AN IMPROVED FEED-WATER APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jan Wozniakowski, of St. Petersburg, Russia,
Military Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FEED-WATER
APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 24th September 1870, and dated the 30th July 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Jan Wozniakowski at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 30th July 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAN
WOZNIAKOWSKI, of St. Petersburg, Russia, Military Engineer, send-
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
FEED-WATER APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declara-
tion that I am the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jan Wozniakowski, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and

page_text: seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming
a part of this Specification:-
The chief object of the said Invention is the construction of an
automatic apparatus, which without the aid of an attendant and without
any regulation, will, with mathematical precision, supply the boiler of a
steam engine with water, keeping the water level therein at one constant
height or subject only to slight variations.
In the realization of this object it is desirable that the apparatus
should be without any valve or float, that it should use the smallest
quantity of steam, while restoring almost all the caloric contained in
that steam to the water which feeds the boiler, and should be capable of
feeding the boiler with water in two ways, namely, either first, by drawing
the water at its normal temperature directly from the primary cistern,
or from a well, a tender or other reservoir, without making use of a
pump in the same manner as the apparatus known as the "Giffard"
injector; or, secondly, by drawing the water at any temperature,
even at the boiling point, from a small tank, constructed and arranged
in any suitable manner, provided only that the water therein shall be :
not less than from six to twelve inches above the water level of the
boiler, and the mean height of the column of water therein not less
than six inches. A constant supply of water is to be brought to
the said tank by the steam engine with a certain excess in condensing
engines such as are used for sea-going vessels, and in many stationary
engines this may be effected by the pump which supplies water to the
condensor.
Of these two modes of feeding, the second is important and useful
for the boilers of war and merchant ships, for the reason that such
boilers are supplied almost exclusively with water from the condensors,
which is warm and generally cannot be passed into the boiler by the
The construction of my improved feed apparatus is as follows:-
Τουοοπτ πω το ΠΟΙΟΥ

page_text: At any distance from the boiler A (although the nearer the more
advantageous) is placed a metallic feeding vessel B, tightly closed on
every side and hollow.. Its shape may be varied. I prefer for stationaery
engines a cylindrical shape with a vertical axis, as represented in the
Drawing. For locomotives a elyindrical shape with a horizontal axis
perpendicular to the direction of the railway, the vessel B being arranged
transversely on the forward part of the tender. For marine engines a
eylindrical shape, the axis being likewise horizontal but either parallel or
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boiler, as may be found the
most convenient. The feeding vessel B should be always solidly fixed, and
one rule is to be constantly adhered to, namely, that the top y, y¹, of the
vessel should always be in the same horizontal plane as the water level
y, y, in the boiler A. The most covenient internal height for the
vessel B is from 6 to 12. inches. Its inside capacity must equal about
twice the volume of water which under the greatest heat vaporizes in
the boiler during from 30 to 120 revolutions of the main shaft of the
engine, that is to say, in: one minute of time. All the other dimensions
of the vessel B must be proportioned with a view to this condition.
The Drawing represents the vessel B one quarter of its natural size, as
intended for the boiler of a 140 horse-power steam engine. In one of
the sides or at the bottom of the vessel B a hole of convenient size is
made, which is to be kept always hermetically closed by a cover fastened
with screws. This hole is made for the purpose of cleansing from time
to time the vessel B of the mud and other sediment left therein by the
water fed to the boiler. The top of the vessel B. has a short vertical
pipe K with a cock k, which is always hermetically closed, and is covered
with a carefully adjusted cap to prevent any communication with said
pipe during the time the feeding apparatus is acting. The said cap is
not shewn in the Drawing; its shape and mode of fastening, may be
varied as desired. The aforesaid. pipe with the cock k serves to fill the
vessel B with water. This vessel should be filled at the same time as
the boiler A. For this purpose a hand pump is screwed into the pipe K,
the cock is then opened, and the vessel B is filled with water from
the primary cistern up to the cock k.. This being done the hand pump
is taken down and the cock k closed, as above explained, during the
time that the feed apparatus is working.
m

