IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS SUPPLYING FEED-WATER TO STEAM BOILERS, AND IN MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE SAME
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Ernest de Pass, at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th December 1881. A communication
from abroad by the Société Volpp Schwarz et Compagnie, of 17 Boulevard
Saint-Martin, Paris, France
FOR
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for British & Foreign Patents, 68 Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
SUPPLYING FEED-WATER TO STEAM BOILERS, AND IN MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE
SAME, A communication from abroad by the Société Volpp Schwarz et Compagnie
of 17 Boulevard Saint-Martin, Paris, Franco,
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for supplying feed-water to
steam boilers, and in means for actuating the same, and consists of a float and valvo
supply, apparatus, fixed on or in connection with the boiler, with which it is in
communication by means of a steam and a water pipe. The position of the
Hoat varies with the level of the water in the boiler, and these variations are
utilized to open and to close the valve which regulates the supply of water, it
being caused to open on the slightest fall of the water level in the boiler, and allow
water to flow from a cistern or reservoir above the boiler, into the pump tank.
The pump then starts and stops of its own accord when the level in the tank falls
to a suitable point.
This supply apparatus, with regulating valve, consists of a box or chamber; the
lowest level therein being at the same height as the level in the boiler. This box
or chamber contains the Boat, to which is fixed a lever, pivoted on the upper part
of a valve box, and, by means of connecting rods, acts on a piston, and opens or
closes the valve, according to the rise or fall of the float. The valve opens when
the water level in the boiler falls, and allows the water to flow into the tank.
pump starts when the water has attained a certain level therein, by means of
gearing, hereinafter mentioned, and the feeding of the boiler takes place, until the
level in the tank has fallen sufficiently.
The
The pump with the above mentioned starting and stopping mechanism rests on.
a frame, forming a tank into which the water coming from the supply apparatus
flows. On this frame are two supports to receive the driving and crank shafts.
The driving shaft receives motion from a pulley and transmits it to the crank

page_text: shaft through suitable gearing. The crank pin transmits motion to the piston rod
and piston by means of a connecting rod, and piston cross head, the latter working
in guides.
The barrel of the pump is fixed to a projecting part of the frame, which is
separated from the tank by a wall, in which are narrow orifices for preventing the
entrance of impurities.
The water rises through a suction valve, from the space between the pump
barrel, and the wall of the cistern, into the pump, which is double acting, and
which has, on each side, a suction and a delivery valve. The water passes into
the boiler through passages, and a supply tube, a safety valve allowing the water
to escape, should the supply tube become obstructed from any cause.
The pump is started as follows:-As soon as the valve of the supply apparatus
allows the water to pass into the pump tank, the float therein commences to rise,
and raises, by means of a rod, a lever, until a stud abuts against a pin on a catch
lever. By continuing to rise, it throws the catch on the lever, out of gear, and the
operating mechanism, is then free to work. The pump thus set in motion, the
working, is as follows: A weighted lever is operated side ways, as soon as the
catch of the lever is disengaged. The lower part of this weighted lever presses
against a stud, of a disengaging frame, and by carrying it forward brings a belt on
to a fixed pulley, thus starting the pump. The weighted lever carries a friction
roller, which bears against a cam keyed on the crank shaft, and is thereby caused to
oscillate at every revolution.
.
For stopping the pump, an elbow lever is employed, whose horizontal arm forms
a hook which, held in position by its own weight, is in engagement with another
stud on the disengaging frame during the working of the pump. A weight, fixed
on a third lever, tends to bring back the fork_to_the_loose_pulley,-by-means-of-a-
fourth-lever.
When, by reason of the feed, the float in the pump commences its downward
stroke, the stud, first mentioned, bears against the pin of the catch lever and
lowers it until the catch engages with the weighted lever. At the following
upward stroke of the pump, a projection on the piston cross-head, pushes a pin
aside, and disengages the stud of the disengaging frame. The weight which acts on
the fourth lever pushes back the fork and shifts the belt on to the loose pulley and
stops the pump.
The above described four levers form the guide for the fork, which can be
placed to the right, or to the left by shifting a rod.
In order to avoid overflow of the tank of the pump, the following arrangement
may be employed.
The rod carrying the float in the tank is jointed to a counterweighted lever,
which balances a portion of the weight of the float, and of the rod, and under the
axis of this counterweighted lever is a pin actuating a forked lever. As soon as
the tank is filled, this pin acts on the said fork and by closing a valve cuts off the
flow of the water.
If an indicator be adapted to the pump, to ascertain the number of its strokes,
the pump will also serve as a water meter for the quantity of water which is
introduced into, and vaporized in the boiler. The pump may also serve to
ascertain the working power of the boiler, and to control the engine if desired.
Springs may be employed in place of the weights above mentioned.