AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING STEAM WATER LIFT AND INJECTOR."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin William Thomas, of 43, Bermondsey
New Road, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey, and Edward
Nightscales, of 9, Albany Road, Old Kent Road, in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING STEAM WATER
LIFT AND INJECTOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin William Thomas
and Edward Nightscales at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd April 1873.
We, EDWIN WILLIAM THOMAS, of 43, Bermondsey New Road, Ber-
5 mondsey, in the County of Surrey, and EDWARD NIGHTSCALES, of 9,
Albany Road, Old Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SELF-ACTING
STEAM WATER LIFT AND INJECTOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved self-acting steam water lift and
injector, capable also of being moved by hand, suitable for raising water
from wells or tanks, or receiving water from elevated cisterns and raising

page_text: it to a great height, or injecting water into a vessel or vessels for feeding
steam boilers or steam generators, combined with a water heater.
By the use of this improved injector boiling water can be raised and
injected into a vessel for feeding steam boilers or steam generators there-
with. The steam, after having raised the water, may be variously
employed, thereby effecting great economy in steam and consequently in
fucl. All these results may be obtained by moving by self-acting
arrangement or by hand one valve only, and that at long intervals of
time.
The following is an example of the construction of this Invention:-
A vessel or vessels of any capacity is placed by the side of a boiler. The
lower end of the said vessel is level with or a little above the water line
in the boiler or steam generator. The said vessel or vessels may be
placed horizontally in any convenient place apart from the boiler. The
aforesaid vessel is provided with an inner chamber, leaving a space
between it and the outer casing for the admission of waste steam, such as
the exhaust steam from an engine or steam stove pipes, such steam being
made to heat the water in the inner vessel, The outer casing of the
aforesaid vessel is provided with a steam chest or jacket, in which is a
valve self-acting or movable by hand. The said valve only requires to
be moved at long intervals of time. By means of this valve two com-
munications between the boiler and the aforesaid vessel are opened.
One is connected with the steam space of the boiler, and the other with
the water therein. Both pipes enter the vessel at the bottom. The
steam pipe passes from the steam jacket inside the inner chamber,
terminating at the top, thereby forming a central guide for a float.
This said valve opens two other communications with another vessel or
vessels immersed in or placed by the side of a well or tank below
the surface of the water therein, and from which it is required to raise
the water for feeding or other purposes. One pipe conducts steam to
the surface of the water in the lower vessel, it being closed at both ends,
and the other pipe enters or- dips to the bottom of this vessel, which is
filled with water flowing into it through a pipe from the well or tank.
When the valve in the jacket of the upper vessel is moved to and fro,
which may be effected by self-acting or other means, it opens and shuts
the ports communicating with the boiler, also those ports communicating
with the lower vessel at the proper times. The lower vessel is provided
_ with a float similar to that in the upper vessel..

page_text: We would observe that in cases where water can be obtained from a
higher level than the boiler the aforesaid lower vessel may be dispensed
with.
The method of working this improved injector is simple and certain in
its operation, it only being required to move the one valve mentioned at
long intervals of time, as above stated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin William Thomas and Edward Nightscales
in the, Great Scal Patent Office on the 21st October 1873.
•
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWIN
WILLIAM THOMAS, of 43, Bermondsey New Kent Road, in the County of
Surrey, & EDWARD NIGHTSCALES, of 9, Albany Road, Old Kent Road, in
the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto the said Edwin William Thomas and
Edward Nightscales, Her special licence that we, the said Edwin
William Thomas and Edward Nightscales, executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Edwin William Thomas
and Edward Nightscales, 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 SELF-ACTING STEAM WATER LIFT AND INJECTOR,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Edwin William
Thomas and Edward Nightscales, executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, 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.
"

