Improvements in or applicable to Low Water Alarm Valves and Safety Valves for Steam Bollers or Generators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Low Water Alarm Valves and
Safety Valves for Steam Bollers or Generators.
1, WILLIAM LOCKHART BONE of 16 Plymouth Grove, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention, to be as follows:-
Firstly. My invention relates to valves which are opened to allow the escape of
steam from boilers or generators when the water or fluid in such, gets below the
level fixed upon, and thus give an alarm or indicate the fact by the escaping steam,
such valves have hitherto been loaded by direct weights or by levers and weights
hanging in the boiler, and when in action as low water valves, are operated upon
by a float, suspended by a link on one end of a beam lever, the other end of the lever
having a weight to partly counter-balance the weight of the float when submerged,
both float, counter-weight and lever being inside the boiler.
This part of my invention consists in an improved combination and arrangement
of low water alarm valve which is actuated by a float and lever inside the boiler,
but without counter-weight thereon, all counter-weight and weight that may be
required to load the valve being obtained by a spring or weights on the exterior of
the boiler.
There is a junction with the top of the boiler to which a casting is secured to
receive the seating for the cone or other suitable form of valve, which opens
outwards, and this casting has a branch for steam which escapes past the valve,
and has a cover secured to its upper side which also forms a stand of loop form,
which guides the spindle ascending from the upper side of the valve, the upper end
of this stand also forms the abutment for a helical spring on the spindle, the lower
end of which spring comes against a washer, acting against a shoulder on the
spindle, thus arranged the spring operates to hold the valve down close upon its
seating.
The lower end of the spindle enters a socket in the boss from the upper side of
the valve in which socket the spindle is secured by a cottar or may be in one solid
piece.
A spindle is also secured to the valve on the lower side of its seating so as to
convey the thrust due to weight of float conveyed through the float lever, but is so
arranged that the valve can be rotated upon its seating without turning the spindle.
The lower end of the inner spindle screws into a socket in a joint part, and the
joint part is secured in the forked end of a lever by a joint pin, the underside of
the lever prepared with an inverted V notch to rest upon a knife edge on a bar
passing across the opening in the boiler leading to the valve being secured to the
inside of the boiler, or this supporting bar or corresponding part may be from the
rasting forming a junction with the boiler for the valve.
To the end of the lever inside the boiler a rod is jointed to the lower end of
which rod the float is secured.
The upper end of the standard for the spindle from the upper side of the valve
is formed with an annular ridge round the spindle across which there is a slot for a
bar to pass through the underside of which bar is just clear of the said annular
ridge on the standard when the valve is closed.
By lifting or depressing one end of the bar or lifting one end and depressing the
ther end, or lifting both ends of the bar, the spindle and thus the valve will be
slightly lifted as the said annular ridge forms a fulcrum which ever way the bar

page_text: moves up or down and by this bar the valve may also be rotated on its seat when
required.
By this means it may be at all times ascertained whether or not the valve is in
working order.
The float is by preference made of some suitable material of tile like character
of light specific gravity and is made with a series of small holes through it to allow
steam bubbles to rise up through them so that such bubbles will be less liable to
disturb and cause movement in the float as is the case with ordinary floats where
such movements cause the low water alarm valve to discharge puffs of steam at
such times when the water in the boiler is not in fact below the normal working level.
The valve is weighted down by the spring with such pressure as will keep it
closed at the highest working pressure of the steam, and with an additional weight
equal to sustain the weight of the float when it is fully immersed in the water.
The float is of such weight when not sustained by the water in the boiler, as to be
sufficient acting through the lever to lift the alarm valve even when there is no
pressure of steam in the boiler, and with such pressure the float will readily lift and
open the valve when the water has descended below the float.
Secondly. My invention consists in combining a low water alarm valve arranged
as described under head 1 with either a single valve or twin safety valves.
In this case the branch from the boiler is prepared to receive a casting both for
the low water alarm and safety valve or valves, which casting has two separate
outlets for steam escaping past the valves, one for the low water alarm valve
(which will also act as a safety valve) and one for steam from the single or twin
safety valves.
On the casting there is a lid bolted, which carries the standard for the low water
alarm valve and a casing for the single or twin safety valves.
The safety valves are formed somewhat similar to the low water alarm valve and
are secured on the lower end of a spindle passing through a disc plate resting on a
ledge in the casting.
