Improved Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Feed Water to Steam Boilers and for other Purposes Connected therewith.
Year: 1885

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Feed Water
to Steam Boilers and for other Purposes Connected
therewith.
I HARRY HOLDEN of Salford in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, ROBERT
GRUNDY BROOKE of Salford in the County of Lancaster Engineer, both of
S Simon's Works, St Simon's Street in Salford aforesaid do hereby declare the
nature of their invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY
OF FEED WATER ΤΟ STEAM BOILERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES CONNECTED
THEREWITH to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an arrangement of a piston within a cylinder and to
means by which we automatically or otherwise supply and shut off steam at stated
times from one side of such piston thereby causing it to move backwards and
for wards and our invention further relates to the application of the notion, so
obtained and to the application of the means so employed.
"
For this purpose we provide a piston within a cylinder so arranged that one side
of such piston is always under the full pressure of the steam from a boiler or
boilers such steam being supplied to the said side of such piston by means of a
pipe leading from the boiler to that end of the cylinder in which lies the side of
the piston aforesaid.
"
Steam pressure is alternately admitted to and shut off from the other side of the
said piston. The piston is so designed that its two sides are of different diameters
the area of one side being consequently greater than that of the other. That side
which is of smaller area is the one which is continually under steam pressure as
above described. That portion of the piston which is of smaller diameter is made
sufficiently long to enable it to slide as far as desired without leaving that portion
of the cylinder into which it fits..
In the arrangement as above described the central portion of the cylinder which
lies between the inner face of the larger part of the piston and the part of the
cylinder where the diameter changes is or may be connected with the air by a
passage which passago allows of the escape of any intentional or accidental leakage
of steam through or past the piston from either end. Steam being always pressing
on the sinaller side of the piston as before described it will be thrust back by such
pressure to its furthest limit so long as there is not a pressure of equal force on the

page_text: other side of the piston. If steam of the boiler pressure is admitted to the larger
side of the piston such pressure acting on its larger area will overcome the pressure
on the smaller side and so thrust the piston to its opposite limit. Now it is by
alternately supplying and witholding pressure at stated and suitable times from
the larger side of the piston as hereinafter described that we obtain a movement
which we apply in the ways and for the purposes herein. set forth. It will be
understood that the particular arrangement of piston and cylinder as above
described is capable of various modifications in design as might appear suitable
for our purpose.
In order to admit and shut off steam from the larger side of the said piston at
stated and suitable times as above described and so cause the piston to auto-
matically move backwards and forwards we sometimes employ a steam chamber
connected by suitable passages with both ends of the said cylinder such chamber
being always supplied with steam by means of that passage which leads to the
small end of the cylinder. That one of the passages which leads to the large end
of the cylinder is controlled by a valve or other suitable means whereby steam is
admitted to or shut off from the said passage.
When it is required to actuate this valve at different points of the water level of
the boiler or boilers to which our apparatus is attached we sometimes employ a
metal tube so arranged that one of its surfaces is exposed to the steam or water
from the boiler and the other surface to the cooling action of the air and so that
the said tube will expand and contract according to the difference of temperature
between any steam or water in or about the tube. Such expansion and contraction
is employed to open and shut the aforesaid valve and so admit to or shut off steam
from the large end of the cylinder. For convenience we shall hereafter call the
above tube the expansion tube. The steam and water may be admitted to the
inside or to the outside of the expansion tube as may be more convenient and
the expansion tube may be placed within a metal tube or casing the expansion
tube being always made of a metal having a different capacity for expansion than
that of which the casing is composed.
The expansion tube is fixed at one end but free to move at the other according
as acted upon by expansion and contraction and is connected with the boiler in
such a manner that water is admitted or drawn into or about the expansion tube
at one of the extreme points of the water level and steam at the other but 80 that
these two points of highest and lowest level may be fixed as and where desired.
The water is cooled by contact with the tube or with the tube and casing so
causing the desired contraction of the tube while the admission of steam causes its
expansion and so on alternately. We sometimes form our expansion tubes with
one or more corrugations so as to allow them to slightly yield under any undue
.strain as from a too great expansion.
In one
We employ as required the motion of the expansion tube for the purpose of
automatically working the piston within the cylinder as already described and by
means of suitable mechanism the action of the piston so obtained may be used for
starting and stopping injectors, pumps or other instruments by controlling their
supply of steam and for turning on and off water and for other purposes.
arrangement a valve is placed in the smaller end of the cylinder and attached
.direct to the piston so as to open and close a passage whereby steam from the
boiler is at times allowed to pass through such passage to any point where
required.
