# US 4,398,870 A · Variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,398,870 A - Document ID: US4398870A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/254,451 - Filed: 1981-04-15 - Granted: 1983-08-16 - Earliest claimed: 1978-11-08 - Inventors: Arthur P. Bentley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398870A ## CPC - F04B 47/04: the driving means incorporating fluid means - E21B 28/00: Vibration generating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for stimulating production ({for fishing for or freeing objects E21B31/005;} for transmitting measuring-signals E21B47/14; for geophysical measurements G01V1/02) - E21B 43/003: {Vibrating earth formations} - F04B 47/08: the motors being actuated by fluid - F04F 7/00: Pumps displacing fluids by using inertia thereof, e.g. by generating vibrations therein - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F04F: PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED {(evacuating by sorption F04B)}; SIPHONS {(conveying materials in bulk by flows of gas, liquid of foam B65G53/00)} ## Abstract A variable volume single tube surface operated pump including a piston reciprocally mounted in a cylinder for alternately opening and closing a liquid delivery port formed in the sidewall of the cylinder and for generating a sonic pressure wave by impacting a column of liquid in a metallic tube extending from the cylinder to a remote pumping mechanism located in communication with the liquid to be pumped. The piston is especially configured with a central recess in the face thereof so that the sonic pressure waves generated thereby will pass through a sonic inductor and move downwardly toward the pumping mechanism in a spiral-like motion against the inner wall of the metallic tube and enter into a sonic intensifier chamber where they are reflected off the pumping mechanism into a central column which travels back toward the cylinder and causes the liquid to be pumped to move in that same direction. A power operated drive mechanism is provided for reciprocally driving the piston and for adjustably varying the output volume of the liquid delivered by the pump. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump for pumping liquid from an underground level to a ground surface comprising: (a) a sonic pressure wave generator including, I. a cylinder housing having a bore for containing liquid in one end portion thereof and having a liquid delivery port means extending laterally from that bore, II. a liquid impacting piston reciprocal in the bore of said cylinder housing for opening and closing the liquid delivery port means thereof and for reciprocally impacting the liquid containable therein, III. said liquid impacting piston having a liquid impacting end face with a central recess formed therein which generates a sonic pressure wave upon impacting the liquid containable in the bore of said cylinder housing, IV. a sonic inductor in the form of a sonic nozzle having a bore for containing liquid located in the one end portion of the bore of said cylinder housing so that the bore of said sonic nozzle is coaxial with the bore of said cylinder housing; (b) a metallic tube having a bore for containing liquid and having one end which is in communication with the bore of said nozzle so that the sonic pressure waves generatable in said cylinder housing will pass through said sonic nozzle and be received and transmitted in the bore of said metallic tube; (c) pumping mechanism means connected to the other end of said metallic tube and in communication with the liquid to be pumped, said pumping mechanism means including a reciprocally operable plunger for impingingly receiving the sonic pressure waves when transmitted by said metallic tube and reflecting those waves into a centrally and upwardly moving column which carries the liquid being pumped in the same direction; (d) power input means; and (e) drive/output volume adjustment means connected to receive power from said power input means and coupled to said liquid impacting piston for reciprocal driving thereof, said drive/output volume adjustment means including means for adjustably varying the stroke of said liquid impacting piston for adjusting the output volume of the liquid being pumped. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sonic nozzle comprises: (a) a plug-shaped body having an axial bore formed therethrough; (b) said body having a first frustro-conical surface which faces toward said liquid impacting piston and a second frustro-conical surface which is inverted with respect to said first frustro-conical surface and which cooperatively form the axial bore through said body; and (c) said body having a diametrically opposed pair of helical grooves formed in the first frustro-conical surface thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a liquid reservoir at the ground surface for containing liquid the same as the liquid to be pumped, said reservoir connected to the liquid delivery port means of said cylinder housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein the central recess formed in the liquid impacting end face of said liquid impacting piston is of truncated conical configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein the central recess formed in the liquid impacting end face of said liquid impacting piston is of truncated conical configuration which communicates with a blind cylindrical bore formed axially in said liquid impacting piston. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein the liquid impacting end face of said liquid impacting piston is of ring-like configuration with the central recess thereof being of truncated conical configuration which communicates with a blind cylindrical bore formed axially in said liquid impacting piston. