Improvements in Thermometric Regulators for Heating Apparatus.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1886,
Specification Accepted, 14th Jan., 1887,
[Communicated from abroad by JACOB TRUEB, of the City, County, and State of
New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.]
Improvements in Thermometric Regulators for Heating Apparatus.
I WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL of the firm of Popplewell Colton and Co. of
17 and 18 Southampton Buildings, Patent Agents and Engineers do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me from abroad by
Jacob Trueb of the city, county and State of New York United States of America,)
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 an improved thermometric regulator for steam, air or hot
water heating systems by which the heat is regulated automatically and retained at a
certain fixed temperature, and it relates more especially to a regulator of that class
in which one or more closed vessels or receptacles are filled with a suitable expansible
liquid, are exposed to the action of the air in the building, the heat of which is to be
regulated, the closed vessels communicating with a cylinder and piston, so as to
operate said piston by the expansion and contraction of said liquid, and actuate.
thereby an intermediate lever-imechanism that is connected to the steam, water or air
supply-valve of the heating apparatus and adapted to open or close the valve according
as the temperature of the room rises or falls above or below a certain fixed
temperature
The invention consists of a novel combination of the closed vessels containing the
expansible liquid with the actuating cylinder and piston, of devices for lubricating
said cylinder and piston, of a novel mechanism for transmitting the motion of the
piston to the supply-valve, of means for adjusting said transmitting mechanism so as
to open or close the valve at the required degree of temperature, of a novel con-
struction of the supply-valve, whereby the same is balanced by an auxiliary, so as to
respond quickly to the different changes or position of the intermediate transmitting
mechanism; and lastly, of other details of construction and combination of parts
which will be more fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.
TD 1177

page_text: In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved
thermometric regulator for heating apparatus, shown partly in section.
Figure 2 is a detail top-view showing the connection of the motion transmitting
levers with the governing rod of the steam supply-valve.
and
Figures 3 and 4 are horizontal sections respectively on lines and y y, Figure 1,
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a vertical longitudinal section and a top-view of
the steam supply-valve and its operating mechanism.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
My improved regulator consists of three main parts; Firstly, a closed apparatus
filled with a liquid, which by the influence of the temperature of the surrounding air
is expanded or contracted so as to operate a piston, guided in a uniformly-lubricated
cylinder; Secondly, a compound adjustable and spring-actuated lever-mechanism,
that is operated by said piston; and thirdly, a supply-apparatus or valve, which is
actuated by the intermediate lever mechanism, so as to regulate the supply of steam,
hot-water or air to the pipes of the heating apparatus.
A in the drawings represents a closed vessel, which contains a suitable expansible
liquid, such as mercury, spirits of turpentine, alcohol etc., and which vessel is composed
preferably of a number of vertical wrought-iron tubes a a, that are closed at the top
by a cast-iron cap a², and connected tightly at the lower ends by a cast-iron collar a³,
and suitable packing with a horizontal bracket b, of the supporting main-plate B.
The lower ends of the tubes a a communicate with an annular channel in the
bracket b, which channel is connected by a channel 62 with a vertical cylinder C, that
is also supported on the bracket & and closed by a cap C. In the cylinder C is guided
a nicely-fitting piston D, the piston rod D¹ of which is guided by the cap C¹ and by a
guide-bearing D2, cast integral with the supporting plate B. The piston D is made of
any suitable construction, preferably with a packing that can be adjusted as required
by means of a screw-rod passing longitudinally through the piston-rod D', so as to
expand the packing and press tightly against the inner surface of the cylinder C.
The cylinder and piston Dare lubricated by a certain quantity of oil, which fills
the connecting channels 162, the space below the liquid in the tubes a a and the
space above and below the piston D. The oil is supplied from an oil receptacle E
which is arranged sideways of the cylinder C closed by a screw cap E¹ and connected
by a vertical channel 63 with the channel 3, of the bracket b. A stop valve having
a spindle in the vertical channel 3, serves to close or establish the communication
between the channels 6263 and the oil receptacle E. The cylinder C and the oil
receptacle E are made in one casting, that is supported by the bracket bas shown in
Figure 1. The upper part of the wall of the cylinder is made thinner than the
lower part and connected with the oil receptacle E by an inclined channel 6, through
which the oil that passes up between the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder is
reconducted to the oil receptacle. By this gradual upward passage of the oil in the
cylinder C, the relative position of the oil in the cylinder and the receptacle is slowly
changed whereby the accurate working of the apparatus might be impaired. To
supply the required quantity of oil to the space below the piston D the stop valve b₁
is opened from time to time, so that the oil can pass through the channels to the
lower part of the cylinder C. The stop valve is then closed again and the piston
resumes its regular normal position.
