Improvements in Steam Boiler Water Feeding, Regulating, and Indicating Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1890
Complete Specificati n Left, 27th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 31st Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Boiler Water Feeding, Regulating, and
Indicating Apparatus.
JAMES MURRIE 9 Granville Street Charing Cross Glasgow North Britain
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My said invention relates to improvements in "steam boiler water level regulating
and indicating apparatus" for which a Patent was applied for on 30th Octr. 1889
No. 17,158.
In the
My first improvement relates to the mode of liberating steam from the boiler to
set the pump for feeding the boiler in motion and for sounding a whistle alarm on
the water falling below a predetermined point. This improvement consists in fitting
on the front or side of the boiler above the water space, a chest in which is fitted
an axis or fulcrum; a lever rotates upon said fulcrum, one end of the lever projects
inside the boiler and has at its extreme end a screwed mut, from which is suspended
a float by means of a screwed suspender rod, the nut on the end of the lever serving
as a means of regulating the position of the float as well as a support.
aforesaid chest preferably at its upper end, two valves are fitted, one on each side
of the fulcrum; one valve regulates the flow of steam to the steam pump and the
other regulates the flow of steam to a whistle. Said valves are actuated by
the lever by means of projections made to bear against the valves. The projections
being adjusted to open the steam pump valve on the water level falling and to open
the alarm whistle valve on the water in the boiler continuing to fall below the
normal working level. The lift or arm of lever inside said chest may be fitted
with a counterpoise weight. Instead of there being two valves in the chest, there
may be one only for regulating the flow of steam to pump or alarm as desired.
My second improvement consists in adapting the aforesaid arrangement described
under my first improvement to sound a high as well as a low water alarm. To
effect this there are two floats suspended from the lever inside the boiler on a
common suspender rod, and two valves are fitted in the chest, one on each side of
the fulcrum. The floats are adjusted at the respective levels where indications are
desired to give motion to the lever on the water falling below or rising above either
float, and the lever actuates the steam valve in connection with the high water
alarm in rising and the low level alarm in falling. The valves are kept closed
when not acted upon by the lever, by springs or dead-weights.
My third improvement relates to a mode of creating a constant or nearly constant
pressure on the water entering the boiler. To effect this a chamber is placed
between the pump or feeding apparatus at a greater water level elevation than the
boiler. This chamber is preferably made in the form of a hollow cylinder placed
on end and partly filled with water. The chamber is fitted with a float and
steam escape regulating apparatus described under my first improvement. A steam
tube leads from the steam escape valve to the pump or other water feeding machine.
A steam tube leads from the boiler to the upper end of the aforesaid chamber, to
maintain a constant pressure on the surface of the water in the chamber and also
to supply steam which may escape from the chamber to work the feed pump.
water tube leads from the lower end of the chamber to the boiler and a water tube
connects the pump with the water in the chamber. These tubes are fitted with the
requisite number of stop and check valves to regulate the flow of steam or water.
Said chamber may have at its upper end a three way cock, one passage communi-
cating with the steam in the chamber, another with the steam in the boiler and the
other with the atmosphere or condenser. By this arrangement the chamber can he
charged with water independently of the feed pump, by having the feed water at a
A

page_text: greater altitude than the chamber. On the steam being shut off from the boiler,
the steam in the chamber escapes into the atmosphere and fresh water gravitates
into the chamber. The water in the chamber again gravitates into the boiler on
the exhaust steam outlet being closed and live steam being admitted from the
boiler.
My fourth improvement consists in a combination of parts wherein a series of
boilers may be kept at a uniform level. This is effected by having a steam pump
preferably of the vertical three cylinder type feeding an intermediate chamber as
described under my third improvement, the pump being automatically controlled by
the apparatus described under my first improvement. A water pipe common to all
the boilers leads from the lower end of the aforesaid chamber, branch pipes leading
from the aforesaid main pipe to each boiler, the flow into each boiler being regulated
by an apparatus of the kind described in my aforesaid Specification No. 17,1588.
My fifth improvement relates to a form of float which may be passed through the
opening in the shell of the boiler for screwing in or attaching the chest, and consists
in making the float in the form of a hollow tube of indefinite length. The tube
being hermetically scaled or open to the water as desired; in the latter case a
counterpoise weight being fitted to the opposite arm of the lever.
