Automatic Water Indicator for Locomotive and Stationary Boilers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Automatic Water Indicator for Locomotive and Stationary Boilers.
ROBERT THOMAS BROND, 10, Clarendon Terrace, North Road, Plymouth,
Locomotive Fireman, Great Western Railway Company, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I have just succeeded in completing an automatic water indicator for steam
boilers. I am myself a fireman in the employ of the Great Western Railway Co.,
working daily in front of the tube of glass which indicates the water level;
these glasses have been the cause of a great number of men to loose their eye-
sight through bursting without warning, just as the fireman stoops to fire the
furnace. My indicator would do away with all these glasses and the expenses
attached to them. I will now proceed to explain with the aid of my drawings.
Fig. 1. Is a side view of the indicator, it consists of four water tubes marked
A B C D two placed horizontally and two perpendicularly as drawn. Tube B
is constructed with a flange top and bottom. Letter G is a cage made of wire
non-corrosive, it consists of four wires placed at a suitable distance from each
other, the top is constructed flat, the bottom part half round, three flanges or
rims are attached, the wire being fastened on the inner side. No. 1 rim fixed
a suitable distance from the bottom so as to allow portion of cage to remain
water way D. No. 2 rim is fixed very near the top end of cage which acts as
the main support, No. 3 rim is placed on top of the cage, this rim is made
perfectly level and smooth. Letter I is an air ball made of thin copper or
aluminuim perfectly round attached to this is a rod of very light but strong
material, this is called a float which is placed inside of the cage G with just suffi-
cient room to work up and down. (Aluminuim is at the present time of no use
as an air ball, as the acid in the boiler would corrode it; I am informed that
this will be remedied). Letter E is a screw cap fitted into the water way A just
above the cage G, it is constructed with a flange at the bottom so that it may
rest on top of the cage and keep it down properly in its place, this cap has a
thread, top and bottom, the top thread is used for the indicator to be fastened
to it has also a hole bored to a certain depth on the top which is also threaded
to within a quarter of an inch of the bottom, this is called the stuffing box.
Letter F is a thumb screw gland, which has a hole bored through its centre in
line with a hole that is bored through cap E, this hole is for the indicator rod
to work in. This gland will fit into the stuffing box on the cap E. There is also
two plugs on the front of the waterways A 1) that can be taken out for cleaning
purposes. and k are the facing joints to the boiler. Letter H is a front view
of indicator. Letter G is showing the cage constructed separately that it may
be taken out and examined. I will now proceed to explain the working of this
indicator. The first duty of an engine-man on coming to his engine is to
examine his water gauge, this same rule applies to my indicator, on opening
the blow through cock L the water is taken away from underneath the air ball
which causes it to drop from its first position, this indicates that the float is in

page_text: working order, should the float remain stationary when blown through, this
is caused by the packing seizing the rod through having cold water and the
boiler being cold, as soon as steam rises in the boiler the packing gets saturated
which causes a relax sufficient enough to release the rod. (I propose asbestos
packing if this will not answer several others will be tried.) Asbestos hardens
when dry and if in a boiler without any moisture to get to it, the rod would be
seized as I explained before, of course the test cocks would be made use of in
a case of this sort. When working on the road the boiler is usually kept full,
consequently the ball would be forced up tight against the concaved part of
cap this would form a tight joint, and keep steam and water out. Most
modern locomotive engines have their boilers pressed at a pressure of one
hundred and seventy lbs., to the square inch, therefore we should get the same
pressure in this water tube; and the steam being on top of the ball would help
to force it down when the water rises and falls. There is just one thing more
that would be a boon to enginemen and that is it could be packed on the road
with full steam up by just shutting off the two cocks M N on the water ways
top and bottom then open the blow through cock I and the tube B is clear of
steam and water, then unscrew indicator, and also the thumb screw gland, and
place the packing into the stuffing box at the bottom and this would complete
all that is necessary.
Tad 10.1
1000
Automatic water indicator for Locomotive and Stationary Boilers.
R. T. BROND, 10, Clarendon Terrace, North End, Plymouth, Locomotive Fire-
man, 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:.
