Improved Combined Thermo Electrical and Hydraulic Apparatus for Automatically Operating Air and Water Valves and the like.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 30th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Aug., 1887.
RESERVE
Improved Combined Thermo Electrical and Hydraulic Apparatus
for Automatically Operating Air and Water Valves and the like.
I BENJAMIN BOOTHROYD of Kirkstall House, Rawlinson Road, Southport in the
county of Lancaster, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to.
be as follows: :-
This invention relates to certain improved combined thermo-electrical and hydraulic
apparatus for automatically operating air and water valves and the like.
The valves or parts to be operated are connected by suitable rods or by rack and
pinion or other suitable gearing to the piston or ram of a hydraulic cylinder, the
pressure in which is controlled by ordinary valves or by a single two way cock in a
similar manner to that described in the specification of my Letters Patent No. 4663
of April 15th A.D. 1885. The said regulating valve or valves is or are connected to
and operated by a rod pivotted to a crank carrying upon its shaft or otherwise
connected to a rotary drum or its equivalent, upon which is wound a chain or cord
with a weight which may be carried over a pulley if desired to obtain greater length
of fall, or for the same purpose a spring may be used as in a clock. The rotation of
the crank is controlled by an armature provided with a spring and normally engaging
with one of certain teeth or notches cut or formed in the crank shaft or on the
periphery of a disc fixed thereto or it may be in the periphery of a disc crank. The
armature is acted upon by an electro-magnet one pole of which is connected to one or
one of a pair of electric thermometers or to one side of a metallic thermometer, and
the other to any suitable generator of electricity. Suitable contact points are placed
upon the rotary part in such position as to engage with cut outs of any suitable type
placed in the circuit.
When the temperature rises to the point at which the apparatus is adjusted circuit
is made and the armature is attracted and the crank shaft is free to be rotated and
the falling weight or spring acting on the drum upon or connected to the said shaft
raises the rod connected with the valve levers simultaneously closing the exhaust and
admitting pressure to the hydraulic cylinder, but when the crank has performed a part
revolution one of the said contact points making contact with a cut out breaks the
circuit and the armature springs forward to normal position ready to engage with the
D
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page_text: next notch in the shaft or disc. On the temperature again falling to the point of
adjustment a similar action takes place, but the second part revolution of the crank
depressing the connecting rod shuts off pressure from the hydraulic cylinder and
opens the exhaust, the cut out operating in the same manner as before.
The invention is particularly applicable to automatically turning on water in case of
fire, in which case one thermoineter only is required. and the valve may be upon or
geared with the spindle of the drum connected to the crank-shaft. On the temperature
rising to a given point the hydrant or water supply valve would by the herein
described apparatus be automatically opened and maintained open until closed
manually. A cut off of any suitable type may be arranged to disconnect the battery
or electrical generator to prevent waste of power.
DL: L:11 1
1000
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
Improved Combined Thermo Electrical and Hydraulic Apparatus
for Automatically Operating Air and Water Valves and the like.
I BENJAMIN BOOTHROYD of Kirkstall House, Rawlinson Road, Southport in the
county of Lancaster, Cabinet Maker 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 certain improved combined thermo-electrical and hydraulic
apparatus for automatically operating air and water valves and the like.
The valves or parts to be operated are connected by suitable rods, or by rack and
pinion or other suitable gearing to the piston or ram of a hydraulic cylinder the
pressure in which is controlled by ordinary valves, or by a single two way cock in a
similar manner to that described in the specification of my Letters Patent No. 4663
of April 15th 1885. The said regulating valve or valves is or are connected to and
operated by a rod pivotted to a crank carrying upon its shaft or otherwise connected
to a rotary drum or its equivalent upon which is wound a chain or cord with a weight
which may be carried over a pulley if desired to obtain greater length of fall, or for
the same purpose a spring may be used as in a clock. The rotation of the crank is
controlled by an armature, provided with a spring and normally engaging with one
of certain teeth or notches cut or formed in the crank shaft or on the periphery of a
disc fixed thereto, or it may be in the periphery of a disc crank. The armature is

page_text: acted upon by an electro-magnet one pole of which is connected to one or one of a
pair of electric thermometers or to one side of a metallic thermometer and the other
to any suitable generator of electricity. Suitable contact points are placed upon the
rotary part in such position as to engage with cut outs of any suitable type placed in
the circuit.
