Generating Steam by Gas or other Fuel and Automatically Controlling the same, Applicable also to Heating Stoves.
Year: 1885

page_text: Generating Steam by Gas or other Fuel and Automatically
Controlling the same, Applicable also to Heating Stoves.
I, JOHN JAMES ROYLE of 27 King Street West Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER AND GENERATING
STEAM BY GAS OR OTHER FUEL AND AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE SAME
APPLICABLE ALSO TO HEATING STOVES," to be as follows:-
:-
...
These improvements refer 1st to a novel method of regulating the gas supply to
apparatus for boiling water by means of gas with the object of automatically
checking or regulating the supply of gas when the water comes to the boil.
2nd To a modification of the same for controlling the draught in furnaces when
coal or coke fuel is employed with a similar object and 3rd to the regulating of the
draught in slow. combustion stoves to prevent over heating.
The essential feature in my invention as applied to the regulation of gas is the
employment of the steam generated within the boiling apparatus to mix with
the gas before ignition and so diminish the quantity of gas being consumed in
direct proportion to the steam generated. In the case of beating by a bunsen
flame I introduce the steam on the pressure sid
8-3 jet into a suitable
mixing chamber and burn the mixture in the ordinary way under the boiler.
The steam may be collected either by making the apparatus steam tight and
leading a pipe from the top or (which I prefer) by collecting it under a bell
inverted within the boiling vessel and leading a pipe from the top of the bell to
the mixing chamber-I have found this arrangement most effective in practice.
The gas is retained fully on till the water comes to the boil and the steam
subsequently generated then mixes with the gas and diminishes the consumption
down to what is absolutely necessary to keep the water at boiling point. In this
arrangement it will be observed there are no moving parts the regulation is effected
by diluting the gas with the steam. It will also be obvious that the regulation
of the gas is effect at atmospheric pressure but in case it was desirable to control
the gas at a given pressure above the atmosphere. I should affix a small dead
weight or other relief valve to the apparatus and conduct the steam from the
same to the mixing chamber before mentioned. Instead of mixing the steam with
the gas a similar result might be. effected mechanically by employing the steam to

page_text: raise the bell aforesaid and connecting it through suitable levers and rods with
a tap on the gas supply pipe. This last modification connected to the damper
is the one I employ when regulating the draught of a coal or other stove
for heating water. In the case of slow combustion stoves I propose to mount a
vessel of water on the stove pipe containing a bell or open bottom vessel fitted to
rise and fall easily in the water and to connect such vessel to a damper so that
when the stove pipe becomes overheated steam will be generated and automatically
controll the damper..
Improvements in and Apparatus for Heating Water
and
Generating Steam by Gas or other Fuel and Automatically
Controlling the same, Applicable also to Heating Stoves.
w
I JOHN JAMES ROYLE of 27 and 29 King Street West, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
These improvements refer 1st to a novel method of regulating the gas supply to
apparatus for boiling water by means, of gas with the object of automatically
checking or regulating the supply of gas when the water comes to the boil,
2nd to a modification of the same for controlling the draught in furnaces when
coal or coke fuel is employed, with a similar object, and 3rd to the regulating of
the draught in slow-combustion stoves to prevent over-heating.
The essential feature in my invention as applied to the regulation of gas is the
employment of the steam generated within the boiling apparatus to mix with
the gas before ignition and so diminish the quantity of gas being consumed, in
direct proportion to the steam generated.
In the case of heating by a Bunsen flame I introduce the steam on the pressure
aide of the gas jet into a suitable mixing chamber and burn the mixture in the
ordinary way, under the boiler. The steam may be collected either by making
the apparatus steam-tight and leading a pipe from the top or (which I prefer) by
collecting it under a bell inverted within the boiling vessel and leading a pipe
from the top of the bell to the mixing chamber.
I have found this arrangement most effective in practice. The gas is retained
fully on till the water comes to the boil and the steam subsequently generated

