Apparatus or Means to be employed in Conjunction with Steam.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus or Means to be employed in Conjunction with Steam.
Pressure Gauges for Preventing the Formation of a Vacuum
therein, and in the Boilers to which they are Applied.
We, JOHN WILLIAM FINLEY WARDER, of Fellows Road, West Cowes, Isle of
Wight, Marine Engineer, and LOUIS MORETON LUSCOMBE, of Geneve Villa,
St. John's Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that when a boiler cools down condensation takes place and a
vacuum is formed therein which affects the pressure gauge by causing the tubular
spring thereof to contract and thus to forcibly bring the pointer against its stop
which either throws the pinion and quadrant out of gear or else shifts the pointer
on its axis, thereby injuring the gauge and putting it out of order; further, when
a vacuum is formed in a boiler, if the blow off or feed cocks are leaky or only
partially closed, the boiler will fill itself and the engineer has, under present
arrangements, to open by hand some cock or valve for admitting the atmosphere. to
destroy the vacuum.
According to the present invention, we propose to. employ in conjunction with a
steam pressure gauge, apparatus or means whereby any vacuum formed therein and
in the boiler to which it is applied will at once be destroyed by the automatic
admission of the atmosphere.
The said apparatus or means consists of an atmospheric spring valve connected
with the pressure supply pipe of the gauge and adapted to establish communication
between the interior of the same and the external air. The said atmospheric valve
is so constructed as to resist all internal steam pressure but to automatically yield
and open to atmospheric pressure when a vacuum or partial vacuum is formed in
the boiler. The valve box will be furnished with a screw cover whereby the
resistance of the valve may be regulated, and suitable provision, such as
spindle provided with a lock nut, will also be made for holding the valve down
upon its seat in the event of the engineer requiring to retain a vacuum in the boiler
for any purpose, such as for making a joint for example.
a screw
The valve is preferably formed at the end of the shorter brauch of a T shaped
hollow casting, the longer branch of which forms the connection between the
pressure supply pipe and the gauge and is furnished with suitable means, such as
nuts and collars, for fixing it in place. The apparatus then forms a self-contained
attachment which can readily be applied to existing pressure gauges.
D
C
A n 1904

page_text: Apparatus or Means to be employed in Conjunction with Steam
Pressure Gauges for Preventing the Formation of a Vacuum
therein, and in the Boilers to which they are Applied.
We, JOHN WILLIAM FINLEY WARDER, of Fellows Road, West Cowes, Isle of
Wight, Marine Engineer, and LOUIS MORETON LUSCOMBE, of Geneve Villa,
St. John's Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, Master Mariner, 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 :-
It is well known that when a boiler cools down condensation takes place and a
vacuum is formed therein, which affects the pressure gauge by causing the tubular
spring thereof to contract and thus to forcibly bring the pointer against its stop,
which either throws the pinion and quadrant out of gear or else shifts the pointer
on its axis, thereby injuring the gauge and putting it out of order; further, when
a vacuum is formed in a boiler, if the blow off or feed cocks are leaky or only
partially closed, the boiler will fill itself, and the engineer has, under present
arrangements, to open by hand some cock or valve for admitting the atmosphere
to destroy the vacuum.
According to the present invention, we propose to employ in conjunction with a
steam pressure gauge, apparatus or means whereby any vacuum formed in said
gauge and in the boiler to which it is applied will at once be destroyed by the
automatic admission of the atmosphere.
The said apparatus or means consists of an atmospheric spring valve connected
with the pressure supply pipe of the gauge and adapted to establish communication
between the interior of the same and the external air. The said atmospheric valve is
so constructed and arranged as to resist all internal steam pressure but to automati-
cally yield and open to atmospheric pressure when a vacuum or partial vacuum is
formed in the boiler. The valve box will be furnished with a screw cover whereby
the resistance of the valve may be regulated, and suitable provision, such as a
screw spindle provided with a lock nut, may also be made for holding the valve
down upon its seat in the event of the engineer requiring to retain a vacuum in the
boiler for any purpose, such as for making a joint for example.
The valve is preferably formed at the end of the shorter branch of a T shaped
hollow casting, the longer branch of which forms the connection between the
pressure supply pipe and the gauge and is furnished with suitable means, such as
nuts and collars, for fixing it in place. The apparatus then forms a self-contained
attachment which can readily be applied to existing pressure gauges.
We will now more particularly describe the nature of our invention and
the manner of performing the same, having reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein similar letters refer to corresponding parts in all the figures, and
in which :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig.3 is a vertical section of apparatus
constructed in accordance with our invention as above set forth.
A represents a steam pressure gauge and B is a hollow T shaped casting con-
sisting of two communicating tubes or branches a and b, the longer branch a
being provided at each end with suitable nuts c whereby it may be secured to the
steam gauge A and to the pressure supply pipe thereof. At the end of the shorter
branch 6 there is formed a valve box d within which is seated the atmospheric
spring valve e. d' is a passage by which the valve box d has communication with
the external air. f is a screw cover to the valve box d by means of which the
resistance of the valve e may be regulated. Passing through the said cover f is a
screw spindle g adapted to bear upon the top of the valve e when screwed down,

page_text: and intended to hold the latter firmly upon its seat when required, as in the
event of the presence of a vacuum in the boiler being necessary for any purpose.
is a lock nut on the screw spindle g.
Should a vacuum or partial vacuum be formed in the boiler, the atmospheric
valve e will be automatically lifted by atmospheric pressure, and the vacuum will
at once be destroyed by the admission of the external air. As will be clearly
seen on referring to Fig. 3, the valve e is so constructed and arrangel as to resist
all internal steam pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. For the purpose set forth, the use in combination with a steam pressure
gauge of an atmospheric spring valve connected with the pressure supply pipe of
the gauge and adapted to establish communication between the interior of the same
and the external air, said valve being constructed and arranged to resist all
internal steam pressure and to automatically open to atmospheric pressure when
a vacuum or partial vacuum is formed in the boiler, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a steam pressure gauge, of a T shaped hollow casting,
one branch of which is arranged to form the connection between the gauge and
its pressure supply pipe whilst the other branch has communication with the
external air through an atmospheric spring valve which automatically governs
the admission of air to the gauge, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described and illustrated.
3. A steam gauge attachment for the purpose set forth, consisting of the
hollow T shaped casting B composed of two communicating branches or tubes a
and b, the branch a being furnished with means such as nuts c for fixing the
attachment in place and the branch & terminating in a valve box d containing a
spring valve e and communicating by a passage a¹ with the external air, said valve
box being provided with a screw cover for regulating the resistance of the valve
and with a screw spindle g adapted to bear upon the top of the valve and hold the
same down upon its seat when necessary, the whole constructed arranged and
combined substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 25th day of February 1895.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.