IM- PROVEMENTS IN LOW WATER INDICATORS AND SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Benson, of 14, Hinde Street, Manchester
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LOW WATER INDICATORS AND SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM
BOILERS." A communication from abroad by Charles Burley, of
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of North America.
Sealed the 29th January 1869, and dated the 6th August 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Martin Benson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th August 1868.
I, MARTIN BENSON, of 14, Hinde Street, Manchester Square, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENT IN LOW WATER INDICATORS AND SAFETY VALVES FOR
STEAM BOILERS," (a communication,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an attachment to steam boilers to serve as a
safety valve and give warning of a deficiency of water in the boiler. The
valve is made large enough for producing it with an elbow chamber for

page_text: attaching tubing, one of the tubes is attached to the chamber at the
under part of the valve, and its end extends down through the valve pipe
or dome into the boiler a little below the proper level of the water,
another tube is horizontally attached to the side of the valve in the
The horizontal tube
chamber, and on the outside of the boiler.
serves as a lever and is lent up at its outer end, to which a globe or
vessel for containing water is attached, the water in the globe serves as
a weight for holding down the valve. The top of the globe is provided
with a cock to let out the air when the valve is forced into it from the
boiler, which is done by the steam in the following manner :-When the
steam generated in the boiler presses on the surface of the water it
forces the water up the tube attacked to the lower part of the valve
through the chamber in the valve and along the horizontal tube into the
globe, in the meantime the air cock at the top of the globe is opened to
let out the air so it may fill with water when the cock is closed. The
globe thus filled acts as a weight to hold the valve down through the
medium of the horizontal tube which serves as a lever, that is, providing
the water in the boiler remains at the proper height, but should the water
fall below the tower end of the tube in the boiler, so that the end of the
tube would be in the steam space, then the water from its greater gravity
compared with the steam would run out of the globe through the tubing
into the boiler, and thereby lighten the weight on the valve and cause the
steam to blow off and indicate both by sound and sight that the water
is below its proper level. The globe will not empty suddenly but
gradually, which gives timely warning to increase the supply of water
to the boiler, and when the supply is sufficient to entirely immerse the
The
end of the tube the globe will refill and hold the valve to its seat.
valve can be adjusted to indicate the height of water in the boiler
under any pressure of steam, from five pounds or less upwards. This is
affected by a counterbalance lever and weight which is attached to the
valve on the opposite side from the horizontal tube and globe, and by
placeing the weight on the lever at the proper point for counterbalancing
the tube and globe it can be thereby adjusted to blow off at any low
pressure up to correspond with the weight of water in the globe and
horizontal tube. The horizontal tube could be provided with a steam-
tight slide or elbow joint near its middle which would permit the globe
of water being drawn in or out from the valve, and thereby diminish
cr increase the leverage and, weight on the valve for adjusting it to
any desired pressure of steam. Lugs will be cast to the valve pipe for

page_text: áttaching the studs for carrying and adjusting the valve lever or tube.
The studs will be threaded and furnished with nuts for adjusting the
valve to its seat and giving its proper extent of motion in opening and
closing.
Another mode of constructing this attachment will be to cast the tube,
valve, globe, and counterbalance lever all in one piece of brass or other
metals; however, for making and repairing it is considered more
economical to make the various pieces separate and joint them together
as before described. Valves of this kind can be made only to indicate
the height of the water in the boiler, in such cases they will be made
quite small, however, ordinarily they will be made to serve the double
purpose of water indicator and safety valve. The globe for containing
the water for weighting down the valve could be placed directly over
the top of the valve, but in so doing there would be no leverage which
would necessitate boring a very large vessel to get sufficient weight for
high pressures of steam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Martin Benson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th January 1869.
i
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARTIN
BENSON, of 14, Hinde Street, Manchester Square, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,,
give and grant unto me, the said Martin Benson, Her special licence that
the said Martin Benson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Martin Benson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOW WATER. INDICATORS
AND SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS," a communication to me from

