Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Heating of Water- heaters or Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1395-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Heating of Water-
heaters or Boilers.
1, MICHAEL MARY BROPHY, of the Firm of James Slater and Company, of
The Holborn Engineering Works, 251 High Holborn, in the County of London,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically regulating the heating of
water-heaters or boilers, for instance, by controlling the supply of heating steam or
gas or by operating a flue damper or valve; and according to my invention I make
use of the variations in the bulk of a body of water at different temperatures for
controlling the apparatus.
In a suitable form of apparatus for carrying out my invention I provide a vessel
for containing the said body of water, the said vessel having passing therethrough
circulating pipes opening at each end into a chamber one of which is connected by
flow and return pipes to the vessel containing the water to be heated and
preferably to the lower part of the vessel, the said vessel being any suitable
form of water-heater adapted to be heated by live or exhaust steam, or by gas, or
other fuel.
The vessel containing the regulating body of water is in connection with a
chamber in which is arranged a plunger or piston adapted to be operated in one
direction by the pressure due to the expansion of the water when heated and in the
other direction by a spring or weight when the water contracts when cooled, the
said piston being connected to a valve in a steam or gas pipe connected with
the water-heater or to a damper or valve in a furnace flue. An india-rubber
covering is advantageously provided, enveloping the end of the plunger and a
projecting bushing in which it slides, so as to prevent any leakage. By this
construction so long as the water in the lower part of the water-heater and in the
circulating pipes of the regulating vessel is cool, the water in the said vessel will
also be cool, thus allowing the plunger to be pressed in by its spring and maintain
the steam or gas valve or damper open, whereby the water in the heater becomes
gradually heated. When the heated water commences to circulate through the
tubes in the regulating vessel it imparts heat to the water therein and causes it to
expand, thereby moving the piston against the pressure of its spring or weight and
causing it to close the steam or gas valve or damper. When the water in the
heater again becomes cool or if any water be drawn therefrom and cold water takes
its place the apparatus again acts as described.
In order that after the expansion of the water in the regulating vessel has closed
the steam or gas valve or damper any further expansion of the water may take
place without putting an excessive strain upon the said vessel, I provide a
cylinder into which such expansion can take place, a spring-piston yielding to the
same. If, however, the limit of movement of the said piston is not sufficient I
arrange a spring safety valve in the said piston adapted to open and allow the
surplus water to escape.
My apparatus is well adapted for supplying live steam to heaters heated by
exhaust steam, the apparatus only coming into operation when the exhaust steam
is not available.
Dated th: 101 J
1004
lנון
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Heating of Water-
heaters or Boilers.
I, MICHAEL MARY BROPHY, of the Firm of James Slater and Company,
The Holborn Engineering Works, 251, High Holborn, in the County of Londou,
Engineers, 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 apparatus for automatically regulating the heating of
water-heaters or boilers, for instance, by controlling the supply of heating steam or
gas or by operating a flue damper or valve; and according to my invention I make
use of the variations in the bulk of a body of water at different temperatures for
controlling the apparatus.
In a suitable form of apparatus for carrying out my invention I provide a vessel
for containing the said body of water, the said vessel having passing through it
circulating pipes opening at each end into a chamber one of which is connected by
flow and return pipes to the vessel containing the water to be heated and
preferably to the lower part of the vessel, the said vessel being any suitable
form of water-heater adapted to be heated by live or exhaust steam, or by gas, or
other fuel.
The vessel containing the regulating body of water is in connection with a
chamber in which is arranged a plunger or piston adapted to be operated in one
direction by the pressure due to the expansion of the water when heated and in the
other direction by a spring or weight as the water contracts when cooling, the said
pluuger being connected to a valve in a steam or gas pipe connected with the
water-beater or to a damper or valve in a furnace flue. An india-rubber or other
suitable covering is advantageously provided, surrounding the plunger and a
projecting bushing in which it slides so as to prevent any leakage.
In order that after the expansion of the water in the regulating vessel has closed
the steam or gas valve or damper any further expansion of the water may take
place without putting an excessive strain upon the said vessel, ! provide a cylinder
into which such expansion can take place, a spring-piston yielding to the same,
or I may arrange the main plunger or piston to be capable of additional movement
without reopening the steam or gas valve or damper. If, however, the limit of
movement of the said pistons is not sufficient
arrange a spring-safety valve
adapted to open and allow the surplus water to escape.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of apparatus constructed according to my.
invention for automatically regulating the heating of water-heaters or boilers:
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Figure 1 :
Figure 3 as a view of a detail.