page_text: then unites with the gas and diminishes the consumption down to what is
absolutely necessary to keep the water at boiling point. In this arrangement
it will be observed there are no moving parts. The regulation is effected by
diluting the gas with the steam. It will also be obvious that the regulation of
the gas is effected at atmospheric pressure, but in case it was desirable to control
the gas at a given pressure above the atmosphere I should affix a small dead
weight or other relief valve to the apparatus and conduct the steam from the same
to the mixing chamber before mentioned. Instead of mixing the steam with the
gas a similar result might be effected mechanically by employing the steam to
raise the bell aforesaid and connecting it through suitable levers and rods with a
tap on the gas supply pipe.
This last modification connected to the damper is the one I employ when
regulating the draught of a coal or other stove for heating water. In the case of
slow-combustion stoves I propose to mount a vessel of water on the stove pipe
containing a bell or open-bottom vessel fitted to rise and fall easily in the water
and to connect such vessel to a damper so that when the stove pipe becomes
overheated, steam will be generated and automatically control the damper.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a drawing illustrating
my improvements and will now proceed to describe the same with the assistance
of the various Figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1. is a transverse section of my improved automatic gas kettle constructed
according to this invention. The object I have in view is to check or regulate
the supply of gas automatically when the water comes to the boil and this to an
amount of gas only sufficient to keep the water at the boil thus avoiding all waste
of gas.
"
A. is the kettle constructed preferably of tinned copper mounted on a suitable
base B. over a
Bunsen" burner C. D. is a bell conveniently fixed inside the
kettle A. The steam generated when the water comes to the boil accumulates
under the bell and passes by the pipe E. to the mixing chamber F. then mixing
with the gas, entering by the pipe G., it passes by the pipe H. to the jet I. of the
Bunsen "burner C.
"
I find that this arrangement forms a perfect regulator of the gas. The steam
generated dilutes the gas and lowers the flame to an amount just sufficient to keep
the water at the boil without waste.
K. is a small valve to prevent the gas obtaining access to the inside of the bell
when off the boil. This arrangement possesses the advantages of great simplicity
and an entire absence of many parts or delicate apparatus. The same effect
obviously would be produced if the lid L. was fastened down and the bell removed
and in case of a boiler for generating and regulating steam under pressure the
same mixing chamber and burner arrangement would be employed, the steam being
received into the mixing chamber from a weighted escape valve set to "blow" at
the pressure desired.
"
It will also be clear from the foregoing that the same effect would be produced
if the bell D. was arranged to float and regulate the gas supply. An arrangement
of this kind is illustrated in Fig. 2. The same letters of reference refer to similar
parts as in Fig. 1. The gas supply according to this modification passes through
valve M. and pipe N. to the "Bunsen burner C. D. is the bell in this case
arranged as a float and acting through rod O. with the valve P. so as to regulate
the amount of gas passing there-through. The tubes Q. R. form a water lute
arrangement whereby the gas is effectually prevented obtaining access to the inside
of the kettle and allowing the float perfect freedom and delicacy of movement.
As soon as the water boils the steam accumulates under the float and cuts off the
gas supply down to an amount just sufficient to keep the water at the boil.
S. is a set screw to prevent the valve closing entirely at any time and forms
a "bye pass."

page_text: This modification is not confined to a "Bunsen " burner as the heating medium to
be employed as it will he obvious that any gas heating burner might be substituted.
As applied to regulating a damper of a furnace or slow-combustion stove I prefer
to mount the damper on horizontal axes (so as to place the same in equilibrium)
and-to connect the open bottomed vessel or float (which is mounted in a vessel of
water heated by the furnace or stove itself or by conduction of heat from the
stove pipe) by means of its spindle to one of the axes of the swivelling damper.
The damper thus arranged in the closed position, under the influence of the float,
allows only sufficient draught to pass to keep up combustion but opens wide when
the said float sinks in the water.
Having thus particularly described the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st In the automatic regulation of gas to the boiling of water, using the steam
to mingle with and dilute the gas and by apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
2nd In the automatic regulation of gas to the boiling of water, the employ-
ment of the steam to operate a float acting on a valve in the gas supply pipe
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
3rd The application of a similar steam enclosing float to the purpose of regulating
the opening of a damper of a furnace or slow combustion stove substantially as
herein before described.