An Improved Electrical Alarm for Audibly Indicating and Announcing the Varying Water Levels of Steam Boilers and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Electrical Alarm for Audibly Indicating and
Announcing the Varying Water Levels of Steam Boilers
and the like.
I, ANDREW SIEGMANN of 296 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, in the county of
Middlesex, Builder, 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 the Specification of my Invention Patent No. 13974 of 14th October 1887 I
have described an electrical means of indicating the water level or steam pressure in a
steam boiler, and in the specification of my Invention No. 10900 of 27th July 1888 is
described a modified arrangement to that included in the Patent first above cited,
being especially applicable for use with steam and other manometers, such as for
instance of the well known Bourdon type, to give an alarm and indicate to the engine
driver or attendant in charge, the highest pressure at any given point.
Now in accordance with my present Invention I employ an electrical means for
indicating and announcing to the person in charge the rise and fall of the water level
of a steam boiler above or below a given point, which is not only inexpensive but
simple in construction and efficient in working.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrative of my said Invention, Figures 1
and 2 are respectively front and side elevational views of an ordinary water gauge to
which my improvements are adapted.
The device here shown comprises an electrical means of automatically announcing
when the water has risen or fallen to a point which might be considered dangerous.
It consists preferably of a metal tube A, adapted to the upper portion of an
ordinary gauge, within which is disposed a rod B to the lower end of which is secured
a float C (rising and falling within the gauge glass D) and to the upper end a circuit
closer E all of non-oxidisable metal-preferably platinum, or of any other metal
protected by a plating or covering of platinum or like non-oxidisable metal. At the
upper and lower ends of the tube A are adapted two binding or connecting
screws a a¹, and 6 6¹ which are electrically connected with a bell and voltaic or
electric battery. The ends of said binding screws a, a¹, and b, b¹, pass through
insulating rings or sleeves secured to said tube A and extend a sufficient distance
therein to allow of the circuit closer E-which is preferably in the form of a double
cone-making contact with the two ends of the binding screws simultaneously; and,
in order to ensure perfect contact I may when desired adapt a fine electric brush or
spring to the free end of each binding screw, against which brushes or springs the
conical circuit closer E would press when reaching the upper or lower binding
screws.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that in the event of the water rising or falling
beyond a predetermined level, contact will be made by the circuit closer E pressing
against the binding screws a a¹ or b b as the case may be, thus causing an electric
bell to ring and thereby giving an alarm to the engine driver or attendant that the
water level is either too high or too low.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The device herein described for indicating and electrically announcing the height
of water in steam boilers or analogous vessels consisting of tube A within which is a
rod B having adapted to its lower and upper ends a float C and circuit closer E, the

page_text: latter on the rise or fall of the water coming into contact with binding screws a a¹
or b¹ whereby an electric bell is caused to ring, substantially as set forth and shown
in the drawings.
Dated th: 92nd day of M... 1000
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 2, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.