AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING BOILER FEEDER, OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Patrick Benignus O'Neill, of Saint Mary's Villa,
Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING BOILER FEEDER, OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING
STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER."
Sealed the 27th April 1866, and dated the 4th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION
left by the said Patrick Benignus
O'Neill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th November 1865.
I, PATRICK BENIGNUS O'NEILL, of Saint Mary's Villa, Fulham, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING BOILER FEEDER, OR APPARATUS FOR
SUPPLYING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER," to be as follows:-
The apparatus is entirely self-acting, being worked simply by the pressure
of steam upon water confined in a closed air-tight vessel or tank, which in its
turn is filled with water by means of the vacuum produced or caused by the
condensation of the steam in the said vessel or tank whenever the supply of
water to the boiler is stopped, or whenever there is a sufficient quantity of
water in the boiler. Resting on the surface of the water in the boiler is a
float of stone, metal, or other suitable material, which is connected to one
end of a chain outside the boiler by means of a copper or other wire passing
[Price 8d.]

page_text: out through a stuming box. The chain is carried over a grooved wneel or puney,
and to its other end is attached a counterbalance weight. The grooved
wheel is keyed or fixed upon a spindle, at one end of which is similarly fixed a
spur wheel gearing with a similar wheel of smaller diameter mounted on a
stud fixed in the same standard which carries the grooved wheel. On the
same stud is mounted loosely a lever carrying a weight at its upper end, and
the smaller spur wheel above referred to is provided with two lugs or projections
on its face, which act upon the said lever whenever motion is communicated
to the said wheel. The lower end of the said lever works in a slot in a link
or piece which connects together the levers of two stop-cocks, so that as the
lever is moved in one direction or the other by the lugs or projections it shall
simultaneously open or close the said cocks. (Equilibrium valves can be
substituted for these cocks, or any other kind of valves or cocks may be used
which in practice may be found most suitable.) One of these cocks or valves
is upon a pipe which communicates from the steam space of the boiler to the
upper part of the closed vessel or tank above referred to, and the other cock
or valve is upon a second pipe which communicates with the lower part of
the said vessel or tank, and is carried down inside the boiler below the water
line. This second-named cock or valve acts as a two-way cock or valve, and
is furnished with an opening provided with a valve and leading into the
atmosphere, being so constructed that when the cocks or valves are shut off
from the boiler the steam from the upper part of the closed vessel or tank
can escape through this opening, and when the cocks or valves are open and
the apparatus is supplying the boiler with water then the said opening is
closed, and the steam cannot escape from the closed vessel or tank. A third
pipe provided with a valve leads from the closed vessel or tank to a well or
reservoir from which the supply of water is derived. The action of the
apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the water in the boiler to be one inch
below the proper water level the float will fall, causing the chain to partially
turn the grooved wheel, which acting upon the toothed wheels above named
will cause one of the lugs or projections on the smaller wheel to throw the
weighted lever out of its perpendicular position and open both the cocks or
valves. The first admits steam to the upper part of the closed vessel or tank,
which forces the water from the said vessel or tank through the second into
the boiler. As soon as the water in the boiler rises above the water mark
the float rising with it will turn the grooved wheel in the reverse direction
and bring the other lug or projection on the smaller toothed wheel against
the reverse side of the weighted lever, causing it to close both cocks or valves,
thus shutting off all communication between the boiler and the closed vessel or

