Improved Apparatus or Appliances for Use in connection with the Introduction of Feed Water to Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: TRUVIDIONAL DIUIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus or Appliances for Use in connection with the
Introduction of Feed Water to Boilers.
I, THOMAS WIGLEY, of 3 Thornley Street, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus or appliances used within the steam spaces of
boilers for the purpose of causing the inflowing feed water to pass in a spread-out
or more or less finely divided form, or partially in one form and partially in the
other, in direct contact with the steam, whereby the water is heated to a high
temperature in the steam space and thus cold water is prevented from coming into
contact with the boiler plates, and the mineral matter in solution becomes precipitated
or thrown out of solution, or very largely so, before the feed water falls into the
water lying in the boilers thus preventing or lessening the formation of scale upon
the interior surfaces of the boilers.
The invention has for its chief object to prevent, or greatly reduce, the priming
incidental to the use of apparatus or appliances for the above purpose as heretofore
frequently constructed; but has also the object of generally improving apparatus
or appliances used for the above purpose.
According to my improved apparatus, the feed pipe is carried upwards into the
steam space of a boiler, and is surmounted by a hood into which it delivers the feed
water. The hood is, preferably, of a shape in cross-section of somewhat more than
a semi-circle with the lip or rim, which is of course downwards, curved somewhat
outwards, and with a circular projection from the middle of the crown of the hood
which curves downwards to a point and spreads out in all directions into a somewhat
palm-like form the water issuing from the top of the feed pipe. The exterior of
the upper portion of the feed pipe is surrounded with an inclined wall which forms
a conoidal surface, and below this wall and surrounding the feed pipe is a dish.
The feed water is directed by the curved interior surface of the hood on to the
upper portion of the inclined wall aforesaid, and flows down the conoidal surface of
such wall, the stream of water becoming, of course, thinner as it nears the bottom
of such surface. The water passes from the inclined wall into the dish and flows
or trickles over the edge thereof and so drops into the water lying in the boiler.
Sediment may be blown out from the dish from time to time through a pipe
provided therefor. As the water is not sprayed out sideways into the upper portion
of the steam space, but is directed from the upper portion of the apparatus in a
thin downward stream around a surface along which it flows, there is little or no
tendency to produce priming.
Hcles may be formed through the inclined wall, through which some of the water
will pass and thus fall through the eteam within the conoidal space enclosed by the
wall and drop into the dish.
In lieu of the inclined wall, aforesaid, surrounding the feed pipe, a mushroom-
shaped flange therearound may be employed onto which the water will fall from
the hood on its passage to the dish; and holes may be formed through such flange
through which some of the water will fall through the steam into the dish.

page_text: It will be seen that, according to this invention, the water is delivered vertically
into a hood from whence it falls onto an inclined or curved surface and thence into
a dish over the edge of which it falls into the water lying in the boiler.
Dated this 12th day of November 1894.
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
Improved Apparatus or Appliances for Use in connection with the
Introduction of Feed Water to Boilers.
I, THOMAS WIGLEY, of 3 Thornley Street, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, 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 apparatus or appliances used, within the steam spaces
of boilers for the purpose of causing the inflowing feed water to pass in a spread-
out or more or less finely-divided form, or partially in one form and partially in the
other, in direct contact with the steam, whereby the water is heated to a high
temperature in the steam space and thus cold water is prevented from coming into
contact with the boiler plates, and the mineral matter in solution becomes precipitated
or thrown out of solution, or very largely so, before the feed water falls into the
water lying in the boilers, thus preventing or lessening the formation of scale upon
the interior surfaces of the boilers.
The invention has for its chief object to prevent, or greatly reduce, the priming
incidental to the use of apparatus or appliances for the above purpose as heretofore
frequently constructed; but has also the object of generally improving apparatus
or appliances used for the above purpose.
