Improvements in Safety Arrangements for Providing Against Dangerous Pressures in Kitchen and similar Boilers or Water Heating Apparatus, also applicable to Steam Boilers or Generators.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Arrangements for Providing Against
Dangerous Pressures in Kitchen and similar Boilers or
Water Heating Apparatus, also applicable to Steam Boilers
or Generators.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD BARTER, of 26 Lorne Street, Moss Side, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention, to be as follows:-
As is well known, kitchen or other domestic and similar boilers or water heating
apparatus are connected with two lines of pipes between the boiler or heating
apparatus and a cistern or cylinder, and through these pipes the water is heated and
kept in circulation by the fire acting upon the boiler, and in cold weather when
the fire has gone out, the circulating pipes and sometimes the boiler are liable to
get frozen and blocked with ice so that when the fire is lighted an explosion may
occur, causing great damage and in some cases loss of life or serious personal
injuries-Such water heating arrangements when working properly are subject to
a nearly constant pressure equal to about the head of water in the circulating
pipes above the boiler.
My invention consists in arranging at some convenient and desired part of the
side of the boiler, a hole which is closed fluid tight by a thin plate or cap of metal
which is only sufficiently strong to resist a little more than the normal working
pressure of the circulating water upon the boiler, and this plate or cap will
burst and allow the water and steam to escape from the boiler or heater in
case of abnormal pressure such as occurs when the heater or pipes are blocked
with ice, and as this plate or cap is arranged to burst at a comparatively low
pressure, little or no damage is done to the boiler or fire place, and there will be
no damage to life or personal injury, as the outlet from the bursting plate for
liquid and steam is arranged to be conveyed away by a pipe taken in any convenient
direction where it will be harmless.
The bursting plate or cap is or may be put on any desired side of the boiler
say at the back, in which case it is covered by a strong iron cap or guard that
leaves a space between the bursting plate and cap or guard which will cause the
discharged fluid or steam to pass up the flue from the boiler or both up and down
or sideways.
This bursting plate or cap is or may also be formed of a metal that will fuse at a
temperature a little above that of the water in the boiler when at its highest
normal working temperature.
According to a modification of my invention, the pressure of water in the boiler
is arranged to act upon a diaphragm that will operate upon a disc connected by
rods or levers with a punch or point that will punch or form a small hole in thin
soft metal that will allow steam or liquid to escape from the boiler, and if desired
so as to put out the fire when there is abnormal pressure in the heating apparatus.
According to another modification the diaphragm inserted in one of the sides
of the boiler or on a pipe connected with it, has a small hole in its centre and to
this part of the diaphragm one end of a rod or part is soldered or otherwise secured
so as to make the small hole fluid tight, the other end of the connection is
secured to a cross bar or part attached to the side of the boiler or the diaphragm
is secured directly to the cross bar.
Thus arranged the centre of the diaphragm is held inwards against the normal
pressure, but when the pressure increases above the point fixed upon, the

page_text: diaphragın is forced outwards and is broken away from its connection with the
retaining cross bar, leaving the small hole in the diaphragm uncovered, and open
for the escape of fluid.
11
The two last described modifications may be varied in details without departing
from their principle of action.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of January 1894.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Arrangements for Providing Against
Dangerous Pressures in Kitchen and similar Boilers or
Water Heating Apparatus, also applicable to Steam Boilers
or Generators.
I, WILLIAM RICHARD BARTER, of 26 Lorne Street, Moss Side, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, 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 :-
As is well known, kitchen or other domestic and similar boilers or water heating
apparatus, are connected with two lines of pipes between the boiler or heating
apparatus and a cistern or cylinder, and through these pipes the water is heated
and kept in circulation by the fire acting upon the boiler, and in cold weather
when the fire has gone out, the circulating pipes and sometimes the boiler are
liable to get frozen and blocked with ice, so that when the fire is lighted an
explosion may occur, causing great damage and in some cases loss of life, or
serious personal injuries-Such water heating arrangements when working
properly, are subject to a nearly constant pressure equal to about the head of water
in the circulating pipes above the boiler.