The upper ends of the spindles pass through a guiding bush in the upper part of
the casting and then through holes in a loose cap or casting and then into a socket
within a hole in the said cap which has a loop at its upper end.
The spirdle and socket are connected by a cottar passing through a slot across
the socket and spindle, but the cottar allows the spindle to lift slightly.
Under the said cap there is a horizontal shaft having bearings in projections
from the exterior of the casting, and on the shaft between its bearings there is a
cam piece secured which comes under a part extending between the two caps of a
twin safety valve, when the cap or caps are down at their lowest point resting on
the casting, so that by oscillating the shaft by a lever handle on its end either-way,
the rap or caps are lifted and with them the sockets, and with the sockets the
spindles of the valve by means of the cottars, and thus the valves.
By inserting a bar in the loop at the upper end of the socket for cach valve the
valve can be turned round on its seating.
Thirdly. My invention relates to a modification of low water alarm valve,
operated, or which may be operated, by the direct action of a float inside the
boiler, the low water alarm valve in this case opening downwards or inwards.
There is a casting secured on the boiler for the valve which casting has an outlet
for the steam escaping past the low water alarm valve.
In the casting fits a cylinder closed at its lower end at which end the alarm
valve seating is formed, and passages are also formed for steam escaping past the
valve to enter and pass to and out of the main casting.
Above the casting which is secured to the boiler there is a dome like casing
having flanges at its lower end by which it is secured to the lower casting attached
to the boiler, and when so secured it also holds down the cylinder in the casting so
as to be steam tight.
The alarm valve is of cone shape and is formed upon or attached to a spindle.
This spindle above the valve passes through a guiding boss in the lower end of

page_text: the cylinder with the closed end, and this spindle is screwed at its upper end to
screw into the screw tapped boss of a disc which forms the abutment for the upper
end of a helical spring, the lower end of which rests upon the bottom of the
cylinder with the closed end.
It is by the disc with a screw tapped boss that the tension of the spring is
adjusted, so that it will act more or less to draw the cone alarm valve upwards with
more or less pressure against its seating. When the disc with screw-tapped boss
is adjusted it may be secured by a pin passing through a hole in the spindle and
boss or by lock nuts on the spindle.
The upper end of the spindle from the alarm. valve is guided in a bush part
screwed steam tight in the upper end of the dome part, this bush part forming a
stuffing box for a short spindle formed at its lower end like a box key to fit a
square at the upper end of the spindle from the valve, such arrangement permitting
up and down end movement in the spindle from the valve.
To the upper end of the short box key spindle a handle or hand wheel is secured
by rotating which, the spindle of the alarm valve and thus the valve may be rotated
on its seating and by pressing downwards the valve may be opened.
There are one or more small holes through the cone alarm valve to allow steam
to pass from the boiler from its lower to its upper side and which steam can pass
into the casing for the spring, but cannot escape from it by reason of the before
mentioned stuffing box round the small box key spindle. By this means the alarm
valve is placed in equilibrium as to the steam pressure within the boiler, except as
to the difference in area between the underside and upper side of the cone alarm
valve, consequently it requires only a weight that will overcome the pressure of
the steam on the area, the difference between the underside of the valve, in excess
of the area of the upper side of the valve.
There is an eye formed in the stern from the lower side or inside of the alarm
valve for a hook on the upper end of a rod, to the lower end of which a float is
secured.
This float is heavy enough when not sustained by the water to pull down and
open the valve. Any weight which the float may have in excess of its bulk of
water or fluid when immersed in water or fluid is sustained by the spring acting to
draw up the alarm valve against its seating, and the weight of the float acts to
overcome the spring and the pressure of steam operating to keep the alarm valve
closed.
If desired the float may act upon the alarm valve through a lever.
Fourthly. My invention relates to the combination of a low water alarm valve,
arranged somewhat similar to that described under the third head with a bigh
pressure safety valve.
The castings are similar to that for the low water alarm valve described under
the third head, and there is a seating for the safety valve secured steam tight by
screws to the casting. The safety valve rests upon the seating when shut and is
formed upon the lower end of an inner cylinder for the spindle of the low water
alarm valve.
The lower end of this inner cylinder has a flange on its exterior which forms the
abutment at that end for the helical spring pressing down the steam safety valve.
The abutment for the upper end of the spring is against an inward flange at the
upper end of a cylinder that can screw up and down in the interior of the casting
secured to the boiler, which spring cylinder can be screwed upwards or downwards
to give more or less pressure as required upon the valve.