The piston D is provided at its upper end with a rack d, which meshes with a
toothed segment F having an upwardly extending arm F¹, provided with an index
marked. The downwardly extending arm F carries in a swivel nut having an
interior screw thread, a transverse set screw f³, to one end of which is applied a fixed
head The hub of the toothed segment F, turns on a fixed pin 73, which is
supported by a socket 1 that is cast integral with the supporting plate B, said
segment being retained on the pin f by a washer and set screw.
The longer
upwardly extending arm F serves as a pointer and moves along a graduated scale f
at the upper part of the plate B. The position of the arm F' indicates the temperature
of the building within which the regulating apparatus is located. A thermometer T is

page_text: mparing the
arranged at a suitable point on the supporting table B, and is used, for
temperature indicated by it with the temperature indicated on the scale f by the
arm F of the regulating apparatus, and for readjusting said arm when there is a
difference between the temperature indicated by the thermometer and the temperature
indicated by the arm F¹. The temperature indicated by the arm F1 on the graduated
scale should always correspond to the temperature indicated by the thermometer T.
As soon as there is a difference between the thermometer and the arm F', the position
of the piston has to be readjusted. This is readily accomplished by setting the arm F
on the scale to the temperature indicated by the thermometer and then opening the
stop valve, so as to readjust the oil in the cylinder below the piston by means of the
oil receptacle.
The toothed segment F is connected by the arm F2 and set screw f¹ with the ring
shaped part G of a lever arm G. The lever arm G turns by a hub g on the pin ƒ
of the segment F. The position of the lever arm G with regard to the segment Fis
adjusted by the set screw, and the head of which is turned in one or the opposite
direction, according to the ring shaped part G₁ and lever G are to be raised or
lowered relatively to the arm F of the segment F. The ring shaped part G¹ is
provided with a graduated scale g', by which the ring shaped part G¹ is set to the
index point of the arm F and thereby the lever G shifted to a higher or lower
position according as a higher or lower temperature is desired in the room to be
heated. The graduated scale indicates the degree of temperature at which the
surrounding air has to be kept by the automatic functioning of the regulating
apparatus. The curved arm G bears on an anti friction roller of a pivot pin h, at
the outer end of a lever H, which is pivotted at its opposite end to a fixed pin h³ of
the main plate B. The lever arm G is so curved that it exerts in the different
positions of the lever H a uniform pressure on the piston D, and by the same on the
liquid in the closed vessel A. The lever H rests by a notch 3 on the upper pointed
end of a vertically guided rod H', which is pressed in upward direction by a strong
spiral spring H2, interposed between a bracket 15 of the main plate B and a collar
on the rod H. The pressure of the spring H2 is transmitted by lever H, lever arm G,
segment F, cylinder and piston D, to the liquid in the regulating tubes a. a. By
altering the relative position of the curved lever arm G to the toothed segment F, by
means of the ring shaped part G¹, and set screw f₁, the tension of the spring H2 can
be regulated, so that it accomplishes the opening of the supply valve at the exact
temperature which the arm F indicates on the ring shaped part G¹. The opening and
closing of the supply valve will take place according to the degree of temperature
indicated by the arm F on the scale g₁. When the arm F has been set for a higher
or lower degree of temperature, the temperature of the room, within which the
regulating apparatus is located will be raised or lowered to correspond thereto, and
controlled by the arm F¹ and scale f and thermometer T.
The spring pressed lever H presses by a second anti-friction roller h' located at the
opposite end of the pivot ½ on the check 7 of a lever L, that is pivoted at its lower end
to a socket 8 of the supporting plate B and at its upper end to a fixed sleeve h³ of a
connecting rod M, which is attached by screw nuts n. n. to a lever arm N by which
the supply valve O of the heating apparatus is opened or closed, as shown in
Figure 6. The connecting rod M is guided in a lug m. of the supporting plate B, and
provided at the end next adjoining the lug m, with a nut or collar m², between which
and the lug m, a spiral spring m³ is interposed. The spiral m² exerts a pressure on
the connecting rod M and serves to keep the supply-valve in closed position until the
tension of the spring m³ is overcome by the action of the regulating apparatus and its
auxiliary actuating spring H. The connecting rod M is operated by the action of
the levers H and Land spring H2, according as the piston D is raised or lowered by
the expansion and contraction of the liquid in the tubes a. a. The anti-friction
roller on the pivot h of the lever H describes an are of a circle, and exerts thereby
a pressure on the lever L so as to move the same sideways on its pivot in the direction
of the arrow in Figure 1. The connecting rod M, is thereby operated and the supply
valve opened.

page_text: When the regulator is used with air or hot water heating apparatus, the opening or
closing of the supply valve is accomplished in the manner described, but as a greater
stroke of the lever L is required, the transmitting mechanism has to be so arranged
as to impart the increased motion. This is accomplished by making the length of the
toothed segment F, that meshes with the piston rod D', as small as possible and the
lever G as large as possible. For this purpose however, it may be of advantage to
remove the anti-friction roller ¹ from the pivot of the lever H, and arrange it on
the curved lever G, at the proper distance from the hub of the same and the forin of
the lever L to correspond thereto.
