A NEW AND IMPROVED STEAM BOILER SUPPLY COCK
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, in the Empire
of France, and 10, Sackville Street, Piccadilly, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED
STEAM BOILER SUPPLY COCK."-A communication from Alfred Dervaux,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville
at the Office, of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd November 1869.
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent
3 Offices, 18, Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 10,
Sackville Street, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW AND
IMPROVED STEAM BOILER SUPPLY COCK," a communication from Alfred

page_text: Dervaux, a person resident at Tourcoing, in the Empire of France,
Civil Engineer, to be as follows:-
This Invention, communicated to me, relates to certain improvements
in cocks to render them suitable for supplying steam boilers, and con-
sists in an arrangement by which such boilers may be supplied with
water at a very high temperature with a great economy of time.
This improved cock is represented in the accompanying Drawings, in
which Fig. 1 is a section, seen in clevation, taken by the linc C, D,
Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a section in elevation taken by the line A, B, Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a transversal section taken by the line E, F, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a
transversal section by G, H, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, a transversal section by
I, J, Fig. 1. Similar letters indicate like parts.
This cock is composed like all other cocks of a seat m, n, p, q, in
which is adjusted a key m', n', p', q'. The seat, whose axis is vertical,
is pierced perpendicularly to this axis with six rectangular passages a, a',
b, b, c, c'. These passages at each point of their height considered in
the direction of the axis of the seat are equal in width to the twelfth of
the corresponding interior circumference; their height is equal to the
double of their average width. The passages a, a', cast in the seat at.
equal distances from its lower end face one another and are of equal
height and width; they are in communication with one another by a
double passage x, a', cast at the same time as the seat, and which unites
them in one single orifice o with its mouth on the outside. All that has
been said with regard to the passages a, a', may apply equally well
to those b, b', which unite at o' by a double passage y, y', and to the
passage c, c', which unites at o" by the double passage, . All these
passages o, o', o", are nozzle-shaped and wormed so that pipes may be
screwed therein. The nozzle o has above it and is in communication
with a little nozzle t. Two passages R, R', are also made in the
interior of the seat from top to bottom; they are, like the passages a, a',
b, b, c, c', equal in width at any point of their height to the twelfth of
the corresponding interior circumference of the seat; they are placed
opposite to one another and transversally to the said passages a, a',
b, b, c, c'. The key of the cock m', n', p', q', ajusted in the inside of
the seat is divided lengthways into two compartments A, B, by a hori-
zontal partition or a washer & and is closed at each end by two other
washers r, t. The two compartments A, B, have a central corc with

page_text: four arms, the arms of the compartment A are transversal to those of
the compartment B. The ends of these arms and the exterior of the
washers r, s, t, are the only parts of the key which are in contact with
the interior of the seat. The compartment A of the key communicates
on one side with the passages a, a', and on the other with the passages
R, R. The compartment B is in communication on one side with
the passages b, b', c, c', and on the other with the passages R, R.
The washer 8 prevents the direct communication between these two
compartments, and the washers r, t, close these compartments, and
prevent their direct communication with the intervals E, E', which are
left on the inside of the seat above and beneath the key. The com-
partments A, B, and the intervals E, E', have consequently no other
way of communication than by the passage R, R'. The arms are at their
ends, which are in contact with the inside surface of the seat, as wide at
each point in their length as the sixth part of the corresponding interior
circumference of the seat, there consequently remains for, the width of
cach of the passages left between the ends of the arms ouc-twelfth part of
the circumference, that is to say, the same width as that of the passages
of the seat. The height of the compartments A and B is calculated
to have the capacity of the cavities of the compartment A, equal to
nine-tenths of the capacity of those of the compartment B. In evaluating
these capacities allowance must be made for the space occupied by a
little piece of cast iron left between the arms above and below the com-
partment B of the shape shewn ff. The height of the space É is
about four-fifths of an inch (two, centimetres), and that of E' about 1%
of an inch (four centimetres). The upper part of the compartment A
is, inch (2 centimetres) above the top of the passages a, a', and the
upper part of the compartment B at about the same distance above the
top of the passages b, b', so that the key from wear may descend about
% inch (two centimetres) into the interior of the seat without the
passages a, a, b, b', ceasing to be entirely included in the compartments
A, B. The key is conical to the degree of about 1 inch to 1 yard (0.075
metres per metre) of its length. The seat is terminated at its upper end
by the piece D and at its lower by D'. As the key is intended to receive
a revolving motion it is terminated on the side of its greatest diameter
by a short shaft h passing through the stuffing box $ fixed and joined
to the upper piece D of the seat. The piece D' is jointed to a bed
plate F, which serves to fix the cock in its place. The shaft h after

