US1817189A - Boiler feed apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1931. E. s. HALL 1,817,189

BOILER FEED APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 4, 193 1. s, LL 1,817,189

BOILER FEED APPARATUS F'iled March 2. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j 52 an :D 56 37 55 lllilll 4 M Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN SHERMAN HALL, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNoR TO STERLING ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, or HYDE PARK, MASSA- CHUSE'ITS, A CORPORATION OF 'MAssAOHUsE'r'rs BOILER APPARATUS Application filed March 2,

This invention relates to a boiler feed apparatus, and has for its object to provide an automatic apparatus for returning condensation Water from steam heating systems of various types to the boiler.

The apparatus embodies therein a closed container located above the boiler into which the condensation water from the various heating systems or appliances is drained, together with a water feeding device having a definite pumping capacity and also located above the boiler but below the container, the said feeder receiving the water from the con- Miner and feeding it to the boiler.

Another object of the invention is to increase the efliciency of an apparatus of this type by providing a permanent water seal in the container by so aranging the discharge pipe leading from the container to the water feeder that the water within the container will never fall below a predetermined level, and the steam that is employed in equalizing the pressure between the water feeder and boiler is vented from the water feeder into the container within the water seal, thereby quickly condensing the steam and at the same time increasing the temperature of the condensation within the container.

The invention consists in an apparatus as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

v Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention, together with a portion of a boiler to which the apparatus is connected, a portion of the container of the apparatus being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. '2 is an enlarged sectional view through the steam inlet valve. 7

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the steam vent valve.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the valve actuating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

F ig. 6 is a view illustrating how the apparatus of this invention may be employed in 1928. Serial No. 258,652.

pumping water to a Water supply tank for the boiler.

Like numerals refer to like parts through out the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, B represents a boiler of any type, C s a closed container and F is a stationary water feeder. The container G is located a suitable distance above the boiler B and the feeder F is located above the boiler but below the container. The container (1 may have one or more condensation pipes 1 connected thereto through which the condensation from a steam system may drain into the container. The condensation pipes are each provided with a check valve 2, and the container is provided with an automatic air relief valve 3 and a pressure relief valve a.

The feeder F has a pipe 5 connected thereto upon the lower side thereof, said pipe being connected by a T '6 with branch pipes 7 and 8, the pipe 7 being connected to the container C entering said container through the under side and projecting upwardly a suitable distance into the interior thereof where an open end 9 of said pipe establishes a low water level 10 Or water seal below which th water cannot fall.

A check valve 11 provided for the pipe 7 permits the water from the container C to flow in the direction of the arrow a and prevents said water from flowing inanopposite direction. The pipe 8 connects the T (5 with the boiler B, preferably being connected to the blow-Off or at any other accessible point below the water line of the boiler, and constitutes a discharge pipe through which the water is fed from the feeder F. The pipe 8 has a check valve 12 therein which permits the water from the feeder 'io flow to the boiler, but prevents said water or the steam from the boiler to back up through said pipe.

The feeder F is connected by means of a steam pipe 13 with the steam chamber of the boiler, there being a steam valve 14 mounted at the top of the feeder and controlling the passage of steam through said pipe into the being a vent valve 16 mounted at the top of 1.

the feeder and controlling the passage of seal. ,A vent opening 18 is provided in that portion of the pipe 15 that is located within the container G near the top of the latter and said opening forms a means of communication between the pipe 15 and the interior of the container above the water seal. A check valve 19 is provided for the pipe 15 permitting steam to pass through said pipe from the feeder to the container but preventing said steam from passing in a reverse direc tion.

The feeder F is well known in the art and is similar in construction to a device disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,841,027 dated May 25, 1920, to which reference may be had if desired. Briefly described, however, the feeder F together with the valves 14 and 16 and their actuating mechanism, are as follows Located within the feeder F is a float 20 which is mounted upon the end of a float arm 21, in turn mounted upon and fast to a rock shaft 22. The steam valve 14 illustrated in section in Fig. 2 is mounted at the top of the feeder F andembodies therein a valve casing 23 having a valve chamber 24 therein which communicates through a port 25 with the interior of the feeder. The passage of steam from the boiler through the steam pipe 13 is controlled by a movable valve member 26 which is connected by a valve stem 27 to an actuating lever 28 pivotally mounted at 29 upon a post 80. A. guide 31 is provided for the lever 28. d

When the steam valve 14 is closed as illustrated in Fig. 2, the water of condensation will flow from the container C through the pipe 7, 'l' 6 and pipe 5 int-o the feeder F, thus 9 gradually filling it, and as it fills, the float 20 will rise. When the float reaches a predetermined position, the steam valve is opened by means of an operating mechanism hereinaftertobe described, which is operatively connected with the float 8, thus admitting the steam pressure of the boiler to the feeder and thereby equalizing the pressure between the boiler and feeder, and the feeder being located above the boiler, the water within the feeder influenced by the natural law of gravitation, will cause said water to flow into the boiler. As the water is discharged from the feeder, the float 20 descends and when it reaches its lowermost position, the steam valve 14 is again closed, thus permitting the feeder to be again filled. with water.

The vent valve 16 which is located upon the top of the feeder beside the steam valve 14 and which is operated by the same mechanism that operates said steam valve embodies therein a valve casing 82, having a chamber 33 which communicates through a port 34 with the interior of the feeder F. In venting the steam from within the feeder to the container C, the passage of steam through the valve 16 is controlled by a movable valve member 35 having a valve stem 36 which is connected at its upper end to an actuating lever 37, said lever being pivoted at 38 to a post 39. A guide 40 is provided for the lever 37.

