US11433A - Feed-water - Google Patents

Description

A'rnNiT onirica.

FEED-WATER APPARATUS FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

\ Specilcation of Letters Patent No. 11,433," dated .August 1, 1854,

To all whom z'z may concern.' ,c

Be it known that I, BnNJAMiN F. BEE, of Harwich, in the county of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus or Machine for` Supplying Steam-Boilers with Water, to which Ihave given the title of Hydrotant; and` I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the` annexed drawings,

making which-- c `Figure l is a `plan view;` Fig. 2, aifront elevation; Figz, an end elevation; Fig. 4, aL front elevation `of the table or slide upon which Fig. 2, is bolted.

A represents the outer surface of the a` part i of this specification, in

boiler to which the machine is to be aiiiXed.

\ B is the bedpiece of the machine, bolted upon the above named surface, with an obi long, vertical, opening, communicating with the boiler and the space a, in which the steamvalve C stands, and through the port c, with the space contained within the chest of the hydrotant. b bare flanges upon either side of this bed, which are embraced by `angular lflanges Z cl, extending from the table.

1 T is the table, sliding vertically upon the bed, being held in steam tight contact with the same by the set screw e e e.

E is the chest, bolted upon thetable containing the valves, stem, connections, &c.

D is the water valve, lying horizontally with its ports communicating respectively with the top, and bottom, of the air chamber.

F is a `vertical section of the air chamber, pipes, &c.

G is the valve stem.

H is the fingers, or clutch, which being pinned upon the stem, transmits `its motion l, to the valves C,\D, by the projections i i t', intruding into the spaces cast in the valves.

I` `is a `rocking shaft, to which a reciproeating, intermittent, motion being given by suitable connection with some prime mover,

; the like motion is communicated by means ciples and practice, of its operation.

The machine being confined substantially upon the boiler, at a proper height in reff erence to the waterline, (thisbeing shown in Fig. 3, L being the water line, or level, at which the present hydrotant might be 'supposed to retain the water, in a boiler of one horsepower,) `the pipe P being `duly connected with the tank or reservoir; which may be placed at any height above the level of the air chamber; water will flow into the air chamber, and compress the air contained therein, and stand at about c. Suppose now the rocking shaft, lever, be in the position represented in the drawings.` There will then be free communication betweenthe boiler, and chest` of the hydrotant, for the to and fro passage of water and steam; and as the water valve D is closed and held tight upon its seat by the pressure of the steam, no steam 'can escape from the chest into the air chamber, or water pass from the chamber into the chest. It is plain that an equilibrium of steam and water will immediately take place in the boiler and chest, and if previous circumstances had caused the water to stand at L `in, the-boiler, the same level will continue through the passages and parts of the hydrotant. At the next change oftheshaft, lever, &c., the state of the valves will be reversed. The steam valveC, will close the port c, and exclude all communication be* tween the boiler and chest. The same motion `causes the valve D, to open the ports leading to the air chamber. `Itwill be seen stem, valves, `ac.,

by an inspection of the drawings `that the port m/Figz 2, is continued upward above i the probable height of the `water in air chamber; alsothat the port` n, is continued downward by its coincidence withgthe space 0, in valve l). Now whatever steam the chest contained atthe instant of change invalves,

Vwill naturally seek the highest outlet, z', e,

the port mfand mingle with the air at the top of the chamber. The water on `the contrary will seek t-he lowest course, through the port a, and having no counteracting in-` uence,

the passage to the boiler when we shall End the water in the chest, as much higherthan will completely fill thechest. The `next change closes the `water ports and opens water from the tank, and so on. Now if the consumption of water in the boiler be suspended, and the interchange of the valves be continued; thequantityof water introduced at each feed will lessen continually, until the level of the water in boiler, arrives at the upper surface of the chest, when it will be nothing, and the supply will cease. And Vice versa, should the consumption of wat-er be disproportionately great, the supply will continue to augment, until the entire content of the chest is delivered at each feed; which content is calculated to be such as amply to defray all reasonable expenditures, and leave a surplus for eXi-l gencies.

