IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING OR REGULATING THE DAMPERS OF STEAM BOILER FURNACES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Watton, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING
OR REGULATING THE DAMPERS OF STEAM BOILER FURNACES."
Sealed the 1st December 1876, and dated the 21st June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Watton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1870.
JOHN WATTON, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING OR REGULATING THE DAMPERS OF STEAM
BOILER FURNACES."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts of
apparatus herein-after described for lowering the dampers and closing or partially
closing the flues of steam boiler furnaces when the steam in the steam boiler has
attained a higher pressure than that at which the boiler is regulated to work, the
dampers being raised when the normal pressure of the steam is restored.
In constructing apparatus according to my Invention I fix over that part of
the steam boiler flue in which the damper works a hollow cylinder in which a
long piston or ram works loosoly. The bottom of the said rain passes through the
bottom of the cylinder and works in a stuffing box at the said bottom of the
cylinder, and the rod of the said piston or ram works in a stuffing box at the top
of the said cylinder. To an eye at the bottom of the piston or ram the sliding
damper of the furnace flue is connected. The said damper is so counterbalanced
by weights connected to chains, which are secured to a cross head on the rod of
the piston or ram and passed over pulleys, that the said damper is maintained in
its raised or normal position and the flue opened until the pressure of the steam
in the boiler exceeds that at which it is regulated to work, as herein-after explained.
A pipe from the steam boiler is connected with the hollow cylinder described, in
which the loose fitting piston or ram works. In the course of the said pipe, but
by preference near the hollow cylinder, is a spring safety valve which is pressed to
its seat at the required pressure by adjusting nuts and a cross bar, the latter acting
upon the spring.
When the steam boiler is working at its normal pressure, that is, at a pressure
less than that which the safety valve is regulated to bear, the damper is maintained
in its raised position by the counterbalance weights and the furnace flue is opened.
When, however, the steam in the steam boiler attains a pressure greater than that
[Price Gd.1

page_text: which the safety valve is regulated to bear the steam in the steam pipe raises the
said valve from its seat and the steam enters the hollow cylinder over the damper,
and operating upon the ram or piston in the said cylinder presses it down, together
with the damper connected with its lower end. By this lowering of the damper
the furnace flue is closed, or partially closed, and the draught through the said flue
cut off or diminished. As soon as the pressure in the boiler is reduced to its
normal working pressure the safety valve closes and cuts off steam from the
regulating cylinder and its ram or piston, when the counterbalance weights raise
the said ram or piston in its cylinder, lift the damper, and open the flue, and so
long as the boiler is working at the normal pressure (regulated by the safety valve
described) the damper is raised, but immediately the pressure of steam exceeds the
regulated pressure the closing apparatus comes into action, as before described, and
depresses the damper and closes or partially closes the furnace flue. The safety valve
described may be placed on the boiler instead of near the regulating cylinder.
By constructing apparatus as described a very economical working of the steam
boiler is obtained, and the said apparatus is self-acting.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Watton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th December
1876.
JOHN WATTON, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Engineer.
« IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING OR REGULATING THE DAMPERS OF
STEAM BOILER FURNACES."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts of
apparatus herein-after described for lowering the dampers and closing and partially
closing the flues of steam boiler furnaces when the steam in the steain boiler
has attained a higher pressure than that at which the boiler is regulated to work,
the damper being raised when the normal pressure of the steam is restored.
In constructing apparatus according to my Invention I fix over that part of the
steam boiler flue in which the damper works a hollow cylinder in which a long
piston or ram works loosely. The bottom of the said rain passes through the
bottom of the cylinder and works in a stuffing box at the said bottom of the
cylinder, and the rod of the said piston or ram works in a stuffing box at the top
of the said cylinder. To an eye at the bottom of the piston or ram the sliding
damper of the furnace flue is connected. The said damper is so counterbalanced
by weights connected to chains, which are secured to a cross head on the rod of
the piston or ram and passed over pulleys, that the said damper is maintained in
its raised or normal position and the flue opened until the pressure of the steam
in the boiler exceeds that at which it is regulated to work, as herein-after explained.
A pipe from the steam boiler is connected with the hollow cylinder described in
which the loose fitting piston or ram works. In the course of the said pipe, but
by preference near the hollow cylinder, is a spring safety valve which is pressed to
its seat at the required pressure by adjusting nuts and a cross bar, the latter acting
upon the spring. Or the valve may be pressed to its seat by a weighted lever.
When the steam boiler is working at its normal pressure, that is, at a pressure
less than that which the safety valve is regulated to bear, the damper is main-
tained in its raised position by the counterbalance weights and the furnace fluo is
opened. When, however, the steam in the steam boiler attains a pressure greater than
that which the safety valve is regulated to bear the steam in the steam pipe raises
the said valve from its seat and the steam enters the hollow cylinder over the
damper, and operating upon the ram or piston in the said cylinder presses it down,
together with the damper connected with its lower end. By this lowering of the
damper the furnace flue is closed, or partially closed, and the draught through the
said flue cut off or diminished. As soon as the pressure in the boiler is reduced

