Improvements in Apparatus for Ascertaining the Level of Fluids in Boilers and other Vessels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar.. 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Ascertaining the Level of Fluids in
Boilers and other Vessels.
JAMES DIXON CHURCHILL of 37 Alexandra Road Finsbury Park in the
County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in apparatus for ascertaining the
level of water or other liquid in boilers, tanks or other similar vessels, whereby the
indication of the water gauges or glasses may be confirmed or corrected, within
the range of the apparatus.
The apparatus consists of a tap or cock, preferably with a cone plug, an
extension of which passes beyond the flange of the cock and into the boiler or
liquid-containing vessel. Through this extension piece and into the cone part of
the plug, is a passage communicating with the periphery of the cone for the greater
portion of its circumference, the remaining portion of the periphery of the cone
shutting off, when in its normal position, the aperture of discharge in the shell of
the cock.
Attached to the end of the above-described prolongation of the plug is a
pipe at right angles, so that, when it is in its vertical position, the end of the
pipe is above the level of the water or fluid to be gauged, and the cock is closed.
The cone plug is operated by a handle attached to the valve spindle which
passes through a stuffing box-this handle is fixed so, as to be lineable with the
right-angled pipe above described, both the handle and the pipe being of the same
length.
When the handle is turned the right-angled pipe above described takes the same
inclination and, as soon as the mouth of the pipe comes to the level of the water it
commences to discharge through the cock-in the case of a boiler, the cock would
commence to pass steam as soon as the discharge orifice through the shell was
opened, and would continue to do so until the water level was reached by the end
of the pipe-when water would pass-hence the position of the top of the handle
would indicate the exact position of the water level inside the boiler or other
receptacle.
It will be seen that the entrance to the passage through the plug is capable of
being turned right round through a circle of a radius determined by the length
of pipe.
In the case of large variations of the level of the water or fluid, an indicator
is attached to the valve spindle so that the right-angled pipe inside the boiler
or tank might be of any convenient length without regard to the length of the
handle.
10
J. D. CHURCHILL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Ascertaining the Level of Fluids in
Boilers and other Vessels.
I, JAMES DIXON CHURCHILL, of 37 Alexandra Road, Finsbury Park, London,
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 apparatus for ascertaining the

page_text: level of water or other liquid in boilers, tanks, or other similar vessels, whereby the
indication of the water gauges or glasses may be confirmed or corrected, within
the range of the apparatus.
The apparatus consists of a tap or cock with a plug (preferably a cone plug), an
extension of which may pass beyond the flange of the cock and into the boiler or
liquid-containing vessel. Through this extension piece, and into the main or cone
part of the plug, is a passage communicating with the periphery of that part of the
cone plug for the greater portion of its circumference, the remaining portion of the
periphery of the said part of the plug shutting off, when in its normal position,
the aperture of discharge in the shell of the cock.
Attached to the inner end of the above described plug, is a pipe, arranged
at such an angle that, when it is in its higher vertical position, the end of the
pipe is above the level of the water or fluid to be gauged, and the cock is
closed.
The plug is operated by a handle attached to the valve spindle which passes
through a stuffing-box. This handle is fixed to the plug in such a position that its
axis is in the same plane as the axis of the pipe above described, and the ends of
the handle and pipe are the same distance from the axis of the plug.
When the handle is turned, the pipe takes the same inclination, and, as soon as
the mouth of the pipe comes to the level of the water, the water commences to
discharge through the cock in the case of a boiler, the cock would commence to
pass steam as soon as the discharge orifice through the shell was opened, and would
continue to do so until the water level was reached by the end of the pipe-when
water would pass; hence the handle constitutes an indicator, as the position of the
top of the handle would indicate the exact positions of the water level inside the
boiler or other receptacle.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 shews partly in side elevation, and partly in section, an apparatus
constructed according to my invention, with a portion of the shell or wall of a
boiler or other liquid-containing vessel to which the apparatus is applied.
Fig. 2 shows my apparatus in end elevation, the handle being removed.
Fig. 3 is a section on the line A A. (Fig. 1).
Fig. 4 shews the handle in elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.
1 is the shell or body of a tap or cock. 2 is the plug, shewn conical, as
prefer to make it. 3 is an extension of the plug which passes beyond the flange 4
of the cock, which is secured to the boiler or liquid-containing vessel, a part only
of which is shown at 5. A passage 6 extends through this extension and com-
municates, by passages 8, with a chamber formed in the plug 2 and enclosed by
the shell or body 1 of the cock, but is normally kept out of communication with
the discharge orifice 9 and discharge pipe 9 of the cock by the part 10 of the
conical plug 2 which, in the position shewn, closes the said orifice.
11 is a pipe screwed into the end of the above described extension 3 of the plug,
bent at right angles, and so arranged with regard to the part 10 of the plug 2
that when it is in a vertical attitude with its free end uppermost as in Figs. 1 and 2,
the end of the pipe is above the level of the water or other liquid to be gauged,
and the cock is closed.
The conical plug 2 is operated by a handle 12 attached to the valve spindle 13
which passes through a stuffing box 14. The handle 12 is fixed to the spindle so
as to be lineable with the pipe 11; that is to say, so that its axis and that of the
pipe 11 will always be, in a common plane radial to the axis of the plug, to
whatever angle the handle and pipe may be turned; so that the attitude of the
handle will always indicate that of the pipe. Also the end of the handle and
that of the pipe are both at the same distance from the axis about which
they turn.
In order to ascertain the height of the liquid, the handle 12 is turned until the
mouth of the pipe 11 comes to the level of the liquid, which is indicated by the
commencement of a discharge of liquid through the apparatus. In the case of a

