US1623243A - Steam-impelled motive apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April s, 1927.A

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STEAM IMPELLED MOTIVE APPARATUS Filed June 17 19251 Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES `CHARLES v. HAYNEs, 0F annivronn,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HOFFMAN SPEu CIALTY COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORIORA'IION 0F ILLINOIS.

STEAM-IMPELLED MOTIVI-3 APPARATUS.'

Application filed June 17,1925; Serial No. 37,603.

regulators for steam boilers, ot which the steam impelled motive member is usually a Hexible rubber `or metallic diaphragm eX-k tending across the bottom of a closed chamber and held in leakage-tight contact with thewalls ot the chamber. The embodiment of the present invention which I have illustrated in this specification has been designed more especially for use as a damper regulator, wherefore in the tollowingdetail de scription I shall gelierally refer to the apparatus as a` damper regulator, but without implying therebyany restriction in the protection which I claim, beyond that set forth `in the claims as construed with respect to the prior art. Furthermore, the `movable steam actuated part of the regulator herein shown is a rubber or metallic diaphragm; but I include within thescope ot the invention which I claim,iall equivalents for such a diaphragm.

The object ot the invention is to overcome theisluggishness ot regulators and equivalent apparatus ot the sort above referred to.` Such sluggishness is due to the fact that water of condensation` collectsfin the pressure chamber, and rests on the movable diaphragm; and that the volume and weight of the `water thus collecting may vary, being greater when the diaphragm is depressed than when the diaphragm is raised. The effect oit this condition with the regulators heretofore used is that, it' the regulator is moved when the steam pressure reaches a certain intensity, the subsequent accretions 'of water to the quantity resting on the diaphragm increase the resistance to the counter force which tends to return the diaphragm, so that the previous condition of the regulating apparatus will not be restored until the steam pressure has dropped to a point lower than the pressure which caused the initial displacement ot the diaphragm. This condition has been 4a serious drawback in connection with pressure operated damper regulatorsfor steam boilers, sincey it hasmade impossiblethe automatic yated member.

maintenance of a substantially uniform steam pressure. This drawback is especially serious withI heating systems ot the .so-called vaporz'heatingclass, which are designed to operatewith a working pressure of only a few ounces, because the pressure duc tothe accumulation of water in the circumstances above described bears a relatively large ratio to the pressure which'it is desired to main` tainA in the` boiler.

For reasons well understood in the art, it 1s necessaryor desirablein steam operated regulatorsot the sort with which this invention is concerned, to locate the diaphragm belowl the only connection or connections through which: water ot condensation can drain out of the pressure chamber, whereby a body otwater. resting on the diaphragm isalways maintained and an unavoidable continuing accumulation ot water, due to condensation of steam, takes place in the chamber after depression of the diaphragm. The problem which Il have solved by this invention has been to limit and control the accretions of water support-ed by the diaphragm, while at the same time retaining the desiredpresence of water over the diaphragm. My invention by which I have solved this problem `and accomplished the object above stated, comprises the use of ya displacer in connection with an internal pressure actuated member, in. aclosed steam chamber,` arrangedand acting to displace from the chamber, or prevent accumulations therein,a volume of water bearing a desired ratio to the displacement volume ot the pressure actuated member,v and permissibly equalto; or less than, or greater than, the displacementvolume ot said pressure actu- I will now describe the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed with f referencev to the drawings.

In th-efdrawings:

Figurel represents so much of a damper regulator for steam boilers as is necessary tor explanation; y `showing the pressure chamber in cross section and the movable parts in the position taken when the steam pressure` isbelow the pointat which it operates .the apparatus;

Fig.f2,is a similar view showing the condition of the apparatus after displacement by steam pressure; y

Fig. isa perspective view of the water displacer shown in the preceding figures.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

