US2570961A

US2570961A - Boiler feed

Info

Publication number: US2570961A
Application number: US680047A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mcbride Delroy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-06-28
Filing date: 1946-06-28
Publication date: 1951-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-09

Description

Oct. 9, l1951 D. MCBRIDE 2,570,961

' v BOILER FEED Filed June 28,l 1946 3 Sheetsf-Sheet 1 D. MCBRIDE Oct. 9, 1951 BOILER FEED 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1946 D. MCBRIDE BoLER FEED Oct. 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 28, 1946 Patented ct. 9, 1951 FFICE BorLER FEED nen-oy McBride, Twin Fans, realm Application v.rune 2s, 194e, seria1No.'6so,047

This invention relates to a means for automatieally feeding water to steam boilers. An'object of this invention is to provide a positive means for Vautomatically maintaining a predetermined water level in a lboiler which will eliminate all forms of packing glands.'Y Y Another object of this invention isto provide a feeder for a boiler wherein the water enters the boiler after equalization of steam pressure in the feeding tank.

A-further object of this invention is to provide an improved feeding means including a feeding tankv connected to a source of water, and also connected to the boiler, the tank having float operated valve means whereby the steampressure inthe tank will be equalized in order that the water in the tank may gravitatingly flow into the boiler.

A further object of this invention isto provide a boiler feeding means of this kind which includes an electrically operated water supply valve which is actuated by oat means connected tothe vboiler so'that` the water level in the boiler can be maintained at a predetermined level.

Afurther object of this invention is to provide a feeding means of this kind which will operate on either high or low water pressures and either high or low steam pressures.

Withthe above and other objects in View, my

invention consists in the arrangement, combination'and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed Vout in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Wherein similar reference Vcharacters designate similar parts throughout the respective views,

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation, partly broken away and in perspective, of a boiler and boiler feeding means constructed according to arrembodiment of this invention, Y l

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through the boiler feeding structure showing the structure with the tank substantially empty, l Y

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Fi'gure`2,'s ho wing theftank full.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally a boiler of conventional construction which has a water glass V'I I indicating the heighth of water in the boiler.` The boiler Iii has Yextending from the top thereof a steam outlet I2 which has a valve I3 of conventional construction secured thereto. Y

7 Claims. (Cl. 137-7101) 2 a Vplatform or supporting member vI5 disposed above the Vlevel'of the'boiler I0. The feeding tank I4'has connected with the YbottomV thereof an outlet pipe I6 which is connected, as at I1, t0 the 4boiler '10. Thejpipe I6 is'inclined tothe horizontal 'so that the water rpassingthrough the pipe I6 will freely enterthe boiler I0. AY-rear- 'wardly closing check valve I8 is interposed in the pipe'l` and preferably a 'second check valve I9' is` also interposed'in the pipe vH5vr at a point closely adjacent the feeding tank I4.V

The tank Ill includes-a cylindrical horizontally disposed wall 2S having a head 2| secured -to one end thereof.V VA second-head 22fis secured to the opposite end'of the body 2l)A andv is'-formedf with a relatively large Vopening -23A which is closed-by a plate or head 24. The plate or head 24 is detachably secured to'the fixed head 22 by fastening me1nbers'25. The head 24 has rockably secured to the inner side thereof a lower float 26 which is carried -by a pivoted lever 21 Ypivotally secured as at 28 to the inner side of head'24.v Y

VAseeond or intermediateeoatZS is disposed in the'feeding tank I4, being fixed to an elongated leverY 3G which ispivotally secured as at -3I to the outer end portion-of a supporting barv 32 which is flxedrelativeto thehead 24. Athird'or upper float 33, carried by aisupporting lever 34 `is `disposedjaboveV the intermediate float 29y and is rockably mounted as at 35 on an inwardly projecting supporting bracket arm 36 -Xed to the inner Vside of head 24. The lever arm 30 of the intermediateoat 29 has projecting downwardly therefrom a foot member l31 which overlies the float 26 so that when thev tank I4 is being lled oatfZ will initially' cause upward movement of Yfloat 29 therewith. Y i