a is the vessel for containing the body of water the variations in the bulk of
which at different temperatures serve to regulate the heating of a water-heater or
boiler (not shewn) the said vessel being advantageously formed cylindrical with
closed ends b, b. c, c are the circulating pipes passing through the vessel a and
secured in the ends b, b, and d, e are the chambers at the ends of the vessel a with
which the respective ends of the pipes c, e are in communication. f, g are the flow
and return pipes with which the chamber e is connected to the vessel containing
the water to be heated, the said chamber being divided into two compartments h, i by
a division wall to which compartments the pipes f, y are respectively connected so
that the water in the water-heater can flow through the pipe into the compart-
ment, through the pipes c, c (in communication with such compartment) into the

page_text: chamber d, back through the remaining pipes c, c into the compartment i and thence-
through the pipe g to the water-heater.
kis the chamber in connection with and forming part of the vessel a in which is.
arranged the plunger or piston adapted to be operated in one direction by the
pressure due to the expansion of the water in the vessel a and chamber k, when.
heated. m is the spring for operating the plunger or piston in the opposite-
direction as the water contracts when cooling.
n is the steam or gas valve (or a damper or valve in a furnace flue may be
employed) the handle o of which is connected to the plunger or piston by a bush
or guide p pivoted to the rod of the said plunger, the said valve (or damper)
serving when operated by the plunger to regulate the heating of the water in the.
water-heater.
9 is the bushing in which the plunger I slides and r is the india-rubber or other
covering surrounding the said bushing and plunger to form a tight joint between.
them to prevent the escape of any of the water in the vessel a. By this con-
struction so long as the water in the lower part of the water-heater and in the
circulating pipes c, e of the regulating vessel a is cool, the water in the said vessel
will also be cool, thus allowing the plunger to be pressed in by its spring m (or
weight) and maintain the steam or gas valve n (or damper) open, whereby the
water in the heater becomes gradually heated. When the heated water commences.
to circulate through the pipes c, c in the regulating vessel a it imparts heat to the
water therein and causes it to expand, thereby moving the plunger against the
pressure of its spring m (or weight) and causing it to close the steam or gas valve ⟫
(or damper). When the water in the heater again becomes cool or if any water be
drawn therefrom and cold water takes its place the apparatus again acts as
described.
The valve n advantageously consists of a cylinder 8, Figure 3, forming the valve
proper connected to the handle o and turning within a cylindrical casing t, the said
cylinder s and casing t being provided with ports s', ' respectively which when in
coincidence allow the steam or gas to pass to the water-heater. This construction
of valve allows of movement of the plunger or piston due to any further
expansion of the water in the vessel a after the steain or gas is cut off thereby
preventing any excessive strain upon the said vessel.
u is the spring safety-valve I employ in case the limit of movement of the
plunger is reached before the water in the vessel has finished expanding, the said
valve then opening and allowing the surplus water to escape. This safety-valve
also enables the apparatus to be set to the normal temperature of the building
wherein the apparatus is fixed. For instance, if the said plunger be in its normal
position when the water in the vessel a is at 60° Fahrenheit and the apparatus be
fixed in a building the normal temperature of which is 70° Fahrenheit the water in
the vessel a will consequently have its temperature increased and be caused to expand
thereby forcing out the plunger l. By lifting up the valve u (a hole u being
provided for the insertion of a suitable tool for this purpose) the surplus water will
then escape allowing the plunger l under the pressure of the spring m to go back
to its normal position. If, however, the apparatus be fixed in a building the
temperature of which is 50° Fahrenheit the water in the vessel a will contract; the
valve u must then be lifted and water poured in to fill the vessel a.
My apparatus is well adapted for supplying live steam to heaters heated by
exhaust steam, the apparatus only coming into operation when the exhaust steam
is not available.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said iaven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what i
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for automatically regulating the heating of water-heaters or boilers,
in which the variations in the bulk of a body of water at different temperatures are
made use of substantially as described.

page_text: 2. Apparatus for automatically regulating the heating of water-heaters or boilers
comprising a vessel containing a body of water and having pipes passing through
it for the circulation of the water from the said water-heater or boiler, and a plunger
or piston adapted to be operated in one direction by the pressure due to the
expansion of the water in the vessel when heated and in the other direction by a
spring or its equivalent when the said water contracts, the said plunger being
connected to a valve in a steam or gas pipe connected with the water-heater or
boiler or to a damper or valve in a furnace flue, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind described in the preceding claiming clauses the
employment of a gas or steam valve in connection with the water-heater or boiler
to be heated, so constructed that when the supply of gas or steam is shut off the
valve can still be moved by the plunger or piston under any further expansion of
the water in the apparatus, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus of the kind described in the preceding claiming clauses the
employment of a safety valve substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore
described.
•
5. The manufacture and use of the apparatus for automatically regulating the
heating of water-heaters or boilers herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of July 1895
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.