IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edouard Fromentin, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC FEED
APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Scaled the 1st August 1879, and dated the 31st May 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edouard Fromentin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1879.
EDOUARD FROMENTIN, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AUTOMATIC FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
My improvements refer to that class of steam-boiler-feeding apparatus which
operate by means of a vessel placed above the level of the water in the boiler and
fed with water coming from a reservoir situated at a still higher level, which vessel,
after having been supplied with this water, is put in communication with the boiler
(after the communication with the said reservoir is closed), and under these con-
ditions this supply of water flows into the boiler in consequence of its gravity; this
class of apparatus has been made automatic by coupling two of these vessels under
a given angle on one common axis and arranging them so that they intermittently
receive the supply of water, and deliver this water into the boiler; this is effected
by the oscillation of this double vessel. Taken in itself, this principle is good, but
it has never been successfully carried out in practice, because all the arrangements
and mechanisms proposed have been too complicated.
The object of this Invention is to produce a practically useful apparatus based
on this principle, but differing from all those heretofore known in the important
fact that it is constructed without any intermediate elements, such as gates, cocks,
floats, valves, &c., which in practice are always considered serious disadvantages.
I will, conjointly with the 5 Figures of the accompanying Drawing, describe я
kind of automatic apparatus constructed according to my new system. In these
Drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of this apparatus, the two vessels being removed;
Figure 2, a longitudinal elevation in section on the line A, A, Figure 1; Figure 3,
an end elevation in section on the line B, B, Figure 1; Figure 4, a transverse
section on the line C, C, Figure 3; and Figure 5, a detail.
The apparatus consists mainly of two vessels 1, 2, of spherical or any other
convenient form, made of cast iron or other suitable material and mounted on

page_text: flanges provided on the hollow shaft 3. This shaft is divided into four compart-
ments by means of a longitudinal wall 4, and a transverse wall 5. The two ends
of this shaft rest on the cast iron boxes or pieces 6, 7, which serve at the same time
as hearings and distributing apparatus for the water and steam. Two pipes 8
and 9 branching off from the shaft 3 conduct steam from the two compartiments at
the right of the shaft into the upper part of each vessel 1, 2, alternately, whilst the
two lower openings of these vessels communicate with the two compartments at the
left of the shaft 3, which serve for the distribution or the feeding of the water.
The distributing boxes (6, for the steam, and 7, for the water) have each a
receiving and a discharge pipe, and the four compartiments of the shaft 3, in con-
sequence of the oscillation of the apparatus, are brought alternately in communication
with the openings of these receiving and delivery pipes.
and 9 branching off from the shaft 3 conduct steam from the two compartiments at
the right of the shaft into the upper part of each vessel 1, 2, alternately, whilst the
two lower openings of these vessels communicate with the two compartments at the
left of the shaft 3, which serve for the distribution or the feeding of the water.
The distributing boxes (6, for the steam, and 7, for the water) have each a
receiving and a discharge pipe, and the four compartiments of the shaft 3, in con-
sequence of the oscillation of the apparatus, are brought alternately in communication
with the openings of these receiving and delivery pipes.
OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS.
Supposing the apparatus to be in the position shown in Figure 2, the vessel 1
previously elevated to the height indicated by the vessel 2 has been supplied with
water coming through the nozzle 19 from the reservoir, and at the same time the
steam or air contained in that vessel has passed through the tube 8, the corresponding
compartment of the shaft 3 and the nozzle 23 either into the open air or into the
water contained in the reservoir to heat this water, and then the oscillation having
taken place, the admission of this water is cut off and the compartment 20 is put
in communication with the boiler by means of the nozzle 22, see Figure 4, whilst
the steam, previously cut off, arrives from the boiler through the nozzle 21, the
corresponding compartment of the shaft 3, and the tube 8 in the upper part of the
vessel 1, it follows that the water therein contained can now flow down into the
boiler. This however can take place only when the water in the boiler sinks below
its normal level, because the stoam pipe leading to 21 reaches down to the water
level in the boiler and the steam can consequently enter it only when the water is
below its regular level. The operation of the vessel 2 alternates in the same
manner with the first and thus produces an automatic feed.
