IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE PROPER LEVEL OF WATER IN STEAM-BOILERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
and Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE PROPER LEVEL OF
WATER IN STEAM-BOILERS Communicated to him from abroad by The
Automatic Safety boiler and engine Company (Incorporated) of New Haven,
Connecticut, United States of America
""
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th February 1883.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltino, Lake and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING
THE PROPER LEVEL OF WATER IN STEAM-BOILERS"-[A communication to him
from abroad by The Automatic Safety boiler and engine Company (Incorporated)
of New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America]
This Invention relates to apparatus for automatically supplying water to a
steam-boiler, or removing it therefrom the object being to maintain a constant level
in the said boiler. The said Invention provides means whereby, if perchance the
water should rise above that level, the surplus will be taken from the boiler, or
falling below, whereby the deficiency will be supplied, and the said Invention
comprises two pumps acting together, the one drawing the water from the supply
and delivering it to the other, the said other pump serving to force the water into
the boiler if there be too little, or to draw it therefrom if the water be too high,
combined with a valve arrangement, whereby the surplus from the boiler and the
surplus from the suction will be thrown to waste, all as more fully hereinafter
described.
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In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a pump-cylinder, in which
works, a plunger, in the usual manner for plunger pumps, the valve which works.
in the inlet water-way opening toward the plunger, so that as the plunger rises,

page_text: water will pass in through the valve opening, and as the plunger descends, the
valve will close to prevent the return of the water. The second pump-cylinder is
preferably arranged in axial line with the aforesaid plunger-pump and with a rod
extending from the plunger through the cylinder, and provided with a piston
within the cylinder so that the piston and the plunger work together. A passage
leads from the boiler at the level of the water line to the second pump, and in this
passage between the pump and cylinder, a valve is arranged, opening into a passage
which leads to the lower part of the second pump, so that as the piston rises, it
will cause the valve to open and the piston to draw from the boiler. There is a
second valve in this pump which opens from the last named passage into another
passage leading to the second pump, above the piston, and so that, as the piston
descends, the contents of the cylinder below the piston will be forced up through
the passage leading to the lower part of the pump through the valve to the space
above the piston.
The space above the piston in the cylinder is of less area than that below; this
differential capacity of the two parts of the cylinder is produced by making the
piston-rod above the piston of larger diameter than it is below the piston. The
outlet passage from the pumps leads directly to the boiler, and a tube opens from
the second pump above the piston, leading therefrom into a chamber adjacent to
the boiler passage. A double ended valve is arranged to work upon a seat between
this chamber and the passage to the boiler, and upon a seat in a passage which
leads from the first pump so that, when up, it closes the passage to the boiler, and
when down, it closes the outlet passage from the first pump.
The said passage which leads from the first pump opens by means of a valve
into a chamber between the passage from the first pump and the said chamber
adjacent to the boiler passage, and between another chamber and this chamber is a
valve opening from one chamber into the other. There is an overflow passage
leading from one of the chambers. A valve is seated so that its lower end-closes
the overflow passage; the upper end of larger diameter, is exposed to the boiler
pressure in the outlet passage.
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The outlet passage connects both pumps with the boiler at any convenient place
for feeding, and through this passage all the water for feeding purposes must pass.
The overflow valve has always boiler pressure upon it, and in the chamber
described as adjacent to the boiler passage, the area of the part which closes the
overflow passage is less than that part immediately above it, hence when the
pressure of water in the said chamber becomes greater than the boiler pressure, it
follows that the pressure upon the valve upward will be greater than the boiler
pressure downward, hence the valve will be opened so soon as the pressure in the
chamber is greater than the boiler pressure.
It is preferred that the two pistons should be on the same rod, but, if desired,
they may be otherwise arranged, as for instance, upon opposite ends of a beam, it
only being essential that the two pistons shall work simultaneously, both to draw
at the same time, the first from the supply, and the second from the boiler.
Screw-plugs are provided over the valves, by the removal of which the valves
may at any time be examined, or repaired, should occasion require.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th August 1883.
"
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING
THE PROPER LEVEL OF WATER IN STEAM-BOILERS A communication to me from
abroad by the Automatic Safety Boiler and Engine Company (Incorporated) of
New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
This Invention relates to apparatus for automatically supplying water to steam-
boilers or removing it therefrom and has for its object to maintain the water at a
constant level in the said boilers.
