Year: 1886

page_text: I JOHN WRAY BREWSTER, of Salisbury House, Hope Road, Sale, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to combinations and arrangements of mechanism, and
consists in a thermometer or other heat measuring apparatus which is placed in
the room or building, the temperature of which is to be regulated.
This thermometer is constructed with an adjustable rod or wire in its stem the
inner end of which is adjusted to the degree of heat marked on the scale, at which
it is desired the room or building shall remain.
From the wire in the stem of the thermometer there is a conducting wire to an
electro magnet, and any suitable battery or other source of electricity, so that when
the mercury in the stem of the thermometer rises to the degree fixed upon it makes
contact with the wire in its stem and a current of electricity passes through the
electro magnet, which draws the armature against the ends of the poles, this
movement of the armature is made to operate a valve or valves and when the
electric current ceases in consequence of the breaking of contact by the fall of
temperature in the room or building a reverse movement is produced by the
armature which is acted upon by a weight, weight lever or spring to bring it out
of contact and to operate the valve or valves.
The valves are or may be of any ordinary kind suitable for the beating or
cooling medium employed-If the apparatus is to act to open valves to admit
cold air and allow heated air to pass out when the temperature is too high the
connections between the armature and valves are arranged accordingly.
If the apparatus is to admit heated air, hot water, steam or other heating
medium when the temperature of the room is below that fixed upon, the con-
nection of the valve with the armature is arranged to be such as to open the valve,
and when the temperature is above the point fixed upon to shut the valve-If the
room is to be cooled by cool air, or cooled fluids the valves are arranged to admit
or shut off the cold medium accordingly.

page_text: The armature is or may be mounted upon a lever, which is or may be weighted,
by a weight or acted upon by a spring sufficient to draw the armature from the
poles of the electro-magnet when there is no current passing and move the valve
one way, the attraction of the poles when a current is passing moving the valve in
the opposite direction against the force of the weight or spring.
A suitable valve for steam or liquids according to my invention is formed by
a tube which is bored out to fit accurately a small rod.
The junction for fluid is by a pipe at one side of the tube bored out for the rod
and the rod closes the hole when pushed past it one way but when moved the
other way the opening from the supply pipe is uncovered and fluid can pass up
the tube and out at another lateral branch.
The rod passes out of a guide screwed into one end of the tube, but this guide is
faced on its inside to form a valve seating or facing for a valve on the rod which
comes against the seating on the guide and prevents the escape of fluid between
the rod and guide when moved outwards.
The outer end of the rod is screwed and has a screw upon it by which its
connection with the armature or an arm from it is adjusted Any other suitable
arrangement of valve is or may be used.
In some cases the movement of the armature is or may be made to lift catches
or detents of clock or wheel work arranged to actuate the valve to open or close it
as required the wheel work is or may be actuated by gravity or any avilable
motion power.

page_text: This thermometer is constructed with a wire or wires in its stem opposite to the
degree of heat marked on the scale, at which it is desired the room or building
shall remain.
From the wire in the stem of the thermometer, there is a conducting wire to an
electro-magnet, and one from the lower part of the thermometer to any suitable
battery or other source of electricity (the circuit being made complete) so that
when the mercury in the stem of the thermometer rises to the degree fixed upon,
it makes contact with the wire in its stem and a current of electricity passes
through the electro-magnet, which draws the armature against the ends of the
poles this movement of the armature is made to operate a valve or valves and
when the electric current ceases in consequence of the breaking of contact by the
fall of temperature in the room or building a reverse movement is produced by
the armature which is acted upon by a weight, weight lever or spring to bring it
out of contact and to operate the valve or valves.
The valves are or may be of any ordinary kind suitable for the heating or
cooling medium employed-If the apparatus is to act to open valves to admit cold
air and allow heated air to pass out when the temperature is too high the connections
between the armature and valves are arranged accordingly.
If the apparatus is to admit heated air, hot water, steam or other heating
medium when the temperature of the room is below that fixed upon the connection
of the valve with the armature is arranged to be such as to open the valve, and
when the temperature is above the point fixed upon to shut the valve.
If the room is to be cooled by cool air, or cooled fluids the valves are arranged
to admit or shut off the cold medium accordingly.
The armature is or may be mounted upon a lever, which is or may be weighted,
by a weight or acted upon by a spring sufficient to draw or force the armature from
the poles of the electro-magnet when there is no current passing and move the
valve one way, the attraction of the poles when a current is passing moving the
valve in the opposite direction against the force of the weight or spring.
In some cases the movement of the armature is or may be made to lift a catch
or catches or detents or move an escapement of clock or wheel work arranged to
actuate the valve to open or close it, as required, the wheel work is or may be
actuated by gravity or any available motive power.
The electricity for actuating the electro-magnet is obtained from any convenient
available source, any ordinary battery is or may be used for generating the required
elasticity and one giving out electricity for the longest periods with the least
attention is to be preferred.
This electric battery is or may be placed in any convenient position and the
wire from one of its poles is taken to a binding screw a attached to the thermo-
meter a front view of which is shown by fig. 1, from which a fine wire passes
through the glass of the stem of the thermometer (being sealed therein when the
glass is melted) until its point makes contact with the mercury in the stem-This
fine wire passes into the binding screw which is properly insulated by passing
through the rib a¹ of wood or other insulating material.
There is another binding screw a² and wire at the upper part of the thermemoter
which enters the stem of the thermometer at the degree which is to form the limit
of the greatest heat which the room as to attain.
The thermometer may have several binding screw wires a², a³ and a* say at five
or 10 degrees of heat apart, so that the wire passing from the upper part of the
stem of the thermometer may be attached to one of the binding screws (say a²)
representing the temperature fixed upon.
The thermometer is suspended in the room to be heated, in any desired part of
the room or in that part of it which when the room is heated to the required
extent is of the average temperature.
The wire from the binding screw (a²) of the thermometer is connected with the
electro-magnet bobbins 6 figs. 2 and 3 where 6¹ represents the wire between the