By another method we alternately admit steam and water by suitable means
and in the manner above described to contact with one or more tubes or bars of
metal so arranged that both ends of such tubes or bars are firmly fixed and so that
their expansion and contraction will cause them to bend laterally alternately
inwards and outwards thereby giving a movement which may be employed as and
for the purposes above described. The metal bars may be constructed if desirable
each of two metals on the system known as the "Compound bar." This arrange-
.ment of one or more tubes or bars as above described may also be employed to give

page_text: motion to an arrangement whereby a whistle will be caused to blow or any other
desired signal made when the level of the water in the boiler has reached some
stated point and so that by suitably fixing it to any boiler it will serve as a low
water alarm. Such an arrangement may be used in conjunction with our
apparatus or otherwise.
Another method of actuating the above described valve for controlling the
supply of steam to the large end of the cylinder consists in employing one or more
floats enclosed in a suitable chamber and so connected with the boiler and the
aforesaid valve as to open and close the latter at different points of the water level
in the boiler and thereby actuate the piston in the cylinder and any mechanism
connected therewith as afore described.
By introducing a tap or cock into the aforesaid passage leading into the cylinder
and also into the pipe or pipes leading from the boiler to any part of our apparatus
so that such passages or pipes may be shut off by hand the action of the apparatus
may be controlled and made independent of the means employed to make it act
automatically.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Feed Water
to Steam Boilers and for
Connected
other Purposes
therewith.
We HARRY HOLDEN of Salford in the County of Lancaster Engineer, ROBERT
GRUNDY BROOKE of Salford in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, both of
St Simon's Works, St. Simons Street in Salford aforesaid do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY
OF FEED WATER TO STEAM BOILERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES CONNECTED
THEREWITH and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to an arrangement of a piston within a cylinder and to
means by which we automatically or otherwise supply and shut of steam at stated
times from one side of such 'piston thereby causing it to move backwards and
forwards; and our invention further relates to the application of the motion 80
obtained and to the application of the means so employed.
For this purpose we provide a piston within a cylinder so arranged that one side
of such piston is always under the full pressure of the steam from a boiler or boilers,
such steam being supplied to the said side of such piston by means of a pipe
leading from a boiler to that end of a cylinder in which lies the side of the piston
aforesaid.
Steam pressure is alternately admitted to and shut off from the other side of the
said piston. The piston is so designed that its two sides are of different diameters,
the area of one side being consequently greater than that of the other. That side
which is of smaller area is the one which is continually under steam pressure as
above described. That portion of the piston which is of smaller diameter is made
sufficiently long to enable it to slide as far as desired without leaving that portion
of the cylinder into which it fits. In the arrangement as above described the
central portion of the cylinder which lies between the inner face of the larger part
of the piston and the part of the cylinder where the diameter changes is or may be
connected with the air by a passage which passage allows of the escape of any
intentional or accidental leakage of steam through or past the piston from either
end. Steam being always pressing on the smaller side of the piston as before
described it will be thrust back by such pressure to its furthest limit, so long as
there is not a pressure of equal force on the other side of the piston. If steam or
water under pressure is admitted to the larger side of the piston such pressure
acting on its larger area will overcome the the opposing pressure on the smaller
end of the piston even when the actual pressure acting on the larger end of the
piston is below the actual pressure acting on the smaller end as will be understood.
Now it is by alternately supplying and witholding pressure at stated and suitable
times from the larger side of the piston as hereinafter described that we obtain a
movement which we apply in the ways and for the purposes herein set forth. It
will be understood that the particular arrangement of piston and cylinder as above

page_text: described is capable of various modifications in design as might appear suitable for
our purpose.
+
In order to admit, and shut off steam from the larger side of the said piston at
stated and suitable times as above described and so cause the piston to automatically
move backwards and forwards we sometimes connect the large end of the piston,
with the small end by a passage so as to cause steam to enter and press against the
large end when the said passage is open. The passage which leads to the large end
of the cylinder as above described is controlled by a valve or other suitable means
whereby steam is admitted to or shut off from the said passage. When it required
to actuate this valve at different points of the water level of the boiler or boilers
to which our apparatus is attached, we sometimes employ a metal tube so arranged
that one of its surfaces is exposed to the steam or water from the boiler and the
other surface to the cooling action of the air and so that the said tube will expand:
and contract according to the difference of temperature between any steam .or
water in or about the tube. Such expansion and contraction is employed to open
and shut the aforesaid valve and so admit to or shut off steam from the large end
of the cylinders.
For convenience we shall hereafter call the above tube the expansion tube.
