Improved Means for Regulating the Flow of Fluids in Accordance with Variations of Temperature, applicable to Hot Water Heating Apparatus, Steam Kettles, Steam Traps, and the like
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
Improved Means for Regulating the Flow of Fluids in Accordance
with Variations of Temperature, applicable to Hot Water Heating
Apparatus, Steam Kettles, Steam Traps, and the like,
I, EDWIN PAUL, of 41, Elm Road, Seaforth, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention relates to means for regulating the flow of fluids in accordance
with variations of temperature, as for example the flow of steam to a steam
kettle; the flow of water from a steam trap; or the flow of gas to a gas heated hot
water apparatus.
I will describe my invention as applied to a steam kettle adapted to provide
a constant supply of boiling water.
The kettle consists of a suitable containing vessel adapted to hold the appro-
priate quantity of water which may be supplied from, say, the town main, and
which is kept at a constant level by a ball cock arrangement. I find it con-
venient in practice to arrange the bail cock in a small cistern connected by a
pipe which I shall term the supply pipe-to the containing vessel; or the said
cistern may be attached directly to the containing vessel. The water in the
latter is heated by steam supplied from a suitable boiler and caused to pass
through suitable heating surfaces in the kettle. It will be seen that when the
water has been initially brought to the boiling-point the amount of steam required
depends upon the quantity of hot water drawn off, and, as the ball cock arrange-
ment ensures a constant level, the cold water will be supplied as the hot water is
drawn off and will of course lower the temperature of the latter, and I take advan-
tage of this fact to automatically control the supply of steam.
I fit to the steam supply pipe a cock or valve constructed after the manner of
a ball cock; this valve is fitted to the steam pipe, inside the kettle, and at the
point where the steam pipe enters, and it is provided with a lever so connected
to the valve that when the lever is raised it closes the valve but when the lever
falls the valve is opened.
At the end of the lever I fit a thin copper cylinder closed at the top with the
exception of a small hole to allow the air to escape but open at the bottom, and
into the interior of this cylinder, but not actually connected to it, I lead a very
small bore copper pipe connected to the steam pipe on the boiler side of the valve
referred to and so disposed in relation to the cylinder that it does not in any way
obstruct the movement of the latter or the lever. The cylinder initially possesяcs
no buoyancy since the air escapes by the vent hole mentioned, but when the
kettle is put into operation a continuous fine jet of steam passes into the cylinder
through the small bore pipe, which steam is of course condensed as soon as it
comes into contact with the water when the latter is cold, but as the temperature
of the water rises the quantity of the steam condensed becomes less, till, when
the boiling point is reached, the steam fills the cylinder and renders it buoyant

page_text: 80 that it rises and thus cuts off the supply of steain to the heating surfaces of
the kettle; the cylinder remains in its upper position so long as the temperature
of the water is not lowered, as its interior communicates with the steain, on the
boiler side of the ball valve, through the small bore pipe. If however the temperature
of the water falls in consequence of hot water being drawn off and cold water
taking its place, the steam in the cylinder condenses, the latter loses its buoyancy
and falls and so opens the valve and admits steam to the heating surfaces; in
order that the apparatus may act quickly I lead the cold water supply pipe
outlet near to the cylinder so that the cold water as it enters impinges on the
latter and so condenses the steam therein at once.
In the case of a steam trap operated on the ball valve principle it will be seen
that my invention may be applied. by substituting the open ended cylinder
described for the ball; in this case of course the How of the drain water takes
place so long as there is water in the trap and the ball remains buoyant.
In the case of hot water apparatus used for heating purposes to which my in-
vention is applied, the action is similar to that first described, the cylinder being
placed in the circulating water and controlling the steam supply cock, when steam
is used to heat the water, or the gas pipe cock when gas is used for this purpose;
in the latter case a sinall steam generator is fitted to supply the steam to the
cylinder.
.
I find that by increasing or diminishing the length of the small bore pipe and
so altering the surface exposed, I can alter the temperature at which the liquid is
to be maintained by the apparatus.
It will be seen that my invention is applicable generally to those cases in which
the flow of a liquid is to be regulated by variations of temperature.
Dated this 1st day of December 1897.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
26, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means for Regulating the Flow of Fluids in Accordance
'
with Variations of Temperature, applicable to Hot Water Heating
Apparatus, Steam Kettles, Steam Traps, and the like.
I, EDWIN PAUL, of 41, Elm Road, Seaforth, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 means for regulating the flow of fluids in accordance
with variations of temperature, as for example the flow of steam to a steam
kettle; the flow of water from a steam trap; or the flow of gas to a gas heated hot
water apparatus..
I will in the first instance describe my invention as applied to a steam kettle
adapted to provide a constant supply of boiling water, which I have illustrated
in medial vertical section in Fig. I of the accompanying drawings. Figs. II
and III show modifications in details and will be referred to more fully herein-
after.
1 is the body of the kettle, supported on the base 2 and provided with a lid 3.
The kettle is supplied with water from, say, the town main by the supply pipe 4,
and the cock 5 is fitted to draw off the hot water as, required. In order to auto-
matically maintain the water at a constant level, the supply pipe 4 is controlled

