AN ARRANGEMENT FOR LIFTING THE SAFETY-VALVE OF BOILERS BY THE ACTION OF A FLOAT ACTUATED BY THE WATER IN THE BOiler, therebY TO A GREAT; THEREBY TO A GREAT EXTENT PREVENTING EXPLOSIONS THROUGH AN INSUF- FICIENCY OF
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rogers, Iron Works Manager, of Smethwick,
in the County of Stafford, for an Invention of "AN ARRANGEMENT FOR
LIFTING THE SAFETY-VALVE OF BOILERS BY THE ACTION OF A FLOAT
ACTUATED BY THE WATER IN THE BOiler, therebY TO A GREAT EXTENT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rogers at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd December 1881.
THOMAS ROGERS Iron Works Manager of Smethwick in the County of
Stafford. "AN ARRANGEMENT FOR LIFTING THE SAFETY VALVE OF BOILERS
BY THE ACTION OF A FLOAT ACTUATED BY THE WATER IN THE BOILER;
THEREBY TO A GREAT EXTENT PREVENTING EXPLOSIONS THROUGH AN INSUF-
FICIENCY OF WATER."
Near the end or at a convenient distance from the weighted end of an ordinary
safety valve lever, I erect a wrot or cast iron stem or stand secured by suitable
means to the boiler, or boiler fittings, provided with a fork or opening, in and
through which, a wrought iron bar forming a lever works, by means of a central
stud or pin, this stud or pin forming the fulcrum of the lever.
At any suitable distance from this fulcrum and from the end of the safety valve
lever (the whole by preference being lineable) I secure on the top of the boiler,
what is technically called stuffing box, through which a rod works and to which
is attached & suitable float or buoy (formed of any suitable material) in the interior
of the boiler. The top end of the said rod is connected with the end of the lever,
to the other end of the lever (nearest the safety valve) is attached a weight so as
to balance the lever and float when a sufficient or maximum quantity of water is
in the boiler. The weighted end of the lever is provided with a loose link or other
TD... C11

page_text: attachment through which the end of the safety valve lever passes, and is perfectly
free, this link can be very nicely adjusted. Thus it is evident that as the float or
buoy descends or drops in the boiler, through the consumption of the water, the
lever at this end becomes depressed, and the other end rises and lifts the end of the
safety valve lever (by means of the link or attachment before mentioned) and
thereby allows the steam to blow off, consequently giving timely notice, and
preventing explosions, and dispensing with the use of whistles.
Or at the top of the rod carrying the float or buoy, a chain may be attached
which may work round a small wheel carried from the boiler and to the end of
this chain may be suspended the counterpoise or balance-weight to the float or
buoy, instead of at the end of the lever as described, the other end of the lever
(is also in this case) connected to the top of the rod carrying the float.
The lever can be of any convenient length and can be steadied by suitable
brackets carried from the boiler or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Rogers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th June
1882.
THOMAS ROGERS Iron Works Manager of Smethwick in the County of
Stafford. "AN ARRANGEMENT FOR LIFTING THE SAFETY VALVE OF BOILERS
BY THE ACTION OF A FLOAT ACTUATED BY THE WATER IN THE BOILER;
THEREBY TO A GREAT EXTENT PREVENTING EXPLOSIONS THROUGH AN INSUF-
FICIENCY OF WATER."
My Invention consists of improvements hereinafter described. Near the end or
at a convenient distance from the weighted end of an ordinary safety valve lever,
I erect a wrought or cast iron stem or stand secured by suitable means to the
boiler or boiler fittings, provided with a fork or opening, in and through which, a
wrought iron bar forming a lever works, by means of a central stud or pin, this
stud or pin forming the fulcrum of the lever; at any suitable distance from this
fulcrum and from the end of the safety valve lever (the whole by preference being
lineable) I secure on the top of the boiler what is technically called a stuffing box,
through which a rod works, and to which is attached a suitable float or buoy
(formed of any suitable material) in the interior of the boiler. The top end of
the said rod is connected with the end of the lever, to the other end of the lever
(nearest the safety valve) is attached a weight so as to balance the lever and float
when a sufficient or maximum quantity of water is in the boiler.
The weighted end of the lever is provided with a loose link or other attachment
through which the end of the safety valve lever passes and is perfectly free, this
link can be very nicely adjusted. Thus it is evident that as the float or buoy
descends or drops in the boiler, through the consumption of the water, the lever at
this end becomes depressed and the other end rises and lifts the end of the safety
valve lever (by means of the link or attachment before mentioned) and thereby
allows the steam to blow off, consequently giving timely notice, and preventing
explosions, and dispensing with the use of whistles. Or at the top of the rod
carrying the float or buoy, a chain may be attached which may work round a small
wheel carried from the boiler, and to the end of this chain may be suspended the
counterpoise or balance-weight to the float or buoy; instead of at the end of the
lever as described, the other end of the lever (is also in this case) connected to the
top of the rod carrying the float. The lever can be of any convenient length and
can be steadied by suitable brackets carried from the boiler or otherwise; but as
my Invention will be better understood by refering to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, I will proceed to describe the same, reference being made to the various
figures and letters marked thereon, of which the same letters are used to indicate
the same parts.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1. and 2 are longitudinal sections of what is usually known as a Cornish
boiler, shewn partly broken off for convenience of space. (In Figs. 1 and 2 my
arrangement is shewn as applied to Cornish Lancashire and other boilers). At a
convenient distance from the ordinary safety valve we secure a cast or wrought
iron stem or pillar marked A having a slot or aperture at the top in which the
weighted lever marked B works by means of a centre pin which forms the fulcrum
of the said lever B, at one end of this lever is secured a small chain to which is
suspended a rod marked C, to the end of the said rod C is attached a float
marked D.
The said rod C works through a stuffing box marked E.

