Improvements in and connected with Steam Boilers.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Steam Boilers.
I, ADOLF BACHNER of Warsaw, Russia, Mechanician 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 improved arrangements for steam boilers the object, amongst
others, being to provide means of protection against boiler explosions.
According to my invention when the quantity of water in the boiler is reduced to
or below the predetermined lowest water level or when the predetermined maximum
steam pressure is reached or exceeded, automatic action of the mechanism takes place
whereby the fire is damped or quenched and the feeding of the boiler is effected.
Upon the water in the boiler being reduced to or below the lowest water level, a
reservoir fixed outside the said boiler, and being in connection with the water space of
the same, empties itself and in consequence of this emptying either tilts over and
thereby opens a water supply leading to the furnace or by means of a float opens a
valve into which the steam enters in order, through the action of a piston, to open the
stop-cock of the water supply.
Upon any exceeding of the maximum steam pressure the safety valve of the boiler
is opened and the escaping steam acts upon two pistons, of which the one either
directly or indirectly, through the interposition of the over-balancing reservoir opens
the stop cock of the water supply leading to the furnace whilst the other opens the
stop cock of the water supply.
The invention is represented in the accompanying drawings by sectional end
views.
In Figure 1, A is a water reservoir which by means of a tube a is connected with a
hollow axle a of which the tube a² in connection therewith is upon the same level as
the lowest permissible water level in the boiler. The reservoir A which has an air
cock a³ is discharged by means of a counterweight at as hereafter described.
At the normal water level the reservoir A is filled with water from the boiler, being
forced into the reservoir by the steam pressure. The full reservoir A keeps the
weight a uplifted as shown in full lines in the drawing. When however the water
level in the boiler sinks to the mouth of the tube a², the water from the reservoir A
flows towards the boiler, and the said reservoir A as it becomes lighter rises whilst
the counterweight a falls. Hereupon by the rod or connection 6 fastened on to
reservoir A and the lever 6' provided with a counterweight, the cock in the pipe d is
opened, and the water contained in the reservoir flows through the connection pipe d
under the fireplace of the boiler, where it escapes through nozzles or jets, and damps
or quenches the fire.
When the reservoir A is in a lifted position it completes an electrical circuit by
means of a contact plate a affixed to the said reservoir and causes a signal to
be given at whatever place is fixed upon. Besides which a second signal is also
given through a steam whistle D, of which the cock e is opened by means of a
lever e¹ and a chain e², which is connected with the lever a carrying the weight a*.
The reservoir A is further connected by a chain f with a float, which is placed
in a vessel E, from which a tube g leads towards the boiler. The mouth of this
tube g in the boiler lies close over the line of the highest permissible water level,
therefore at a lower water level the steam enters into the tube g fills the vessel E and
is condensed. The float fiis connected with a lever f2 and by this means keeps a
cock closed. If now, the reservoir A is lifted, then by means of the chain the
float f¹ is raised and thereupon the stop cock f³ is opened, so that the steam from the
boiler in the case of the lowest water level can escape through the tube g, vessel E,
cock 8 and tube ft.

page_text: The flowing of the water from A is thus followed by the consequences that the fire
is damped, an electrical signal is given, a steam whistle is blown and an escape of
the steam from the boiler is effected.
In order to make the overbalancing of the reservoir A easier for the attendant on
the boiler the lever a is further provided at its end with a signal disc a. The
vessel E serves also as a water outlet when the highest water level' in the boiler is
exceeded. In this case the water in the boiler passes through the pipe g into the
vessel E, raises the float f¹, and this opens the stop cock 3 whereupon the water in E
escapes through f
Referring to Figure 2 the reservoir A situated outside the boiler is firmly connected
with the boiler by means of a tube a² and has inside it a float h at the upper end of
the rod of which latter there is formed a valve 'which closes an opening 2 when
the reservoir A is filled with water. The opening 2 is situated in a tube h³ which
opens into the cover of reservoir A and is connected with a tube h at the upper
end of which is a piston which acts by means of a lever on the stop cock cof
the water conduit d, the water as in Figure 1, escaping by jets or nozzles under the
furnace.
