Oh, patents! Kickstart International MoneyMaker treadle pump

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

To assist in the transition from rain-fed farming to irrigated agriculture, Kickstart International also produces a MoneyMaker treadle pump. The Kickstart International treadle MoneyMaker pump (MMP) is designed to provide a reliable way of transporting water. It is also easy to repair, low-cost and light, while remaining stiff-enough for stable operation.To pump water with a treadle pump, the user stands on the treadles, pushing one treadle after another in a reciprocal manner.

The YouTube video below shows a Kickstart International treadle MMP in operation.

In general, the reported advantages of using treadle pumps, compared to bucket irrigation, are increased income via increased crop yield, due to increased area irrigated (UNFAO, 2000)

This Kickstart International MMP invention is recited in the US patent US8770954B2, titled Human-powered irrigation pump. This patent recites an improvement on the many existing treadle pumps, since they were first developed and introduced in Bangladesh, in the 1980s (UNFAO, 2000). The inventive improvements address the specific context of African agriculture, where water is generally pumped from more distant ground sources for irrigation.

The abstract of the Kickstart treadle MMP invention is included below, together with the patent Figures 3 and 4A.  Figure 3 depicts an embodiment of the treadle MMP pump 200, where two treadles 208, 208’ are coupled to a horizontal reciprocating rocker 202, supported by a rocker pivot 212 (shown in Fig. 4A), mounted to the frame 218. The rocker 202 is mounted between the treadles 208, 208’, at a distance below the horizontal treadle pivot 214. The horizontal treadle pivot 214 enables the treadles to rotate up and down, during pumping. The treadles 208, 208’ are respectively connected to two pistons 206, 206’, each piston also connected via tensile member to the reciprocating rocker 202. Thus, the downward movement of treadle 208, pushing piston 206 down, will also bring down the reciprocating rocker 202, forcing it to rotate on the rocker pivot 212, in turn pulling up piston 206’ and its connected treadle 208’.  

The lowest and highest points of reciprocating travel for the treadles 208, 208’ are depicted in Figure 4A as distance Z, while the lowest and highest points of piston travel are depicted as distance γ. Likewise, the offset elevation of the treadle and rocker pivots 212, 214, is shown as distance x. 

Footplates 220 are shown at the distal end of each treadle, to minimize slipping when pumping, on both Figures 3 and 4A.

A human-powered pump assembly includes a frame and a treadle pivot attached to the frame, such that the treadle pivot defines a horizontal rotational axis. The pump assembly includes a pair of treadles coupled to the treadle pivot and a rocker pivot attached to the frame, such that the rocker pivot defines a separate horizontal rotational axis. The pump assembly includes a reciprocating rocker coupled to the rocker pivot and to the pair of treadles to constrain the motion thereof, such that the rocker pivot axis is located below the treadle pivot axis. [Abstract US8770954B2]

References

Kickstart International Inc.

http://kickstart.org/

UNFAO (United Nations Food & Argriculture Organization) Kay, M. & T. Brabben (Oct. 1, 2000) Treadle Pumps for Irrigation in Africa. IPTRID -  International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage - Knowledge Synthesis Report.
http://www.fao.org/3/X8293E/X8293E00.htm