IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED WATER HEATERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lionel Varicas, of 24, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED
WATER HEATERS." A communication from abroad by James Argall, Brewer,
of Mineral Point, Iowa, Wisconsin, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Lionel Varicas at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th October 1879.
LIONEL VARICAS, of 24, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED WATER HEATERS." A communication from
abroad by James Argall, Brewer, of Mineral Point, Iowa, Wisconsin, United States
of America.
This Invention relates to that class of feed water heaters for locomotive boilers
and other portable or stationary boilers of similar character which are arranged
within the smoke stack of such boilers, for the purpose of utilizing heat from
the hot gases escaping through the stack as well as heat from the exhaust
steam.
The improvement consists in delivering the water from the heater or main body
of the same through a centrally arranged pipe in a thin stream in order to highly
heat it before it reaches the boiler. It further consists in the use of a leaky check
valve between the boiler and the delivery pipe of the heater, in order that said
delivery pipe may be kept supplied with water from the boiler at times when the
pumps are not, at work, and thereby the burning of said pipe prevented.
In the annexed Drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the rear end
of a locomotive boiler embodying the Invention.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the smoke stack in a plane indicated by a
broken line x, x, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lower head of the heater.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the smoke stack in a plane indicated by
the broken line y, y, of Fig. 1.
The same letters of reference are used in all the Figures in the designation of
identical parts.
The smoke stack C is mounted upon a tubular cast base B' on the smoke box B
of the boiler A in order to afford a more convenient means for securing the feed
water heater, the lower head or bottom plate D2 of which rests upon the base B', and is
clamped between the top flange of said base and the bottom flange of the stack.
The main body of the heater consists of two cylinders D and D³, one arranged
[Price 4d.]

page_text: within the other, with an annular water chamber between them. These cylinders
are fastened together at the lower end by plate D³, and the top by plate D³. These
heads or plates D2 and D³ are solid where they cover the annular water space
between the cylinders D and D¹, but each has a central aperture equal in diameter
to the inner diameter of cylinder D³, so as to afford a free escape or passage
for the hot gases and exhausted steam through the inner cylinder of the heater.
The outer cylinder of the heater is of considerable less size in diameter than the
smoke-stack, so that there is an annular space between the stack and the heater.
In order that a portion of the hot gases and exhaust steam may pass through this
annular space between the stack and the heater that portion of plate D* which
spans this space has numerous large openings d in it, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. ⚫
It may be desirable to steady the upper end of the heater, which can easily be
effected by casting a few projections u on the top plate D³ thereof to touch the
stack, as best seen in Fig. 4.
which
The heater is supplied with water by the pumps by a common pipe E¹,
enters the water space between the cylinders D and D of the heater near the
bottom.
The branches uniting in the common pipe E' should be provided with suitable
check valves. From near the top of the annular water space between the cylinders
D and D¹ of the heater the water passes through a short pipe F into the pipe G,
which is arranged centrally within the heater, so that it will be surrounded by the
hot gases and exhaust steam passing up the inner cylinder or flue space of the
henter. This pipe conveys the water to the boiler through a branch pipe H
issuing from near the lower end, which reaches to the bottom of the smoke box and
terminates in a drum G¹. In this instance pipe G is of a cylindrical form and of
considerable size. In order to allow the water from the heater to pass in a thin
sheet only through this delivery pipe G a core G2 is inserted in it, as shown.
The branch pipe H leading from the delivery pipe of the heater to the boiler is
provided with a leak check valve, made leaky by boring a small hole through it or
in some other appropriate way.
The leak is to be of such a character as not to interfere (seriously) with the
operation of the valve as a check valve when the pumps are at work. When the
pumps stop the leak will permit enough water to pass from the boiler to pipe G to
prevent any overheating or burning of the same.
Suitable blowoff cocks lead from the annular water space between the cylinders
D and D of the heater and from the mud drum G' of the delivery pipe G to afford
the means for blowing off sediments that may collect there.
What I claim as the Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the annular feed
water heater and the central pipe for conveying the water from the heater to the
boiler.
2nd. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the annular feed water
heater, the surrounding smoke stack, and the central pipe for conveying the water
from the heater to the boiler.
3rd. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the annular feed water
heater, the central pipe for conveying the water from the heater to the boiler,
and the leaky check valve.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lionel Varicas, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth (14th) day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.