The supply valve O is arranged in a casing O¹, to which the steam, air or hot water
supply pipe S, is connected. The supply valve O, is applied by a pivot link p to the
upper arm of an elbow lever P, that is fulcrumed to the casing O¹, the fulcrum,
turning in suitable bearings of the casing. The lower arm of the elbow lever P is
pivoted to the stem of a balance, valve 02, which is fitted to a cylindrical valve scat in
the outlet pipe S₁, below the supply valve O. The balance valve 02, has a packing
that is compressed by a screw, attached to the shank of the valve 02, and a nut
said nut being adjusted through an opening in the casing O¹, which opening is closed
by a plug in line with the balance 02. By the pressure of the steam or other
medium in the valve 02, the pressure on the supply valve is balanced and the latter
rendered very sensitive so as to respond easily and quickly to the motion exerted
thereon by the transmitting lever mechanism and connecting rod M. By the pivot
link connection of the supply valve O, with the arm of the elbow lever the valve fits
always centrally and tightly to its seat.
In case steam is used as the heating medium, the water of condensation is collected
at the lower part of the casing O₁, and passed off through a suitable drip cock (not
shown in the drawings), so that the supply valve is always above the level of the water
of condensation in the casing.
In some cases it may be of advantage to use a simpler and smaller form of apparatus,
especially when it should not be desired to regulate the heat at a certain fixed
temperature, in which case the ring shaped part. G₁ of the lever G can be dispensed
with, and the lever G is directly connected to the lever L. A still simpler form of
the regulating apparatus is obtained by dispensing entirely with the lever G and its
ring shaped part G', and the lever L and connecting the lever H and the governing
rod M directly to the segment F and its arm F¹.
A very reliable and sensitive regulator for heating apparatus is thereby obtained, by
which the temperature of the space to be heated is indicated and regulated in a
reliable and automatic manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of a closed vessel containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder
connected thereto, a piston within said cylinder, a piston rod having a rack-shaped
portion, a toothed segment, intermediate spring actuated lever mechanism, a supply
valve, and a governing rod, connecting said lever mechanism with the supply-valve
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination in a regulator for heating apparatus, of a closed vessel, con-
taining an expansible liquid, a cylinder connected thereto, a piston guided in said
cylinder and provided with a rack-shaped piston-rod, a transmitting lever having a
toothed segment, said lever moving along a scale of the supporting plate, an oil
receptacle arranged alongside of the cylinder and connected with the cylinder and
said closed vessel, and means for establishing or interrupting the communication of
said oil receptacle with the cylinder, so as to readjust the position of the transmitting
lever, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of a closed vessel, containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder
having an enlarged upper part, a piston having a rack-shaped piston-rod a transmitting
lever having a toothed segment meshing therewith, said lever moving along a scale of
the supporting plate, an oil receptacle, arranged alongside of the cylinder and con-

page_text: nected with the same, and the closed vessel, a stop valve located in the channel leading
to the oil receptacle and a channel connecting the upper part of the cylinder with the
oil receptacle, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a closed vessel A containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder C
connected therewith, a piston D, having a rack shaped piston rod D¹, a toothed
segment F, having an upwardly extending arm F1 and a downwardly extending arm F³,
the latter being provided with a set screw 1, having a screw nut fa transmitting
lever-arm G having a ring shaped part G¹ connected to the arm F, a spring actuated
lever H, a transmitting lever L, a spring pressed connecting rod M a crank arm N,
and a balanced supply valve O, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of a closed vessel A containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder C,
connected therewith a piston D, having a rack-shaped piston-rod D¹,
a toothed
segment F, having arms F1, F2, a lever arm G, having ring shaped part G¹, con-
nected adjustably to the arm F³, a spring-actuated lover H, an oscillating transmitting
lever L, a spring-actuated connecting rod M, a crank arm N, and a balanced supply-
valve O, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination, of a closed vessel, containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder
connected thereto, a piston having a rack-shaped piston rod, a toothed segment
meshing therewith, said segment having an arm moving along a scale of the supporting
plate, a transmitting lever arm connected adjustably to a second arm of the segment,
and a spring actuated lever mechanism connected to the supply valve of the heating
apparatus, whereby the heat of the room in which the apparatus is located is regulated
to a certain fixed temperature, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of a closed vessel containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder
connected therewith, a piston having a rack shaped piston-rod, a toothed segment
having indicating arms, an intermediate spring actuated lever mechanism, a connecting
rod, and a balanced supply valve connected to the heating apparatus, substantially as
set forth.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.