IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Christopher Willis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th March 1875.
I, CHRISTOPHER WILLIS, of Bradford, in the County of York,. Brass
Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the method of and
apparatus for feeding steam boilers. By the ordinary method boilers are
fed by what is commonly known as a back pressure valve or common
plug cork, by the use of which great damage is done to the boiler
through the feed having to be regulated by hand; so that when neglected
by the attendant the boiler either gets too full of water, which has a
tendency to prime the engine or admitting too little water, when there is
a danger of the flues becoming red hot and an explosion taking place,
causing a destruction of property and perhaps loss of life.
The object of my Invention is to supply the boiler with a continuous
feed of water at any heat, and keep the water at a constant level in the

page_text: boiler during working hours, thus reducing the expansion and contraction
of the plates, and giving the boiler a safer and longer working life. I
accomplish my object in the following manner :-To any convenient
part of the shell or end plate of a boiler I fix a pipe having a
longitudinal partition through the length of the pipe, so that there are
two distinct passages through, to the other end of this pipe I attach a
valve with a partition corresponding to the pipe, which valve is fitted
with a scating and stopper of the usual kind, the water from the
force pump or injector used for supplying the boiler is forced through
pipes communicating with the bottom or under side of valve stopper,
which is held by means of a spring or springs or weights attached to
spindle forming part of the stopper tight on to the face of seating; on to
the top side of valve is secured a lid or cover which is chambered out, and
suitable provisions made for valve spindle passing through; the chamber.
of this lid or cover communicates with one of the passages in the
afore-named pipe. At the top side of the cover I attach two pipes or
expansion tubes, one on each side of the valve spindle, and at the top of
each tube is fixed an air tap; on to any convenient part of the tubes I
attach a cross bar fixed to both tubes to which is secured one end of
a rod having a regulating screw for adjusting the length of the rod at
pleasure; the other end of the rod is secured to top end of valve spindle.
When the water in the boiler is below its proper working level the
steam passes through one of the passages in the pipe communicating
with the chamber in valve cover and charges the two pipes attached to
cover which expand by the heat of the steam, by which means the rod
attached to cross bar lifts up valve spindle and stopper, and admits water
into the boiler. When the boiler is full up to the working level the
water fills up and contracts the tubes, therefore closes the valve. As
soon as the opening admits steam again the tubes are expanded as before
explained, and water admitted, so that the opening and closing of the
valve is regulated by the laws of nature without the aid of internal floats
or other intricate mechanism, which is liable to get out of order.