An Improved Automatic Thermometric Regulating Apparatus for Steam and Hot Water Supply and Heating Installations.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1900
An Improved Automatic Thermometric Regulating Apparatus for
Steam and Hot Water Supply and Heating Installations.
I, WILLIAM MURRAY BINNY, Consulting Engineer, 53, Victoria Street, West-
minster, London, S.W., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an apparatus for automatically regulating the tempera-
ture of hot water supply, or for controlling the temperature of separate radiators,
as the demand for heating or for hot water supply fluctuates.
Two bulbs containing water, or other suitable fluid, are placed one in the
heater and one in the return or make-up pipe of the system. They are connected
by small tubes with each other and to a flexible diaphragm or to the interior of
a curved spring tube of the "Bourdon pressure-gauge type; so that as the
temperature of the water in the heater or return pipe rises and falls, the liquid
inside the bulbs expands and contracts causing the free end of the said dia-
phragm or curved spring tube to move to and fro. The position of the end of
the said diaphragm or curved spring tube thus depends on the mean of the
temperatures of the water in the heater and in the return pipe.
To fill the bulbs and spring tube with the liquid and to regulate the mean
position of the free end of the diaphragm or spring tube, a hand pump may be
employed; connection being made by means of a non-return valve and casing,
somewhat similar to that used for inflating the pneumatic tyres of a bicycle.
The supply of steam to the heater is controlled by a shut-down valve rigidly
connected to a piston working in a short cylinder formed in the valve casing.
One end of the said cylinder is always in communication with the boiler or
evaporator; the other can be connected either to the boiler, with the atmosphere,
or to any vessel in which the pressure is lower than that in the boiler, by means
of a three-ported valve or cock controlled by the free end of the aforesaid
diaphragm or curved spring tube. When both ends of the aforesaid cylinder are
in communication with the boiler, and the pressures on both sides of the piston are
equal, the said shut-down valve is closed, and no steam passes to the heater.
To make the closing more certain, a spring may be used to press the valve on
its seat.
When one end of the cylinder is in communication with the atmosphere, the
unbalanced pressure on the piston opens the shut-down valve and steam passes
freely to the heater. By suitable adjustments the shut-down valve can thus be
pened or closed when the mean temperature of the aforesaid bulbs falls respectively
below or above two predetermined limits. Thus the shut-down valve is either
closed or fully opened; and scoring and rapid wear of valve and seating, which
takes place when the opening is very small, is avoided. Instead of regulating
he supply of steam, the drainage of the condensed water may be controlled by
the apparatus. Also, instead of a steam piston and cylinder for opening and
closing the regulating valve, an hydraulic cylinder and piston may be used, the

page_text: pressure being taken from the water in the heater. The steam or hydraulic
cylinder and piston may be made double-acting, if desired.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1899
ARCHD. SHARP,
Agent for the Applicant.
Consulting Engineer, 47, Victoria Street, Westminster, London, S.W.
An Improved Automatic Thermometric Regulating Apparatus for
Steam and Hot Water Supply and Heating Installations,
I, WILLIAM MURRAY BINNY, Consulting Engineer, 53, Victoria Street, West-
minster, London, S.W., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an apparatus for automatically regulating the tempera-
ture of hot water supply, or for controlling the temperature of separate radiators,
as the demand for heating or for hot water supply fluctuates.
+
Two bulbs containing water, or other suitable fluid, are placed one in the
heater and one in the return or make-up pipe of the system. They are connected
by small tubes with each other and to a flexible diaphragm or to the interior of
a curved spring tube of the Bourdon pressure-gauge" type; so that as the
temperature of the water in the heater or return pipe rises and falls, the liquid
inside the bulbs expands and contracts causing the free end of the said dia-
phragm or curved spring tube to move to and fro. The position of the end of
the said diaphragm or curved spring tube thus depends on the mean of the
temperatures of the water in the heater and in the return pipe.