My invention consists in arranging at some convenient and desired part of the
side of the boiler, a hole, which is closed fluid tight by a thin plate or cap of metal
which is only sufficiently strong to resist a little more than the normal working
pressure of the circulating water upon the boiler, and this plate or cap will burst
and allow the water and steam to escape from the boiler or heater in case of
abnormal pressure such as occurs when the heater or pipes are blocked with ice,
and as this plate or cap is arranged to burst at a comparatively low pressure, little
or no damage is done to the boiler or fire place, and there will be no damage to
life or personal injury, as the outlet from the bursting plate for liquid and steam is
arranged to be conveyed away by a pipe taken in any convenient direction where
it will be harmless.
The bursting plate or cap is or may be put on any desired side of the boiler,
say at the back, or top, in which case it is covered by a strong iron cap or guard
that leaves a space between the bursting plate, and cap or guard, which will cause
the discharged fluid or steam to pass up the flue from the boiler or both up and
down, or sideways.
This bursting plate or cap is or may be formed of a metal that will fuse at a
temperature a little above that of the water in the boiler, when at its highest
normal working temperature.
According to a modification of my invention, the pressure of water in the boiler
when excessive is arranged to act upon the bursting plate to cause it to come
against a punch or point that will punch or form a small hole in the thin soft
metal of such bursting plate that will allow steam or liquid to escape from the
boiler, and if desired so as to put out the fire when there is abnormal pressure
in the heating apparatus.
According to another modification the diaphragm inserted in one of the sides of the
boiler or on a pipe connected with it, has a small hole in its centre and to this part

page_text: of the diaphragm one end of a rod or part is soldered or otherwise secured so as
to make the small hole fluid tight, the other end of the connection is secured to a
cross bar or part attached to the side of the boiler or the diaphragm is secured
directly to the cross bar.
Thus arranged the centre of the diaphragm is held inwards against the normal
pressure, but when the pressure increases above the point fixed upon, the
diaphragm is forced outwards and is broken away from its connection with the
retaining cross bar, leaving the small hole in the diaphragm uncovered and open
for the escape of fluid.
The two last described modifications may be varied in details without departing
from their principle of action.
Fig. 1, is a front sectional elevation; Fig. 2, a front elevation and Fig. 3, an
end elevation illustrating one modification of my invention.
a, represents a kitchen boiler of ordinary form and construction band b¹,
respectively the ordinary inlet and outlet pipes indicated by dotted line.
In ordinary kitchen boilers a, (especially those made of cast iron) there is a
hole a', in the top to give access to the interior of the boiler, which hole is closed
by a plate secured fluid tight thereon by bolts.
In place of the ordinary cover plate a casting c, with flanges at its lower side is
secured to the top of the boiler by bolts c', and screws.
The front of the casting c, has a side opening to give access thereto covered by
a plate c², secured thereto by bolts c³, fluid tight.
Within the casting c, a recess is formed for a thin disc of soft metal d, which is
to form the bursting plate, and the marginal edges of this disc come against a flange
or shoulder on the casting c, and is held fluid tight there against by a ring e, pressing
against the margin of the upper side of the disc d.
The ring e, has a cross bar e', in which there is a hole through which a screw
bolt, passes, having a screw nut on it, above the cross bar e', this screw bolt has
a T head that enters a slot in a part es, that can be slided into grooves in the
casting c, when the lid c², in the front of the casting c, is removed.
The T head of the bolt e, is thus kept from revolving when the screw nut is rotated,
and when the bolt is screwed upwards against the slide bar e³, this causes the
ring e, to be pressed down upon the bursting disc d, which is thus held fluid tight.
The lower end of the screw bolt e², is made lancet or chisel pointed and to touch
or nearly touch the outer side of the bursting plate d, when adjusted.
When the pressure gets excessive the bursting plate begins to bulge outwards
until it bursts, and a circular disc of the bursting plate d, is forced outwards, the
steam and water is received into a pipe f, turned in any convenient direction and
is conveyed away by pipes jointed to the casting c, the outlet from such pipes being
in such position that a discharge therefrom will be harmless.
