IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RECORDING Low WATER IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Keirby, of the Vine Works, Rochdale,
in the County of Lancaster, India-rubber Merchant, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RECORDING
Low WATER IN STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 30th July 1872, and dated the 30th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Keirby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1872.
I, EDWARD KEIRBY, of the Vine Works, Rochdale, in the County
of Lancaster, India-rubber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
RECORDING LOW WATER IN STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to record, by means of balls of different
colours or other equivalents, the level at which the water in a steam
boiler has stood when such level is below the proper working level. The
machinery or apparatus for effecting this object consists of a cistern or
chamber placed near to and connected to the boiler by a pipe; in this

page_text: chamber is a float which is counterbalanced by a weight; the chain
connecting the float and weight passes over a drum in which are three or
other convenient number of holes; in line with these holes are a set of
tubes containing balls of different colours or other equivalents. When
the apparatus is at work and the water in the boiler is about at its
proper level, the slight variations in the level of the water cause the
drum to move to and fro without displacing any of the coloured balls,
but when the water descends, say for instance three inches below the
proper level, the coloured ball in the first tube drops into the corre-
sponding hole in the drum, and if the water level still continues to fall,
the ball drops out of the hole in the drum and descends into a glass tube
or other receptacle. In like manner the second and third balls drop into
holes in the drum, and thence into the glass tube or other receptacle if
the level of the water should still continue to descend. When the water
again rises in the boiler, other balls from the tubes fall into the holes in
the drum to be ready to drop again when the water falls below its proper
level. I wish to remark that the number of holes in the drum, and of
coloured balls or other equivalents may be varied, and that as the whole
apparatus is under lock and key, it becomes a perfect check on the man
in charge of the boiler, for every time the water descends below its proper
level a ball falls and records the fact, the number of balls in the glass
tube or other receptacle and the colour thereof record the number of
times and to what extent the water has been too low.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Keirby in the Great Seal Patent Office 25
on the 23rd November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
KEIRBY, of the Vine Works, Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
India-rubber Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 30
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Keirby, Her special licence that

page_text: OR
I, the said Edward Keirby, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edward Keirby, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
APPARATUS FOR RECORDING LOW WATER IN STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Keirby, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
anid Tattoo

page_text: which passes through a gland or stuffing box in the centre partition.
To the axle c is fixed the grooved pulley d, to which one end of the
chain e is attached; the other end passes into the boiler and is connected
to the float f. To the axle c is also fixed the drum g, in which are three
or other convenient number of holes marked h, i, and j. In line with
the holes h, i, and j, and above them are the tubes h³, i¹, and j¹,
containing balls or other equivalents of different colours, shapes, sizes,
or materials. Below the holes h, i, and j, are the inclined troughs h², 2²,
and j³, to receive the balls or other equivalents when they fall out of
the holes in the drum g. To the drum g, or to the axle c is fixed
a grooved pulley 7 for the chain and counterweight m, which partly
counterbalances the weight of the float, I wish to remark here that
in case there should not be sufficient room in the chamber 6 for the
descent of the weight m, the chain to which it is attached may be taken
In the sides
over a guide pulley placed above the level of the axle c.
and cover of the cistern or chamber bare doors and windows which are
under lock and key to keep the apparatus from being tampered with by
the engine tenter or fireman.
The Drawing represents the parts in the positions they occupy when
the water is at its proper working level, and when a coloured ball
or other equivalent is in each of the holes in the drum g. So long
as the water in the boiler keeps abouts at its proper level, the slight
variations in the level cause the drum g to move to and fro without
displacing any of the coloured balls, but when the water descends,
say for instance three inches below the proper level, the coloured
ball in the hole h drops into the corresponding inclined trough ²,
and if the water level still continues to fall the ball from the hole i
drops into the inclined trough ³. In like manner the third ball drops
into the inclined trough ♬ if the level of the water should still continue
to descend. When the water again rises in the boiler other balls from
the tubes h¹, ¹, and j¹, fall into the holes in the drum to be ready
to drop again into the inclined troughs when the water falls below
its proper level. I wish to remark that the number of holes in the
drum and of coloured balls or other equivalents may be varied, and
that as the whole apparatus is under lock and key it becomes a perfect
check to prevent tampering by the man in charge of the boiler, for
every time the water descends below its proper level a ball falls and
records the fact, the number of balls in the inclined troughs or other

page_text: receptacles and the colour thereof record the number of times and
what extent the water has been too low.
t
When the boiler is provided with a steam dome I support the axle c
in the sides of the same, the grooved pulley d being placed within the
dome, the drum g and parts acting in combination therewith are placed
in a separate compartment, either in close proximity to the dome, or
at any convenient distance from it, but when at a distance the shaft c
must be enclosed in a case or pipe. By this arrangement the recording
apparatus can be brought into the private office of the owner of the
premises, or in other position beyond the reach of the fireman or
attendant.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a
convenient manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood
that I do not limit myself to the details given, as they may be con-
siderably varied or modified, but what I claim as my Invention is,
the self-acting machinery or apparatus described and shewn in the
Drawing, whereby the variations in the level of the water in the boiler
when below the proper working level are registered or recorded by
means of balls or other equivalents dropping into suitable receptacles,
the whole apparatus being under lock and key to prevent tampering by
the attendant.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Keirby, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of November One thou-
and night hundaad and cawantw twen