IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Finch, of the Seville Works, Dublin,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 19th August 1853, and dated the 16th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Finch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th June 1853.
I, BENJAMIN FINCH, of the Seville Works, Dublin, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS" to be as follows:
This Invention consists of supplying steam boilers by a combination
of apparatus in such manner that a force pump worked by the engine
forces a supply of water into a valve chest, and from this chest the
requisite quantity is supplied to the boiler. On the interior of the
boiler a float gives motion to a lever which by a rod (passing through
a stuffing box) gives motion to a weighted spindle, on which are
two valves, one opening into and the other out of a water passage
leading to the boiler. The force pump forces the water into a valve
chest, and according as the two valves are raised more or less off their
seats, so will be the quantity of water which will pass from the valve

page_text: chest into the water passage leading to the boiler, and the opening of
the valves will depend on the rising and falling of the float in the
boiler. In the water passage leading to the boiler is a cock, by which
the water can be supplied from a supply tank or strect main by turning
the plug of the cock in the proper direction for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Finch in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 16th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
BENJAMIN FINCII, of the Seville Works, Dublin, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, hearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Ter reign, did, for Ierself, Ifer heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Benjamin Finch, Her special licence that I,
the said Benjamin Finch, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Benjamin Finch, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Finch, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner 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 Benjamin Finch, 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 thereof (that is to say):

page_text: This Invention consists of supplying steam boilers by a combination
of apparatus in such manner that a force pump worked by the engine
forces a supply of water into a valve chest, and from this chest the
requisite quantity is supplied to the boiler. On the interior of the
boiler a float gives motion to a lever, which by a rod (passing through a
stuffing box) gives motion to a weighted spindle, on which are two
valves, one opening into and the other out of a water passage leading
to the boiler. The force pump forces the water into a valve chest, and
according as the two valves are raised more or less off their seats, so
will be the quantity of water which will pass from the valve chest into
the water passage leading to the boiler, and the opening of the valves
will depend on the rising and falling of the float in the boiler. In the
water passage leading to the boiler is a cock, by which the water can
be supplied from a supply tank or street main by turning the plug of
the cock in the proper direction for that purpose.
Having thus stated the nature of my my said Invention, I will pro-
ceed to describe the manner of performing the same.
The objects of the improvements are to obtain and maintain an
uniform level of water in a steam boiler.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a feeding apparatus, part of the
boiler being shown in section. Figure 2, is a sectional clevation of
the valve casing, and also the feed stop cock on a larger scale. Figure
3, is a plan in section of the valve casing and feed stop cock. The
valve casing is provided with an inlet branch A, an outlet branch B.
The casing D, contains a valve box C, filled up with a double beat
valve E, E, placed under control by means of a spindle jointed to the
valve, and passing out through a stuffing box in the cover, and termi-
nating in a handle. The spindle is weighted as shown.
The connection of the equilebrium valve E, E, with the float is made
from its lower extremity by means of the brass lifting spindle F,
which forms the link of communication between the valve E, and the
lifting rod F, in connection with the lever G, and float II, in the
boiler.

page_text: The water having passed through into the valve box C, passes
through the cock, and descends a pipe into the boiler.
The lifting spindle E, is provided with a cone collar at its lower
end, accurately turned and ground to fit a countersink provided on the
underside of brass bush through which it works; this spindle, when
raised to its fullest extent, acts as a valve in shutting off all communi-
cation at this point with the boiler. By simply closing the feed stop
cock the engineer may remove the valve box cover, take out the
valve, and clean the parts. Any excess of water forced by the pump,
above what goes into the boiler, gets away through an overflow valve
weighted above the pressure in the boiler. The stop cock answers
also the purpose of supply cock, by an additional branch provided,
communicating with the supply cistern, so that by turning the plug half
round the connection with the feeding apparatus is cut off, and another
opened with the main or with a cistern. This is, of course, only used to
fill the boiler before the steam is up or the pumps at work.
To prevent any stiffness from corrosion of parts, the various bearings
are lined with brass, and the spindles passing through them made of
brass.
IIaving thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
make no claim to the parts separately. But what I claim is, the com-
bined apparatus herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Finch, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness, JNo. C. PARE,
of Seville Works, Dublin.
BENJAMIN FINCII. (L.S.)