US41408A - Improved boiler-feeder - Google Patents

Description

section at w ai, Figs. l and 2. transverse section-at w x.

transverse section of a portion ofthe appaied arrangement of some of the parts.

. 8 is a vertical transverse section at u u, Fig.4

UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. WASHEUEN, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

|MP`RovED Boden-FEEDER.

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,408, dated january 26,'1S64.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE I. WASHEURN, of the city and count-y of Vorcester and State of 'Massachusetts have. invented av new and Improved Automatic Apparatus for Elevating fat-er and Supplying Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a -pl'an of the said apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same at v o, Fig. 1. Fig. 3A is a trans-verse Fig. 5 is a vertical ratus. at y y.' Fig. 6 is a horizontalsection at z z, Figs. 2, 3, and 4.. Fig. 7 is a section in the same plane as Fig. 2, illustrating a modi Fig.

7. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the rockshaft representing the oscillating hollpw arms in elevation. Fig. 10 is a plan or top View of the said shaft and arms.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The principal object of my present invention is to produce an automatic apparatus which will elevate water with economy and rapidity; and this I accomplish by t-he instantaneous condensation of steam under any pressurewithin closed chambers.

The apparatus which may be used in carrying out my invention, and which I shall proceed-to describe as illustrativeof the same, consists, essentially, of two ormore closed chambers, each of' which is thrown-alternately into communication with the boiler and with a condensing-chamber, to which the supplypipe has constant access through a port which may, if preferred, be provided ywith a checkvalve to preventany reilux of water which might occur immediately before `or at the inyshaft, all of which are madehollowandcom Fig. 4 is av municate with thegrst-named chambers in manner hereinafter described.

AA". represent a pair of steam-tight chambers extending transversely across two troughs or chambers, B B2, of unequal length, each of which communicates with both the said chambers through ports guarded by valves b b b2 b2, the valves bin the channel B opening upward,- and the valves Z in the channel B"7 downward. -The long channel B', I denominate the cold-Water trough, and-the short channel IE2 the hot-water trough.H

C represents a third chamber rising from the rear end of the cold-water trough Bl', with l which it is in free communication. lThe lastnamed constitutes the condensiiig-chamber, and may extend to a vheight double that of the chambers A A".

D is a hollow shaft, fitted to turn within stean'i-tightjoints in the adjacent walls ofthe chamber' A A2. The interior of this shaft is divided a partition, d, sothat one end, d',

may open into-the chamber A', and the other K end, d2, into the chamber A`, while no communication exists between them. y

' E E2 are hollow spheres attached to the ends of hollow arms ef e2, which communicate with the interior of theshallt D on opposite 7 The valve is moved bythe oscillation 'of the shaft D by means of a cross, H, formed with a short arm, h, fitting loosely in an ap# erture in the shaft D, a long arm,.l, projecting upward through the steam-portf into an aperture in tue Valve G, and horizontal arms h2 h2, working in guides I I. (See Fig. 4.)

` In Figs. 7 and 8 the shaft D is represented as placed in the lower partof the chambers A A2. This affords room for the introduction of small pipesjf, extending within the shaft e `amies apart or approaching more nearly to horizontal positions, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, so that the weight of water within the balls will be more effect-ive in oscillating the shaft.

A smaller oscillation of the shaft may then be made to move the valve to the required extent by the use of arigid arm, H', attached to and projecting upward from the shaft and engaging in the forked end of the arm h, as shown in Fig. li5-or the said arm h may be elongated to reach the shaft, or an intermediate leverintroduced and the width of the ports in the valve-seat reduced to any required eX- tent.

The valve-chest communicates throughthe port fwith thc interior of the chamber A', through the port and pipe K with the interior ofthe chamber A2, and through the port Z and pipe L with the condensing-chamber C. rllhe said pipe L is of arched or Siphon form, rising to some heightabove the top of the chamber A and extending down within the condensingchamber to near its bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to deliver steam in the llower part.

M is a steam-pipe leading from the steamspace ofthe boiler to the interior of the valvechest.

N is a pipe communicating from the waterspace of the boiler to the hot-water trough B2.

O is a water-supply pipe taking water from any suitable reservoir not more than thirty-two feet below and delivering it through a port guarded by a valve, o, opening upward .into

the cold-water trough B', directly, beneath the condensing-chambenC.