According to the said invention I provide means whereby, if perchance the
water should rise above the proper level, the surplus will be taken from the boiler,
or if it fall below the said level, the deficiency will be supplied, and the said
invention comprises two pumps acting together, the one drawing the water from
the supply and delivering it to the other, the said other pump serving to force the
water into the boiler if there be too little or to draw it therefrom if the water be
too bigh, combined with a valve arrangement, whereby the surplus from the boiler.
and the surplus from the suction will be thrown to waste, all as more fully
hereinafter described.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a vertical
section of the improved apparatus.
A indicates the pump-cylinder in which works the plunger B in the usual
manner for plunger pumps. a indicates a valve which works in the inlet water-
way b, opening toward the plunger, so that as the said plunger rises, water will
pass in through the valve opening, and as the plunger descends, the valve will
close to prevent the return of the water. C indicates the second pump-cylinder,
preferably arranged in axial line with the plunger-pump A, and with a rod D
extending from the plunger through the cylinder, and provided with a piston E
within the cylinder, so that the piston and the plunger work together. d indicates
a passage leading from the boiler at the level of the water line to the pump C, and
in this passage, between the pump and cylinder, a valve e is arranged, opening into
a passage f which leads to the lower part of the pump C so that as the piston E
rises it will cause the valve e to open and the piston to draw from the boiler―
ħ indicates a second valve in the pump C, which valve opens from the passage f
into a passage i leading to the pump C above the piston, whereby, as the piston E
descends, the contents of the cylinder below the piston will be forced up through
the passage through the valves to the space above the piston.
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The space above the piston E in the cylinder is of less area, than that below;
this differential capacity of the two parts of the cylinder is produced by making
the piston-rod above the piston of larger diameter than it is below the piston.
Findicates the outlet passage from the pumps, which passage leads directly to the
boiler, and a tube opening from the second-pump Cabove the piston, and leading
therefrom-into a chamber m adjacent to the boiler-passage F
n indicates a double-ended valve arranged to work upon a seat between the
chamber m and the passage to the boiler, and upon a seat p in the passage which
leads from the pump A, so that when up, it closes the passage to the boiler, and

page_text: The passager opens by means of the valve p into a chamber 8 between the
passager and the chamber m, and between the chamber 8 and the chamber m is a
valve t, opening from the chamber 8 into the chamber m.
H indicates an overflow passage leading from the chamber m, and La valve
seated so that its lower end closes the passage H, The upper end of the said valve,
which is of larger diameter than the lower end, is exposed to the boiler pressure
in the passage F.
The operation of the pump is as follows, that is to say; Supposing the pump to
start with the plunger and piston of the respective pumps both down, as the
plunger and piston rise, the plunger draws from the supply through the valve a;
the piston E at the same time rising, draws from the boiler through the valve 6.
If the water in the boiler be too high, water will be drawn from the boiler, but if
the water be too low, the cylinder below the piston will be filled with steam, in
either case at boiler pressure, that is the cylinder below the piston is filled with hot
water or steam, accordingly as the water level in the boiler rises or falls below the
point where the passage d enters the boiler.
The passage F connects both pumps with the boiler at any convenient place for
feeding, and through this passage all the water for feeding purposes must pass.
On the return or down stroke, which is the position of the parts shewn in the
drawing, the valve e is closed, the double ended valve n is forced upward, and
closes the passage to the boiler, but opens for the outlet of the water from the
pump A; at the same time the valve t opens communication between the pump A
and the space above the piston in the pump C through the tube 1, so that water
from the pump A is forced into the cylinder of the other pump. As the piston E
descends, the contents of the cylinder below it which it drew from the boiler in its
upstroke, are forced through the passage fand valve h into the space above the
piston. If the rise of the piston-E has drawn steam from the boiler, that steam
will, on the down stroke, be forced into the cylinder above the piston, and the water
which is forced into the same space by the plunger B, will compress or condense
the steam before it, until the whole charge has entered. At the beginning of the
next up stroke the valve n is drawn down upon its seat to close the passage from
the pump A, and the valve t is also closed; the dropping of the valve n opens
the passage F to the boiler, then the water which has been forced into the pump C
above the piston will return through the passage l, and thence through the valve
opening into the passage F to the boiler, that is to say the water to feed the boiler
is drawn by the pump A, forced into the pump C and again forced by the pump C,
into the boiler.