Two forms of the improved apparatus are illustrated by the drawings herewith,
of which Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal section through the centre of a double-
flued or Lancashire boiler having two sets of my improved apparatus applied thereto
shewn in vertical section. The middle portion of the boiler is shewn as broken
away, for convenience of illustration. It is usual in applying two sets of apparatus
to the same boiler to make them similar, but in Figure 1 two different forms of
the apparatus are shewn, to avoid unnecessary illustration. Figure 2 is a section
taken on line of Figure 1 shewing an elevation of the form of apparatus which
is the nearer to such line in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional
plan of a short length of the boiler shewing in plan view, with a portion removed,
he form of apparatus which is the more remote from the liner in Figure 1.
The feed water may be brought in through a pipe a from the front A of the
boiler B, or in other convenient manner. According to one form of the apparatus,
the feed water is carried up through a vertical pipe into the steam space of the
boiler. The pipe passes up through the middle of a sediment-collecting dish C,
and the upper portion of the pipe is surrounded by a hollow conical or bell-shaped
portion D which extends from the top of the pipe b to about the level of the top
of the dish C, or slightly below. The hollow conical or bell-shaped part D is
formed with a number of perforations therethrough, as shewn. A circular plate E,
having preferably a downward rim e which forms it into a shallow hood, is fixed
in position some distance above the top of the part D, by means of bolts passing
through lugs so that the space between the top of the part 1 and the hood or
plate E is quite open except for the lugs f. The feed water is directed through
the top of the pipe b against the under surface of the plate or hood E, and falls
back therefrom on to the upper portion of the conical or bell-shaped part D, and

page_text: flows down the conoidal or slanting surface thereof, the stream of water becoming
of course thinner as it nears the bottom of such surface. The water passes from
the inclined surface of the part D into the dish C, and flows or trickles over the
edge thereof and so drops into the water lying in the boiler, the upper edge of
the dish being above the water level of the boiler. A portion of the water flowing
down the surface of the part D passes through the perforations thereof, and thus
falls through the steam within the conoidal space enclosed within the part D and
drops into the dish. Sediment collecting in the dish C is blown out therefrom,
and from the boiler, from time to time, through a pipe F provided therefor. As
the water is not spread out sideways into the upper portion of the steam space, but
falls back from the dash plate or hood E on to the inclined surface D surrounding
the feed pipe b, there is little or no tendency to produce priming. The dish C
may be supported by glands g fixed around the pipe b, and the part D be similarly
supported by glands h. The bottom of the pipe b should be properly supported
by a suitable stay or other support fixed to the boiler flues or otherwise as may be
convenient.
In the other form of apparatus illustrated the dish C, vertical pipe band plate E.
having preferably a downward rim e, are used as in the modification already
described; but, in lieu of the hollow conical or bell-shaped part D, a mushroom-
shaped or domed plate G is used surrounding the upper portion of the pipe b, and
the water which falls back from the plate or hood E falls first upon the plate G
and thence into the dish C from which any sediment collected is blown out and
from the boiler, from time to time, through a pipe F¹. The plate Gis, preferably,
formed with perforations, as shewn, through which some of the water drops into
the dish C.
Any of the parts of the apparatus, according to either modification, which are
too large to be passed through the ordinary manhole of the boiler are, of course,
made in two or more pieces formed with suitable flanges or lugs by means of which
they are bolted together when inside the boiler.
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 I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for use in connection with the introduction of feed water to boilers,
consisting of a central vertical pipe (such as 6), of a dish (such as C) surrounding
such pipe, of means by which sediment may be blown out from such dish and from
the boiler, of a hollow conical or bell-shaped portion (such as D) surrounding the
central pipe (and, preferably, perforated) or a mushroom-shaped or domed plate
(preferably perforated) in lieu of such conical or bell-shaped portion, and a dash
plate surmounting the whole, formed preferably with a downward rim constituting
it a shallow hood, against which the feed water is projected, and from which it
falls back on to the surface of the conical or bell-shaped part, or on to the
mushroom-shaped or domed plate, and thence passes into the collecting dish, from
which the sediment may be blown out from time to time, all substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this 10th day of August 1895
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.