page_text: tank at the same time that the two-way cock or valve above-named in cutting
off communication with the boiler opens the aperture to the atmosphere and
allows the steam in the closed vessel or tank to escape. The condensation of
the steam in the said vessel now causes a vacuum, which draws the water
from the well or cistern up the third-named pipe into the closed vessel or
tank ready for the next feed, as soon as the cocks or valves shall be reopened
by the falling of the water level. The valve in this third pipe opens only
inwards, and thus the pressure of the steam is prevented from forcing the
water from the tank back into the cistern when the cocks or valves are opened.
As a further security a whistle is placed on the steam way of the boiler and
connected to the float in such a manner that should the apparatus fail to work
at any time the falling of the float below a certain level shall sound this
whistle. The closed vessel or tank may also, if preferred, be fitted with a
float and whistle, so as to give warning if at any time there should be no
water in connection with the third-mentioned pipe, or in case the water should
fall too low for the vacuum in the tank to draw the water from the well or
cistern.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I, PATRICK
BENIGNUS O'NEILL, of Saint Mary's Villa, Fulham, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, Her special licence that I, the said
Patrick Benignus O'Neill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 SELF-ACTING BOILER FEEDER, OR APPARATUS FOR
SUPPLYING STEAM WITH WATER," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, 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 Patrick Benignus O'Neill, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, that is to say:-
The apparatus is entirely self-acting, being worked simply by the pressure
of steam upon water confined in a closed air-tight vessel or tank, which in its
turn is filled with water by means of the vacuum produced or caused by the
condensation of the steam in the said vessel or tank whenever the supply of
water to the boiler is stopped, or whenever there is a sufficient quantity of
water in the boiler. Resting on the surface of the water in the boiler is a
float of stone, metal, or other suitable material, which is connected to one
end of a chain outside the boiler by means of a copper or other wire passing
out through a stuffing box. The chain is carried over a grooved wheel or pulley,
and to its other end is attached a counterbalance weight. 'The grooved
wheel is keyed or fixed upon a spindle, at one end of which is similarly fixed a
spur wheel or quadrant gearing with a similar wheel or pinion of smaller dia-
meter mounted on a stud fixed in the same standard which carries the grooved
wheel. On the same stud is mounted loosely a lever carrying a weight at its
upper end, and the smaller spur wheel or pinion above referred to is provided
with two lugs or projections on its face, which act upon the said lever whenever
motion is communicated to the said wheel, or a pin attached to the lever may
work in a slot in the pinion. The lower end of the said lever works in a slot
in a link or piece which connects together the levers of two stop-cocks, so that
as the lever is moved in one direction or the other by the lugs or projections
it shall simultaneously open or close the said cocks. Equilibrium valves can be
substituted for these cocks, or any other kind of valves or cocks may be used
which in practice may be found most suitable. When valves are used a cam
is keyed on the stud (which carries the weighted lever and pinion) which acts
upon the valve levers, and thus opens or closes the valves simultaneously
whenever motion in either direction is imparted to the pinion by the rising or
falling of the float. One of these cocks or valves is upon a pipe which com-
municates from the steam space of the boiler to the upper part of the closed

page_text: vessel or tank above referred to, and the other cock or valve is upon a second
pipe which communicates with the lower part of the said vessel or tank, and
is carried down inside the boiler below the water line. The first-named cock
or valve acts as a two-way cock or valve, and is furnished with an opening
provided with a valve, and leading into the atmosphere, being so constructed
that when the cocks or valves are shut off from the boiler the steam from the
upper part of the closed vessel or tank can escape through this opening, and
when the cocks or valves are open and the apparatus is supplying the boiler
with water then the said opening is closed, and the steam cannot escape from
the closed vessel or tank. A third pipe provided with a valve leads from the
closed vessel or tank to a well or reservoir from which the supply of water is
derived.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "An Improved
Self-acting Boiler Feeder, or Apparatus for Supplying Steam Boilers with
Water," I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which
the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in
order that the same may be distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto a
Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation
thereof, that is to say:―
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 is an end view, and Figure 2 a side
elevation of my improved self-acting boiler feeder, as arranged to work by
means of cocks, and Figure 3 is an enlarged section of one of the said cocks;
Figure 4 shows the slight modification of the apparatus required to work the
same by means of equilibrium valves (which arrangement I prefer), and
Figure 5 is a vertical section through one of the valve boxes, namely, that in
communication with the steam, showing the equilibrium valve and also the
escape valve.
In Figures 1 and 2 a, a, is the boiler, and b, b, the float, which is connected
by the rod or wire c, c, passing out through a stuffing box) and chain d, d,
to the counterbalance weight e, e. The chain passes over the grooved
pulley f, f, keyed upon a spindle g, g, supported by the standard h, h. On one
end of the spindle g, g, is keyed a spur wheel i, i, gearing with a spur pinion i, j,
keyed on a stud k, k, also supported by the standard h, h; on this stud k, k,
is mounted loosely a lever I, I, weighted at its upper end, and the pinion i, i,
is provided with two lugs or projections m, m, (one on each side of the lever)
which throw the lever over the centre in either direction whenever motion is
communicated to the pinion. The lower end of the lever 1, 1, works in a
ink n, n, which connects together the levers of the two stop-cocks o, o¹, and

