Year: 1888

page_text: I, GEORGE SPENCER of 66, Bennett Street, Newton near Hyde in the County of
Chester, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
•
This Invention relates to apparatus employed to indicate the existence of low
water in a steam generator and to indicate and relieve an excess of steam pressure.
Within the steam generator I suspend a beam carrying a float at one end and a
balance weight at the other end. Upon the float side of the beam 1 form or secure
a projecting arm which is connected by a link to a valve or cock upon the lower end
of a pipe opening into the boiler. The other end of the pipe is connected to a
whistle outside the boiler. In the event of the water in the boiler falling below
the determined level, the descent of the float operates the valve or cock connected to
the float beam and opens the pipe communicating with the whistle which is conse-
quently sounded and continues to sound until the safe water level is restored. Above.
the opening in the boiler through which the pipe passes, and communicating with the
interior of the boiler through the same opening, I arrange a safety valve of com-
paratively large diameter weighted to blow off at a pressure of steam a little above the
working pressure. I prefer that the wings or guides of this valve should be of smaller
diameter than the opening of the valve so as to work freely therein. The safety valve
may be enclosed in a suitable hood or casing.
10th 1 T1.. A D 1888
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in High Steam and Low Water Safety Valves.
I, GEORGE SPENCER of 66 Bennett Streat Newton near Hyde in the County of
Chester, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to apparatus employed to indicate the existence of low water
in a steam generator and to indicate and relieve an excess of steam pressure.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus constructed according to
these Improvements, Fig. 2' is a sectional view along the line X Y Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of construction of the
apparatus..
Within the steam generator, I suspend a beam A carrying a float B at one end
and a balance_weight C at the other end. Upon this beam I form or secure an arm
or projection D which is connected by a link E to a valve F or an equivalent cock
controlling the passage of a pipe G which opens through the valve into the steam
space of the generator. The other end of the pipe G opens into or communicates
with a whistle H or it may open to the atmosphere or to a whistle and to the air.
In Figs. 1 and 2 pipe G is represented as forming part of the means for the sus-
pension of the beam A. The short cylinder or tube I has a flange at each end to
enable it to be secured to the dome J above and to the short tube K below; it
has also cast or formed at its lower end a bar L and the pipe G. A passage is
formed in the bar L so as to communicate with the pipe G and with the whistle as
shown in Fig. 1 or with the whistle and the air as represented in Fig. 3. This
arrangement, that is to say the arrangement in which the pipe G communicates both
with the whistle and with the air is the one which I prefer to adopt. The opening R
of the pipe G may have a pipe connected therewith so that the issuing steam may be
led away to any desired distant spot where it may be desired to have an indication
or alarm upon the occurrence of low water in the boiler, and where it will be given
by the steam issuing from the end of the pipe or by a whistle or other suitable means.
It will be desirable in all cases to fix a valve between the pipe G and the whistle to
prevent an excessive escape of steam or excessive sound of the whistle, or alternatively,
to contract the passage leading to the whistle. The pipe connected to R may also be
fitted with a valve for the same reason. The pipe connected to R affords a means
for enabling the steam to escape from the boiler quickly in the event of its being
desired to reduce the steam pressure promptly on the occurrence of low water. A
valve seating is formed upon the lower part of the pipe G upon which the slide
valve F is moved by its connection with the beam A. A bridge piece N is secured
below the valve and carries the bearings for the beam A. A jockey and spiral
spring may be fitted within.the-bridge-piece N. so that the jockey may ride upon
the back of the slide valve and with the aid of the spring keep the slide valve on its
seating.

page_text: In the event of the water level in the generator falling below a determined level,
the descent of the float operates the valve or cock connected with the beam A, and
thus puts the pipe G into open communication with the steam space whereupon the
whistle is sounded or the escape of steam through the open pipe calls the attention of
the attendant. The whistle will continue to sound or the steam to escape until the
safe water level is restored.
At the upper end of the tube I or in a suitable corresponding position, there is
mounted a safety valve P of comparatively large diameter and weighted or set to
blow off at a little above the working pressure. As represented in Fig. 1 the safety
valve is weighted outside the boiler in the usual manner. It may however be pre-
ferred to weight the safety valve in such a manner that the position of the weight on
the lever cannot be tampered with while the boiler is in work. In this case the safety
valve may be normally held down by the rod Q, which is connected at its lower end
to the weighted lever V inside the boiler. In this case, the pipe G and the bar L are
placed or formed upon one side of the centre of the tubes I and K, so that the rod
of the safety valve may pass down the centre of the tubes. By this arrangement the
safety valve lever and the beam A are in two distinct vertical planes and the movement
of the one will not interfere with the movement of the other.
'
In Fig. 3 is represented an apparatus by means of which the safety valve may be
lifted when required. This consists of the rod S and hand wheel T. The upper part
of the rod is screwed to fit and engage with an internal screw formed through the
eye of the hand wheel so that on the rotation of the hand wheel the rod will be raised
or lowered according to the direction of rotation of the hand wheel. It is obvious
that for this purpose the rod must be incapable of rotation with the hand wheel; this
may be secured by any convenient known device such as forming a square part on
the rod in such a position as to be included within a square part of the opening in the
top of the dome through which the rod passes. The lower end of the rod is con-
nected to the safety valve by means of a pin which is fixed to the rod from which it
projects into a slot U or two opposed slots similar to U so that the safety valve may
be free to lift under the steam pressure while the rod is in its lowest position, and so
that the valve may be lifted and lowered by the hand wheel and rod.
I prefer that the wings or guides of the safety valve should be of smaller diameter
than the opening of the valve so as to work freely therein. The safety valve may be
open to the air or be enclosed in a casing or dome having a suitable outlet as
represented in the drawings.
I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details and
arrangements of parts represented by the accompanying drawings as it is evident
that these may be varied in many ways without departing from my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) Combined high steam and low water safety valves constructed arranged and
operated substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
"
(2.) A low water safety valve or apparatus for indicating low water in a steam
boiler, constructed arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.