The low water alarm valve has its seating arranged in the centre of the safety
valve, and is otherwise arranged as herein before described under the third head.
The internal cylinder for the spring for the low water alarm valve has a cap
screwed steam tight upon it in which the stuffing box is formed for the short box
key spindle referred to under head three, but there is no box key on the lower end
of this short spindle which passes through a bush in the upper end of the dome
part secured by flanges and bolts to the upper part of the casting on the boiler.

page_text: The said bush has an annular ridge for the lower edge of a lever or har to rest
upon passing through a slot in the short spindle and a cap above the bar secured
by a hand wheel on the upper end of the short spindle, the bar or lever also passing
through slots in this cap.
By acting upon the bar upwards or downwards the safety valve may be lifted
more or less from its seating and it may be turned round by rotating the bar or
hand wheel as the lower end of the short spindle has a square head that fits a
square hole in the upper part of the inner cylinder upon the lower end of which
the safety valve is formed.
The lower end of the short spindle comes against the upper end of the spindle
from the low water alarm valve which can be thus forced downwards to open it
when this short spindle is forced downwards by the handle.
The low water alarm valve is weighted by the float as hereinbefore explained
under head three.
The low water alarm valves under each head hereinbefore described are acted
upon by helical springs by preference but weights may be substituted.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of August 1895.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.
Improvements in or applicable to Low Water Alarm Valves and
Safety Valves for Steam Boilers or Generators.
I, WILLIAM LOCKHART BONE of 16 Plymouth Grove Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanical 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 will be illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings, of
which-
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of my improved low water alarm valve mechanism,
and
Fig. 2, is an outside elevation of the same, above the casting forming a junction
with the boiler, and at a right angle to the plane of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation of my improved low water alarm valve mechanism,
illustrating its combination with my improved twin safety valves against excess of
pressure.
Fig. 34, is a plan view of the lever through which the float operates.
Fig. 4, is an outside elevation at a right angle to the plane of Fig. 3, above the
junction casting with the boiler, looking towards the low water alarm valve.
Fig. 5, is a sectional elevation in the plane of Fig. 4, and at a light angle to the
plane of Fig. 3, but showing the opposite side of the apparatus to that shown by
Fig. 4, the section being taken through one of the twin steam safety valves and
through a part of the upper shell of the boiler to which the junction casting is
attached.
Fig. 6, is a top plan view.
Fig. 7, is a top plan view, half the view being seen when the upper casing for
the valve springs and other parts are removed the other half of the view being a
section in a line just above the valve seatings.
Fig. 8, is a detached plan view of the float for the low water alarm, this float
being also shown in elevation as parts of Figs. 3 and 5.
Fig. 9, is a sectional elevation of a modified arrangement for lifting a single
safety valve, when single valves are used in place of twin safety valves, and
Fig. 10, is a plan section of the same on the line A-B Fig. 9.
Firstly. My invention relates to valves which are opened to allow the escape of

page_text: steam from boilers or generators when the water or fluid in such, gets below
the level fixed upon, and will thus give an alarm or indicate the fact by th
escaping steam, such valves have hitherto been loaded by direct weights or by
levers and weights hanging in the boiler, and when in action as low water valves,
are operated upon by a float, suspended by a link on one end of a beam lever, the
other end of the lever having a weight to partly counter-balance the weight of the
float when submerged, both float, counter-weight and lever being inside the boiler.
This part of my invention illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 consists in an improved
combination and arrangement of low water alarm valve which is actuated by a
float and lever inside the boiler, but without counter-weight thereon, all counter-
weight and weight that may be required to load the valve being obtained by a
spring or weights on the exterior of the boiler.
There is a junction casting a, with the top of the boiler d, to which a junction
casting a', is secured by flanges and bolts to receive the seating b', (fitted and
secured by screws to the casting a') for the cone or other suitable form of valve b,
which opens outwards, and this casting a¹, has a branch a², for steam which escapes
past the valve, and has a cover a³, secured to its upper side by bolts and flanges,
which cover also forms a stand a, of loop form, which guides the spindle b²,
ascending from the upper side of the valve b, the upper end of this stand a', also
forms the abutment as hereinafter explained, for a helical spring c, on the
spindle 2, the lower end of which spring comes against a washer 63, acting against
a shoulder on the spindle, thus arranged the spring c, operates to hold the valve b,
down close upon its seating bl.