page_text: having passed through the stuffing box S enters in the socket of a helicoid
cog pinion E in slight contact with the same. A key C fixed on the
shaft enters with slight contact into a groove in the socket of this
pinion and leaves said pinion free to move along the shaft M, at the
same time rendering it connected with said shaft with regard to any
revolving movement. An endless screw with four threads V is in gear
with the pinion E and is keyed to a horizontal shaft ' maintained in
two supports with bearings P, P. These supports at the same time
maintain a kind of cast-iron bridge K which takes hold of the joint of
the pinion E to prevent its moving in a vertical direction, and for it to
have a simple rotating motion, in which motion, as has been seen, it is
dependent on the shaft h. The shaft after having passed through the
pinion E enters with slight friction in the socket of a plate of cast iron L.
Two wormed rods d, d', screwed in the bridge K enter at their other
ends into two corresponding holes pierced in the plate L, which they
only allow to move in a rectilineal direction along the shaft h. Two
cast-iron rings 8, 8', are fixed on this shaft below and above the plate L
by means of the screw nuts e, e, e', e'. The shaft h' has two pulleys, of
which one is loose the other fixed, for transmitting the movements.
A click serves for operating and stopping the action of the cock.
The ends of the shaft are cut square so as to be able to operate the
apparatus as desired by means of a crank without the help of the engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRI
ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18,
Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, in the Empire of France, and 10, Sackville
Street, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundrred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, Her special licence
that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville,
my executors, 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, usc, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED
STEAM BOILER SUPPLY COCK," a communication from Alfred Dervaux, a
person resident at Tourcoing, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henri Adrien
Bonneville, 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 Invention, and in what
manier 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 communicated to me relates to certain improvements
in cocks of steam boilers, and renders them suitable for supplying steam
boilers, and consists in an arrangement by which such boilers may be
supplied with water at a very high temperature with a great economy
of time.
This improved cock is represented in the accompanying Drawings, in
which Fig. 1 is a section seen in elevation taken by the line A, B, Fig. 2;
Fig. 2 is a section in clevation taken by the line C, D, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is.
a transversal section taken by the line, E, F, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a trans-
versal section by G, H, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, a transversal section
by I, J, Fig. 1. Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
This cock is composed like all other cocks of a seat m, n, p, q, in
which is adjusted a key m', n', p', q'. The seat, whose axis is vertical, is.
pierced perpendicularly to this axis with six rectangular passages a, a',.
b, b, c, c'. These passages at each point of their height, considered in
the direction of the axis of the scat, are equal in width to the twelfth of
the corresponding interior circumference; their height is equal to the
double of their average width. The passages q, a', cast in the seat at