page_text: The lever B is balanced and capable of being nicely adjusted by the weight of
at its other end. The
the float D in connection with the weighted ball marked
safety valve lever G is weighted and adjusted in the ordinary way (namely) by
means of the weighted ball marked H. To the cranked lever B is attached a loose
link marked I, and at the end of the safety valve lever G a small pin or projection
is formed which works in the link I before mentioned. Fig. 1, shews the whole
arrangement balanced and adjusted when the float in the boiler is at mean water-
mark. Fig. 2, is the same as Fig. 1, as to the various parts, but the float is shewn
at low water-mark, which as it sinks to that level (by the consumption of the
water in the boiler) depresses that end of the lever B to which the chain and rod C
are attached, thereby raising the weighted end of the said lever, the action of which
lifts the safety valve lever G by means of the pin or projection and the link I
previously referred to, thereby removing all weight from the safety valve (which
may or may not be attached to the lever G) which allows it to rise from its seat,
thereby permitting the steam to escape freely as shewn in Fig. 2. Fig. 3, is a
sectional view of an upright boiler, to which my Invention can be readily applied,
the float in this case being shewn at mean water mark as at Fig. 1. The details
are modified in this case, this modification of arrangement being necessitated by
the different shape of the boiler, but the modification is very slight, for instance,
the lever B is shown straight instead-of-cranked-as-in Figs. 1 and 2., the ends of
the said lever also being reversed, and the stem or pillar A is not lineable with the
centre of the valve and valve lever G, being placed a little on one side so as to
clear the ball H. At Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is shewn what is termed a four inch double
low water and high steam safety valve with my arrangement for actuating the
weighted valve lever G the float and boiler not being shewn in these views. Fig. 4,
is a side elevation of the above, the ordinary safety valve, seat, and a portion of the
casting marked J being shewn in section.
Fig. 5, is a plan and Fig. 6, an end view of Fig. 4. The casting (which can be of
any suitable size and shape) narked J containing the steam valves is suitably
secured to new or any ordinary boilers.
To the said casting J is secured (as shewn in Figs. 4, 5 and 6) two suitable jaws
marked K, between which the safety valve levers marked G work by means of a
central pin or stud as shewn.
To the said casting J is also secured, the metal bracket marked L shewn in
elevation in Fig. 4, and in plan at Fig. 5, also in detached views in elevation at
Fig. 8, and in plan at Fig. 9.
The safety valve levers G are balanced by the weights marked M when the
maximum quantity of water is in the boiler. To a suitable attachment marked N
shewn in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is secured the lever marked, O, best seen in Figs. 4, and 5,
the attachment N being in connection (though shewn broken off) with the rod C
to which is secured the float before mentioned. The said lever O which is forked
at one end carries a piece of V shaped steel or other metal marked P which forms
a centre upon which the said lever O works, this lever being poised or balanced on
the bracket L previously referred to, and is balanced, in connection with the float,
by the weight marked Q (and set screw) shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. To the said
lever is secured a bar marked R at each end of which is secured a hook or lifter
marked S, the object of which being the same, as that of the link I and pin or
projection in Figs. 1, and 2, previously described, namely to lift the two safety valve
levers marked G which is effected by the depressing of the one end of the lever O
which is caused by the float descending in the boiler. Fig. 7, is a part sectional
elevation of the casting J shewing the stuffing box marked E through which the
rod C works also the same being shewn in end view at Fig. 6; the V shaped
piece P being shewn detached, but in its relative position with the bracket L as
shewn in Fig. 8, and in plan at Fig. 9. Thus it will be readily understood from
the foregoing description and seen on reference to the accompanying Drawings
that should a boiler be short of water, either by neglect, or by the pump, or
injection becoming out of order, or otherwise, by my arrangement as described, for

page_text: lifting the safety valve lever or levers, the steam is allowed freely to escape from
the boiler, and will continue to do so until the water is again brought to its proper
level by a fresh supply. The above result will always follow when the water in the
boiler falls below a given level. My arrangement, too has the advantage of being
self acting, and serves the double purpose of a water indicator and of an alarum,
also reducing the chance of accidents by the bursting of boilers to a minimum. None
of the working parts can possibly get out of order without very gross neglect.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be carried into effect I wish it
to be understood, that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described
and illustrated, as the same may be slightly modified and varied without departing
from the nature and spirit of my Invention, but what I do claim and wish to
protect under these my Letters Patent, is the general arrangement and combination
of the parts shewn, in connection with an ordinary float working substantially in
the manner herein described and shewn on the accompanying Drawings for giving
effect to the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Rogers have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness
ALFRED PERRY
Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent
Handsworth
Birmingham.
THOMAS ROGERS. (L.S.)