page_text: abroad by Charles Burley, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Martin
Benson, 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 Martin Benson, 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 :-.
This Invention relates to an attachment to steam boilers to serve as a
safety valve and give warning of a deficiency of water in the boiler,
the valve is made large enough to provide it with an elbow chamber for
attaching tubing, one of the tubes is attached to the chamber at the
under part of the valve, and its end extends down through the valve pipe
or dome into the boiler, and a little below the proper level of the water
another tube is horizontally attached to the side of the valve in the
chamber and on the outside of the boiler which communicates with the
one before described extending into the boiler. The horizontal tube
serves as a lever and is bent up at its outer end, to which a globe or
vessel for containing water is attached, the water in the globe serves as
a weight for holding down the valve. The top of the globe is provided
with a cock to let out the air when the water is forced into it from
the boiler, which is done by the steam in the following manner :-
When the steam generated in the boiler presses on the surface of the
water it forces the water up the tube attached to the lower part of the
valve through the chamber in the valve, and along the horizontal tube
into the globe, in the meantime the air cock at the top of the globe is
opened to let out the air so that it may fill with water when the cock is
closed. The globe thus filled acts as a weight to hold the valve down
through the medium of the horizontal tube, which serves as a lever, that
is, provided the water in the boiler remains at the proper height; but
should the water fall below the lower end of the tube in the boiler so
that the end of the tube would be in the steam space, then the water
from its greater gravity compared with the steam would run out of the
globe through the tubing into the boiler, and thereby lighten the weight

page_text: on the valve and cause the steam to blow off and indicate both by sound
and sight that the water is below its proper level. The globe will not
empty suddenly. but gradually, which gives timely warning to increase
the supply of water to the boiler, and when the supply is sufficient to
entirely immerse the end of the tube the globe will refill and hold the
valve to its seat. The valve can be adjusted to indicate the height of
water in the boiler under any pressure of steam from five pounds or less
on the square inch and upwards. This is effected by a counterbalance
lever and weight which is attached to the valve on the opposite side
from the horizontal tube and globe, and by placing the weight on the
lever at the proper point for counterbalancing the tube and globe it can
be thereby adjusted to blow off at any low pressure and upwards to
correspond with the weight of water in the globe and horizontal tube.
The horizontal tube could be provided with a steam-tight slide or elbow
joint near its centre which would permit the globe of water being drawn
in or out from the valve and thereby diminish or increase the leverage
and weight on the valve for adjusting it to any desired pressure of steam.
Lugs will be cast to the valve pipe for attaching the studs for carrying
and adjusting the valve lever or tube, the studs will be threaded and
furnished with nuts for adjusting the valve to its seat and giving its
proper extent of motion in opening and closing.
Another mode of constructing this attachment will be to cast the tube,
valve, globe, and counterbalance lever all in one piece of brass or other
metal; however, for making and repairing it is considered more econo-
mical to make the various pieces separate and joint them together as
before described. Valves of this kind can be made only to indicate the
height of the water in the boiler, in such cases they will be made quite
small, hower, ordinarily they will be made to serve the double purpose.
of water indicators and safety valves. The globe for containing the
water for weighting down the valve could be placed directly over the
top of the valve, but in so doing there would be no leverage which would
necessitate having a very large vessel to get sufficient weight for high
pressures of steam.
Having thus, described the nature of my Invention, and to show.
more fully its action, I will now refer to the accompaning Drawings
and figures and letters of reference marked thereon forming part of this
Specification.
Fic 1 ronroconte a longitudinal section of nont of a hoiles with the

