126 Self-acting Safety Regulator and Goal Economiser. 



nothing to keep it in repair. It consists of an automaton 

 damper or regulator, and is worked in the following manner: 

 A cast iron dish or basin is fitted across its largest diameter 

 with a diaphragm of india-rubber, and is screwed by means 

 of a wrought iron ring on the top of the diaphragm, and 

 fastened with wrought iron screw bolts and nuts. To the 

 centre of diaphragm is secured a connecting rod, by means 

 of plates and screws ; to the other end of this connecting 

 rod is attached a lever or levers, which is again connected 

 to the common damper, throttle valve — or regulator. 



A bent tube is screwed into the bottom of the cast-iron 

 basin, with its other end attached to the steam pipe or 

 boiler. 



The bent portion of the tube and the basin is filled with 

 water from condensed steam, which acts as a divider between 

 the steam and india-rubber, and preserves the latter from 

 destruction by the extreme heat of steam. 



The pressure of steam required for working steam-engine, 

 etc., being given, the lever on top of regulator is weighted 

 accordingly ; and as soon as this amount is exceeded, the 

 diaphragm being raised by the pressure of the water, im- 

 parts its motion to the damper or regulator, and cuts ofi" 

 the communication between the boiler 'and the chimney; 

 thus at once putting a stop to the burning of the fire and 

 the generating of steam, and notifying to the fireman, by 

 the whole of the smoke of furnace being driven out through 

 the fire doors, that the working pressure of his boiler is 

 attained, and for the time no more firing is needed. 



The damper will remain closed, and no more steam be 

 generated until the demand for steam has reduced the 

 pressure in the boiler, when the water being unable to 

 sustain the weight on the end of lever, the diaphragm 

 descends, the damper opens, and the fire again burns. 



By this means steam boiler explosions from careless or 

 excessive firing can never take place ; and a great saving in 

 fuel is effected, as it is beyond the power of the most careless 

 fireman to raise the steam sufficiently high to blow off" at 

 the safety valve. 



The apjDaratus was first erected at the sugar works. Sand- 

 ridge, in the early part' of 1863, and its performance has 

 been perfectly satisfactory, up to the present moment. 

 One was erected at the Argus Office in 1865, and thirteen 

 months after, the manager wrote as follows : "An apparatus 

 invented by Mr. F. Poolman, and entitled by him ' A Patent 



