Improvements in Injectors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Injectors.
I, ROBERT GRUNDY BROOKE, of Upton Grange, Macclesfield, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in injectors.
In injectors of the self-acting type, the combining nozzle is usually provided
with one or more gaps, holes or overflow openings through which steam, or steam
and water, can freely escape at starting but which after the starting of the
injector is or are closed, either directly or by the closing of an overflow chamber
into which it or they discharge, in order to exclude air from the combining nozzle
whilst the injector is working.
Now my present invention has reference inter alia to improved means for effect-
ing the automatic opening and closing of a gap of the kind referred to. According
thereto I arrange the upper or flared end portion of the combining nozzle, some-
times called the lifting tube, to slide endways through the wall or partition
separating the water supply and overflow chambers and provide it with means for
preventing air or steam passing along it and entering the water chamber when
the injector is starting or lifting its water and for closing the gap between itself
and the remaining part of the combining nozzle when the injector is working.
According to one construction the movable upper end of the combining nozzle
(hereinafter called the lifting tube) has its inner end, or that adjacent to the
fixed part of the combining nozzle recessed so as to form a rim adapted to abut
against a collar or extension on the end of the fixed part of the combining nozzle
the said inner end of the lifting tube being also provided with an external collar
adapted to abut against and form a close joint with a tubular extension of the
wall or partition through which the lifting tube slides. The arrangement is such
that when steam is turned onto the injector it enters the chamber formed by &
between the recessed inner end of the lifting tube and the enlarged end of the
fixed part of the combining nozzle and causes the lifting tube to rise until the
collar thereon abuts against the end of the tubular extension in which the lifting
tube works. This action opens the gap in the combining nozzle formed between
the inner end of the lifting tube and the collar on the fixed part of the combining
nozzle, and enables the injector to start in the well known way, the abutting of
the collar on the lifting tube against the end of the tubular extension serving at
the same time to prevent air or steam passing along the exterior of the lifting
tube and into the water supply chamber. When the injector starts to work the
lifting tube falls or moves inward so that its recessed inner end abuts against the
collar on the combining nozzle and closes the gap. The overflow chamber with
which the gap communicates is or may be provided with a lift valve or other
equivalent contrivance adapted to prevent air from entering the overflow chamber
and so from entering the water chamber past the exterior of the lifting tube.
.
In some cases I provide between the lifting tube and the wall or partition
through which it works, a valve or closure that will permit the lifting tube to slide
in either direction and will act to prevent steam or air entering the water supply

page_text: chamber when the lifting tube has been moved into its inner or gap closing
position. The valve or closure may be in the form of a washer or ring of elastic
or pliable material such as india rubber arranged between a shoulder on the end
portion of the lifting tube projecting into the water supply chamber and an
adjacent shoulder on the corresponding side of the wall or partition through which
the lifting tube works. Or the valve may consist of a ring of metal or other
material detachably applied to the water chamber end of the lifting tube and
adapted to abut against a shoulder on the corresponding side of the said wall or
partition when the lifting tube moves into the position to close the gap in the
combining nozzle. In this case the valve on the overflow chamber may be
omitted the said valve or closure between the lifting tube and wall or partition
serving to prevent air entering the water supply chamber and also to prevent water
from passing too freely from the water supply chamber into the overflow chamber.
I have however found that when the overflow chamber is provided with a valve,
the ordinary overflow opening between the combining and delivery nozzles will
absorb as much water as is drawn past the exterior of the lifting tube when this
tube is properly constructed.
Self acting injectors provided with movable lifting tubes as hereinbefore
described are simpler, more reliable and cheaper to construct than injectors of
the same type as heretofore constructed, and if the normally fixed part of the
combining nozzle and the delivery nozzle be connected together and screwed
through one end of the injector casing, as is commonly done, both these combined
parts and the lifting tube can be removed from the injector casing, by one unscrew-
ing operation, except in the case where the water chamber end of the lifting tube
is provided with a valve in the form of a projecting ring which must be detached
from such tube before the same can be withdrawn through the same opening as
'the said connected combining and delivery nozzlea.
In combined exhaust and supplementary injectors in which the supplementary
injector receives its water from the exhaust injector and forces it by means of
live steam against a higher pressure than the exhaust injector could force it alone,
it is sometimes necessary to provide the exhaust steam nozzle with a central live
steam spindle from which a jet of live steam is caused to issue in order to cause the
exhaust injector to start in a quick and reliable manner. Now according to this
invention live steam is admitted to the live steam spindle of the exhaust injector
by the same movement that admits live steam to the supplementary injector but
in such a way that it enters the said steam spindle slightly before it enters the
steam nozzle of the supplementary injector whereby the combined injectors are
caused to start and work in a better manner than usual.
