An Improved Feed-water Regulator for Steam Generators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
Communicated from abroad by ALBERT RICHARDSON SHATTUCK, of No. 11 Broad-
way, New York City, United States of America, Gentleman.]
An Improved Feed-water Regulator for Steam Generators.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple form of automatic regulator
governed by variations in water level in a steam generator and controlling a
cock, valve or similar device.
The accompanying drawing is a side elevation of the regulator; showing certain
parts in vertical section.
a is a closed receptacle, preferably made in two parts b and c with flanges
connected by bolts d. e is an internally threaded lug receiving the rod f to
To the lever g is pivoted the lever h which is
which is pivoted the lever g.
secured to any ordinary cock i arranged in conduit j. Also on receptacle a is
a projection threaded to receive a rod in which there is a square slot m; which
The rod o extends
also receives a pin secured to the end of a vertical rod o.
down into the cylinder which contains oil and is provided therein with a
The cylinder has a cover s in which are
piston in which are apertures r.
apertures t. Secured upon the rod is a threaded sleeve u which carries an
annular flanged disk V. On the lower side of the cylinder is a broad flange w
having an annular upward projection. The lower end of a spiral spring y lies
inside of the projection, and said spring surrounds the cylinder p and the rod o
at its upper end terminates just beneath the flanged annular disk V. Con-
nected to the pin d is a yoke 'z which carries a ring 1, which ring surrounds the
ventical guide rod 2. Upon the parts b and c of the receptacle a are tubular
projections 3 and 4, provided with projecting collars 5. Similar projections
are mounted on plates 6 which are bolted to the side of the boiler 7. Between
the projections on plates 6 and the projections 3 and 4 extend flexible tubes 8
and 9. The end of each tube is carried over the fixed collars 5 on the projection 3
and bands 10 are placed around it, the ends of the bands being drawn together
by screws. In this way the tubes 8 and 9 are tightly held upon the projections
The
even when considerable steam pressure is in said tubes. Bolted to the boiler is
a bracket 12 having an arm 13 to which is pivoted one end of the rod 14.
other end of said rod is threaded and is received in a turn buckle 15. 16 is a rod
also received in the other side of turn buckle 15 and connected to pin
5 yoke 17.
1
by
a
The operation of the invention is as follows: The flexible tubes 8 and 9 are
connected respectively to the steam space and water space of the boiler con-

page_text: sequently the water in the receptacle a will normally stand at the same level
as in the generator. If the receptacle a descends, the cock through the
linkage f, g, h will be turned in one direction, while if the receptacle a rises,
the cock through the same linkage will be turned in the opposite direction. If
therefore, for example, j be a conduit conducting water, descent of the receptacle a
may serve to turn off the water, or the rise of that receptacle to turn on the water
through the agency of the cock, or vice versa; or again, for example, if j be a
conduit conducting steam to a pump which pumps water into the boiler it is
obvious that may use the descent of the receptacle to turn off the steam, or the
rise of the receptacle to turn on the steam, thus stopping or starting the pump
and thus increasing and decreasing the level of the water in the boiler.
When the receptacle a descends it does so against the opposing action of the
springy acting upon the flanged disk V. Assuming the parts to be so arranged
and ordered as that when the water in the boiler is at a determinate level, that
is to say in the position shown in the drawing, then, if the water level in the
boiler rises, more water will come into receptacle a and will cause that receptacle
to descend by gravity against the action of the spring y. The effect of this
descent will then be through the levers f, g, h to turn the cock i so as to shut
off a further supply of water, steam or gas to the pump or boiler. When however
the water level in the boiler becomes lower, then the spring y will react to return
the receptacle to its normal position, and thus through the levers to open the
valve once more. Or assuming the parts again to be in the position shown in
the drawing, the spring y being compressed to balance the water in the recep-
tacle, if the water level in the boiler should first fall, then the spring would
expand to raise the receptacle a, and hence open the valve i and allow a further
supply of water to come into the boiler or steam to the pump and thereafter
when the water level in the boiler has risen, the receptacle a will descend, again
bringing the parts into the position shown.
The device is therefore a sensitive regulator, depending upon changes of level
of the water in the boiler. The pipes and 9 may be made of flexible tubing,
such as heavy india rubber and canvas, or they may be jointed pipes. As the
pipes have more or less transverse resiliency, it is preferable to make them in
arched form, as shown, the tube 8 being reversely arched to the tube 9. In this
way, whatever strain due to the tendency of one pipe to become straight is
counteracted by the opposing arch of the other. In order to meet the thrust upon
receptacle a due to the pressure of steam in the tubes 8 and 9, I provide the
pivoted rods 14 and 16 united by the turn buckle 15. Because these rods are
pivoted as shown to the boiler they will readily adapt themselves to the vertical
displacement of the receptacle a, and moreover by means of the turn buckle the
length of the two rods 14 and 16 may be shortened to adjust them to the tubes 8
and 9 and to the desired distance of the
boiler 7. Inasmuch as the receptacle a
receptacle (b from the
is carried at the end of arms
formed by the rods 8 and 9, it is obvious that in moving it will traverse a
curve. This is allowed for by the pin n entering into the large slot / at the
point of connection between the receptacle a and the rod v.
surrounds the guide rod 2 is made somewhat loose so as to allow for this cur-
The sleeve 1 which
vilinear movement of the receptacle.
The cylinder 2 with the piston q attached to the lower end of rod o constitutes
a dash pot. Its function is to prevent impressed vibration of the receptacle a
or in other words, to prevent the receptacle a having any other movement than
that which is produced by the varying weight of water within it and the action
of the spring outside. This arrangement of dash pot in combination with the
receptacle is of especial advantage when the device is placed upon steam
vehicles which traverse rough or even ordinary roads; the effect of the dash
pot being to prevent the receptacle a being unduly vibrated in passing over
obstructions or inequalities in the road.

page_text: 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 of a closed receptacle communicating at its upper and
lower portions respectively with the steam and water spaces of a steam generator,
a spring opposing the downward movement of said receptacle and a valve, cock
or like regulating contrivance by the downward movement of said receptacle
due to weight of contained water, and by its upward movement due to reaction
of said spring, the said downward and upward movements depending upon
variation in quantity of said contained water due to changes in the water level
of the generator.
2. In combination with a closed spring-supported receptacle and valve con-
trolled thereby as described, flexible reversely arched pipes or jointed pipes com-
municating with the steam and water spaces of a steam boiler, and a jointed rod
connected to said receptacle and opposing the outward thrust of said pipes.
3. In combination with a closed spring-supported receptacle, valve controlled
thereby, and flexible or jointed pipes connecting the receptacle to the steam and
water spaces of a steam boiler, a dash pot arranged below said receptacle and
operating to take up impressed vibration thereof.
Dated th; 10+ £ 3. 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.