Improvements in or Connected with Feed Pumps for Steam Generators.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
Improvements in or Connected with Feed Pumps for Steam
Generators.
I BENJAMIN WILLCOX of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Julien Belleville of St. Denis, Seine, in the Republic
of France Engineer and Officer of the Legion of Honour) and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
These improvements in steam pumps according to the present Invention are as
follows:-
1. A novel arrangement of the hed or support connecting the steam and pump
cylinders and carrying all the other parts of the apparatus. This improved bed is of
tubular form and is provided at its extremities with two circular plates of the same
diameter as the flanges of the steam cylinder and of the pump body or cylinder and
to which the pump cylinder and steam cylinder are fixed by strong bolts. By means
of this novel arrangement the thrusting and pulling strains are equally distributed
around the common axis of the pump and cylinder and no flexure capable of interfering
with the concentricity and alignment of the axes can be produced. Moreover the
steam cylinder being attached at one end only is free to expand and contract and its
axis remains invariably in line with the axis of the pump cylinder being unaffected by
changes in its diameter resulting from variations in the temperature.
2. The addition to the pump of a condenser of such proportions and arrangements
of details that the steam employed in the cylinder can be condensed by the water
which is drawn into the pump. The arrangement of the condenser and of its accessory
parts presents the great advantage of returning to the boiler the whole of the beat
contained in the steam escaping from the cylinder.
3. The addition to the pump of a steam starting device which enables the
suction pipe and pump body to be filled with water before the apparatus is started.
This novel arrangement ensures certain and prompt action at starting and obviates
the danger of irregular action or running away of the steam piston and other incon-
veniences which are liable to be occasioned when starting these pumps as heretofore
constructed.
4. The addition on the coupling or connection between the two piston rods nainely
that of the pump and that of the steam cylinder, of a rack gearing with a pinion
which is inserted in the place of the slide valve lever and which is worked by means
of a handle or lever. This novel arrangement enables the pump to be worked by hand
so that the parts can be moved from time to time when the pump is not required for
regular working for a considerable period. The bearing sides of the pistons in the
cylinders can thus be changed and the sticking and rusting that sometimes result
from a lengthened contact prevented.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in longitudinal vertical section
a steam feed pump constructed according to this invention the section being taken on
the line X-X Figure 3.
Figure 2 illustrates the apparatus in elevation showing the ejector condenser in
section.
Figure 3 is a plan and Figure 4 is a view in section on the line Y-Y Figure 3.
Figure represents a section on the line Z-Z Figure 2.
Figure 6 represents the inner end of the pump cylinder showing the starting device

page_text: in section and Figure 7 illustrates a detail of the arrangement for working the pump
by hand.
A is the steam cylinder and a is the steam piston and piston rod, A¹ is the slide
valve chest and a' is the slide valve and slide valve rod, A is the induction pipe
supplying steam to the slide valve chest a² is the steam valve or cock and I is the
steam lubricator for the steam cylinder.
B is the pump body or water cylinder, 6 is the pump piston and pump piston rod,
b, valve seats and discharge valves for relieving the pump. C Figures 3 and 4 are the
section valves and cc² are suction pipes.. C are the delivery valves and is the
delivery pipe. c is a stop valve on the delivery pipe. D is a sleeve coupling
together the piston rods a and b of the steam and water pistons and d is a three armed
valve lever oscillating on a centre or axis 2 supported by a cover plate attached to
the bed E. This lever is operated by tappets on the sleeve D) and moves the steam
slide valve a¹ by the intervention of a connecting rod d¹.
The form or configuration of the curved surface situated at the base of each of the
lower or pendent arms of the lever d and that of the corresponding abutments or
tappets on the sleeve D is such that the action of the lower arm of the lever d
diminishes in proportion as the stroke of the piston becomes greater owing to
increased speed, the object of this arrangement being to keep the stroke of the slide
valve within such limits as are found best in practice.
E is a strong bed plate or support of tubular form strengthened by webs where
required.ee are two circular faces on the support E to which the steam cylinder A
and the pump cylinder B are firmly attached by bolts and nuts being thus supported
at one end only with the axis of the pump cylinder in line with that of the steam
cylinder. 3, Figure 2, are circular hand holes or openings in the sides of the bed
plate E for enabling the. glands of the stuffing boxes and the screws by which the
sleeve D is connected to the piston rods to be adjusted as required. E is the founda-
tion or base on which the bed plate E is firmly fixed by its rectangular bottom face e¹
and e is the cover plate herein before referred to, which is bolted to the upper part of
the bed plate E and carries the valve lever d being made with a rectangular opening
through which the upper arm of the said lever passes. The sides of this opening act
as stops limiting the amplitude of the oscillations of the lever d and consequently that
of the slide valve.
By means of this improved arrangement of the bed plate or support the pump as a
whole is considerably lightened and the space which occupies is diminished and
other advantages herein before recited are secured. F Figures 2, 3 and 5 is an ejector
condenser working on the Giffard principle with steam discharged from the cylinder A.
4, Figures 1 and 5 is the steam eduction or exhaust passage communicating with a
valve situated between the exhaust and the ejector condenser F and with a valve 1
situated in a passage Fi connecting the exhaust passage 4 with the atmosphere or with
the condenser of the engine. The valves are automatic in their action and permit
the steam to exhaust from the cylinder but prevent air or water from entering the
latter. 5 is the steam nozzle of the ejector and 6 is a chamber for the reception of
the water drawn in by the pump and which condenses the steam discharged from the
cylinder. Figures 2 and 3 is a suction pipe supplying water from the reservoir
supplying the pump and 62 (Figure 1) is a chamber on the pump communicating
with the suction chamber and in which the water delivered by the pump is injected
from the discharge orifices when the relief or tappet valve b, are opened at the end of
each stroke of the pump piston. G Figure 6 is a starting device operating in a similar
manner to a steam ejector. 7 is a pipe with a stop cock supplying the ejector with
live steam and 8 is the steam nozzle of the ejector. 9 is a chamber in which the jet
of steam issuing from the nozzle 8 creates a vacuum. The chamber is in coininuni-
cation with the delivery valve case of the pump. 10 is the delivery pipe of the starting
device provided with a stop cock.
The exhausting action of this starting device acts in the delivery valve case, extends
into the pump cylinder and into the suction pipes c c² when the delivery valves open
thus causing the water to rise and starting the pump. 11 is a pipe and stop cock for

page_text: the escape of water for renewing the pump water in order to prevent heating the
Intter when the feed engine works with the delivery closed on a leaking piston. The
sleeve I connecting the steam piston rod to the pump piston rod is provided with
rack teeth m Figures 1 and 7 gearing with a toothed pinion or quadrant n oscillating
on the axis 2 carried by the bed plate E in the place of the distribution lever d. This
quadrant is worked by a hand lever n' fixed on the axis 2 and by means of which the
quadrant can be caused to oscillate and move the pistons in the steam and pump
cylinders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement and combination of the several parts of the improved feed
pump for steam generators whereby freedom for expansion and contraction of
the metal is obtained substantially as herein before described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
2. A feed pump for steam generators combined with a condenser enabling the
whole of the heat in the steam exhausting from the cylinder to be utilised by restoring
it to the boiler or generator substantially as herein before described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
3. A feed pump for steam generators combined with a steam starting device
enabling the suction pipe and the body of the pump to be filled with water before
the feeding apparatus begins to operate substantially as herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. The arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the improvements in
feed pumps for steam generators substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.