Improvements in Injectors.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM RUNDEL FIELD, of Greenville,
Mercer County, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Injectors.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention relates to that type of apparatus, particularly injectors, for
feeding steam boilers, wherein a liquid, such as water, is drawn into the apparatus
or injector by the action of steam or other fluid under pressure delivered by a
suitable fluid conduit for the purpose of forcing the liquid to a point desired, for
example into the water space of a boiler.
In an apparatus of the character alluded to, especially injectors, the water
delivery pipe or conduit is ordinarily provided with a globe or other valve which
requires to be more or less closed by the engineer or attendant whenever the steam
pressure is low, in order that the quantity of water delivered to the injector will not
exceed the power of the steam to properly force the water into the boiler, as this
would result in slobbering, or an objectionable overflow. Conversely. when the
pressure of the steam increases and a greater quantity of water should be permitted
to flow through the water-delivery pipe or conduit into the injector the globe or
other valve must be more or less opened.
The objects of the present invention are to avoid the necessity of manually
adjusting the valve to increase or diminish the quantity of water drawn in by the
suction; to relieve the engineer from the necessity of attending to the valve; and
to provide means whereby the quantity of water flowing through the water-delivery
pipe is automatically varied to suit the conditions required when the pressure of the
steam or forcing fluid varies.
These objects are accomplished in the manner and by the means hereinafter
described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in
which
Figure is a longitudinal central sectional view of an injector or water forcing
apparatus provided with the invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view of a portion of the apparatus, showing a modified form
of automatic valve; and
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the automatic valve shown in Figure 1.
The invention is illustrated in connection with a feed-water injector, composed
of a casing 1 having a vacuum chamber 2, into which water is drawn by suction
through the medium of steam under pressure flowing through a steam nozzle 3 and
creating a partial vacuum in the vacuum chamber.
The casing is also provided with chambers 4 and 5, a suction jet 6, an overflow 7,
a relief-valve 8, and a combining tube 9 which is coincident, or in line with, a feed-
pipe 10, adapted to connect with the water space of a boiler.
The casing is also provided with a lateral nipple 12 to which a water-delivery
pipe or conduit 13 is connected by a coupling 14.
The construction and arrangement of the parts above described are such that the
steam under pressure creates a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, and thereby draws
the liquid or water through the pipe or conduit 13, and forces it through the
suction-jet into the combining-tube, from which the water is forced through the
feed-pipe into the boiler.

page_text: The combining-tube is provided with a lateral orifice 15, for the purpose of
carrying off the water on starting the injector, the water immediately ceasing to
flow through this orifice due to the action of the valve in supplying the proper
amount of water when the desired velocity is attained. The overflow 7 and relief-
valve 8 perform their usual functions.
The water-delivery-pipe 13 is ordinarily provided with a globe, or other valve,
for regulating the quantity of water delivered to the vacuum chamber, and such
globe or other valve usually requires to be more or less closed by the engineer or
attendant when the steam pressure decreases; while if the pressure increases, and
a greater quantity of water should be permitted to enter the injector, the globe, or
other valve, must be more or less opened. In contra-distinction to this there is
provided an automatically-operating valve, which, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, is
composed of a tubular portion 16 having lateral water passages 17 and a valve-
seat 18, upon which seats a conoidal or other suitably shaped valve-disk 19, which
is acted upon by a spring 20, bearing at one end against the valve-disk, and at the
opposite end against any suitable device, such as a plug screwing into the tube 16,
and adapted to be adjusted for varying the tension of the spring as is required
according to the lift of the injector. When the valve is once properly set, it remains.
ready at all times to do its work. The spring resists the opening of the valve disk,
thus offering resistance to the inflowing water, whereby the passage of water into the
injector is graded or graduated. The valve-disc stands normally closed, or nearly
closed, and the passage of steam through the steam-nozzle creates a vacuum in the
vacuum chamber 2, whereby the valve is more or less opened to permit water to flow
into the injector. The variations in the steam pressure will more or less open the
valve, and, consequently, the quantity of water delivered to the injector is increased
or diminished according to the conditions required by variations in the pressure of
the steam or forcing fluid. The communication between the chamber 4 and the
overflow is normally closed by the relief-valve 8, but an undue quantity of water
will open the relief-valve, and such water will pass into the overflow and air
chamber 5. If the steam pressure decreases and the superabundance of water opens
the relief-valve, the pressure on the automatic valve 19 is lowered, and this valve
instantly responding to the opening of the relief-valve is automatically closed more
or less to diminish the flow of water through the water-delivery pipe or conduit.
