Improvements in Drainage Traps for Steam Pipes or Vessels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application. 23rd June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1395-Accented, 27th Apr..
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drainage Traps for Steam Pipes or Vessels.
I, EDWARD ETHEL GOLD, of Number 76 West 82nd Street, in the City,
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to dynamic traps or drainage valves for draining off water
of condensation from steam pipes or vessels, being particularly suited for use with
the steam heating pipes of railway cars. The trap is of that class wherein the
valve is constructed to open outwardly so that it is closed and held to its seat by
internal pressure, but when the pressure ceases it opens automatically and drains
out the accumulated water. More particularly it is of that class wherein the valve
is opened by gravity as distinguished from the employment of a spring to press it
open. An example of such a gravity trap in which the weight of the valve stem
and a counterweighting or baffle-disc are employed to throw the valve open, may
be found in my British Patent No. 17,139, dated October 8, 1891.
My present invention relates in part to an improved construction for causing the
trap to open by gravity, and in part to an improved construction for providing 北
larger outlet for escape of steam or water independently of the area or clearance
around the stem of the valve, as will be hereinafter explained.
My present invention is an improvement over the gravity trap embodied in my
aforesaid Patent, in that it avoids the use of a heavy stem with a counterweight
hung on its end to overcome the weight of the valve. Instead thereof, the weight
of the valve itself is utilized to open the valve, so that a light stem may be employed
having only sufficient strength to guide the valve, or the stem may be entirely
omitted and the valve be otherwise supported and guided.
According to this feature of my invention, the trap consists of a body or shell,
which may advantageously be constructed as a screw plug, the same in general as
that shown in my aforsesaid Patent, being formed with an outlet opening through
it and with a seat on its inner side, while the valve which is mounted as before on
the inner side of the body or shell to close outwardly against this seat, is supported
in any suitable manner which will admit of its falling inwardly or away from the
seat in opening, and is constructed with its centre of gravity located inwardly from
its support, so that its weight is utilized to impart to it a tendency to fall open.
The valve is preferably formed with a yielding face or gasket to facilitate forming
a tight joint against the seat. The valve may be supported in any suitable way
from the body, either by a support in the same plane as the seating face, or by a
support in a plane located further outwardly, or in a plane further inwardly than
the seating face. In either case the centre of gravity of the valve is located
inwardly of the plane of the support, in order to make the weight of the valve
available to cause it to fall away from the seat, and thereby cause it to open
inwardly. In the preferred construction, the valve body is formed with a large
opening through it, intercepted by a transverse partition or diaphragm having a
central hole for the valve stems, and a plurality of perforations around this hole for
passage of steam or water of condensation. The valve is formed with a stem fixed
rigidly to it, and which passes loosely through the central hole, so that by the
contact of this stemn with the hole, the valve is supported and guided. To keep
the valve when it opens from moving too far, as well as to prevent the stem sliding
out of the hole, a stop is provided consisting of a disc or plate fixed on the stem

page_text: and having preferably projections or feet adapted to strike the diaphragin and
limit the opening movement. This disc or plate serves also the important purpose
of a baffle-plate to facilitate the closing of the valve. Trap valves of this character
are expected to close automatically whenever a sufficient pressure of steam exists
in the pipe or vessel to which they are applied, the blowing out of the steam
through the trap serving to quickly close it, and in order that a low pressure of
steam miny close the trap, a disc or battle-plate is provided extending within the
larger passage in the plug so as to intercept somewhat the path of the out-flowing
steam and thus receive the impulse thereof, whereby it tends to pull the valve to its
sent. The disc should be considerably smaller than the passage in order not to
obstruct the outflow of the water of condensation through the trap.
