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bristol20
Member
Username: bristol20
Post Number: 15
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 07:48 am: | 
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hello to all
subject a little different but still will be of interest i'm sure. im hoping Richard Durgee will comment, as i believe he also collects heavy diving gear. i collected this pump along with two other siebe gormam pumps and a siebe bottom half of a helmet about twenty years ago.the other two pumps, one a three cylinder single acting, the other a twin cylinder double acting both are made with the more common castiron A frame and teak box. the pump in question seems to be of much earlier origin. the frame is made up out of forged angle iron, bolts and nuts all seem to be individually made as with most other components. the twin cylinders are double acting & have a bigger bore than the other siebe pumps. the twin cylinders are made of bronze, as is the bottom valve plate. the pump originally was housed in a tongue and groove box made of baltic pine (i think) which was eaten out by white ants when I got it. i don't have the flywheels - other than that the pump's fairly complete. the top of one bigend rod reads "Siebe & Gorman Patent" the top of the other bigend rod reads "5. Denmark St. London". on either end of the crankshaft is cut a keyway, not a thread as with the other pumps. I can take better photos if requested. I'm hoping someone might be able to date it.
Regards Steve
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richarddurgee
Senior Member
Username: richarddurgee
Post Number: 2097
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 02:22 pm: |
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Stephen
Look at this site.
http://www.divingheritage.com/siebekern.htm
Siebe & Gorman was formed in 1870 at Denmark Street Soho, London and moved to Lambert in 1876 so The Pump was mfgrd in that 6 year window. The lower base, the two cylinders, the copper cooling container, both connecting rods and the two iron brackets that the rods straddle are from the original pump, the crankshaft is from some other piece of machinery and the angle iron frame was adapted from a later diving pump or hand made. I have seen a few of these pump modifications years ago from the Pearl divers in Northern Australia, one had a similar crankshaft with "FORD" stamped into it ?
If possible could you post a photo of the helmet breastplate ? does it have a tag or stamped name ? On the inside of the interrupted threaded neck ring there should be a number stamped and I can Date it. Cool old stuff !!
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bristol20
Member
Username: bristol20
Post Number: 16
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, May 17, 2009 - 06:43 am: |
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Richard - thanks its good to put a date on this gear, that's a great site!! i've wondered about the angle iron frame myself although all the separate pieces of angle are all stamped including the crank, with what looks like the same numbering tool as was used to stamp the connecting rods, bigends, cylinder tops, barrels and bottom valve plate. i guess that could have been done when refrabricated too. there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on the very early air pumps. also with the crank ends being flush cut and with a keyway, maybe engine driven?just a thought!
the bore is noticably bigger than my twin double acting - i'd say she would take some effort to hand crank! as i said earlier i bought three compressors and a wooden box at auction, in the wooden box was the bottom half of this helmet, front glass, shoulder cushion, canvas suit and various pipe fittings and tools - unfortunately no top half of the helmet. i suspect that this outfit was matched to the three cylinder single acting pump,which came from Port Alma, a small coastal town on the south east of Queensland Australia. the breast plate and front window have the same number stamped which is 4744. the top part of the hat i bought from England and has the number 2867. the round knob on the air regulating valve has the words stamped SIEBE PATENT. the front window as you will know is not siebe gorman, i suspect Heinke pearler - only because my dad has six of these, which he collected along with five siebe gorman twin cylinder air pumps in the late fifties on Thursday Island - far northern Australia. the front windows of those are identical to this one. Incidentally - when he collected them, he said there were thirty or so 44 gallon drums full of smashed flat helmets for scrap!! would make you cry!
regards Steve.
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