The lower end of the spindle 62, enters a socket b', in the boss from the upper
side of the valve b, in which socket the spindle is secured by a cottar b³, or the
spindle may be in one solid piece with the valve.
A spindle 6, is also secured to the valve b, on the lower side of its seating by a
screw coupling cap 6', that acts against a shoulder on the spindle 66, so as to convey
the thrust due to weight of float transmitted through the float lever, but is so
arranged by the above described coupling ', that the valve can be rotated upon
its seating without turning the spindle 68.
The lower end of the inner spindle 66, screws into a socket in a joint part 68,
and the joint part is secured in the forked end of a lever e, by a joint pin e¹, the
underside of the lever being prepared with an inverted ✓ notch to rest upon a
knife edge on a bar e², passing across the opening in the boiler shell d, leading to
the valve, this cross bar being secured to the inside of the shell of the boiler, or
this supporting bar e³, or a corresponding part, may be from the casting a, forming
a junction with the boiler for the valve.
To the end of the lever e, inside the boiler, a rod e³, is jointed to the lower eni
of which rod the float e', is secured by a washer above and below it, and screw nuts
on the rod e³, as shown.
The upper end of the standard a*, for the spindle from the upper side of the
valve is formed by a screw bush 68, that screws through the boss at the upper part
of the standard and the lower end of the screw acts against a washer c', upon the
spindle 2, to give more or less compression to the spring c, and thus the load upon
the valve b.
When the load on the valve is adjusted, the shoulder on the screw 6º, comes
against a ring, which prevents greater compression being given.
The upper edge of the screw 6, is formed with an annular ridge bb, round the
spindle across which there is a slot be, for a bar 6, to pass through, the underside
of which bar is just clear of the said annular ridge on the screw in the standard
when the valve is closed.
By lifting or depressing one end of the bar 6d, or lifting one end and depressing
the other end, or lifting both ends of the bar, the spindle 62, and thus the valve b,
will be slightly lifted as the said annular ridge bb, forms a fulcrum whichever way
the bar moves up or down and by this bar the valve may also be rotated on its seat
when required.

page_text: Dy this means
working order.
I may be at all times ascertained whether or not the valve is m
The float e, is by preference made of some suitable material of tile like character
of light specific gravity and is formed with a series of small holes es, through it to
allow steam bubbles to rise up through them so that such bubbles will be less
liable to disturb and cause movement in the float as is the case with ordinary floats
where such movements cause the low water alarm valve to discharge puffs of steam
at such times when the water in the boiler is not in fact below the normal working
level.
The valve b, is weighted down by the spring c, with such pressure as will keep
it closed at the highest working pressure of the steam, and with an additional
weight equal to sustain the weight of the float when it is fully immersed in the
water.
The float is of such weight when not sustained by the water in the boiler, as to
be sufficient acting through the lever e, to lift the alarm valve b. even when there
is no pressure of steam in the boiler, and with such pressure the float will readily
lift and open the valve when the water has descended below the float.
Secondly. My invention consists in combining a low water alarm valve arranged
as described under head 1 with either a single valve or twin safety valves. This
modification of my invention is illustrated with twin safety valves by Figs. 3, 3^,
4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
In this case the branch a, from the boiler shell d, is prepared to receive a
casting a¹, both for the low water alarm and the safety valve or valves (twin valves
being shown) which casting has two separate outlets for steam escaping past the
valves, one a², for the low water alarm valve b, (which will also act as a safety
valve) and one a³, for steam from the single or twin safety valves.
On the casting a', there is a lid a³, secured by flanges and bolts which carries
the standard at, for the low water alarm valve and a casing a, for the single or
twin safety valves, a double casing being shown.
The safety valves f, (see Fig. 5.) are formed somewhat similar to the low water
alarm valve b, and are secured on the lower end of a spindle f¹, passing through
a disc plate 12, resting on a ledge in the casting a', and secured therein when the
casing a, is bolted to the casting a¹.
The valve when shut rests upon a seating fo, secured in the casting a', by
bolts.
The upper ends of the spindles each pass through a guiding bush 73, screwing
into a bush f, of brass by preference the upper part of the casting a, and then
passes into holes in the interior of a loose cap or casting a', (double in this case)
and then into a socket a³, within a hole in the said cap a', which socket has a
loop a, at its upper end.
The spindle, and socket a³, are connected by a cottar f*, passing through a
slot, across the socket and spindle, but the cottar allows the spindle f, to lift
slightly.