page_text: pipe D; secondly, with the water in the cistern either by the pipe E
extending downward, its end dipping in the usual manner into the water
of the primary cistern when the boiler is intended to be fed with water
at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere, or by the pipe E'
extending upward, its end joining the bottom of a water tank when
the boiler is to be fed with heated water as herein-before explained. In
this.latter case the inside of the vessel B is made to communicate also
with the atmosphere by the pipe L, of which the horizontal part L' may
have the shape of a flattened parallelopiped with a basis rather smaller
than the transverse section of the tank r. The aim of such flattening is
to extend as much as possible the surface of the steam pipe L in order
that the steam passing through it may be more rapidly cooled by the
water which surrounds the said pipe. The aforesaid alternate com-
munication of the feed vessel B with the boiler A with the primary
cistern or tank r and with the atmosphere are effected consecutively
through the continuous rotary motion of the plug F in the cock barrel G,
in which it is fitted as closely as possible without destroying the freedom
of its rotation. The said cock which forms the second and last part of
the feed apparatus can be placed and fixed in any position, but the most
advantageous way is to fix it either on the vessel B or on the boiler itself
according to circumstances.
From the moment the steam engine has been set working the cock
plug commences a continuous and slow rotary motion which may be
imparted to it by any one of the means generally used, as, for instance,
by an endless screw I coupled with a cog wheel H. This screw receives
its motion from the main shaft of the steam engine or other convenient
working part through the medium of any suitable gearing; a connecting
rod acting upon the crank of the endless screw I is perferable. The
rotary motion of the plug F must be at least from 30 to 120 times slower
than the rotation of the main shaft of the steam engine, so that each
complete revolution of the said plug will be accomplished in about one
minutes time.
The object intended to be realized by the rotary motion of the plug F
will be made clear by the following explanation:-At cach half turn of
the said plug the ways c and d therein meet simultaneously the ports u
and w of the cock barrel G, then the water as well as the steam of the
boiler A are freely and without any interruption whatever admitted into
the cavity of the vessel B, then the plug assumes a position in which

page_text: none of the ways meet with the ports of the cock barrel g; and, lastly,
the ways e and f in the plug F meet the ports x and z of the cock
barrel g; then all the steam being exhausted from the vessel B, the said
vessel is filled with water from the primary cistern through one or other
of the pipes E or E¹, so that there is no interruption between the water
in the vessel B and that in the cistern.
This effect of the distributive cock F may obviously be attained with
other distributive mechanism, as for instance, by a cylinder with a rotary
or oscillating motion, in which case the endless screw I and cog wheel H
may be dispensed with, and the motion may be transmitted to such
distributive mechanism directly by the steam piston rod or otherwise,
especially when each stroke of the piston in either direction lasts about
half a minute. When the cock F, G, is used the plug F may be (for the
purpose of diminishing friction) isolated from the barrel g by a metallic
or other stuffing box. In every case the cock F, g, must be provided
with an ordinary permanent self-acting lubricator, to facilitate the action
of which and to protect it from any noxious influence from without an
annular recess is made on the top of the barrel and covered by a
plate 6 fixed to the plug F.
While the steam boiler A is being filled with water up to the level
y 1, y 1, the feeding vessel B is also to be filled with water up to the
cock k, which is done as above described by means of a hand pump
screwed into the pipe K. During the working of the pump the water
ways e and fin the plug F must be brought to meet the ports x and z
in order that the water flowing from the primary cistern into the
vessel B through the downwardly extending pipe E should fill up the
whole capacity of this pipe and of the said ports. It is evident that
when the special tank with the upwardly extending pipe E¹ is used
there is no necessity to use a hand pump for filling the vessel B with
water up to the cock /, the vessel B in that case being filled with water
running down from the tank r when the cock F is turned so that the
water ways e and fmeet the ports x and z.
As soon as the steam engine is set working the plug F commences
a rotary motion which is imparted to it as before described by the endless
screw I or by other gearing. In consequence of the development of
steam in the boiler the water level in the boiler A sinks from its original
height y 1 to the levels, the volume y 1, s, s, y 1, is then smaller than the
volume y', yo, yº, y', in the vessel B, as the decrease of water in the

