AN IMPROVED FEED WATER APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A PROPER WATER LEVEL IN STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Helwig, of No. 5, Dorset Street, Portman
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED FEED WATER APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A PROPER WATER
LEVEL IN STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 9th April 1868, and dated the 11th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Helwig at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
October 1867.
I, ARTHUR HELWIG, of No. 5, Dorset Street, Portman Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED FEED WATER APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A PROPER WATER LEVEL
IN STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates more especially to the means for supplying steam
engine boilers and other similar vessels with water, and for preventing
variations in the level thereof, and consequent injury to the said boilers or
other vessels.
The said apparatus is constructed with a chest or casing divided by a
partition having two apertures somewhat similar to the ports of an ordinary
steam engine. One of these apertures communicates with a cistern or other
vessel containing water, and the other aperture communicates with the boiler,
tank, or other vessel into which the water is to be forced. The partition of
the chest or casing through which the two ports or apertures are formed is
planed or otherwise made perfectly true on one side to form a face or bearing

page_text: for a slide valve which is fitted to work thereon. The said valve is similar to
the ordinary D valve of a steam engine, and is provided with a rod or spindle
which works through a packing box at one end of the chest or casing; the
end of this rod or spindle may be connected with an eccentric or other
equivalent device, by means of which the required motion is communicated
to the valve from a steam engine or other motive power. The D portion or
chamber of the valve is made about the same width as the ports or apertures
in the chest or casing, the valve being extended on one side of the said
chamber by a flange; this flange is of such a length that, when the chamber
of the valve covers the port communicating with the boiler or other vessel,
the other port or aperture is closed by the said flange. The cistern or other
reservoir from which the water is drawn must be placed at a higher level than
the boiler or other vessel into which the water is to be forced; when, therefore,
the valve lies with its chamber over the port or aperture communicating with
the cistern the water will fill the said chamber; the valve is then moved
endwise till the chamber comes over the outlet port, when the water will pass
therefrom through the said port into the boiler or other vessel being filled.
The chest or casing is so arranged that the top thereof is level with the desired
water line; when therefore the water in the boiler or other vessel has risen to
the level of the top of the said casing, it will obviously not vary therefrom
so long as the working of the valve is continued, the valve being alternately
in communication with the inlet and outlet ports or apertures will keep up a
continuous supply of water from the cistern to the boiler or other vessel being
filled, and thus prevent the water therein falling below its proper level, while
the arrangement of the said valve to work inside the chest or casing prevents
the rising of the water above the top thereof. When applied to a steam boiler
the pressure of the steam upon the back of the valve is sufficient to keep the
said valve tight upon its face, but when employed for filling tanks and other
vessels where no steam is obtainable a spring or other device must be applied
to the back of the valve for that purpose.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Arthur Helwig, Her special licence that I, the said Arthur Helwig,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Arthur.
Helwig, my executors, adininistrators, and assigns, should at any time'
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED FEED
WATER APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A PROPER WATER LEVEL IN STEAM BOILERS
AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Arthur Helwig, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under. my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Arthur Helwig, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings forming a part of
this Specification :-
My Invention relates more especially to the means for supplying steam
engine boilers and other similar vessels with water, and for preventing
variations in the level of the water and consequent injury to the said boilers or
other vessels.
The said apparatus is constructed with a chest. or casing divided by a partition
having two apertures somewhat similar to the ports of an ordinary steam
engine. One of these apertures communicates with a cistern or other vessel
containing water, and the other aperture communicates with the boiler, tank, or
other vessel into which the water is to be forced. The partition of the chest or
casing through which the two ports or apertures are formed is planed or other-
wise made perfectly true on one side to form a face or bearing for a slide valve
which is fitted to work thereon. The said valve is. similar. to the ordinary D
valve of a steam engine, and is provided with a rod or spindlo which works
through a packing box at one end of the chest or casing; the end of this rod
or spindle may be connected with an eccentric or other equivalent, device, by