Thus far we have considered the operation of the hydrotant as maintainingl the height of the water at a particular point; but itis not infrequently the case that for various reasons, we may wish to vary this height. To effect this the table T, is made movable upon the bed piece B. A few turns of the screw S, 'causes this table to rise or fall acording to the direction, thus causing the chest with all its attachments to rise or fall, thus varying within certain limits the height at which the water will be sustained.

`ln ordinary cases where thepipe leading from the reservoir to the chamber is of suflicient length, its flexibility will accommodate this rise and fall; when this flexibility is wanting, the pipe P, is rendered smooth and true, and surrounded with the boX and p acking p, through which it may move watertight.

Experience has shown that the rocking shaft, and consequently the valves, should make about twenty double changes or strokes per minute; and as small a portionof the time as possible, should be consumed in making these changes, that the water may have the more time in which to perform its evolutions. v

By the compression of the air in the air chamber (F) as specified, much unnecessary frictionl is Ataken o from the slide valve (D), by reason of the counteracting pressure, on a portion of its area, (when the valve i's closed against the admission of water) to the steam in the chest (E) acting upon the opposite side of the valve; but the greatest importance of the compressed air and water vessel (F) is that, in connection with the steam being admitted by pipe uninterruptedly and clear through and above the water therein when the valve (D) opens to pass water to the chest (E), an immediate and forcible ydischarge of water takes place into the chest and a sufficiency of supply is insured therein however rapidly the valve may be run, by reason of the compressed air above the water inthe vessel assisting the discharge in addition to the force of the steam acting on the water. This immediate and certain supply would not be insured were the steam to be allowed to nd its way through the water itself or were the discharge of the water solely dependent upon the pressure of steam above the water in the supply vessel (F), as some time must necessarily elapse before the steam nds its way above the water in the supply vessel (F) and before the steam in the valve chest (E) and in the space above the water in the supply vessel (F) arrive at the same elastic force or pressure, to permit of the water being passed into the chest, by reason of the cooling effect on the steam which the water in the supply vessel (F) exerts as compared with the temperature and elastic force or pressure of the steam in the valve chest (E) The constant supply of compressed air which is maintained in the supply vessel F, it is obvious, quickens the escape of water into the chest and neutralizes the tardiness naturally consequent upon the flow of the steam into the supply vessel above the water and the difference of pressure of the steam which, for a time, must unavoidably exist i nE he supply vessel (F) and valve chest l do not claim of themselves, as new in boiler feeders, a water chest and slide valve operating in connection with a water supply vessel and arranged so as to be self regulating in keeping up a proper level of water in the boiler; nor yet do I claim as new, causing the steam from the boiler to act, by pipe conveying it thereto, upon the surface of the water in the supply vessel to facilitate the discharge of water therefrom to the boiler. But

I do claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters 'Patentl. The arrangement herein specied of the double slide valve (C and D) water chest (E) and steam and water passages (m vn o and c) with the water supply vessel (F) when the said supply vessel is made to form a compressed air receptacle by the immersion of the supply pipe (P) below the top surface of the water therein, or the compression of the air in the supply vessel beingV otherwise equivalently produced, and so that, a strong atmospheric pressure is brought to bear upon the surface of the water to serve, conjointly with the steam passing from the water chest through pipe into the compressed air receptacle, to establish that necessary equilibrium of pressure above and below the water in the supply vessel to produce a flow, and whereby the effect by condensation or cooling of the steam entering the supply vessel is neutralized and a more m- Water will be sustained, by raising and mediate and certain dlsoharge of Water into lowering the chest (E) Aand its attachments.

the chest insured, as herein set forth; the BENJAMIN F. BEE. Whole being constructed and operating sub- Witnesses: i 5 stantially s specified. FRANCIS CARR,

2. And I further claim the method herein B. F. LEONARD.

` described of varying the height at which the

Images