page_text: boiler.A during one complete turn of the plug F even under the most
intense heat, as herein-before explained, is smaller than the volume
y¹, yº, yº, y', that is to say, than half the capacity of the vessel B. Con-
sequently at the moment of the subsequent simultaneous opening of the
ways c, d, and of the ports u and w the water level y', y', in the vessel B
will be higher than the water levels, s. And whereas from the instant
of the opening of the ways c and d and of the ports u and w two
pressures equal in force but diametrically opposite act upon the water in
the vessel B, mutually balancing each other, one downward, produced by
the water through the pipe C, and the other upward, produced by the
steam through the pipe D, therefore the column of water in the vessel B
being quite free and at the higher level than the water level 8', 8¹, in the
boiler A will descend by its own weight and drive through the pipe.
C, C, a volume of water into the boiler A till both water levels s¹, s¹, and
sl, s, in the boiler A.and in the vessel B are again brought to the
same height. In consequence thereof a similar volume of steam will
at the same time pass over from the boiler A through the pipe D into
the vessel B and above the water therein remaining. Therefore until
the ways c and d and the ports u and w are completely closed by the
continuous rotary motion of the plug F the two water levels in the
boiler A and in the vessel B remaining in one common plane will both
equally and gradually sink; they will not, however, be able to sink
down to yo, y', as the y¹, y', y", y¹, volume of water is always greater
than the volume of water which can be vaporized in the boiler under the
most intense heat, not only, as in the present case, during a certain
small extent of the revolution, but even during a complete revolution of
the plug F. The continued rotation of the plug F finally closes the
way c, d, and the ports u and w gradually opening the ways e and fand
the corresponding ports x and z. From the closing of the former ways
and ports to the opening of the latter, the feeding vessel B being isolated
as above mentioned contains besides the water which has remained
therein a certain volume of steam. Then the aforesaid ways e and f
gradually open together with the corresponding ports x and z. If at
that moment the downwardly extending pipe E is used, that is to say,
if water of the atmospheric temperature is used for feeding the steam
contained in the vessel B by its elasticity enters the pipe E tending to
penetrate into the water of the primary cistern, but meeting in the
said pipe with a much greater amount of water than is required for its
condensation (the quantity of water required therefor being from 20 to

page_text: 22 times the weight of the steam to be condensed), it instantly returns
to a liquid condition, and the empty space thereby left is filled with
water, which rapidly runs into the vessel B by the pipe E, being driven
thereinto from the primary cistern by the -pressure of the atmosphere
which acts upon its surface. This pressure is many times superior in
strength to the slight elastic resistance of the mass of steam in the
vessel B in the immediate vicinity of the stream of water and whose
refrigerating contact instantly destroys the elastic action. Thus the
whole volume of steam which was contained in the vessel B suddenly.
disappears from it and is replaced by a similar volume of water, which
entering by the pipe E from the primary cistern fills the whole capacity
of the said vessel as when it was first filled up to the cock k, as also the
pipe E and the ways c, f. If, on the contrary, the pipe E¹ extending
upward into the special tank r is used, then immediately on the opening
of the ways e and f and of the corresponding ports x, z, the steam
contained in the vessel B enters by its elasticity into both pipes E¹ and L,
its tendency being to escape into the atmosphere, but meeting a
powerful refrigerating action in both pipes the whole or a portion of it,
according to the heat of the water in the tank r, becomes liquid as in the
former case, while the surplus steam which has not had the time to.
condense freely escapes by the pipe Linto the atmosphere. In con-
sequence thereof the feed vessel B, in lieu of the volume of steam which
has disappeared, becomes almost instantly filled to the cock % with a
similar volume of water driven into it through the pipe E¹ from the
tank r by a powerful pressure exercised on its surface by the atmosphere;
the strength of this pressure being much superior to that of the elastic
resistance of the steam in the vessel B, condensing at the contact of a
thick stream of water which it encounters; to replace such decrease of
water in the tank r a fresh supply of water, even with a certain excess,
as herein-before explained, is introduced into the said tank by the action
of a pump through the pipe M which is fixed to the tank r, the constant
excess being returned to its source by a pipe / extending from the top of
the tank. Immediately after the feed vessel B has been by means of
either the pipe E or the pipe, E¹ filled with water up to the cock k it
becomes from that moment and till the re-opening of the ways c, d, and
the corresponding ports u and w remains a continuation of the primary
cistern, there being no interruption of communication whatever between
the water in the said vessel, and that in the primary cistern, or in the
tank r.
The further rotation of the plug F finally closes the ways e, f,

