IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A DEFICIENCY OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS, AND FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF WATER THERETO
Year: 1870

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
gineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING
A DEFICIENCY OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS, AND FOR REGULATING THE
SUPPLY OF WATER THERETO."-A communication from abroad by
Rufus Nutting Pratt and Robert Berryman, both of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, and Francis A. Pratt and Samuel Coit, both of
Hartford, Connecticut, all in the United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 14th March 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
66
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR INDICATING A DEFICIENCY OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS, AND FOR REGULATING

page_text: Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved apparatus showing the same
applied to a steam boiler; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the said
apparatus looking in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1; and Figure 3
is a side view showing a modification' of the same; Figure 4 is a view
showing one mode of arranging the apparatus to regulate the admis-
sion of water to the boiler; Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the
same.
A is a vessel which is in the present instance of a spherical form, and
to the under side of which is secured a pipe P extending longi-
tudinally to a point where it is bent at a right angle and passes through
the shell of the boiler within which it terminates at a point below the
low-water line 0. At the upper end of the chamber is a pipe P¹ to a
branch on which is secured the pipe P³, the latter extending horizontally
to a point where it is bent at a right angle, from which point it is carried
downward through and secured to the shell of the boiler, the pipe
terminating within the boiler at the low-water line. The portions of
the pipe P and pipe P' on the outside of the boiler should be of sufficient
length to permit them to yield in the manner described hereafter.
A lever L having its fulcrum on a projection F of a standard D resting

page_text: on the shell of the boiler is provided at one end with a weight B, the
opposite end being forked to receive V-shaped projections on the pipe P',
the lever and its weight thus supporting the vessel A and its adjuncts
and serving as a counterbalance for the same. The lever R of the
whistle W extends through a rod G which is so secured to another rod
attached to the standard D that it can be adjusted vertically for a
purpose described hereafter. The said whistle has an internal spindle
terminating below in a valve which is maintained in contact with its
seat by a spring at the upper end of the spindle, the latter being con-
nected to the above-mentioned lever R. As long as the water in the
boiler remains at its proper level (that is above the low-water line O, the
ends of the pipes P and P* being consequently immersed in the water).
the pressure of steam will keep the pipes and the vessel A full of water,
so that the vessel will be depressed, its weight being in excess of the
force exerted by the counterbalance lever L. While in this depressed.
condition the whistle lever R which passes through the stationary
rod G will be elevated and will consequently permit the valve of the
whistle to remain in contact with its seat. When the water in the
boiler becomes too low, however, that is, below the line O, the steam
will enter the pipe P³, and the vessel A will be speedily emptied of
its water, and thus becoming lighter will together with its whistle
be elevated by the counterbalance lever L and the lever R, which
will also be elevated (being controlled by the stationary rod G)
will cause the valve of the whistle to be opened and an alarm to be
given.
When the apparatus is to be used for regulating the admission of
water to the boiler, the vessel A (or the lever L) is connected to a valve
in the feed water pipe or with devices which control the action of the
pump or the flow of the feed water, so that when the vessel rises the
water will pass into the boiler, the descent of the vessel causing the flow
of the water to cease. One mode of effecting this result is illustrated in
Figure 4, where the lever L is connected by a rod J with a lever operating
a valve in the feed water pipe. The pipe P2 is larger in diameter
than the pipe P, so that the increased volume of steam thus admitted
to the vessel will insure the instant and rapid discharge of the water
from the same and from the pipe P and the prompt action of the
apparatus.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 3 the whistle instead of
communicating with the vessel A is stationary upon and communicates

page_text: with the boiler, and is operated on the movement of the vessel, or of its
lever, as shown in Figure 5.
The method of constructing the pipes with different diameters is also
applicable to a stationary vessel or alarm when connected to the steam
and water space of a generator, the steam pipe being of a larger diameter 5
will allow a sufficient volume of steam to pass through it to sound the
whistle or other alarm and prevent the rising of the water and blowing
through the whistle, which would otherwise occur when the pipes used
have the same diameters. The pipe 1 is attached to the steam space
and the return pipe 2 to the water space of the boiler, and therefore any 1
condensation which may occur in the pipe 1 will by its own gravity be
returned through the pipe 2 to the water level in the boiler. The
pipe 1 being of greater area than pipe 2 there will be, when required,
a sufficient volume of steam passing through it to sound the whistle
and also hold the water in pipe 2 dormant at its level in the 1
boiler. By this means the whistle is always ready to operate with
dry steam, and owing to its arrangement can be tested or raised as a
call whistle independent of the machine or height of the water in the
boiler.
Although I have referred to flexible pipes P, P³, it will be apparent 2
that rigid pipes may be employed, steam-tight joints or couplings being
placed in the pipes at such points as may be necessary to allow the pipes
to accomodate themselves to the movements of the vessel.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I claim,—
2
First. The vessel A. or its equivalent in combination with flexible or
jointed pipes P, P³, of different diameters connected to the boiler, and
forming communications between the said vessel and the water space of
the boiler, the whole operating in conjunction with the weighted lever L
or equivalent device as a medium for giving an alarm or regulating the 3
flow of the feed water, substantially as set forth.
Second. The said vessel in combination with a steam whistle, and
with the within-described devices for operating the said whistle.
Third. The rod G adjustable with regard to the lever R for the
purpose described.
Fourth. A vessel or chamber in combination with devices for indicating
the presence of water in and its absence from the vessel, and with
pipes or openings for the passage of steam and water from the boiler
3

page_text: when the steam passage or channel is larger than the other passage, or
when connected to a moveable or stationary vessel, as shown in Figures
2 and 5.
Fifth. A steam whistle, gong, or other steam alarm, in combination
with pipes or openings for the passage of steam and water from a boiler
when the steam passage or opening is larger than the water passage, as
shown in Figure 5.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES TEARE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings,
London.