IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION OF FEED-WATER TO 'STEAM GENERATORS GENERATORS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Benson, of No. 52, Chancery Lane, London, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONTROLLING THE
ADMISSION OF FEED-WATER TO 'STEAM GENERATORS." A communication
from abroad by Silas Covel Salisbury, of the City, County, and State of
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Martin Benson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August 1881.
MARTIN BENSON, of No. 52, Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION OF FEED-WATER TO STEAM GENERATORS."
A communication from abroad by Silas Covel Salisbury, of the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of North America.
It is a desideratum in steam generators to secure a continuous feed exactly
graduated to the evaporation in the boiler, because such continuous feed will relieve
the boiler plates from the great and unequal strains to which they are subjected
by the sudden fluctuations of temperature due to an irregular or intermittent
introduction of cold water. The desired regularity of feed can only be obtained
by automatic means, and so far as I am aware have never been obtained
heretofore.
My Invention consists in an automatic regulating valve in the steam pipe, which
supplies steam to operate the feed water pump, whereby the action of said pump
is made directly dependent upon the state of the water in the boiler, whereby when
the engine is running or steam is being expended the water feed will be automati-
cally commenced, and when the apparatus is in proper adjustment made continuous
and exactly proportioned to the expenditure of steam.
When several boilers are coupled in one bench, although the steam pressure may
be uniform in them all, the actual evaporation and height of water may differ in
the several boilers.
These boilers may all be fed by a single pump, but the admission of feed water

page_text: to each must be separately controlled. Therefore while the gross evaporation from
all the boilers may be the measure for the gross supply, the subdivision of that
supply will be the subject of separate treatment.
My Invention therefore also consists in a feed pipe common to several boilers
and regulating gates in the lateral pipes from said feed pipe to the several boilers,
said gates being operated by mechanisms controlled by the water within the
boiler.
There are also other minor points of novelty which will be pointed out
hereinafter.
That others may fully understand my improvement I will more particularly
describe it, having reference to the accompanying Drawings herein.
Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective of a bench of boilers with my Invention attached.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the steam dome showing the valve.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the boiler.
Fig. 4 is a similar section, showing the feed water.
Fig. 5 shows a modification in the mounting of the steam valve.
Fig. 6 shows the feed water valve enlarged.
A is the boiler, and it may be of any appropriata pattern or mode of
construction,
B is the steam pipe which takes steam to the pump, whereby the feed water is.
forced into the boiler. C is the valve seat at the inner end of the steam pipe B,
and D is the cone valve fitted to said seat. The seat C may be placed transverse
to the inlet end of pipe B or in line with it, as may be desired. When transverse
it is open at each end, so that there will not be any place in the valve case for a
lodgment for obstructing matter. The valve D is accurately fitted to the valve
seat C, so that when it is fully seated therein the pipe B will be fully and securely
closed, but when the valve is partly withdrawn steam may escape, and the volume
permitted to pass will be exactly proportioned to the movement of the valve.
The valve D being placed transversely across the pipe B will therefore be
effectually balanced and require the same amount of force to move it at one point
as at another.
•
The valve D is mounted at the end of a lever E, the fulcrum whereof may be
supported by a bracket F, and at its opposite end said lever is provided with a
float G, which rests upon the surface of the water and rises or falls with every
change of the level of the same, so that when the water surface sinks the float G
causes the valve D to open, and when the surface rises with the admission of more
water the float rises also and closes the valve D).
It is evident that it is easy to adjust the valve on its lever E, so that at the
normal height of the water level the valve D shall stand open a distance which
will discharge a quantity of steam just sufficient to balance the steam expended in
the regular work of the engine supplied by that particular generator, and that
thereafter any change in the expenditure of steam will be immediately followed by
a change of water level and a corresponding change in the water feed.
A valve transverse to the steam pipe will sometimes be less desirable than a
valve in line with said pipe, because, for instance, valves will become obstructed
with silt more readily with some waters than with others, and it may be important
to make the valve seat easily removable for cleansing or repairs. This may be
accomplished by inserting the valve seat through the shell of the boiler from the
outside, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. It may then be easily removed and replaced.
The valve lever E is pivotted to a bracket within the boiler, and the float may
be restrained from side swaying by a guide rod I, or by other proper means.
may be desirable sometimes to open this steam valve D while the water is still
high, and I have therefore provided a valve stem J which projects through a stuffing
box, and is accessible from the outside.
It
It has also been found desirable to counterpoise the float in order to increase its
steadiness, and to promptly counteract any tendency of the valve to stick, because
the float being very light, its gravity is not equal to the weight of the water which

page_text: it may displace, and therefore it does not act downward with a force equal to its
upward thrust when the water rises in the boiler.
The desired counterpoise may be obtained by a spring K or a weighted lever
outside the boiler.
In cases where several boilers are coupled in one bench they may be fed by one
pump, which is kept constantly in motion, forcing water through a feed pipe L,
which is provided with short branch pipes and valves M communicating with each
boiler. In Fig. 1 one of said branches only is shown. I then provide an outside
lever P, which is connected at one end with the float lever E within the boiler,
and at its outer end it is attached to a valve or gate M. in the feed water pipe L
usually in front of the boiler.
By this means the quantity of water admitted to each boiler is controlled entirely
by the position of the water level and float within the boiler, so that the feed of
each of several boilers from one feed water pipe common to them all will be
automatically self regulated.
Having described my Invention, what I claim as new is,-
1st. Combined with a steam generator a balance cone valve transverse to the
port of the steam pipe, whereby steam passes to operate the feed pump and a
controlling lever, fulcrum, and float, governed by the height of water in the
generator as fully set forth.
2nd. A steam generator and a feed pump connected therewith to supply said
generator with water, combined with mechanism automatically controlled by the
height of the water level to govern the quantity of steam supplied to said feed
pump, and thereby make the water feed dependent upon and controlled by the
quantity of water being evaporated.
3rd. A lever within the boiler pivotted to a fulcrum attached to the shell of the
boiler and provided with a controlling float at one end of said lever, and an
automatic valve at the other end also within the boiler, to control the escape of
steam to the feed pump, combined with a stem extending from said valve through
the shell of the boiler, whereby said valve may be moved from the outside, either
to open or close said valve independent of the float.
4th. A lever within the boiler pivotted to a fulcrum attached to the shell of the
boiler, and provided with a controlling float at one end, an automatic valve at the
other end, also within the boiler, combined with a counterpoise spring or weight,
whereby the drop of the float and movement of the valve may be assured and
sticking effectually prevented.
5th. In a bench of boilers coupled together and a feed pipe and pump common to
them all, a valve in the steam pipe which supplies steam to the pump, controlled
automatically as described, combined with valve M in said feed pipe, also
automatically controlled as set forth, whereby the action of the pump may be
controlled by the gross evaporation, and the water feed may be proportioned to the
evaporation in each boiler separately.
6th. Combined with a steam generator a balanced cone valve D, transverse to
the port of the steam pipe B, whereby steam passes to operate the feed pump, and
a controlling lever and float governed by the height of water in the generator as
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martin Benson, have hereunto set my hand
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