Improved Means and Apparatus for Regulating Height of Water in Steam Boilers, also for Automatically Indicating Lowness of Water, for Opening the Feed, and for Indicating Extra Heat of Bearings and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 24th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Regulating Height of Water in
Steam Boilers, also for Automatically Indicating Lowness of
Water, for Opening the Feed, and for Indicating Extra Heat of
Bearings and the like.
1 SEPTIMUS MACE of 65 Norfolk Road, Dalston, Middlesex, Marine Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct or arrange a mercury container within
a jacket to which steam is freely admitted above the water level, this corresponding
to the desired water level in a boiler to which the apparatus may be affixed at any
desired position.
The mercury container is in a piece with a tube made steam and mercury tight
by glands or stuffing boxes as is also a plug or piston which rests upon the surface
of the mercury within the lower part of the tube.
This plug or piston can be arranged in connection with any kind of alarm
mechanically, electrically, or otherwise operated for indicating a change that may
take place from expansion of the inercury.
The apparatus may be attached to a boiler and be partly submerged or it may be
affixed to the outside front where it would act as a water level indicator in lieu of
or in conjunction with the usual glass water gauge, can also be arranged that the
piston, due to the expansion of mercury, shall open the feed valve, and if applied to
bearings and other appliances which are subject to unusual heat, the apparatus would
act in a similar manner for indicating said additional heat.
The operation is as follows, if affixed to a boiler.
A given quantity of mercury is pocketed in a container and tube and the plug or
piston is set to, say, that of water in a boiling state, and to the level of the water
and so soon as the water by evaporation or other cause goes below that fixed level,
the steam which is at a higher temperature acts upon the mercury container or its
tube and causes an expansion of the mercury and a consequent lift of the plug or
piston and the aların to be made, or the feed opened automatically.
Where a series of boilers are arranged as in a steam ship and are fitted with my
apparatus, one signalling appliance may be arranged to be operated from all the
mercury apparatus so fitted.
Dated this 19th day of June 1889.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said S. Mace.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Regulating Height of Water in
Steam Boilers, also for Automatically Indicating Lowness of
Water, for Opening the Feed, and for Indicating Extra Heat of
Bearings and the like.
I SEPTIMUS MACE, of 65, Norfolk Road, Dalston, Middlesex, Marine Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this invention is to construct or arrange a mercury container within
a jacket, to which steam is freely admitted above, the water level, this corresponding

page_text: to the desired water level in a boiler to which the apparatus may be affixed at any
desired position.
The mercury, container is in a piece with a tube, made steam and mercury tight by
glands or stuffing boxes, as is also a plug or piston which rests upon the surface of
the mercury within the lower part of the tube.
This plug or piston can be arranged in connection with any kind of alarm,
mechanically, electrically or otherwise operated, for indicating a change that may take
place from expansion of the mercury.
The apparatus may be attached to a boiler and be partly submerged or it may be
affixed to the outside front where it would act as a water level indicator, in lieu of or
in conjunction with the usual water gauge, that the piston, due to the expansion of
mercury, shall open the feed valve, and if applied to bearings and other appliances,
which are subject to unusual heat, the apparatus would act in a similar manner for
indicating said additional heat.
The operation is as follows, if affixed to a boiler. A given quantity of mercury is
pocketed in a container and tube and the plug or piston is set to, say, that of water in
à boiling state or other temperature, and to the level of the water, and so soon as the
water, by evaporation or other cause, goes below that fixed level, the steam which is
at a higher temperature acts upon the mercury container or its tube and causes an
expansion of the mercury and a consequent lift of the plug or pusher, and the alarm
to be made automatically, or the feed opened automatically.
Where a series of boilers are arranged as in a steam ship and are fitted with my
apparatus one signalling appliance may be arranged to be operated from all the
mercury apparatus so fitted.
Several examples of my invention are shewn in the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 represents a portion of mounting of a boiler A to which one example of
my apparatus is fitted. B is a mercury container fitted within a jacket (into which
steam is freely admitted by the pipe D from the upper part of the boiler A through
the aperture E so that the steam presses upon the surface of the water which is at
the same level No. 1 as that in the boiler for working purposes the communication
between the water jacket and the boiler being through the branch F.
The mercury container B is attached to a short tube G provided with a gland H
within which a piston or plunger I can work, the tube G being also made steam tight
by the gland J. The upper end of the piston or rod I is connected to a valve rod K
the valve of which finds a seating in a projection L in communication with the steam
pipe D.
The quantity of mercury in the container B is regulated to suit the temperature of
water in the boiler A and should the water get below its lowest working level No. 2
to what might be termed a danger level No. 3 the increase of heat that is in the steam
will cause the mercury to expand and exert pressure upon the piston I, whereupon
the valve will be opened automatically and steam from the branch E and pipe D will
pass through the valve seating and cause the whistle M to sound and give warning
that the water is too low in the boiler.
Where a piston 1 is used it is preferable that a little oil be upon the surface of the
mercury to lubricate the piston.
When water is injected into the boiler and the proper water level obtained the
mercury decreases in volume and so to speak draws the piston I downwards whereby
the valve takes upon its seating and closes the passage to the whistle this action being
also automatic.
The whistle can be used for ordinary purposes by turning the steam cock N aud
froin the position occupied by said steam cock it has no interference with the working
of the alarum.
Instead of the apparatus being in connection with a whistle the upper end of the
piston may be attached to a strap P as more particularly shewn at Figure 2 for
Butomatically opening a steam cock N leading to the feed pump.
This will be understood by Figure 2 which is a modified arrangement of my