In one arrangement for this purpose, the steam spindle of the exhaust injector
is in communication with one end of a steam supply pipe the other end of which is
in communication with a live steam, chamber formed in the supplementary injector
between the steam nozzle thereof and the seat of the valve that controls the supply
of live steam to such nozzle, this valve being fast on a stem the inner end of which
extends some distance into the nozzle which it fits so that on opening the valve
live steam will pass to the supply pipe of the live steam spindle of the exhaust
injector before the inner end of the valve spindle leaves the steam nozzle of the
supplementary injector and permits live steam to pass thereto. The valve spindle
extends through a stuffing box and may be moved endways by a handle lever,
or it may be screw threaded and be turned by a hand wheel or equivalent. The
movement of the valve spindle may be utilized to simultaneously operate a starting
valve on the overflow of the supplementary injector.
D
100

page_text: Improvements in Injectors.
I, ROBERT GRUNDY BROOKE, of Upton Grange, Macclesfield, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, 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 has reference to improvements in injectors.
In injectors of the self-acting type, the combining nozzle is usually provided
with one or more gaps, holes or overflow openings through which steam, or steam
and water, can freely escape at starting, but which, after the starting of the
injector, is or are closed, either directly, or by the closing of an overflow chamber
into which it or they discharge, in order to exclude air from the combining nozzle
whilst the injector is working.
Now my present invention has reference inter alia to improved means for effect-
ing the automatic opening and closing of a gap of the kind referred to. According
thereto I arrange the upper or flared end portion of the combining nozzle, some-
times called the lifting tube, to slide endways through the wall or partition
separating the water supply and overflow chambers and provide it with means for
preventing air or steam passing along it and entering the water chamber when
the injector is starting or lifting its water and for closing the gap between itself
and the remaining part of the combining nozzle when the injector is working.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying illustrative drawings shows in vertical section,
part of one construction of a self-acting injector according to this invention.
In this construction, the movable upper end 1 of the combining nozzle (herein-
after called the lifting tube) has its inner end, or that adjacent to the fixed part 1
of the combining nozzle, recessed as shown at 2 so as to form a rim 3 adanted to
abut against a collar or extension 4 on the end of the fixed part 1" of the combining
nozzle, the said inner end of the lifting tube being also provided with an external
collar 5 adapted to abut against and form a close joint with a tubular extension 6ª
of the wall or partition 6 through which the lifting tube slides. As will be seen,
the arrangement is such that when steam is turned into the injector. it enters the
chamber 2 formed by and between the recessed inner end of the lifting tube 1 and
the enlarged end of the fixed part 1 of the combining nozzle, and causes the lifting
tube to rise until the collar 5 thereon abuts against the end of the tubular exten-
sion 6. This action opens the gap in the combining nozzle formed between the
inner end of the lifting tube 1 and the collar 4 on the fixed part of the combining
nozzle, and enables the injector to start in the well known way, the abutting of
the collar 5 on the lifting tube against the end of the tubular extension 6 serving
at the same time to prevent air or steam passing along the exterior of the lifting
tube and into the water supply chamber 7. When the injector starts to work the
lifting tube 1 falls or moves inward to its normal working position in which its
recessed inner end abuts against the collar 4 on the combining nozzle and so closes
the gap formed between the two parts. The overflow chamber 8 with which the
gap communicates is or may be provided with a lift valve 9 or other equivalent
contrivance adapted to prevent air from entering the overflow chamber and so from
entering the water chamber 7 past the exterior of the lifting tube whilst the
injector is in action. I have found in practice that when the overflow chamber 8
is thus provided with a valve, the ordinary overflow opening 11 (Fig. 1) between
the combining and delivery nozzles 13 and 12 will, when the injector is properly
at work, absorb as much water as is drawn past the exterior of the lifting tube 1
when this tube is properly constructed to form a sliding fit in the extension 6ª.
Also that it is not then essential that the gap between the movable and fixed

page_text: parts 3 and 4 respectively should be sealed air tight when the lifting tube returns
to its inner or normal working position. Thus the collar 4 may in such a case be
formed with two small openings 4 which remain permanently open and which act
as suction openings when the inner end 3 of the lifting tube abuts against the
collar 4.
Fig. 2 is a part vertical section showing a modified arrangement wherein the
upper end of the lifting tube 1 works within an upward tubular extension Gb of
the wall or partition 6 which, as shown, is of such length in relation to the lift
of the tube 1 and is so arranged in relation to the steam nozzle 10, that the cross
sectional area of the water space around the said steam nozzle remains unaltered
when the lifting tube rises to its uppermost position, indicated in dotted lines.
Self-acting injectors provided with movable lifting tubes as herein before
described are simpler more reliable, and cheaper to construct than injectors of
the same type as heretofore constructed, and if the normally fixed part 1 of the
combining nozzle and the delivery nozzle 12 be connected together and screwed
through one end of the injector casing, as is commonly done, and as shown in
Fig. 1, both these combined parts and the lifting tube can be removed from the
injector casing by one unscrewing operation.
