IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR INSURING THE CORRECT ACTION OF THE SAFETY VALVES OF STEAM BOILERS, AND FOR REGULATING THE ACTION OF THE DAMPERS OF STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Smith, of Hyson Green Works,,, near
Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
INSURING THE CORRECT ACTION OF THE SAFETY VALVES OF STEAM BOILERS, AND
FOR REGULATING THE ACTION OF THE DAMPERS OF STEAM BOILERS."
Scaled the 4th September 1855, and dated the 25th June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sydney Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
June 1855.
I, SYDNEY SMITH, of Hyson Green Works, near Nottingham, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS 'FOR'
INSURING THE CORRECT ACTION OF THE SAFETY VALVES OF STEAM BOILERS, AND FOR
REGULATING THE ACTION OF THE DAMPERS OF STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:
The object of this 'Invention is to insure the steam in a steam boiler being
kept from rising beyond a determined pressure. For this purpose apparatus'
is applied to a steam boiler, and between it and the safety valve, and also
between it and the lamper, in such manner that the apparatus may act on and
lift the safety valve, and also move the damper so as to decrease the draft of
the flue of the furnace when the steam rises above a determined pressure.-
The steam in the boiler presses on one surface of a column of fluid (by prefer-

page_text: ence water) in a bent tube, which is fixed at one end to the boiler or steam
chest or pipe connected therewith; the other end of the bent pipe is attached to
a pressure guage consisting of a hollow chamber, which is divided by a flexible
partition or diaphragm,. by preference of thin steel, above which a stem or rod
is placed, the upper end of which, when it is raised beyond a certain point, acts
on the lever of the safety valve and lifts it, and in like manner either by a
cord or wire, or other interposed instrument, the pressure guage gives motion
to the damper so as to close it more and more as the pressure of the steam in
the boiler acts more and more on the partition or diaphragm of the pressure
guage, which diaphragm or partition is resisted externally by a coiled spring.
If desired, the steam pressure guage may have a dial and pointing hand to
show externally the state of pressure of the steam in the boiler.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Sydney Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SYDNEY
SMITH, of Hyson Green Works, near Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Sydney Smith, Her special licence-that I, the said Sydney Smith,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Sydney Smith, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR INSURING THE CORRECT ACTION OF THE SAFETY VALVES OF STEAM
BOILERS, AND FOR REGULATING THE ACTION OF THE DAMPERS OF STEAM BOILERS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Sydney Smith, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly 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..

page_text: .
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Sydney Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to insure the steam in a steam boiler being
kept from rising beyond a determined pressure. For this purpose apparatus
is applied to a steam boiler, and between it and the safety valve, and also
between it and the damper, in such manner that the apparatus may act on and
lift the safety valve, and also move the damper so as to decrease the draft of
the flue of the furnace when the steam rises above a determined pressure.
The steani in the boiler presses on one surface of a column of fluid (by
preference water) in a bent tube, which is fixed at one end to the boiler or
steam chest, or pipe connected therewith; the other end of the bent pipe
is attached to a pressure guage consisting of a hollow chamber, which is
divided by a flexible partition or diaphragm, by preference of thin steel, above
which a stem or rod is placed, the upper end of which, when it is raised beyond
a certain point, acts on the lever of the safety valve and lifts it, and in like
manner either by a cord or wire or other interposed instrument, the pressure
guage gives motion to the damper so as to close it more and more as the
pressure of the steam in the boiler acts more and more on the partition or
diaphragm of the pressure guage, which diaphragm or partition is resisted
externally by a coiled spring. If desired, the steam pressure guage may have
a dial and pointing hand to shew externally the state of pressure of the steam
in the boiler.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus which I prefer to employ,
in which four of the flexible discs before mentioned are combined together so
as to increase the range of action. A is a syphon tube containing water, and
which communicates at one end with the boiler, and at its other end by the
short tube B with the first chamber, the top and bottom of which is formed
of flexible discs C, C, of thin steel, or it may be of vulcanized india-rubber,
supported by steel springs D, D, one of which is shown in plan at Figure 2.
From the first chamber a tube E passes to the second chamber, which is con-
structed in a similar manner to that just described. When the pressure of the
steam in the boiler acts on this instrument, it causes the top and bottom of
each of the chambers to move away from each other, and when the pressure

page_text: reaches a certain point, the nut F on the rod.G comes. in contact with the
lever H of the safety valve, and raises the same from its seat.
When it is desired to operate on the damper as well as or in place of the
safety valve, the rod G of the apparatus is connected by levers, or other-
wise, with the dampers so as to open or close the same, as may become
necessary.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
{
JOHN THOMPSON BREWSTER,
of Nottingham, Solicitor.
SYDNEY SMITH. (L.S.)