IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charlas Denton Abel, of Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC
FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS." A communication from abroad by
Daniel Iffland and Ernst Hadenfeld, both of Hamburg, in the German
Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1876.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS."
This Invention relates to automatic feed apparatus consisting of a float inside the
boiler connected to a valve closing a pipe leading from the steam space of the boiler
to a pump or injector, so that on the water level falling in the boiler the weight of
the float will pull open the valve so as to allow the steam to pass along the pipe to
the pump or injector, thus causing water to be fed into the boiler. The float, which
is by preference a hollow metal sphere, is connected by a socket and set screw to a
rod on the valve, so that the position of the float relative to the water level can be
accurately adjusted. The valve is of hollow cylindrical form fitting with a pro-
jecting rim at its lower end, and also with its upper end against seatings in the
valve casing, holes being formed through its lower end so that the steam pressure
has access to its interior, in order to reduce the area on which the steam pressure
acts for closing the valve. The upper end of the valve casing has a hole closed by a
screw plug, and opposite this hole is a screwed hole in the valve, so that when
required the valve can be ground on its seat by removing the screw plug and
screwing a rod introduced through the hole into the hole in the valve.
In close proximity to the valve a cock is provided on the steam pipe leading to
the pump, so that should the valve be out of order the communication with the
pump can be cut off.

page_text: Fig. 1 shews a part section of a steam boiler with the before-described Invention
applied thereto; Fig. 2 shews a vertical section through the valve and valve
chamber; Fig. 3 shews a sectional plan on line A, B, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shews a section
on line C, D; and Fig. 5 shews an under side view of the guide F.
The valve S is kept up against its seat in the valve box V by means of the float
K connected by a socket T to the rod t attached to the valve. The socket being
adjustable on the rod by means of a set screw t¹. The valve is hollow, and seats
with its upper end against the top of the valve box, and holes r, r, are formed into
the hollow space, so that the steam can enter it, and thus the steam pressure tending
to close the valve is reduced sufficently to allow the weight of the valve and the
float to pull it open when the water sinks beyond a certain level. The branch pipe
R on the valve casing leads to any suitable construction of steam pump or injector
for supplying water to the boiler, so that on the valve S being opened, the steam
from the boiler will pass to and actuate such pump.
The valve S has wings
Sands for guiding it in the casing, and the rod t also works through a guide
F. The top of the casing V is closed by a screw plug G, so that when the valve
requires to be ground upon its seat, this may be effected without removing it from
the boiler by unscrewing the plug G and passing through the hole a rod which is
screwed into the hole m, thus enabling the valve to be ground by rotating the rod
by hand. E is a cock for cutting off the communication with the pump should the
valve S get out of order.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim,―
First. The use in steam boilers of a valve closing a pipe leading to a steam pump,
and so arranged in combination with a float in the water space of the boiler that
on the water level of the boiler falling beyond a certain point, the valve will open

page_text: so as to admit steam to the pump for supplying water to the boiler, substantially
as herein described.
Second. The arrangement of the valve S in combination with the float K, socket
T, and rod t, constructed and operating as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
CHA. D. ABEL. (L.S.)