The steam and water may be admitted to the inside or to the outside of the
expansion tube as may be more convenient, and the expansion tube may be placed
within a metal tube or casing, the expansion tube being always made of a metal
having a different capacity for expansion than that of which the casing is
composed.
The expansion tube is fixed at one end but free to move at the other according
as acted upon by expansion and contraction, and is connected with the boiler in
such a manner that water is adınitted or drawn into or about the expansion tube
at one of the extreme points of the water level and steain at the other but so that
these two points of highest and lowest level may be fixed as and where desired:
The water is cooled by contact with the tube or with the tube and casing so
causing the desired contraction of the tube while the admission of steam causes its
expansion and so on alternately. We sometimes form our expansion tubes with
one or more corrugations so, as to allow them to slightly yield under any undue
strain as from a too great expansion.
We employ as required the motion of the expansion tube for the purpose of
automatically working the piston within the cylinder as already described, and by
means of suitable mechanism the action of the piston so obtained may be used for
starting and stopping injectors, pumps, or other instruments by controlling their
supply of steam and for turning on and off water, and for other purposes.
In one arrangement a valve is placed in the smaller end of the cylinder and
attached direct to the piston so as to open and close a passage whereby steam from
the boiler is at times allowed to pass through such passage to any point where
required. By another method we alternately admit steam and water by suitable
means and in the manner above described to contact with one or more tubes or
bars of metal so arranged that both ends of such tubes or bars are firmly fixed and
so that their expansion and contraction will cause them to bend laterally alternately.
inwards and outwards thereby giving a movement which may be employed as and
for the purposes above described. The metal bars may be constructed if desirable
each of two metals on the system known as the "compound bar."
This arrangement of one or more tubes or bars as above described may also be
employed to give motion to an arrangement whereby a whistle will be caused to
blow or any other desired signal made when the level of the water in the boiler
has reached some stated point, and so that by suitably fixing it to any boiler it
will serve as a low water alarm.
Such an arrangement may be used in conjunction with our apparatus or otherwise.
Another method of actuating the above described valve for controlling the supply
of steam to the large end of the cylinder consists in employing one or more floats
enclosed in a suitable chamber and so connected with the boiler and the aforesaid

page_text: valve as to open and close the latter at different points of the water level in the,
boiler and thereby actuate the piston in the cylinder and any mechanism connected
therewith as afore described.
By introducing a tap or cock into the aforesaid passage leading into the cylinder
and also into the pipe or pipes leading from the boiler to any part of our apparatus,
so that such passages or pipes may be shut off by hand the action of the apparatus
may be controlled and made independent of the means employed to make it act
automatically.
Figure 1. is a longitudinal section of our apparatus as arranged for automatically
starting injectors steam pumps or other apparatus according to varying levels of the
water in a steam boiler or other vessel.
Figure 2. is another view of the same apparatus at right angles to Figure 1. A. is
a piston of which the end a is of larger area than the end b.
In this arrangement a portion of the end b of the piston A is constructed so as to
form a valve B.
The valve B carries webs b¹ to fit and slide within the passage C. The piston A
fits in the casing or cylinder c in which it is capable of sliding in either direction
according as actuated by pressures of steam or water. The length of its travel is
determined in one direction by seating d upon which the above named valve B
beds and thereby closes the passage C. In the opposite direction the travel of
the piston A is determined by the valve e which beds against the seating c¹
provided to prevent leakage past the central portion of the piston. The chamber D
which is that part of the chamber or cylinder c in which the smaller end 6 of the
piston A is connected to the storm space of a boiler by means of the passage E and
suitable piping m and is thereby supplied with steam. The chamber F of the
cylinder c in which is the larger end a of the piston A is at times supplied with
steam or water from a boiler through the passage f. The chamber F is shown
enlarged at y. so as to assist condensation.
.
Pressure from the boiler enters the chamber G up the pipe w or up the expansion
tube g or both and thence passes into the passage f aforesaid and so into the
chamber F of the cylinder c. In the chamber G is a double beat valve H
connected with the tube gl and so arranged as to shut off from the chamber G the
passage for the connection to the boiler through the tube gl according as any
movement of the tube g¹ and consequently of the valve H shuts face h, h² of the
valve H onto their respective seats h' or h³.
The length of the passage f.may be made longer than shown in the drawing if
necessary: If the passage f is closed while the chamber F is full of steam so that
no more steam can enter, the pressure in F will be reduced by condensation and
the piston will be pushed back in the direction of the arrow i by the pressure on
the face b and the valve Band passage C will thereby be opened so that steam will
pass down passage C to an injector pump or other apparatus to which. C is
connected. If pressure is restored to the end a of the piston A by opening the
passage f the piston A is by virtue of the larger area of the end a pushed to its
furthest limit in a direction opposite to that of the arrow i and the valve B and
passage Care thereby closed.