To fill the bulbs and spring tube with the liquid and to regulate the mean
position of the free end of the spring tube, a hand pump may be employed;
connection being made by means of a non-return valve and casing, somewhat
similar to that used for inflating the pneumatic tyres of a bicycle.
The supply of steam to the heater is controlled by a stop valve rigidly con-
nected to a piston working in a short cylinder formed in the valve casing. The
end of the said cylinder near the said stop valve is always in communication with
the steam supply; the further end can be connected either to the steam supply,
or with the atmosphere or to any vessel in which the pressure is lower than that
of the steam supply, by means of a three-ported valve or cock, or the equivalent,
controlled by the free end of the aforesaid diaphragm or curved spring tube.
When both ends of the aforesaid cylinder are in communication with the steam
supply, the pressures on both sides of the piston are equal, the said stop valve
is closed, and no steam passes to the heater. To make the closing more certain,
a spring may be used to press the valve on its seat.
When the further end of the cylinder is under low pressure, the unbalanced
pressure on the piston opens the stop valve, and steam passes freely to the heater.
By suitable adjustments the stop valve can thus be opened or closed when the
mean temperature of the aforesaid bulbs falls respectively below or above two
predetermined limits. Thus the stop valve is either closed or fully opened; and
scoring and rapid wear of valve and seating, which takes place when the opening
is very small, is avoided.
Instead of regulating the supply of steam, the drainage of the condensed water
may be controlled by the apparatus; the aforesaid stop valve will then be placed
on the drain pipe from the steam heating coils. Also, instead of a steam pistor
and cylinder for opening and closing the regulating valve, an hydraulic cylinder
and pisten may be used, the pressure being taken from the water in the heater

page_text: The steam or hydraulic cylinder and piston may be made double-acting, if
desired.
I append two sheets of drawings illustrating my invention. Figure 1 is a
diagrammatic arrangement shewing the bulbs B, and B, in the heater and return
pipes respectively; these are connected to the Bourdon spring tube S, one end
of which is rigidly fixed to the stand F. The free end e of the spring tube is
connected by a suitable system of gearing L to the rod r which actuates the
three-ported valve above referred to. The non-return valve for filling the bulbs
and adjusting the position of the free end of the spring tube may be placed at i.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic section shewing the stop valve V, the piston P
for opening and closing the stop valve, and the three-ported cock C operated by
the rod r. Figure 3 is a transverse section of the three-ported cock shewing its
relation to the three ports P1 P2 Pa leading to the vessel at low pressure and
to the two ends of the cylinder respectively. In the position of the cock shewn
in Figs. 2 and 3, the ports 1 and p are in communication, the steam pressure
is the same on both sides of the piston P, the valve V is shut, and no heat is
being supplied to the heater. When the mean temperature of the bulbs falls,
the three-ported cock takes up the position shewn in Figure 4, the ports P1 and Pa
are in communication, the pressure on the top of the piston P is released, the
valve V is opened fully by the steam pressure on the under side of the piston,
and steam passes freely to the heaters."
I wish to state that I do not necessarily limit myself to the particular types of
apparatus actually shewn in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. An automatic thermometric regulating apparatus for hot-water heating
installations, consisting of a closed vessel or vessels containing a liquid, which by
its temperature variations operates a small cock or valve, which in turn opens
or closes the valve controlling the supply of steam to the heater; substantially
as described and illustrated in the drawings.
2. In a thermometric regulating apparatus, the combination of two bulbs
one in the heater and one in the return pipe, so that the control depends on the
mean temperature.
3. The combination of a stop-valve, a steam piston for opening and closing
the said stop-valve, and a three-ported valve or its equivalent, for controlling
the position of the said piston, so that the stop valve shall either be shut or fully
open substantially as illustrated in Figure 2.
Total 1
1000
ober 190
ARCHD. SHARP, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
47, Victoria Street, S.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.
ARCHD. SHARP, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
47, Victoria Street, S.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.