Improved Combined Automatic Steam Boiler Feeding Apparatus and Feed Water Heater.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1887 ·
Complete Left, 12th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th Apr., 1888
Improved Combined Automatic Steam Boiler Feeding Apparatus
and Feed Water Heater.
I GARLEF HEINRICH STECHMANN of 16 Green Street, Ardwick in the City of
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, late hat manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to apparatus for supplying feed water to steamboilers
automatically and previously heating such feed-water. The apparatus consists of an
outer cylindrical chamber or reservoir in which the feedwater is heated by means of
a copper coil contained in this chamber or reservoir, hereinafter called the heating
cylinder. Inside the latter is another cylindrical compartment or chamber, hereinafter
called the water cylinder. This water cylinder contains a float guided by a rod, here-
inafter called guide rod, and checked in its ascent and descent by adjustable crossbars
or collars on the guide rod. A feed pipe with a back pressure or check valve is
connected to the lower end of the water cylinder, and the latter communicates
with the heating cylinder through a pipe or orifice also fitted with, a check valve.
The heating cylinder communicates through a pipe, which may also contain another
check or back pressure valve, with the water space of the boiler. On the top of the
water cylinder is a horizontal cylindrical valve chamber formed with a partition or
mid feather in the middle and containing in each end a piston or piston valve. These
two piston valves are connected with each other either by a rod passing through the
partition or have piston rods passing through stuffing boxes in the valve chamber
covers attached to them and these rods are connected by crossbars and side rods, so
that the two pistons or piston valves move together. On the top of the valve chamber
is a steamchest, with a port opening into one end of the valve chamber, and opposite
to this on the lower side of the valve chamber is another port communicating with
the water cylinder. The piston valve in that end of the valve chamber is formed
with a circular groove, so that when this piston valve is in its outmost position, the
groove is opposite the ports and steam can pass from the steam chest into the water
cylinder. The steamchest is connected by pipes to the steamspace of the boiler.
Two small holes are drilled from the steam chest into the valve chamber close to
each side of the mid feather, through which holes the space between the mid feather
and the piston valves become filled with steam at the boiler pressure. The mid feather
is bored out vertically in the centre, forming an auxiliary cylindrical valve chamber,

page_text: which is prolonged into the upper part of the water cylinder and connected near its
bottom to the top of the copper coil in the heating cylinder, the lower end of the
coil passing to the outside of this cylinder and being fitted with a back pressure valve
to prevent the entry of air. The auxiliary valve chamber contains two tubular piston
valves through the openings of which the entire volume of the auxiliary valve
chamber is in communication with the copper coil. The spindle of these valves is a
continuation of or connected to the guide rod, which passes through the closed end of
the auxiliary valve chamber. The latter has a port communicating with the top part
of the water cylinder, and two ports communicating with the two spaces between the main
piston valves and the mid feather. A spring is inserted into each end of the auxiliary valve
chamber between the ends and the auxiliary piston valves so as to balance the guido
rod and hold these tubular piston valves in such a position that they close all the ports
of the auxiliary valve chamber, or the rod may be balanced by levers and weights or
springs or equivalent means.
The apparatus is placed at such a height that the bottom of the water cylinder
is a little below the mean water level of the boiler. Its action is as follows: Supposing
the water cylinder to be filled with water and the main piston valve to be in the
position in which the steam chest communicates with the water cylinder through the
circular groove in the valve. Steam will enter the water chamber and the water will
flow by its gravity into the heating cylinder and thence into the boiler. When the
water has nearly reached the mean level of the water in the boiler, the float comes
against the lower collar or crossbar on the guide rod and depresses it by its weight.
The auxiliary piston valves are thereby moved downward and the exhaust port of one
of the parts of the horizontal valve chamber-say the one on the right hand-is
opened thereby. The steam in this part escapes through the tubular piston valves and
the auxiliary valve chamber into the copper coil. The vacuum caused thereby allows
the steam in the left part of the horizontal valve chamber to propel by expansion the
piston valves to the left, by which means the steampassage from the steam chest to the
water cylinder is closed. The said downward movement of the auxiliary piston valves
at the same time opens an exhaust port from the water cylinder through the auxiliary
valve chamber into the copper coil, in which the steam is condensed and the water
contained in the heating cylinder heated thereby. The condensation of the steam
causes a vacuum in the water cylinder, and water is thereby drawn from the supply
tank through the feed pipe and backpressure valve. The float rises and relieves the
vertical guide rod and tubular pistons which are returned to their original position
by the spring or its equivalent. Water continues flowing in until the float comes
against the upper collar or cross-bar on the guide rod and lifts the latter. This
causes the auxiliary piston valve to open the exhaust port for the left hand
part of the horizontal valve chamber, and the steam in the right hand part
propels by expansion the piston valve to the right into its original position,
This
thereby opening the ports for admission of steam to the water cylinder.