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Edwin William Thomas and
Edward Nightscales, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 certain improvements for raising water from 5
wells, or receiving water from elevated cisterns, raising it to a great
hight, or injecting the same into a vessell or vessells for feeding steam
boilers or steam generators, the said apparatus being self-acting or can
be worked by hand.
In order that the said Invention may be fully understood we shall 1
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several letters and figures on the annexed Sheets
of Drawings, the same letters and figures of reference indicating corres-
ponding parts in the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawing is a front elevation of the water lift and 1
injector, placed in connection with a boiler, showing the hand arrange-
ments for working the slide valve.
Figure 2 is a section of the upper vessell B of Figure 1, showing both
the self-acting and hand arrangement for working the slide valve, also
the slide valve and portways in the slide facing, and all the pipes in 2
communication therewith.
A represents a steam boiler, which may be of any construction; B is
a vessell of any capacity, closed at each end, the lower end being above
the water line in the boiler A; J is a well, from which the water is to
be raised for boiler feeding or other purposes; K is a vessell encased in 2
wood, to prevent condensation of steam when the said vessell K is
immersed in the water in the well J, K being closed at each end; L is a
valve opening inwards, through which the vessell K is supplied with
water from the well J, after the steam has been exhausted from the said
vessell K. The upper vessell B is fitted with a steam chest containing a 3
slide valve, and facing the said slide facing, having portways communi-
cating with the pipes G, G, H, H, I, and O, and another port commu-
nicating with the water in the vessel B. D is a steam pipe from the
boiler A to the steam chest E, keeping it constantly supplied with steam,
and so keeping the slide valve to its facing; O is an internal pipe, which 3
it will be observed has three distinct duties to perform, first, to supply
the vessell B with steam; second, to exhaust the same steam after all the
water has been discharged from the said vessell B; and in the third

page_text: G,
place it becomes the injection pipe for refilling the same vessell B; G,
is a steam pipe from a port in the steam chest E to the top of the lower
vessell K, having two duties to perform, namely, to supply the lower
vessell K with steam for injecting the water into the upper vessell B.
When the injection is completed, by a movement of the slide valve,
it becomes an exhaust pipe, returning the steam from the vessell K
into the water previously raised or injected into the upper vessell B;
H, H, namely, to exhaust the steam from the upper vessell B,
conducting it into the water space of the lower vessell K, where it is
condensed. When all the steam has thus been condensed the said
pipe H, H, becomes an injection pipe from the water in the lower
vessell K to the upper vessell B, filling it with great rapidity. I is a feed
water pipe from the vessell B to the boiler A, the said pipe I being in
communication with a port in the steam chest E.
Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the vessell B, taken along the line
5 and 6 in Figure 1, showing the slide valve and facing, with its several
portways, and the manner in which the said slide valve is worked, both
by hand and by the self-acting arrangements, haveing an exhaust way at
each end. E is the steam chest, kept constantly supplied with steam;
S, S, is the slide valve; T is a passage, cut through the centre of the
said valve S,-S, for the admission of steam from the steam chest E to the
interior of the vessell B through the pipe O; G is a port communicating
with the pipe G, G, opening into the steam in the steam chest E, con-
ducting the steam down the pipe G, G, to the top of the water in the
lower vessell K in the well J, thus exerting a great pressure upon the
surface of the water in the said vessell K, causeing it to rush up the
pipe H, H. When the injection is completed, that is to say, when the
upper vessell B is sufficiently full of water the pipe G, G, becomes an
exhaust steam pipe, taking the steam from the vessell K, and causeing it
to be condensed in the upper vessell B, leaving the vessell K free to
refill itself from the well J through the valve L; H is a port opening
into the upper exhaust way of the slide valve S, S, commnnicating with
the pipe H, H, being an injection pipe from the bottom of the lower
vessell K to the upper vessell B. When B has discharged its contents of
water into the boiler, this same pipe H, H, becomes an exhaust steam
pipe, exhausting the steam from B to K, K having refilled from the
well J, whilst the vessell B was feeding the boiler A, thus relieving the
vessell B of all pressure, it is ready for another injection when required.