According to a modified construction, 1 contemplate supporting the valve on
hinges or pivots beneath it, so that it may tip outward, and to limit its opening, and
at the same time provide a battle-plate, as described, a stein is coupled or hinged to
the valve and extends forward through the opening in the trap body, and has
fastened on its end a dise, the stem being guided through a central hole as already
described. In this or other modifications, the trap body or shell may be constructed
otherwise than as a screw plug, any construction by which it may be fastened to a
hole, or united to a pipe or other vessel, being suitable, as for example by forming
it with a flange and three or more perforations through which screws may be
passed to attach it.
According to another modification the valve is formed with a thin edge which
rests at its lower side upon a flange or ledge, thus constituting a crude but sollicient
hinge. Or the thin elge of the valve may drop into an annular groove serving as
a loose support and hinge connection, the valve consequently becoming eccentric to
its sent.
A strainer may be applied in this construction, or in any of the other
constructions. The valve stem may be rigidly attached to the valve, or connected
by a flexible joint, in either case a battle-disc being preferably applied to assist the
closing of the valve.
The second feature of my invention consists in the construction of the valve body
or shell with a large opening through it intercepted by a partition or diaphragm
baving a central hole for the valve stem, surrounded by a plurality of perforations
for the passage of steam or water of comfensation in a manner generally as already
described. This feature of my invention is applicable either with the construction
of over-weighted gravity valve opening by its own preponderance of weight as
above described, or with the construction of gravity trap shown in my aforesaid
Patent in which the valve is counterweighted by the superior weight of the stem
and balle disc, so that it opens in opposition to its own weight. As applied
particularly to the latter construction, it has the advantage over the construction
previously used of enabling the valve stem to be passed through a hole small
enough to guide it accurately and keep the valve concentric upon its seat, while
at the same time aftording an ample passage for escape of the water of condensa-
tion, which is independent of the looseness of fit of the valve stem in its guiding
hole.
Dated thi 1804
I, EDWARD ETHEL GOLD, of Number 76 West 82nd Street, in the City, 5
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to dynamic iraps or drainage valves for draining off water
of condensation from steam pipes or vessels, being particularly suited for use with
the steam heating pipes of railway cars. The trap is of that class wherein the
valve is constructed to open outwardly so that it is closed and held to its seat by
internal pressure, but when the pressure ceases it opens automatically and drains
out the accumulated water. More particularly it is of that class wherein the valve
is opened by gravity as distinguished from the employment of a spring to press it
open. An example of such a gravity trap in which the weight of the valve
stem and a counterweighting or battle-disk are employed to throw the valve open,
may be found in the Specification of my British Patent No. 17,139, dated
October 8, 1891.
My present invention relates in part to an improved construction for causing the
trap to open by gravity, and in part to an improved construction for providing a
larger outlet for escape of steam or water independently of the area of clearance
around the stem of the valve, as will be hereinafter explained.
The first part of my invention is an improvement over the gravity trap embodied
in my aforesaid Patent, in that it avoids the use of a heavy stem with a counter-
weight hung on its end to overcome the weight of the valve. Instead thereof, the
weight of the valve itself is utilized to open the valve, so that a light stem may be
employed having only sufficient strength to guide the valve, or the stem may be
entirely omitted and the valve be otherwise supported and guided.
According to this feature of my invention, the trap consists of a body or shell,
which may advantageously be constructed as a screw plug, the same in general as
that shown in the Specification of my aforesaid Patent, being formed with an outlet
opening through it and with a seat on its inner side, while the valve which is
mounted as before on the inner side of the borly or shell to close outwardly against
this seat, is supported in any suitable manner which will admit of its falling
inwardly or away from the seat in opening, and is constructed with its centre of
gravity located inwardly from its support, so that its weight is utilized to impart to
it a tendency to fall open.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of my improved trap;
Fig. 2 is a mid-section thereof showing it closed;
Fig. 3 is a similar section showing it open
Fig. 4 is an end view from the inner side of the trap body;
Fig. 5 shows the blank from which the baffle disk is formed;
The remaining views show modifications.
