A New or Improved Return Steam or Hot Water Trap.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Return Steam or Hot Water Trap.
I, SAMUEL PEAKE of Gillow Heath Pottery, Gillow Heath, near Congleton,
in the County of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a new or improved construction and arrangement of
apparatus for draining water of condensation from steam apparatus, and for
returning such water back again to the boiler against boiler pressure. Such
apparatus is specially designed for use in connection with certain slip evaporating
apparatus for which I obtained Letters Patent No.:-15616 on the 17th day of
August 1893 and for use with any other heating apparatus where steam pressure.
is used.
In accordance with my invention I employ what I will call a collecting or
receiving chamber, by preference in the form of a tube or cylinder and of a size
suited to the quantity of condensed water to be dealt with, or, by preference about
2 feet 6 inches long, by 6 to 12 inches in diameter. Into this chamber the water of.
condensation in the steam apparatus is allowed to drain through a suitable. pipe
connected to its lower end and fitted with a back pressure valve. At the top end
of this chamber is a branch pipe or opening leading into a long narrow tube or
supplementary collecting chamber, and at the same extremity of the chamber is a
pipe leading from the steam boiler for admitting steam at certain intervals of time
into the said collecting chamber. In the aforesaid long narrow tube is a metal cup
or thimble form of vessel suspended by a cord from the periphery of a drum or
pulley fixed to any suitable part of the apparatus. The lower end of this
thimble is fitted with a valve whose stem protrudes beyond the bottom of the
thimble.
Water of condensation having accumulated in the collecting chamber to a height
exceeding that of the opening or pipe leading into the long narrow tube, it flows
through such pipe or opening into the thimble, and rapidly filling the same releases
it from a small balance catch, and causes it to descend to the bottom of the narrow
tube, and in so doing such thimble imparts to the aforesaid pulley from which it is
suspended, a fraction of a revolution, sufficient to impart to another pulley of lesser
diameter and connected to it, a similar revolution. This smaller pulley being
connected by a cord secured to the lever handle or rod of a valve, fitted in the
aforesaid steam pipe leading from the boiler, such valve is caused to rotate and
thus admit steam into the collecting chamber, which acting upon the accumulated
water in such chamber, forces it through a suitable outlet pipe into the boiler.
As soon as the thimble reaches the bottom of its tube the valve in its lower end
is opened by reason of its protruding stem striking the bottom of the tube and thus
the water in the thimble escapes. This done, and owing to the lightness of the
thimble, and to the weight of the lever handle or rod of the steam valve causing the
pulley to which it is attached to rotate in an opposite direction, the thimble is
caused to rise and passing the balance catch, to assume its former position, whilst
the steam valve is simultaneously closed.
And in order that my said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and, will
now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my improved return steam (or hot water) trap
shewing the parts in their normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar section shewing the
parts in the position they occupy when the steam is forcing the water into the
boiler.
In accordance with my invention (A) is the collecting chamber with end
sockets (B), connected respectively with the steam supply pipe (C), and return
pipe (D) leading to and from the boiler. The lower socket is also connected to a
pipe (E), fitted with back pressure valve (E'), and leading from the apparatus to
be drained. The upper socket is fitted with a pipe (F), leading into the narrow
tube (G). In this latter is the cup or thimble (H) sustained by balance lever
catch (I), taking under its rim or flange, and said thimble is fitted with a valve (J)
having a lengthened stem (J) with nut (J2) extending beyond the lower end of
such thimble as illustrated in Fig. 1. Said thimble is suspended by a cord (K)
from the periphery of a pulley (L) around which such cord is wrapped and
said pulley is mounted on a centre (M), supported in anti-friction bearings on the
steam pipe (C), and on the same centre and forming part of or connected with the
said pulley (L) is a smaller pulley (N). Around this lesser pulley and coiled
thereon in a direction opposite to that of the cord (K), is one end of a cord (O)
whilst the other end of such cord is attached to the free end of the lever (P) keyed
to the plug of the valve (Q) on the steam pipe (C). The proportions of the
pulley and adjustment of the lever (P) is such as to keep the thimble and lever (P)
more or less in equipoise.
The water of condensation filling the chamber (A) a small quantity (say
a pint) flows into the thimble (H) and as soon as such thimble is full, or as soon
as the balance of the lever (I) is disturbed, the thimble falls to the bottom of the
tube (G) so turning the pulleys (L) and (N) raising the lever (P) and opening
the steam valve (Q) (see Fig. 2). Live steam being thereby admitted into the
chamber (A) the water therein contained is forced through the pipe (D) away into
the boiler. At the moment the thimble reaches the bottom of the narrow tube the
spindle of the valve in its lower part strikes the end of the tube, and so opens the
valve and allows the water in the thimble to escape and flow away through
the pipe (R) and in so doing such thimble is lightened, and owing to the changes
of unequal balance between it and the lever handle (P) through the pulleys (L)
and (N), it commences to rise until it passes the latch (1) and assumes its former
position, the steam being simultaneously shut off by the falling of the lever (P).
The time in which the cycle of operations is performed may be lengthened or
shortened by altering the value of the pulleys (L) and (N), or by altering the
speed at which the thimble is drained.
The pipe (F) is of small bore and may be fitted with a tap or valve. If desired
the axis of the pulleys (L), (N) may be connected with, or serve to operate
directly upon the valve (Q). To facilitate the adjustment of the parts the
lever (P) and pulley (L) may be fitted with movable weights (S) or the lever (P)
may be extended beyond the centre of movement and fitted with a weight.
It will be obvious that the tube (G) may be formed on the side of the
chamber (A) instead of being separate, and that the details of construction and
arrangement of parts of my improved trap may be varied to suit its application.
Having thus 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 :-
1st. In apparatus for returning water of condensation to a boiler, the use of a
collecting chamber, communicating with an anxiliary chamber containing a valved
cup or thimble acting through a system of wheels on the lever handle of a steam
valve for controlling the admission of steam into the said collecting chambeı
substantially as set forth.
2nd. In return steam traps the use of a supplementary or auxiliary collecting
chamber containing a cup or thimble form of vessel, mouth upwards, and designed

page_text: to receive the overflow from the main chamber, and when full of operating
suitable apparatus for controlling the admission of steam to the said main chamber
as set forth.
3rd. The combination and arrangement of parts forming my improved return
steam (or hot water) trap substantially as set forth and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
Dhin 20th M1905
SAMUEL PEAKE,
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.