This cottar may have a hole across it at one end for the bow of a hang lock f7,
see Fig. 3, to prevent the valve apparatus from being taken to pieces and tampered
with.
I
Under the said double cap a', there is a horizontal shaft g, having bearings in
projections from the exterior of the casting a, and on the shaft between its
bearings there is a cam piece 91, (see Figs. 3 and 5) secured which comes under a
part extending between and connecting the two caps a', of a twin safety valve,
when the cap or caps are down at their lowest point, they are resting on the
casting a, so that by oscillating the shaft by a lever handle g², on its end either
way, the
cap or caps a, are lifted and with them the sockets a8, and with the
sockets the spindles f', of the valve by means of the cottars f₁, and thus the
valves f. When there is a single valve, the shaft g, may be placed on one side
of the casing as, and may have two arms to come under projections on each side
of the cap a

page_text: By inserting a bar in the loop a³, at the upper end of the socket aª, for each
valve the valve can be turned round on its seating.
Upon each spindle, for the valves f, there is a disc or washer 7, which rests
against a shoulder on the spindle f, at the lower part, and there is a corresponding
washer 8, which can slide on the spindle f¹, at the upper part against which the
end of the screw bush f³, comes, which puts pressure upon the spring ca, which
thus loads the valve against the pressure of the steam acting to open it. When
the screw bush, is adjusted to give the pressure required, the shoulder under
its head comes against a ring /*. ab, Figs. 4 and 5, is an outlet from the casting a',
for condensed steam.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate another mode of lifting the cap a³, (Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6)
when single safety valves are used.
.
u, is the upper part of the casing into a bush f, at its upper end a bush f³, is
screwed which guides the upper end of the spindle f¹.
The cap as, is formed with two handles a, by which it can be rotated, and its
hollow encloses the head of the screw bush, and its lower edge which comes in
contact with the face of the bushf, is corrugated to fit corresponding corrugations
on the head of the external bush f'.
f, is the ring to prevent the screw bush 3, from being screwed in further
when the pressure of the spring upon the valves has been adjusted.
f, is the cottar passing through a slot in the sides of the cap a³, and also
through a slot f³, through the spindle f¹, which slot f', is lengthened downwards
to allow the valve spindle and valve to lift by the pressure of the steam acting
upon it.
When the cap a³, is rotated by the handles a", it rises by reason of the corrugations
above referred to and thus lifts the spindle f¹, by means of the cottar f*.
When the cap a8, is turned and left in its normal position where the corrugations
correspond one over the other, the valve is at liberty to rest close against its
seating.
By rotating the cap as, the valve f, is both rotated and lifted and its working
condition is thus easily tested at any time.
In the drawings herein before described, springs c, for weighting the low pressure
valves in each modification are shown and preferred, but weights may be used in
place of the springs c, acting directly on the spindle and resting on a washer
corresponding to that 6, Figs. 1, 3 and 4.
It will be observed that the safety valves in each modification are arranged so
that they cannot be weighted from the exterior of the casings and can only be
acted upon to open or rotate them for testing purposes. The low water indicator
valves may be arranged in like manner to the pressure valves by making the
stand a, into an enclosing casing, and with a cap to enclose the top of the spindle,
the cap having a slot in its sides for the bar bd.
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. The combination, arrangement and construction of low water indicator valve
mechanism in which the counter weight acts on the exterior of the valve
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 of the
drawings.
2. The combination of a bar or lever with the mechanism for lifting and
rotating the valve for testing the same substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
3. The combination, arrangement and construction of low water indicator valves
and single or twin safety valves against excess of pressure substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by Figs. 3 to 8 and as when modified for single
safety valves as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 9 and 10 of the

page_text: drawings, whether the low water indicator valves or weighted on the exterior of
the valve by springs as illustrated, or by dead weights as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination and arrangement for simultaneously lifting the safety valves
for testing them by a shaft cam and handle substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 3, and 6 of the drawings.
5. The combination of mechanism with the spindle for loading the safety valves
by which such valves may be rotated for testing purposes, which arrangement
prevents the valves from being tampered with, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement with single safety valve spindles for
weighting the valves on the exterior, of mechanism for lifting and rotating the
valve for testing purposes, which arrangement also prevents the valve from being
tampered with, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 9
and 10 of the drawings.
7. The construction of floats for actuating low water indicator valves with holes
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by
Figs. 1, 3 and 8 of the drawings.
Doted this Twenty second dox of Mo 1898
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.