US409189A - High and low water alarm for steam-boilers - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. W. GILPILLAN.

HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM BOILERS. No. 409,189. I Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

wassea Inventor 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Patented Aug (No Model.)

A. W. GILPILLAN. HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM BOILERS. No. 409,189.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ADAM IVILLIAM GILFILLAN, OF MENDOCINO, CALIFORNIA.

HIGH AND LOW WATER ALARM FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,189, dated August 20, 1889.

Application filed May 10, 1889 $erial No. 310,222. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADAM WILLIAM GILFIL- LAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mendocino, in the county of Mendocino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in High and Low IVater Alarms for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to high and low water alarms for steam-boilers; and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall be operated by the expansion and contraction of certain pipes caused by the admission of water or steam into the said pipes.

The invention consists in theimproved construction and arrangements of its operative parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showinginy improved apparatus applied to a steam-boiler in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

The same letters refer to the same parts in both figures.

A designates the end of a steam-boiler, and B and O designate pipes connected therewith and extending horizontally from the same at respectively the low and high water lines.

D is a bracket secured firmly by means of a set-screw E upon a pipe F, which extends vertically from pipe E, the outer end of which latter is to be closed by means of a plug, or in any other suitable manner. A connecting rod or pipe G extends vertically from the bracket D, and the latter is provided at its outer end with a sleeve 11, through which passes a pipe I, extending vertically from pipe 0, the outer end of which latter is also closed.

Suitably attached to the upper end of the pipe or connecting rod G is a horizontal bracket J, the ends of which are provided with vertical sleeves for the accommodation of the upper ends of the pipes F and I, which work loosely in the said sleeves.

K designates a T pipe or coupling, connected to the upper end of the vertical pipe F, and provided at a suitable point below its horizontal extension with a transverse partition-plate L, below which it is provided with a laterally-extending branch M, having a springvalve N adapted to be operated by a laterally-extending rod or plug 0. The horizontal extension P of the T-coupling is connected with the steam-space of the boiler, and to the upper end of the said T-coupling is attached a steam-whistle Q, to which steam is admitted through the spring-valve R, which is normally kept closed by the action of the spring, and which may be operated by the laterally-extending rod or plug S.

The bracket J is provided with upwardlyextending arms T and U, to the former of which is pivoted the lever V, the inner end of which is loosely connected to the upper end of the pipe F, or to the T-coupling connected to said pipe. The outer end of lever V is provided with a cam WV, adapted to engage and operate the plug 0 of the spring valve N. The lever V is provided with an upwardlyextending arm or branch X, in the bifurcated upper end of which is pivoted a lever Y, through which passes a transverse screwthreaded rod Z, the inner end of which carries a concave-faced disk a, adapted to press or bear against the outer end of the operating rod or plug S of the spring-valve R.

To the outer end of the leverYis attached an operating cord or wire I), by means of which the inner end of said lever may be raised when desired, so as to throw the ooncave-faced disk a out of contact with the operating plug or rod S of the steam-whistle. T 1e inner end of the lever V is connected by means of a coiled spring 0 with the bracket J, the action of said spring being to keep the outer end of said lever having the cam WV raised and out of contact with the plug 0 of valve N.

The upper end of the pipe I, the lower end of which is connected with the high-water line of the steam-boiler, is provided with a laterally-extendin g branch d, having a springvalve 0, which may be opened by pressure upon its outwardly-extending plug g is a lever pivoted to the upper end of the arm U of bracket J and having its outer end connected loosely to the upper end of the pipe I by means of a pin or screw it passing through the slot 11 in the said lever. The inner end of the lever g is provided with a cam j, adapted to bear against and operate the spring-plug f of the valve 6. The extreme i11- ner end of the lever g is extended under and adapted to bear against the under side of the extreme inner end of the lever D.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: When the water in the boiler is at its proper height-namely, between the high and low Water lines-the pipe I, the lower end of which is connected to the high-water line of the boiler, will be filled with steam, while the pressure of the steam in the steam-space of the boiler will force the water from the latter into the pipe F,thelower end of which is connected to the low-water line of the boiler. The inequality in temperature between the steam and the water thus causes the pipe I to be normally expanded, while the pipe F is normally contracted, and the apparatus as sumes the normal position, which is illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed. WVhen the water falls below the low-water line, the water from the boiler leaves the pipe F and is replaced with steam, which causes the said pipe F to expand or to be elongated, thereby causing its upper end to raise the inner end of the lever V, which is loosely connected to said pipe. The upper end of the arm X of said lever will thus be forced in an out-ward direction, causing the concave-faced disk a to bear against the plug S of valve R, through which steam is admitted to the whistle Q, which consequently sounds the alarm. NVhen water is injected into the boiler and again enters the pipe F, the latter is contracted, causing the outer end of the lever V to be elevated and its cam \V to press against the plug 0 of the valve N, which is thereby opened, so as to enable the steam and gases contained in the pipe F to escape and the said pipe to be completely filled wit-h water. \Vhen, on the other hand, the Water passes above the high-water mark in the boiler, the steam contained in the pipe I will be replaced with water, causing the said pipe to be contracted and the inner end of the lever G to be raised and pressed against the inner end of lever V, the arm X of which is thus forced in an outward direction and caused to sound the alarm. WVhen the injection of water into the boiler is suspended and the water-line is lowered, the water will leave the pipe I and be replaced with steam, which causes said pipe again to expand, lowering the outer end of lever g, and causing the cam j at the inner end of said lever to operate the valve-plug f, which opens the valve 6 and enables the gases accumulated in the upper end of pipe I to escape.

