IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-FEEDING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Narcisse Joseph Macabies, of Paris, Rue de
Flandres, 68, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER-FEEDING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS."
Sealed the 22nd January 1869, and dated the 31st July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Narcisse Joseph
Macabies at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st July 1868.
I, PAUL NARCISSE JOSEPH MACABIES, of Paris, Rue de Flandres, 68,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-FEEDING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS," to be as
follows:-
The means hitherto employed for drawing the feeding water into the
boiler have been the feed pump, the injector, and the feed pipe.
Now this Invention consists in a totally different apparatus, which
according to its application to fixed or movable engines or locomotives
[Price 8d.]

page_text: permits the establishment in the boiler of a. level, constant or variable
at will. It can act either automatically as the injector, or mechanically
as the feed pump, and can draw cold water at a great depth, and hot
water at the highest temperatures. This apparatus is free from all
delicate or nicely constructed parts, which frequently in pumps and
injectors occasion the derangement of the machine; it can feed with
the feeblest as with the highest pressures.
When working automatically this apparatus maintaining a constant
level does not require the care of a stoker, and thus avoids all danger
arising from his negligence. In short, in certain cases, this apparatus
may be rendered multiple, and may be provided with all the safety
accessories usually applied to an ordinary boiler.
I proceed to describe the feeding apparatus as applied to fixed boilers.
Two cylindrical chambers or receivers are maintained at their upper parts
by a bent double lever oscillating on two gudgeons placed one on each
side of a vertical column; at their lower parts these two receivers each
carry a socket with two compartments articulated by means of two
stuffing boxes to two square tubes at the extremities of two tubular arms
fixed on two valves on either side of the before-mentioned column; these
arms forming with the bent lever a parallelogram which always keeps
the receivers in a vertical position. One of the two compartments of
the sockets, that which receives the steam, is prolonged upwards within
the receivers to nearly their tops by a tube. The other compartment,
which receives the water, opens at once into the bottoms of the same
compartments. The two valves fixed to the tubular arms oscillate on
two sockets fixed on the square base of the column, which sockets have
double compartments and four orifices; they distribute the water and
steam separately and alternately in the two receivers. These two sockets
with the two valves constitute two cocks with four orifices. The valve
or cock distributes the steam by the four orifices, which are separated by
a partition, the two lower communicating with the dome of the boiler
and giving entrance to the steam into the apparatus, and the two upper
allowing the escape of the steam into the atmosphere, or preferably into
the feed water reservoir. The other distributing cock on the opposite
side of the column resembles in all respects the one just described, and
distributes the water in the apparatus; two orifices communicating with
the interior of the column, which is itself in communication with the

page_text: feed reservoir, and the two other orifices communicating by an interior
or exterior pipe with the lower part of the boiler. In order to prevent
the wearing of these two cocks they are furnished with two conical
rings of iron, tempered steel, aluminium, bronze, or antifriction metal.
By means of these two distributing cocks, when one of the two receivers
communicates with the boiler by its upper or lower end, the other com-
municates in the same manner with the feed reservoir; the steam
contained by the latter escapes freely or is condensed, and the receiver
fills with water; the other receiver, on the contrary, receiving steam at
its top by the tube within it will contain water between two equal
pressures, which will flow into the boiler by reason of its own weight as
The water thus
the steam passes into the atmosphere or is condensed.
flowing away gives place to an equal volume of steam, which when this
receiver is empty and the other wholly or partially filled will destroy
their equilibrium, and their function will be changed; the receiver
which rises full of steam will be in communication with the feed
reservoir, the steam will escape or condense, and the water will be
drawn by the vacuum produced, or by the difference of levels, if the feed
water be warm and consequently unable to condense the steam.
soon as equilibrium is restored between the two receivers it is again
immediately destroyed, for the one receiving the water gaining weight
bears upon the tubular arm or lever leading to the cock, while that from
which the water is issuing and steam entering losing weight draws up its
corresponding arm or lever.
As
To prevent all shock in the apparatus, an oscillating cylinder is
provided, furnished with an air or water piston; this cylinder oscillating
on two trunnions resting upon a support fixed to the top of the column;
the rod of this piston is forked at both extremities to receive the great
lever, at each end of which are the links to which the two receivers are
hung and only allows them to fall in proportion to the arrival of the air
or water which enters by a very small orifice.
To obtain a constant level the extremity of the pipe which conducts
the steam into the apparatus is placed at a certain level, when this
extremity is under water the water is sent back into the receiver
which is about to empty; the pressure of steam cannot act at the
upper part of the receiver, and this water rests in the receiver until
the steam pipe overflows and is full of steam quite up to the end