page_text: invention. In this the mercury container B is screwed into the front of the boiler A so
as to be immersed in the water when at the proper level and the mercury is free to
swell and act upon the piston I so soon as the water level has lowered itself to what
might be termed the danger level for the higher temperature of the steam to act upon
for the purpose before explained.
Figure 3 is another modification; in this the mercury is in a close or hermetically
sealed container B provided with two diaphragms, one at top and one at bottom
at Q, R, the lower one has a step piece to centralize it in the jacket C and when the
mercury is expanded by the superior temperature of steam heat, admitted to the
jacket, the expansion of the mercury in the container will cause the piston I to rise
and from its connection with a signal apparatus produce an alarm, open a feed, or
otherwise indicate that the water level in the boiler is too low.
Figure 4 is a part sectional elevation of an apparatus fitted to a boiler A like that
of Figure 2 for sounding an alarm electrically. In this, when the steam heat expands
the mercury sufficiently, the mercury comes in contact with the two terminals S, S,
and completes circuit and cause an alarm to sound. In this case no piston is
required.
Figure is a view similar to that shewn in Figure 1 except that there is no positive
connection with the steam portion of the boiler, the pipe D being preferably below
the water level, and filled with water by the branch F', the jacket and cylinder V
being also full, but should the water level fall to the opening of the branch F1 steam
then enters the cylinder V through the pipe D and causes the water in the jacket to
assume the same level as the water in the boiler.
Figure 6 represents my apparatus in connection with an ordinary water level or
water gauge tube T, the sockets U, U, of which are connected to a cylinder V main-
tained full of uncirculated water from the pipe F so that the height of water level in
the boiler can be seen by the glass gauge T for ordinary purposes, steam having free
entrance through the socket U and above the partition Z which separates the cylinder
into two compartments.
The cylinder V is attached to the outside of the boiler by the flange W. This
forms a syphon sound water gauge standard.
In cases where the expansion of the mercury completes electrical circuit as with
Figures 4, 5 and 6 the wires may be connected to posts a, a, as at Figures 4 and 5
for the attachment of other wires or said terminal wires may be rigidly connected
(insulated) with the upper gland H for connection with other wires in any desired
manner from the battery and sound alarm.
My mercury expansion action apparatus is subject to many modifications according
to the class of boiler and in some cases, such as I shew at Figure 7 it can be made
to act upon the whistle by means of the quadrant P which is toothed like the strap P
shown in Figure 2 for rotating a pinion b and opening the whistle M, a syren, steam
fog horn, or other kind of alarum as may be required.
I have shewn the apparatus Figure 7 as attached to a locomotive boiler but it may
be affixed to any other boiler, the link R serving as a handle by which, when lifted
by an attendant, the whistle M or other instrument can be caused to sound. By this
means ny apparatus has a double purpose that of being moved by hand or by
the difference of a higher temperature obtained from steam over that contained in
water.
I have described my invention as fitted to boilers but my mercury container can be
applied to other apparatus such as for indicating overheating of bearings, the
expansion of the mercury then by means of levers can open an oil supply for lubrica-
ting purposes or water for cooling purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The employment of mercury in a close vessel as a means, when expanded by

page_text: excess, of steam heat, over that of water, for automatically causing an alarm, for
opening a feed, through the movement of a piston or its equivalent, or for completing
electric, circuit as described.
2. The particular arrangement of apparatus shewn in the several figures of, the
annexed drawings and their method of action for the purposes set forth.
ML 10LL
CML 1000
H.
GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet, Street, London, E...
Agent for the said Septimus Mace.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet, Street, London, E...
Agent for the said Septimus Mace.