page_text: means of which the required motion is communicated to the valve from a
steam engine or other motive power. The D portion or cavity of the valve
is made about the same width as the ports or apertures in the chest or casing,
the valve being extended on one side of the said chamber by a flange; this
flange is of such a length that when the cavity of the valve covers one of the
ports, the other port or aperture is closed by the said flange. The cistern or
other reservoir from which the water is drawn must be placed at a higher
level than the boiler or other vessel into which the water is to be forced;
when, therefore, the valve lies with its cavity over the port or aperture com-
municating with the cistern the water will fill the said cavity. The valve is
then moved endwise till the cavity comes over the outlet port, when the water
will pass therefrom through the said port into the boiler or other vessel being
filled. The chest or casing is so arranged that the top of the partition is
level with the desired water line; when, therefore, the water in the boiler or
other vessel has risen to the level of the top of the said casing it will obviously
not vary therefrom so long as the working of the valve is continued; the
cavity of the valve being brought alternately, in communication with the
inlet and outlet ports or apertures will keep up a continuous supply of water
from the cistern to the boiler or other vessel being filled, and thus prevent the
falling of the water therein below its proper level, while the arrangement of
the said valve to work inside the chest or casing prevents the rising of the
water above the top thereof. When applied to a steam boiler the pressure of
the steam upon the back of the valve is sufficient to keep the said valve tight
upon its face, but when employed for filling tanks and other vessels where no
steam is obtainable a spring or other device must be applied to the back of

page_text: allows the upper surface of the plate a¹ to be conveniently planed and fitted to
receive the valve c; the size of the ports or apertures d, e, should be proportioned
to the quantity of water required to keep the boiler properly filled; the
chamber in the lower compartment of the chest or casing is in direct
communication by means of the pipe or tube 9 with the cistern or reservoir
from which the boiler is to be fed, while from the other chamber the water
is conveyed through the feed pipe or tube i into the said boiler; the tube j is
connected with the upper part of the boiler, and thereby ensures the equal
pressure of the steam in both directions upon the water in the chamber h and
feed pipe i; I prefer to keep the valve c tight upon its seat or bearing by the
pressure of steam upon its back, and for this purpose I admit steam into the
valve chamber 6 through the tube k which is connected with the upper part
of the boiler. The required pressure upon the back of the valve may be
obtained without the tube k by arranging the said valve to work without
entirely closing the aperture or port c; the rod c is connected with a crank
or eccentric or other device upon any convenient part of the engine or with
intermediate mechanism properly arranged and operated to impart to the
valve c the required reciprocating motion upon its seat or bearing. As the
cistern or reservoir is placed at a higher level than the top of the plate a¹ the
chamber is always full of water, which when the cavity c³ of the valve c is
brought over the inlet port d rises into and fills the said cavity. The valve
then moves on its bearing till the cavity c³ is over the outlet port ; if the
level of the water is above or corresponding with the height of the top of the
plate a the water in the cavity will remain in the said cavity and will be
simply carried to and fro therein till the water in the boiler begins
below its proper level, which coincides with the top of the plate a¹.
slightest fall of the water below this level the water passes from the cavity
through the port e, and the valve will then convey water from the port d to the
port e, till the water in the boiler again rises to its level. Thus all possibility
of accident from the cessation of the supply of water from the cistern or
reservoir to the boiler is entirely obviated, and one uniform level is maintained
in the said boiler.
to sink
At the
When constructed as shown in the Drawings my apparatus may be applied
with great advantage to marine or locomotive boilers, which have usually a
limited space above their tubes, and consequently are more liable to
injury from variations in the water level.
very
Having thus fully described my Invention, and shown what I consider to
be the most convenient and advantageous method of carrying the same into
practice, I claim, supplying water to steam boilers and other vessels, and

page_text: maintaining the proper level in the same by means of a slide valve c with a
cavity and flange working over apertures communicating with the reservoir
containing the supply of water and with the vessel to be supplied with the
same, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Helwig, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
ARTHUR HELWIG. (L.B.)