page_text: of the pipe within the receiver.
When the feed water has to be drawn
from a lower level the two upper orifices of the cock communicate with
the interior of the column which is hollow, and which thus fills with
the feed water and acts as a separate condenser which causes the
condensation of the steam and prevents by means of a valve the water
which may remain in the receiver which has just been emptying from
being thrown back into the feed reservoir. The water contained in the
hollow column at the moment when the equilibrium is destroyed pours,
in consequence of its own weight, through its valve into the receivers
and there causes a quicker condensation. When, on the contrary, the
water is drawn from a higher level, the passing of the water into the
interior of the column may be dispensed with, and by replacing the
water there with steam, the column may be furnished with a substitute
for all the safety apparatus usually fitted to boilers, such as the safety
valve, the level indicator, and the alarm whistle, by means of a float and
rod, the latter being free from all stuffing boxes, a condition very
essential to the proper working of this last apparatus. By means of this
double-acting feed apparatus a continuous feed is obtained.
When the feed is obtained from cold water in a lower reservoir three
pipes are used, one to supply the water to the receivers, another to
conduct the water to the boilers, and the third for the purpose of main-
taining a constant level in the boiler.
When the feed is obtained from warm water in an upper reservoir,
four pipes are used; the steam escape pipe terminates in a conical form,
and is carried down to the bottom of the reservoir opposite the supply
pipe, the other pipes acting as before. The constant level is maintained
in all cases by a pipe carried down into the boiler to its normal level,
which pipe is enclosed in a case perforated with small holes, in order to
prevent the bubbling of the water round the pipe, which would cause
variation of level.
The feeding of several boilers can be effected if desired by one
apparatus, always causing in each boiler a constant level, no matter what
the pressure of steam may be in each of them. In order to effect this,
it is sufficient to place in each boiler an annular float, having a rod
working a tube, communicating with the cocks of the receivers, and
actuating a valve on the top of the boiler which opens downwards; if the

page_text: The arrangement, as before described, works automatically, and it
renders necessary the use of two receivers of a size sufficient to overcome
the friction of the parts, which renders them too large to be used for
small movable machines.
Another arrangement, which works mechanically by power from the
steam engine, consists of a chamber or receiver answering to the two
receivers in the first arrangement, having at its upper and lower ends
two pipes, on which act two slide valves working on the same rod
attached to a cam or excentric mounted on a horizontal shaft or axle
carried through the chamber or receiver; this shaft receives a very slow
motion from the steam engine; the uppermost valve distributes the
steam in the receiver, and the lower valve distributes the water. The
water arrives by an orifice in the lower valve and escapes by one at
the bottom of the chamber; the steam arrives by an orifice on the outer
side of the upper valve and escapes by one on its inner side. The two
upper orifices of the two valves are in communication with the receiver
at the same time; the steam escapes by the upper at the same
time the water arrives by the lower. When, on the contrary, the
two valves are at the upper part of their course their two upper orifices
are closed, their two lower orifices are open; the one of the upper
valve communicates with the steam, the one of the lower valve with the
lower part of the boiler. The water which comes into the receiver runs
thus into the boiler in consequence of the difference of levels, and gives
place to a volume of steam, which escapes or condenses when the valves
are returned to the lower part of their course. This arrangement should
be placed at a superior level to that of the boiler, and is preferably
placed immediately above the boiler.
Another arrangement suitable for locomotives is constructed as
follows:-This apparatus takes the form of a pump with three pistons
of different diameters fixed on the same rod, and working in the same
cylinder. The spaces above and below the largest piston form two
receivers, into which steam enters through a slide valve placed on
one side of the cylinder in which the piston works; the largest piston
collects the feed water by the intermediation of another and smaller
piston placed beneath it at the end of the rod, and furnished with a

