Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Controlling the Supply of Water to Steam-boilers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
GUMI LPI DI MULTIOTION
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Controlling the
Supply of Water to Steam-boilers.
We, HENRI RAUSER, Manufacturer, of Garden Street, near the Red Gate,
CHARLES WIEBER, Manufacturer, and ALEXIS SOKOLOFF, Government Official,
both of Staraja Basmannaja, House, all in Moscow in the Russian Empire, 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 apparatus for automatically controlling the supply of
water to steam boilers and will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawing.
The apparatus consists of a hollow column A erected upon a support and
provided with a cover or door B another cover C, a float D with a tubular rod E,
an ejector F, a signalling whistle G, two bell-crank levers a and b, valves cand d,
oval plate e, guide f, valves g and h, and a switch H with its float i; valves kand b
and ball m.
The object of this intermediate apparatus is to automatically set in operation the
feed-pump of a steam-boiler in proportion as the water level in the boiler descends
so that the water contained in the boiler is constantly maintained at a uniform
level. The operation of the apparatus is mainly dependent upon the production of
a vacuum above the suction-valve of the feed-pump in which the usual air-cock is
replaced by the switch H. The operation is as follows:-
As
As soon as the water-level in the boiler becomes lower the flat D with its rod E
and the plate e attached to this rod sink with it. In so doing the plate e comes into
contact with the widened portion of the bell-crank lever a and deflects this lever to
one side. This causes the upper or shorter arm of a to rise and open the valve c.
Steam is therefore allowed to pass through this open valve e and through the
ejector Finto the switch device H which is connected with the said ejector
by means of a pipe no the result being a vacuum in the said switch."
the switch H is connected at p with the valve-box of the feed-pump it follows that
above the suction valve also a vacuum is produced which forces the feed-water into
the pump and through the latter into the boiler. As soon as the pump is set in
operation the switch device H instantly fills with water so that the float contained
in it rises and proportionately presses the two valves and (the latter of which is
of the smaller area) against their respective seats or in other words closes such
valves more or less completely. This counteracts the effect of the vacuum upon
the valve-box of the fead-pump and the pump continues in operation until the
required water-level in the boiler is restored and the float D has risen sufficiently
to bring the plate e out of contact with the angle-lever a so that the valve c
is allowed to close and the action of the ejector discontinues. The feed pump
will now draw in the water contained in the switch H and also the air admitted
through the valve and consequently it will force no more water into the boiler for
the time being. Part of the water remaining in the vessel H runs off through the
ball valve m. For the control of the feed-pump we have provided a signalling
whistle Gadapted to come into operation when the lowest water-level that is
admissible is attained. For this purpose the plate e in descending meets the
inclined projection provided at the end of the bell-crank lever and operates
this lever thereby opening the valve d and causing the whistle g to be blown.
In case the valve c should not close sufficiently tightly steam would constantly flow
through the ejector F and therefore the pump would continue to operate without
interruption so that the water-level in the boiler would soon exceed its normal

page_text: height. To prevent this the rod E is provided with a valve which when the
level rises beyond a certain point entirely cuts off the steam from the column A
whereby the untimely operation of the ejector is prevented. When the water
after having risen to its maximum level begins to sink the steam pressure sustained
by the said valve causes the float D to remain in suspension. For this purpose
tlie valve is provided at the upper end of the rod the area of which valve
is somewhat larger than that of the valve h. It will be understood that since the
steam is enabled to exert its pressure upon the valve g'also through the openings
provided in the lower end of the rod E the steam pressure sustained by the valve h
discontinues directly the water level begins to sink and the float will then no
longer be suspended above the water but float upon its surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. An apparatus for controlling the water supply to a steam boiler consisting of
a blower automatically put in operation when the water falls below a certain level
a feed pump and a switch or device which when the blower is not in operation
allows the pump to draw air but upon the operation of the blower stops the pump
from drawing air substantially as described.
2. For automatically controlling the supply of water to a steam boiler the
combination with a feed pump of a switch which when the water is at its normal
level in the boiler causes the pump to suck air and when the water is below
the normal level stops the pump sucking air substantially as described.
3. For automatically controlling the supply of water to a steam boiler the
combination with the boiler of a blower or ejector, float and rod such as
D and E levers such as a band plate such as E substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. For automatically controlling the supply of water to a steam boiler the
combination with the boiler and feed pump of a switch such as H having valves
such as kand m and a float such as substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
i
5. For automatically controlling the supply of water to a steam boiler the
combination with a feed pump of a switch such as H and a blower substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for automatically controlling the supply of water to steam boilers substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Fourth day of April 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.