page_text: and the corresponding ports x and z. From that moment the feed
vessel B is again isolated from every thing and remains so until the ways
c, d, and the ports u and w are re-opened; then the column of water in
the vessel is again acted upon by two pressures equal in strength, but
diametrically opposite, and balancing each other, that is to say, by the
pressure of the water and that of the steam through the pipes C and D.
In consequence thereof the said column of water being again at full
liberty and having its level y¹ higher than the water level in the boiler A
descends again; a fresh volume of water is introduced into the boiler A
through the pipe C and is replaced in the vessel B by a similar volume
of steam. Then the ways c and d being again closed the vessel B is
again isolated containing over the water which has remained in it a
volume of steam, which at the subsequent opening of the ways e and f,
and of the corresponding ports x and instantly passes either into the
pipe E if the boiler is fed from the primary cistern, which is placed lower
than the vessel B, or into the two pipes E and L, if the boiler is fed
from the tank r. In both cases the water flows rapidly through
the said pipes into the vessel B in a similar volume and fills the said
vessel up to the cock and so on throughout the whole process of
feeding.
From what has been above stated it is evident that for the intro-
duction in the boiler of each consecutive volume of water the apparatus
uses in the same consecutive order similar volumes of steam which by
the feed vessel B are delivered either into the water only which feeds
the boiler, when the boiler is fed with water at the atmospheric tem-
perature, or both into the water which feeds the boiler and into a special
cooling pipe immersed in the said water when the boiler is fed with
warm or hot water. In both cases the volumes of steam so used transmit
almost all the caloric contained in them to the stream of water which
feeds the boiler. It is also evident that at the moment of the intro-
duction into the boiler of each consecutive volume of water the actual
water level in the boiler will always be higher than the water level y
and y, because as soon as such actual water level sinks near to the
level y, yº, the vessel B will pour into the boiler a quantity of water
double that which may have been vaporized in the boiler during the pre-
ceding complete revolution of the plug F, even under the most intense
heat; also that the actual water level in the boiler will be always lower
than the level y¹, y', for as the flowing therein of water from the vessel B

page_text: is a consequence of the natural fall of the column of water contained in
the said vessel, the highest level of which is at y', y', it is therefore
impossible that water falling from its highest level in a determined
volume, and passing over from one vessel into another could rise in the
latter up to its primitive height. Further, it is obvious that consequently
the actual water level in the boiler A will always be within two limit
levels, the highest level y₁, y₁, and the lowest y, y; and, finally, that
the instantaneous cooling which the saturated steam contained in the
boiler A will undergo at each consecutive contact through the pipe D
with each consecutive volume of water flowing in from the vessel B is
the same as it would be if the boiler were fed with water by any other
feed apparatus, for such cooling depends not on the mode of [feeding a
boiler but solely on the masses of water of a temperature more or less
elevated introduced into the boiler, and which consequently tend to
bring their temperature into equilibrium with that of the water con-
tained in the boiler.
From the above description it is easy to see that the actual water
level of the boiler A will be really about the middle between the two
levels 1, 1, and y, y, for the approximate waste of water in the boiler
during each new half revolution of the plug F is equal to half the
volume y¹, yº, yº, y¹, and therefore corresponds to the middle between the
points y¹ and y°. This position of the actual water lever in the boiler A
will be a constant one, subject only to such variations of rising and
sinking as are necessarily produced by the periodical action of the feed
vessel which introduces water into the boiler A only once at each half
turn of the plug, leaving consequently a certain interval of time between
cach two consecutive supplies of water introduced from the vessel B
into the boiler.
It is evident that the aforesaid variations depend exclusively upon
the volume of water which passes from the vessel B into the boiler at
cach half revolution of the plug F and upon the value of M, the relation
between the whole area of the water level in the boiler A and the mean
area of the various water levels which succeed each other in the vessel B
while the water is passing from it into the boiler A. And whereas the
maximum of the said volume of water is equal to half the volume y¹, yº,
y", y'; and when introduced into the boiler the said volume of water
reaches, instead of its previous height, ½, y', y, a new height, equal to
½ × y¹, y° × 1, that is, as many times smaller than 1 y', y°, or ½ Y, y,