page_text: bobbin b and the thermometer at (a²) and b² the wire passing back from the bobbins b
to the electric battery.
Figs. 2 and 3, above referred to, show respectively a side elevation, and a front
sectional elevation of a valve suitable for steam, water or other heating fluid
combined with the electro-magnet for actuating the same.
The steam or other fluid enters at c¹ (which is the junction for the supply pipe)
and passes from the valve case c and c2 which is the junction for the pipes which
are in or are passing into the room to be heated if heated by hot water or steam
but if heated by hot air, the pipe from the junction o² discharges into the room.
The casing c has a suitable seating for a valve d with guiding wings.
This valve is attached to the end of a spindle d' by a screw d² the end of which
passes into a groove in the spindle, but the valve d is left slightly laose on the end
of the spindle d¹ to allow it to accomodate itself to its seating when closed.
The part c³ in which the gland for the spindle is formed, is screwed or
otherwise secured in the end of the valve casing c fluid tight and its underside
is faced so that when a collar ³ on the spindle (faced by any suitable packing) is
drawn up against the seating it will be fluid tight, and the pressure of the fluid
will press the collar d³ and thus its facing against the seating on the gland part c³.
At the upper part of the part c the gland or stuffing box is formed, and it is
screwed on the upper part of its exterior for a screw cap c which holds and forces
down the ring that acts against the packing in the stuffing box.
The upper part of the spindle d' is screw threaded for an adjusting screw d'
between which and the cap c of the gland there is a helical spring d³ round the
spindle, which can draw up the spindle until the collar d³ upon it comes against
the facing or seating when the valve & will be open.
The valve d is shut when the spindle d' is forced downwards or inwards.
This is done by the armature lever e one end of which rests on the adjusting
screw d the other end having its fulcrum e¹ on a frame or bracket f to which the
valve casing c is attached as shown, which bracket or frame has also a projection
carrying the electro-magnetic bobbins b the ends of which are secured thereto.
The valve spindle is first weighted so as to close the valve against the pressure
of the steam or fluid which is done by weighting the spindle or armature lever,
and the spring is adjusted to have force enough to open the valve against the weight
and by the assistance of the pressure of the steam or fluid, the electro magnet
having power enough to close the valve against the action of the spring and fluid
pressure.
When the electro-magnet becomes active by the passage of the electricity from
the thermometer the armature lever e is drawn down, and this pushes in the spindle ď
and closes the valve.
When the current ceases, that is when the mercury in the stem of the thermo-
meter sinks below the contact wire (a2) therein the spring d³ forces the armature-
lever e away from the poles of the magnet b and opens the valve d.
Any suitable valve may be operated as above described with a sufficiently
powerful current of electricity and electro-magnet.
In some cases balanced throttle valves are or may be used, which when shut,
though not entirely shutting off the heating fluid, will reduce it so as not to be
sufficient to maintain the heat of the room.
When a small current of electricity and a small electro-magnet is to be used with
large valves, or valves requiring more power to operate them than is within the
capacity of a small electro-magnet, then I prefer to employ clock work and a weight
or spring for operating the valve or valves to open and close them.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation and fig. 5 is a plan showing such an arrangement
of clock work.
The mechanism is or may be arranged between two plates g connected and kept
apart by stays g¹.
The plates 9 have bearings for a spindle h to which a suitable barrel h¹ is
attached upon which a cord 2 is or can be wound by turning the spindle h by a