page_text: -boiler, steam would commence to pass through the apparatus immediately on the
opening of the discharge orifice-9, and would continue to do so until the end of
the pipe reached the surface of the liquid, when water would pass. Hence the
position of the top of the handle 12 would indicate the exact level of the liquid
inside the boiler or other receptacle.
It will be seen that the entrance to the passage through the plug is capable of
being turned right round through a circle of a radius determined by the length
of pipe.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are similar views to Figs. 12 and 3 respectively, illustrating a
modified construction suitable for use with high pressure steam generators. In
this case the conical plug 2, which is packed with asbestos 15 in a manner well
understood, is made hollow and formed with a number of ports or passages 16 that
are so arranged that, when the handle 12 is in its vertical or normal position, the
communication between the interior of the boiler and the discharge opening 9 and
pipe 9 through the pipe 11 and hollow plug 2 is closed, but upon partly turning
the handle, such communication will be opened through each of the ports or
passages 16 in succession.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are also similar views to Figs. 1 2 and 3 respectively, illustrating
a further modification, according to which the conical portion 2 of the plug and
the valve spindle 13 are made in two parts. In this case the part 10 that acts
as a valve to close the discharge aperture 9, is carried by the stem 13 which is
provided with a screw thread 13 that works in a corresponding screw thread
formed in the interior of the shell or body 1 as shown. The part 10 is formed
with extensions 10 between which are arranged projections 2 on the plug 2, the
arrangement being such that, normally, the valve or part 10 closes the aperture 9,
but, on turning the handle 12, the valve is caused to move inward and open the
said aperture by reason of the endway motion imparted to the stem by the screw
threads, the turning movement of the handle and stem being transmitted to the
plug 2 and pipe 11 through the projections 2 and 10 which can move in a
longitudinal direction relatively to each other during the opening and closing
movement of the valve, and resemble a jaw clutch.
In the case of large variations of the level of the liquid, an indicator additional
to the handle is attached to the valve spindle 13 or handle 12 in order that the
pipe 11 inside the boiler or tank may be of any convenient length without regard
to the length of the handle. Such an arrangement is shewn in Figs. 11 and 12
which are elevations at right angles to each other and wherein 17 is the indicator
fixed to the handle 12 and arranged to move over a suitably graduated dial face 18
fixed to the shell or body 1, and the graduations on which correspond to different
heights of the upper end of the pipe 11.
The upper end of the pipe 11 may be enlarged, so that, when it is moved just
below the level of the water in a steam generator, the apparatus can be used as a
scum cock.
Also a check valve may be placed in the discharge pipe 9ª to effectually prevent
leakage when the handle and pipe are in their vertical positions, should steam
leak past the valve or part 10 from any cause, as for instance wear of the parts.
The passage 6 may be made to extend through the valve stem 13, and be closed
at the outer end by a screw plug 13ª so that by removing this plug the passage 6
can be cleaned out when necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for ascertaining the level of fluids in boilers and other vessels,
comprising a shell or body provided with a discharge aperture, a plug or valve
mounted in said shell or body and arranged to control said discharge aperture, a
pipe or tubular extension connected to said plug or valve so as to move therewith
and the inlet orifice of which is within the boiler or other vessel to which the

page_text: apparatus is applied, and can, by turning the plug or valve, be placed at various
levels, and an external handle or indicator or both connected to the said plug or
valve and adapted to indicate at a glance the level, for the time being, of such
orifice the arrangement, moreover, being such that normally the plug or valve
-closes the discharge aperture, but, upon partly turning the plug or valve, the said
aperture is opened, substantially as herein described for the purpose set forth.
2. My improved apparatus for indicating the level of Huids in boilers and
other vessels, constructed substantially as herein before described with reference
respectively to and shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive; in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive; in
Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive; and in Figs. 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of March 1893.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.