US21991A - Safety apparatus for steam-boiless - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F. STEBBINS, OF HINSDALE, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,991, dated November 2, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS STEBBINS, of I-Iinsdale, in the county of Cheshire and State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improved Safety Apparatus for Steam- Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and representedin the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l, denotes a top view; Fig. 2, a side elevation of it.

In such drawings, A, represents a steam boiler, carrying a standard, B, for supporting the shaft or fulcrum of a tilting lever, C. On one arm of the said lever, a hollow globe or vessel., D, is fixed, while the opposite arm, c, of the lever carries a ball, E, of

greater weight than the vessel, D, or of such weight as to be capable of depressing that arm of the lever to which it is attached, and elevating the other arm and the vessel, D, whenever the latter is empty of water. 'Ihe arm, c, of the lever, C, extends through a right angular or bent lever, d, having its fulcrum at the top of a post, e.

The shaft, a, of the lever should be tubular and have two pipes, y, g, leading out of it, one being led into the upper part, while the other is led into the lower part of the vessel, D. Furthermore, the ends of the shaft, a, respectively open into those of two other pipes, L, t', and have stufling boxes,

7e, 7c, so applied to them and the said pipes,`

it, i, as to permit the shaft, a, to turn freely on its bearings independently of and without disturbing the functions of the pipes, h, z'. One of these last mentioned pipes, viz., L, extends downward and is lcd into the boiler at the level below which, in order to render the boiler safe, the water should not fall. The other pipe, (via, 2') should enter the boiler at a lower level, and each may be furnished with a stop coclr as shown at 702.

In the operation of this apparatus, while the fluid in the boiler remains above the lower mouth of the pipe, 71 a portion of such fluid, by the super-incumbent pressure of the steam on the water surface in the boiler, will be forced through the pipes, L, and t', into the shaft, a, and from thence into and through the pipes, f, and g, and

into the globe, D, so as to fill the same and cause it to overbalance the weight on the other end of the lever, and thereby tilt the lever and maintain it in its tilted position. Vhen, however, the water in the boiler falls below the said mouth of the pipe, l, steam will rush into the pipe and through it into the shaft, a, the pipe, f, and the globe, D, and will drive the water before it and out of the vessel, and through the pipes, g, and i, and into the boiler. The globe, D, thus being freed of water, the lever will be tilted by the weight or ball, E, which at the same time will move the lever, (l, on its fulcrum. Should this last mentioned lever be attached to an alarm apparatus as a means of setting a pump in operation, either an alarm may be given, or a further supply of water may be pumped into the boiler, provided in the latter case, the pump may be properly connected with the same.

I am aware that it is not new to so combine a vessel with a boiler, and an alarm or signal apparatus, that such vessel, when the water in the boiler may be above its lowest safe water level shall be kept filled with water by the pressure of the steam, and when such water may fall below such level of safety, such vessel, by th-e entrance of steam into it shall be emptied of its water and thereby by the abstraction of the weight of water from such vessel the alarm or signal apparatus shall be put in operation and therefore, I do not claim such. Although I maintain this principle of operation in carrying out. my invention, I eect an important and valuable improvement, as my invention rests on an improved mode or means of carrying out such principle and consists in an arrangement of pipes with respect to the vessel and boiler whereby the steam and water passages are entirely separate from one another, so that the water does not hinder or obstruct the passage of the steam from the boiler to the vessel, D, one not having to rush directly by and in Contact with the other while the steam may be flowing into the vessel, D, of the safety apparatus. Furthermore, my arrangement presents other advantages, as by means of it, the safety apparatus is entirely out of the boiler and is not liable to be inboiler, A, the vessel, D, and its loaded lever, 10 juriously aected by the foaming of the C, and so as to enable the Whole to operate Water in the boiler. substantially in manner as explained.

I olaim- In testimon7 whereof I have hereunto set The improved safety apparatus, as specimy signature. fied, or the above described arrangement of FRANCIS STEBBINS. the two separate steam pipes, f, L, .the two separate water pipes, g, z', and a tubular shaft. a, together and with respect to the IVitnesses:

R. II. EDDY, F. P. I-IALE, J 1.

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