Inefficient Supply of Water in Steam Boilers.
Year: 1885

page_text: Inefficient Supply of Water in Steam Boilers.
WILLIAM SAMUEL GARDNER, New Street, Painswick, Gloucestershire, and
ALFRED HENRY SHEPPARD, 30, Clarendon Villas, Hove, Sussex, Gentlemen, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for CALLING ATTENTION TO THE
INEFFICIENT SUPPLY OF WATER TO STEAM BOILERS, to be as follows:-
°
A valve enclosed in a cylinder, which cylinder has two connections with the
boiler by means of two pipes, the lower pipe when the water is at its proper level
in the boiler permits the water to fill the cylinder, and the valve floating is closed
by its bouyancy, preventing the escape of steam, which, when the water is below
its proper level, rushes through the upper pipe into the cylinder, displacing the
water and allowing the valve to open; the steam is thus utilised as the motive
power for signalling by means of an alarum or whistle, which may be placed at
any reasonable distance from the boiler, or connected thereto.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of the
apparatus shewing position of the floating valve with ordinary working height of
water in the boiler.
Fig. 2 is a section shewing position of valve when the water in the boiler falls
below the level at which it is considered desirable or necessary to maintain it.
Fig. 3 is a plan shewing end of cylinder and manner of maintaining a perpen-
dicular position in the working of floating valve.
In the drawings the letter A represents the outer cylindrical casing, B the inner
floating valve, C the hemispherical or conical boss closing the outlet in cap D,
which communicates with a whistle or other signal which may be placed at any
reasonable distance from boiler; E is a pipe through which water first passes into
the outer cylinder on filling the boiler, thus floating the valve and bringing the
boss C and cap D into connection; F is a second pipe which admits steam to the
outer cylinder at G immediately upon the water falling to the level of its con-
nection with the boiler, at which point it is desirable to maintain it, thus displacing
the water in the cylinder and sounding the whistle or other alarm.

page_text: Inefficient Supply of Water in Steam Boilers.
We WILLIAM SAMUEL GARDNER, New: Street, Painswick Gloucestershire. and
ALFRED HENRY SHEPPARD, 30 Clarendon Villas, Hove, Sussex, Gentlemen do
heroby declare the nature of our invention for. CALLING ATTENTION TO THE
INEFFICIENT SUPPLY OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
The object of this Invention is to supply an apparatus whereby timely warning
is given of the inefficient supply of Water in Steam Boilers thereby reducing
danger of explosion or collapse from this cause to a minimum.
In carrying the said Invention into practice we employ a floating valve enclosed
in a cylinder, which valve is so constructed as to keep a portion of its upper
surface, or a boss affixed to the same in contact with a seating in the cylinder
cover thus preventing egress of steam so long as the Water is maintained at its
proper level in the Boiler.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood we now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1. is a side view, partly in section, of the apparatus, shewing the valve
closed.
Fig. 2 is a side view, also partly in section, in this view the valve is shewn
open, the water having left its proper level thus permitting the valve to drop by
the actual law of gravitation and allowing the escape of steam.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the apparatus.
So long as there is sufficient water in the Boiler, the outer cylindrical casing
lettered A remains filled with water, thus floating the valve B, and bringing the
boss C and the seating D into connection so preventing escape of steam.
Upon the water falling below a predetermined level the valve B drops and so
opens the orifice in the seating D. which is fixed through the cylinder cover thus
permitting steam to escape through the same and sound an alarm.
The alarm may be given either by means of a whistle or electrical communi-
cation or such mechanical appliances as may be most readily adaptable to the
position of the Boiler.
"
The connection between the cylinder and the Boiler is made by means of two
pipes or by a flange and a pipe, or by means of a flange only according to the
pressure at which the Boiler is ordinarily worked.
When two connections are employed, as shewn in Fig. 1 the alarm is sounded
and steam escapes, so soon as the water in the Boiler falls below the level of its
connection with the pipe F, by the steam entering the cylinder at G, upon which
happening the valve B drops and the water in the cylinder falls back into the
Boiler by the outlet E.

page_text: In ordinary cases we prefer the use of one connection only in the form of a
flange on the cylinder, both from its simplicity and from the facility with which it
can be fitted to a Boiler.
In this form the steam escapes through an opening in the flange as soon as the
water falls below the level of the outlet E, this will be readily understood by
reference to Fig. 2 which shews a valve of this description after the water has left
its proper level and the valve B has dropped by the actual law of gravitation.
The floating valve B may be made cylindrical or of any shape which will ensure
Bufficient buoyancy to keep the boss C and. the seating D in contact while the
cylinder A is filled with water.
In making the valve B of similar shape and substance to that shewn in the
Drawings there is an excess of buoyancy which at some pressures we find it
advisable to overcome this is most readily done by the employment of the metal
discs shewn at H or the valve can be weighted externally.
This weighting at the lower extremity assists in maintaining a perpendicular
position in the working of the valve: the perpendicular position is further ensured
by means of the arms or studs I at the top and bottom surfaces of the valve, or
can be effected by having projecting pieces cast on the inner surface of the
Cylinder A.
•
On the upper surface of this valve we fix a conical or hemispherical boss, this
when in contact with the seating in the cylinder cover keeps the aperture through
the same closed, and the actual surface in contact being so minute any possibility
of sticking is avoided.
This valve will also act as a reverse valve when the steam is condensed in the
Boiler.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what.
we claim is
First. The novel construction of a self acting Low water Signal and Safety
Valve with the whole of the. Apparatus external to the Boiler substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Secondly. The novel construction of the Float B substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Thirdly. The peculiar automatic fitting of the Boss C and seating D substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Seventeenth day of September 1885.
WILLIAM SAMUEL GARDNER.
ALFRED HENRY SHEPPARD.