page_text: as the whole mean area of the water level in the vessel B is smaller than
the whole area of the water level in the boiler A. Therefore the
maximum variation of the constant water level of a boiler fed by my
apparatus will be equal to L = 2 × y', y × =y', y', being equal
to half the height of the vessel B, and the greatest height of the
said vessel being 12 inches the maximum of 1 y', yº, is = 6 inches.
1 y¹, 3º,
x M
2 M
The maximum of the value M is for high-pressure boilers at least 5,
and for low-pressure boilers at least 20, considering that the whole area
of the water level in the vessel B, even when the said vessel is calculated
for the boiler of a 140 horse-power engine does not contain more than
51/2 square feet.
These figures representing the maximum of 2 y¹, Y°,
and the minimum of M being substituted for the last expression of L,
it will be found that the maximum variation of the constant water level
in a boiler of the largest size when fed by my apparatus will be as
follows: In a high-pressure boiler L=== inch, consequently
LLinch; in a low-pressure boiler L'=== inch, con-
1.20
sequently L'inch.
--
The establishment in the boiler A of a constant water level with such
insignificant variations, Land L', and its continued restriction within
the two levels y 1, y 1, and y, y, do not in any way depend upon the
rapidity of the consumption of steam in the boiler, but are an inevitable
result of a certain relation between the capacity of the vessel B, and
the greatest rapidity of steam production in a given boiler during a
certain number of revolutions of the main shaft of the steam engine
producing one complete revolution of the plug F.
It is therefore evident, first, that my improved fecd apparatus though
adapted for the largest boiler, will feed with the same mathematical
precision any smaller boiler, without requiring the least modification in
its construction.
Secondly, that provided my apparatus be made of a suitable size it a
will when placed alone amid several steam boilers of which the water
levels are all at the same height, feed all of them at once with the same
mathematical precision.
Thirdly, that the said apparatus does not require for its action in any
of the cases above specified any attendance, because the precision of a
the action of the apparatus is, as has been shewn above, an independent
and unavoidable consequence of its construction, it is, moreover, so

page_text: absolute that it can not be modified by any external influences or regu-
lations.
Fourthly, that consequently when the said apparatus is adopted for
feeding steam boilers the regular lubrication of the distributive element
F, g, and the quality of its construction will be the only things to be
attended to.
For the practical realization of the feeding as above described, it is
necessary that water should pass from the primary cistern into the
feed vessel B up to the cock k, and from this into the boiler in such
quantities as are necessary to bring both water levels to the same height
within the time that the water inlet e and the water outlet c stand
open. Further, the mean difference between the heights of bothı
water levels in the vessel B and in the boiler A, while the outlet c
stands open being given, and the maximum volume of the supply of
water which is to pass from the vessel B. through the outlet c into the
boiler A being determined, the exact realization of the aforesaid con-
dition (namely, that the supply of water required might pass from the
vessel B into the boiler A, while the outlet c remains open,) depends
solely upon the size of the said outlet c. In the present case when the
greatest supply of water which is to pass through the outlet c is equal
to Q, that is, to one-fourth part of the capacity of the vessel B, the
extent of the area of the outlet c is to be determined after the following*
formula for the flowing of liquids at the minimum height of the
column h
¼ Q = k 1 + c √2gh
The feed vessel B shown in the Drawing is calculated for the boiler of
a 140 horse-power steam engine. Consequently the fourth part of its
capacity Q corresponding to one half turn of the plug F, or to almost
half a minutes time must contain according to Weissbach's calcu
lation of the number of pounds of steam to one horse-pewer per
minute 5, 14 cubic feet of water, that is Q must be equal to
1 x 5, 14 = 1.285 cubic feet.
-
Further, the value and signification of the other characters in the
formula above cited, are as follows:- = 0,75, the practical co-efficient
of the flowing of liquids 1/2 t 7 seconds, that is, the time during which
the outlet c may be considered as open to the whole extent of its area,
for it takes 14 seconds to accomplish its gradual opening and closing;
c the area of the outlet in square feet g. 32,22 feet the acceleration of