-
This invention relates to improvements in water gauges, and improvements
to dispense with the usual glass tube, which being under pressure is liable to
burst, causing injury to those in attendance.
For purposes of illustration I will now refer to the drawings filed with my
Provisional Specification in which;-
Figure is a sectional side view.
Figure 2 is an end view.
Figure 3 is a front view of the indicator. It consists of four water tubes
marked A, B, C, D, two placed horizontally and two perpendicularly as drawn.
Tube B is constructed with a flange top and bottom; letter G is a cage made
of suitable wire, non-corrosive. It consists of four wires placed at a suitable
distance from each other; the top part is constructed flat, the bottom part round.
Three flanges or rims are attached, the wire being fastened on the inner side.
No. 1 rim is fixed a suitable distance from the bottom so as to allow portion of
cage to remain in water. D. No. 2 rim is fixed very near the top end of cage
which acts as the main support, No. 3 rim is placed on top of the cage, this rim
is made perfectly level and smooth. Letter I is an air ball made of thin copper
or aluminium perfectly round; attached to this is a rod of very light but strong
material; this is called a float which is placed inside of the cage G, with just
sufficient room to work up and down, (aluminium is at the present time of no use
as an air ball, the acid in the boiler would dissolve it; I am informed that this
will be remedied). Letter E is a screw cap fitted into water way A, just above

page_text: the cage G it is constructed with a flange at the bottom so that it may rest
on top of the cage and keep it down properly in its place; this cap E has a
thread, top and bottom; the top thread is used for the indicator to be fastened
to; it has also a hole bored to a certain depth on the top, which is also threaded
to within a quarter of an inch of the bottom, this is called the stuffing box.
Letter F is a thumb screw gland, which has a hole bored through its centre in
line with a hole that is bored through the cap E; this is for the indicator rod
to work in. This gland will fit into the stuffing box on the cap E. There are
also two plugs on the front of the water ways A D, that can be taken out for
cleaning purposes. Letters J and K are the facing joints to the boiler.
Letter H, is a front view of indicator. Letter G, Fig. 2. is showing cage con-
structed separately that it may be taken out and examined.
I will now proceed to explain the working of this indicator. The first duty
of an engineman on coming to his engine is to examine his water gauge; this
same rule applies to my indicator; on opening the blow through cock L, the
water is taken away from underneath the air ball which causes it to drop from
its first position; this indicates that the float is in working order. Should the
float remain stationary when blown through, this is caused by the packing
seizing the rod through having cold water and the boiler being cold; as soon
as steam rises in the boiler the packing gets saturated which causes a relax
sufficient to release the rod.
(I propose ashestos packing: if this will not do several others will be tried)
asbestos hardens when dry and if in a boiler without any moisture to get to it,
the rod would be seized as I explained before, of course the test cocks will be
made use of in a case of this sort. When working on the road the boiler is
usually kept full, consequently the ball would be forced up tight against the
concaved part of cap E; this would form a tight joint, and also keep steam
and water out. Most modern locomotive engines have their boilers pressed a
pressure of one hundred and seventy pounds to the square inch, therefore we
should get the same pressure in this water tube, and the steam being on top of
the ball would help to force it down when the water rises and falls.
There is just one thing more that would be a boon to enginemen and that is,
it could be packed on the road with full steam up by just shutting off the two
cocks M, N, on water ways top and bottom; then open the blow through cock L;
you would then have the tube D, clear of steam and water, then unscrew indi-
cator case, and also the thumb screw gland and place the packing into the.
stuffing box at the bottom and this would complete all that is necessary.
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:-
1. In water gauge indicators the combined construction and arrangement
of the various parts, substantially as described and illustrated herein.
2. In water gauge indicators a chamber or channel in connection with a boiler,
stop cocks for regulating the supply of water or steam to said chamber, a float
provided with a rod or indicator in said chamber. A cover or casing having a
transparent surface through which said indicator may be viewed. Stop cocks
for use when required for indicating the height of water in the boiler in the
event of the indicator being repaired all in combination substantially as described
and illustrated herein.