Qperation Steam is iirstblown through the apparatus to expel the air, and it is then permit-ted to condense by external radiation in all parts ofthe apparatus, excepting those which are in communication with the boiler. The various parts being placed in the positions shown, the vacuum produced'by condensation within the chambers A2 and C and ball El will cause them to be lillcd with water forced by atmospheric pressure up through the pipe O, any water which may have been in the chamber A descending through the port b2, Fig. 4, into theboiler until the water finds its level in the boiler and in the said chamber, which,

together with the ball E', is now in communication with the steam-space. This period of the operation is showrr in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings. The weight of water within the ball E2 will now overbalance the empty ball E', and turn the shaft D in the direction indicated by arrow lin Fig. 5, .which throws the valve G to the other extremity of its stroke, placing the chamber A in communication with the condensing-chamber C and the chamber A2 in communication with the valve-chest and the steam-space o f the boiler. The water in the chamber 'L will then-flow down into the boiler until it finds its level. At the same time an equilibrium of pressure is established between the chambers B and C, when the water within the chamber C will descendby its gravity. and till the chamber B andbal E', the steam which-the chamber and ball contained passing through the pipes j and L, and being delivered beneath the water within the condensing-chamber C, by which means it is instantaneously condensed without previous expansion vor reduction of pressure. The vacuum thus formed causes a new supply of water to be forced up through the pipe O by atmospheric pressure, until the chambers A and G and ball lil are completely filled with water, which, by turning thcshaft D in the direction of arrow 2, causes the position ofthe valve G to be again reversed, emptying the chamber B into the boiler, condensing the steam within theI chamber-B2, and refilling the latterwith fresh water, when the work. proceeds as before.

The invention is applicable to the purposes of a steam engine condenser and boiler-feeder, as above described, or may be used for elevating wat-er for other purposes-in any place where steam is available to work it.

As condensation and the consequent removal of atmospheric pressure .is alone depended on .for power, the apparatus may be operated without cost by connecting 'it with the exhaust-port of any non-condensing engine, so as to employ waste steam either with or withouta pressure in excess of that of' the atmosphere.

- i The check-valve o is useful in preventing any reflux of water before the steam can be condensed. It also admits of the condensation of high-pressure steam, without previous expansiomand within a smaller chamber than would otherwise be practicable Without loss of power. Whatever the pressure of steam introduced, any redux of water-will be prevented by the instantaneous closure -ot' the check-valve, and the steam thus confined will be condensed by being driven into the body of water in the. condenser by the gravity of the said water, as before explained.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to any particular form of the valve G, or of the devices for operating it,but propose to vary the same in any manner which may be found desirable consistently with'the essenti-aly principles upon which the apparatus wor-ks.

A single slide-valve of large size, operated by means analogous to those described for operating the valve G, may be substituted for the four check-valves between the chambers A A and channels B' B2. The said-slidevalve will work within a hot-water chest communicating with the steam-spaceof the boiler and overthree ports, the center one communicating with the condensingchamber C, and the end ports with the respective chambers Af and A2. This valve will be worked simultaneously with the valve G, so that when the upper part of either chamber is placed in communication with the valve-chest F, (and consequently with the steam-space of the boiler,) the lower part of the lsame chamber will be lin communication with the water-space of the boiler, and when the upper part of either chamber isplaced in communication with the pipe L,Which leads into the condensing-chamber C, the lower partV of the same charnbe` will communicate with the lower part of the condensing-chamber. v

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

, 1. Condensing a body of steam. within an apparatus having no external outlet, by forcing it from one chamber to another by the gravity of water and causingitto pass be neath `the surface of, 'and in contact with, the water in the chamber into .which it is forced, substantially as herein described.

.2. In a condensing or pumping apparatus, operating substantially on the principle specified, the use of acheck-valve o, operating as described, to prevent the reflux of water into or down the supply-pipe.

3. The combination of the houow divided shaft D, chambers A A2 E Ez, and valve G, operating'substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the rod Hwith the oscillating shaft D and valveA G for imparting motion to the'said valve, as explained.

' 5. The chambers A', A?, and C, and troughs 1B B2, operating together in manner subsstanA tially as and for the purposes set forth.

The above specification of my improved apparatus for elevating water and supplying steam-boi1ers,signed this l24th day of Septem.

ber, 1863.

.GEO. I. VASHBURN.

' Vitnesses: v

JAMES H. GRIDLEY, CHARLES SMITH.

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