An Improved Electric Alarm or Water Level Indicator, Chiefly Applicable to the Water-gauges of Steam Boilers."
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Electric Alarm or Water Level Indicator, Chiefly
Applicable to the Water-gauges of Steam Boilers."
I, MATHIAS BECKERS, Burgomaster, at Langerwehe, Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to means for automatically indicating by alarm, the water
level, and particularly the low water level, in steam boilers and other like vessels ;
and the said invention chiefly consists in completing a voltaic or electric circuit, through
the instrumentality or through the intervention, of a magnet which rises and falls with
the water in the water gauge of the boiler, thereby causing a supplementary and
outside inagnet to operate a switch or circuit completer.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in end elevation, a steam boiler,
provided with low water alarm apparatus, constructed and arranged according to my
invention. It will be observed, that the primary means of completing and interrupting
the voltaic circuit as aforesaid, is a permanent bar magnet, enclosed within a barrel
float, disposed and working within the water-gauge tube, whilst the conducting
wires of the circuit are connected to a metallic box or a casing which encloses a
supplementary magnet.
upon an
Figure 2 represents the said water-gauge, and part of the means as aforesaid,
enlarged scale, and with the casing containing the supplementary magnet,
shown partly in section. The float magnet represented outside the magnetic field
of the supplementary inagnet.
Figure 3 represents a horizontal section of the supplementary or outside magnet
box, and with the said magnet, which is of the horse-shoe type, shown in its normal
position, when the voltaic circuit of the battery connected with the alarm is
interrupted. This said view is taken upon the dotted lines A B, Figure 2,
whilst Figure 4 represents a horizontal section on the dotted lines CD of the
said Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents the supplementary or outside magnet-box, partly in section,
and also the water-gauge, with the water at low level, and the float magnet coming
within the magnetic field of the outside magnet.
Figure 6 represents a horizontal section upon the dotted lines E-F, Figure 5,
thus exhibiting how the completion of the circuit is performed by the deflection and
pressure exerted by the magnet upon the switch or circuit completer.
The said annexed sheets of drawings are to be considered only as selected
examples of the means of carrying out my invention; rather than as invariable
standards. The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
figures of the drawings.
a is a steam boiler; b a water-gauge, with glass tube 2, and fittings 63; c is a float,
containing a bar magnet d, which rises and falls with the water in the said gauge-
tube; e is a metallic box or casing, having enclosed within it, a horizontally working
horse-shoe magnet f, whose poles are invariably directed towards the gauge tube
glass, while the curved end of it is directed towards the free end of a circuit completer
or breaker g, consisting of a thin strip of metal, insulated at g¹ from the metallic
box e and with its inner end connected to a screw or metallic connection g³ of a
conducting wire h leading to one of the poles of a battery.
The said screw or metallic connection 92 is isolated from the metallic box, by a
vulcanite or other insulator 93. The connection of the metallic box. with the
battery is made by the other conducting wire i, through the intervention of a screw
clamping device j.

page_text: OPERATION.
On the lowering of the water within the boiler, the water within the gauge sinks,
and the float and magnet d with it. The north pole of the said magnet is presented
downwards, and the south pole upwards, whilst the outside horse-shoe magnet has its
north pole presented uppermost, and the south pole at a lower plane than the north.
The result is, that when the water sinks, the two north poles first come opposite to
each other, and hence the outside magnet is repelled, and as the water continues to
sink, the south pole of the float magnet now comes opposite to the north pole of the
outside magnet, and at the same time the north pole of the said float magnet comes
opposite the south pole of the outside magnet. The result is a powerful attraction of
the said magnets. This said attraction deflects or turns the outside magnet upon its
pivot centre 2, and causes its rear or bent end to forcibly impress itself upon and
against the free end of the circuit completer g (made of spring metal) and to press
the same against the sides of the metallic enclosing box of the magnet, thereby
completing the circuit of the conducting wires; and the result is the sounding of an
alarm by the ringing of a bell.
Thus, the circuit of the conducting wires with the battery is completed through the
box and through the circuit completer g.
Although I have described and represented the signalling at low water only, yet I
wish it to be understood that an electric or voltaic circuit is completed, and an alarm
sounded, at any time according to the position of the appliance in respect to the
water gauge; and further, that immediately the float magnet rises, an interruption of
the electric current is effected, whilst the outside magnet and circuit completer resume
their normal positions, as represented at Figure 3.
Instead of employing a horse-shoe magnet, I may employ a bar magnet, or a soft
iron bar, which has magnetism induced into it, by coming within the field of one end
of the float magnet, and further, the outside magnet itself may be made to complete
or to interrupt the electric circuit.
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 :-
:-
Firstly. Operating or controlling the circuit completing device of a water level
alarm apparatus, by means of a float magnet, or a magnet carried by a float, within a
water gauge or other like appliance, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly. Operating or deflecting the circuit completing conductor of a water level
aların apparatus, by means or through the intervention of a pivoted magnet deflected
by a float magnet, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirdly. The combination with a water-gauge, of a float magnet, and an outside
pivoted magnet, which latter is operated by the float magnet, and the circuit
completer operated by the pivoted magnet, substantially as described and set
forth.
Fourthly. In water level alarm apparatus, a circuit completer and interrupter,
arranged and mounted in the manner or by means, substantially as described and
set forth.
Fifthly. In water level alarm apparatus, an outside magnet and circuit completer,
mounted in a closed box (adjustable) upon a table or rest, which is supported upon an
adjustable stem, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Sixthly. A water level indicator, consisting of a float magnet, enclosed within a
water gauge, a circuit completing conductor, and a battery with conducting wires and
alarm bell, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Seventhly. The combination with a water-gauge, for the purpose set forth, of a
magnet, enclosed within a float, as set forth.
MATHIAS BECKERS.
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.