My sixth improvement relates to a mode of preventing the water pipes between
the pump and the aforesaid chamber or between the pump and the boiler from
being subjected to an excessive pressure. This is effected by having a safety valve
fitted on the water pipe between the pump and the chamber or boiler.
Dated this 5th lov of Walma 1200
JAMES MURRIE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Boiler Water Feeding, Regulating, and
Indicating Apparatus.
·
I, JAMES MURRIE, of 9 Granville Street, Charing Cross, Glasgow, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in steam boiler water feeding regulating
and indicating apparatus, and is a further development of my Patent No. 17158
A.D. 1889.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect I have hereunto appended one explanatory sheet of drawings in the
several figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 is a vertical section showing part of my improvements as applied to a
steam boiler.
Figure 2 is a similar view of another part of my improvements.
Figure 3 is an elevation of another arrangement as applied to a steam boiler.
A is the boiler, into which is screwed or otherwise fitted a chamber B connecting
with the steam space in the boiler. In this chamber B is fulcrumed at C a lever D,
the one end of which projects into the steam space of the boiler and has attached to
it at its extremity a screwed nut d' from which is suspended a float E by means of
a rod F; the nut on the end of the lever serving as a means of regulating the
position of the float as well as serving as a support; while the other end of the
lever D has pivoted to it a weight G to act as a counterpoise to the float F.
Preferably at the upper end of the chamber B, two valves H, H' are fitted; one
being on each side of the fulcrum ; the valve H regulating the flow of steam to
the steam pump, or injector while the other H' regulates the flow of steam to
the whistle 1. On the water in the boiler falling, the valve H is opened, whereby
steam is allowed to pass out into the pipe J to the pump or injector to feed the
boiler, and on the water continuing to fall below the desired normal level the alarm

page_text: whistle valve H is opened, whereby the whistle is sounded and the attention of the
attendant is called.
Instead of having two valves in the chamber B, I may only have that for
regulating the flow of steam to the pump, or injector or that for the alarm whistle
as desired.
To create a constant or nearly constant pressure on the water entering the boiler,
I place a chamber or accumulator K between the pump or injector or feeding
This
apparatus preferably at a greater water level elevation than the boiler.
chamber or accumulator K is preferably made in the form of a hollow cylinder
placed on end and partly filled with water, and it is fitted with a float and steam
escape regulating apparatus similar to that herein before described with reference to
Figure 1. A steam pipe L leads from the boiler to the upper end of the accumu-
lator to maintain a constant pressure on the surface of the water in the
accumulator, as well as to supply steam which may escape from the accumulator
into the pipe to feed the pump or injector. A water tube M leads from the.
lower end of the accumulator K to the boiler, and a water tube M¹ connects the
pipe with the water in the accumulator K. These tubes are fitted with the requisite
number of stop and check valves to regulate the flow of steam or water as described
and shown in the Specification of my said Patent No. 17158, A.D. 1889. The
accumulator K may have at its upper end a three-way cock N, one pas age
connecting with the steam in the accumulator K, another with the steam in the
boiler, and the other with the atmosphere or condenser. By this arrangement the
accumulator can be charged with water independently of the feed pump by
having the feed water at a greater altitude than the accumulator. On the steam
being shut off from the boiler, the steam in the accumulator escapes into the atmo-
sphere and fresh water gravitates into the accumulator. The water in the chamber
again gravitates into the boiler on the exhaust steam outlet being closed and live
steam being admitted from the boiler.
From the pipe M branch pipes may be led to any number of boilers whereby the
water is kept in each boiler at a uniform level.
To prevent the water pipes between the pump S and the boiler from being
subjected to an excessive pressure, I may fit on to the pipes a safety valve P, so
that any excessive flow of water will pass up the pipe Q into the accumulator or
feed tank as shown in Figure 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. The general construction or arrangement and combination of the parts for
automatically liberating steam from the boiler to set the pump or injector for
feeding the boiler in motion and for sounding an alarm on the water falling below
a predetermined point, substantially as described and shewn on Figure 1 of the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. The combination with a steam boiler of an accumulator fitted in combination
with the boiler and having float valve mechanism fitted therein for automatically
regulating the steam supply to the pump or injector and for sounding an alarmi,
substantially as described and shewn in Figure 2 of the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
3. The arrangement for preventing an excessive pressure of feed water into the
boiler or for returning surplus water to the feed tank by means of a safety valve
substantially as described and shewn on Figure 3 of the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Dated this 24th day of December 1890
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.