In combined exhaust and supplementary injectors in which the supplementary
injector receives its water from the exhaust injector and forces it by means of
live steam against a higher pressure than the exhaust injector could force it alone,
it is sometimes necessary to provide the exhaust steam nozzle with a central live
steam spindle from which a jet of live steam is caused to issue in order to cause the
exhaust injector to start in a quick and reliable manner. Now according to this
invention live steam is admitted to the live steam spindle of the exhaust injector
by the same movement that admits live steam to the supplementary injector but
in such a way that it enters the said steam spindle slightly before it enters the
steam nozzle of the supplementary injector whereby the combined injectors are
caused to start and work in a better manner than usual.
Figs. 3 and 4 are views taken at right angles to one another cach showing
partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, combined exhaust and
supplementary injectors with one arrangement of live steam controlling means
according to this invention.
13 is the exhaust steam injector having an exhaust steam inlet 14 with con-
trolling valve 15, an exhaust steam nozzle 16, water inlet 17, combining nozzle 1
and overflow 18. 19 is the supplementary injector having an inlet 20 in communi-
cation with the delivery passage 21 of the exhaust injector, a live steam inlet 22,
a delivery outlet 23, a relief opening 24 controlled by a valve 25, and a relief
or overflow branch 26. 27 is a back pressure valve between the two injectors.
28 is the live steam spindle of the exhaust injector 13 arranged centrally within
the exhaust steam nozzle 16. It is in communication with one end of a steam
supply pipe 29 the other end of which is in communication with a live steam
chamber 30 formed in the supplementary injector 19 between the steam nozzle 31
⚫ thereof and the seat 32 of the valve 33 that controls the supply of live steam from
the inlet 22 to such nozzle. This valve 33 is fast on a stem or spindle 34 the
inner end 34" of which extends some distance into the nozzle 31 which it fits, so
that on partly opening the said valve, live steam will pass to the supply pipe 29
of the live steam spindle 28 of the exhaust injector before the inner end 34* of the
valve spindle leaves the steam nozzle 31 of the supplementary injector and permits
live steam to pass thereto. The valve spindle 34 extends through a stuffing box 35
and may be moved endways by a hand-lever 36; or it may be screw threaded as
indicated in dotted lines at 34 and be turned by a hand wheel 37, (also indicated
in dotted lines) or equivalent device.
As will be seen, with the arrangement described, by slightly raising the
spindle 34 and valve 33, live steam: can be permitted to enter the pipe 29 and pass
to the live steam spindle 28 of the exhaust injector 13 before live steam is admitted
to the steam nozzle 31 of the supplementary injector to which it can be admitted

page_text: by raising the spindle sufficiently to withdraw its lower end 34" from such steam
nozzle.
The movement of the valve spindle 34 may be utilized to simultaneously operate
In the
the starting valve on the overflow of the supplementary injector 19.
arrangement shown for this purpose in the drawings, the hand lever 36 pivoted
at 37 is connected at its other end by a link 38 to the upper end of a rod 39 that
is arranged to slide vertically in a guide 40 parallel to the valve spindle 34 and
carries at its lower end the starting or relief valve 25 controlling the overflow or
relief opening 24. As will be seen the arrangement is such that the hand lever 36
can be moved in the direction of the arrow a sufficiently to open the valve 33 and
admit live steam to the steam spindle 28 without admitting it to the steam
nozzle 31 and without closing the starting or relief 25, so as to permit the exhaust
injector to start, and upon moving the hand lever to a further extent in the same
direction, after a jet has been established through the combined injectors, the
starting or relief valve 25 can be closed and live steam simultaneously admitted
to the steam nozzle 31 of the supplementary injector so as to bring this injector
into action.
Fig. 5 is a part side elevation showing a modified arrangement in which the
live steam, valve spindle 34 is connected through a cross head 34" and a pair of
side links 34 to a forked hand lever 36 which is pivoted to the live steam inlet
branch 22 at 37 and is connected by a link 38" to an arm 39" fixed on the spindle 39b
of the relief valve at 25 which in this case is a rotary plug valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1 claim is:
1. A self-acting injector in which the lifting tube or flared upper end portion
of the combining nozzle is arranged to slide endways through the wall or partition
separating the water supply and overflow chambers and is provided with means
for preventing air or steam passing along it and entering the water chamber when
the injector is starting or lifting its water, and for suitably closing the gap
between itself and the remaining part of the combining nozzle when the injector
is working, substantially as herein described.
2. A self-acting injector having a lifting tube, and fixed combining nozzle
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Fig. 1, or modified according to Fig. 2 of the drawings
annexed, and with or without means for preventing air from entering the over-
How chamber, as set forth.
3. In combined exhaust and supplementary injectors, valve mechanism whereby
live steam can be admitted to a live steam spindle in the exhaust injector by the
same movement that admits live steam to the supplementary injector, the arrange-
ment being such that live steam enters the said live steam spindle before it enters
the steam nozzle of the supplementary injector, substantially as herein described.
4. Combined exhaust and supplenientary injectors provided with means con-
structed, arranged and operating substantially as herein before described and shown
in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings for supplying live steam to the
live steam spindle and live steam nozzle of the two injectors in the manner set forth.
5. The improved combined exhaust and supplementary injector shown in and
described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, or
modified according to Fig. 5.
Dated this 19th day of July 1998.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46. Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.