If the steam pressure increases a greater quantity of water can be properly
forced to the boiler or other point, and the amplified suction power opens the
automatic valve 19 to a greater extent for permitting a larger volume of water
to flow into the injector. These movements of the regulating valve 19 are
automatically effected by the varying pressure of the steam or forcing fluid, and
therefore the engineer is entirely relieved from the care and attention incident to
manually adjusting the ordinary valve to suit the varying conditions required by
changes or variations of the pressure of the steam, or other forcing fluid.
In some instances it is very desirable that the automatic valve be so constructed
and arranged that it can be entirely moved and held away from its seat; and to
accomplish this the construction illustrated in Figure 2, is used, in which figure the
parts of the injector are constructed the same as described with reference to
Figure 1, and like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts. Instead,
however, of securing the automatic valve between the nipple 12 and the water-
delivery pipe, or conduit 13, as shown in Figure 1. a valve-casing 22, is inserted into
the water-delivery pipe, or conduit.
The valve-casing contains a partition having a valve seat 23, upon which seats
the automatic valve 24, which, as here shown, is composed of a hollow cylindro-
conoidal body, and a screw-threaded ring or plug 25 loosely fitted upon a cylindrical
stem 26 which extends through the stuffing-box 27, and is provided with a suitable
handle 28. The cylindrical stem 26 is provided with a rigid collar 29, located
beneath the ring or plug 25, and a spring 30 bears at one end against the collar 29,
and at the opposite end against the hollow cylindro-conoidal-valve 24, so that the
power of the spring tends to constantly press the valve 24 downward against the

page_text: valve-seat 23, but permits the valve 24 to rise independent of any movement of the
cylindrical stem 26.
The operation of this form of valve by the partial vacuum created in the vacuum-
chamber is the same, or substantially the same, as described with reference to
Figure 1. The steam, or other forcing fluid, passing through the steam-nozzle 3
creates a partial vacuum in the vacuum-chamber 2, and the valve 24 is thereby raised
more or less from the valve-seat 23 for the passage of water to the injector. If the
pressure of the steam, or forcing fluid, decreases, the valve 24 will commence to
close, and if the pressure of the steam, or forcing fluid, increases, the valve 24 will
inore or less open.
The connection of the valve 24 with the valve-stem 26 enables the valve to be
raised and held away from the valve-seat 23 by simply turning the handle 28 in the
proper direction.
For some purposes the construction of valve described with reference to
Figure 2 will be found more desirable than the valve described with reference
to Figure 1.
While a spring has been shown as acting on the valve for the purposes stated, it
will be obvious that a sufficient weight may be substituted for the spring, and such
is regarded as within the spirit of the invention. It is not necessary that the valve
seat and valve should be water tight when the valve is seated; neither is it necessary
that they should be tight, as the valve will work either way, but works better in
starting the injector where the water level is below the injector, by having a serrated
valve or valve-seat as this allows the air to pass freely by the valve while the water
is flowing through the pipe. Besides the water is fresh and cool when it arrives at
the injector, while with the tight valve the water stands in the pipe, and is
liable to become hot and the injector will not start easy with hot water in the
food pipes.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a liquid-supply pipe or conduit, and a fluid-conduit for
the passage of fluid under pressure to creat suction and draw liquid through the
supply-pipe, or conduit, of an automatic valve regulating the inflow of liquid from
the supply-pipe or conduit and more or less opened or closed by the action of the
fluid under pressure in the fluid conduit, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a casing having a liquid-supply pipe, and a fluid-conduit
for the passage of fluid under pressure, to create suction and draw the liquid into
the casing, of valve-casing connected with the supply-pipe, a valve-stem, and a
spring-pressed valve mounted upon and movable independent of the valve-stem, said
valve being more or less opened or closed by variations in the pressure of the said
fluid increasing or diminishing the quantity of liquid delivered to the casing,
substantially as described.
Dad L
1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.