Fig. 6 is a mid-section of one modified construction, of which Fig. 7 is a view
from the inner side, the valve being partly broken away;
Fig. 8 is a mid-section of another modified construction;
Fig. 9 is a similar section of a third modified construction;
n
Figs. 10 and 11 are a mid-section of another modification and an end view of the
rasing or body.
Referring to all the drawings, let A designate the body or shell of the trap,
which is constructed with an outlet passage through it, and with a seat a on its
inner side. The body A is preferably constructed with a screw plug having a
threaded neck to screw into a tapped hole in a steam pipe or other vessel, as shown
in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and a hexagonal head to facilitate screwing in the plug.
may, however, be constructed for attachment in any other way, as for example
as shown in Fig. 7, where it is connected to the side of a vessel C by means of
three screws cc.
It
In the several figures, B is the valve, which is located on the inner side and
adapted to close outwardly against the seat a. It is preferably formed with a
yielding face or gasket & in order to facilitate the formation of a tight joint against
the seat.
The valve may be supported in any suitable manner from the body A,

page_text: either by a support in the same plane as the seating face, or by a support in a plane
located further outwardly than the seating face, or in a plane further inwardly than
the seating face. In either case the centre of gravity of the valve B is located
inwardly of the plane of the support, in order that the weight of the valve may
cause it to fall away from the sent and thereby open itself inwardly.
"
is
In the preferred construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the valve body A is formed
with a large opening through it intercepted by a transverse partition or
diaphragm having a central hole (Fig. 4) and a plurality of perforations a
around this hole. The valve B is formed with a valve stem h which passes loosely
through the central hole, so that by the combination of its hole and stem the
valve is supported and guided. To keep the valve when it opens as shown in Fig. 3
from falling by the sliding of the stem through the hole, a disk or plate
attached to the stem, which when the valve opens strikes the inner face of the
diaphragm e and serves as a stop. This disk or plate serves also the important
purpose of a bafe plate to facilitate the closing of the valve. Trap valves of this
character are expected to close automatically whenever a sufficient pressure of
steam exists in the pipe or vessel to which they are applied, the blowing out of the
steam through the trap serving to quickly close it, and in order that a lower
pressure of steam may thus suffice to close the trap than would be required if the
action of the steam against the valve B was alone relied upon, the baille plate is
provided extending within the passage d so as to stand somewhat in the path of the
outflowing steam, and by receiving the impulse thereof, to be blown outwardly and
through the valve stem to exert an outward impulse against the valve B. The
disk must he considerably smaller than the passage d, in order not to obstruct the
outflow of water of condensation through the trap. When the valve is open
the outflow passage should be sufficiently unobstructed to prevent a free flow, and
for that purpose the lily of the disk i should not be permitted to come close
against the partition eas thereby it would partially close some of the holes
to avoid this the disk is formed with four arms or projections stamped out
originally as shown in Fig. 5, and then bent at right angles as shown in Figs. 2
and 3, so that these arms will themselves strike the partition and serve as
the stops.
2, and
In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the valve B is not supported upon a
stem, but is hinged on an axis or pintle & beneath it, being loosely or freely hung
on this hinge so that it may tip outward and open easily in descending. To limit
its opening, and at the same time to provide such a battle plate as already described
for the steam to act upon to facilitate the closing of the valve, a stem is coupled
or hinged to the valve and extends forward through the trap body A, passing
through a hole in the partition as in the construction already described, and has
fastened on its outer end a disk ♪, which is here shown as being screwed upon the
threaded end of the stem.
"
In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the valve B is formed with a thin edge
which rests at the tower side of an annular flange / formed on the trap body A,
a crude but sufficiently effective hinge connection being thus constituted. The stop
and batile-plate are of substantially the construction shown in Fig. 6, consisting of
a stem coupled or swivelled to the valve B, passing through a hole in the
diaphragm e, and having a baffle-plate or disk / fixed on its outer end, although in
this instance the plate is shown as being rivetted on.
