Improvements in or relating to Water Level Gauges for Steam Boilers, Cylinder Jackets, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
Improvements in or relating to Water Level Gauges for Steam
Boilers, Cylinder Jackets, and the like.
1, VERNON PETHERICK, of Sydney, Australia Engineer, at present of 19 South-
ampton Buildings, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, 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 —
The object of the present invention is to provide a water level gauge for steam
boilers, cylinder jackets, and the like, which will be simple and economical to
construct and which will render false readings impossible.
This I effect by the peculiar construction and arrangement of water level gauge
hereinafter described, wherein the steam and water inlet passages and also the blow
off passage are all controlled by a single plug cock or valve..
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to corresponding
parts in all the figures :-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a water level gauge constructed in accordance
with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation of a slightly modified arrangement:
Fig. 3 is a part sectional elevation of another slight modification.
Referring to Fig. 1, A indicates a steam boiler, and B is the body of the
apparatus secured to the boiler by a flange C the upper part of the said body being
formed with a packing box D for the reception of the gauge glass E which is closed
at the top and provided at its lower end with a flange E¹ for preventing the glass
from being blown off by internal pressure. F, F1, F2 are three passages formed
in the body B, the said passages being interrupted by a cylindrical plug cock or
valve H fitted within suitable seating in the body B and having three ways I, I', I'
formed therein corresponding with the passages F, F, F. In conjunction with
this plug cock H the passage F establishes communication by pipes G, G', between
the steam space of the boiler and the interior of the gauge glass above the water
level therein, the passage F' establishes communication between the water space of
the boiler and the lower portion of the interior of the gauge glass, and the passage F
establishes communication between the interior of the gauge glass and the external
air. The ways I, 11, 13 in the cock H are of such width circumferentially of the plug,
and set at such angles in relation to one another, that on turning the said plug cock H
by the lever H' any necessary combination of the passages F, F1, F³, can be made;
or instance, when the plug cock H is in the position shewn in Fig. 1, there is free
communication by the passage F and pipes G, G¹ between the interior of the gauge.
glass and the steam space of the boiler, and also by the passage F1 between the
auge glass and the water space of the boiler, whilst at the same time the passage F'
closed. Now on turning the plug cock H a little more, it will open the passage F
ithout closing the passages F, FI, there being then free communication between
be steam and water spaces in the boiler, the interior of the gauge glass, and the
xternal air (see Fig. 3). A further rotation of the plug cock H will close the
assages F, F, leaving open, the interior of the gauge glass then communicating
ith the external air only.
If desired, the steam pipe G within the boiler may be replaced by a pipe G³
shewn in dotted lines) disposed without the boiler.
From the above it will be seen that it is impossible for a water level gauge
onstructed in accordance with my invention to give a false reading, as communica-
on with the steam and water spaces of the boiler cannot be shut off without
ening at the same time the blow off passage F³.

page_text: The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 is of precisely similar construction to that
above described with the exception that the gauge glass in lieu of being closed at
one end as in Fig. 1, here consists of an ordinary tube open at both ends, the upper
end being closed by a packing box B₁ formed on a tubular extension B' of the
body B, the said tubular extension being cut away in front to expose the necessary
amount of the gauge glass.
In the modified arrangement Fig. 3, in lieu of the internal pipe G¹ within the
gauge glass, I form a continuation G'of the passage F in the tubular extension B³,
said continuation leading into the upper end of the gauge glass through the top
the packing box B'.
of
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A water level gauge comprising a gauge glass, a steam inlet passage and a
water inlet passage leading to the interior thereof from the boiler, and a blow off
passage; wherein the said three passages are all so arranged as to be under the
control of a single plug cock or valve, substantially as described and illustrated and
for the purpose set forth.
2. In a water level gauge, in combination, a suitable body B carrying a gauge
glass, passages F, F¹ in said body for establishing communication between the
interior of the gauge glass and the steam and water spaces of the boiler, and a
single plug cock or valve H which controls both passages F and F', substantially
as described and illustrated.
3. In a water level gauge, in combination, a suitable body secured to the boiler
and carrying a gauge glass, passages F, F1, leading through said body from the steam
and water spaces of the boiler respectively to the interior of the gauge glass, a blow
off passage F establishing communication between the interior of the gauge glass
and the external air, and a single plug cock or valve H seated in the body B
and controlling all three passages F, F1, F', substantially as described and
illustrated.
4. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting
improvements in water level gauges, substantially as described with reference to and
as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of October A.D. 1894.