page_text: cqual distances from its lower end face one another and arc of equal
height and width; they are in communication with one another by a
double passage x, x', cast at the same time as the seat, and which unites
them in one single orifice O with its mouth on the outside. All that
has been said with regard to the passages a, a', may apply equally well
to those b, b', which unite at o' by a double passage y, y', and of the
passages c, c', which unite at o' by the double passages, . All these
passages are nozzle-shaped, and wormed so that pipes may be screwed
thereon. The nozzle o has above it and is in communication with a
little nozzle T. Two passages R, R', are also made in the interior of the
seat from top to bottom; they are like the passages a, a, b, b', c, c',
equal in width at any part of their height to the 12th of the corres-
ponding interior circumference of the seat; they are placed opposite to
one another, and transversally to the said passages a, a, b, b, c, c'. The
key of the cock m', n', p', q', adjusted in the inside of the seat, is divided
lengthways into two compartments A, B, by a horizontal partition or a
The two
washer 8, and is closed at each end by two other washers ", t.
The arms of
compartments A, B, have a central core with four arms.
the compartment A are transversal to those of the compartment B. The
ends of these arms and the exterior of the washers r, s, t, are the only
parts of the key which are in contact with the interior of the seat.
The compartment A of the key communicates on one side with the
passages a, a', and on the other with the passages R, R'. The compart-
ment B is in communication on one side with the passages b, b', c, c', and
on the other with the passages R, R'. The washer a prevents the direct
communication between the two compartments, and the washers r, t,
close these compartments and prevents their direct communication with
the intervals E, E', which are left on the inside of the scat above and
beneath the key. The compartments A, B, and the intervals E, E', have
consequently no other way of communication than by the passage R, R.
The arms are, at their ends which are in contact with the inside surface
of the scat, as wide at each point in their length as the sixth part of the
corresponding interior circumference of the scat; there consequently
remains for the width of each of the passages left between the ends of
the arms one-twelfth part of the circumference, that is to say, the same
width as that of the passages of the scat. The height of the compart-
ments A & B is. calculated to have the capacity of the cavities of the
compartment A equal to nine-tenths of the capacity of those of the

page_text: compartment B. In evaluating these capacities allowance must be made
for the space occupied by a little piece of cast iron left between the arms
above and below the compartment B of the shape shewn ff'. Tho
height of the space E is about of an inch (two centimetres), and that
of E' about 1 inches (four centimetres). The upper part of the com-
partment A is about of an inch (two centimetres) above the top of
the passages, a, a', and the upper part of the compartment B at about
the same distance above the top of the passages b, b', so that the key
from wear may descend about of an inch (two centimetres) into the
interior of the seat without the passages a, a, b, b', ceasing to be entirely
included in the compartments A, B. The key is conical to the degree of
about of an inch per yard (0-075 metre per metre) of its length. The
scat is terminated at its upper end by the piece D, and at its lower by D'.
As the key is intended to receive a revolving motion it is terminated on
the side of its greatest diameter by a short shaft / passing through the
stuffing box S fixed and joined to the upper piece D of the seat. The.
piece D' is jointed to a bed plate F, which serves to fix the cock in its
place. The shaft h after having passed through the stuffing box S enters
in the socket of a helicoid cog pinion E in slight contact with the same.
A key C fixed on the shaft enters with slight contact into a groove in
the socket of this pinion, and leaves said pinion free to move along the
shaft M, at the same time rendering it connected with said shaft with
regard to any revolving movement. An endless screw with four
threads V is in. gear with the pinion E, and is keyed to a horizontal
shaft maintained in two supports with bearings P, P'. These supports
at the same time maintain a kind of cast-iron bridge K, which takes
hold of the joint of the pinion E to prevent its moving in a vertical
direction, and for it to have a simple rotating motion, in which motion,
as has been seen, it is dependent on the shaft h. The shaft h after having
passed through the pinion E enters with slight friction in the socket
of a plate of cast iron L. Two-wormed rods d, d', screwed in the
bridge K enter at their other ends into two corresponding holes pierced
in the plate L, which they only allow to move in a rectilineal direction
along the shaft h. Two cast-iron rings 8, 8, are fixed on this shaft below
and above the plate L by means of the screw nuts e, e, e', e'. The
shaft h' has two pulleys of which one is loose and the other fixed for
transmitting the movements. A click " serves for operating and stopping
the action of the cock. The ends of the shaft are cut square, so as to
-