page_text: key filling one end, the cord winding up a sufficient weight h³ for actuating the
connected mechanism.
The barrel h has a ratchet wheel * attached, in the teeth of which one end of a
pawl engages, the other end being jointed on a stud ho fixed in the side of a spur
wheel loose on the spindle h.
One end of a spring his secured to the side of the wheel * the other end pressing
the pawl towards and against the teeth of the ratchet h* so that the weight h³ will
act to rotate the wheel h* in the direction shown by the arrow near it in fig. 4.
This spur drives a pinion on a shaft h³ in bearings in the plates g and a
wheel on this shaft drives a pinion i on a shaft also having bearings on the
plates g to cause it to rotate in the direction pointed by the arrow placed over it
in fig. 4.
On the shaft there is an escapement plate 2 (any other suitable escapement may
be used) which allows the shaft i¹ to make half revolutions and then stop.
The face of this escapement plate 2 is shown detached by fig. 6. It is a disc
with a groove in its face for a pin e* projecting from one side of an arm or lever e³
on a shaft or fulcrum el in the plates g.
This pin e² has to follow the groove in the plate 22 and thus arrests the rotary
motion every half revolution.
The pin e² on the lever e³ is shown in fig. 4 in its nearest position to the axis of
the shaft i¹.
When the lever e³ is oscillated to the other extreme, it comes opposite the outer
groove and the shaft is allowed to be rotated by the wheel work and weight h³.
The lever e³ is one arın of the armature lever e; b are the electro magnetic
bobbins which act upon the armature, e is an arm from the lever e to carry a
weight e sufficient to move the armature away from the electro magnet when no
current is passing and bring the projection e² opposite the inner groove to allow the
shaft to rotate half a revolution. This shaft is cranked or has a crank upon its
end which actuates one end of a rod jointed to it the other end being attached to
the valve to be actuated.
For convenience of illustration a disc valve j is shown in figs. 4 and 5 but on a
small scale that is a disc having slits or ports and blank spaces in it which can be
oscillated to cover or uncover corresponding slits or ports and spaces in a facing.
Such a valve is suitable for hot or cold air, or as a throttle valve for steam or
other fluid under pressure.
The movable discj in figs. 4 and 5 is shown mounted on a shaft j in bearings in
the plate g and the ports covered and uncovered by the moving of the disc are
supposed to be formed in one of the plates g; ;¹ being a junction for a pipe or an
opening for admitting the fluid to the valve ports.
The rod is connected with one arm j* on the shaft j*.
The valve j is or may be made separate from the framing of the clock work and
placed in any required position.
Fig. 7 shows a section of such a separate valve detached.
j2 is the facing having the ports in it, and j is the disc having corresponding
ports and blank spaces between, that will cover and uncover the ports when the
disc is oscillated on the stud j. j* is a stud fixed in the face of the disc j;-³ the
connecting rod from the crank on a shaft as shown in figs. 4 and 5 but in this
case the crank is shown on the end of the shaft i?. Valves such as those shown in
figs. 4, 5 and 7 are or may be actuated as described or sliding valves or dampers
may be so actuated by clock work as above described.
Fig. 8 is a side view and fig. 9 a plan view showing how spindle valves arranged
in a similar manner to those shown by figs. 2 and 3 are or may be actuated by clock
work and a crank.
d is the spindle of the valve-It is screwed for two adjusting screws d and d³
and has two springs do and d' upon it strong enough to give the required pressure
to move and hold the valve open or shut.

page_text: These springs do and d' act against opposite sides of one end of a forked lever k
and the springs are or may be made to act against the lever with the required force
by the adjusting screws d' and d³.
k is the fulcrum of the lever carried upon a bracket from the valve casing, and i¹
is the crank shaft carried in bearings in the same bracket.
This shaft corresponds to the shaft figs. 4 and 5 and is actuated by
clock work and an escapement and electro-magnet as described in reference to
figs. 4 and 5.
The crank will give a definate up and down stroke or movement to the lever k
(the crank pin working in a slot in the end of the lever k) which movement will be
a little more in extent than is required to shut or open the valve perfectly and
the springs do and d' will thus give way to allow the crank to make it full half
revolutions at each movement.
This elasticity may be provided in other ways if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination and arrangement of an electric battery or other source of
electricity, a thermometer or other suitable heat measurer an electro magnet, and
valve substantially as and for the purpose or purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings,
2. The combination and arrangement of an electric battery or other source of
electricity, a thermometer or other suitable heat measurer an electro magnet and
clock work to operate a valve or valves substantially as and for the purpose or
purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of electro-magnet and valve substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by figs. 2 and 3 of
the drawings.
4. The combination of electro-magnet and clock work and valve substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described, and illustrated by figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 93
of the drawings.