Automatic Boiler Feed Regulator.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Boiler Feed Regulator.
I, JOSEPH NUTTING, of Balham Grove,, Balham, in the County of London,
Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In steam boilers, a difficulty is often experienced in regulating the supply of
feed water, to the exact quantity required under varying conditions of work
especially when the boiler fed by a pump fixed to the engine, and working
from it, necessitating the constant attention of the fireman, or driver.
To obviate this difficulty, I have designed an automatic boiler feed regulator,
the construction and working of which are as follows:-
From the lowest point of the water in a vertical boiler, or from the coldest
point in a horizontal boiler, I take a wrought iron pipe, of small diameter,
terminating in a tee piece in any suitable position, and free to move slightly at
one end, preferably the lower. One end of this tee piece is attached to a copper
pipe, of convenient length, which is placed at a suitable inclination from the
horizontal, preferably in such a position that the normal water level in the boiler
shall coincide with the mean distance between the two ends of the pipe.
This pipe is fixed at its upper or higher end, but is free to expand or contract
at its lower end. This arrangement may be reversed if necessary.
To the upper end of this copper pipe, I bring a steam pipe from the steam
space of the boiler, above the water line.
In the opposite end of the tee piece before referred to, at the lower end of
the copper pipe, I insert a knife-edge centre, which impinges on a bent lever
pivotted on a convenient centre. From this lever, I carry a rod or other lever
to the suction valve of the pump, or to the starting valve of the injector as the
case may be.
The operation of my apparatus is as follows:-
The copper tube being connected with the boiler as described, it is obvious
that the water will stand practically at the same level in the copper tube as in
the boiler. It is further obvious that the part of the copper tube in which
the water stands will be much cooler than that part which is full of steam.
As the water level becomes lower in the boiler, so the water will become lower
in the copper tube, and the steam will take its place causing the tube to expand,
and by the arrangement of levers before described to open the suction valve,
or start the injector.
Conversely, when the boiler has sufficient water, the action will be reversed,
and the suction valve closed or the injector stopped, thus preserving the normal
water level under all conditions by the automatic regulation of the feed.
Dated this 17th day of June 1898.
JOSEPH NUTTING.

page_text: I, JOSEPH NUTTING, of Balham Grove, Balham, in the County of London,
Timber Merchant, 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:---
In steam boilers a difficulty is often experienced in regulating the supply of
feed water to the exact quantity required under varying conditions of work,
especially when the boiler is fed by a pumn fixed to the engine and working
from it, necessitating the constant attention of the fireman or driver.
The object of my invention is to obviate this difficulty and for the purpose
I provide simple and reliable and self-acting apparatus by which the feed water
supply to steam boilers may be automatically regulated in accordance with the
rate of evaporation and consequently variations of the water level within the
boiler. will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying draw-
ing wherein Fig. 1 is a general elevation of one form of my apparatus applied
to a vertical steam boiler, and Fig. 2 is a modified arrangement of part of the
above for use under circumstances hereinafter specified.
From the lowest part of the water space A' in a vertical boiler, such as is
shown at A, or from the coldest part of the water space in a horizontal boiler
I lead a pipe C of small diameter, fitted with a stop cock e and a blow-out
cock c¹, and terminating in a T-piece D. This is arranged in any suitable
position wth regard to that of the boiler, and the pipe which is made of
wrought iron or other suitable metal is free to move slightly at its outer end,
either by a bend at 2 or by means of an expansion joint fixed anywhere
conveniently.
One end of this T-piece D is connected to a copper tube E of convenient
length, which may be straight as illustrated or serpentine, and which is dis-
posed in an inclined position in such manner that when the water in the boiler is
at normal working level the line thereof WL will pass through the tube E about its
mid length as illustrated, or about same. This tube E is fixed at its upper
end E to a permanent bearing such as e but is free to expand and contract at
its lower end 12 whereat it, may, with advantage, be supported on a roller or
rollers such as e¹; or this arrangement may be reversed if desired so that the
upper end E is free to expand while the lower end E2 is fixed.
To the upper end E of this tube E, I connect the steam space A³ of the
boiler A by means of a pipe B fitted with a stop cock b as shown."
In the outer end of the T-piece D above referred to I insert a knife-edge
centre or chisel-point d, which impinges on the inner side of the bent lever L
which is pivotted at to a fixed centre. At or near its outer end L¹ the lever
is coupled by a rigid rod R to a moving part controlling the feed supply, such
as the throttle or suction-valve of the pump. Fig. 1 shows the rod R coupled
to a rotary hit and miss" valve V mounted on a seating with corresponding
apertures fixed to the foot of the suction pipe P in the water tank T of the feed-
pump supplying the boiler.
66
The operation of my improved apparatus depends upon the longitudinal ex-
pansion and contraction of the tube E when subjected to variations of tempera-
ture and is as follows:-If the water level in the boiler and expansion tube E
falls, the high temperature steam entering the latter causes expansion, and thus
through the pressure of the point d upon the part 7 raises the lever L and
through the connection R opens the suction valve V and allows of the inlet of

page_text: more feed-water to the feed-pump. Conversely, if the water level rises, the
expansion tube E cools and contracts, closing the valve V, and diminishing or
completely shutting off the feed supply. Thus the normal water level will be
preserved under all conditions by this automatic regulation of the feed. By
closing the cock c and opening the cock c¹ the tube E and all the pipes may be
blown through when required.
It will be obvious that instead of transmitting the motions of the tube E
directly to the lever L shown, they may be transmitted indirectly by any suit-
able kind of multiplying gear, such as a rack and pinion or quadrant or the
like. When the rod R is to be connected to the throttle valve of a donkey pump,
injector or the like it is convenient to use a modified arrangement such as shown
in Fig. 2. Here, instead of the chisel-point d above mentioned I substitute a
parallel link-motion in which the outer end of the T-piece D is connected to
the pivotted lever L through links and 13 arranged as illustrated; by this
arrangement the lever L is directly operated in both directions by the expansion
or contraction of the tube E. In conjunction with the above described apparatus
it is advantageous to employ an alarm steam whistle G, having its steam valve
normally held closed by a weighted lever g. I make no claim herein to this
whistle, but in adapting same to the arrangement of my present invention illus-
trated herein, the weight gl is so disposed as to be lifted by the lever L and free
the whistle-valve when the said lever has been raised as described to the posi-
tion shown in dotted lines, owing to the continued fall of water in the boiler to
a predetermined point consistent with safety of the boiler. The drawing shows
the lever L bent over at L2 for the purpose of conveniently engaging the
said weight, but any convenient arrangement may be adopted. No parts are
liable to derangement, and the arrangement is both simple, inexpensive and
reliable, and any failure is at once suitably indicated by the whistle so that it
may be remedied without risk of serious accident.
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. An apparatus for automatically regulating the feed water supply to steam
boilers, consisting of an inclined expansion tube having one end fixed and the
other free to move, said ends being in free communication respectively with the
steam and lower water spaces of the boiler so that the water level in said tube
will vary with that in the boiler, in combination with means for transmitting
the movements of said tube either directly or indirectly through multiplying
gear to a bent lever and by a connecting rod to a moving valve or part controll-
ing the feed water supply to the boiler, all arranged and adapted to operate
substantially as described and illustrated in the drawing.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the automatic
boiler feed regulator hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawing.
fil day of Jonw
1800
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.