IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER INDICATORS AND ALARM WHISTLES FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1884

page_text: THOMAS MACKENZIE Engineer Fallings Heath Nr Wednesbury. I THOMAS
MACKENZIE do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN WATER INDICATORS AND ALARM WHISTLES FOR STEAM BOILERS and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My Invention has reference to an Indicator and Alarm Whistle to be used in
connection with steam Boilers, and may be placed in any conveinient position
according to the construction and position of the Boilers, to Indicate high and low
water, Indicators as ordinary made are provided with stuffing Boxes and glands to
receive packing, In screwing the glands down to make the packing steam tight
the rod connected to the float is liable to stick and thus prevent the free action of
the Indicator, In constructing Indicators according to my Invention packing is
unnecessary, thus the liability to sticking prevented, Safety insured at a minium
cost, In constructing my improved Indicator, I employ a Cylinder with one or
more passages through it, à spindle is placed through one of the said passages with
a conical valve, The said spindle being connected to the float at one end and
provided at the other end with a pointer, By the action of the float responding to
the rising or lowering of the water in the Boiler, it is evident it will impart a
rocking motion to the spindle, thus moving the pointer to high or low water
indicated on the dial.
The Functions of the said rocking spindle also actuates other valves which admit
steam to the alarm Whistle; Allthough I prefer to use a conical valve as described,
I wish it to be understood that any other kind of valve may be used, their seats
being faced, The action of the steam against the valve makes them steam tight
and so saves packing, My improved indicator may be used in conjunction with
a water glass when desired, I will now describe my Invention having reference to
the accompanying drawings, Sheet 1 Figure 1 is a vertical elevation Figure 2 a
horizontal section, Figure 3 end view of Figure 2 at 3, Figure 4 on Sheet 2 is a side
view of Figure 2 The same letters indicate the same parts in all the Figures, The
Flanged Cylinder a is provided with passages a 1 a 2 and a 3 through the passage a 1
is the rocking spindle b with the conical valve b 2 the end of the spindle b is con-
nected to the float c by the lever d and the rod e at the outer end of the spindle b

page_text: the pointer d 2 is attached to indicate on the dial F high or low water, By the
action of the float c rising or lowering it is evident it will cause the spindle b to
move, which in turn acts upon the flat valve g which admits the steam at high or
low water into the passage a 2 thus seting into action the Alarm whistle h, The
passage a 3 conducts the water into the glass i. The pins J1 J2 J3 and J 4 shews
a mode of secureing the apparatus to the Boiler k, The pin is a steady for the
rocking spindle b The pipe m conducts steam to the steam guage n, Figures 5, 6,
7 and 8 shews another mode of constructing my improved indicator on Sheet 2
without a water glass or steam guage, the Alarm Whistle blowing at low water
only.
Figure 5 is a vertical section, Figure 6 a plan, Figure 7 a vertical section
Figure 8 is an end view of Figure 5 at y 2. The same letters indicate the same
parts in all the Figures, a is a flanged Cylinder with passages a 1 and a 2, through
the passage a 1 is the rocking spindle 6 with the valve b2, The float c.is connected
to the rocking spindle, by the lever d and the rod e. The outer end of the rocking
spindle is provided with the pointer d 2 to indicate on the dial F at high or low
water, The inner end of the rocking spindle is provided with the Bevil o, the
lever attached to the valve q has also the Bevil r attached, By the action of the
float c lowering, it will move the rocking spindle b in such a manner that the
Bevilo will come in contact with the Bevil on the lever p thus opening the
valve q which admits the steam through the passage a 2 to the Alarm Whistle / to
blow at low water, Figure 9 on sheet 2 is an Horizontal Section Figure 10 end
view at y shewing a flat valve which admits steam to the Whistle at high or low
water, b is the rocking spindle to which the valve b 2 is attached, the end of the
rocking spindle is connected to the float as before described, and by the action of
the float the valve is moved in such a manner that will admit the steam to pass
to the Whistle lat high or low water, The valve 62 will be best understood by
reference to Figure 10 where the steam passages 8 1 and 8 2 will be seen and readily
understood.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood, that the details may
be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention.
I declare that what I claim is the Improvements set forth in high and low water
indicators for Steam Boilers viz
First A valve working in conjunction with a float as a substitute for stuffing
Boxes and packing in indicating high and low water in steam Boilers.
Secondly The Cylinder with the passages for the purposes as described.
Lastly The Cylinder in conjunction with the rocking Spindle and Valves for the
purposes specified for Water Indicators for steam Boilers.
T
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