IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FEED VALVES AND THEIR CHESTS FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Steven, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Brassfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FEED VALVES AND THEIR CHESTS FOR STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 24th April 1878, and dated the 30th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Steven at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th October 1877.
JOHN STEVEN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Brass
founder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FEED VALVES AND THEIR
CHESTS FOR STEAM BOILERS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of check valves and
their chests for the feeding of water into steam boilers, whereby such are rendered
more safe and easy of access for cleaning the valves in a few minutes without
danger.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in applying and fitting to a
double or single check valve chest an additional stop valve within the branch lead-
ing direct into the boiler, worked by a screw or other spindle through a stuffing box
from the outside of the chest, and preferably opening inwards within the boiler,
and curved or angled so as to deflect and spread the feed-water current and prevent
it from impinging on the inner surface or plates of the boiler, which is of great
importance in all tubular or flue boilers; but this valve might open outwards into
the chest in the same manner as screw stop valves generally.
The inlet branch and spindle of this valve would preferably be fitted to the
chest at right angles to and in a different plane from that of the check valves fitted
on each branch leading from the pump to the chest, as in the centre between these,
in the case of a duplex valve chest, so as to be instantly screwed up or closed from

page_text: the outside, and enable the check valves to be inspected and cleaned by the removal
of their stuffing-box covers and spindles, and replaced and opened in a few minutes
at any time when this is desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Steven in the Great. Seal Patent Office on the 30th
April 1878.
JOHN STEVEN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain; Brass-
founder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FEED VALVES AND THEIR
CHESTS FOR STEAM BOILERS."
My said Invention relates to improvements in the construction of check valves
and their chests for the feeding of water into steam boilers, whereby such are
rendered more safe and easy, of access for cleaning the valves in a few minutes, with-
out danger.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on
the Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing
the best means I am at present aware of for putting the Invention into effect or
practice, the same reference letters indicating the same or equivalent parts in all
the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are a side and edge section, respectively taken near the vertical
planes indicated by the lines 1---1 and 2---2, ench on the other, of one con-
struction or combination of the parts of a water feed valve chest A. for steam boilers,
with two check inlet valves B, and feed branches C for feeding, either from the
donkey or the pump of the main engine respectively, all as fitted with my new
or improved stop or regulating and distributing valve D in the branch D¹ of the
chest, directly attached to the boiler; and Figures 3 and 4 show like vertical side
and edge sections of a single arrangement of water feed valve chest A¹ for steam
boilers, with only one inlet check feed valve B' and branch C', and having the new
stop or inlet and regulating feed valve D2, fitted within the branch D" and chest, A
directly attached to the boiler; all constructed in accordance with and illustrative
of my said Invention.
>
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my
said Invention consist in applying and fitting to a double or single check or feed valve
chest A, B, C, an additional new stop or regulating valve D within the branch pipe
D', leading direct into the boiler, worked by the screw spindle d, or other equiva-
lent, passed out through a stuffing box d' on the chest, with hand wheel di on it
for the purpose outside; the valve D preferably opening inwards within the boiler,
as seen in Figure 2, and curved or angled outwards, so as to deflect and spread the
feed-water current, as it enters through the body of the water within the boiler,
and thus prevent the current from impinging on the inner surface or plates of the
boiler, and which would be of great importance and prevent much waste, and
corrosion in all tubular or flue boilers. This new or additional valve D might, how-

page_text: ever,
when preferred, be of an ordinary construction and open outwards into the
chest A as an ordinary screw stop valve fitted thereto, and controlled or shut off by
a spindle d, and hand wheel d", or other equivalent from the outside of the
chest A, as seen in Figures 3 and 4.
The branches D¹, D, of the valves D, D2, and their spindles & would preferably
be fitted to the chest A at right angles to, and in a different plane from that of the
central line of the check valves B, B¹, fitted on their seats or branches C, C³, leading
from the pump to the chests A or A', as in the centre between these, in the case of
the duplex valve chest A, as seen in Figures 1 and 2; or to the one side, as shown
in Figures 3 and 4, so as to be easily screwed up or closed from the outside, and
enable the check valves C or C¹ to be inspected and cleaned by the removal of their
stuffing box covers c¹ and spindles c, and replaced, and the stop valve re-opened, all
in a few minutes at any time when this is desired.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4, when the new stop valve D2 is fitted and closed
within the chest A, a loose stuffing box spindle cover d², d², is fitted over it outside
for the easy insertion or removal of the valve D³. When the valve D2 is formed
and fitted in this way (and not made to spread the inlet feed water, as in
Figures 1 and 2), a deflecting plate may be fitted within the boiler opposite the
inlet branch D, to deflect or spread the current of entering feed water, and
prevent it from impinging and acting on the tubes or inner surface of the
boiler plates to corrode them, as described in reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The general construction of feed-water check valve chests for steam boilers
or generators with a new or improved stop valve D or D2, all substantially as
and for the purposes and advantages herein described in reference to, and shown in
the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The addition or application and use of a new or improved stop valve D
or D2 to the check valve feed-water chests of steam boilers or generators, substan-
tially as and for the advantages herein described in reference to, and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Steven, have hereunto set my hand.
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN STEVEN. .(L.S.)