page_text: R is a port opening into the lower curve of the slide valve S, S, passing
into the water space of the vessell B nearly at the bottom. I is a port
communicating withe the pipe I when the boiler requires water. The
two ports R and I communicate with each other by means of the lower
curve in the slide valve S, S. The pipe I communicates at its lower end
with the water in the boiler A. D is a steam pipe supplying the stcam
chest E with steam; a is an inlet to the heating chamber G; C is the
outlet. Wast steam from any scourse is made to pass round the inner
vessell B, heating the water before its introduction into the bolier. E is
a pipe to be used for raising water when the apparatus is not required
for feeding the boiler. The said pipe E communicates with pipe i,
the water riseing to a great hight when the pressure is put upon the
vessell B. U is a small crank pin attached to a disc ✗, the spindle of
which passes through a stuffing box W, to prevent the escape of steam
from the steam chest E. On the outside of the steam chest E is a lever F,
attacched to the spindle of the disc X. The boss of the said lever F is
made to serve for a gland, being pressed into the stuffing box by means
of a nut and screw on the end of the disc spindle. Where the disc ✗
comes in contact with the back of the steam chest E the two surfaces are
ground together, forming a further preventative to the escape of steam from
the steam chest E. b is a float rod, having two stops within the vessell B,
onc at each end, namely, c and d. a is a buoyant float, sliding up and
down the rod as the water rises or falls; F is a lever having a fulcrum
at ; c is a link connecting the float rod to the lever F; h is a rod having
a joint on the lever F, and is connected with the slide valve S, S, passing
through a stuffing box on the steam chest E; h is a bracket placed
opposite the lever F, having a spring i screwed at the bottom. The said
spring has a centre projection, upon which the end of the lever F is
allowed to rest; & is a spiral spring for adjusting the spring i, being
compressed or allowed to sprin back by a set screw Z; M is a stuffing
box, through which the float rod works up and down, giving motion
to the lever F for moving the slide valve S, S.
The operation of this water lift and injector is as follows:-Let it
be supposed that steam has been raised in the boiler A, which now
requires to be fed with water from the well J; the steam chest E is
already charged with steam, the vessell B being empty. The float a will
be resting on the lower stop C, depressing the lever F to its lowest
position. The slide valve S, S, being connected with the lever F by the

page_text: rod h will be moved to its lowest position also. The ports R and i are
now cut off from the boiler; steam is also cut off from the internal
pipe O; the ports H and O are in communication with each other; thus
a communication is opened from the water in the lower vessell K to the
empty vessell B; at the same time the port G is open to the steam in the
steam chest E, allowing the steam to pass down the pipe G, G, to the
surface of the water in the lower vessell K. By this means the water
in K will be injected into the upper vessell B; the float a will ascend
with it untill it comes in contact with the stop d; the float rod will be
moved up also, raising the lever F and slide valve S, S, untill the end of
the lever F comes in contact with the projection on the spring i, when it
will be detained untill the water in the vessell B has partially covered the
float a.
The said float a is prevented from rising by the contact of the
lever F with the spring i, untill the float a has attained sufficient force
back the spring i, and escape with an impetus derived from the
buoyancy of the said float a sufficient to move the slide valve upward.
The steam port G closes first, cutting off the steam from the lower
vessell K, the port H remaining open a little longer to allow the
remaining portion of water necessary to complete the filling of B to
be raised by the expansion of the steam in the lower vessell K. When
the injection is thus completed the pressure of the steam in the vessell K
will have been greatly reduced, and as the slide valve continues its
up travel the ports G, H, and O are for an instant in communication with
cach other, exhasting by the pipe G what little steam remained in the
vessell K. The vessell K being thus relieved is free to refill itself from
the well J through the valve L ready for the next injection. The
vessell B being full of water the slide valve S, S, has reached the end of
its up stroke, and now stands thus: The ports G and H are closed, thus
cutting off all communication between the upper vessell B and the
lower vessell K; the port O is now opposite the passage T, cut through
the centre of the valve, admitting steam from the steam chest E into the
vessell B through the internal pipe O. At the same time the two lower
ports R and i are in communication with each other, thus opening a
water communication between the water in the boiler A to that in the
vessell B, steam and water being in connexion in both the boiler A and
the vessell B; the water will flow from the vessell B, emptying itself
into the boiler A. The float a will descend with the water in the
vessell B until it reaches the lower stop C, where it will rest, carry
down with it the float rod b, depressing the lover F untill the end of the