In the construction shown in Fig. 9, the valve B is shown as formed with a thin
edge n, which at the lower side enters an annular groove m, thereby constituting a
sort of hinge connection serving as a support for the valve, which consequently
seats eccentrically upon the seat a. A strainer is applied to the inner end of the
valve of the trap body A and encloses the valve B, serving as a stop for limiting
the inward or opening movement of the valve. The groove m is shown as formed
between an annular shoulder on this strainer, and a flange on the body. In this
construction the stem lettered a is fixed rigidly to the valve and carries a rigid
head or battle-disk, the disk and stem being tilted to the position shown in dotted

page_text: lines when the valve is open.
to the passage of the steam to
valve.
In this position the disk affords sufficient obstruction
assist and expedite the closing movement of the
The second feature of my invention consists in the construction of the valve
body or shell with a large opening through it intercepted by a partition or
diaphragm having a central hole for the valve stem, surrounded by a plurality of
perforations for the passage of steam or water of condensation in a manner
generally as already described. This feature of my invention is applicable either
with the construction of over-weighted gravity valve opening by its own pre-
ponderance of weight as above described, or with the construction of gravity trap
shown in the Specification of my aforesaid Patent in which the valve is counter-
weighted by the superior weight of the stem and baffle-disk, so that it opens in
opposition to its own weight. It is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 as applied to the
latter construction. The valve B is mounted on a stem which passes loosely
through the central hole in the diaphragm e, and carries in its outer end a
counterweighting baffle-disk r, heavy enough to cause the valve to open when
relieved of pressure.
As applied to this type of valve, this feature of my present
invention has the advantage over the construction previously used for enabling the
valve stem to be passed through a hole small enough to guide it accurately and
keep the valve concentric upon its seat, while at the same time affording an ample
passage for escape of the water of condensation, which is independent of the
looseness of fit of the valve stem in its guiding hole.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The described improvement in gravity steam-traps having a fixed body or
shell formed with a discharge opening through it, and a valve seat on its inner side,
consisting in the construction of the valve with its centre of gravity inwardly of its
support, so that it opens by its own weight and closes against the said seat by the
steam pressure, and with a stem connected to the said valve and projecting through
the said seat, and a battle-disk fixed on the said stem in the said opening to assist in
closing the valve, substantially as set forth.
2. The described improvement in gravity steam-traps consisting in forming the
fixed body with a central opening within the said seat, and constructing the valve
to open by its own weight, and supporting it by means of a stem projecting rigidly
from it and passing through the said opening, substantially as set forth.
3. The described improvement in gravity steam-traps which consists in
constructing the fixed body or shell with a perforated diaphragm within its seat,
having a central opening for the passage of the valve stem, and constructing the
valve to open by its own weight, with a stem rigidly projecting from it through the
said central opening, and a baffle-disk fixed on the stem on the opposite side of
the diaphragm and adapted to strike the diaphragm when the valve opens to serve
as a stop, substantially as set forth.
4. The described improvement in gravity steam-traps consisting in constructing
the fixed body or shell with a discharge opening through it, a valve seat on its
inner side, and a transverse partition in the said opening formed with a central
opening for the passage of the valve stem, and with perforations around it for the
passage of steam, substantially as set forth.
5. The described improvement in stean-traps which consists in mounting the
valve to turn about its lower edge, with a valve-stem connected to it and passing
through the discharge opening in the fixed body or shell and carrying a baffle-disk,
substantially as set forth.
6. The construction of gravity steam-trap substantially as described with
reference to Fig. 8, comprising a valve tilting on its lower edge and opening by its
own weight, in connection with a stem jointed to the said valve passing through the
discharge opening in the fixed body or shell and carrying a battle-disk.

page_text: 7. The construction of gravity steam-trap described with reference to Fig. 9,
consisting of a fixed body or shell having a perforated cup fixed on its inner end,
the valve enclosed in the said cup constructed to turn on its lower edge, and limited
in its opening by the said cup.
Dated the 14th day of March 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.