An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Feeding Steam Boilers and other Vessels under Pressure.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Feeding Steam Boilers
and other Vessels under Pressure.
We, THOMAS AUSTIN SERGEANT, of Thanet House, Gracechurch Street, in
the City of London, Iron Merchant, and GEORGE BECK, of 144, Powerscroft
Road, Clapton, in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for automatically feeding
water into steam boilers, whereby the feeding is effected by the weight of the feed
water without the employment of additional force or pressure. The invention is
also applicable for supplying liquid or powder to other closed vessels against
internal pressure.
A suitable arrangement for carrying out my invention as applied to a steam
boiler consists in the employment of a cock having a hollow plug with an opening
in the side thereof, the body or case of the cock being in communication with the
pipe from the feed water tank and with a pipe opening into the boiler just above
the normal water level, the said pipe in some cases also opening into the boiler
near the bottom thereof. By this arrangement if the plug of the cock be rotated
the opening therein will at each revolution be brought opposite the pipe from the
feed water tank and the pipe leading into the boiler alternately so that the said
plug becomes filled with water from the tank and when the opening comes over the
pipe leading to the boiler it will discharge its contents into the said pipe provided
the water in the boiler is below its normal level, the plug becoming again filled as
the opening therein passes opposite the pipe from the feed water tank.
It will be obvious that I may employ two cocks working in conjunction with a
pipe or receptacle which takes the place of the hollow plug in the first named
arrangement.
Dated the 9th day of March 1906
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Feeding Steam Boilers
and other Vessels under Pressure.
We, THOMAS AUSTIN SERGEANT, of Thanet House, Gracechurch Street, in
the City of London, Iron Merchant, and GEORGE BECK, of 144, Powerscroft
Road, Clapton, in the County of London, Engineer, 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 a method of and apparatus for automatically feeding

page_text: water into steam boilers, whereby the feeding is effected by the weight of the feed
water without the employment of additional force or pressure. The invention is
also applicable for supplying liquid or powder to other closed vessels against
internal pressure.
A snitable arrangement for carrying out our invention as applied to a steam
boiler consists in the employment of a cock having a hollow plug with an opening
in the side thereof, and forming what we term au intermediate chamber the body
or case of the cock being in communication with the pipe from the feed water tank
and with a pipe opening into the boiler just above the normal water level, the
said pipe in some cases also opening into the boiler near the bottom thereof. By
this arrangement if the plug of the cock be rotated the opening therein will at
each revolution be brought opposite the pipe from the feed water tank and the
pipe leading into the boiler alternately so that che said plug or intermediate
chamber becomes filled with water from the tank and when the opening comes over
the pipe leading to the boiler it will discharge its contents into the said pipe
provided the water in the boiler is below its normal level, the plug or intermediate
chamber hecoming again filled as the opening therein passes opposite the pipe from
the feed water tank.
It will be obvious that we may employ two cocks working in conjunction with
an intermediate space between them which takes the place of the hollow plug in
the first named arrangement.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing: in which,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation shewing the application of our invention to a
steam boiler.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the cock drawn to a larger seale than
Figure 1 and,
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional view drawn to the same scale as Figure 1 shewing the
arrangement for supplying the feed water at the bottom of the boiler.
Figure 5 is a sectional view drawn to the same scale as Figures 2 and 4
illustrating the arrangement wherein we employ two cocks.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is the boiler to be supplied with water, b is the tank from which the water is
to, be supplied and which is connected with the boiler by a pipe c, and d is the
intermediate chamber which is alternately filled and emptied.
As shewn in Figures 2 and 3 the intermediate chamber is formed by the hollow
plug of a cock the said hollow plug having a single opening which as the
said plug is rotated is alternately brought opposite to the inlet and discharge sides
of the cock, to alternately fill and empty the intermediate chamber d. Any
suitable means may be employed for rotating the said plug; as shewn in Figure 1
a worm 9 rotated from any suitable source of power engages with a worm wheel h
on the spindle of the plug.
i is a pipe which is sometimes employed for allowing the escape of the steam
which enters the intermediate chamber d as the water escapes therefrom, the. said
pipe being connected to the shell of the cock el at one side so that the said
intermediate chamber will be placed in communication with the atmosphere after
communication is cut off from the boiler and before it is again established with the
tank.
As shewn in Figure 1 the pipe e extends down to the water level and it will be
obvious that when the water in the boiler closes the end of the said pipe the water
in the latter will not flow out of the same.
As it might be considered objectionable to deliver the cold water at the water
level we provide for introducing it at or near the bottom of the boiler.
For this purpose the pipe e is extended down to the desired point and a branch
or opening is placed at the water level to allow steam to pass up the said pipe
when the branch or opening is uncovered.

page_text: When we use two cocks the latter are arranged as shewn in Figure 5 with the
intermediate chamber d between them the plugs of the said two cocks being geare I
together by wheels k, k (one of which carries a worm wheel for driving
purposes) in such a manner that the intermediate chamber is alternately placed
in communication with the supply tank and with the boiler.
If desired a relief pipe similar to the pipe i, Figure 1 may be connected to the
intermediate chamber d.
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. The method of introducing liquid or other material into a vessel under
pressure consisting in the employment of an intermediate chamber between the
supply vessel from which the liquid or other material is drawn and the vessel under
pressure into which the material is to be introduced the said intermediate chamber
being adapted to he alternately placed in communication with the said supply
vessel and with the vessel under pressure, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for introducing liquid or other material into a vessel under pressure,
wherein an intermediate chamber is adapted to be alternately placed in communi-.
cation with the supply vessel from which the material to be introduced is withdrawn
ànd the vessel under pressure in which it is to be introduced, substantially as.
described.
3. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming clause the
employment of a cock having a hollow plug which constitutes the intermediate
chamber, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the.
accompanying drawing, for the purpose specified.
4. The modification of our invention wherein the intermediate chamber is for:ned
between two cocks, substantially as described by reference to Figure 5 of the.
drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.