page_text: said lever F comes in contact with the projection on the spring i. When
the lever F has reached this point the ports O and R will be nearly
closed and the port H nearly open. The water continuing to flow from
the vessell B will leave the float partially suspended until its weight
becomes sufficient to force back the spring i, and desend with sufficient
force to move the slide valve S, S, to its lowest position V.
The following will then be the position of the valves and ports:-The
ports R and i are now closed, thus all communication is now cut off
between the boiler A and the vessell B. The passage T through the
valve itself will have passed beyond the port O, thus cutting off the
steam from the steam chest E from the vessell B. The port H opens in
advance of the port G, thus connecting the ports H and O with
pipes H, H, and O; but, as we have already shewen, the vessell K by
this time is full of water, the ports H and O being open to each other.
The steam in the vessell B is exhausted by the pipes O and H, H, and is
condensed in the vessell K. When the slide valve has reached its lower
position the ports O and H are still in communication with each other.
The port G being again open to the steam in the steam chest E the steam
passes down the pipe G, G, and again, as before explained, injects the
water from the vessell K to the to the upper vessell B. These operations
being repeated the same results will be obtained.
Figure 2 also shows a method for working the slide valve S, S, by
hand, which only requires to be done at longer or short intervals of time,
according to the cubical content of the vessells B and K. F is a lever
attached to the spindle of the disc X, which has a crank pin next the
slide valve S, S, working between two parrallel projections cast to the
back of the slide valve itself; this crank pin traverses across the valve,
moveing the slide valve up and down as the the lever F is worked up
and down. By this means the quantity of water admitted into a boiler
is entirely under the control of the attendant.
Figure 3 represents a further adaptation of this injector and water lift
when water is obtainable from a higher level than the vessell B. N
represents an elevated cistern; M is a pipe from the cistern N, com-
municateing with the pipe H and the port H of Figure 2. When the
vessel B, being full of steam and requiring to be charged with
water, instead of condensing the steam in K it is allowed to rush up
the pipe M. When all the steam has been exhausted from B the water

page_text: )
will return by the same pipe M, the slide valve only being required to
open the port H, the port G remaining closed all the time the vessell B
feeds from the cistern N.
This Invention is also designed and specified for raising water from a
well for all purposes, and, if required, raise it to a great height. If the
apparatus be required to work simply as a water lift then the pipe i, see
Figure 1, instead of dischareing the water from the vessell B into the
boiler A, it is turned upwards, forming a raising main, all the apparatus
working the same as when it is being used as an injector.
It should be observed that whether this apparatus be used for feeding
steam boilers or for raising water for ordinary purposes it is not necessary
to empty a single stop-cock, the one part which is required to be moved
being the before-mentioned slide valve S, S.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried
into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be
novel and origenal, and therefor claim as the Invention secured to us by
the herein-before in part reciteded Letters Patent is,--
First. The combination of two vessells B and K, placed in communi-
cation with each other by the pipes G, G, and H, H, through the medium
of the steam chest E, B being above the water level in the boiler, and K
immersed in a well.
Secondly. The encasing of the immersed vessell K with wood, adapted.
for preventing the condensation of steam whilst the injection process is
proceeding, substantialy as described herein.
Thirdly. The use of the vessell K immersed in water in a well with
the valve L opening inwards, for supplying the said vessell K with water
from the well J, constructed and operating substantially as herein
described.
Fourthly. The pipes G, G, and H, H, cach having two duties to
perform, operating as herein specified.
Fifthly. The internal pipe O, it being made to serve three distinct
purposes, operating substantially and for the purpose specified.

page_text: Sixthly. The use of the steam chest E, the slide valve S, S, and its
facing, containing the ports G, H, O, R, and i, constructed and operating
as and for the purpose specified.
Seventhly. The float a travelling between the stops c, d, also the
spring i, forming an escapement motion for the lever F; also the lever F,
with the rod h, each and all operating substantially as hercin specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edwin William Thomas and Edward
Nightscales, have to this our Specification set our hand and seal,
the Twenty-first day of October, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-three.
EDWIN WILLIAM THOMAS. (L.S.)
EDWARD NIGHTSCALES.
(L.S.)