page_text: transverse section of a portion of a two flued boller, showing an end
elevation of the valve apparatus mounted thereon; Fig. 3 represents a
side elevation of the valve arrangement, showing it attached to part of a
boiler; Fig. 4 is a separate and top view of the chamber or elbow for
making a union with the tubes in or out of the boiler; Fig. 5 is a. side
elevation of the elbow.
A, A, represents portions of a double flued boiler to which the valve
pipe or pot B, B, is attached by means of bolts and nuts in the usual
way, the pipe can be made of any desired shape, and if wished provided
with openings or branches for taking steam from the boiler; D, D, is a
valve seat let into the top of the pipe B, B, and ordinarily made of
brass; C, C, is a brass ring secured on the pipe E just below the elbow
piece F and serves as a valve, this ring is provided with a plain face as
a valve surface and rest on the seat D, D, as represented in Fig. 1.
The elbow piece F serves as a junction to which the tube E and h
are attached by means of screwing as represented, the two tubes are
joined together internally by the channel g in the elbow. y is a lug for
attaching the elbow E to the fulcrum or stud m, this stud is threaded
and provided with nuts above and below the lug o to which it is attached
for adjusting the valve C, C, to its seat; L is a counterbalance lever
provided with a weight P for counterweighting the tubes E, h, and
globe J, the lever is let into a socket in the elbow piece F and held by
means of a key x or any other analogous means for attaching the lever
may be employed. When valves of small dimensions are made the
lever may be cast to the piece F, this will usually be done when the
parts are made of brass, and in such cases the face of the elbow piece F
just above the valve C, C, will be used as the valve face, thereby dis-
pensing with the use of the valve ring as represented in Fig. 1. n is
a yoak passing around the tube h for regulating the lift of the valve,
the stem of the yoak is threaded and attached to the lug a and provided
with two nuts for adjusting it to suit the required lift of the valve.
J is a cast-iron globe, or a vessel of any other shape may be used and
made of wrought iron or brass for receiving water from the boiler for
weighting the valve to its seat; this globe is attached to the end of the
tube h by means of screwing and a jam nut as represented in Fig. 1, or
by any other analogous means; k is a cock attached to the top of the
globe or vessel for permitting the air to escape in order to let it fill

page_text: with water from the boiler; if the cock and vessel is made air-tight the
cock need only be opened on first generating steam in the boiler.
The action of the valve is this:-When the boiler A, A, is supplied
with a proper quantity of water, for illustration to the line R, R, and
steam generated the pressure of the steam on the surface of the water will
force the water up the tube E through the channel g and along the
horizontal tube h into the vessel J, and as long as the water is at the
proper level or above the end of the tube E in the boiler, the globe J
will remain filled and the weight of the water through the mediums of
the tube which serves as a lever will hold the valve C, C, to its seat;
but should the water in the boiler fall below the end of the tubo E, or
for illustration down to the line W, W, then the water in the tubes and
globe, owing to its greater gravity compared with steam, will fall back
into the boiler and thereby lighten the weight on the valve, causing the
valve to lift and steam to blow off, indicating both by sight and sound
that the water in the boiler. is becoming dangerously low or deficient;
the horizontal tube / is attached to the elbow piece F so that its outer
end will incline upwards in practice about one half of an inch for caéli
foot in length of the tube more or less to prevent the water from
"trapping" as it flows back into the boiler. When a deficiency of
water takes place and the valve lifts as before described as soon as an
increased supply is given to the boiler so that it will reach the end of
the tube E the globe J will refill and again weight" the valve to its
seat. The tube E and h should not be made less than one inch to one
inch and a quarter in internal diameter to allow the water to flow freely
from the globe back into the boiler, but they may be used of less or
greater diameter if desired. The valves are constructed so that they
will indicate a deficiency of water by blowing off steam at any pressure
from one pound or less up to the greatest pressure for which they may
be constructed to carry, this is accomplished by counterweighting the
tube and globe as before mentioned, for instance, suppose a valve con-
structed to carry sixty pounds of steam to the square inch, that is to say,
the water in the tubing and globe J would have sufficient weight to
hold the valve to its seat at that pressure; now by counterweighting the
valve and its appendages (minus the water) any pressure of steam would
lift the valve between the greatest pressure it was calculated to carry
down to one pound per square inch should the deficiency of water take
place and that contained in the tubes and globes empty into the boiler.

page_text: When the pressure of steam in the boiler is in excess of what the valve
has been constructed to carry it then acts as an ordinary safety valve,
by being lifted and permitting the steam to blow off untill it is reduced
to its proper pressure, when the valve will again reseat itself. The vessel
or globe during this time will remain filled with water provided the
boiler has its proper supply.
Having thus described the nature and operation of my Invention, and
the manner of applying it to use, what I claim therefore is,―
Firstly. Loading or weighting the low water indicator or safety valve
with water, by means and for the purposes mentioned in the foregoing
Specification.
Secondly. The tube attached to the under part of the valve or chamber
and extending down into the boiler sufficient so that the end of it
will be under the surface of the water as represented and for purposes
before described.
Thirdly. The use of the counterweight and lever arranged with the
valve, vessel, and tubes by which a deficiency of water in the boiler will
be indicated at any pressure of steam, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martin Bensen, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eight day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.