An Automatic Water Feed Apparatus applicable to Steam Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date o Application, 29th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Water Feed Apparatus applicable to Steam Boilers.
We, JULES NICLAUSSE and ALBERT NICLAUSSE, both of 24 Rue des
Ardennes, Paris in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to apparatus by which water may be automatically
admitted to a steam boiler from an elevated cistern or other source so as to
maintain a constant water level in the boiler.
A chamber somewhat of bottle like form, is connected with the boiler by two
pipes; a pipe from the top of the chamber enters the boiler some distance above
the water line and another pipe from the bottom of the chamber enters the boiler
some distance below the water line.
A ball float is contained in the chamber, it is carried by an arm fixed upon a
horizontal axis. The axis is mounted upon a cap which closes a lateral opening in
the chamber. The axis passes out of the chamber through a stuffing box in which
it is free to turn. Outside the chamber there is a second axis; the two axes are in
line and they are connected by an adjustable coupling.
The second axis passes through a gland into a box containing an equilibrium
valve. An arm on the axis is connected with the valve by a link and the valve is
thus controlled. When the valve is lifted it admits the feed water into the valve
box and the water then passes to a pipe leading out from the top of the valve box
and so to the boiler. The pipe enters the boiler at the point selected for the
admission of the feed.
Thus it will be seen that the float will rise and fall following the variation of the
water level in the boiler and in so doing will close and open the equilibrium valve
which controls the passage of the feed water.
The adjustable coupling between the axes admits of the working level in the
boiler being varied at pleasure. The coupling consists of an arm fixed approxi-
mately in a horizontal position on the outer end of the axis which carries the float
and on the opposite side of the axis. This arm is slotted and a die in the slot can
be raised or lowered by means of a regulating screw. On the die there is a pin
and this pin projects into an eye in an arm upon the axis which is coupled with the
equilibrium valve. The regulating screw when turned alters the angular position
of the one axis in relation to the other.
A spring is provided to adjust the equilibrium of the moving parts.
An alarm whistle is also fitted, it is carried by the cap of the bottle like
chamber; a valve when lifted by a lever admits steam to the whistle. The lever
is connected by an adjustable rod to an arm on the axis of the float and when the
float falls beyond a certain point the whistle sounds.
Dated this 29th day of August 1894.

page_text: An Automatic Water Feed Apparatus applicable to Steam Boilers.
We, JULES NICLAUSSE, and ALBERT NICLAUSSE, both of 24 Rue des
Ardennes, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, 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 by which water may be automatically
admitted to a steam boiler from an elevated cistern or other source so as to
maintain a constant water level in the boiler.
Apparatus in accordance with our invention is shewn by the drawings annexed.
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section.
Figure 2 is a section on the line e, f, in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line c, d, in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section on the line a, b, in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan of a portion of the apparatus, and an elevation of one of the
parts.
A chamber A, somewhat of bottle like form, is connected with the boiler by two
pipes a pipe D from the top of the chamber enters the boiler some distance above
the water line S and another pipe C from the bottom of the chamber enters the
boiler some distance below the water line.
Upon the chamber A the gauge glass and gauge cocks B may be fitted.
A ball float E is contained in the chamber A, it is carried by an arm' F fixed
upon a horizontal axis G. The axis is mounted upon a cap which closes a lateral
opening in the chamber. The axis passes out of the chamber through a stuffing
box in which it is free to turn. Outside the chamber there is a second axis G¹;
the two axes are in line, they meet at L and they are connected by an adjustable
coupling.
The second axis passes through a gland into a box containing an equilibrium
valve H. An arm on the axis is connected with the valve by a link g and the
valve is thus controlled. When the valve is lifted it admits the feed water to enter
from the pipe into the valve box and the water then passes to a pipe / leading
out from the top of the valve box and so to the boiler.
I
The pipe enters the boiler at the point selected for the admission of
the feed.
Thus it will be seen that the float will rise and fall following the variation of the
water level in the boiler and in so doing will close and open the equilibrium valve
.which controls the passage of the feed water.
The adjustable coupling between the axes admits of the working level in the
boiler being varied at pleasure. The coupling consists of an arm M fixed
approximately in a horizontal position on the outer end of the axis G which
carries the float and on the opposite side of the axis. This arm is slotted and a
die K in the slot can be raised or lowered by means of a regulating screw O. On
the die there is a pin and this pin projects into an eye in an arm N upon the
axis G¹ which is coupled with the equilibrium valve. The regulating screw O
when turned alters the angular position of the one axis in relation to the other.
A spring I is provided to adjust the equilibrium of the moving parts.
An alarm whistle P is also fitted; it is carried by the cap of the bottle like
chamber; a valve when lifted by a lever admits steam to the whistle. The lever
is connected by an adjustable rod to the arm M on the axis of the float and when
the float falls beyond a certain point the whistle sounds.
The apparatus above described will be found to maintain the water level in the
boiler with great regularity; this it does in consequence of the frictional and othe
resistance to the movements of the parts being small.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In automatic water feed apparatus, a chamber connected with the boiler at
the top and bottom and with a lateral opening fitted with a cap carrying an axis
provided with an arm and float, such axis passing to the exterior through a stuffing
box and being coupled with the water supply valve which valve is thus opened and
closed by movements of the float, substantially as described.
2. In automatic water feed apparatus, an equilibrium feed valve controlled by
an axis passing out from the valve case by a stuffing box and coupled with an axis
which passes through a stuffing box iuto a chamber connected with the boiler and
carries an arm and float substantially as described.
3. In automatic water feed apparatus, an equilibrium feed valve controlled by
an axis connected by an adjustable coupling with another axis in line with the first
and carrying an arm or float; the whole so arranged that by the adjustable
coupling the level at which the water is maintained may be regulated substantially
as described.
4. Automatic water feed apparatus substantially as described and illustrated by
the annexed drawings.
Dated this 20th day of May 1895
J. NICLAUSSE.
A. NICLAUSSE.