Improvements in Injectors.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM RUNDEL FIELD, Manufacturer,
Greenville, County of Mercer, State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Injectors.
I, DAVID YOUNG, Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co., of
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., 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 that class of steam-injectors having means for opening.
the exhaust-ports of the lifting tube on starting the injector, and for closing the
same when a vacuum is created around the inner end of the combining-tube,
for the purpose of preventing overflow of the injector, and enabling the latter to
start automatically at any suitable pressure.
It has heretofore been proposed to open the exhaust ports of the lifting tube on
starting the injector, and to close the same when a vacuum is created around the
inner end of the combining-tube, through the medium of a conoidal sleeve-valve
seating on a separate casing surrounding the combining-tube, in such manner that,
when steam first passes into the lifting-tube, the ring or band will be raised and
the steam pass out into the overflow-chamber, thus raising the overflow-valve and
producing a vacuum which causes suction, and when the vacuum is created, the
ring or band closes down over the apertures in the lifting-tube, and the overflow is
shut off.
The objects of my invention are to improve the construction of injectors of the
character alluded to; to provide a perfect air-tight overflow-chamber at the upper
end of the combining-tube for effectually preventing the entrance of air into the
combining-tube after the injector starts, and also to exclude hot water from gaining
access into the upper end of the combining-tube when the injector is working and
water is flowing through to the boiler; and to provide means whereby the
overflow-valve of the injector can be rigidly held seated, so that steam can be
forced through the injector into the tank and pipes of a locomotive engine to
prevent freezing of the same.
The invention consists in the combination, in an injector, of a combining-tube
baving its upper end formed with upper and lower perforations, and a surrounding
chamber constructed with separated upper and lower ground valve-seats which are
inclined or bevelled, and a vertically-movable valve-sleeve having its upper and
lower end portions formed with internal, bevelled, or inclined ground valve-faces
to accurately fit the separated upper and lower ground valve-seats of the said
surrounding chamber, for the purpose of sealing the upper and lower ends of the
valve-sleeve air and water tight, and thus effectually prevent the entrance of air
and water when a vacuum has been created and the injector is working to force
water into a boiler.
The invention also consists in the combination, with the overflow-valve of an
engine, of a longitudinally movable spindle adapted to bear against and hold the
overflow-valve rigid on its seat, and a set-screw for holding the spindle in a fixed
position.
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a steam-injector constructed in accordance
with my invention and

page_text: Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation, showing the combining-tube, the lifting-
tube, and the vertically movable valve-sleeve.
In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will
now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawing, wherein the numeral 1
indicates the casing of the injector, which is preferably a casting formed integrally
with branches 2, 3, and 4. The branch 2 is provided with a coupling 5, to connect
with a steam supply-pipe, and the branch 3 is provided with a coupling 6, to
connect with the liquid or water supply; while the branch 4 contains the overflow-
valve 7, and is provided with an overflow-outlet 8.
The lower end of the injector-casing is provided with a coupling 9, designed
to connect with the boiler which is to be supplied with water when the injector is
working.
The upper end of the injector casing is provided with an inserted steam-jet 10,
having a valve-seat in its upper end adapted to be opened and closed by a valve 12
carried by a valve-stem 13.
The valve-stem 13 is connected by links 16, with a hand-lever 14, pivoted, as at 15,
to the upper end of the injector casing, so that, by operating the hand-lever 14,
the valve 12 will be opened or closed to control the flow of steam into the steam-
jet 10.
The interior of the injector casing is constructed with a diaphragm 17, having a
screw-threaded orifice, into which is screwed the upper end of the lifting-tube 18.
The bore of the lifting-tube is tapering, and its widest upper end receives the
lower end of the steam-jet 10. The lower end of the lifting-tube is laterally
expanded to provide a chamber 19 having lateral ports 20. The bottom wall 21
of the chamber 19 is constructed with a screw-threaded orifice to receive a screw-
threaded portion 22 near the upper end of the combining-tube 23. The screw-
threaded portion 22 of the combining-tube is located between two sets of lateral
perforations 24 and 25, formed in the upper end portion of the combining-tube, so
that the bottom wall 21 of the chamber 19 is located between the said sets of
perforations 24 and 25.
The lower end portion of the lifting-tube, which forms the chamber 19, is
conical or taper externally, and this external conical or taper portion is formed
with upper and lower accurately ground circular valve-seats 26 and 27, which, as
clearly shown in Figure 2, are of different diameter, and are bevelled or inclined.
The said valve-seats are separated from each other, and the lateral ports 20 are
located between the valve-seats. The ports 20 are adapted to be opened and
closed through the medium of a conical or taper valve-sleeve 28, having its upper
and lower end portions accurately ground to provide internal, upper and lower
inclined valve-faces to fit air-tight against the upper and lower separated valve-
seats 26 and 27, so that, when the valve-sleeve is seated a perfectly air-tight
joint is obtained, and it is impossible for air or liquid to enter from the overflow-
chamber 29 into the chamber 19 which surrounds the upper end of the combining-
tube.
The inlet of water into the injector is regulated through the medium of an
automatic spring-pressed valve 30 having a cylindrical stem 31 entering and
adapted to move vertically in a cylindrical bore 32 in a screw-threaded spindle 33
working in a stuffing-box 34. The upper end of the spindle 33 is provided with a
suitable handle 35, preferably in the form of a hand wheel, and a spring 36, of any
suitable construction, is arranged between the valve 30 and the lower end of
the spindle 33, so that by adjusting the spindle 33 the tension of the spring can
be varied. The valve 30 is adapted to open and close independently of any move-
ment of the spindle 33, and in the practical operation of the injector, the spring
resists the opening of the valve 30, and thus offers resistance to the inflowing
water, so that the passage of water into the injector is graded, or graduated. The
valve 30 normally stands closed, or nearly closed, and the passage of steam
through the steam-jet 10 creates a vacuum, whereby the valve 30 is more or less
opened to permit water to flow into the injector. The variations in the steam-