Connected at their upper extremities to the I actuating levers 28 and 37 are connecting rods 41 and 42 respectively, and said rods are connected at their lower extremities to the arms 43 and 44 respectively of a T-shaped lever 45, the latter being pivotedat 46 to the exterior of the casing of the feeder; Another arm 4701": the lever 45 is located between two adjusting screws 48, carried by a rocker member 49 which is also pivoted upon the stud which constitutes the pivot 46. The rocker arm 49 has a stud-50 projecting forwardly therefrom on which is mounted a sleeve 51, the outer end of the stud extending loosely through a slot 52 in a head 53, see Figs. 4 and 5. The head 53 is provided with two rearwardly projecting arms 54 in which are mounted stop screws 55, the latter being adapted to engage the sleeve 51. The stop screws 55 are adjusted in the arms 54 so that the space between them is somewhat greater than the diameter of the sleeve 51. The head 53 is secured to the end of a link 56, which is pivoted to an arm 57 rigidly fastened'to the rock shaft 22. I V

The rocker 49 has rigidly secured thereto a cradle 58 in which a weight 59 is mounted to roll, the rolling movement of the weight being limited by two upwardly curved arms 60 at opposite ends of the cradle. In the va rious figures, the actuating mechanism for the Valves 14 and 16 1s shown in the position it occupies when the feeder F is empty, and

when in this position, the lever 45 is so placed that the steam valve14'is closed, while the vent valve 16 is open. At this time the pressure between the interior of the feeder F and contamer C 1s equahzed and the contalner being located above the feeder, the water in whereupon the actuating mechanism for the V valves 14 and 16 is operated to againclose' the valve 16 and open the valve 14.

By discharging the steam through the vent connection from the feeder F to the container C below the level of the water therein, the

heat of the steam is absorbed by the relatively cooler water. All of theheat, therefore, from the exhaust steam is utilized and all of the condensation from the steam is retained.

The general operation of the mechanism,

hereinbefore specifically described is as follows :Assuming that the various parts are positioned as illustrated in the various views of the drawings, the feeder F is in a condition to receive water from the container C. At this time the boiler pressure holds the check valve 12 closed and the pressure being equal upon each side of the check valve 11, the latter will open freely to allow the water from the container C to flow by gravity into the feeder F. The pressure, tending to build up within the interior of the feeder F from the Water flowing into it, is equalized back into the container C by the vent pipe 15. As the water flows into the body of the feeder, the float 20 rises, tilting the cradle 58 and when the interior of the feeder is filled, the cradle has rocked to a position where the weight 59 rolls from the left hand side of the cradle over to the right hand side thereof, thereby closing the vent valve 16 and opening the steam valve 14. The boiler pressure now holds the check valve 11 closed and the pressure within the feeder and boiler being equalized through the pipe 13, feeder F, pipe 5, T 6 and pipe 8, the water within the feeder will flow by gravity into the boiler. As the water flows from the feeder to the boiler, the cradle 58 will rock in an opposite direction to that previously described, and when the float 20 again reaches its lowermost position, the cradle will reach a position where the weight 59 will roll to the opposite side of the cradle, causing the steamvalve 14 to again close and the vent valve 16 to again open.

By providing the vent opening 18 from the pipe 15 into the container C above the water seal therein, the action of feeding the water from the container to the feeder is hastened for the reason that the pressure between the feeder and container is more quickly equalized and, furthermore, if the level of the water within the container C ever reaches to the height of the opening 18, the latter will prevent said water from syphoning from the container back into the feeder through the pipe 15 if the check valve 19 is omitted from the apparatus, or if the check valve 19 should leak. Furthermore, as the apparatus of this invention is designed to feed Water at a certain definite or predetermined capacity, if a syphoning action should be started through the vent pipe 15, which by necessity is much smaller than the regular feed pipe 7, the apparatus would not maintain the capacity for which it is designed.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a modified embodiment of my invention in which the apparatus is employed for the purpose of pumping water into a supply tank from which it may be fed in any suitable manner to a boiler.

In this view, 61 represents a water supply tank from which the Water may be fed to a boiler in any suitable manner through a pipe 62. The feeder F is connected to the supply tank by a discharge pipe 63 in which a check valve 64.- is located. The feeder F is also connected by means of the steam pipe 13 to the steam chamber of a boiler. In all other respects, the apparatus is exactly the same as previously described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

In this embodiment of the invention, the head of water in the pipe 63 acts to normally hold the check valve Get closed, but when the steam valve 14; is open, the pressure of steam from the boiler will force the water from the feeder outwardly through the discharge pipe 63 into the supply tank 61 until the float 20 reaches its lowermost position. The steam valve 14L will then close and the vent valve 16 will open equalizing the pressure between the feeder and container and allowing the water from the container to again fill the feeder as previously described.

I claim:

1. In a boiler feed apparatus, the combination with a boiler of a closed condensation container provided with a permanent water seal therein having a fixed low water level, a water feeder having steam and water connections with both boiler and container, the steam connection between the feeder and container discharging steam into the container below said fixed low level of the water seal therein, valves for the steam connections, a float within the feeder, and means operatively connecting said float and valves whereby the latter are actuated to control the passage of steam from the boiler to the feeder and from the latter to the container.

2. In a water feeding apparatus having a predetermined capacity, the combination with a boiler of a condensation container located above the boiler and provided with a permanent water seal therein having a fixed low water level, a stationary water feeder located above the boiler and below the container and having water connections with the boiler and container, a steam connection between the boiler and feeder, a steam connection between the feeder and container and discharging steam into the container below the water seal therein, said last named steam connection also being provided with a vent opening to the interior of the container above the water seal, whereby syphoning of the water from the container back into the feeder is prevented and the pumping capacity of the apparatus is maintained, valves for the steam connections, and means to operate said valves to control the passage of steam from the boiler to the feeder and from the latter to the container.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'set my hand.

EDWIN SHERMAN HALL.

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