I■- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING, FEEDING, AND MEASURING WATER SUPPLIED TO STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Newton Cox, of Trafalgar Place, Ashley
Road, Bristol, in the County of Bristol, for the Invention of “I■-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING, FEEDING, AND MEASURING WATER
SUPPLIED TO STEAM BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Newton Cox
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st April 1871.
I, WILLIAM NEWTON Cox, of Trafalgar Place, Ashley Road, Bristol,
5 in the County of Bristol, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING, FEEDING, AND
MEASURING WATER SUPPLIED TO STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating the
feed water supplied to steam boilers, and also to apparatus for feeding
and measuring the quantity, both of which apparatus may be used in
combination or alone as desired.

page_text: In carrying my Invention into practice I fit a tank above the level
of the boiler and arrange an outlet and a return pipe thereto, both of
which are in connection with a heater fitted cither in the flue leading to
the chimney or in the uptake itself, so that the products of combustion
can impinge against it and be utilized before escaping. The arrangement
of the pipes ensures a constant circulation of the water from and to the
tank, which is kept supplied by a ball cock on the service pipe. The
heater is composed of side or end chambers or cases connected by a
series of horizontal or inclined tubes attached to them; these may be
divided into sections so that the water shall pass along or to and fro in a
zig-zag manner, the return pipe being nearest the fire to take up the
greatest amount of heat and to enable the heated water to rise into the
body of water in the tank by constant circulation.
The feeding and measuring apparatus is composed of a cylindrical
vessel in which a balanced valve or float is free to rise and fall; this
float, which is preferably of stone, is suspended by a cord passing over or
attached to a disc or grooved wheel enclosed in a casing, the spindle
of this wheel carries an escapement wheel formed with notches on its
periphery to allow a double armed lever to pass and clear the periphery
at fixed intervals. This doubled armed lever is on a spindle at right
angles to the escapement wheel spindle and has a pinion on it to gear
into a wheel on a third spindle for driving the index hand or registering
mechanism. The pinion's spindle has also an eccentric or its equivalent
on it for actuating a valve rod, the valve of which is in a small cylinder
provided with steam inlet and exhaust ports for regulating the admission
and emission of steam to the upper part of the main cylinder. The
lower part of the cylinder has two pipes with valves attached, one for
admitting the heated water from the tank or other vessel, as the case
may be, into the lower part of the main cylinder, and the other for
permitting the water to pass from it into the boiler, the valve being
arranged accordingly.
The action of this second apparatus is as follows:-The inflow of
water causes the float to rise in the cylinder, and consequently the
grooved wheel and escapement wheel to turn, and as the notches come
round the arm of the double lever which is bearing upon it passes
through and produces a partial rotation of its spindle and also a
movement of the valve to open the steam port; by this means a quantity
of steam is admitted above the float to press it downwards, and at the

page_text: same time the valve of the inflow pipe is closed. The float then causes.
the water below to open the valve in the pipe leading to the boiler, and
it passes through. By the time the float reaches the bottom the spindle
has brought another notch of the escapement wheel round, and this
allows the other arm to escape and produce another partial rotation of
the spindle and a shifting of the valve over to open the exhaust. When
the pressure of the steam leading from the boiler to the bottom of the
main cylinder closes the valve, the water pipe valve being opened
simultaneously permits the water from the tank to flow in and lift the
float to the top to repeat the operations just explained. The notches
of the escape wheel are of different sizes, so also are the ends of the
double lever which pass through them, and according to the distance of
the notches from each other so will the escape of the lever arms be
allowed, and consequently the opening and closing of the steam valve
leading to the top of the main cylinder. The spindle of the grooved
wheel carries the counterpoise of the float upon its outer end.
Although I have described one mode of carrying my Invention into
effect, I do not limit myself thereto, nor to the arrangement of the
details, as they can be varied to suit circumstances, the object I have in
view being to construct a self-acting heating apparatus, and also a self-
acting hot or cold water feeder to steam boilers by which the quantity
supplied can be registered.
I also propose to arrange a similar apparatus to the feeder before
described in or to the boiler for regulating and maintaining the height of
the water therein always at the same level or thereabouts.

page_text: .
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Newton Cox, Her special licence
that I, the said William Newton Cox, my executors; administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Newton Cox, my
exécutors, 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 HEATING, FEEDING, AND MEASURING WATER
SUPPLIED TO STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Newton Cox, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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.
66
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Newton Cox, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hercunto annexed, that is to say:—
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating the
feed water supplied to steam boilers, and also to apparatus for feeding
and measuring the quantity, both of which apparatus may be used in
combination or alone as desired.
The Invention is carried into effect in the following manner, reference
being had to the annexed Drawings. I fit a tank a, Figure 1, above the
level of the boiler, and I arrange an outer pipe c and a return pipe d
thereto, both of which are in connection with a heater 6 fitted in the
chimney or uptake, or in a fluc e leading to the chimney, so that the
products of combustion can impinge against it and be utilized before
escaping. The arrangement of the pipes c, d, ensures a constant cir-
culation of the water from and to the tank a, which is kept supplied
by a ball cock on the service pipe.. The heater 6 is composed of end
boxes or chambers 9 connected by a series of horizontal tubes super-

