Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Boilers and Returning Water of Condensation, also applicable for Raising Water generally.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Boilers and Returning
Water of Condensation, also applicable for Raising Water
generally.
I GEORGE HENRY RICHMOND of 83 Carter Street Chorlton upon Medlock
Manchester in the County of Lancaster Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the construction of an apparatus to automatically
feed boilers and to return water of condensation to boilers.
In carrying out my invention I construct a vessel of a cylindrical or other
suitable shape and mount inside such vessel a valve or cock for admitting steam to
the same.
This valve or cock is actuated by a float and lever as hereinafter
described. On the inner side of the hereinbefore mentioned vessel and opposite to
the valve or cock 1 arrange a pocket designed to receive the float depending from
the valve lever. In the lid or cover of the hereinbefore mentioned vessel I further
provide an air valve opening inwards to act as hereinafter described.
The action of this combination is as follows.
Steam is connected to the valve or cock through a suitable pipe and water is
admitted into the vessel through a back pressure valve. An opening also provided
with a back pressure valve is arranged as an outlet. Upon water being admitted it
will rise in the vessel and expel the air through the air valve in its course until it
floods over the pocket, when the float will rise and so open the steam valve or cock
allowing the steam to be admitted, when the air valve will be instantly closed and
the steam will then force the water out of the vessel.
The hereinbefore mentioned pocket is provided at its lower extremity with a hole
which allows of the escape of the water from the pocket, and the escape of this
water is so timed that the steam valve will be closed simultaneously with the
emptying of the vessel.
When I use my improved apparatus for boiler feeding, the arrangement is as
follows employ two vessels constructed as herein before described, one of such
vessels being fixed in a position low enough to receive all water of condensation by
gravitation, and the other of such vessels being fixed at a suitable height above the
boiler. Steam is conveyed to the steam valve or cock of each vessel from the boiler
by suitable pipes. The action is then as follows-
Water is admitted into the lower vessel and is by the action hereinbefore
described forced through suitable pipes into the higher vessel when the same action
takes place, and upon steam being admitted into this higher vessel the water therein
is allowed by its own gravitation to fall into the boiler.
It will be obvious that this apparatus may be employed for forcing water to a
height, the limit of which is only dependent upon the steam pressure used.
Dated this 14th day of May 1891.

page_text: CUBE BIM SE MULTICATION
Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Boilers and Returning
Water of Condensation, also applicable for Raising Water
generally.
I GEORGE HENRY RICHMOND of 83 Carter Street Chorlton upon Medlock
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 :-
The object of this invention is the construction of an apparatus to automatically
.feed boilers and return water of condensation to boilers.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and carried into
practical effect, I have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings illustrative of the
same and will now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the figures
and letters of reference marked thereon like figures and letters being used in all
views to denote like parts.
Figure 1. is a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus, shewing the various
parts in position ready to receive the water.
Figure 2. is a sectional elevation shewing the position of the various parts when
the water has been admitted and
Figure 3. is a plan view.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct a vessel A of a cylindrical or
other suitable shape, and mount inside such ressel a valve or cock B for admitting
steam and also a valve or cock C for exhausting the same.
These valves or cocks B and C are actuated by a float D. and levers E and E' as
hereinafter described. Inside of the vessel A. I mount a pocket F designed to
receive the float D depending from the valve levers E and E. In the bottom of
this pocket provide a hole G, which hole G is capable of being closed by the
float valve H as hereinafter described.
Steam is conducted to the valve or cock B. through a pipe B and water is
admitted to the vessel A. through a back pressure valve I, the outlet J being also
provided with a back pressure valve.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-Upon water being admitted to the
vessel A through the back pressure valve I it will rise in the said vessel and expel
the air by the exhaust valve or cock C until it causes the float valve H to rise and
thereby close the hole G and so prevent any water getting into the pocket F until the
water reaches the top of the latter when it will overflow into such pocket F and
cause the float D to rise and instantly close the exhaust valve or cock C. The
float D will then continue to rise being permitted to do so by reason of the
elongated slot K formed in the lever E until the steam valve or cock B is fully
open. Steam is thereby admitted on to the top of the water contained in the
vessel A which water is now "expelled from the vessel A. but the water which has
overflowed into the pocket F is retained in such pocket until the water in the
vessel A is discharged to the floating line of the float valve H when the float
valve H will drop and open the hole G through which hole G the water contained
in the pocket F will then escape into the vessel A it will now be seen that the
float D will fall in the pocket and through the levers E and E¹ it will close the
steam valve or cock B and open the exhaust valve or cock C thus preparing
the vessel.A for the reception of another charge of water. Instead of using a float
valve Has hereinbefore described I sometimes leave the hole G without a valve in
which case the hole G will be of such a size as to retain sufficient water in the
pocket F to buoy the float D until the water has left the vessel A. and the water
entering the pocket F through such hole while the vessel A is filling up is