` In order to assistin the upward movement of the two iioats'26and 29, I'haveprovided'a balance lever 38-l pivotallyrmounted' as at- 39` on the inner portion of supporting arm `32".-v 'The balance arm V'38 is connected at itsl inner end by meansv of l'a link Mito the inner end portion of the float lever 30." The'rear end of thebalance leverAor armk 38 has a-weight 4I mounted thereonrandadapted to vbe lengthwisely adjusted to-provide the "necessary balancedn Sorder that the'twol floats 26 and-29 may freely rise with the flllirg'of the tank with water. l

In order to hold'the Vtwo lfloats -26`and 29 against upward movement 'until the tank I4 becomes substantially filled with water, I haveprovided alocking member i2v whichfis carriedby the pivot member 35 and is adapted, during the intial'fillng of lthe tank I4, to engage a,l roller 43 which is carried by an ear 44 fixed to the float arm or lever 39. The locking member 42 has a shoe 45 at its lower end which is adapted to engage the roller 43 during the initial filling of the tank so as to thereby lock the two floats and 29 against initial upward movement.

When the tank I4 becomes substantially filled with water, oat 33 will rise and a link 46 pivotally connected at one end to the oat arm 34 is also slidably connected to a pin 41 carried by the locking member 42 in order that when the oat 33 rises to a predetermined point, the locking member 42 will be swung upwardly and out of locking engagement with roller 43 so that float arm may freely rise under the buoyance of float 29.

The tank I4 has connected to the upper portion thereof a steam valve 48 which communicates with the interior of tank I4 and is connected by means of a pipe 49 to the boiler I0. The valve 48 includes a vertically ymovable valve plug lstem 5I) which, in the lowered position of the floats, is,` adapted to close the valve 48 against the entrance of steam in the upper portion of tank I4, The valve 48 is movedto an open position when tank I4.is substantially lled by means of vertically movableV slide rod 5I carried by a guide 52 .whichl is fixed to the bracket arm 35. The rod 5I is formed with` a right angularly disposed lower en'd5'3 which loosely engages in the slot 54 formed in the downwardly projecting ear 55.formed as 'anfintegral part to the float arm or lever 30.

The rod 5I has fixed on its upper end a slotted bar 56 within which thelower end of the valve stem `SITlOOSely-engages. 'In this manner the vertical movement Vof yrod under the rise or fall of the intermediate float 29 will cause vertical `movement of the valveV stem 50 to Veither open or close the valve Y43.

In order to provide for the exhaust of steam or vluid which may. be in the upper portion of -the ytank lfduring the `lling of the tank, I vhave provided .an exhaust valve 51 which is inteposedli'nlan exhaust ,pipe 58. The pipe V58 is :cennectedto.theupper.portion of tank I4 and the valve '511s norm'ally urged to an open position by means of a spring 59.v

A secondlarm 60 is .carried by the upper end portion of rod `5I and with whichthe stem IIl of thevalv'eY 51 is connected so that rwhen rod 5I is4 moved upwardly to aposition where the steam valve 48 `will be`v open, the exhaust valve 51 will .at this time be closed. This, will prevent the release .of .any steam .pressure on top of the water whiehjis in the tank f4 `during Vthe emptying of thetank ofV waterinto the boiler .,IU. The supporting bar or arm 32 has extending downwardly therefrom a stop memben 52hwhich-is adapted to be engaged by the lever arm39 when this arm fSjn its lowmost 99.5.1139@ il .seco-nd, stop lugulis carried by. the arm 3 2 .and is radapted to limit lthe upward movement ofthe loat arm 39 after this arm hasubeenrreleasedby movement of the locking member .42 under the ac tionof the Yrise of the upper vfloat 33,` A .supporting arm 64 extends upwardly-from the arm A32 and hag arightnangularly disposed stop member which-serves as a rest or stop to limit the downwardmovement of the upper float lever :or arm 34. When the lever arm 30 nrises after being released from the locking member 42, a second-locking 4member IiY whicheisv pivotally carried .by the float lever 30 -is adapted to engage aroller 61, The. roller :61 isfcarried Aby-an ear 68 fixed to the lower float lever arm 21 so that the intermediate valve operating float 29 will be prevented from closing the steam valve 48 and opening the exhaust valve 51 until the tank I4 has been substantially entirely emptied of water.

