the Supermeating of Steam.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1887
Complete Left, 23rd Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 25th May, 1888
the Supermeating of Steam.
I, MAX GEHRE of Grafenberg 14b Düsseldorf, Germany, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for regulating the
superheating of steam and its object is to design an apparatus which will automatically
reduce the temperature or pressure of the steam by introducing a sufficient quantity
of liquid to reduce the temperature or pressure to the desired point. To this end the
steam, the temperature or pressure of which is to be regulated, is permitted to act on
a body sufficiently expansive under a predeterminated temperature to operate a valve
or equivalent through which liquid is admitted to the steam, or which in its turn
operates a suitable feeding mechanism, when it is necessary to reduce the temperature
or pressure but which automatically cuts off the water or interrupts the operation of
the feeding mechanism as soon as the steam is reduced to the desired temperature or
pressure. This object may be attained by different mechanical means according to
whether the body exposed to the action of the steam to be regulated be of a solid,
liquid or gaseous nature or according to the construction of the valve or feeding
mechanism.
It is preferable to arrange or fix the body to be acted upon by the steam in the
steam conduit itself and it may consist of a thin tube filled with mercury or any other
suitable liquid. This tube is closed at the bottom by an adjustable plug which can be
adjusted from the outside. When the liquid contained in this tube expands under the
influence of an excessive temperature of the steam it will lift a movable plug in the
top of the tube which will operate a pivotted lever in such a manner as to open a
valve connected with said lever and to allow liquid to pass from a chamber arranged
above the valve through this latter into the steam conduit. A small piece of sheet
metal may be arranged underneath the valve to effect an equal distribution of the
liquid.

page_text: If the steam to be regulated is superheated steam from water the chamber above the
valve is preferably in connection with the boiler and provided with a return valve to
prevent the water in said chamber returning to the boiler. The valve admitting the
liquid into the steam conduit will be closed automatically as soon as the liquid in the
thin tube is cooled sufficiently to render a further introduction of liquid unnecessary.
An indicator connected with the valve lever serves to indicate on the outside the
position of the valve, while the adjustable plug in the bottom of the tube permits
adjustment of the temperature at which liquid is to be admitted to the steam.
The apparatus may also be used in connection with a small steam pump and the
lever will have to operate in this instance the steam valve of the pump for the purpose
of pumping water into the steam conduit until the temperature or pressure is
sufficiently reduced.
As mentioned above the apparatus may be modified in many ways, for instance the
thin tube may be replaced by a compensation strip or a hollow body filled with a
suitable gaseous body or the like operating the valve or other suitable feeding
mechanism either direct or by means of a lever or a system of levers. The arrange-
ment of the body may also be modified as regards its relative position to or in the
steam conduit, and the opening or operation of the feeding mechanism may be effected
in any suitable manner without deviating from the principle of this invention.
Dated this 25th day of July 1887.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Regulating
the Superheating of Steam.
MAX GEHRE of 14 Grafenberg, Dusseldorf, in the Empire of Germany, 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 present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for regulating the
superbeating of steam and its object is to design an apparatus which will automatically
reduce the temperature or pressure of the steam by introducing a sufficient quantity
of liquid to reduce the temperature or pressure to the desired point. To this end, the
steam, the temperature or pressure of which is to be regulated, permitted to act on
a body sufficiently expansive under a predeterminated temperature to operate a valve
or equivalent through which liquid is admitted to the steam, or which in its turn
operates a suitable feeding mechanism-when it is necessary to reduce the temperature
or pressure but which automatically cuts off the water or interrupts the operation of
the feeding mechanism as soon as the steam is reduced to the desired temperature or
pressure. This object may be attained by different mechanical means according to
whether the body exposed to the action of the steam to be regulated be of a solid,
liquid or gaseous nature, or according to the construction of the valve or feeding
mechanism.
It is preferable to arrange or fix the body to be acted upon by the steam in the
steam conduit a itself as represented in the accompanying drawings in longitudinal
section Fig. 1, cross section Fig. 2, and in plan Fig. 3, and it may consist of a thin
tube filled with mercury or any other suitable liquid. This tube b is closed at the
When the
bottom by an adjustable plug 7 which can be adjusted from the outside.
liquid contained in this tube expands under the influence of an excessive
temperature of the steam it will lift a movable plug e in the top of the tube which will
operate a pivotted lever fin such a manner as to open a valve g connected with said
lever and to allow liquid to pass from a chamber e arranged above the valve through
this latter into the steam conduit a. A small piece of sheet metal may be arranged
underneath the valve g to effect an equal distribution of the liquid.
If the steam to be regulated is superheated steam from water the chamber c above
the valve is preferably in connection with the boiler and provided with a return valve
to prevent the water in said chamber returning to the boiler. The valve g admitting
the liquid into the steam conduit will be closed automatically as soon as the liquid in
the thin tube is cooled sufficiently to render a further introduction of liquid un-
necessary. An indicator connected with the valve lever f serves to indicate on the
outside the position of the valve g while the adjustable plug in the bottom of the
tube & permits adjustment of the temperature at which liquid is to be admitted to
the steam.

page_text: The apparatus may also be used in connection with a small steam pump P
(Fig. 4 & 5) and the lever f will have to operate in this instance the steam valve m
of the pump P for the purpose of pumping water into the steam conduit until the
temperature or pressure is sufficiently reduced.
As mentioned above the apparatus may be modified in many ways; for instance the
thin tube may be replaced by a compensation strip or a hollow body filled with a
suitable gaseous body or the like operating the valve or other suitable feeding
mechanism either direct or by means of a lever or a system of levers. The arrange-
ment of the body may also be modified as regards its relative position to or in the
steam conduit, and the opening or operation of the feeding mechanism may be
effected in any suitable manner without deviating from the principle of this invention,
the apparatus described and represented only serving as examples.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of regulating the superheating of steam by the automatic opening
of a valve or actuating a feeding mechanism for the purpose of introducing a
liquid into the steam to be regulated, said valve or feeding mechanism being opened
or actuated by the expansion of a body under the influence of the steam when the
latter exceeds a determined temperature or pressure.
2. An apparatus for regulating the superheating of steam consisting of a hollow
body arranged or fixed in the steam conduit and filled with mercury or other suitable
fluid, the plug of which will open a valve or actuate a feeding mechanism for the
purpose of introducing a required quantity of liquid to the steam, when the fluid
contained in the hollow body expands, substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
T
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