page_text: valve at its lower side. The third and smallest piston which works in
a much narrower part of the cylinder separated from the upper chamber
or receiver by the stuffing box at its top is continually pressed up and
down by the pressure of the steam. It serves to draw up the other
pistons to the top of their stroke at the moment when the steam which
has been pressing on the largest piston is about to escape. The smallest
piston should have a large enough surface to overcome the friction of the
other pistons and lift their weight. When the largest piston is at the
top of its stroke, the steam which is free to enter by the upper orifice of
the slide valve presses the large piston and the one beneath it down.
The valve on the bottom of the lower piston closes and forces water
out from beneath it; a valve on the side of the cylinder opposite to the
other valve opens and a fresh supply of water is drawn in to fill the
lower receiver. When the pistons are near the end of their stroke a
tappet fixed on the top of the piston rod strikes a horizontal rocking
lever, which is attached at its other end to the rod of the slide valve of
the large piston; this valve is caused to rise so that the steam escapes
by the exhaust. When the escape takes place a separate supply of
steam acting on the smallest piston causes the three pistons again to
ascend, when another tappet on the piston rod strikes the horizontal
lever, which causing the slide valve to descend allows the entrance of
the steam into the upper receiver, which acts upon the large piston, the
valve remains open and the steam continues to enter until the pistons
reach nearly the bottom of their stroke.
In order that the valves may be completely opened a depending arm of
the horizontal lever is formed with teeth, which take into a pinion, on
the axis of which a weighted lever is mounted, which acts when thrown
over to one side on the rod of the slide valve and forces the valve to
open completely.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Paul Narcisse Joseph Macabies in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th January 1869.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Paul Narcisse Joseph Macabies, my Her
special licence that I, the said Paul Narcisse Joseph Macabies, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Paul Narcisse
Joseph Macabies, my executors, administrators, 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 venil, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER-FEEDING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Paul Narcisse Joseph
Macabies, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Paul Narcisse Joseph Macabies, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say
The means hitherto employed for drawing the feeding water into the
boiler have been the feed pump, the injector, and the feed pipe.
Now this Invention consists in a totally different apparatus, which
according to its application to fixed or movable engines or locomotives,
permits the establishment in the boiler of a level, constant or variable
at will; it can act either automatically as the injector or mechanically
as the feed pump, and can draw cold water at a great depth and hot
water at the highest temperatures. This apparatus is free from all
delicate or nicely constructed parts which frequently in pumps and
injectors occasion the derangement of the machine; it can feed with
the feeblest as with the highest pressures.

page_text: When working automatically, this apparatus maintaining a constant
level does not require the care of a stoker, and thus avoids all the
danger arising from his negligence. In short, in certain cases this
apparatus may be rendered multiple or provided in duplicate, and may
be provided with all the safety accessories usually applied to an ordinary
I proceed to describe the feeding apparatus as applied automatically
to fixed boilers. Two cylindrical chambers or receivers A, A¹, are
maintained or supported at their upper parts by a bent double lever d
oscillating on two gudgeons t placed one on each side of a vertical
column B; at their lower parts these two receivers each carry a
socket G, G, with two compartments articulated by means of two
stuffing boxes i, i¹, to two square tubes or right-angle bends K, K¹,
screwed to the extremities of two tubular arms 1, 11, Figure 2, fixed on
the valves E, F, on either side of the before-mentioned column, these
arms forming with the bent lever da parallelogram, which always
keeps the receivers in a vertical position. One of the two compart-
ments G, G¹, of the sockets, that which receives the steam, is prolonged
upwards within the receivers A, A³, to nearly their tops by a tube
or dip pipe q, q'. The other compartment, which receives the water,
opens at once into the bottoms of the same compartments. The two
valves E, F, fixed to the tubular arms 1, 1, oscillate on two sockets C
and D, Figure 2, fixed on the square base of the column B, which
sockets have double compartments and four orifices; they distribute
the water and steam separately and alternately in the two receivers A, A¹.
These two sockets C and D, with the two valves E, F, constitute two
cocks with four orifices. The valve or cock C, E, distributes the steam
by the four orifices a, a¹, 6, Figure 1, which are separated by a
partition, the two lower b, b¹, communicating with the dome of the
boiler, and giving entrance to the steam into the apparatus, and the
two upper a, a, allowing the escape of the steam into the atmosphere
or preferably into the feed water reservoir. The other distributing
cock D, F, on the opposite side of the column resembles in all respects
the one just described, and distributes the water in the apparatus; two
orifices a, a¹, communicating with the interior of the column B, which
is itself in communication with the feed reservoir, and the two other
orifices 6, 6¹, communicating by an interior or exterior pipe with the

