IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FEED OF STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS. PATENT to James Buckingham, Civil Engineer, of Westmore-
land Works, Walworth Common, London, S., and John Sanders Blockey,
Chemist, of Westmoreland Works, Walworth Common, London, S., for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FEED
OF STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 9th April 1868, and dated the 12th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Buckingham and
John Sanders Blockey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 12th October 1867.
We, JAMES BUCKINGHAM, Civil Engineer, of Westmoreland Works, Wal-
worth Common, London, S., and JOHN SANDERS BLOCKEY, Chemist, of West-
moreland Works, Walworth Common, London, S., do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING
THE FEED OF STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus whereby
the water in a steam boiler to which it is applied shall be maintained at or
nearly at a constant level. The mode in which we accomplish this is by means
of a float resting on the surface of the water in the boiler or in a vessel con-
nected therewith. The float being attached by a lever or otherwise to a valve
or cockcommunicatingbetween the interior of theboiler and a cylinder herein-
after described, so that as the float descends it shall open the valve or cock,

page_text: and allow the pressure within the boiler to pass into the cylinder in which is
a piston. This piston being connected with suitable mechanism to open or
close another valve or cock attached to the water pipe that supplies the feed
pump. In cases where a donkey or auxiliary engine is employed to fill the
boiler, instead of a pump wrought by the engine itself, the piston within the
before-named cylinder is arranged to turn on the steam to the donkey engine,
and also to start it by a direct thrust to overcome the dead centre should it be
in such a position. In cases were the boiler is filled by a feed pump that is
disconnected from the engine when not in use, the motion of the piston
working in the cylinder is so applied as to connect the pump with the engine.
When the water in the boiler has reached the proper level the float by its
gearing will shut off the pressure from the cylinder, and the piston is caused to
return to the end of it either by the action of a spring, atmospheric pressure, or
a weight, and by such return motion turn off the supply of water or steam to
the pump or donkey engine, or disconnect the feed pump from the engine.
In cases where injectors of different construction from pumps are used to fill
boilers, the motion of the piston travelling in the cylinder is caused to turn
on or off the steam to or from the injector.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Buckingham and John Sanders Blockey in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 11th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
BUCKINGHAM, Civil Engineer, of Westmoreland Works, Walworth Common,
London, S., and JOHN SANDERS BLOCKEY, Chemist, of Westmoreland Works,
Walworth Common, London S., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said James Buckingham and John Sanders Blockey, Her special licence
that we, the said James Buckingham and John Sanders Blockey, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Buckingham
and John Sanders Blockey our 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for." IamPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FEED OF STRAM BOILE..S." upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Buckingham and John
Sanders Blockey, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our,or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularlydescribe
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Buckingham and John Sanders
Blockey, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus whereby
the water in the steam boiler to which it is applied shall be maintained at or
nearly at a constant level. The mode in which we accomplish this is by
means of a float resting on the surface of the water in the boiler, or in a vessel
connected therewith. The float being attached by a handle or otherwise to
a valve or cock communicating between the interior of the boiler and a
cylinder herein-after described, so that as the float descends it shall open the
valve or cock, and allow the pressure within the boiler to pass into the cylinder
in which is a piston. This piston being connected with suitable mechanism
to open or close another valve or cock attached to the water pipe that supplies
the feed pump. In cases where a donkey or auxiliary engine is employed to
fill the boiler instead of a pump wrought by the engine itself, the piston
within the before-named cylinder is arranged to turn on the steam to the
donkey engine, and also to start it by a direct thrust to overcome the dead
centre should it be in such a position. In cases where the boiler is filled by a
feed pump that is disconnected from the engine when not in use the motion
of the piston working in the cylinder is so applied as to connect the pump
with the engine. When the water in the boiler has reached the proper level
the float by its gearing will shut off the pressure from the cylinder, and the
piston is caused to return to the end of it either by the action of a spring,
atmospheric pressure, or a weight, and by such return motion turn off the
supply of water or steam from the pump or donkey engine, or disconnect the
feed pump from the engine. In cases where injectors of different construc-
tion from pumps are used to fill boilers, the motion of the piston travelling
in the cylinder is caused to turn on or off the steam to or from the injector.

page_text: The accompanying Drawing will serve to show one method by which we
bring this Invention into use.
A is a float, by preference of metal and hollow, attached by a stud C to
the rod B, so that as the float rises or falls it causes the rod to rise or fall. The
connection is made as shown in the Drawing allows the float to rise and fall
slightly without moving the rod B, and this is advantageous in some cases,
but instead of the stud C being set in a slot or groove it may be attached so
that the slightest movement of the float A will produce a corresponding
movement in the rod B. D is a cylinder, having apertures at E and F, by
which communications are made with the steam and water of the boiler, so
that the float A will rest upon the water contained in the cylinder D and will
rise and fall as the level of the water in the boiler rises and falls. At G is an
aperture communicating in the manner shown with another cylinder H. I is
a piston fitted to the cylinder H, and having a rod attached K. Now it will
be evident that as the level of the water in the boiler falls the float will
fall, and the rod B will open the communication G, and the pressure
of the boiler will force the piston I and its rod K to the end of the cylinder H.
The piston rod K in its passage, by any suitable mechanical contrivances,
turns a cock or opens a valve, or actuates a connecting lever, any or all of
which contrivances are easily worked by mechanism well known to produce
circular and other motion from rectilinear.
What we claim is the construction of an apparatus substantially of the form
described, and of the same principle, which shall by the fall of the level of the
water in the boiler cause the pressure in the boiler to move a piston, which
connected with suitable mechanical contrivances may be made to actuate the
feed pump, or injector or donkey engine.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sanders Blockey, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JOHN S. BLOCKEY. (L.S.)