page_text: posed in an inclined manner. These are divided into sections, so that.
the water as it becomes heated can pass along or to and fro in a zig-zag.
manner, the return pipe d being nearest the fire to take up the greatest.
amount of heat, and to enable the heated water to rise into the body of
water in the tank by constant circulation.
There are many ways in which this heater can be constructed, but I'
prefer to make it in the manner represented in the Drawing, that is, by
forming flanges on the ends of the tubes, either singly or in sets, and'
then to bolt the flanges to the end boxes or chambers, the bolts passing
through socket wings or ribs, as shown. This plan allows the tubes
to expand under the action of the heat, and enables the heater or parts
thereof to be removed for repairs or otherwise and replaced with
facility.
•
The arrangement of the tubes f and end boxes is favourable for
taking up the heat from the products of combustion as they pass along,
and the partitions in the end boxes or chambers compel the heated
water to travel in a zig-zag manner to the upper box, from whence it
rises up the pipe d and enters the tank a, from which it is taken for use
in the boiler as required. I fit a pipe h on the side of the tank a for
supplying the feeder.
The feeding and the measuring apparatus which I have represented
in Figures 2, 3, and 4 is composed of a cylindrical vessel i, in which a
balanced valve or float j is free to rise and fall; this float, which is of
stone or other hard material, is suspended by a cord or chain / passing
over or attached to a disc or grooved wheel 7 enclosed in a casing m, the
spindle of which wheel carries an escapement wheel n, shown separately
in Figures 5 and 6, formed with notches on its periphery to allow a
double armed lever o to pass and clear the periphery at fixed intervals.
This double armed lever is on a spindle p at right angles to the escape-
ment wheel spindle and has a worm q on it to gear into a wheel on the
spindle of the index hand or registering mechanism shown in Figure 7,
which can be attached to the cylinder i or in proximity thereto. The
spindle p has also a crank s or its equivalent on it for actuating a valve
rod, the valve of which is in a small cylinder t provided with steam inlet
and exhaust ports for regulating the admission and emission of steam to
the upper part of the main cylinder. The lower part of the cylinder i
has two pipes u, v, with valves attached, one for admitting the heated or'

page_text: the cold water from the tank a into the lower part of the main cylinder i,
and the other v for permitting the water to pass from it into the boiler,
the valves being arranged accordingly.
The action of this second apparatus is as follows:-The cylinder i
being empty the inflow of water causes the float ; to rise in the
cylinder i and consequently the grooved wheel and the escapement
wheel n to turn, and as the notches come round one of the arms of the
double lever o, whichever arm may be bearing upon it, passes through its
notch and produces a partial or a semi-rotation of the spindle p and
also a movement of the valve in the cylinder to open the steam port.
By this means a quantity of steam is admitted in the upper part of the
cylinder i, the pressure of which simultaneously closes the valve on the
inflow pipe u and opens the valve on the pipe v leading to the boiler.
This pressure also balances the back pressure from the boiler and allows
the water contained in the cylinder i to flow into the boiler by its own
gravity, the float ; descending in the cylinder i as the water flows out.
By the time the float; reaches the bottom of the cylinder the spindle p
has brought another notch of the escapement wheel 12 round, and this
allows the other arm to escape and produce another partial rotation of the
spindle and a shifting of the valve over to open the exhaust. When the
pressure of the steam leading from the boiler to the bottom of the main
cylinder i closes the valve in the pipe v, the valve of the water pipe u
being opened simultaneously permits the water from the tank to flow in
and lift the float to the top of its course in the cylinder i to repeat the
operations just explained. The notches of the escapement wheel n are
of different sizes, so also are the ends of the double lever o which pass
through them, and according to the distance of the notches from each
other so will the escape of the lever arms be allowed, and consequently
the opening and the closing of the steam valve leading to the top of the
main cylinder i, thus regulating the quantity of water admitted at each
operation. In order to actuate the slide valve in the cylinder t I use
a weight suspended by a cord which is wound round the barrel z. On
the spindle of this barrel I place a wheel with ratchet and pall for
winding up. The said wheel is geared into by the pinion y, and the
force it imparts produces a rotary motion to the crank spindle p. This
motion is governed by the double armed lever o, and the arrangement
is such that a semi-rotation of the spindle p and consequently of the
crank s is made by each escapement of either end of the double-armed

page_text: lever o through the disc n. The spindle w of the grooved wheel /
carrics a counterpoise to the float ; upon its outer end, as seen in
Figures 2 and 4.
Although I have described one mode of carrying my Invention into
effect, I do not limit myself thereto, nor to the arrangement of the
details, as they can be varied to suit circumstances, the object I have
in view being to construct a self-acting heating apparatus, and also a
self-acting hot or cold water feeder to steam boilers, by which the
quantity supplied can be registered. I also propose to arrange a similar
apparatus to the feeder before described in or to the boiler for regulating
and maintaining the height of the water therein always at the same
level or thereabouts.
The manner in which I carry this part of my Invention into effect is
represented in Figures 8 and 9. Here a cylinder or tube i is bolted
on the skin of the boiler, and the float j rests upon the surface of the
water, with which it rises and falls automatically, thus imparting a
motion to the grooved wheel in the casing m to open or to close the
valve of the pipe u, as the case may be, the valve being so arranged
on its spindle that any movement of the cord k through the wheel
produces a corresponding rise or fall of the lever handle on the outside
end of the spindle. The degree of opening or closing of this valve can
be regulated to the greatest nicety by the nut upon the threaded stem of
the counterpoise x.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
Invention in this my Specification,-
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts of apparatus
herein-before described and shown for heating, feeding, and measuring
water to be supplied to steam boilers.
Secondly. I claim the arrangement of heating apparatus herein-before
set forth, when used in combination with the apparatus shown in
Figures 2, 3, and 4, or in combination with the apparatus shown in
Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. I claim the special arrangement and combination of
mechanism on or to a cylinder in which a float is acted upon in the
manner and for the purposes hercin-before set forth.

page_text: Fourthly. I claim the employment of a double-ended lever and a
.notched disc for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newton Cox, have hereunto
.
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.