page_text: lower part of the boiler. The distribution may also be performed with a
valve sliding in a box provided with three orifices. In order to prevent
the wearing of these two cocks they are furnished with two conical rings
of iron, tempered steel, aluminium, bronze, or antifriction metal. By
means of these two distributing cocks when one of the two receivers
communicates with the boiler by its upper or lower end, the other com-
municates in the same manner with the feed reservoir; the steam
contained by the latter escapes freely or is condensed, and the receiver
fills with water; the other receiver, on the contrary, receiving steam at
its top by the tube or dip pipe within it will contain water between two
equal pressures, which will flow into the boiler by reason of its own
weight as the steam passes into the atmosphere or is condensed. The
water thus flowing away gives place to an equal volume of steam,
which when this receiver is empty and the other wholly or partially
filled will destroy their equilibrium and their functions will be changed;
the receiver which rises full of steam will be in communication with the
feed reservoir, the steam will escape or condense, and the water will be
drawn by the vacuum produced, or by the difference of levels if the feed
water be warm and consequently unable to condense the steam. As soon as
equilibrium is restored between the two receivers it is again immediately
destroyed, for the one receiving the water gaining weight bears upon the
tubular arm or lever 1, 1, leading to the cock, while that from which the
water is issuing and steam eutering losing weight draws up its corre-
sponding arm or lever.
To prevent all shock in the apparatus an oscillating cylinder P is
provided, furnished with an air or water piston; this cylinder oscillates
on two trunnions x, x¹, resting upon a support m fixed to the top of the
column B; the rod of this piston is forked at both extremities to
receive the bent lever d, at each end of which are the links to which the
two receivers are hung, and only allows them to fall in proportion to the
arrival of the air or water, which enters by a very small orifice.
To obtain a constant level the extremity of the pipe which conducts
the steam into the apparatus is placed at a certain level; when this
extremity is under water the water is sent back into the receiver which
is about to empty; the pressure of steam cannot act at the upper part
of the receiver, and this water rests in the receiver until the steam
pipe overflows and is full of steam quite up to the end of the pipe q

page_text: within the receiver. When the feed water has to be drawn from a
lower level the two upper orifices a, a¹, of the cocks C and E will
communicate with the interior of the column B, which is hollow, and
which thus fills with the feed water and acts as a separate condenser,
which causes the condensation of the steam and prevents by means of a
valve o the water which may remain in the receiver which has just been
emptying from being thrown back into the feed reservoir. The water
contained in the hollow column at the moment when the equilibrium is
destroyed pours, in consequence of its own weight, through its valve into
the receivers, and there causes a quicker condensation. When, on the
contrary, the water is drawn from a higher level the passing of the water
into the interior of the column B may be dispensed with, and by
replacing the water there with steam the column may be furnished with
a substitute for all the safety apparatus usually fitted to boilers, such
as the safety valve, the level indicator, and the alarm whistle, by
means of
a float and rod, the latter being free from all stuffing
boxes, a condition very essential to the proper working of this last
apparatus. By means of this double-acting feed apparatus a continuous
feed is obtained.
When the feed is obtained from cold water in a lower reservoir R
three pipes are used a, b, c, one to supply the water to the receivers,
another to conduct the water to the boilers, and the third for the purpose
of maintaining a constant level in the boiler. When the feed is obtained
from warm water in an upper reservoir four pipes are used a, d d'c;
the steam escape pipe d terminates in a conical form, aud is carried
down to the bottom of the reservoir opposite the supply pipe d. The
constant level is maintained in all cases by a pipe c carried down into
the boiler to its normal level, which pipe is enclosed in a case per-
forated with small holes in order to prevent the bubbling of the water
round the pipe c, which would cause variations of level.
The feeding of several boilers can be effected if desired by one
apparatus, always causing in each boiler a constant level no matter what
the pressure of steam may be in each of them. In order to effect this it
is sufficient to place in each boiler (see Figure 3) an annular float having
a rod t working in a tube n communicating with a cock s, and actuating
a valve on the top of the boiler which opens downwards; if the
boilers are at very different pressures this cock should be an equilibrium
cock.