The numeral represents a suitable casing enclosing a chamber, across the lower part of which a flexible diaphragm 11 is placed. The diaphragm may be made wholly or partly of vulcanized rubber composition, or of any other material or structure suitable for the purpose. lt is` secured at its periphery to the casing by a bottom head or wall 12, being gripped between llanges 13 and 14: on the casing and head respectively, which flanges are fastened together by bolts 15. A perforated rigid plate 1G is mounted over the diaphragn'i, substantially as shown, to protect the diaphragm. A head 17, having a substantial area, bears on the under side of the diaphragm and is formed with a stem 18 projecting through the casing head or wall 12 and bearing on an arm 19 pivoted at 2O to a plate or holder 21 which is secured to t-he wall 12 in a manner permitting an angular adjustment about the axis of the chamber. There is secured to the arm 19, in a manner permitting it to be adjusted endwise, a bar 22 on which is mounted a weight 23 which is adjustable lengthwise of the bar. The bar is provided to transmit motion from the diaphragm to the dampers or other draft controlling means of a steam boiler, and typifies any means which may be operated or controlled by movements on the diaphragm. The. weight 28 typiiies means for applying a counter force to the diaphragm in opposition to the steam pre-ssure, and also typifies means for regulating or determining the steam pressure which will cause the diaphragm to be displaced.

As thus far described, the apparatus is substantially like damper regulators heretofore used, and may be understood as connected in any usual way with regulating dampers or valves.

F rom the side of the casing I() there eX- tends a boss 24; to receive a pipe leading from the boiler or other source of steam pressure, such boss and pipe being large enough to conduct steam to the regulator without sensible drop in pressure. The steam entrance to the chamber, however, is through a gateway 25 at the desired height above the uppermost position of the diaphragm. This gateway is also the drainage outlet for return of water o1 condensation to the boiler connection. The piping between the regulator and the boiler is, in part at least, lower than the bottom of the gateway 25 at all points in the length oit' such piping, whereby said gateway establishes the maximum height to which water may rise in the pressure chamber.

lVhen the apparatus is in operationy it is in open connection with the boiler, and the condensation ol1 steam inthe chamber maintains a body of water above the diaphragm up to the level thus limited.

It will be readily apparent by comparison ot' Figures 1 and 2 that when the diaphragm is displaced downward, it substantially enlarges the volume ci: the chamber below the level of the gate 25. Such enlargement I will call the Ydisplacement volume of the diaphragn'i. lVhen the diaphragms ot regulaters as heretofore used remain displaced in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, toi' any considerable length of time, continuing steam condensation adds to the water body, and it the condition exists long enough, the accumulating water may rise to the level oit the gate, thus adding to the water on the diaphragm a further quantity equal to the 'total displacement volume of the diaphragm.

rlhe weight of this additional volume ot' water must be lifted by the counter force of the weight 23 in again raising the diaphragm after the boiler pressure has subsided; and it delaysv the raising of the diaphragm until the boiler pressure has subsided by an amount equal to the weight (per unit oi area ot the diaphragm) ot',the additional water.

"he means by which I prevent such increase of weight on the diaphragm, comprises a displacer 26 which, as shown here, is provided with or connected to a central stem 2T resting on the diaphragm and guided below by a central hole in the plate 16, and guided above the displacer by a guideway 28 in the top wall of the casing. The displacer is thus caused to descend and rise by and with the diaphragm and to the same extent. In the present illustration the displacer is a disk made as a metal casting having an impervious bottom and a rising peripheral lip 29, and its dimensions are of such value that its geometrical or space volume, by which I mean the volume included between the lower side of its bottom, the outer surface of said lip, and the plane in which the upper edge of said lip lies, bears the desired ratio to the displacement volume or' the diaphragm; being preferably substantially equal to such displacement volume, although it may be greater or less in any desired measure. In the preferred construction the solid material ot the displacer is made relatively thin` in order that its weight may not be excessive, and in the space surrounded by the lip 29 are ribs which stili'en the structure and leave p ckets in which water may collect by condensation or bv overl'low when the displacer is lowered. Und r the conditions o i'' use the displacer is a member having a constant volume and weight.

The displacer is so related to the diaphragm that, when the diaphragm is fully 'aised, the bottom of the displacer is at the level of the bottom of the gateway 25, that is, at the maximum height to which water may be contained in the chamber. Then as the diaphragm descends, the'displacer occupies part of the space below such maximum water-level, reducing the volume of such space in its upper part at the same time that thespace is enlarged at the lower part, and in substantially equal measure. y

' It is to he understood that the weight 23 will be adjusted to counter balancew the weight of the diaphragm, displacer4 and accumulated water, plus any steam pressure lower than. that at which the apparatus is designed to operate. After displacement `of the diaphragm, by steam pressure above the predetermined degree, the dead weight of diaphragm, displacer and water supported by the diaphragm remain substantially the same as before; that is, when the displacer volume is substantially equal to the displacement `volume ot' the diaphragmA` and there is no opportunity for more water to collect and increase the dead weight on the diaphragm. Thus the regula-tor is equally sensitive in responding to a decreasing pressure condition, after having been displaced, as to an increasing pressure condition.

