Apparatus for Automatically Maintaining the Water in Steam Boilers at an Almost Constant Level
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1897
"Apparatus for Automatically Maintaining the Water in Steam
Boilers at an Almost Constant Level."
I, ALBERT BERRY, Electrical Engineer, of 14 Zinzan Street, Reading, in the County
of Berkshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto in the automatic apparatus employed for maintaining the water in steam
boilers at a constant level the pumps or the like have been usually actuated by steam,
and this is generally considered a wasteful process owing to the condensation of the
steam in steam pipes and cylinders.
Now the object of my invention is to maintain the proper water level in steam
boilers by means of automatic apparatus actuated by electricity.
In carrying my invention into effect I place within the boiler a float connected by
means of a rod, passing out of the top of the boiler through a suitable stuffing box, to
one end of a rocking lever, the other end of said rocking lever being united by means
of a specially constructed connecting rod to an electrical contact making and breaking
device.
The upper part of said connecting rod I make of cast iron, or other suitable
material, and a short length at the lower extremity I construct of brass, the brass and
iron or the like portions being connected by a rod of ebonite or other suitable non-
conducting material. This connecting rod passes through a suitable opening in the
top of a brass casting, said top being entirely insulated from and fixed in any suitable
manner to the lower portion thereof. The brass end of the connecting rod comes in
contact with and moves freely, in a vertical direction, in a spiral of wire, said wire
running to an electric motor for working the pumps supplying water to the boiler.
Attached to and depending from the inner side of the insulated top of the brass
casting I place two or more brushes which press against the said connecting rod. A
wire connects these brushes to the electrically-driven pumps supplying the boiler,
said wire having accumulators or other suitable source of electricity in circuit.
When the water sinks below the proper level in the boiler the float necessarily
sinks with it, thereby through said rocking-lever, raising the .connecting rod and
bringing the brushes in contact with the brass end thereof, thus completing the
circuit and actuating the pumps supplying water to the boiler. As the water again
rises accompanied by the float, the connecting rod is again thrust down so that its
ebonite or other suitably insulated portion comes in contact with said brushes and
electrical contact is again (broken and the pumps cease working.

page_text: 66 Apparatus for Automatically Maintaining the Water in Steam
Boilers at an Almost Constant Level."
. I. ALBERT BERRY 17 Baker Street, Reading Berkshire formerly of Zinzan St Reading
Berkshire Electrical Engineer 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 :-
Hitherto in the automatic apparatus employed for maintaining the water in steam
boilers at a constant level, the pumps or the like have been usually actuated by
steam and this is generally considered a wasteful process owing to the condensation
of the steam in steam pipes and cylinders.
Now the object of my invention is to maintain the proper water level in steam
boilers by means of automatic apparatus actuated by electricity.
In carrying my invention into effect I place within the boiler a float connected by
means of a rod passing out of the top of the boiler through a suitable stuffing box to
one end of a rocking lever, the other end of said rocking lever being united by means
of a specially constructed connecting rod to an electrical contact making and breaking
device.
The upper part of the said connecting rod I make of cast iron, or other suitable
material, and a short length at the lower extremity I construct of brass, the brass and
iron or the like portions being connected by a rod of ebonite or other suitable non-
conducting material. This connecting rod passes through a suitable opening in the
top of a brass casting, said top being entirely insulated from and fixed in any suitable
manner to the lower portion thereof. The brass end of the connecting rod comes in
contact with and moves freely in a vertical direction in a spiral of wire, said wire
running to an electric motor for working the pumps supplying water to the boiler.
Attached to and depending from the inner side of the insulated top of the brass
casting I place two or more brushes which press against the said connecting rod.
wire connects these brushes to the electrically-driven pumps "supplying the boiler,
said wire having accumulators or other suitable source of electricity in circuit.
A
When the water sinks below the proper level in the boiler the float necessarily,
sinks with it, thereby through said rocking lever, raising the connecting rod and
bringing the brushes in contact with the brass end thereof, thus completing the
circuit and actuating the pumps supplying water to the boiler. As the water again
rises accompanied by the float the connecting rod is again thrust down so that its
ebonite or other suitably insulated portion comes in contact with said brushes and
electrical contact is again broken and the pumps cease working.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will now refer to the
annexed drawings, in which :-
Figure 1. is a sectional side elevation of'my invention applied to a boiler.
a is a float attached to the rod c which passes through the stuffing box d upon the
boiler d¹. This rod c is connected to the lever b, (which is pivoted at 61,) through the
medium of a pin 62 which engages in the slot 63 in the lever b, thus allowing the rod c
to move in a vertical direction. e is a rod having a metallic part f and an insulated
portion g. This bar or rod slides in the bearings h¹ in the support. h. I is a battery
or source of electricity, the terminals of which are arranged as shewn.
i and are
two brushes so arranged that when the float is at the proper level the brush i is in
contact with the insulated part g, thus opening the circuit. j is an electro motor which
operates the pumpsk, which may be of any convenient construction, through the medium
of the gear wheels k¹. These pumps when in operation will pump the water required
to feed the boiler through the pipe m. When the water falls below the pre-arranged

page_text: level, the float a, in falling with the water, will cause the rod e to move in the direction
of the arrow until the metallic part ƒ of same makes electric contact, with the
brushes and thus closing the circuit when the motor will drive the pump and feed
the boiler with water until sufficient water has entered to raise the float a until the
brush again comes into contact with the insulated part g of the bar e, thus breaking
the circuit when the motor will cease to act. By this arrangement it will be seen that
the water in the boiler may be maintained at an almost constant level.
convenient source of electricity may of course be employed.
Any
Although for purposes of illustration I have shewn one way in which I arrange my
apparatus, it will be seen that this arrangement may be modified without departing
from the principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
I claim is:-
1. The combined construction and arrangement of the various parts substantially
as described and illustrated in the drawings and for the purpose set forth.
2. In apparatus of the the class herein described: a rod or bar having an insulated
portion; said rod or bar being operated by the movement of the float in the boiler.
The brushes or contact pieces engaging on said rod or bar forming the terminals of a
circuit; an electro motor in said circuit which operates the pump when in motion;
said bar being so arranged that the circuit is closed or opened according to the position
of the float in the boiler for the purpose of feeding water to the boiler through the
medium of the pumps when the motor is in operation.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1897