US329176A

US329176A - Low-water alarm

Info

Publication number: US329176A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1902-10-27

Description

(No Model.) KENYON.

LOW WATER ALAR No. 329,176. Patented 001;. 27, 1885.

lhvrrnn Snares JOHN W. KENYON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE H. CLARKE Parana tirrinn,

OF MONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

LOW WATER ALARM.

SlEEQIS-PICAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,176, dated October 27, 1885 Application filed March 28, 1885. Serial No. 160,480. (No model.) Patented in England April 27, 1882, No. 1,085; in Franco March 21, 1884, No. 161,095, and in Belgium March 22, 1884, No. 64,600.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN WV. KENYON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Low-Water Alarms, (for which I have obtained patents in Great Brit ain, No. 1,985, dated April 27 1882 5 in France, No. 161,095, dated March 21, 1884, and in Bel- IO gium, No. 64,600, dated March 22, 1884,) of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to low-water alarms, and embraces the principles of operation found in the apparatus patented to me under I5 United States Letters Patent N 0. 176,318, dated April 18, 1876viz., utilizing as a weight to actuate a valve which connects the steanrspace of the boiler with a steam-whistle some of the water in the boiler by retaining it in a vessel which is suspended from the valve when the water falls below its workinglevel; and this invent-ion has for its object to improve the construction and operation of such low-water alarms. The water-holding vessel, constituting the actuating-weight, is suspended from a rod which passes up through the standard or stem of the steam-whistle, and is so located within the boiler as to occupy a position between the ordinary workinglevel 0 and low level surfaces of the water. The whistleis secured in the top of the boiler, and is provided with avalve-seat at its lower end, into which fits a valve formed on the rod passing up through the whistle. An adjust- 3 5 able spring is placed on the rod above the whistle and adj ust-ed to sustain the watervessel when empty and hold the valve closed. A cover adapted to be locked, if desired, is

placed over the whistle, and the valve-rod 0 projects through the top of the same, so that it may be pressed down by hand to admit of testing the apparatus to ascertain whether it is in proper working condition.

hen the water in the boiler is at its ordi- 5 nary working-level, or above the top of the vessel suspended from the valve rod, the spring on the rod above the whistle holds the valve closed, the pressure of the steam in the boiler also assisting in producing this result.

As soon as the water-level falls below the top of the vessel sufficiently for the weight of the water contained therein to overcome the resistance of the spring and the steam-pressure against the valve, the valve is opened and the escaping steam passes through the whistle, generally in puifs, indicating that the surface of the water is approaching the low level, and the dead-weight of the water in the vessel holds the valve continually open when the low-water level is reached, and the whistle continues to sound until the water in the boiler rises sufliciently to counteract the dead- Weight of the water in the suspended vessel. But to describe my invention more particularly, I will now refer to the accompanying 65 drawing, forming part of this specification, in which a represents the upper part of the shell of a boiler, into which is secured, by means of a screw-thread, the lower part or base, b, or"

the steanrwhistle. In this part b of the whistle is secured the upper part, c, with a central stem, on which is secured the hell (I in the ordinary manner. A vertical central hole is formed entirely through the whistle, through which passes the rod 6, provided at its lower end with a conical valve, e, adapted to close the lower end of the vertical hole through the whistle by fitting into a seat, I), secured to or formed in the part Z2. To an eye at the lower end of the rod e is suspended the hollow vessel f, made light, of a suitable metal, by the spinning process or otherwise, by means of the rod 9 and yoke g, at its upper end, its lower end being screw-threaded for a considerable distance and passed through the center 8 5 'ofthe vessel f, which is secured thereto by nuts and adjusted at the proper height between the working-levol and low levelof the water. The supporting spring 7' is placed over the upper end of the rod 6 and rests on the top of the bell d of the whistle, and a thumb-nut, i, fits on the rod 6 over the spring h, and is so adjusted that the resilience of the spring h is sufficient to sustain the rods 0 and g and hollow vessel f when empty and hold the valve 6 tightly in its seat b. A pin, 0, is

fitted in the stem of the part c of the whistle, and passes through a slot in the rod 0, thus preventing the rod 6 from rotating when the nut 43 is turned around, and from falling out of the whistle when the nut is entirely removed. The extreme upper end, 6 of the rod 6 is reduced in size, and passes freely through a hole in the top of the cover j, which cover is secured by means of a screw-thread to the base I) of the whistle, and is provided with a series of slots or openings to permit the free escape of the steam when the whistleis actuated. This cover j protects the whistle and prevents tampering with the working parts of the apparatus, to insure which it may be secured from unscrewing by passing the hasp of a suitable look through the hole j, formed through its lower edge, and the base I) of the whistle.

The object of making the rod 6 to project through the protecting-cover j is to enable the valve 6 to be opened at any time, without removing anypart of the apparatus, to determine that the apparatus is in proper working condition, and it also admits of the whistle being used in the ordinary way as a callwhistle for employs.

Should it at any time be necessary to regulate or adjust the tension of the spring h, the adj usting-nut i may be manipulated by simply removing the cover j without disturbing any of the fixed joints or connections.

From this construction it is seen that a simple and perfectly reliable low-water alarm is produced, for as long as the surface of the water in the boiler remains above the top of the vesself the spring 2' and the pressure of the steam hold the valve 0 closed; but as the water-level falls below the top of the vessel f a time arrives when the water retained in the vessel f acts as a dead-weight and opposes the forces which hold the valve 6 closed, thus causing an alarm to be given; and the vessel f is so adjusted in the boiler that this takes place before the water reaches its low level, which is below the bottom of the vessel f.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

located in the boiler between the ordinary working-level and the low level of the water as to remain full of water when the water falls below the working-level, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In alow-water alarm, in combination, the whistle b c d, provided with a vertical hole through it, and secured to the top of the boiler a, the rod and valve 6 e, the spring h, nut i, and the water-vessel], connected to the rod 6, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a low-water alarm, in combination, a steam-whistle, a protecting-covering, an actuating-valve provided with a rod passing up through the whistle and the top of the protecting-covering, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a low-water alarm, in combination, the whistle b 0 cl, the cover j, the rod and valve 6, 6?, and e, the spring h, and nut i, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5'. In a low-water alarm, in combination, the whistle b c d, the rod and valve 0 e e, the water-vessel f, the suspending rod g, the spring h, the nut t, and the cover j, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at New York, county and State of New York, this 26th day of March, 1885.

ALFRED SHEDLooK, H. D. WILLIAMs.