page_text: pressure will more or less open the valve, and consequently the quantity of water
delivered to the injector is increased or diminished according to the conditions
required by variations in the pressure of the steam or forcing fluid.
In the operation of the injector, the steam flowing through the steam-jet 10 and
lifting-tube 18, enters the chamber 19, raises the valve-sleeve 28, and flows into
the chamber 29, thereby creating a vacuum which starts the water through the
injector and instantly the valve-sleeve closes and tightly fits the upper and lower
circular valve-seats 26 and 27, thereby effectually preventing the entrance of air
and hot water from the chamber 29 into the chamber surrounding the upper end
of the combining-tube..
The provision of the chamber 19 around the upper end of the combining-tube,
with the upper and lower separated valve-seats 26 and 27 accurately fitting the
upper and lower ends of the valve-sleeve 28, ensures the effectual sealing of the
upper end of the combining tube against the entrance of air and water from
the chamber 29 after a vacuum has been created and the injector is working to
force water into the boiler. By this means I effectually prevent overflowing of
the injector, and enable the latter to start automatically at any suitable pressure.
In the use of an injector in connection with a locomotive engine, it is desirable
to pass steam through the injector into the tank and pipes of the locomotive to
prevent the latter freezing; and to accomplish this the overflow-valve should be
held seated. I hold the overflow-valve seated through the medium of an adjustable
device, consisting, as here shown, of a spindle 37 working through a cap 38 screwed
into or upon the branch 4 of the injector-casing. The cap 38 is provided with a
set-screw 39, and the construction is such that the spindle 37 can be thrust inward
against the overflow-valve 7, and the set-screw turned to clamp the spindle 37 in a
fixed position, thereby rigidly holding the overflow-valve on its seat.
In practice the face of the valve 30 is constructed with small channels or
corrugations, so that when this valve 30 is seated and the valve 7 is held to its
seat by locking the spindle 37 against the same, it is possible for steam to pass
through the channels or corrugations of the valve 30 to the water-tank and pipes
of the locomotive, for the purpose of preventing freezing thereof. This is a very
desirable feature in an injector for locomotive engines. Instead of forming the
face of the valve 30 with corrugations, a small orifice can be formed in this valve
to accomplish the same purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination, in an injector, of a combining-tube having its upper end
formed with upper and lower perforations, and a surrounding chamber constructed
with separated, bevelled or inclined upper and lower ground valve-seats, and a
vertically movable sleeve-valve having its upper and lower end portions
constructed with internal ground valve-faces adapted to fit air and water tight.
against the said bevelled or inclined upper and lower valve-seats, for the purpose
of sealing the upper and lower ends of the valve-sleeve air and water tight when
a vacuum has been created and the injector is working to force water into a
boiler, substantially as described.
2. The combination, in an injector, of a combining-tube having its upper end
portion provided with a surrounding chamber constructed with upper and lower
bevelled or inclined ground valve-seats 26 and 27 of different diameter, and lateral
perforations between the said valve-seats, and a vertically movable, conical valve-
sleeve having its upper and lower end portions constructed with internal valve-
faces adapted to fit air and water tight against the said upper and lower
valve-seats, for sealing the upper and lower ends of the valve-sleeve air and water
tight when a vacuum has been created and the injector is working to force water
into the boiler, substantially as described.
3. The combination, with the overflow valve of an engine, of a longitudinally

page_text: movable spindle adapted to bear against the overflow-valve and hold the same
rigid on its seat, and a set-screw for holding the spindle in a fixed position,
substantially as described.
4. The combination, with an injector, having a pivoted, swinging overflow valve,
of a spindle adapted to slide longitudinally in a bearing in the injector-casing, and
a device carried by the injector-casing and adapted to bind against the surface of
the said spindle for holding the latter in a fixed position, substantially as
described.
5. The improved injector constructed substantially as described with reference
to the accompanying drawing and operating as and for the purposes, above
specified.
Dated the 08th day of November 1905
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.