To control the passage f is a cock I manipulated outwardly by the handle O and
so constructed as to enable boiler pressure to be supplied from the chamber G to
the chamber For to be witheld from it independently of the valve H as shown by
Figures 3 and 4. In figures 1 and 2 the cock I is shown in its normal position
and the piston a is actuated automatically. Figure 3 shews the cock I placed so
that the chamber G and passage fare in communication, and Figure 4 so that the
chamber G and passage f are not in these conditions being irrespective of the
position of the valve H thus placing the passage C at all times under control.
The double valve H is alternately moved onto the seat h' and off the seat h³ or onto
the seat and off the seat 1 by the movement of the tube g¹.
In the present arrangement the expansion tube is constructed of alternating
lengths of brass and iron tubes g¹g²¸g³gʻ gỗ of which gỗ, g³ & g³ are brass and g
.
1

page_text: and iron (or any other suitable metals of different expansion) and is arranged
and constructed so that the metal of greater expansion and contraction expands
and contracts at any varying temperature to which it is exposed in a direction:
opposite to that in which the metal of lesser expansion or contraction expands and
contracts. The total movement of a compound tube so constructed is the sum of
the expansion or contraction of the tubes of greater expansion less the sum of the
expansion or contraction of the tubes of less expansion, and as it is fixed in the
rigid foot K. at one end all the movement takes place at the free end, that, is at
the end to which is attached the valve H.
It will be clearly seen from the peculiar construction of the expansion tube that
when the free ends of the tubes of greater expansion are moving in one direction
the free ends of the tubes of less expansion are moving in the opposite direction.
By this compounded arrangement of tubes. we get the requisite amount of
expansion to actuate the valve H with a shorter continuous length of tube than
would be necessary if only a single tube were used. The tube g is put in
connection with the boiler by means of the hollow foot K the passages k and 7 and
suitable piping m and the chamber G is connected with the boiler by the pipe w,
passages and 7 and piping m as shown.. The piping m is connected with the
interior of the boiler at points above and below water level, as at q q' respectively.
As the length of the piping m is to an extent immaterial our apparatus can if
necessary be fixed at some distance from the boiler. The distance between the
foot K and the chamber G with the valve seats h¹ and ³ is maintained unaltered
by the rigid supports L. L. (Figure 2) which may be one or more in number and
adjustable as by the nuts nn.
If by means of an injector or pump water has risen in the boiler and the
passage to the level j the supply of steam to the expansion tubes g¹ g² and g³
and gs will (hereinafter be collectively called the tubes g) be stopped and the steam
therein will condense and water be sucked-in by the vacuum so caused. The water
in the expansion tubes g on cooling will cause contraction and will so draw the
valve face on its scat h³ and will so open the valve h thereby admitting boiler
pressure through passage f against face a of piston A. The pressure on a being
greater than that on bas before explained, will move the piston A, so as to close
the valve C and will consequently stop the injector, pump or other apparatus to
which steam is supplied through the passage C.
Owing to the stoppage of the feed water, the level in the boiler and consequently
in the passage will will gradually fall, but although it may fall below the level ₁
and uncover the passage k¹, the water cannot now drop out of the tubes g since
steam is prevented from entering at the top through chamber G owing to the
valve being closed as explained.
It is only when the level of the water in the boiler and passage reaches the
level and uncovers the passage k that steam can enter the tubes g and so allow
the water to run out. Upon steam entering the tubes g expansion takes place so
that the valve H is lifted thereby causing valve h² to open and the valve h to shut.
Steam is thus shut off from the surface a of the piston A and the pressure falls
owing to condensation so that the pressure on b opens the valve B and the injector,
pump or other apparatus is set to work.
As the water level now rises from level; to level the water cannot rise in the
tubes gas steam is free to enter through the now open valve ², but upon the water
arriving at and so closing passage condensation takes place in the tube g.
water flows in, contraction takes place and the injector or pump is again stopped.
until the water sinks to levelj as above described. It will thus be seen that the
levels & are the points of highest and lowest water level respectively.
To prevent undue strain on the expansion tube in case the movement in either
direction should be greater than the play of the valve H, we insert a spring piece p
capable of yeilding either way, but sufficiently rigid to move the valve H before so
yeilding. This provision can readily be made in a variety of ways and attached
in other positions and to other parts of the apparatus than the expansion tube.
L

page_text: For instance the outer tube g might be made corrugated for the same purpose.
Another spring piece and tightly fastened to the tube g and to the flange 8
and capable of moving with the tube g¹ serves the purpose of a packing gland.
Although not shown in the drawing we sometimes fix cocks at suitable positions
on the pipes m whereby the whole or a portion of our apparatus may be shut off
from the boiler.
'
Figure 5. shows one arrangement of our automatic low water alarm which
may be used in conjunction with our automatic feeding apparatus or not.
In this part of our invention we employ two or more expansion tubes as shown
at 1 1* 1** 1*** so arranged as to form a compound expansion tube of similar
principle and construction to that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
The tubes 11* 1** 1*** being connected together as shown are fixed by one end
of the outer tube to the foot or cap 2 but are otherwise free. Water or steam
from the boiler enters in or about all the tubes employed in the construction of
our low water alarm, so that all are directly acted upon by the temperature of the
steam or water.
To the top of the inner tube is fixed a whistle 6 moving with the tube, and to
the bottom of the inner tube is attached a valve 3 which moves from or onto the
seat 4 according to the movement resulting from the combined expansion or
contraction of the tubes 1 1* 1** 1***. In the drawing the tubes 1*** and 1*
are made of metal of greater expansion and the tubes 1** and 1 of metal of less
expansion.
The foot 2 is connected with the boiler in such manner that so long as the water
level in the boiler is not below its safe working level, steam cannot enter the
passage 5 or the expansion tubes. Our low water alarm may be fixed onto the
side of the boiler (as shown by the dotted lines Figure 5) or on the top of it with
a pipe descending a suitable distance into the water, (as shown by Figure 6).
If used in conjunction with our automatic apparatus as described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2 it can be fixed on the pipe m (as shewn in the drawing) its
position then being below the foot K (Figure 1).
Should the water level in the boiler sink low enough to allow steam to enter
the foot 2 the water will run out of the expansion tubes and the steam entering
will cause them to expand and so raise the valve 3 off its scat 4, when steam will
pass up the tube 1 blowing the whistle 6 and so sounding an alarm. When water
again rises above the passage 5 the steam in the tubes will condense, and water
entering to fill the vacuum will contract the tubes until the valve 3 closes and the
whistle is stopped. Any portion of the tubes may be corrugated or otherwise
arranged to provide for undue expansion or contraction as already explained in
reference to Figures 1 and 2. We sometimes arrange our alarm with a tap or
valve in the whistle so that the exit of steam or water may be prevented.
Figure 7. represents our improved piston arrangement, as used non-automatically
and where the pressure on the large end of the piston is shut off by hand.
This form of valve may be fixed on an ordinary steam pipe and used with
advantage for working automatic injectors. Its action is similar to the arrange-
ment shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the same letters represent the principle
parts.
In this case the small hole f is led from the chamber D to the chamber F and
in this respect differs from 1 and 2 Figures. The hole f is shut and opened by the
valve I so as to admit or withold pressure from the chamber F and so move the
piston A and with it the valve B onto or away from the seat d. We sometimes
use this arrangement of the hole f when working the piston automatically as
already described in reference to Figures 1 and 2. At t we sometimes place a
small hole as shown in Figures 1 and 7 to allow of the escape of steam or water
leaking past either end of the piston A.
Figure 8 represents an arrangement of our improved piston arrangement as
described in Figures 1 and 7 but arranged so that the movement of the piston A
may be used externally as required in connection with boiler feeding apparatus

page_text: and other than for the purpose of letting steam pass at times from the chamber D.
In this arrangement the movement of the piston A is utilized by making suitable
attachments at the end of the sliding piston rod A¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The improved arrangement of the piston A whereby pressure is alternately
reduced and increased on that end having the larger area so as to move it
backwards and forwards. The manner of controlling the pressure acting on the
larger end of the piston and the application of and methods of utilising the motion
of the piston all substantially so obtained as described and shown on the
drawings,
..
2. The use of an expansion tube or tubes for the purpose of controlling the
valves and h³ (Figure 1) and passages therefrom and the arrangements by which
the expansion & contraction of such expansion tube or tubes can only take place
at certain fixed levels of the water in a boiler substantially as described and shown
on the Drawings.
3. The low water alarm shown in figures 5 and 6 in which all the tubes
employed are in contact with the steam or water, (and are equally under the
influence of the heat therefrom) from a boiler and where the whistle is fixed to
the top of the inner tube and moves with it, with a valve fixed at the bottom of
the said tube the whole substantially as described and shown in the drawings