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This is a still representation
and possibly also a low-resolution image of a fully animated pump.
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This pump was designed in the 1800's by John Ericsson, designer of the
Civil War battleship Monitor. |
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The Ericsson Hot Air Pump had many advantages for rural customers: It was
reliable, ran on virtually any fuel, had easily replaced parts, and could
not explode. (No steam is used, only a few cubic feet of hot air.) |
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A fascinating series of linkages sequences all the events. The pump works
by continuously heating and cooling the same air. The heated air expands
and pushes up the TRANSFER PISTON (shaded gray here). |
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The air is transferred around the edges of Transfer Piston to the space
between the top of the transfer piston and the AIR PISTON. Water circulating
around the cylinder cools the air, causing it to contract. |
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The water that cools the air was just brought up from the well. It exits
via the outlet pipe (behind, not shown.) The Air Piston pushes the cooled,
contracted air down past the Transfer Piston and the cycle repeats. |
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