Apparatus for the Automatic Regulation of the Level of the Water Contained in Steam or other Boilers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Automatic Regulation of the Level of the Water
Contained in Steam or other Boilers.
We, LUDLOW PATTON PERKINS and GEORGE FREDERICK BUCK, both of 21,
Herbert Street, Greenheys, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In its simplest form our invention consists of the combination of an overflow
pipe situated at the desired water level of the boiler with a steam trap of any
ordinary construction connected thereto. The discharge from the said steam trap
may be led back to the feed supply or to the hotwell. The amount of feed water
pumped or injected into the boiler must always be slightly in excess of that
actually required, the excess making its escape by the overflow pipe and thence
through the steam trap which will pass water but not steam. If for any reason
however this amount of feed is diminished in quantity and the level of the water
falls below the mouth of the overflow pipe, steam instead of water will flow down
this pipe, and the steam trap will prevent its exit from the boiler, and until the
level of the water rises once more to that of the overflow orifice the passage through
the pipe and trap will remain closed.
With the apparatus arranged in this manner it will be seen that hot water will
be allowed to escape from the boiler, most of the heat of which will be lost unless
means are provided to collect and return it to the boiler. To effect this the
incoming feed may be brought into juxtaposition with the overflow pipe in such
manner as will best take up the heat of the escaping water and thus return it to the
boiler. With a view of providing means for the return of the superfluous water
without its mixing with the hotter contents of the boiler we may prefer to attach
to the boiler a vessel or tube by two connections, one at the upper part of the
vessel or tube communicating with the boiler above the water level thereof; and
the other communicating through a syphon bend with the boiler below the water
level thereof. These connections are of such size as to insure the level of water
in the vessel or tube always being approximately the same as that in the boiler,
but the syphon form of the lower connection prevents any considerable circulation
or disturbance within the boiler affecting the water in the vessel or tube. An
opening is provided in the lower part of the vessel through which the feed water
is introduced. The vessel or tube is fitted with an overflow the mouth or orifice
of which is situated on the water level, this mouth or orifice being protected by a
tube or shield so as to insure any escaping liquid being drawn from the lower and
colder portion of the vessel and preferably from the neighbourhood of the feed
inlet. The tube or shield is carried up above the water level and is open to the
steam so as to maintain it in equilibrium and prevent the overflow from drawing
off the water below the level of its mouth.
The action of the apparatus is as follows. The feed water is supplied in quantity
always slightly in excess of what is actually required to maintain the desired

page_text: water level in the boiler by means of any ordinary pump, injector or other suitable
or similar means.
As the water rises above the desired level cool water from the
lower portions of the vessel escapes by the overflow to the steam trap and through
it to the steam trap and through it to the feed tank or other source from which it
was originally taken.
This action continues until such time as the level falls below the orifice or mouth
of the overflow when steam commences to enter the steam trap and thereby further
escape of water is prevented.
The feed pump can of course be fitted with any suitable means for regulation
and a check or check valves. introduced in the feed pipe in the ordinary manner.
The vossel can be made of any suitable shape or size and the overflow and other
connections be arranged in any suitable manner to work in the manner hereinbefore
described.
Apparatus for the Automatic Regulation of the Level of the Water
Contained in Steam or other Boilers.
We, LUDLOW PATTON PERKINS and GEORGE FREDERICK BUCK, both of 21, 2
Herbert Street, Greenheys, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers,
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:-
In its simplest form our invention consists of the combination of an overflow 2
pipe situated at the desired water level of the boiler and a steam trap or similar
device connected thereto. The discharge from the said steam trap may be led
back to the feed supply or to the hotwell. The amount of feed water pumped or
injected into the boiler must always be slightly in excess of that actually required,
the excess making its escape by the overflow pipe and thence through the steam 3
trap which trap will pass water but not steam. If for any reason however the
amount of feed pumped into the boiler is diminished in quantity and the level of
water in the boiler falls below the mouth of the overflow pipe steam instead of
water will flow down this pipe and the steam trap will close and remain closed
until sufficient water has been forced into the boiler to bring the level once more 3
to that of the month of the overflow pipe.
With an apparatus arranged in this manner it will be seen that hot water from
the boiler will he allowed to oscape, most of the heat of which will be lost unless
means are provided to collect and return it to the boiler. To effect this the
incoming feed may be brought into juxtaposition with the overflow pipe in such 4
manner as will best take up the heat of the escaping hot water and impart it. to the
cooler incoming feed: Thus the feed pipe may be inserted within the overflow pipe
for all or part of their lengths or vice versa or these pipes may be extended.or
multiplied in any suitable manner so as to provide sufficient, surface for the trans-
ference of heat from one to the other.
With a view of providing means for the return of the superfluous water without
its mixing with the hotter contents of the boiler we may prefer to attach an external
vessel to the boiler by means of two connections.
4

