Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Steam Traps.
I, FREDERICK LAMPLOUGH, of 5, Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, Clerken-
well, in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in the construction of steam traps of
somewhat similar character to those described in Specification No. 4662 of the
year 1895.
In such specification steam traps were described in which a flexible diaphragm
forming the bottom of a condenser or alcohol chamber is attached to and operates
a valve and one part of my present invention relates to an improved construction
of such parts.
For this purpose I form the flexible diaphragm without and means of con-
nection with the valve and thereby avoid perforation thereof and consequent
possible leakage through such perforation and at the same time obtain greater
Hexibility. I form the cap of the condenser convex externally as heretofore but
in order to increase the surface exposed to the air and obtain greater strength
and more rapid action I form it with circular corrugations. I first form the
flexible diaphragm and the condenser cap each with a short cylinder one being
slightly smaller than the other so as to be capable of fitting therein tightly,
the edge of the outer cylinder is then spun over the inner one and the two are
further securely soldered together to obtain a hermetic joint, a small hole is
made in the condenser cap through which the condenser is charged with alcohol
and the condenser is sealed under vacuum.
Previous to charging the condenser the latter is dropped into the case where
the flexible diaphragm is in contact with the valve, the edge of the case is then
spun over the condenser so as to obtain a firm grip of the latter and the con-
denser is soldered into its case.
In my improved construction of valve; the valve proper is preferably of
vulcanized fibrous material and of ring form, it is dropped into a correspondingly
shaped recess in the valve case or body and the latter is centrally tapped. The
valve is provided with wings formed with a disc shaped head having a screw
pin which is screwed into the tapped hole in the valve case or body, thus the
wings act as a guide to the valve and at the same time keep the valve of vul-
canized fibrous material in position in the valve case or body.
The steam trap is provided with a central tube on the upper end of which
is the valve seat, whilst the neck of the condenser case surrounds said tube,
leaving an annular space between them and is screwed into the body of the trap;
the central tube or passage communicates with the trap inlet and the annular
space communicates with the outlet.
When applying my improvements tc a sight discharge steam trap instead

page_text: of, as heretofore, merely fitting the outlet with a glass tube to show the water
dripping through the same I now fit a glass tube on the pressure side, surround-
ing the central tube, the lower end of which latter is placed at the point desired
for the water level in the trap. An annular space is left between these two
tubes and the inlet passages of the trap communicate with both ends of the
space within said glass tube.
1 -
Thus when the water in the glass tube rises above the fixed level it can be
readily seen and it will indicate that the trap is working too slowly and requires
readjustment to bring the water to lower end of inner tube, that is, to the water
level and point of discharge.
51
Dated this 19th day of October 1899.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps.
I, FREDERICK LAMPLOUGH, of 5, Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, Clerken-
well, in the County of London, Engineer, 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 invention relates to improvements in the construction of steam traps of
somewhat similar character to those described in Specification No. 4662 of the
year 1895.
In such specification steam traps were described in which a flexible diaphragm
forming the bottom of a condenser or alcohol chamber is attached to and operates
a valve and my present invention relates to an improved construction of such
parts and to an improved arrangement of sight discharge steam trap.
I will describe the invention by the aid of the accompanying drawings in
which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a simple form of steam trap embodying the
first part of my invention. Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections of parts forming
the condenser.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of part of the condenser showing the parts united.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of the condenser case. Fig. 6 is a cross section of
parts showing the condenser in its case.
Figs. 7 and 8 are cross sections respectively of the valve case and valve and
Fig. 9 is an elevation of the valve wings.
Fig. 10 is a vertical section and Fig. 11 an elevation of a sight discharge
steam trap embodying my invention.
In all the views like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a is the condenser cap, a the flexible diaphragm forming the bottom of
the condenser, 6 the condenser case, the valve case or body, the valve, c² the
valve wings, the central tube of the steam trap having the valve seat at its
upper end, e the body of the trap, el the inlet and the outlet.
I form the flexible diaphragm a without any means of connection with the
valve c, c¹, c2 and thereby avoid perforation thereof and consequent possible
leakage through such perforation and at the same time obtain greater flexibility.
I form the cap a of the condenser convex externally as heretofore but in order
to increase the surface exposed to the air and obtain greater strength and more
-3

page_text: rapid action
I form it with circular corrugations a². I first form the flexible
diaphragm and the condenser cap a each with a short cylinder a³ ³, one
being slightly smaller than the other so as to be capable of fitting therein
tightly, the edge of the outer cylinder at, is then spun over the inner one and
the two are further securely soldered together to obtain a hermetic joint, a
small hole is made in the condenser cap through which the condenser is charged
with alcohol and the condenser is sealed under vacuum.
Previous to charging the condenser the latter is dropped into the case b
where the flexible diaphragm a¹ is in contact with the valve e, c', the edge b
of the case 6 is then spun over the condenser so as to obtain a firm grip of the
latter and the condenser is soldered into its case.
In my improved construction of valve; the valve proper c is preferably of
vulcanized fibrous material and of ring form, it is dropped into a correspondingly
shaped recess c³ in the valve case or body and the latter is centrally tapped.
The valve is provided with wings formed with a disc shaped head c having
a screw pin which is screwed into the tapped hole in the valve case or
body c, thus the wings act as a guide to the valve and at the same time keep
the valve c¹ of vulcanized fibrous material in position in the valve case or body c.
The steam trap is provided with central tube d on the upper end of which is
the valve seat, whilst the neck 62 of the condenser case surrounds said tube d,
leaving an annular space e between them, and is screwed into the body e
of the trap; the central tube or passage d communicates with the trap inlet e¹
and the annular space e³ communicates with the outlet e².
In order to enable the passage through the steam trap to be closed when it is
desired to inspect or remove the condenser I fit the lower part of the trap with
a valve e which by an external hand wheel can be pressed against the lower
end of the central tube d.
When applying my improvements to a sight discharge steam trap as repre-
sented at Figs. 10 and 11 instead of, as heretofore, merely fitting the outlet with
a glass tube to show the water dripping through the same I now fit a glass tube f
on the pressure side, surrounding the central tube 7, the lower end, of which
latter is placed at the point desired for the water level in the trap. An annular
space is left between these two tubes and the inlet passages e¹ of the trap com-
municate with both ends of the space within said glass tube f.
Thus when the water in the glass tube f rises above the fixed level dit can
be readily seen and it will indicate that the trap is working too slowly and
requires re-adjustment to bring the water to lower end of inner tube d, that
is, to the water level and point of discharge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a steam trap the combination of an alcohol chamber having a circularly
corrugated convex cap and an imperforated flexible diaphragm forming the
bottom thereof with a disconnected valve operated by such flexible diaphragm,
substantially as herein set forth.
2. In a sight discharge steam trap the combination of an alcohol chamber, a
flexible diaphragm forming the bottom of said chamber, a valve operated by
the flexible diaphragm, a case in which the alcohol chamber is fixed, a trap body
into which the case is fixed, a tube fixed centrally within the trap body and
having the valve seat at its upper end, an inlet and an outlet aperture in the
trap body, a glass tube fixed in the trap body, surrounding the central tube and
communicating with the inlet aperture or pressure side and a passage surround-
ing the central tube and connecting the space below the flexible diaphragm with
the outlet substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a sight discharge steam trap the combination with an alcohol chamber
having a flexible diaphragm operating a valve, a central tube having the valve

page_text: seat at its upper end and having its lower end at the fixed water level, of a
glass tube surrounding the central tube and communicating with the pressure
side or inlet of the trap, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 28th November 1899.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents.