IMPROVEMENTS IN RETURN STEAM-TRAPS ALSO APPLICABLE TO BOILER FEEDING APPARATUS
Year: 1885

page_text: Feeding Apparatus.
I, JOHN JAMES ROYLE of 27 King Street West Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RETURN STEAM-TRAPS ALSO APPLICABLE TO BOILER FEEDING
APPARATUS," to be as follows:--
}
I mount a steam chest on the top of a closed box or receiver having formed
therein a steam and exhaust port similar to the ordinary engine slide valve box.
The steam port communicates with the inside of the box or receiver before
mentioned and the exhaust port with the atmosphere. A slide valve is arranged
over the ports and connected' through a sliding bar with a pair of pistons working
in cylinders at each end of the steam chest respectively. The front end of each
cylinder and its piston is open to the steam chest which is in communication with
the boiler but the opposite end is closed and communicates through two pipes with
valves operated by floats whereof one is situated in the box or receiver aforesaid
immediately under the steam chest and the other in the drip box into which the
drip pipes are led preparatory to the water of condensation being fed back to the
boiler. Suitable pipes and check valves are arranged between the drip box,
receiver and the boiler, to direct the flow of the water under the action of the
valves. The action is as follows:-
As the water accumulates in the drip box it finally lifts the float and opens the
valve therein so destroying the equilibrium in the steam chest and causing the
piston to move the slide valve and uncover the exhaust port. The condensed
water now flows freely into the receiver owing to the preponderance of pressure in
the drip box until it rises high enough therein to raise the float and open the valve
in same then the equilibrium is again destroyed in valve chest but at the opposite
end causing the 'slide valve to travel back closing the exhaust port and opening a
communication between the high pressure steam in the valve chest and the
receiver so allowing the water to gravitate into the boiler by pipe and check
valve. A double acting arrangement may be made by using an ordinary three
port valve and arranging the receiver side by side under one valve box, and a
modification of this double acting arrangement can be used in connection with and

page_text: forms part of the drip box where the pressure in the pipes is very low and the
lift from the drip box to receiver very high so as to lift the water from the drip.
box into the receiver. As a boiler feeder I arrange either one or both the floats
and valves in a tank above the receiver. The rates of feed being regulated by the
rising of the water within the tank.
Dotad this 25th day of sumunt 1005
Feeding Apparatus.
I JOHN JAMES ROYLE of 27 and 29 King Street West, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I mount a steam chest on the top of a closed box or receiver having formed
therein a steam and exhaust port similar to the ordinary engine slide valve box.
This steam port communicates with the inside of the box or receiver. before
mentioned and the exhaust port with the atmosphere. A slide valve is arranged
over the ports and connected through a sliding bar with a pair of pistons working
in cylinders at each end of the steam chest respectively. The front end of each
cylinder and its piston is open to the steam chest which is in communication with
the boiler but the opposite end is closed and communicates through two pipes with
valves operated by floats whereof one is situated in the box or receiver aforesaid
immediately under the steam chest and the other in the drip box into which the
drip pipes are led preparatory to the water of condensation being fed back to the
boiler. Suitable pipes and check valves are arranged between the drip box,
receiver, and the boiler to direct the flow of the water under the action of the
valves.
The action is as follows:-As the water accumulates in the drip box it finally
lifts the float and opens the valve therein so destroying the equilibrium in the
steam chest and causing the piston to move the slide valve and uncover the
exhaust port. The condensed water now flows freely into the receiver owing to
the preponderance of pressure in the drip box until it rises high enough therein to
raise the float and open the valve in same, then the equilibrium is again destroyed
in valve chest but at the opposite end causing the slide valve to travel back
closing the exhaust port and opening a communication between the bigh pressure
steam in the valve chest and the receiver, so allowing the water to gravitate into

page_text: the boiler by pipe and check valve. A double acting arrangement may be made
by using an ordinary three port valve and arranging the receivers side by side
under one valve box, and a modification of this double acting arrangement can
be used in connection with and forms part of the drip box where the pressure
in the pipes is very low and the lift from drip box to receiver very high so as to
lift the water from the drip box into the receiver.
As a boiler feeder I arrange either one or both the floats and valves in a tank
above the receiver, the rate of feed being regulated by the rising of the water
within the tank,
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed three sheets of drawings.
Sheet 1. consists of diagram views illustrating the essential features of my invention,
and sheets 2. and 8. illustrate more in detail what I have found to be effective
means of practically carrying out my improvements.
In what are known as "Return Traps" for feeding hot water to boilers either
as part of a heating system or as simple boiler feeders, a practical difficulty is
experienced in the want of 1st a positive valve action for controlling and.
distributing the steam. This is supplied by the first part of my invention.
2nd Some means of elevating the water when below the boiler level so that it can
be fed by gravitation into the boiler against the pressure-this is supplied by the
second part of my invention.
Referring to Sheet 1. Fig. 1. I mount a steam chest A. on the top of a receiver B.
fitted with a slide valve C. containing ports one of which communicates with
receiver B. and the other with the atmosphere. The slide valve C. is moved by.
two pistons I. and J. working in open ended cylinders fixed at each end of steam
chest A. The closed ends of the cylinders communicate the one with the inside of
receiver B. through a valve and float M. and the other with the drip box G.
through a valve and float P. The receiver B. is to be fixed above the boiler which
is to receive the feed-the higher the better, and communicates with said boiler
through a check valve T. Steam is admitted to valve box A. at full boiler
pressure and assuming the ports to be in the position shewn in Fig. 1. will
establish an equilibrium and allow the water to gravitate into the boiler. Mean-
while the water has been entering the drip box G. and will finally raise the ball P.
and by discharging the steam from the rear of the cylinder appertaining to it,
change the position of the slide valve, exhausting the receiver B. and permitting
the water contained in drip box G. to ascend by pipe W. and check valve X.
into receiver B. This continues until, rising therein, the water strikes the ball M
and again reverses the valves when the operation is repeated. This action
necessarily assumes that there is sufficient pressure in the drip box G. to elevate
the water into receiver B. which is not always practicable. In the latter case
I employ a modification as seen in Fig. 2. sheet 1. in the valve chamber of which
an additional port is used, the whole valve arrangement being similar to the well.
known three port slide valve of an engine. This modification I have found to be
most effective in action and capable of elevating the water from below the boiler
irrespective of any pressure in the drip box G. This modification is more clearly
illustrated in Sheet 2. and will be bereinafter more particularly described. In
Fig. 3. Sheet 1. I illustrate a double acting arrangement in which the receiver and
drip box are side by side and act alternately as drip box and receiver. The action.
of this modification which presupposes that the water entering at "inlet" valves ✗:
flows naturally into it and has not to be lifted, will be easily understood from the;
arrows and previous figures.
In Fig. 4. I illustrate a modification in which. the valves which control the slide
valves, are situated apart from the receiver B. in an open tank d.. The upper
valve b. opens and lifts when the water reaches the ball c. The lower valve d.
opens downwards as the water leaves its float e. in gravitating into receiver B.
The action is substantially the same as Fig. 1. but with the drip box above the
receiver. This arrangement has the advantage of both the floats being free from

page_text: pressure at all times and both accessible and constitutes an efficient boiler feeder.
In action the water, from any convenient supply, enters the tank a. by tap f. at a
constant rate according to the requirements of the boiler and is fed intermittently.
The rate of action obviously will depend on the time the tank is in filling.
• On Sheet 2. of the accompanying drawings Fig. 1. is a view of a building
shewing the practical application of my improved return steam trap. Fig. 2. is a
front sectional view upon a larger scale of my improved receiver and steam chest
fitted with its self-acting three port valve arrangement and Fig. 3. is a front
sectional view of my improved drip box-the whole constituting my improved
return-steam trap.
In all the views A. is a steam chest on the top of the receiver B. fitted with a
three port slide valve C: the port D: of which communicates with the interior of
the receiver B. The port E. through the pipe F. communicates with the interior
of the drip box G. and the port H. with the atmosphere. This slide valve C. is
actuated by being connected, as illustrated, to pistons I. and J. working in open
ended cylinders affixed at each end of the steam chest A. The closed ends of the
cylinders communicate, the one I. through the pipe K. with the inside of the
receiver B. through the valve L. actuated by the float M. and the other J. through
the pipe N. with the drip box G. through the valve O. actuated by the float P.
''
The fixing of the apparatus. will be readily understood from Fig. 1. where the
receiver B. is shewn fixed above and arranged to feed back the condensed water to
the boiler Q. coming from a system of heating pipes a. and radiators b. all draining
through their respective draining pipes c. d. e. into the drip box G. which is
situated, as illustrated, considerably below the boiler Q..
Steam at full boiler pressure is supplied through the pipe R. to the steam
chest A. and entering through the open port D. presses upon the water S. shewn
in the receiver B. and establishes an equilibrium between the boiler and such
receiver allowing the water to gravitate through check valve T and pipe U. into
the boiler. Meanwhile the condensed water from the heating pipes a. and
radiators b. has been entering the drip box G. through the check valve V. as seen
by the arrow and as soon as the level of the water in the drip box reaches the ball
float P. and lifts valve O. the equilibrium of the pistons I. and J. is destroyed and
the slide valve C. caused to travel to the right so reversing the position of ports
admitting steam at boiler pressure through the pipe F. (previously acting as an
exhaust pipe) into the drip box G. and allowing the steam contained in the
receiver B, to exhaust.
The condensed water in the drip box G. is by this means forced up the pipe W.
and through check valve X. into the receiver B. and as soon as it in turn reaches
the float M. the slide valve C. is self-actingly moved to the left to its former
position so admitting full steam pressure on to the water S. and feeding it to the
boiler as before described. Meanwhile the condensed water accumulates in the
drip box G. (owing to the pressure within it being exhausted through pipe F.)
and as soon as it again lifts the ball P. the same action is repeated and so on
continuously.
The principal and unique feature in this modification is its capability to elevate
boiling water from any distance below the boiler and to feed it even in its boiling
state into the boiler against any pressure and this without requiring any back
pressure upon the drip pipes. By its use it will be obvious that for instance
steam heating pipes can be worked at any steam pressure and at any distance
above or below the boiler.
On sheet 3. I illustrate a modification which I prefer to use where the water
comes to the receiver B. under considerable pressure or approximating more nearly
to the boiler pressure. The arrangement is similar to Fig. 4. Sheet 1. but the
floats are both under pressure, the drawing illustrating the parts in the position
when receiving condensed water through inlet valve X. The important difference
is in the valves a. and b. which are provided with spindles and the seats of which
are formed at the extremities of the inlet unions c. and d. These valves it will be

page_text: seen do not exhaust into the receiver B. but by separate outlets 6. and f. direct
into the atmosphere. I find this action more positive and reliable when working
under the conditions just described. The action is substantially the same as in the
modifications previously described viz:-The water enters through inlet valve X
and accumulates in receiver B. till the float g is lifted when the position of the
steam valve is reversed and the feeding to boiler takes place. As soon however, as
the water leaves the floath the steam valve is again reversed and the filling action
recommences. When working under these conditions with the water coming
under pressure the exhaust port i is partially or may be entirely closed. k is a
tappet arm connected to spindle 7 passing through a stuffing box to a handle
outside the valve box. This arm k it will be observed clears the valve spindle m
in action but by working the arm to and fro from the outside it can be caused to
strike the collars n on the valve spindle and so move the valve and pistons say on
starting the apparatus, a practise which I find desirable.
I am aware that a pair of complete return steam traps have hitherto been used
to lift water when lying at a low level, from one to the other for the purpose of
feeding the same into a steam boiler but this differs essentially from my present
invention in that the return traps so used are distinct and separate apparatus
whilst my invention performs the lifting operation as a part of the action pre-
paratory to the feeding into the boiler.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The general combination and arrangement of apparatus constituting a return
steam trap or boiler feeder substantially as herein before described and illustrated
on the accompanying drawing,
2nd In a return steam trap, introducing the boiler pressure directly into the
drip box by steam distributing mechanisin substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
3rd In the construction of a return steam trap or boiler feeder the employment
of a steam chest and slide valve or its equivalent for opening a communication
alternately with one or other of a pair of chambers whereby the full steam pressure
in the boiler is available for lifting the water and subsequently feeding the same to
the boiler substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
4th In a return steam trap or boiler feeder the use of a steam moved slide valve
operated by valves and floats substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
5th Arranging the operating mechanism (the valve and float, or its equivalent)
for controlling the movement of the slide valve in one direction in the drip box
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.