This is the result of excessive pressure when the lancet or other point is not
used, but when it is employed the bursting plate d, is pierced or slit, and the small
hole thus formed allows the steam and water to escape like a small jet of steam and
there is no violent explosion.
In this latter arrangement the casting c, may have a cover plate ct, and a small
pipe f, may be used to convey the escaping steam and water away as shown in
Fig. 2, or the escaping steam may be made to pass through a whistle co, to draw
attention to the escaping fluid as shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 4, is a sectional elevation; and Fig. 5, an end elevation illustrating another
modification of my invention.
a, represents the top of the boiler.
9, a ring having a recess in it for the bursting disc d; c, the cover plate secured
o the boiler by bolts which when screwed tight make a fluid tight joint between
he underside of the ring, and the top of the boiler a, and press the bursting
olate d, into the recess and make it fluid tight.
There is an outlet from the cavity in the cover plate c, by a pipe not shown,
aken in any required direction.

page_text: If desired there may be a cross bar in the cavity of the cover plate c, to
carry a lancet or chisel point to come against the outer face of the bursting
plate d.
It may here be stated that the bursting plates d, may be of lead of a thickness,
according to the area of the bursting plate, such as will resist a few pounds per
square inch more than bursting pressure fixed upon and quite within the pressure,
the boiler a, can resist.
Fig. 6, is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 7, an end elevation of an arrangement
of two bursting plates d.
c, is a casting secured by bolts fluid tight to the top of the boiler a.
This casting has two recesses each for a bursting plate d, secured fluid tight each
by a ring e, and two bolts.
Figs. 8 and 9 are views corresponding respectively, to Figs. 6 and 7.
c, is a casting with flat sides, and with a hole in each side and one at the top.
This casting has in its inside a hat shaped lining (except that its sides are flat
and rectangular) of thin lead or other suitable metal, that which corresponds to the
brim or flange of the hat comes between the underside of the casting and the top
of the boiler a, and becomes fluid tight when the bolts are screw up tightly.
The pressure of the fluid from the boiler gets into the interior of the lining, and
if excessive may blow a disc d, of the bursting lining out of each of the five holes
in the casting c.
Fig. 10, is a sectional elevation and Fig. 11 a top plan section.
The bursting lining in this case within the casting c, is of hat shape and
cylindrical, and the brim part of the lining comes between the casting c, and the
boiler a, and is secured thereto fluid tight when the bolts are screw tight.
Three openings are supposed to be in the sides and one in the top of the casting c,
one or more of which will be blown out in case of excessive pressure.
Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation; Fig. 13, an end elevation, and Fig. 14 a plan
view illustrating another modification of my invention.
In these figures a globular explosion vessel d, is formed with a neck part having
a flange which comes between a plate g, with a hole in it and the top of the boiler a,
and the plate g, and a frame h, on the exterior of the explosion vessel d, are secured
to the boiler by bolts.
The vessel d, is made of the shape shown, and the neck part is passed through
the hole in the plate g, and is then worked to form a flange to come between
the plate g, and top of the boiler a, to make a fluid tight joint when the bolts are
screwed up tightly.
The fluid from the boiler gets into the interior of the explosion vessel d.
The frame h, carries a series of lancet points, that come in contact with the
exterior of the globular part of the explosion vessel d, and when it begins to bulge
outwards by excessive pressure (being lead or soft metal) these lancet points h¹,
pierce the ball with small holes which allows the fluid pressure to escape without
explosive violence.
Fig. 15, is a sectional elevation and Fig. 16, a top plan view of another
modification.
This is made by an explosion chamber d, formed by a cylinder with a flange, the
latter coming between a plate g, having a hole in it, and the top of the boiler a,
and when bolted down forms a fluid tight joint.
There is a ring frame 1, at the upper part of the bursting chamber, the hole in
which ring fits the exterior of the chamber d, at its lower edge and is then conical,
and a hollow conical plug d¹, is driven into the end of the explosion chamber d,
expanding it against the hole in the ring frame h, and to make the joint between
the explosion vessel certainly fluid tight, solder may be placed round the hollow
cone plug d¹.