page_text: Referring to the accompanying drawing Fig. 1, shews the above referred to
vessel in vertical section.
A is the boiler shell in section to which the separate vessel B is attached. by
two connections C & D. The desired water level in the boiler is indicated by the
line EE, and the connection C is placed above the water level EE and the con-
nection D below it. This will insure the level of water in the vessel B being
approximately the same as that within the boiler. The lower part of the vessel B
is formed in such a manner as to trap the connection D with a view of discouraging
any circulation of the hot boiler water into the vessel B. The feed water is intro-
duced into the vessel B through the connection F after passing through an ordinary
check valve. An overflow pipe G is fitted within the vessel having its mouth H
on or about the desired water level. The outlet J of this overflow pipe G is con-
nected with any ordinary form of steam trap or similar device arranged to discharge
into the feed tank or whatever source the feed water is taken from. The mouth H
of the overflow pipe G is fitted with a shield K the lower extremity of which
extends below the water level and is preferably in the immediate neighbourhood
of the feed inlet F. In the upper part of the shield K are openings LL which are
sufficiently large to place its interior in pressure equilibrium with that of the
vessel B.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The feed water is forced by any
suitable means into the vessel B through the connection F in quantities slightly
in excess of what is actually required to maintain the desired water level in the
boiler. The feed water passes finds its way into the boiler through the trapped
connection D which must be sufficiently large to prevent the level of the water in
the vessel B rising to any extent above that in the boiler. Should the level of
water in the boiler rise above EE it will also rise in the vessel B so that some of
the incoming cool feed water will pass up within the shield and overflow the
mouth H of the pipe G. This overflowing cool water passes through the steam trap
and thence back into the feed tank. Should the water in the boiler sink below
the level EE that within the vessel B will also sink and uncover the mouth of the
overflow pipe so that steam will find its way to the trap and cause it to close-
whereby all the incoming feed passes into the boiler until the desired level is
restored. When suitably proportioned and adjusted it is found in practice that
the steam trap will never entirely close but will emit an almost continuous dribble
of water equal to the excess of feed water supplied unless a sudden or excessive
demand for steam lowers the water level sufficiently to allow steam only to pass to
the trap & thus close it.
The method of construction and shape of the vessel and its various appurtenances
& connections as shewn in the accompanying drawing may be varied without
departing from the principle of the action of this apparatus. The overflow pipe G
may be fitted with means for regulating or altering the level of its mouth so as
to secure any desired level of water in the boiler: or the overflow pipe may be
inverted and pass out of the vessel at or near its upper part in which case the
excess of liquid will be forced upward by the pressure contained in the vessel.
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:
(1) In steam or other boilers the combination of an overflow pipe having its
inlet at the desired water level with a steam trap or similar device placed at its
outlet for the purpose of automatically controlling the discharge of any excess of
liquid put into the boiler with the object of automatically regulating the water
level in the said boiler.
(2) In steam or other boilers the provision of an external vessel connected
thereto in such manner as to allow a liquid level being maintained at a height
approximately the same as that within the boiler although connected at its lower
part by a trapped connection to the boiler, which trapped connection is so formed

page_text: as to discourage circulation or flow of the hotter liquid from the boiler into the
cooler liquid in the vessel, and in which vessel an overflow pipe is arranged and so
shielded that any excess of feed liquid forced into the said vessel shall pass away
through the overflow pipe without having its temperature materialy raised-sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described & for the purpose set forth.
(3) In steam or other boilers the combination of a steam trap or other similar
device with an overflow pipe situated in an external vessel as is described and
referred to in claim 2-to act and for the purpose substantially as herein before
described & set forth.