In order to make the displacer somewhat heavier than the water which it displaces, but not much heavier, I have constructed it as a shell of material heavier than water and suitably formed to hold water, but with its structural material comprising vonly a relatively small part of its total space or displacement volume; at the .same time making it rigid enough to meet the conditions of use. Equality or excess of weight in the displacer,` as compared with the weight of the displaced or excluded water, has the practical utility of causing the displacer to descend with the diaphragm by gravity and avoiding need of any draft connection with the diaphragm. It will be noted that ample space for passage of steam is lelt between the periphery of the displacer and the walls of the chamber. whereby the steam pressure acts equally on both sides of the displacer.

The same invention, operating according to the principles above described, may be also applied to the purpose of causingl a gradual closing of the dampers with an 1ncreasing steam pressure, and a gradual opening oi' the dampers again; or oi? causing a partialv rather than a complete closing of the dampers when the pressure reaches a certain height. This eliect may be produced by making the displacer with a larger volume than the displacement volume ot the diaphragm, and so shaping the displacer that, as it descends, it forces some of the Water out of the chamber and thus reduces theA dead 'weight onthe diaphragm, causing the diaphragm to be `arrested .before reaching `the end 'et its possible rangeot' movement. On the other hand, 'by making. the displacer of less .sure chamber having a steam connection,

a downwardly 'movable member closing said chamber below said steam connection, yieldable means constantly tending to move said member upward, and a displacer movable across the levelforl said steam connection in unison with movements of the aforesaid movable` member.

2. A steam impelled motive apparatus comprising a steam chamber having at its bottom a movable diaphragm and having a lateral opening arranged to establish a maximum level to which waterk accumulating on the diaphragm may rise, and a vdisplacer movable upward and downward in unison with t-he diaphragm and arranged to occupy an increasingly large part of the water containable space in the chamber in consequence ot its downward movement.

3. A steam impelled motive apparatus comprising a steam chamber' having at its bottom a downwardly and upwardly movable diaphragm,` said chamber having an opening at a level above the diaphragm through which accumulated water of condensation may escape, and by which the upper limit of the water containing space in the chamber is established, means arranged to exert on the diaphragm an upward force counter' to the steam pressure and a displacer in the chamber arranged and operating to move, in unison with the diaphragm, across the said upper limit.

4Q A steam impelled lnotive apparatus comprising a steam chamber having at its bottoml'a downwardl and upwardly movable diaphragm, said chamber having an opening at a level above the Idiaphragm through which accumulated water of condensation may escape, and by which'the upper limit ofthe water containing space in the chamber is established, means arranged to exert on the diaphragm an upward force counter' to the steam pressure, and a displacer in the chamber arranged and operating to move, in unison with the diaphragm, across the said upper limit, the volume of that part of the displacer which so moves across said upper limit bearing a predetermined relation to the displace.- mentvolume of the diaphragm.. u

5: A steam impellfe-d motive apparatus comprising a steam chamber having at its bottoni a` downwardly and upwardly movable diaphragm, said chamber having an opening at a level above the diaphragm through which accumulated Water of condensation may escape, and by which the upper limit of the water containing space in the chamber is established, means arrangedto exert on the diaphragm an upward force counter to thel steam pressure, and a displacer in the chamber arranged and. operating to move, in unison with the diaphragm, across the said upper limit, that portion of saidy dispel-acer which so movesv across said upper limit being sub- Lema/is stantially equal in volume to the displace,- ment' volume of the diaphragm.

6. The combination With a steam chamber having a. diaphragm at its bottom of a displacer movable in unison with said diaphragm and disposed to! limit accumulation of water of condensation on said' diaphragm.

7. The combination with a diaphragm in a steam impelled motive apparatus, of a displacer comprising a shell of solid material having provisions 'for holding water,

the volume of said displacer, including the Water content thereof, being substantially equal to the displacement volume oi the diaphragm.

In testimony whereof l have ailixed my signature.

CHARLES Y. HAYNES..

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