page_text: to its normal working pressure the safety valve closes and cuts off steam from the
regulating cylinder and its ram or piston, when the counterbalance weights raise
the said ram or piston in its cylinder, lift the damper, and open the flue, and so
long as the boiler is working at the normal pressure (regulated by the safety valve
described) the damper is raised, but immediately the pressure of steam exceeds
the regulated pressure the closing apparatus comes into action, as before described,
and depresses the damper and closes or partially closes the furnace flue. The safety
valve described may be placed on the boiler instead of near the regulating cylinder.
By constructing apparatus described a very economical working of the steam
boiler is obtained and the said apparatus is self-acting.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in front elevation, apparatus
constructed according to my Invention for operating or regulating the dampers
of steam boiler furnaces. Figure 3 represents a vertical section of a part of the
same drawn to a larger scale; and Figure 4 is a section of the safety valve detached.
The same letters of referonco indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
a is the hollow cylinder fixed over the steam boiler flue b by the uprights a², a²;
c is the long piston or ram working loosely in the said hollow cylinder a. The
bottom of the said rain c passes through the bottom of the cylinder a and works
in the stuffing box e, and the rod of the said ram works in the stuffing box d at
the top of the cylinder a (see Figure 3); f is the sliding damper of the furnace
flue connected to the eye c² of the ram c. The damper and ram are counterbalanced
by the chains and weights g, h. The said chains are connected to the cross head i
on the rod k of the ram c, and the said chains pass over the pulleys 1, 1. By means
of the weighted chains g, h, the damper f is maintained in its raised or normal
position and the furnace flue opened so long as the pressure of the steam in the
boiler is below that at which it is regulated to work. From the steam boiler m
a steam pipe n passes, the said pipe being connected with the hollow cylinder a
in which the loose fitting ram or piston c works. In the course of the steam pipe n
is a safety valve p (see Figure 4), pressed to its seat by the spring q, the latter
being adjusted so as to press the valve to its seat at the required pressure by the
adjustable nuts r, r, and cross bar 8. Instead of the valve at p being pressed to
its seat by a spring a weighted lever may be used.
When the steam boiler is working at its norinal pressure, that is, at a pressure
less than that which the safety valve p is regulated to bear the damper f is main-
tained in its raised position by the counterbalance weights and the furnace flue is
opened. Should the steam in the boiler attain a pressure greater than that which
the safety valve p is regulated to bear the steam in the steam pipe n (in connection
with the boiler) lifts the valve, and steam enters the hollow cylinder a, and acting
upon the ram or piston c presses it down together with the damper f, which damper
is thereby lowered in the furnace flue. The said furnace flue is thereby closed, or
partially closed, and the draught through the said flue cut off or diminished. As
soon as the pressure in the boiler is reduced to its normal working pressure the
safety valve closes and cuts off steam from the regulating cylinder and its ram or
piston, when the counterbalance weights raise the ram or piston in its cylinder, lift
the damper f, and open the furnace flue, the parts now occupying the respective
positions shewn in the Drawing. These positions are maintained so long as the
boiler is working at the normal pressure, but immediately the pressure of steam
exceeds the regulated pressure the closing apparatus comes into action and de-
pressing the damper closes or partially closes the furnace flue, as before described.
For the purpose of preventing the too rapid closing of the damper when the steam
acts upon the ram c I arrange the following parts: To cross bars connected to the
tops of the uprights a³, as, supporting the pulleys L, l, the upper ends of the coiled
springs 8, 8, are secured, the lower ends of the said springs being connected to a
cross pieco t sliding loosely upon the rod k of the ram c. When the ram chas

page_text: descended through about half its stroke, the cross head i at the top of the rod k
strikes the cross piece t and carries the latter with it. The coiled springs 8, 8, are
thereby elongated, and the resistance thus offered to the descent of the damper and
ram prevents the too rapid closing of the said damper. When the pressure of the
steam is removed from the rani c the latter rises by the action of the counterbalance
weights, and the coiled springs resume their normal state.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself
to the precise details herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention
the improvements in apparatus for operating or regulating the dampers of steam
boiler furnaces, herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say, self-acting apparatus, for the purpose described, consisting essentially
of a piston or ram working loosely in a hollow cylinder in communication through
a safety valve with the steam in the boiler, the damper being suspended to the
said piston or ram, and being raised when the steam is at its normal working
pressure by counterbalance weights, and closed when the steam attains a pressure
greater than that which the safety valve is regulated to bear by steam raising the
said safety valve and acting upon the piston or ram in the hollow cylinder,
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Watton, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN WATTON. (L.S.)