page_text: not sufficient to reach the float D before the water overflows the top of the
pocket F.
My method of applying and working this improved apparatus will be more fully
understood by reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6 on Sheet 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
In Fig. 4 the vessel A is illustrated as applied to a Lancashire boiler L. and the
steam pipe M is shewn as connected thereto. N is the water supply which may be
from a towns main a cistern condensed water from a system of heating apparatus or
other source.
O is the pipe by which the water is fed to the boiler. The
action of my improved apparatus so applied is as follows:- -Water is admitted
through the back pressure valve I until it overflows the pocket F as herein-
before described when the steam cock or valve B is opened by the rising of the
float D and the full boiler pressure is admitted to the vessel A through the
pipe M thereby allowing the water to pass into the boiler through the pipe O
by its own gravity. This action is continuous so long as water comes to the
vessel A. and it will be obvious that its rate of action is much dependent upon
the rate at which water is supplied and that if the water is stopped no waste
will take place as the steam valve or cock B will remain closed.
Figure 5 is an illustration of a double arrangement of my improved apparatus to
be used in cases where the water comes to the boiler at a lower level than is shown
in Fig. 4 at atmospheric pressure or at a pressure insufficient to force it into the
vessel A. The water is admitted into the vessel A' by the pipe N' from the source
of supply. Steam is admitted to the valve or cock B by the pipe M' and the
pipe is employed for the water to rise from the vessel A into the vessel A.
The action of this double arrangement is as follows:-Both vessels are exactly
alike in construction and the vessel A is mounted above the boiler L as shewn and
the vessel A' below the supply pipe N' from which supply pipe N the water
gravitates into the vessel A until such vessel is full and the action hereinbefore
described bas admitted steam when the steam pressure so admitted forces the water
out of the vessel A' into the vessel A and upon this vessel A becoming full steam
is admitted thereto which causes the pressure in such vessel A to be the same (or
nearly so) as that in the boiler when the water will flow into the boiler by its own
gravity.
Figure 6 is an illustration of an adaptation of my improved apparatus as used for
elevating water from a pipe or well into a tank R. or other receptacle and the
action is the same as that described for the vessel A' of Fig. 5. N2 being the supply
and M2 the pipe conveying the steam by which the water is elevated and it will be
apparent that the height to which water may be lifted by this modification of my
apparatus is only limited by the steam pressure used.
Although I have only described an air or exhaust valve as in connection with
the float Ď and the steain valve or cock B and fitted to the side of the vessel A it
will be obvious that an independent air or exhaust valve might be employed and
that it might be fitted in the lid of my improved apparatus and it will also be
obvious that the details, relative proportions and dimensions of the various parts of
my improved apparatus may be considerably varied without departing from the
invention but what I claim is-
Firstly. The combination and arrangement of mechanism for feeding boilers and
returning water of condensation thereto as hereinbefore described and illustrated on
the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. The combination and arrangement of vessel A float D valves or
cocks B and C operated by such float pocket F and valve at the bottom of such
pocket for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated on the accom-
panying drawing.
Thirdly. In apparatus for feeding boilers and returning water of condensation
thereto the combination with a chamber A provided with non-return inlet and outlet

page_text: water valves of a pocket F within such chamber and a float D within such
pocket operating steam and exhaust valves or cocks substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated.
Dated this Sixth day of February 1892
G. H. RICHMOND.