So long as the water level in the boiler has not sunk to the opening of the tube a²,
the reservoir A remains filled with water by the action of the steam pressure; and the
valve his closed. But if the water level sinks to the opening of a², the water
flows out of the reservoir A to the boiler, the float sinks, the opening 2 in the
tube is free and the steam from the boiler passes through a² A, h³ to h¹ and forces
the piston upwards, whereupon by means of the lever 6' the cock c is opened. In
consequence of this, water flows out of the reservoir B through pipe d and damps
the fire. From the pipe the steam passes also through a branch pipe 6 to the
steam whistle D, which is put in operation, and further through a tube h' to a
piston h which opens the cock i of the feed water supply, so that at the same time
the boiler is fed.
Upon the opening of the cock c a contact plate 62 attached to the lever 6¹ closes
the circuit of an electric current and thereby gives a signal at a chosen place. When
the water level in the boiler exceeds the highest permissible height, the water
passes, as in Figure 1 through a pipe g into the vessel E and raises the float f1
which in consequence thereof opens the valve f³ and the water then escapes through
the pipe f*.
Through the rising of the float f1 (by the interposition of the lever f³ and the
cock f) a steam whistle F is opened which is fed through the pipes m and m¹ from
the boiler. Upon the lifting of the float a contact plate attached to the lever f³ closes
an electric circuit and gives likewise a signal.
In order, upon the exceeding of the maximum steam pressure, to damp the fire and
feed the boiler the following arrangement is devised.
The safety valve H Figure 1 carries the weight G corresponding to the permissible
pressure. At a short distance over the upper end of the valve rod there is resting
upon the valve chamber also a small weight G¹. The safety valve closes two side
pipes and o of which o leads to a steam whistle K and the tube he leads to a
piston, which acts upon the lever a whilst a branch pipe h' from he, also as
in Figure 2, leads to a piston h³ which acts upon the cock i of the feed water
supply.
Now when the steam pressure exceeds the predetermined height, the valve H is so
far raised that it strikes with its rod against the weight G. The valve is then only
so far opened that steam can pass through o to the whistle K and blow the same.
If
however the steam pressure rises still higher so that the valve H also raises the
weight G¹ the valve H leaves also the opening leading to the tube h6 open and the
steam passes through 6 partly to the piston h5 and partly through the pipe ' to the
piston . The piston h³ presses the lever a downwards, whereupon the vessel A is
lifted and the water supply cock c is opened in the manner before described and the
fire is damped or quenched. The piston 8 opens the feed water cock i so that the
boiler is fed.

page_text: In Figure 2 the arrangement is the same, only here the piston / acts as already
mentioned directly upon the lever b¹ operating on the cock.
It is to be further remarked, that the whole of the pipes opening into the boiler
may be closed by cocks in order to be able to examine the working of the separate
contrivances from time to time.
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 :-
First. In steam boilers, the arrangement of apparatus by which when the quantity
of water becomes reduced to or below the minimum water level a reservoir A Figure 1
situated outside the boiler and in connection therewith is emptied, and in consequence
of this emptying is either overbalanced thereby opening the stop cock of a water
supply pipe to the furnace, or by means of a float Fig. 2 placed in the reservoir
opening a valve through which the steam from the boiler passes so that by acting
upon the piston h³ the stop cock c of the water supply is opened all substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Second. In steam boilers, the combination with apparatus and arrangements as
claimed in Claim 1 of a vessel E provided with float f¹ and valve f³ connected
by pipe g with the boiler at the point of the highest desired water level in order
to allow of the outflow of the water from the boiler upon exceeding the said
maximum water level all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. In steam boilers, the combination with apparatus and arrangements as
claimed in Claim 1, of the arrangement of apparatus whereby upon exceeding the
maximum permissible steam pressure the steam escaping from the safety valve acts
upon two pistons one of which either directly or indirectly (by means of the over-
balancing reservoir A) opens the stop cock c leading to the furnace whilst the other
piston opens the feed water supply cock i all substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
JT.... 1900
ADOLF
BACHNER.
By Brewer & Son,
Agents.