Suppose the water in the boiler is above the proper level, and the piston E in
its ascent has drawn water from the boiler to fill the space below the piston, in the
descent of the said piston, water so drawn will be forced into the space above the
piston; the pump A then acts as before and closes the passage to the boiler by forcing
the valve n to its upper seat. The water from the pump A attempts to pass into
the pump above, but, as that is being supplied by the water which it has already
drawn from the cylinder, there is no space for this water to enter, hence the
pressure on the water produced by the descent of the two pistons, increases until
it has risen to a point above the pressure of the boiler, then this increased pressure
acts upon the differential valve L, and causes it to rise, and open the overflow
passage so that the water will pass off to waste, or otherwise. If the water level
be below the entrance of the passage d to the boiler the full amount of water
drawn by the pump A, passes into the boiler, but if the level of the water is above
that point of entrance to the boiler it passes through the overflow.
The piston-rod above the piston, as before stated, is larger than the rod below
the piston; from this it follows that a full charge of water entering the cylinder
below the piston on its up stroke, cannot all be contained in the chamber above,
consequently on the down stroke, a small quantity of hot water must pass down

page_text: through the passage 1, and mingle with the cold water discharged from the
pump A and pass out at the overflow, that is to say, when the level of the water
is too high in the boiler, not only will no fresh water enter the boiler, but a small
predetermined quantity is actually drawn from the boiler and thrown off through
the overflow; this predetermined quantity is the difference between the space
above and below the piston produced by the different diameters of the piston rods.
The overflow valve L has always boiler pressure upon it, and in the chamber m
the area of the part, which closes the overflow passage is less than that part.
iminediately above it, hence, when the pressure of water in the chamber m becomes
greater than the boiler pressure, it follows that the pressure upon the valve upward
will be greater than the boiler pressure downward, therefore the valve will be
opened so soon as the pressure in the chamber, m. is greater than the boiler
pressure.
In the drawing the two pistons are shown on the same rod, although I prefer
this arrangement they may if desired be otherwise arranged, as, for instance, upon
opposite ends of a beam, it only being essential that the two pistons shall work
simultaneously, both to draw at the same time, the first from the supply, and the
second from the boiler.
Screw plugs are provided over the valves as shewn, by the removal of which the
valves may at any time be examined or repaired should occasion require.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim.
First. The combination of two pumps arranged with their pistons to work
simultaneously, the first pump being provided with an inlet valve from the water
supply, and the second connected with the boiler at the required water level, a
valve opening from the water level passage into the cylinder of the second pump
on the side of the piston corresponding to the draft stroke of the first pump, a
passage from such receiving side of the piston of the second pump to the opposite
side of the same piston, and a valve in the said passage opening to the said
opposite side of the piston, a passage leading from the first pump to the second, a
valve opening from the discharge passage of the first pump into the passage
between the two pumps, a passage to the boiler for feeding purposes, and a double
ended valve arranged between the passage from the first pump and the passage
into the boiler, whereby when the passage from the first pump is opened by the descent
of the plunger the passage to the boiler is closed and vice-versa, with an overflow
passage loading from the chamber or passage between the two pumps, and a
differential valve in the passage from the pumps to the overflow, its part of small
diameter closing the overflow, and its part of large diameter being open to boiler-
pressure, all substantially as described for the purposes specified.
•
Second. The combination of two pumps arranged with their pistons to work
simultaneously, the first being provided with an inlet-valve from the water supply,
and the second connected with the boiler at the required water-level, a valve-
opening from the water level passage into the cylinder of the second pump on the
side of the piston corresponding to the draft stroke of the first pump, a passage
from such receiving side of the piston of the second pump to the opposite side of
the same piston, and a valve in the said passage opening to the said opposite side
of the piston, the piston rod on the said opposite side of the piston being of larger
diameter than on the draft side, a passage leading from the first pump to the second,
a valve opening from the discharge passage of the first pump into the passage between
the two pumps, & passage to the boiler for feeding purposes, and a double-ended valve
arranged between the passage from the first pump and the passage into the boiler,
whereby, when the passage from the first pump is opened by the descent of the
plunger, the passage to the boiler is closed and vice-versa, with an overflow passage.
leading from the chamber or passage between the two pumps, and a differential valve

page_text: in the passage from the two pumps to the overflow, its part of small diameter
closing the overflow and its part of large diameter being open to boiler-pressure, all
substantially as described for the purposes specified.
1
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Seventeenth day of August in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
HENRY H LAKE (LS.)