A NEW OR IMPROVED FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery
"
Lane, in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS communicated to him from abroad by
Count Albert de Dion Georges Thadée Bouton and Charles Trepardoux all of
Paris in the French Republic
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1883.
"
"
JOHN IMRAY of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex A NEW OR IMPROVED FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS
[communicated to him from abroad by Count Albert de Dion Georges Thadée
Bouton and Charles Trepardoux all of Paris in the French Republic]
This invention relates to apparatus for feeding steam boilers, which is of tho
following description. Near the boiler and preferably in a position where it may
receive waste heat, is placed a water vessel which communicates with the boiler
and with a water reservoir at a higher level by passages controlled by a cock of
peculiar construction. This cock being continually turned partly round its axis to
and fro by a can or eccentric worked by the engine, alternately opens and closes
the passages so as to operate in the following manner. In one position of the cock,
the water vessel is cut off from communication with the boiler, but its lower part
is made to communicate with the reservoir and its upper part with an outlet.
Water from the reservoir then enters the vessel while air or vapour escapes from
it. In another position of the cock, the communications to the reservoir and to
the outlet are closed, but the water space of the boiler is made to communicate
with the lower part of the vessel, while the steam space of the boiler communicates
with its top. The pressure being thus balanced, water flows from the vessel into
the boiler. When the water rises in the boiler to such a height as to seal the
communication from the steam space, the supply from the vessel to the boiler
ceases.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
.by the said John Imray in the Patent Office on the 7th January 1884.
"
JOHN IMRAY of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex "A NEW OR IMPROVED FEED APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS
A communication to me from Abroad by Count Albert de Dion, Georges Thadée
Bouton and Charles Trepardoux all of Paris in the French Republic
This invention relates to apparatus for feeding steam boilers, which is of the
following description. Near the boiler and preferably in a position where it may
receive waste beat, is placed a water vessel which communicates with the boiler
and with a water reservoir at a higher level by passages controlled by a cock of
peculiar construction. This cock, being, continually turned partly round its axis
to and fro by a cam or eccentric worked by the engine, alternately opens and closes
the passages so as to operate in the following manner. In one position of the cock,
the water vessel is cut off from communication with the boiler, but its lower part is
made to communicate, with the reservoir and its upper part with an outlet. Water
from the reservoir then enters the vessel while air or vapour escapes from it. In
another position of the cock, the communication to the reservoir and to the outlet
are closed, but the water space of the boiler is made to communicate with the lower
part of the vessel, while the steam space of the boiler communicates with its top.
The pressure being thus balanced, water flows from the vessel into the boiler.
When the water rises in the boiler to such a height as to seal the communication
from the steam space. the supply from the vessel to the boiler ceases.
described apparatus.
A is part of a steam boiler, in which.the water stands at B B¹; and to which is
fixed the cock C with recipient D, the cock C being so arranged as at one time to
put the steam space and water space of the boiler in communication with the
recipient respectively through the passage E and the passage G, as shewn at Fig. 2,
and at another time to put the recipient D in communication with an upper
reservoir by means of a conduit H, as at Fig. 1.
The upper reservoir may be placed directly on the boiler itself, in order to
utilise, the heat radiated therefrom, or the water may be heated by means of the
exhaust steam from a steam engine.
•
The barrel of the cock C carries externally a small crank or lever K, to which
a to and fro rotary motion is imparted by a suitable cam motion or other
mechanism. :
..
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The crank A being in its highest
position at Fig. 1, the cock C establishes the communication between the recipient
D) and the 'raised reservoir, the communication with the steam boiler being cut off.
The water from the reservoir consequently flows through the conduit H into the
recipient D and fills it up to the level N N¹, at which time the crank K, has been
turned so as to cause the cock to assume the position at Fig. 2. In this position
the recipient D is put in communication with the steam boiler by the passages. E
and G, the communication with the reservoir being cut off. If therefore at this
time the water level in the boiler has sunk to P P₁ Fig. 2, the passage E, being
uncovered, allows the steam to pass into the top of the recipient D, and conse-
quently, owing to the difference between the water levels N N and P P¹, the water

page_text: will flow from the recipient D through G into the boiler, the water level of which
in rising will gradually close the opening E.
The steam being now prevented from passing through E into D, the flow of
water thence into tbe boiler will cease, and the crank having been in the meantime
turned so as to bring the cock back into the position at Fig. 1, a fresh charge of
water will flow into D from the reservoir, which charge in its turn will be subse-
quently supplied to the steam boiler.
In order to allow of the necessary escape of steam with which the upper part of
the recipient is charged while the water is flowing in from the reservoir, the
conduit E is put in communication with the axial perforation of the cock by a
passage M when the cock is turned into the position at Fig. 1, so that the steam
can escape from D through such perforation.
The above described apparatus offers numerous advantages over feed apparatus
now in use; in particular may be mentioned that the action is automatic, the water
supply to the boiler being effected in proportion to the consumption of steam, and
consequently a practically constant water level is preserved. At the same time
the power required to work the apparatus is very small, and it requires no watching,
offering perfect security in its action.
Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim-
First. The use of a feeding vessel arranged vertically against the steam boiler,
with which it communicates at water line by a cock so arranged with passages as
in one position to establish the communication between the feeding vessel and the
boiler and in another position to establish the communication between the feeding
vessel and a supply cistern at a higher level, substantially as herein described..
Second. The herein described construction of cock for connecting the feeding
vessel with the boiler with four passages 'so arranged that in one position of the
cock the one passage establishes a communication between a raised reservoir and
the feeding vessel so as to allow the water to flow into the latter and another
passage allows any steam pressure in the feeding vessel to escape, while in another
position a third passage establishes a communication between the lower part of the
feeding vessel and the water space of the steam boiler so as to allow the water to
pass from the former into the latter, and a fourth passage establishes a communica-
tion between the steam space of the boiler and the top of the feeding vessel,
substantially as herein described.
Third. The combination of the feeding vessel D with the cock C having passages
E G H M, and receiving a reciprocating rotary motion by means of a cam or other
suitable mechanism driven by any available motive power.
In Witness whereof I the said John Imray have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Seventh day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight,
hundred and eighty-four..
ТОПАТ
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JOHN IM
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