page_text: outlet c. c=
1285
1956675
-
the force of gravity per second; and finally (as shewn in g 4) = ½ y¹ y°—
L-3, 33 = 12 inch = foot. Substituting these figures for the above
formula it will be found, that 1285 = 075 × 7. C 64,44 × . 1285
=5,25 C√12,888 = 5,25 × 3,727. C=19,56675 c, thence the area of the
0,0657 square foot = 946 square inches. Practi-
cally the area of c may be made somewhat greater. As to the area of
the water inlet e it is as follows:-When the special tank r with the
upwardly extending pipe E¹ is used, the minimum mean height of the
column of water in the tank r being as aforesaid 6 inches, the formula
above cited will give for the area of the inlet e =0,0148 square foot =
2,1312 square inches. When the downwardly extending pipe E with its
end dipping into the primary cistern is used, the flow of water from
that cistern into the feed vessel B depends upon the transformation of the
volume of steam contained therein into the water, by which means a nearly
empty space is formed in the immediate vicinity of the stream of water
which enters the vessel B. Therefore, the stream of water coming from
the primary cistern into the vessel B through the pipe E, being driven
from the said cistern by the pressure of the atmosphere and meeting but a
slight resistance in the vessel B from the condensing steam will flow with
much more rapidity than when the tank is used, consequently the
area of the inlet e may in this case be smaller than in the former
case.
Finally, with regard to the steam ways d and f, these ways being
intended for the passage of a fluid which flows with great velocity,
their size may be at least from 10 to 15 times smaller than that of the
outlet c. The adaptation of my feed apparatus to any existing steam
boiler is easily effected as nothing is required for that purpose but to
screw two pipes into the boiler, the water pipe C, and the steam pipe D.
Where there is limited space for the apparatus, as for instance in ships
of various kinds or on locomotives, I may give to the feed vessel B any
suitable shape, and then there will be no difficulty in finding space for
it, especially as the two main parts of the apparatus, namely the feed
vessel B, and the cock F, g, may be at will arranged nearer to or further
from each other or the steam boiler. In order to combine the aforesaid
facility of adaptation with the faculty of making use of either of the
two ways of feeding herein-before specified, the distributive part F, g,
ought to be made with two portions of the pipes, the downwardly ex-
tending pipe E, and the upwardly extending pipe E', as far as the flanges
.