page_text: passages. c, c', and impelled forwards by the steam issuing from the
boiler by the passages b, b. The water in the compartment B is
replaced by steam after it is emptied into the boiler. This steam is
condensed on the water in the passages R, R', and this condensation
being operated within a closed space can be obtained at a very high
temperature. This is the reason that it becomes possible to supply very
hot water. The process is thus operated, as explained :-As long as the
water in the boiler has not reached, the lower part of the pipe fixed to
the nozzle o, but when the water has reached such level, no more steam
enters the apparatus, and the supply ceases until the level be lowered,
and thus a constant supply and an invariable level is obtained in the
boiler... The nozzle T serves for the escape of the gases in dissolution in
the water. It will be remarked that the compartments A, B, are filled
and emptied twice to every turn of the key, and also that this apparatus
does not force the water in the same way as pumps, for it simply pours
or passes the water from the reservoir into the boiler.. It has been
herein-before shewn that between the arms at the top and bottom of the
compartment B there are two pieces of cast iron f, f'. This arrangement
is made use of to facilitate the action of the steam which forces the
water forward into the boiler. In order to protect the lower part of the
steam pipe against the particles of matter which are always floating on
the surface of the water in boilers the whole of that part of this pipe
which descends into the boiler is covered with a sheet-iron casing
extending nearly to the bottom of the boiler, and whose upper end is
perforated with holes to allow the steam to enter the pipe. The
maximum rate of rotation, to be given to the key is about 20 turns per
minute of time. The real debit of this cock is nearly equal to the
theoretical debit. On these conditions the accompanying Drawing
would represent on a scale of 1 of the real size a cock capable of sup-
plying about 140 gallons (600 litres) per hour, representing an apparatus
of 20 horse power at about 7 gallons per horse and per hour.
A single apparatus may be arranged to supply several boilers at once,
and maintain an invariable level in all.
To supply two boilers at once with a single apparatus it suffices to
establish a partition 8 (Fig. 4) in the centre of the nozzle o', and
separating the canals.y, y', and in the centre of the nozzle o" a par-
tition 8, separating the two canals, .. The canal y corresponding with

page_text: the passage b is put into communication with a steam pipe leading to
one of the boilers, and the canal, Fig. 5, with a supply pipe leading to
the same boiler. The same thing is done with regard to the canals y.
These different pipes placed as if for a single boiler should be thoroughly
distinct in all their length. But it may happen that it may be necessary
to supply a still larger number of boilers at once, recourse is then had to
a special contrivance which may also be equally well used for supplying
one or two boilers, and of which the following is a description:-A
single steam pipe and supply pipe is used in communicatton with all the
boilers. The part of the steam pipe dipping as far as the level of the
water into the boiler is abandoned. Under the supply cocks are esta-
blished on every boiler supply regulators, represented Fig. 6. This
regulator is composed of a double valve s, having at its lower end a
rod T crossing the supply pipe t. This rod T is jointed on a lever L
having at its free end a float F. The valve S is guided by two nozzles
placed on top of one another, U, U', answering as scat for the valve.
When the maximum level of water is reached in any one of the boilers
the valve S falls on to its scat composed of the nozzle U', and the supply
in this boiler ceases. It may happen that the mechanic forgets or.
neglects to put water into the supply reservoir, the apparatus not being
able to introduce water into the boilers, if there is none in the reservoir
the level will be lowered in the boiler. In the same way that there
is a maximum level that the water should not exceed there is also a
minimum level which it cannot pass without danger of explosion. The
arrangement indicated Fig. 6 prevents this danger. It is easy to see by
a simple inspection of this Figure that when the water be lowered in the
boilers until this minimum level be reached it will become absolutely
impossible for the mechanic to supply. In short the valve S falls on
to its seat formed by the nozzle U, thus preventing the introduction
of water, and hence the impossibility of explosion resulting from the
supply.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein indicated and represented in
the accompanying Drawings, as these may obviously be modified without
departing from the principle of the said Invention; but what I claim
and desire to secure by the said Letters Patent is, the above-described

page_text: improved steam boiler supply cock with a key hollowed out in com-
bination with supply pipes operating as and for the purpose described
and set forth, and as shewn in the accompanying.Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
H BONNEVILLE. (L.S.)