Year: 1886

page_text: I, ELMER PARKER HOWE, residing at the Equitable Building Boston, in the
County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America,
gentleman, 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 relates to improvements in those injectors which consist of a
combined ejector and injector, in which the ejector is employed to supply water
continuously to the injector which forces it into the boiler whence the actuating
steam is taken. It is an improvement on the injector patented, by John T. Hancock,
in Letters Patent in the United States No. 185,861, dated January 2, 1877, known
as the "Inspirator."
The object of my improvement is to provide simple and efficient means for
rendering injectors of this class automatic both in starting and re-starting, whenever
steam is properly supplied.
To get the Inspirator described in Letters Patent No. 185,861, into operation
feeding a boiler, it is necessary for the engineer to manipulate four valves in proper
succession, and if, for any reason, its operation is stopped, three of these valves, at
least, must be put back into the proper position for starting and then again
successively manipulated before it will resume operation.
In my improved injector, I attain the advantage of the "Inspirator," but
dispense with all its valves which require to be manipulated by the engineer
except that which admits and cuts off the admission of steam from the boiler.
For convenience, I will hereinafter call the ejector apparatus the lifter, and the
injector apparatus the forcer.
In the drawings:-Figure, 1, is a vertical section on a plane which passes
through the axes of the respective combining tubes of the lifter and the forcer, the
overflow valves (to be described hereinafter), being shown in elevation.
Figure, 2, is a transverse section on line, A, B, of Figure, 1.
Figure, 3, is a transverse section on line, C, D, Fig. 1.
Figure, 4, is a transverse section on line, E, F, Fig. 1.
Figure, 5, is a transverse section on line, G, H, Fig. 1.
Z, is the casing; J, is the pipe for adinission of the actuating steam, in which
pipe should be placed a valve to admit or cut off the flow of steam:-I, is the
water supply pipe, which communicates with the reservoir or well :-L, is the
delivery pipe, which leads to the boiler, in which should be placed the usual check
valve, to prevent the overflow of water from the boiler; K, is the intermediate

page_text: chamber formed in the casing, which is a conduit leading to the mouth of the
combining tube of the forcer, and also by a passage, K', to the waste chamber, O.
M, is a conduit which leads from the overflow chamber of the forcer to the waste
chamber, O.
The waste chamber, O, partially surrounds the conduit, M, and communicates
with the atmosphere when the valve, R, which opens outwardly, is open. It is
separated from the conduit, K¹, by a wall, N, formed in the casing, shown in
section in Figs. 3, and 4, and by dotted lines in Fig. 1. P, is a valve which
opens inwardly, and opens or closes communication between the intermediate.
chamber, K, K¹, and the waste chamber, O.
Q, is a valve opening outwardly, which opens or closes communication between
the overflow chamber, M, of the forcer, and the waste chamber, O.
α, is the steam nozzle of the lifter, which is held in position in the casing by a
binding ring, a, b, is the combining tube of the lifter, which is screwed into the
casing in axial line with the nozzle, a, so that its inlet end, or mouth is in the
water supply conduit, I, and its discharge end is in the intermediate chamber, K.
c, is the steam nozzle of the forcer, which is held in position by the binding
ring, c. d, is the combining tube of the forcer, which is screwed into the casing
in axial line with its steam nozzle, c.
Its inlet end is in the intermediate chamber, K, and its discharge end is in the
delivery pipe, L. e, and f, are lateral openings from the forcer combining tube into
the forcer overflow chamber, M.
The tubes, a, and b, when provided with the waste opening to the atmosphere
which is furnished by the conduit, K, K', when the valve, P, is open, are to be of
the proper proportions and arranged relatively to each other so as to constitute an
effective lifter or ejector.
The tubes, c, and d, are to be properly proportioned and arranged relatively to
each other to constitute a forcing injector of the class known as "re-starting
injector," having two series of relief openings, e, and f, into its overflow chamber:-
the openings, e, here shown as four in number, being located in the combining tube
where the area of the cross section of the combining tube is greater than the
smallest area in cross section of the steam nozzle, c, the total area of the holes, e,
being also in excess of the smallest area in cross section of the steam nozzle:-the
openings, f, located near the throat of the combining tube correspond to the "leap
across or relief opening of the original Gifford Injector.
The area of the under surface of the valve, Q, is considerably in excess of the
area of the upper surface of the valve, P.
The stem, Q1, of the valve, Q, extends into the overflow chamber, O, so that
when the valves, Q, and, P, are both seated, it will be almost in contact with the
similarly projecting stem, P¹, on the under side of the valve, P.
The valve, Q, has a beveled seat, and is also provided with a piston extension, Q²,
fitted loosely in the upper end of the chamber, M, the object of which is to
compel the valve to move a much greater distance than that which separates the
stems, P, Q, in order to insure the valve, P, being wide open, whenever the
valve, Q, is open.
The valve, R, to prevent influx of air to the instrument, is supported against its
seat by a very light spring.
It is only of importance when a partial vacuum exists in the chamber, K, after
the injector is in full operation, which will frequently occur. The operation is as
follows:-
Steam being admitted through pipe, J, issues through the lifter steam nozzle, a,
and also through the forcer steam nozzle, c.
That which issues from the lifter steam nozzle, a, passes through the lifter com-
bining tube into the intermediate chamber, K, and the conduit, K¹, which extends
therefrom, but would be prevented from escaping into the waste chamber, O,
by the closed valve, P, were it not that the steam which simultaneously issues
from the forcer steam nozzle, c, passes into the combining tube, d, out of the relief