The invention is particularly applicable to automatically turning on water in case of
fire, in which case one thermometer only is required and the valve may be upon or
geared with the spindle of the drum connected to the crank shaft. On the temperature
rising to a given point the hydrant or water supply valve would by the hereindescribed
apparatus be automatically opened and maintained open until closed manually. A
cut off of any suitable type may be arranged to dis-connect the battery or electrical
generator to prevent waste of power.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one arrangement of my apparatus,
though it is obvious that it is capable of many modified applications. In the figures
the main air and water or other valves intended to be operated, and also the hydraulic
piston with its regulating valve or valves are not shown; these may be of any suitable
known types and the latter are actuated to admit and release pressure automatically
at certain limits of variation of temperature by means of the rod a connected with
the said valve or valves and with the apparatus to be described.
In Figure 1 the rod a is shown connected to a crank B whose shaft is supported in
suitable bearings and carries the drum or barrel 6 on which is wound the chain or
cord 6' preferably led over a pulley and carrying the actuating weight 6' as indicated,
and provided with winding gear of usual type; upon the said crank shaft is also keyed
the disc D; or the rod a may be connected direct with the disc D suitably centred
upon a bearing so as to rotate freely as shown in figure 2, or otherwise. The weight
and chain 6', may be applied as described to the spindle of the disc, or it may be
actuated by an ordinary coiled spring contained in a barrel E as shown, and capable
of being wound up in the usual manner. The rotation of disc D is controlled by the
spring armature F with locking catch f normally engaging with one of the notches d d
in its periphery.
M is an electro-magnet connected to any suitable generator of electricity G, and
to an electric thermometer or one of a pair of ordinary “high” or “low” electric
thermometers HL, or it may be to a metallic thermometer consisting of a compound
bar, band, or strip of suitable metals either straight or coiled so as to economise space,
or any suitable thermal contact maker may be employed, the said thermometers or
equivalents being placed in the chamber in which the temperature is to be regulated.
N N are contact points so disposed on the rotating disc D as to engage at the
proper times as hereinafter shown with the spring contacts n n and cause a cut out
between the electric thermometers or equivalent then in action and the generator, and
simultaneously bring the other thermometer or equivalent into circuit ready for action
on the fall of temperature to the point at which it is set to act; any suitable type of
apparatus for making and breaking the circuit may be used.
The action is as follows:-
When on rise of temperature sufficient expansion or bending of the thermal contact
maker takes place, or the mercury in the electric thermometer rises to the point at
which the apparatus is adjusted the electric circuit is completed and the armature F
is attracted by the electro magnet M and the disc or crank D is free to be rotated by
the action of the weight or spring E. When the apparatus is arranged as
illustrated this action raises the rod a connected with the valve levers simultaneously
closing the exhaust and admitting pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. The location
of the contact N is such that when the disc or crank D has commenced to rotate or
rotated for any given distance contact is made with the cut out n and the circuit is
broken, the armature F is released and springs forward, its catch pressing against
the periphery of disc or crank D so that it will engage with the next notch d which
is brought beneath it; the apparatus is thus brought to rest, the ram being at the
outward end of its stroke, the exhaust closed, and the main valve or ventilator to be
operated, open: In the drawing the connecting rod a is now at the top part of the

page_text: disc and on the temperature again falling to the point of adjustment of the heat
measuring apparatus, a similar action takes place but with the reverse effect; the
second part rotation of the disc or crank D drawing down the connecting rod a
opening the exhaust. The ram then completes its return stroke closing the main valve
or ventilator, the cut out n acting in the same manner as before set forth.
Where the arrangement is adopted of a crank with a barrel weight or spring on
its shaft as first described an ordinary train of clockwork gearing may be interposed
between the stop disc and the crank so that less current and power would be required
to release the disc for the half revolution.
L
The application of the invention to the turning on of the valve of a hydrant will be
readily understood without illustration, the spindle of the said valve may be a wheel
valve with toothed periphery or be geared in any suitable well known manner with
the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder or with the spindle of the rotary disc or
crank itself.
When the rising mercury of the electric thermometer completes circuit the motion
of the disc or crank causes the main water valve to be fully opened, in this case the
cut out described for reversing the operation on fall of temperature is either dispensed
with, or so connected as to disconnect the battery the valve being left fully open until
closed by hand and the apparatus reset.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In thermo-electric or combined thermo-electric and hydraulic apparatus for the
automatic actuation of air and water valves or other similar apparatus capable of such
automatic actuation, the employment of an electro-magnet with an armature provided
with a catch normally locking a disc or other rotating part but adapted to release
same at the times and for the purposes herein before set forth, the said actions being
effected by the means herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In combination with the wheel or other rotating part the adaptation and
location of the automatic cut out and the circuit arrangement as and for the
purposes shown and described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The general combination of parts constituting my improved combined thermo-
electrical and hydraulic apparatus for automatically operating air and water valves
and the like substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and described and
illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirtieth day of June 1887.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, W.C..
Agent for Applicant.