A stop member 69 is carried by the float arm 36 and extends downwardly therefrom so as to limit the downward swinging of the locking member 66 at the time the intermediate float 29 rises after being released from the locking member 42. The feeding tank I4 is connected to a supply tank 10 which is disposed above the feeding tank and which is connected by means of a pipe 1I to a source of water supply under pressure. A float operated valve 12 is interposed in the pipe 1 I, being actuated by means of a float 13 disposed in the tank 'ill for closing the valve 12 when tank 10 is substantially filled.

The tank l) is connected by means of a pipe 14 to the bottom of the feeding tank I4 and a check valve 15 is interposed in the pipe 14 for preventing flow of water under pressure from feeding tank I4 to supply tank 13. A manually operated valve 16 is also interposed in pipe 14 and a solenoid operated valve 11 is interposed in pipe 14 between manual valve 15 and check valve 15. The solenoid or electrically operated valve 11 is connected by means of a pair of conductors 18, 19, toV a float operated circuit maker and breaker v8i) of conventional construction which is connected by means of Ya pipe BI to the pipe 82 with which the gage glass Il is connected.4

The supply tank1 .also has connected v,thereto a pipe83 which is adapted vto be connected to the condenser for returning condensate from the elements associated with the boiler and receiving steam therefrom. In order to provide a means whereby water may be raised to the supplytank 19in the event the pressure in the supply line 1I fails, I have provided a second feeding member generally designated as Illa, which sidentical with the construction shown in Figures 2 and 3. The auxiliary low pressure member I'4a isdisposed below feeding member vI4 andis connected by means of a pipe 94 to a source of low .pressure Water supply. 'Live steam is supplied. to. the. .top of auxiliary feeding member 14a by means-,of a pipe d85 which is connected Yatone end tothe feeding member 14a and is connected attheother end .to steamY pipe Y49.

An exhaustlpipeV 86 is connectedtothe top .of the auxiliary tank [4a and the pipe 8B is connected with exhaust pipe 58. Pipe 86 isextended upwardly and horizontally as at `8'! and is then connected toa preheating .coil which is extended through. a boss 88carried by the supply tankfl and thenextended interiorly of tank 19. Areturn pipe 89 extends from the heating coil and returns the steam-tothe auxiliary or--lowpressure supply member I4a. A check valve SIL- is interposed .in the pipe .89 to prevent therlreturn flowof-steam fromfeeding member I4a throughfpipe .891:0 supply tank lll.v

In` the use and .operation of this feedingsunit or system, water from supply tank 19'is permitted to gravitatingly flow into feedingtank. I4 by oper1 ing of Vvalve 15. v The supplyof water however, will not flow into tank I4 Yuntil electric valve.11 has Ybeen moved toan open position. Whenthis electric valve is open, water from .tank 1li may flowv into tank I-4. As tank I 4 fills, oats 26 29 will be urged upwardly by their buoyancy and will be lockedagainst initialfupwardly movement by means of locking member 42 operatively connected to upper float 33. After the. tank..fI4 has the top of tank I4.a from steam line 85.

been substantially filled 'with water, oat 33 will rise moving locking member 42 to a released posiltion so that intermediate valve operating float 29 intermediate valve controlling float 29 will be' In this manner the steam valve 48 will be held open until the tank I4 has been substantially emptied of water.

When the oat 26 loses its buoyancy by the fall of water, roller 61 will be moved away from lower locking member 66 so that the valve operating float 29and lever arm 35 may drop downwardly to a position where the steam valve 48 is closed and the exhaust or vent valve 51 is opened. The tank I4 is then ready for the second filling operation which will continue in the event the boiler ID can receive the second or additional feeding tank full of water.

