Improved Apparatus for Indicating the Level of the Water in Boilers or other Vessels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 23rd June, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Indicating the Level of the Water in Boilers
or other Vessels.
We, CHARLES STRUTT, Mechanician, of 82, Tower Hamlets Road, Forest Gate,
London E. and OLIVER ARTHUR HOCKEY, Gentleman, of 63, Carlyle Road, Manor
Park, Essex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A float of proper buoyancy and by preference of cylindrical form mounted on
an arm or lever, the said arm or lever being attached to a spindle so mounted
and coming through the side of the containing vessel and carrying an index
arm on the outside end of same that the inside lever shall thereby impart a
simultaneous action to the lever outside thus indicating the position of the float
and the level of the water with one and the same action.
This also covers the adaptation of apparatus which may be attached to the
outside or index lever by means of a suitable connecting rod and levers or bell
cranks as required.
OLIVER ARTHUR HOCKEY.
CHARLES STRUTT.
Improved Apparatus for Indicating the Level of the Water in Boilers
or other Vessels.
We, CILARLES STRUTT, of 82, Tower Hamlets Road, Forest Gate, Gasfitter, and
OLIVER ARTHUR HOCKEY, of "Hartgrove," 63, Carlyle Road, Manor Park, Gentle-
man, both in the County of Essex, 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 devices for indicating the height of the surface of
water contained in boilers, tanks, and the like, and consists of a simple and
economical apparatus, which is extremely efficient in action, unlikely to become
disordered, and which can be manufactured and applied at a low cost. Moreover
when it has to be attached to existing boilers or the like, it is so constructed that
it can be fixed in such a short time as to cause little interruption in the use of
the boiler.
It consists essentially of a float disposed inside the boiler at or near the level
of the water surface; the float is attached to one end of an arm, the other end of
which is attached at nearly right angles to a spindle which passes through a
packed gland in the side or end of the boiler shell. The gland occupies and

page_text: fills closely an opening which is formed by boring a hole in the shell of the
boiler, and the other end of the spindle projecting from the boiler has attached
to it at right angles an arm similar to that which carries the float inside the boiler.
The outer end of this exterior arm has fixed to it a disc which corresponds in
position to that of the float. Consequently when the position of the disc is
ascertained by mere inspection, the height of the water surface is known.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and ascertained I append
drawings in which:-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of the exterior of the boiler shell and the
arm and disc.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the axis of the spindle.
Fig. 3 is a modified form of fitting.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the front of a boiler with the indicator arranged at
a distant point.
Fig. 5 shews a modified form of disc attachment.
X indicates the shell of the boiler or tank to which the apparatus is fitted, this
may be either the front, back, or side of the boiler.
The float A may be of any convenient shape, but is preferably cylindrical, and
has formed integrally with or rigidly attached to it at about a right angle, the
arm B which in its turn is formed integrally with or rigidly attached to the
spindle C, the outer end c of which projects on the exterior of the boiler shell.
To this outer end c is attached the indicating arm D, to the end of which a
disc E is affixed corresponding with the float A, and arranged in the same axial
line.
The disc may be centrally pivoted on the indicating arm 1) so as to turn thereon.
In such cases a horizontal line is marked on its face which indicates the level
of the water.
The arm is fixed to the end c of the spindle in any convenient manner, and
in some cases has an extension c¹ to which an adjustable counterweight may be
attached serving the usual purpose.
Or a handle may be fixed in the same position, which is of sufficient weight to
serve as a counterweight. The handle may also be employed to move the float
up and down so as to feel the wash of the water.
The fitting G through the centre of which the spindle C passes is formed by a
cylindrical boss bored in its centre to fit the spindle C and having a flange g and
a recess, the latter for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The flange g has
two or more holes g' bored in it through which pass screws for the purpose of
fastening the fitting to the boiler shell, a packing ring being interposed
between the flange and the shell for the purpose of forming an air-tight joint.
When the device is applied to a boiler in which steam and water under
pressure are contained, the recess before mentioned is employed to form a stuffing-
box, a gland entering such recess in which any suitable packing his inserted.
The gland H being pushed into the recess by means of screws h¹ forces the pack-
ing into close contact with the spindle C thus securing a steam and water tight
joint which prevents steam or water passing out along the line of the spindle C,
while allowing the latter to turn freely in the gland. A less perfect packing
suffices when the apparatus is applied to a tank, the water in which is not under
steam pressure.
An especial feature of the form of our invention shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 is that
by boring the hole in the shell of the boiler of slightly larger diameter than the
float, the latter as well as the arm B and the spindle can be passed or threaded
through the hole to the position shewn. This enables the device to be applied
with very little work and in a very short time. In urgent cases this may even
be done without drawing the fires, by simply allowing the steam to escape while
the necessary holes are drilled.
In some cases a graduated scale M, denoting in feet and inches the depth of
the water in the boiler, may be applied to the exterior of the boiler, the arm D

page_text: then serving as a hand or pointer; in such cases the disc E may be dispensed
with.
Where the interior of the boiler is easily accessible, that part of the fitting G
which enters the hole in the boiler shell may be extended and its end screwed for
engagement with a nut K, which upon being screwed up holds the fitting firmly
in position.
It is obvious that by arranging the arms B and D in the same plane coinci-
dently with each other, the position of arm B and float A can be ascertained by
inspection of the arm D or disc E.
Where it is desirable that the level of the water shall be indicated at a position
situate at some distance from the boiler the indicating arm may be connected
by bell-cranks, rods, wires, or other mechanical or electrical devices to an indi-
cator fixed at the desired spot. A simple form of this is shewn in Fig. 4 where
the spindle C to which the float A is attached has an arm m affixed to it. To
the outer end of this arm, one end of a rod or link M is attached, while the other
end is connected to one arm of a bell-crank n. To the other arm of this bell-
crank is attached one end of a second rod N, the lower end of which is attached
to one end of a lever O which has a disc o attached to its other end. By this
arrangement every rise and fall of the float A is accompanied by a corresponding
movement of the disc o, thus indicating the level of the water. If necessary a
normal line X can be drawn on a fixed surface in close proximity to the lever O
and disc o.
In order to enable the level of the water to be more exactly judged I in some
cases attach the disc E to the end of the lever D by a pivot ex, and weight the
disc E in such manner that the disc being free to turn on its pivot the line Y
remains constantly horizontal, thus enabling the relative position of the line Y
and the level of the water in the boiler to be more accurately judged.
Two or more of these devices may be fixed at different levels to the same boiler.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A water level indicator which can be passed into and fixed in position with-
out obtaining access to the interior of the boiler, substantially in the manner
described and shewn.
2. In a water level indicator, the combination of a float of less diameter than
the hole in the boiler shell through which it is to be inserted, a spindle with which
it is connected by a radial arm, a central fitting which includes a stuffing box
or gland, and an exterior arm, substantially as described and shewn.
3. In a water level indicator the combination of the float A, the arms B and D,
the spindle C, the fitting G, and the disc E, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a water level indicator, the combination of the float A, the arms B and D,
the spindle C, the fitting G, and the scale M, substantially as described and
shewn.
5. For use with a water level indicator, the fitting G having a gland or stuffing
box H, substantially as described and shewn.
6. In a water level indicator, the combination of the float A, the spindle C,
the arms B and D), an indicator situate at a distance from the boiler, and means
for connecting the arm 1 with such indicator, substantially as described and
shewn.
Dated the 19th dat of Anvil 1000
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN.
75, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for Applicants.