page_text: thus as the lever is moved it opens or closes both cocks simultaneously. The
cock o is upon a pipe p, p, which communicates from the steam space of the
boiler to the upper part of the closed vessel or tank q, q, which should be of
the proper capacity to supply the requisite quantity of water to the boiler
each time the apparatus works without materially checking the production of
steam. This cock is furnished with a small escape valve at r, and the
openings in the conical plug of the same are so arranged (see sectional view,
Figure 3) that when the communication is shut off from the boiler the steam
from the upper part of the closed tank q, q, can escape through this valve,
but when the communication is open between the steam space and the upper
part of the tank the passage to the escape valve r is closed. The cock o' is
upon the feed pipe s, s, which leads from the lower part of the tank q, q, into
the boiler below the water line. There is also a pipe t, t, provided with a
valve u. u, opening upwards, and leading into the closed tank q, q, from the
well or reservoir whence the supply of water is to be drawn.
In Figure 4 the same letters of reference are marked upon those parts
which correspond with Figure 2, the modifications being as follows:-A toothed
segment i, i, is substituted for the spur wheel. Equilibrium valves o, o¹, are
used in place of the cocks, and instead of these valves being actuated by the
lower end of the weighted lever their levers v, v, are acted on simultaneously by
means of a cam w keyed fast on the spindle k, k, to which the pinion i, i, is
fixed. The form and arrangement of the valve o is shown in the sectional
view, Figure 5, r being the escape valve. In place of the two lugs m, m, a
pin m is fixed to the back of the lever 1, 1, and works in a slot in the face of
the pinion i, i; p, p, and s, s, are the apertures to which the steam and feed
pipes are respectively connected.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:- Supposing the water in the
boiler to be one inch below the proper water level the float will fall, causing
the chain to partially turn the grooved wheel, which acting upon the toothed
wheels above named, will, by means of the lugs or projections on the smaller
wheel, or the slot and pin above described, throw the weighted lever out of its
perpendicular position and open both the cocks or valves. The first admits
steam to the upper part of the closed vessel or tank, which forces the water
As soon as
from the said vessel or tank through the second into the boiler.
the water in the boiler rises above the water mark, the float rising with it will
turn the grooved wheel in the reverse direction and bring the other lug or
projection on the smaller toothed wheel against the reverse side of the
weighted lever, or the other end of the slot against the pin, causing the lever
to close both cocks or valves, thus shutting off all communication between th

page_text: boiler and the closed vessel or tank at the same time that the two-way cock
or valve above named in cutting off communication with the boiler opens the
aperture to the atmosphere and allows the steam in the closed vessel or tank
to escape.
The condensation of the steam in the said vessel now causes a
vacuum which draws the water from the well or cistern up the third-named
pipe into the closed vessel or tank ready for the next feed as soon as the
cocks or valves shall be re-opened by the falling of the water level. The
valve in this third pipe opens only inwards, and thus the pressure of the steam
is prevented from forcing the water from the tank back into the cistern when
the cocks or valves are opened. As a farther security a whistle may be
placed on the steam-way of the boiler and connected to the float in such a
manner that should the apparatus fail to work at any time the falling of the
float below a certain level shall sound this whistle. The closed vessel or tank
may also if preferred be fitted with a whistle actuated by a float or other
suitable means so as to give warning if at any time there should be no water
in connection with the third-mentioned pipe, or in case the water should fall
too low for the vacuum in the tank to draw the water from the well or
cistern.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for "An
Improved Self-acting Boiler Feeder, or Apparatus for Supplying Steam Boilers
with Water," together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that
I claim as my Invention the improved self-acting boiler feeder as above
described and represented in the annexed Drawing, or any mere imitation or
modification thereof constructed and operating in substantially the same or a
similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
P. B. O'NEILL. (L.S.)