page_text: m and n. When the feeding is intended to be produced by the pipe E
the pipe E¹ is not set up, and the hole o¹, o', are tightly closed by caps
fastened with screws to the flanges n¹; when on the contrary it is desired
to use the upwardly extending pipe E¹, then this pipe alone is set up
and the holes of the pipe E are closed with similar caps fastened with
screws to the flanges m. I prefer, however, to feed by the pipe E¹, not
only because it allows water at any temperature to be used and does not
require the previous filling of the vessel B by a hand pump, but also
because with it there is no danger from the air, which must never be
allowed to penetrate into the vessel B when the feeding takes place by
the pipe E, while the air which might enter the vessel B when fed by
the pipe E¹ will have no injurious effect upon the feeding. With regard
to the gearing for the transmission of the continuous motion to the plug
F, or to any other equivalent distributive device it will be obvious
that from the very insignificant mechanical power wanted for such
motion any rotating or otherwise moving part of the engine may be
employed. Supposing the force of the resistance of the cock barrel g to
the rotation of the plug F to equal 20 pounds (although it can never be
so great if only the lubrication is duly attended to) even then such
resistance will be when the plug F accomplishes one complete revolution
per minute as follows:-Let P= the resistance, then P=
× 20 pound
feet per second. In the present case that is (the apparatus being calcu-
lated for a 140 horse-power engine) = the mean radius of the plug F
is equal to = 1,8 inch =0,15 foot. Consequently the resistance is
cqual to P = 0,0157 pound foot per second, that is, not above one-
thousandth part of a horse-power. Such insignificant mechanical power
being required for the purpose of moving the plug F it is useless to
take it into consideration in the calculation of the steam power required
for feeding the boiler by the feed apparatus, especially when the plug F
is placed in a stuffing box and always properly lubricated.
1
2 Rr
60
As to the economy of steam for the feeding of a boiler by the said
apparatus it can be ascertained in the following manner :-In feeding
a boiler in the usual manner by a force pump in order to counteract the
resistance of the boiler to the introduction into it of a volume of water,
a volume of steam must be used on the piston of the steam cylinder,
which combined with the waste of power thereon and the waste of power
on the piston of the forcing pump is expressed in the following equation:
-Let q represent volume of water, and Q volume of steam, then 0,75 × 0,4*

page_text: Q=q, in which 0,75 represents the co-efficient of the maximum of
effective work of the steam piston, and 0,4 the co-efficient of the
maximum of effective work of the force pump. Consequently the use
of a force pump requires for the purpose of counteracting the resistance
of the boiler to the introduction of the volume of water a minimum
waste of steam equal to the volume, which gives Q=q×6=3,337 volumes.
To this waste steam another volume of steam is to be added to give the
necessary rapidity to the water introduced into the boiler.
From practical experience as well as scientific calculation it is known
that the waste of steam for the introduction into a boiler of a volume
of water, when the Giffard injector is used is still more considerable.
Therefore as to economy of power my feed apparatus which, as has been
seen, requires only a volume of steam in order to introduce into the
boiler a similar volume of water, will be more economical than any other
feed apparatus extant, even when the special tank should be used
which requires the use of a very small pump.
But the actual benefit in point of economy is trifling compared to the
great advantage which my apparatus possesses over all others of this
kind of feeding a boiler with perfect precision without requiring any
attendance or interference in its action. This advantage freeing the
engineer from the necessity of observing the water level of the boiler,
and allowing all kinds of test cocks, glass gauges, and safety whistles
to be dispensed with, is a preservative against the danger of explosion
in consequence of irregularity in the feeding of the boiler. On this
account the said feed apparatus will be a most important means of
preventing danger on ships where the difficulties of attendance and
the constant uncertainty increase with the number of boilers and feed
apparatus.
Another peculiar property of my apparatus, which enables it to
introduce into the boiler water at a boiling temperature, will prove
of great importance on ships where the water used for feeding a boiler is
usually so warm that the Giffard injector cannot be applied on that
account; besides the great difficulty which is encountered in the adapta-
tion of such injector to ships' boilers on account of the insufficiency of
one injector for the feeding of a very powerful boiler.
Besides the aforesaid advantages the constant maintenance of the
water level in a boiler fed by my apparatus will give without any

page_text: danger any danger the greatest extent of heating surface, and I realize
thereby a great economy in fuel.
Another practical advantage of this apparatus is that which arises
from the peculiarity whereby one apparatus calculated for the largest
boiler can without any modification therein feed the smallest boiler with
the same mathematical precision. Finally the absence in the apparatus
of valves and floats which are so easily deranged or obstructed is a
guarantee of its durability, safety, and certainty of action, such as no
other feed apparatus can offer.
Having thus fully described the said Invention I wish it understood
that I claim, an automatic feed water apparatus provided with the vessel
B, distributive element F, 9, and (if for feeding with warm or hot water)
the tank r constructed and combined together, and with the pipes and
connections and mechanism for operating the said distributive element,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jan Wozniakowski, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
JAN WOZNIAKOWSKI. (L.S.)