US772303A - Feed-water regulator. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED OCT. ll, 1904.

T. M. WILKINS.

FEED WATER- REGULATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED 11111.27, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

/IVVENTH WMM/fas J0 BY UNTTED STATES Batented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE,

THOMAS M. WILKIN S, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AUTOMATIC BOILER FEED COM- PANY, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON. v

FEED-WATER REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,303, dated October 11, 1904.

Application led January 27, 1904. Serial No. 190,760. (No model.)

To a/Z rch/cnt it may concern."

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. WILKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Tater Regulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

10 This invention relates to feed-water regulators for steam-boilers; and the present invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and adaptation of devices for automatically controlling the quantity of water I5 supplied to a boiler so `as to maintain the water-level therein at a constant predetermined elevation. l

The invention has also combined with it a device for overcoming in marine boilers the 2O swash of water due to the pitching or rocking in a Seaway, thereby extending the inventors field of usefulness to such service.

The object of the invention is the perfection of a feed-pump governor which is actuated by thev expansive power of heat and which can be used with both marine and other type of boilers. This object I attain by the means shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which is a central vertical Vsection of apparatus embodying my invention attached tothe water-gage of a steam-boiler. The reference-numeral 2 designates a water column or gage of ordinary or suitable construction which is connected to the boiler in the usual manner by steam-pipe 3 and waterpipe 4, by which communications the waterlevcls within both the boiler and the gage are maintained in the same horizontal planes.

In marine boilers the water plane is continually changing by reason of the pitching of the vessel in rough water, and to overcome this and retain the water within the gage to its normal level I introduce within the water-pipe 4: a double-acting flap-valve 5, hinged at 6 and adapted to be swung by gravity and the How of water thereby against either of the valve- seats 6 and 6, positioned upon opposite sides of the valve and which temporarily prevents ingress or egress of the water thereby. It is, however, oftentimes desirable to blow the water through the gage for cleansing purposes and to which end a stem 7 extends upwardly through the bottom of the casing 8 for this valve provided witha fork 7', whereby the valve may be engaged and 55 held in a position semidistant of the said seats. The said stem is screw-threaded and is moved endwise into or out of engagement by nuts 9 and 9', positioned, respectively, above and below a bridge-piece l0, integral 6C of the said casing. Secured, as by a screwthreaded extension ll, in axial alinement with the column 2 is acylindrical vessel 12, which is communicatively connected by pipe 13 to an upright cylinder 14, preferably formed of two parts and secured integrally together by bolts l5, passing through iianges 14 thereof. Extending from the water-level within the gage through the cylinder 12 and to some distance above the latter is a tube 16, which is open at lower end and closed at its top end by an air-outlet valve 17. This valve is normally held closed by the joint action of the pressure within the boiler and of a spring 18l when the boiler is in operation or by the spring alone before the boiler-pressure exceeds the external atmospheric pressure plus the weight of the valve-opening lever 19 and its attachments. Located within the cylinder 14 is an annular metallic member 20, having, preferably, annular corrugations 20 and is closed at its top end, as'by a diaphragm 21, and has a peripheral flange 22 at its lower end whereby it may be rigidly secured thereat to and between the flanges 14 of the containing-oylin- 85 der. The space within and below themember 20, the annular space of cylinder 12 about the tube 16, and the pipe 13 are filled with a liquid, such as water or alcohol, for the purpose to be presently described.

Formed or provided upon the upper .part of the cylinder I4 is a valve-casing 23, having inlet and outlet steam-openings 24 and 24', respectively, and an intermediate valve-seat 25. Fitted to the said valve-seat is a valve 26, which is connected integrally by a rod 27,

passing through a suitable stufHng-box, such as 28, with a piston 29 loosely slidable in the cylinder 14 and resting directly upon the aforeperature of the latter during the operation of the device, which I will now explain.

The water within the gage or water column being supposed to be at its normal level, which is a short distance above the lower end of the pipe 16 and which is then entirely filled with water, but at a lower temperature than that of the steam within the boiler-under these conditions the temperature of the liquid .within the cylinders 12 and 14 is at a relatively low temperature. Then the water within the boiler is consumed for steam or otherwise drawn ott, then the water-level will obviously be lowered, and when it Jfalls below the bottom of pipe 16 the water thereof will' escape by the force oi' gravity and be replaced by steam. Vhen this occurs, the liquid within the cylinder 12 becomes heated by contacting with the steam-heated pipe 16 and raises the temperature of the liquid to generate steam in this cylinder, and thereby displaces a portion of the liquid into the adjoining and connected cylinder 14 to distend the member 20 and coincidently open the throttle-valve 26. This permits the steam from the boiler to actuate a feed-pump connected on the pipe 24 and force water into the boiler until it reaches a level above the lower end of pipe 16. rlhe water now replaces the steam within this pipe and at the same time cold water is made to iiow through the coil 33 acts to lower the temperature of the cylinder 12, and thereby contracts the volume of the contained liquid and condense any steam which may have generated therein. This will contract the metal of the member 2O and in so doing permit the throttle-valve being closed by the spring 30.

|The invention is automatic and its operation and eliiciency accomplishes the purposes for which intended with certainty and despatch.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a watergage for steam-boilers, of an upright cylinder having closed ends and secured in axial alinement to the said gage, another cylin der having an open end and communicatively connected to the first-named cylinder, an expansible cylindrical member interiorly of the last-named cylinder and secured at its lower end thereto, the said member being closed at its top end, a valve and its casing, connection between the said valve and the top of said member, and a pipe extending from the normal level of the water within the said gage and axially through and above the first-named cylinder, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a water-gage for steam-boilers, of pipe 16, the spring-closed airvalve 17, an upright cylinder 12 communicatively connected by a pipe 13 to another cylinder 14, a cylindrical expansion member 2O closed at its upper end, a valve 26 and its casing having inlet and outlet openings, the piston and the rod connection 27 between valve 26 and said piston, a coil of pipe 33 surrounding cylinder 12 and a valve 5 located in the water connection between the said gage and the boiler to which attached, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a water-gage for steam-boilers, of pipe 16, the spring-closed airvalvc 17, an upright cylinder 12 communicatively connected by a pipe 13 to another cylinder 14, a cylindrical expansion member 2O closed at its upper end, a valve 26 and its casing having inlet and outlet openings, the piston, the rod connection 27 between valve 26 and said piston, substantially as described.

4. r1`he combination with a water-gage, the steam throttle-valve 26 and its casing 23, and the mechanical devices operated by the combined action of steam and water within the boiler for opening the said valve, of the valve 5 positioned in the water connection between a boiler and the said gage, constructed and arranged, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- /THOMAS M. XVILKINS. Witnesses:

PIERRE BARNES, M. E. BREWER.

IOO

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