses" of differing colours, suggesting some are later replacements. 1 rod broken & fished

4 forked connecting rods

Four Pistons, Rods, Crosshead Forgings and Guide Roll

Four Pistons, Rods, Crosshead Forgings and Guide Roll

A box of small and light parts

A box of small and light parts

Four Crosshead Guides with Bolts and Nuts

Four Crosshead Guides with Bolts and Nuts

Driving shaft.

Driving Shaft

Copper drain pipe 1" nom. diameter with off set and nut & ferule one end.

Copper drain pipe

Eleven Tap Bolts and Three Gaskets

Eleven Tap Bolts and Three Gaskets

Component, from Four-Barrel Piston Pump

Component, from Four-Barrel Piston Pump

1817

Details

Category:
Pumping Machinery
Object Number:
1933-30
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy), cast iron, gunmetal, paint and wrought iron
type:
pump
credit:
The Rt. Hon. Lord Brownlow