AN IMPROVED INJECTOR FOR STEAM BOILERS."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Albert Dixon, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED INJECTOR FOR STEAM
BOILERS."
ر
Sealed the 24th June 1873, and dated the 18th April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Albert Dixon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th April 1873.
I, ALFRED ALBERT DIXON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
INJECTOR FOR STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-

page_text: and then the forcing of it into the boiler, and in causing the draught by
a fixed steam jet through a central pipe or tube (hereafter referred to).
Secondly. In the suppression of a movement made by a separate piece
of mechanism, complicated in its construction, used for increasing or
decreasing the passage of water in order to have the supply always in
proportion to the quantity of steam used, according to the variations of
pressure in the boiler.
Thirdly. In obtaining quicker and in a higher degree the rarefaction
of the air in the draught pipe, and consequently drawing water at a
greater depth than other injectors can.
And fourthly. In the use of a very simple mechanism placed con-
centric with the axis of the apparatus, thereby making the construction
easy, the wear imperceptible, and accidents from breakage very rare,
besides having the advantage of occupying less space than other draught
injectors..
These improvements have the additional advantages of rendering the
working of the improved injector better and more certain, and the setting
thereof into operation easier..
The improved injector consists of three principal parts, to the top one
of which is secured the steam pipe from the boiler, and which is pro-
vided with a cock. This part is turned inside and out to form the bed
of the valve. Its top end terminates in a stuffing box, through which
passes a rod, below which is screwed the small central pipe above
referred to, and also a second pipe or tube encircling it.
The cylindrical or intermediate part is annular in section, and holds
above its top hoop or flange a bronze nut fixed between itself and the
lower flange of the top part by four bolts. The second pipe above
mentioned is screwed and moves within this nut, and acts as a valve for
the steam and as a regulator for the volume of water required. It is
pierced with (say) eight holes under the valve, and is traversed all
through by the small central pipe. This part has, as in ordinary injectors,
a pipe for the overflow and a pipe or branch for the introduction of the
water from the feed tank.
The third part has nothing new in it, and may be like that of ordinary
injectors, and receive the combining pipe or cone in which the steam is
condensed by the influx of water from the reservoir or tank, and the

page_text: receiving tube or cone which establishes the communication between the
steam jet and the generator after going through the valve.
The operation is substantially as follows:-Suppose the valve of the
second tube to be shut, if steam is then let into the top part or chamber
it cannot get out by the valve, but passes through small escape orifices
into the central tube with the maximum rapidity through the bottom
opening thereof, determining thereby a rapid jet, an essential condition
to an energetic exhaustion of the air in the draught pipe. The air being
thus thrown out, the ascension of the water takes place almost instan-
taneously by reason of the pressure of the atmosphere on the water of
the reservoir. The water takes up the movement of the steam and forms
a regular current, which escapes through the overflow pipe. If at this
moment the valve of the second tube is opened, the steam will rush
through the holes or openings above mentioned thereinto, and force the
water through the overflow pipe more rapidly; but if the said tube is
lowered in its nut until the water has only room enough to pass to
ensure its being in proportion to the steam let in, the injector will work
regularly. It will therefore be seen that in order to put the injector into
operation it is only necessary to turn the steam cock in the boiler,
immediately after which the water from the cistern rushes through the
overflow until the second tube is lowered, so as to prevent its escape.
The noise of the current into the boiler then shews clearly that the
apparatus is in play.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Albert Dixon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
ALBERT DIXON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Albert Dixon, Her special licence
that I, the said Alfred Albert Dixon, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Albert Dixon, my
executors, administrators, 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
INJECTOR FOR STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Alfred Albert Dixon, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Alfred Albert Dixon, 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 being had to
the accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to an improved injector for steam boilers.
The improvements consist,-.
Firstly. In the suppression of the screw pin used in ordinary draught
injectors to regulate the supply of steam, which first causes the draught
of water and then the forcing of it into the boiler, and in lieu thereof in
causing the draught by a fixed steam jet through a small central pipe or
tube, hereafter referred to.
Secondly. In the suppression of a movement made by a separate picce
of mechanism, complicated in its construction, used for increasing or
decreasing the passage of water in order to have the supply always in
proportion to the quantity of steam used, according to the variations of
in the boiler.
pressure
Thirdly. In obtaining quicker and in a higher degree the rarefaction
of the air in the draught pipe, and consequently drawing water at a
greater depth than other injectors can.
Fourthly. In the use of very simple mechanism placed concentric
with the axis of the apparatus, thereby making the construction easy,

page_text: The part G³ may be like that of ordinary injectors, and receive the
combining pipe or cone D, in which the steam is condensed by the
influx of water from the reservoir or tank, and the receiving tube or
cone f, which establishes the communication of the steam jet with the
generator after going through the valve s.
-
The method or mode of putting the apparatus in operation is as
follows: Suppose the valve of the tube M to be shut, if steam is then
let into the chamber inside A it cannot escape except by passing through
small orifices I¹ into the tube U, obtaining its maximum rapidity through
the bottom opening thereof, determining thereby a rapid jet, an essential
condition to an energetic exhaustion of the air in the draught pipe. The
air being thus exhausted the atmospheric pressure on the water of the
reservoir causes an instantaneous ascension of the water, which then,
partaking of the movement of the steam, forms a regular current,
which escapes through P. If at this moment the valve of the tube M is
opened, the steam will rush through the holes or openings R¹ thereinto,
and force the water through the pipe P more rapidly; but if the tube M
is lowered in the nut G until the water has only sufficient room to pass
to ensure its being in proportion to the steam let in, the injector will
work regularly. It will therefore be seen that in order to put the
improved injector into operation it is only necessary to turn the steam
cock from the boiler, immediately after which the water from the cistern
rushes through the overflow P until the tube is lowered so as to regulate
it and prevent its escape. The noise of the current into the boiler then
indicates that the apparatus is in play.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"An Improved Injector for Steam Boilers," 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 general construction (and the peculiar arrangement and com-
bination of the component parts) of the improved injector, substantially
as above described, and as illustrated on the accompanying Drawings.
And more particularly I claim, the application and use of the tube U
for steam which produces the draught of water, and the peculiar con-
struction of the tube M, rod R, and box A, which enables the injector to
be taken to pieces to give issue or escape to the steam, and to regulate

page_text: the water required according to the pressure of steam by a single
movement.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Albert Dixon, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.