.
The Drawings show clearly the entire construction and operation of my new
feeder; I will however enumerate some of the most noteworthy points, as
follows:
Firstly. In order to regulate the oscillation of the apparatus I balance it with
the greatest exactness by means of a counterweight 10 suspended below on a
lever 24 attached to the oscillating shaft 3. The same result is obtained by means
of the spring arranged on the framing.
Secondly. In order to avoid checks, which would be created in the reversing of
the apparatus, I arrange a small horizontal cylinder 11 on the framing of the
machine. In this cylinder operates a piston 25 actuated by the lever 24 and which
compressers or expands the air in the cylinder 11. A small adjustable screw 26
serves to regulate the amount of resistance offered to the working of the piston.
Thirdly. In order to regulate the stroke of the distributor, and also to partly
deaden the shocks of the vessels, I arrange two heads covered with rubber 12, the
height of which can be regulated as desired by screwing them in their sockets;
safety nuts, shown in the Drawing, sorve to hold them at the desired height.
Fourthly. The special construction of the distributing bosses 6 and 7, arranged to
receive the cylindrical trunnions of the distributing shaft 3, which rest only on
their under side on a bearing of anti-friction metal 13, and which are balanced
above and below by the steam passing through a hole 14 around the trunnion in
the box 6. A pipe 15 serves to direct the steam into the box 7 for the same
purpose. To insure the lightness of the trunnions at the distribution orifices, I use
a rod 16 having a forked end which rides on a button at the end of the trunnions,
and which is pressed down from the outside by turning a screw cap 27.
Fifthly. The addition of a counter 18 and a bell 17 on the support of the machine
operated by a horizontal rod hinged to the counterweight 10; the first serves to

page_text: measure the water as it counts each reversion of the vessels and as the contents of
each vessel correspond to a given volume; the second serves, by ceasing to sound,
to indicato that the feeding is stopped.
Besides the use for which it is more particularly destined, that is, as boiler-
feeder, this apparatus can, as above mentioned, be employed for lifting water to
considerable heights by means of the direct pressure of the steam, and to suck
water by means of a vacuum produced by the condensation of this steam; for this
purpose the nozzle 19 of the distributing box 7 carries a tube descending into the
water below which shall be sucked up, whilst the nozzle 22 of the same box is
provided with a rising tube which delivers the water above. In this case, as also
for feeding steam boilers, the suction pipe fixed to the nozzle 19 carries a cheek
valve in the reservoir from where the water is taken or sucked, the object of which
is to prevent the water from flowing down again or rising again to the reservoir at
the moment of the reversion, and which permits, in case of need, of condensing the
steam there.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention as well as the best means
known to me for carrying out the same, I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. An automatic feeding apparatus consisting of two vessels arranged on a
common horizontal shaft which is divided into four compartments, two for the
distribution of the water and two for the distribution of steam, which apparatus,
automatically oscillating by the passage of the water, effects itself its distribution.
Secondly. The particular construction of the distributing boxes, in which the
trunnions of the apparatus operate their oscillating movements, suppressing all
slides, cocks, valves, pistons, &c., in combination with the antifriction bearings
indicated, and the means for tightening the same.
Thirdly. As a complete apparatus, the balancing of the vessels on their shaft by
means of a counterweight or spring, the pump for softening or deadening the
reversing of the apparatus, the screw heads 12 for the same purpose as well as for
regulating the fall, and the distribution of the apparatus, and the indicator with
the bell, operated by one and the same rod.
Fourthly. The admission of steam upon the water contained in the vessels by
means of the pipes arranged externally.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edouard Fromentin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
n ThoNMTAY