IMPROVED APPARATUS, FOR SUPPLYING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER
Year: 1856

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given, within the time prescribed
by.the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
'December 1856A communication.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS, FOR SUPPLYING STEAM BOILERS WITH
WATER," to be as follows:-
The objects of this improved apparatus are, first, to supply steam boilers
with water with greater certainty and regularity than heretofore. Second, to
effect the desired result by means of a simpler construction of apparatus, and
of a less expensive and more durable character than those usually employed
for that purpose. Third, to economise the power required for working the
ordinary apparatus, thereby leaving disposable for useful and remunerative
purposes a considerable amount of steam power, which has heretofore been
employed for working a force pump or other contrivance for pumping water
into the boiler.
The improved apparatus, which forms the subject of the present Invention,
consists simply of a small vessel or receptacle of any convenient shape (the
form of a cylinder being preferred), the size of such vessel or receptacle
depending entirely upon the quantity of water it is required to supply to the

page_text: boiler. This vessel or receptacle is provided with two holes or openings, one
being on the top side and the other on the under side, so that there is a
passage through the vessel, but not in a direct line. This vessel is mounted
in an envelope or casing, to which it is made to fit accurately, and the envelope
or casing being provided with openings at top and bottom, communicates on
the one hand with a reservoir or cistern of water above, and on the other hand
with the steam boiler below.
The vessel or receptacle is moveable in its envelope or casing, and may be
actuated by an excentric or other gear connected with the steam engine. If
cylindrical, this vessel may be made simply to rock on its axis or perform part
of a rotation, or it may be made to reciprocate in the direction of its axis, the
object of the motion in all cases being first to bring the opening at the upper
side of the vessel or receptacle opposite to the opening in the casing or envelope
communicating with the water reservoir above, so that the vessel or receptacle
may be filled with water, and then by moving the said vessel or receptacle
back into its former position, the opening on the under side thereof will be
brought opposite to the exit opening of the casing or envelope, when the water
in the vessel or receptacle will pass through the said exit opening down the
pipe, communicating therewith into the boiler.
As it will only be requisite to move the water vessel or receptacle an inch
or two, either on its axis or in a line therewith, as above mentioned, and as
but very little pressure can be exerted by the steam on the small area of the
water vessel exposed to its influence, it will be clearly understood that but
very little power will be required to work the apparatus. This, as well as its
simplicity of construction and operation, and the inexpensive nature of the
apparatus and its appendages, are its principal advantages.