Improvements in Water-gauges.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-gauges.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to water-gauges of the kind or class described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent dated 8th March A.D. 1888, No. 3581,
wherein an automatic spring controlled valve, that is to say, a valve which is kept
from its seat by a spring is employed for preventing the escape of water in case of
breakage of the gauge-glass.
The object of our present invention is to provide more simple and efficient means
than those described in the said former Specification, for accomplishing the desired
result.
In our improved water-gauge, we provide a flexible or elastic arm or support,
whereby the valve is, under normal conditions, held away from its seat, but which
will yield and allow the said valve to be forced up to its seat by the pressure acting
against its underside should breakage of the gauge-glass occur. This flexible or
elastic arm acts very efficiently to prevent objectionable or undesirable. movements of
the valve, such as are caused, with uncontrolled valves, by the rolling or pitching of
the ship in cases where the water-gauge is applied to a marine-boiler, or by vibration
of a locomotive to which the water-gauge is applied. Moreover the action of the
valve is not liable to be prevented or obstructed to any considerable extent by the
deposit and accumulation of scale or incrustation on the said arm.
We find it advantageous to attach this flexible or elastic arm or support to a
screw-plug or to a flange or other suitable cover for closing a screw-threaded or other
aperture in the front or side of the water-gauge, or to a disc or other piece held in
place by the said screw-plug, flange or cover. We prefer, moreover, that the valve
should be supported in such a position that the whole or a greater portion of the
said valve is above the water-way leading from the boiler.
We make the said flexible or elastic support of a straight or curved piece of
metal of any suitable form in transverse section, or of a spiral spring arranged
horizontally or in any other convenient manner. The free end of the said arm is
inserted in a hole in the valve, which is preferably a spherical valve or ball; or the
free end of the said arm is connected in any other suitable manner to the said valve.
When the said arm is attached to a screw-plug or to a disc or other piece held in
place thereby, the valve is preferably so arranged that it will, under normal conditions,
rest upon a suitable support such as a bridge-piece on the upper end of the drain-
cock or try-cock, or a projection or bracket formed on the said disc or other piece.
When the said arm is attached to a flange or similar cover, we find it advantageous to
make the said flange or cover with an internal projection or bracket for the valve to
rest upon.
The spherical valve or ball is preferably so arranged that it is free to rotate about
the aforesaid arm and can move endwise through a short distance thereon, so that,
when driven against its seat by the pressure in the boiler, it will fit the same
accurately.
It will be readily understood that the flexible or elastic arm, as it is bent under the
action of the fluid-pressure on the valve, will offer more and more resistance to such
pressure the nearer the valve approaches towards its seat; therefore the valve will
not be liable to be driven so violently against its seat as to cause it to stick thereon,

page_text: and the said flexible or elastic arm or spring will by its reaction easily move the said
valve away from its seat.
Dated this 21st day of February 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-gauges.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co., Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
Our invention relates to water-gauges of the kind or class described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent dated 8th March A.D. 1888 No. 3581,
wherein an automatic spring controlled valve, that is to say, a valve which is kept
from its seat by a spring is employed for preventing the escape of water in case of
breakage of the gauge-glass.
The object of our present invention is to simplify the construction and increase the
efficiency of a gauge such as described in the said former Specification.
In our improved water gauge, we provide a lateral flexible or clastic arm or
support whereby the valve is, under normal conditions, held away from its seat but
which will yield and allow the said valve to be forced up to its seat by the pressure
acting against its under side should breakage of the gauge-glass occur. This
flexible or elastic arm acts very efficiently to prevent objectionable or undesirable
movements of the valve, such as are caused, with uncontrolled valves, by the rolling
or pitching of the ship in cases where the water-gauge is applied to a marine-boiler,
or by the excessive vibration-in cases where the gauge is applied to a locomotive.
Moreover the action of the valve is not liable to be prevented or obstructed to any
considerable extent by the deposit and accumulation of scale or incrustation on the
said arm.
In the accompanying drawings which show one mode of carrying our invention into
practice,
Figure 1 is a partial vertical central section and partial front elevation, and
Figure 2 is a partial section on the line x, x Figure 1 and partial side elevation
of the lower arm of a water-gauge constructed according to our present invention.
A is the water arm, B the try-cock or drain-cock and the valve ball for closing
the water outlet in case the gauge-glass breaks.
D is a flexible or elastic arm or support for preventing excessive vibration of the
valve and for retaining the valve from its seat under normal conditions.
We find it advantageous to attach this flexible or elastic arm or support to the screw-
-plug E or to a flange or other suitable cover for closing the screw-threaded or other
aperture F in the front or side of the water-gauge, or in some instances to a disc or
other piece as for example a screw G held in place by or secured to the said screw-
plug E or flange or cover. We prefer that the valve should be supported in such a
position that the whole or a greater portion of the said valve is above the water-way
leading from the boiler in order to ensure the lifting of the valve by the rush of
water that takes place when the gauge-glass breaks.
We make the said support D of a straight or curved piece of metal of any suitable
form in transverse section, or of a spiral spring arranged horizontally as shown,
or in any other convenient manner. The free end of the said arm is inserted in a
hole c in the valve C and the valve is prevented from leaving the arm by a nut and
washer H or by a pin or the like. The free end of the said arm may be connected in
any other suitable manner to the said valve. When the said arm is attached to a
screw-plug or to a disc or other piece held in place thereby the valve is preferably

page_text: so arranged that it will under normal conditions, rest upon a suitable support such
as a bridge-piece on the upper end of the drain-cock or try-cock or a projection or
bracket formed on the said disc or other piece.
When the said arm is attached to a flange or similar cover we in some instances
make the said flange or cover with an internal projection or bracket for the valve to
rest upon.
The spherical valve or ball is preferably so arranged that it is free to rotate about
the aforesaid arm D and can move end wise through a short distance thereon, so that,
when driven against its seat, by the pressure in the boiler, it will fit the same
accurately.
It will be readily understood that the flexible or elastic arm D as it is bent under
the action of the fluid pressure on the valve, will offer more and more resistance to
such pressure the nearer the valve approaches its seat, therefore the valve will not be
liable to be driven so violently against its seat as to cause it to stick thereon, and the
said flexible or elastic arm or spring will by its reaction easily move the said valve
away from its seat.
Our said invention it will be seen consists substantially in the use of an elastic
arm placed laterally in the arm of the water-gauge, such elastic arm having mounted
thereon a ball or other valve so arranged that when a breakage of the gauge glass
occurs the force of the escaping contents of the boiler shall act upon the valve and
bend the elastic supporting arm while forcing the valve against its seat, that is to say
against the edge of the orifice leading to the gauge glass.
If desired we may use this arrangement in the upper or steam arm of the
gauge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In a water-gauge the valve carried by a spring or elastic arm extending
laterally from the side or front of the gauge for the purpose specified.
Second. The valve carried by the free end of the aforesaid spring or elastic
arm and resting on an inclined or other support as and for the purpose specified.
Third. A water-gauge constructed as above described with reference to the
accompanying drawings for the purposes specified.
Dated this 5th day of December 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.