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive/output volume adjustment means comprises: (a) a wheel; (b) means connected between said power input means and said wheel for rotational driving thereof; (c) linkage means eccentrically connected to said wheel and having a point thereon which moves in an eliptical path when said wheel is rotatably driven; (d) a crank arm having one end connected to the point of said linkage means for movement in the eliptical path thereof, said crank arm having its other end coupled to said liquid impacting piston for reciprocal driving thereof; and (e) said linkage means being adjustable for changing the location of the eliptical movement path of the point thereof for adjustably varying the reciprocal stroke of said crank arm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive/output volume adjustment means comprises: (a) a wheel; (b) means connected between said power input means and said wheel for rotational driving thereof; (c) a connecting rod having one end connected eccentrically and pivotably to said wheel; (d) an oscillating arm having a swing end reciprocally movable in an arcuate path with the swing end pivotably connected to the other end of said connecting rod; (e) a crank arm having one end pivotably connected to said connecting rod at a point between the ends thereof for following an eliptical path when said wheel is rotatably driven, the other end of said crank arm being coupled to said liquid impacting piston for reciprocal driving thereof; and (f) adjustable anchor means pivotably connected to the other end of said oscillating arm for adjustably fixing that other end at various locations to adjustably establish the location of the arcuate path of the swing end of said oscillating arm and thereby adjustably establish the location of the eliptical movement path of the one end of said crank arm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated pump as claimed in claim 8 wherein said adjustable anchor means comprises: (a) a rotatable shaft; (b) an anchor arm connected to said shaft for rotation therewith and having an extending end which is pivotably connected to the other end of said oscillating arm; (c) a handle mounted on said shaft by which said shaft is rotatable; and (d) means for selectively locking said shaft against rotation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pumping mechanism means comprises: (a) a housing having a bore for containing liquid and which communicates with the bore of said metallic tube for receiving the sonic pressure waves upon transmission thereof by said metallic tube, said housing having a lower end wall with a passage formed therethrough which communicates with the liquid to be pumped; (b) said bore of said housing being of larger diameter than the bore of said metallic tube and configured at its upper end to form a sonic intensifier chamber for increasing the velocity of the sonic pressure waves upon receipt thereof; (c) a one-way check valve in the passage formed in the end wall of said housing; (d) said plunger is reciprocally mounted in the bore of said housing and has a head from which a reduced diameter stem depends, said plunger having a passage formed axially therethrough; (e) biasing means in the bore of said housing and bearing against said plunger to bias said plunger upwardly so as to counterbalance the weight of the liquid containable in said metallic tube, in said sonic inductor and in the one end portion of said cylinder housing; and (f) said plunger having a substantially flat upper surface for reflecting the sonic pressure waves which impinge thereon. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 10 wherein the sonic intensifier chamber formed at the upper end of said housing comprises a truncated conical surface which forms the transition between the bore of said metallic tube and the bore of said housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 10 wherein the substantially flat upper surface of said plunger is provided with an endless groove formed therein. ### Claim 13 A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump for pumping liquid from an underground level to a ground surface comprising: (a) a sonic pressure wave generator including, I. a cylinder housing having a bore for containing liquid in one end portion thereof and having a liquid delivery port means extending laterally from that bore, II. a liquid impacting piston reciprocal in the bore of said cylinder housing for opening and closing the liquid delivery port means thereof and for reciprocally impacting the liquid containable therein, III. said liquid impacting piston having a liquid impacting end face with a central recess formed therein which generates a sonic pressure wave upon impacting the liquid containable in the bore of said cylinder housing; (b) a sonic pressure wave swirl chamber including, I. a housing of oblique circular cylindrical configuration having a closed top end and a closed bottom end and defining a bore for containing liquid, II. conduit means connected between said oblique circular cylindrical housing and said cylinder housing to place the bore of said oblique circular cylindrical housing in communication with the one end of the bore of said cylinder housing, said conduit means being disposed adjacent said closed top end and tangential with respect to said oblique circular cylindrical housing, III. coupling means in the closed bottom end of said oblique circular cylindrical housing; (c) a metallic tube having a bore for containing liquid and having one end connected to said coupling means of said sonic pressure wave swirl chamber so that the sonic pressure waves generatable in said cylinder housing will pass through said sonic pressure wave swirl chamber and be received and transmitted in the bore of said metallic tube; (d) pumping mechanism means connected to the other end of said metallic tube and in communication with the liquid to be pumped, said pumping mechanism means including a reciprocally operable plunger for impingingly receiving the sonic pressure waves when transmitted by said metallic tube and reflecting those waves into a centrally and upwardly moving column which carries the liquid being pumped in the same direction; (e) power input means; and (f) drive/output volume adjustment means connected to receive power from said power input means and coupled to said liquid impacting piston for reciprocal driving thereof, said drive/output volume adjustment means including means for adjustably varying the stroke of said liquid impacting piston for adjusting the output volume of the liquid being pumped. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein said coupling means formed in the closed bottom of said oblique circular cylindrical housing is offset with respect to the center of said closed bottom end in a direction which is opposite to that of the tangential connection of said conduit means to said oblique circular cylindrical housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 and further comprising a liquid reservoir at the ground surface for containing liquid the same as the liquid to be pumped, said reservoir connected to the liquid delivery port means of said cylinder housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein the central recess formed in the liquid impacting end face of said liquid impacting piston is of truncated conical configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein the central recess formed in the liquid impacting end face of said liquid impacting piston is of truncated conical configuration which communicates with a blind cylindrical bore formed axially in said liquid impacting piston. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein the liquid impacting end face of said liquid impacting piston is of ring-like configuration with the central recess thereof being of truncated conical configuration which communicates with a blind cylindrical bore formed axially in said liquid impacting piston. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein said drive/output volume adjustment means comprises: (a) a wheel; (b) means connected between said power input means and said wheel for rotational driving thereof; (c) linkage means eccentrically connected to said wheel and having a point thereon which moves in an eliptical path when said wheel is rotatably driven; (d) a crank arm having one end connected to the point of said linkage means for movement in the eliptical path thereof, said crank arm having its other end coupled to said liquid impacting piston for reciprocal driving thereof; and (e) said linkage means being adjustable for changing the location of the eliptical movement path of the point thereof for adjustably varying the reciprocal stroke of said crank arm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein said drive/output volume adjustment means comprises: (a) a wheel; (b) means connected between said power input means and said wheel for rotational driving thereof; (c) a connecting rod having one end connected eccentrically and pivotably to said wheel; (d) an oscillating arm having a swing end reciprocally movable in an arcuate path with the swing end pivotably connected to the other end of said connecting rod; (e) a crank arm having one end pivotably connected to said connecting rod at a point between the ends thereof for following an eliptical path when said wheel is rotatably driven, the other end of said crank arm being coupled to said liquid impacting piston for reciprocal driving thereof; and (f) adjustable anchor means pivotably connected to the other end of said oscillating arm for adjustably fixing that other end at various locations to adjustably establish the location of the arcuate path of the swing end of said oscillating arm and thereby adjustably establish the location of the eliptical movement path of the one end of said crank arm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated pump as claimed in claim 20 wherein said adjustable anchor means comprises: (a) a rotatable shaft; (b) an anchor arm connected to said shaft for rotation therewith and having an extending end which is pivotably connected to the other end of said oscillating arm; (c) a handle mounted on said shaft by which said shaft is rotatable; and (d) means for selectively locking said shaft against rotation. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein said pumping mechanism means comprises: (a) a housing having a bore for containing liquid and which communicates with the bore of said metallic tube for receiving the sonic pressure waves upon transmission thereof by said metallic tube, said housing having a lower end wall with a passage formed therethrough which communicates with the liquid to be pumped; (b) said bore of said housing being of larger diameter than the bore of said metallic tube and configured at its lower end to form a sonic intensifier chamber for increasing the velocity of the sonic pressure waves upon receipt thereof; (c) a one-way check valve in the passage formed in the end wall of said housing; (d) said plunger is reciprocally mounted in the bore of said housing and has a head from which a reduced diameter stem depends, said plunger having a passage formed axially therethrough; (e) biasing means in the bore of said housing and bearing against said plunger to bias said plunger upwardly so as to counterbalance the weight of the liquid containable in said metallic tube, in said sonic pressure wave swirl chamber and in the one end portion of said cylinder housing; and (f) said plunger having a substantially flat upper surface for reflecting the sonic pressure waves which impinge thereon. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 22 wherein the sonic intensifier chamber formed at the upper end of said housing comprises a truncated conical surface which forms the transition between the bore of said metallic tube and the bore of said housing. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) A variable volume sonic pressure wave surface operated single tube pump as claimed in claim 22 wherein the substantially flat upper surface of said plunger is provided with an endless groove formed therein.