page_text: The arrangement, as before described, works automatically, and it
renders necessary the use of two receivers A, A¹, of a size sufficient to
overcome the friction of the parts which renders them too large to be
used for small movable machines.
Another arrangement which works mechanically by power from the
steam engine consists of a chamber or receiver A, Figure 4, answering
to the two receivers in the first arrangement, having at, its upper and
lower ends two pipes B, B', on which act two slide valves T, T, working
on the same rod Q attached to a cam or eccentric E mounted on a
horizontal shaft or axle F carried through the chamber or receiver A;
this shaft receives a very slow motion from the engine; the uppermost
valve T distributes the steam in the receiver A, and the lower valve T¹
distributes the water in it. The water arrives by an orifice a in the
lower valve, and escapes by one b at the bottom of the chamber; the
steam arrives by an orifice c on the outer side of the upper valve, and
escapes by one d on its inner side. The two orifices a and d of the
two valves are in communication with the receiver at the same time;
the steam escapes by the upper d at the same time the water arrives
by the lower a. When, on the contrary, the two valves T, T¹, are at
the upper part of their course their two orifices a and d are closed,
their two lower orifices are open; the one of the upper valve com
municates with the steam, the one n of the lower valve with the lower
part of the boiler. The water which comes into the receiver A runs
thus into the boiler in consequence of the difference of levels, and gives
place to a volume of steam, which escapes or condenses when the valves
are returned to the lower part of their course. This arrangement should
be placed at a superior level to that of the boiler, and is preferably
placed immediately above the boiler.
Another arrangement suitable for locomotives shown in Figure 5 is
constructed as follows:-This apparatus takes the form of a pump with
three pistons of different diameters fixed on the same rod and working
in the same cylinder. The spaces above and below the largest piston A
form two receivers, into which the steam enters through a slide valve D
placed on one side of the cylinder in which the pistons work. The
largest piston is intended to force the feed water by means of the
piston B placed beneath it at the end of the rod and furnished with a
valve a at its lower side. The third and smallest piston C, which works
in a much narrower part of the cylinder, separated from the upper

page_text: The
chamber or receiver by the stuffing box at its top, is continually forced
up and down by the pressure of the steam; it serves to draw up the
other pistons to the top of their stroke at the moment when the steam
which has been pressing on the piston A is about to escape.
smallest piston should have a large enough surface to overcome the
friction of the other pistons and lift their weight. When the piston A is
at the stop of its stroke the steam, which is free to enter by the orifice d of
the valve i, presses the large piston A and the one beneath it down.
The valve on the bottom of the lower piston closes, and forces the water
out from beneath it; a valve on the side of the cylinder opposite to the
other valve opens, and a fresh supply of water is drawn in to fill the
lower receiver. When the piston A is at the top of its stroke the steam
which arrives by the orifice d will cause the piston to descend, the
valve a of the piston B will close, the inlet valve m will open, and the
water will enter to occupy the space left by the piston B, which will
itself force in the water which lies below the valve a. When the pistons
are near the end of their stroke a "tappet "f fixed on the top of the piston
rod t strikes a horizontal rocking lever h, which is attached at its other
end to the rod of the slide valve i of the larger piston; this valve is
caused to rise, so that the steam escapes by the exhaust. When the
escape takes place a separate supply of steam acts against the smallest
piston, causes the three pistons again to ascend, when another tappet on
the piston rod strikes the horizontal lever, which causes the slide valve
to descend, and allows the entrance of the steam into the upper receiver,
which acts upon the large piston, the valve remains open and the
steam continues to enter until the pistons reach nearly the bottom of
their stroke.
In order that the valves may be completely opened a depending
arm n of the horizontal lever his formed with teeth which take into
a piston 8, on the axis of which a weighted lever p is mounted, which
acts when thrown over to one side on the rod of the slide valve, and
forces the valve to open completely.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I
claim,―
First. The general arrangement and combination of apparatus for
feeding boilers as herein-before described and represented in Figures 1, 2,
and 3 of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second. The general arrangement and combination of apparatus fo
the same purpose as herein-before described and represented in Figure 4
of the accompanying Drawings.
And, third. The general arrangement and combination of the automatic
apparatus for feeding locomotive boilers as herein-before described and
represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Narcisse Joseph Macabies,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD,
Civil Engineer,
P. N. J. MACABIES. (L.S.)
Boulevard de Strasbourg, 23,
à Paris.