page_text: openings, e, and, f, and through the overflow chamber, M, opens the valve, Q, which
immediately opens wide the valve, P.
As the surface of the forcer overflow
valve, Q, exposed to pressure in the chamber, M, is greater than that of the lifter
overflow valve, P, which is exposed to the pressure existing in the chamber, K, K¹,
the valve, P, although it is under a pressure tending to close it, must yield to the
action of the valve, Q, and open wide, so that the steam will issue from both the
valves, P, and, Q, into the waste chamber, O, and overcoming the slight resistance
of the valve, R, will escape into the air.
The lifter is now operating in the ordinary way. The steam which passes
through it expels the air and causes the water to enter from the reservoir through
the supply pipe, I, and into the lifter combining tube, whence it follows the
previous course of the air and steam through the intermediate chamber, K, the
conduit K', into the waste chamber, O, and out to the air through the valve, R.
As soon as the water introduced into the intermediate chamber, K, by the lifter
reaches the inlet end of the forcer combining tube, a portion of it will flow into
the forcer combining tube to fill the partial vacuum created by the action of the
steam issuing from the nozzle, c, and escaping at the relief openings, e, and, f.
This water is at first expelled from the openings, e, and, f, in to the overflow
chamber, M, whence it escapes to the air through the valve, O, and valve, R.
The action of the forcer is thereafter the same as that of any single re-starting
forcing injector. The velocity of the water in the tube, d, is accelerated so that it
leaps across the openings, e, and for an instant spills at, f, until its velocity is so
increased that it leaps across the openings, f, and enters the diverging part of the
tube, d, and finally enters the boiler.
As soon, however, as the jet is thus established the spill into the overflow
chamber, M, if any, becomes so slight that the pressure in that chamber is lessened
and usually a partial vacuum will be found therein.
When this occurs, the valve, Q, immediately seats and prevents the influx of air.
The valve, P, which has hitherto been held open by the excess of pressure on the
under side of the valve, Q, will immediately close if there is any pressure in the
intermediate chamber, K, and all the water discharged from the lifter will, there-
after, while the instrument is in operation, be delivered through the forcer combining
tube.
The instrument will now operate precisely as does the "Inspirator," and the
lifter if properly proportioned relatively to the forcer, will deliver the water to the
forcer in quantity equal to what the latter requires over a wide range of pressures
of the actuating steam.
The pressure in the intermediate chamber, K, will decrease or increase, with the
decrease or increase in the pressure of the actuating steam and consequently, & less
or greater quantity of water will be supplied to the forcer.
In case of a "break," that is the cessation of feeding to the boiler, steam again
enters both the intermediate chamber, K, and the forcer overflow chamber, M, the
valves, P, and, Q, are again automatically opened, as before described, and held
open until the jet is established in the forcer, when the valves automatically close,
aud the instrument is in full operation.
Thus the operation will continue, merely admitting the actuating steam being
sufficient to automatically start and, in case of momentary cessation to auto-
matically restart and maintain the proper action, so long as the steam is supplied.
The instrument will, at times, when the steam pressure is high, fail to start. In
such cases, it can be readily started, as can the ordinary Hancock Inspirator, by
throttling the steam supply valve in the pipe, J, until the water is lifted and the
jet established, after which the valve may be fully opened.
The quantity of water delivered may, at all pressures, be varied by manipulating
the steam supply valve in the pipe, J.
Instead of the form of forcer shown and described, any one of the several forms
of re-starting forcing injectors may be substituted, by making proper changes in
the resine

page_text: It is only essential that the relief openings corresponding to, e, and, f, should
communicate with the overflow chamber; M, and this, whether the opening corre-
sponding to, e, is obtained by making the combining tube in sections and sliding
or swinging one section away from another, or however such relief opening is
obtained.
It is not essential to the successful operation of the machine that the under
surface of the forcer overflow valve, Q, should be in excess of the upper surface
of, P, for I have found by experiment that the machine will start and re-start when
these proportions are reversed, but I prefer the construction in the drawing, as it
ensures certainty of action, even, if from any cause the pressures in the chambers, M,
and, K, are equal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. An injector which contains a re-starting forcer provided with an overflow
valve to prevent the indraft of air into its overflow chamber, and which contains
also a lifter which continuously supplies water to the forcer, and is provided with
a valve on its overflow chamber, when the overflow valves are arranged relatively
to each other as described, so that when the forcer overflow valve is open, the
lifter overflow valve shall also be open, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Second. An injector which contains a re-starting forcer provided with an over-
flow chamber, M, and a lifter which continuously supplies water thereto, provided
with a valve on its overflow conduit, K, adapted to be closed by pressure within
that conduit and to be opened by pressure in the overflow chamber of the forcer,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. An injector which contains a re-starting forcer provided with an overflow
valve, Q, having a piston extension, Q, and which contains, also a lifter which
continuously supplies water to the forcer and is provided with a valve on its over-
flow chamber, when the overflow valves are arranged relatively to each other as
described, so that whenever the forcer overflow valve is opened, the lifter overflow
valve shall be held wide open, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourth. An injector which contains a forcer having relief openings, e, and, f, and
overflow chamber, M, into which the openings, e, and, f, lead, a lifter which con-
tinuously supplies water to the forcer, the intermediate chamber, K, the common
overflow chamber, O, and valves, P, and, Q, on opposite sides of the chamber, O,
operating automatically to open, and close both overflows, substantially as described,
and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. An injector which contains a re-starting forcer, provided with an over-
flow valve, Q, and a lifter which continuously supplies water to the forcer, provided
with an overflow valve, P, the forcer and lifter being arranged relatively to each
other as described, and the valve, R, opening outwardly from the chainber, O,
substantially as and for the purpose described.