It will be seen from the foregoing descrip tion that my improved apparatus operates automatically and with absolute certainty to sound the alarm whenever the water in the boiler passes above the high or below the low water line, and that a single signal-whistle operates to sound the alarm in every case. WVhen the attention of the engineer has been called to the abnormal state of the water, he

may, by pulling the cord I), operate the lever Y, so as to throw the disk a out of contact with the valve-plug S, and thus silence the whistle.

When it shall be desired to sound an alarm at a point distant from the room in which the boiler to which my invention is attached is located, this may be accomplished by means of the electric bells and circuit shown in the drawings hereto annexed.

20 and 21 designate electric bells of ordinary construction, which are located at points where it shall be desired to sound the alarm. Said bells are in circuit with the battery 22 and with the circuit-closers 23 24, which are operated by the levers 25 and 26, respectively. The lever 25 is held automatically raised from the contact-point by the action of the spring 27, and the lever 26 is likewise normally held raised from the contact-point by means of a weight 28. The lever 25 is arranged directly below the outer end of the arm or lever V, which operates the whistle of my improved boiler-alarm. The outer end of said arm or lever is also connected with the lever 20, by means of which the circuit-closer of the electric bell 21, which is located at a distant point from the boiler-room, is operated by a flexible cord or wire 29, passing over suitablyarranged guides or pulleys 30.

It will be seen that when the lever V is thrown into action in the manner which has been hereinbefore described it will operate to close the circuit of the electric bells 20 and 21, thus sounding the alarm at the points where said bells are located. It is obvious that these bells may be multiplied, so as to give warning of the state of the water in the boiler simultaneously in a number of places without regard to the distance of said places from the boiler-room.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the vertical pipes connected, respectively, with the water and steam spaces of a boiler, a bracket attached securely to one of said pipes and having a sleeve for the passage of the other pipe, an arm extending upwardly from said bracket and having at its upper end a horizontal. bracket provided with guide-sleeves for said pipes and upwardly-extending arms, levers pivoted to the said arms and connected loosely with the said pipes, an arm extending upwardly from one of said levers and carrying a disk adapted to bear against and operate the plug of a spring-valve connected with the steam-space of a boiler, and a steam-whistle connected With the said valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a high and low water alarm for steamboilers, the combination, with the expansion and contraction pipes connected, respectively,

to the low and high water lines of the boiler, of the levers pivoted to stationary supports and connected loosely with the upper ends of said pipes, a steam-whistle arranged to be actuated by means of an arm extending from one of said levers, and earns at the ends of said levers adapted to operate the escapevalves at the upper ends of the 'said pipes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the vertical expansion-pipe connected with the low-water line of a boiler, a T-coupling at the upper end of said pipe, the horizontal branch of which is connected with the steam-space of the boiler, and the upper end of which is provided with a steam-whistle and a spring-valve for admitting steam to the latter, a branch extending laterally from said T-coupling and having an escape-valve provided with a laterallyextending plug, a partition arranged in the T- coupling between its laterally extending branches, a lever pivoted to a stationary sup port and having its inner end connected loosely with the inner end of the expansionpipe and provided at its outer end with a cam adapted to engage the plug of the escape valve, a spring connecting the inner end of the lever with its stationary support, and an arm extending upwardly from the lever and carrying a disk adapted to engage the valve plug of the steam-whistle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the lever having one end connected loosely with an expan sion-pipe, the lower end of which is connected with the low-water line of the boiler, a stea1n-whistle having a spring-valve connected with the steam-space of the boiler, an arm extending upwardly from the said lever, a lever mounted pivotally at the upper end of said arm, a screw-threaded rod mounted adjustably in one end of said lever, and a concave disk at the inner end of said screw-threaded rod adapted to engage the Valve-plug of the steamwhistle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the expansion-pipe connected with the low-water line of a boiler, a steam-whistle connected with the steam space of the boiler, a lever pivoted to a stationary support and carrying a disk adapted to engage the valve-plug of the steam-whistle, said lever having one end connected loosely with the upper end of the expansionpipe, a contraction-pipe connected to the highwater line of the boiler, and a lever pivoted to a stationary support and having one end connected loosely with the upper end of said contraction-pipe, the otherend of said lever being extended under and adapted to bear against the adjacent end of the signal-operating lever, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as, my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADAM W'ILLIAM GILFILLAN.

Witnesses:

EUGENE BROWN, J. T. JoHNsoN.

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