AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BOILERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, THOMAS TRACY CLARKE, of 23, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin, Ireland,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BOILERS, to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved apparatus for automatically feeding
steam boilers, and is constructed as follows: A suitable chamber is formed of
convenient size and shape, in the upper portion of which the steam pipe is
introduced; in the lower portion the feed and suction pipes are inserted, each
being provided with valves or cocks as required. A bracket or arm is attached to
the top of the chamber, to which is pivotted a lever, called for convenience a main
lever; and on the end of this lever is suspended a vertical rod reaching towards
the bottom of the chamber and carrying a float on its end. A second lever
arrangement almost similar to that just described is also provided, with the
exception that the vertical rod which carries the float only passes down a short
distance from the top of the chamber. This second lever arrangement has a finger
or stud which catches the main lever and prevents it from lifting until the proper
time. The main lever acts on the valve which admits steam to the chamber.
The action of the apparatus may be briefly described thus: Steam is in the first
instance blown into the chamber until it is warm, when the blow-through pipe is
shut and a vacuum created in the chamber; water will then flow in through the
supply or suction pipe. As the water rises in the chamber it has a tendency to
lift the float attached to the main lever; but since this is locked by the stud of
the second lever arrangement, it cannot rise until the water approaches the float
on the second lever system, when it lifts same, and thereby removing the lock
from the main lever, allows it to lift, and in doing so opens the steam valve.
When the pressure is equalised, the water-the machine being placed slightly
above the water level of the boiler, lifts the check valve and flows into the boiler.
As the water falls in the chamber the levers, having their floats no longer
supported, return to their original condition, when the apparatus is ready again to
work automatically.
The apparatus is so constructed, and so attached to the boiler that the proper
evel of water in the boiler will be automatically, maintained. A whistle is
provided to indicate when the level of water in the boiler is reduced by any cause
elow the level for which the apparatus is set.
The levers and floats above described may be arranged to act on a small steam
ylinder which would shut off the steam in a suitable manner; or one float may be
rranged to act on two levers.

page_text: I, THOMAS TRACY CLARKE of Meldrum, Kilbeggan, County Westmeath,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has reference to an improved apparatus for automatically feeding
steam boilers, and its construction and operation will be readily understood by
referring to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 represents the feeding
apparatus, showing the mode of application and connexions of the apparatus with
an intended boiler on the left hand side, and fig. 2 a plan of the apparatus.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in both the viev's.
A represents a chamber, which may be cylindrical or of any suitable shape and
made of any suitable material and size. b is a lever working on a knuckle joint
attached to the side of the chamber. At a point 6¹ of this lever is suspended by a
vertical rod c the float d. To the opposite side of the chamber is pivotted a second
lever e, provided with a curved tail piece e¹, the front of which is grooved as
indicated by the dotted lines to enable the free end of the lever b to slide therein
as hereinafter described. In order to facilitate this sliding motion a small roller is
fixed on the end of this lever. To the free end of the second lever e is suspended
a second or smaller float f through the centre of which the rod c passes freely.
The end of this lever is forked, as shown at f¹ f¹ (fig. 2) for the purpose of
keeping free of the vertical rod c. g is a guide stay for the purpose of retaining
the rod c in a central vertical position; h is collar fixed on the rod c, which acts
as a stop and relieves the lever 6 of the weight of the float d when the latter falls
to its normal position. Between the float d and the guide-stay g is inserted a
spiral spring i, for the purpose of preventing the jar caused by the too sudden rise
of the float immediately the lever b is released. j. j. are two studs attached to the
guide stay g for the purpose of receiving the weight of the float d. The suction
pipe is shown entering the chamber at B, while C and D are the steam and feed
pipes communicating with the boiler, and provided with valves as shown. E is a
charging or blow through pipe through which steam is admitted to the chamber in
the first instance in order to create a vacuum as hereinafter described. F is a pipe
for draining the chamber when required. G is an air valve on the top of the
chamber for the purpose of blowing out a portion of the uncondensed vapor. In
the feed pipe I introduce an extremely sensitive valve shown at H fig. 1; the
plug rests on a lever, which oscillates on a pin and is loaded with a counterpoise;
so that the valve is practically balanced, and is extremely sensitive to any pressure
from either direction.
Now the action of my invention may be briefly described thus: Having fixed
and connected the apparatus to the boiler in such a position that the proper level
of water will be automatically maintained in the boiler, steam is, in the first
instance, blown into the chamber through the blow-through pipe E until it is warm,

page_text: when the said pipe is shut and a vacuum created in the chamber, Water will then
flow in through the supply or suction pipe, and as it rises in the chamber it
exerts a tendency to raise the float d; but since the lever b, to which the float is
attached, is locked by the shoulder in the tail piece e¹, as shown, it cannot rise
until such time as the water approaches and lifts the float f, thereby throwing
back the tail piece and freeing the end of the lever b. As the end of the lever
rises in the groove of the tail piece the valve will open, and steam will rush into
the chamber, When the pressure between the steam and the water is equalized
the water will flow through the feed pipe into the boiler, and, as the water falls,
the levers 6 and e, having their floats no longer supported, will return to their
original condition, when the apparatus is ready again to work automatically.
It is obvious that as the water falls in the chamber the float f will remain in its
elevated position, owing to the tail piece e¹ pressing against the lever b, and will
remain so until the water falls to such a point as to cause the float d to drop to its
normal position, when the float f will now fall and lock again the lever b as before.
The chamber being now filled with steam, on its condensation a vacuum takes
place, and the apparatus continues working automatically. From this description
it is clear that while the water in the boiler is at its proper level the float d is kept
supported and the apparatus stops working until the water in the boiler falls
below its normal level.
Having now described the nature of my said invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In an apparatus for automatically feeding steam boilers the combination
formed by the levers b and e and the floats f and d, arranged and operating in the
manner substantially as herein specified.
2. The construction and application of a balance valve substantially as herein
described and illustrated at H (fig. 1) in accompanying drawings.
3. The construction and application of an apparatus for automatically feeding
steam boilers in the manner substantially as herein described.
Dated this Sirth day of March 1886