In the event the pressure of water in the supply line 'I I is substantially nil so that no water will flow from pipe Il into tank 10, water from a low pressure supply may be discharged into tank from low pressure supply line 34. 'The buoyant valve operating means in tank I4a, which is similar to the structure shown in tank I4, will when tank I4a is full, open the steam valve to tank I4a permitting live steam to enter This steam pressure will thereupon force the water in tank I4a through a pipe 9| which is connected at its lower end to tank I4a and at its upper end to tank 10. A check valve 92 is interposed in pipe 9| to prevent return flow of water from tank 'Hl to tank Ma.

With a feeding means for the boiler as hereinbefore described, the boiler is automatically fed with water when the boiler water drops to a predetermined point and this construction thereby eliminates any injection pump with the leaking glands which are associated with such pumps. This feeding means will prevent the water in the boiler from becoming completely exhausted so that there will not be any danger of burning of the boiler plate or exploding of the boiler due tol exhaustion of the water therein.

What I desire to claim is:

l. A water feeding means for a boiler comprising in combination a steam boiler, a feeding tank above said boiler, venting means for said feed tank, a steam pipe connecting said tank with said boiler, a water discharge pipe connecting said tank with said boiler, a check valve in said latter pipe, a valve interposed in said steam pipe, said latter valve including a stem projecting into said tank, buoyant means in said tank connected with said stem for opening said second valve when said tank is substantially filled and for closing said second valve when said tank is substantially empty, a water supply pipe conbuoyant means and said venting means for oprating said venting means simultaneously with and opposite to said valve in said steam pipe.

2. A Water feeding means for a boiler com prising in combination a steam boiler, a feeding tank ,above said boiler, a steam pipe connecting said tank with said boiler, a water discharge pipe` connecting said tank with said boiler, a check valve in said latter pipe, a valve interposed in said steam pipe, a water supply pipe vconnected to said tank, a check valve in said supply pipe,l

an electrically operated valve interposed in said supply pipe, buoyant circuit closing means connected with said latter valve and responsive to the water level in said boiler, an exhaust valve connected to said tank, buoyant operating means for said steam valve in said tank, and means connected with said latter buoyant operating means for opening said exhaust valve when said steam valve is closed, and for closing said-exhaust valve when said steam valve is open.

3. A water feeding means comprising a steam boiler, a water tank above said boiler, a steam pipe connecting said boiler with said tank, a water discharge pipe connecting said tank with said boiler, a check valve in said discharge pipe, a steam valve connected to said steam pipe and communicating with said tank, buoyant valve operating means in said tank connected tosaid steam valve and adapted to open said steam valve when said tank is-substantiallS7 lled and to close said steam valve when said tank is substantially empty, said buoyant means including means renl dering said buoyant means inactive unti1 said nected to' said tank, a check valve in said suptankhas been substantially filled, and said buoyant means also including means holding said valve-open until said tank has been substantially emptied, a vent valve communicating with said tank, an operative connection between said vent valve and said buoyant means for opening said vent valve when said tank is substantially empty and said steam valve is closed, means discharging water into said tank, a check valve in said last mentioned means, and regulating means for said latter means for regulating the discharge of water into said tank according to the water level in said boiler.

4. A water feeding means comprising a steam boiler, a water tank abovesaid boiler, a steam pipe connecting said boiler with said tank, a water discharge pipe connecting said tank with said boiler, a check valve in said discharge pipe, a water supply pipe connected to said tank, a check valve in said supply pipe, an electric valve interposed in said supply pipe, buoyant regulating means carried by said boiler and connected to said valve for effecting opening and closing of said valve according to the boiler water level, a steam valve carried by said tank connected to said steam pipe and including a stem projecting into said tank, a buoyant operator for said steam valve in said tank connected to said stem, said operator including means in said tank correlated with said operator for locking the latter against valve opening operation until said tank has been substantially iilled with water and vent means correlated with said operator for venting said tank when the latter is substantially empty and said steam valve is closed.

5. A water feeding means comprising a steam boiler, a water tank above said boiler, a steam pipe connecting said boiler with said tank, a water discharge pipe connecting said tank with said boiler, a check valve in said discharge pipe, a water supply pipe connected to said tank, a.