page_text: by an ordinary ball cock, not shown in the drawings, arranged within the cistern 6,
the latter supplying the kettle through the internal pipe 7; the cistern 6 is not
essential, although it is convenient in practice, and the ball cock might be placed
within the kettle so as to supply the latter directly.
The water in the kettle is heated by steam which enters through the stop
valve 8 and traverses the heating coil 9, the steam supply being automatically
controlled, as hereinafter described, by the cock 10.
It will be seen that when the water has been initially brought to the boiling
point, the amount of steam required depends upon the quantity of hot water
drawn off, and as the arrangement described ensures a constant water level, the
cold water will be supplied us the hot water is drawn off and will of course
lower the temperature within the kettle, and I take advantage of this fact to
automatically control the supply of steam in the following manner:-
11 is a thin copper cylinder closed above with the exception of a small hole 12,
and open at the bottom; this cylinder is connected to the plug of the steam con-
trolling cock 10 by the lever 1, after the manner of an ordinary ball cock. 14
is a small bore copper pipe, open at the end, and leading from the steam pipe on
the supply side of the cock 10 and so placed as to offer no obstruction to the
movement of the cylinder 11.
The cylinder initially possesses no buoyancy since the air escapes by the vent
hole 12, and the cock 10 is therefore fully open, but when the steam is turned
on at the stop valve 8, a continuous fine jet of steam flows into the cylinder 11
through the pipe 14, which steam is of course condensed as soon as it comes
into contact with the water and the surface of the cylinder, so long as the latter
are cold, but as their temperature rises, the quantity of the steam condensed
becomes less, till, when the boiling point is reached, the steam fills the cylinder
and renders it buoyant so that it rises and thus cuts off the steam supply at the
cock 10.
The cylinder 11 remains in its upper position so long as the temperature of
the water is not lowered; if, however, the temperature is lowered in consequence
of hot water being drawn off and cold water taking its place, the steam within
the cylinder 11 condenses, the latter loses its buoyancy and falls and opens the
cock 10, admitting a further supply of steam. In order that the apparatus may
act promptly, the water inlet 7 is led close to the top of the cylinder 11 so that
the cold water impinges thereon.
In the case of a steam trap operated on the ball valve principle, it will be seen
that my invention may be applied by substituting the open bottomed cylinder 11
in place of the ordinary ball float; in this case of course the flow of the drain
water takes place so long as there is water in the trap and the ball remains
buoyant.
I
In the case of hot water apparatus used for heating purposes, to which my in-
vention is applied, the action is similar to that first described, the cylinder 11
being placed in the circulating water and controlling the steam supply cock,
when steam is used to heat the water, or the gas pipe cock when gas is used for
this purpose; in the latter case a small steam generate is fitted to supply the
steam to the cylinder 11.
I find that by varying the dimensions of the small bore pipe 14 and the
cylinder 11 and so altering the surface exposed, I can vary the temperature at
which the liquid is to he maintained by the apparatus.
It will be seen that my invention is applicable generally to those cases in which
the flow of a fluid is to be regulated by variations of temperature.
Referring now to Figs. II and III which show modifications in details, Fig. II
is a plan view of the controlling cock 10 and the float cylinder 11, and Fig. III
is a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line A, A, of Fig. II.
The arrangement is substantially identical with that of the corresponding parts
already described, but it is somewhat simpler inasmuch as the lever 13 which
connects the cylinder 11 to the cock 10, (to the plug of which it is secured by

page_text: the lock nut 15), now combines the functions of the lever 13 and the pipe 14
of Fig. I, the lever 131 being tubular and communicating with the steam supply
pipe 8 through the passage 16, and with the interior of the cylinder 11 through
the constricted passage 17. The cylinder 11 is, as before, made open below at 18
and provided with the vent hole 12 at the top.
A further advantage of this arrangement lies in the fact that the controlling
cock 10 is now kept on the outside of the containing vessel 1. This is of advan-
tage where the water to be heated is under pressure, as in the case of a circulat-
ing hot water heating apparatus, as the cock 10 can be examined without the
necessity of emptying the containing vessel.
81 is the steam supply pipe leading from the boiler and 8" is the continuation
thereof to the heating coils. The ports 19 are made narrow so as to make the
cock sensitive in cutting of the steam supply to the heating coils, but the port 20
is made sufficiently broad to be always open notwithstanding the movement of
the cylinder 11, so as to ensure a continuous steam supply to the latter through
the tubular lever 131. The spring 21 is used to keep the cock plug in its seating
in preference to the ordinary positive screw arrangement for this purpose, as the
cock is thus made more sensitive.
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 apparatus for regulating the flow of fluids in accordance with varia-
tions of temperature, a cock or its equivalent to regulate the flow and a vessel
adapted to act as an operating float therefor and placed in the liquid the tem-
perature of which is to regulate the flow, the said font being provided with a
small continuous steam supply and so arranged that its buoyancy is determined
by the effect of the said liquid in condensing the steam; substantially as described.
(2). In apparatus for heating water or the like by means of a heating fluid,
the combination of a cock to regulate the supply of the heating fluid, a vessel
open below and perforated above placed in the water to be heated and adapted
to act as an operating float for the said cock, and means for continuously supply-
ing steam to the said flout, so that its buoyancy is determined by the temperature
of the water; substantially as described.
(3). The combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as described and
illustrated in Fig. I.
(4). The combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as described
and illustrated in Figs. II and III.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
34, Castle Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.