The ring frame h, has arms carrying lancet points h¹, that come against the
sides of the cylindrical part of the explosion chamber d, which will act as
hereinbefore explained.

page_text: Fig. 17, is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 18 an end elevation illustrating another
modification of my invention.
9, is a ring plate that fits fluid tight on the top of the boiler a.
This ring plate g, has a bar g', across the hole in it for a projection or bolt g²,
coming under a disc d, or diaphragm plate of thin metal secured on the top of the
disc plate g, by a cap cover plate c, and bolts which when screwed up, secure all
the parts fluid tight together, and to the boiler a.
The stud or projection g³, has a small projection, that passes through a small
hole in the thin disc or diaphragm plate d, and this pin or small projection is
soldered fluid tight in the hole in the plate d.
It is this pin 93, and the solder that resists the pressure acting upon the plate d..
and when the pressure is excessive the plate is pushed outwards, breaking the
connection by the solder between the pin g³, and disc consequently the hole in the
plate d, thus becomes open and the fluid pressure can escape.
Fig. 19, is a sectional elevation, Fig. 20 an end elevation and Fig. 21, a top or
plan view of a kitchen boiler having my invention applied thereto.
a, is the boiler; b and b'; the ordinary circulating pipes.
The cover plate c, for the hole in the top of the boiler has a tubular part c¹,.
cast upon it, its lower end extending to the lower part of the boiler. The open
expanded end of the tube c', is covered by a cap of lead or other suitable metal d,.
forming the bursting plate, the edges of which cap are soldered to make it fluid
tight to the sides of the tube c', near its inner end. There is a cross bar c², within
the tube in which a lance pointed screw ', is secured and adjusted to come near to
the outer or upper side of the bursting plate d.
To the upper end of the tube c', a pipe is secured which may extend to any
convenient position where its open ended outlet may be seen, and where a discharge
from it may be harmless.
These pipes el and f, are always dry in their interior in ordinary working, and
can be probed by wire at intervals for stoppage by dust which is not likely to
accumulate therein consequently there is no liquid in the pipe c¹, liable to freeze or
block its outlet.
The bursting plate d, may be of metal that will fuse at a temperature fixed upon
above that due to the ordinary temperature when the water is freely circulating
through the boiler.
If the water in the boiler was entirely frozen, the heat of the fire would act first
upon the bottom near the bursting plate d, and excessive pressure combined with
excess of heat would cause the plate d, to be punctured or burst and this would
allow the fluids to escape without violent explosion.
The modifications illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7, Figs. 8 and 9, Figs. 10 and 11,
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 and Figs. 15 and 16 may have guards placed over them held
by the bolts which secure the parts to the boiler to prevent any parts blown out
from being dangerous, but these guards have suitable outlets for escaping fluids as
described and illustrated in other modifications herein before referred to.
Any of the arrangements shown may be applied to steam boilers.
That illustrated by Figs. 19, 20 and 21 may be applied to steam boilers, the flange
part being secured to the top of the boiler or to a pipe from the exterior of the
boiler, the open end of the pipe in the interior of the boiler being covered by
the bursting plate arranged to come near the top of the boiler or Hue over the
furnace.
The bursting plate together with the lancet or other point for piercing it, may
be applied to a hole in the side or upon a branch from the pipe or junction for the
ordinary safety valve of steam boilers or generators.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The combination of bursting plates or vessels or chambers with points to.

page_text: pierce the metal of such plates, vessels or chambers substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The combination of bursting plates or diaphragms with a point soldered into
a hole in the plate or diaphragm which will be left open when the two are separated,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by
Figs. 17 and 18 of the drawings.
3. The combinations and arrangements as applied to kitchen or domestic water
heating boilers, and to steam boilers or generators, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3; Figs. 4 and 5; Figs. 6 and 7;
Figs. 8 and 9; Figs. 10 and 11; Figs. 12, 13 and 14; Figs. 15 and 16; Figs. 17
and 18 and Figs. 19, 20 and 21 of the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of October 1894.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.