Thermal-gravity fluid pumping method and apparatus

Claim 1

A method for pumping water employing enclosed thermodynamic pumping liquids in expansion and contraction relation to the water to effect reciprocating movement of said thermodynamic liquid relative to the water, comprising the steps of: A. disposing in expansion cycle a first volume of thermodynamic liquid in a first closure; B. disposing a second volume of the thermodynamic liquid in a second closure which is connected to the said first closure; C. introducing a volume of water to be pumped into a third closure which is connected to the said second closure; D. heating the volume of thermodynamic liquid within the said first closure to vaporize a portion of the thermodynamic liquid and transferring the created thermodynamic vapor to the said second closure, thereby increasing the pressure within the second closure; E. channelling the thermodynamic liquid of the second closure away and upwardly from the second closure to the third closure in response to the rise in pressure within said second closure, for responsive movement thereof in contact with the water in the third closure, whereby the volume of water in the third closure is by hydraulic action of the thermodynamic liquid therein exhausted from the third closure as the thermodynamic liquid enters in response to the pressure of the thermodynamic vapor within said second closure; F. blocking the transfer of heated thermodynamic vapor from the first closure to the second closure; G. directing the said thermodynamic vapor from the second closure to a fourth closure thereby lowering the pressure within the second closure; H. condensing the thermodynamic vapor in the fourth closure for subsequent return of the condensate to the second closure in commencement of a contraction cycle; I. chanelling the thermodynamic liquid from the third closure back to the second closure in response to the reduction in pressure therein; J. drawing water into the third closure in response to the negative pressure therein; K. returning a portion of thermodynamic liquid from the second closure to the first; and L. repeating Steps C through K whereby water is continuously pumped from the third closure in response to the respective expansion and contraction cycles.

Claim 2

A method for pumping water employing enclosed thermodynamic pumping liquids in expansion and contraction relation to the water to effect reciprocating movement of said thermodynamic liquid relative to the water, comprising the steps of: A. disposing in expansion cycle a first volume of thermodynamic liquid in a first closure; B. disposing a second volume of the thermodynamic liquid in a second closure which is connected to the said first closure; C. introducing a volume of water to be pumped into a third closure which is connected to the said second closure; D. heating the volume of thermodynamic liquid within the said first closure to vaporize a portion of the thermodynamic liquid and transferring the created thermodynamic vapor to the said second closure, thereby increasing the pressure within the second closure; E. channelling the thermodynamic liquid of the second closure away and upwardly from the second closure to the third closure in response to the rise in pressure within said second closure, for responsive movement thereof in contact with the water in the third closure, whereby the volume of water in the third closure is by hydraulic action of the thermodynamic liquid therein exhausted from the third closure as the thermodynamic liquid enters in response to the pressure of the thermodynamic vapor within said second closure; F. blocking the transfer of heated thermodynamic vapor from the first closure to the second closure; G. directing the said thermodynamic vapor from the second closure to a fourth closure thereby lowering the pressure within the second closure; H. condensing the thermodynamic vapor in the fourth closure for subsequent return of the condensate to the second closure in commencement of a contraction cycle; I. chanelling the thermodynamic liquid from the third closure back to the second closure in response to the reduction in pressure therein; J. drawing water into the third closure in response to the negative pressure therein; K. returning a portion of thermodynamic liquid from the second closure to the first; and L. repeating Steps C through K whereby water is continuously pumped from the third closure in response to the respective expansion and contraction cycles.

Claim 4

An apparatus for pumping water comrising: A. first, second, third, and fourth enclosed tanks; B. a volume of thermodynamic liquid contained in at least a part of the first and second of said tanks; C. means for heating the thermodynamic liquid in said first tank, whereby a vapor thereof is generated; D. conduit means for conveying said vapor from said first tank to said second tank; E. conduit means connecting said second tank to said third tank, whereby the thermodynamic liquid in said second tank may be forced from said second tank to said third tank by the pressure of the vapor generated in said first tank; F. means for conveying water to and from said third tank; whereby water may be forced out of said third tank by the introduction of thermodynamic liquid from said second tank, and whereby water may be drawn into said third tank upon the transfer of thermodynamic liquid from the third tank back to said second tank; G. conduit means connecting said second tank to said fourth tank, whereby said vapor may be conveyed to said fourth tank; H. Means for cooling the vapor in said fourth tank for returning said vapor back into liquid state; I. conduit means for returning thermodynamic liquid from said fourth tank to said first tank; J. means for automatically controlling the cyclic admission of vapor from the first tank to the second tank and from the second tank to the fourth tank so that cyclic pumping of water into and out of said third tank is accomplished.

Claim 5

An apparatus for pumping water comrising: A. first, second, third, and fourth enclosed tanks; B. a volume of thermodynamic liquid contained in at least a part of the first and second of said tanks; C. means for heating the thermodynamic liquid in said first tank, whereby a vapor thereof is generated; D. conduit means for conveying said vapor from said first tank to said second tank; E. conduit means connecting said second tank to said third tank, whereby the thermodynamic liquid in said second tank may be forced from said second tank to said third tank by the pressure of the vapor generated in said first tank; F. means for conveying water to and from said third tank; whereby water may be forced out of said third tank by the introduction of thermodynamic liquid from said second tank, and whereby water may be drawn into said third tank upon the transfer of thermodynamic liquid from the third tank back to said second tank; G. conduit means connecting said second tank to said fourth tank, whereby said vapor may be conveyed to said fourth tank; H. Means for cooling the vapor in said fourth tank for returning said vapor back into liquid state; I. conduit means for returning thermodynamic liquid from said fourth tank to said first tank; J. means for automatically controlling the cyclic admission of vapor from the first tank to the second tank and from the second tank to the fourth tank so that cyclic pumping of water into and out of said third tank is accomplished.