allows the water to flow again into the boiler through the feedwater heater.
the float sinks, the guide rods is relieved and the auxiliary piston valve returns to
its original position. The action as herein before described then repeats itself.
As
The apparatus may be supported and connected with the steam and water supply
and delivery by three different parallel pipes with swivel connections which allow the
apparatus to be raised or lowered instantaneously at will and the water level in the
boiler to be raised or lowered correspondingly, without interfering with or arresting
the working of the apparatus.
D
1
T
1007
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Combined Automatic Steam Boiler Feeding Apparatus
and Feedwater Heater.
I, GARLEF HEINRICH STECHMANN, of 22 Maskell Street, C. on M. (late of 16
Green Street, Ardwick) in the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, late
Hat Manufacturer 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 relates to an apparatus for supplying feed water to Steamboilers
automatically and previously heating such feed water. In order that my invention,
and the means, by which the same may be carried into practical effect, may be
thoroughly understood, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, referring in so
doing to the accompanying drawing, which is to be taken as part of the specification,
and read therewith.
This drawing represents a vertical central section of the apparatus.
The apparatus consists of an outer cylindrical chamber or reservoir, N, in which
the feedwater is heated by means of a coppercoil, v, contained in this chamber or
reservoir, hereinafter called the heating cylinder.
Inside the latter is another cylindrical compartment or chamber, A, hereinafter
called the water cylinder. This water cylinder contains a float, D, guided by a rod, L,
hereinafter called guiderod, and checked in its ascent and descent by adjustable cross-
bars or collars, and s, on the guiderod. A feed pipe, E, with a back pressure or
check valve, o, is connected to the lower end of the watercylinder, and the latter
communicates with the heating cylinder through a pipe or orifice, G, also fitted with
a check valve, g. The heating cylinder communicates through a pipe, F, which may
also contain another check or back pressure valve, with the waterspace of the boiler.
On the top of the water cylinder is a horizontal cylindrical valve chamber, B, formed
with a partition or midfeather, R, in the middle, and containing in each end a piston
or piston valve, C and C¹. These two piston valves are connected with each other,
either by a rod passing through the partition, or have piston rods passing through
stuffing boxes in the valve chamber covers attached to them, and these rods are
connected by crossbars and siderdos, so that the two pistons or 'piston valves move
together. On the top of the valve chamber is a steanchest, I, with a port, a, opening
into one end of the valve chamber, and opposite to this on the lower side of the valve
chamber is another port a', communicating with the water cylinder. The piston valve
in that end of the valve chamber is formed with a circular groove, C, so that when
this piston valve is in its utmost position, the groove is opposite the ports and steam
can pass from the steamchest into the water cylinder. The steamchest is connected
by pipes to the steamspace of the boiler.
Two small holes, b and d, are drilled from the steamchest into the valve chamber close
to each side of the midfeather, through which holes the spaces between the midfeather
and the piston valves become filled with steam at the boiler pressure. The midfeather

page_text: is bored out vertically in the centre, forming an auxiliary cylindrical valve chamber, H,
which is prolonged into the upper part of the water cylinder, and connected near its
bottom to the top of the coppercoil in the heating cylinder, the lower end of the coil
passing to the outside of the cylinder, and is fitted with a backpressure valve to
prevent the entry of air. The auxiliary valve chamber contains two tubular piston
valves, O and P, through the openings of which the entire volume of the auxiliary
valve chamber is in communication with the copper coil, the spindle of these valves
is a continuation of, or connected to the guiderod, L, which passes through the closed
end of the auxiliary valve chamber. The latter has a port, m, communicating with
the top part of the water cylinder, and two ports, e and i, communicating with the
two spaces between the main pistonvalves and the midfeather. A Spring, w, is
inserted into each end of the auxiliary valve chamber, between the ends and the
auxiliary piston valves so as to balance the guiderod and hold these tubular piston
valves in such a position that they close all the ports of the auxiliary valve chamber
or the rod may be balanced by levers and weights or springs or equivalent means.
The apparatus is placed at such a height, that the bottom of the watercylinder is a
little below the mean water level of the boiler. Its action is as follows: Supposing
the water cylinder A to be filled with water, and the main piston valve to be in the
position, in which the steamchest communicates with the water cylinder through the
circular groove in the valve. Steam will enter the water chamber and the water will
flow by its gravity into the heating cylinder, and thence into the boiler. When the
water has nearly reached the mean level of the water in the boiler, the float comes
against the lower collar or crossbar on the guiderod and depresses it by its weight.
The auxiliary piston valves are thereby moved downward and the exhaust port, i, of
the horizontal valve chamber on the right hand is opened thereby. The steam in this
port escapes through the tubular piston valves and the auxiliary valve chamber into
the copper coil. The vacuum caused thereby allows the steam in the left port of the
horizontal valve chamber to propel by expansion the main piston valves to the left, by
which means the steampassage, a-c-a, from the steamchest to the watercylinder
is closed. The said downward movement of the auxiliary piston valves at the same
time opens the exhaust port, m, from the water cylinder through the auxiliary valve
chamber into the copper coil, in which the steam is condensed, and the water contained
in the heating cylinder heated thereby. The condensation of the steam causes a
vacuum in the water cylinder and water is thereby drawn from the supply tank
through the feed pipe, E, and backpressure valve, o. The float, D, rises and relieves
the guide rod and tubular pistons, which are returned to their original position by
the spring or its equivalents. Water continues flowing in, until the float comes
against the upper collar or crossbar, r, on the guide rod, and lifts the latter. This
causes the auxiliary piston valve, O, to open the exhaust port, e, for the left hand part
of the horizontal valve chamber, and the steam in the right hand part propels by
expansion the piston valves to the right into their original position, thereby opening
the ports, ac a', for admission of steam to the water cylinder. This allows the
water to flow again into the boiler through the heating cylinder. As the floats sinks,
the guiderod is relieved and the auxiliary piston valves return to their original
position. The action as hereinbefore described then repeats itself.
The apparatus may be supported and connected with the steam-, and water-supply,
and delivery by three different parallel pipes with swivel connections, which allow the
apparatus to be raised or lowered instantaneously at will, and the water level in the
boiler to be raised or lowered correspondingly without interfering with or arresting
the working of the apparatus.
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. In an improved combined apparatus for supplying feedwater to Steamboilers
automatically, and previously heating such feedwater, the combination of parts con-
stituting the complete apparatus substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying drawing.

page_text: 2. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to Steamboilers automatically,
and previously heating such feedwater, the combinatian of the two main piston
valves in the horizontal piston valve chamber, divided by a partition or midfeather,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated herein before and in and
by the accompanying drawing.
3. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to Steamboilers automatically,
and previously heating such feedwater, the combination of the two auxiliary tubular
piston valves in an auxiliary valve chamber substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying drawing.
4. In an apparatus for supplying feedwater to Steamboilers automatically, and
previously heating such feedwater, the combination of the two main piston valves
and the two auxiliary piston valves substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying drawing.
5. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to steamboilers automatically,
and previously heating such feedwater, the combination of the auxiliary piston valves,
the guiderod and the float, and their action, separately and jointly, on and by each
other substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated herein before and in
and by the accompanying drawing.
6. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to steamboilers automatically
the arrangement of the circular groove in the pistonvalve, acting as steampassage or
port in combination with the steamports of the steamchest and the water cylinder
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and
by the accompanying drawing.
7. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to steamboilers automatically,
and previously heating such feed water, the combination of the auxiliary valve chamber
and the coppercoil substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated
hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying drawing.
8. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to Steamboilers automatically,
and previously heating such feed water, the combination of the water cylinder and the
heating cylinder substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated
hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying drawing.
9. In an improved apparatus for supplying feedwater to Steamboilers automatically,
and previously heating such feedwater, the heating chamber as part of the apparatus
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by
the accompanying drawing.
10. The method of supplying feed water to Steamboilers automatically, and previously
heating such feedwater, substantially in the manner described hereinbefore and in and
by the accompanying drawing.
1
1000
G. H. STECHMANN,
Applicant.