IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES FOR BOILERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hughes, of Ingrave Street, Battersea, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES
FOR BOILERS."
Sealed the 2nd March 1880, and dated the 8th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hughes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October 1879.
THOMAS HUGHES, of Ingrave Street, Battersea, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES FOR BOILERS."
When the glass of the water gauge of a boiler breaks there is a rush of hot
water and steam, which cannot be stopped except by closing by hand the cocks
between the gauge and the boiler. My Invention relates to means of avoiding this
by arranging in the boiler connections self acting valves, which remain open while
the glass is entire, but close when the glass breaks.
For this purpose I form in each of the connections between the boiler and the
gauge glass, and beyond the usual cock in that connection, a cavity in which I place
a ball. This ball when equally pressed on in both directions rests on the lower
part of the cavity, leaving free passage between the boiler and the glass; but when,
in consequence of the glass breaking, the pressure in front of the ball is relieved,
it is forced against the mouth of the cavity against which it seats itself, closing it as
a valve.
Sometimes it is required to clear out the glass by blowing through it steam or
water, for which purpose an outlet cock below the glass is opened. In order in this
case to keep the ball valve open I provide a screw stem which passes through the
front of the connection. When this is screwed in it butts against the ball, preventing
it from seating itself when the outlet cock is opened, but when it is retracted the
valve is left free to close. This stem instead of being screwed backwards or
forwards by hand may be connected to the handle of the outlet cock, so that
when the cock is opened the stein is made to butt against the ball valve and keep it
unseated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th April
1880.
THOMAS HUGHES, of Ingrave Street, Battersca, in the County of Surrey.
⚫ IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES FOR BOILERS."
When the glass of the water gauge of a boiler breaks there is a rush of hot water
and steam, which cannot be stopped except by closing by hand the cocks between
the gauge and the boiler. My Invention relates to means of avoiding this by
arranging in the boiler connections self acting valves, which remain open while the
glass is entire, but close when the glass breaks.
For this purpose I form in each of the connections between the boiler and the
gauge glass, and beyond the usual cock in that connection, a cavity in which I
place a ball. This ball when equally pressed on in both directions rests on the
lower part of the cavity, leaving free passage between the boiler and the glass; but
when, in consequence of the glass breaking, the pressure in front of the ball is
relieved, it is forced against the mouth of the cavity against which it seats itself,
closing it as a valve. Sometimes it is required to clear out the glass by blowing
through it steam or water, for which purpose an outlet cock below the glass is opened.
In order in this case to keep the ball valve open I provide a screw stem which passes
through the front of the connection. When this is screwed in, it butts against the
ball, preventing it from seating itself when the outlet cock is opened, but when it
is retracted the valve is left free to close. This stem instead of being screwed
backwards or forwards by hand may be connected to the handle of the outlet cock,
so that when the cock is opened the stem is made to butt against the ball valve and
keep it unseated.
The accompanying Drawing represents a vertical section of a glass water gauge
according to my Invention.
A is the glass tube fitted in the usual way in the sockets B, B. The stop cocks
C, C, are as usual provided in the connections to the boiler, but between each of
these stop cocks and the socket belonging to it I form a cavity, in which lies a ball D
of larger diameter than the throat d leading to the socket. While the glass is
entire the balls D, D, being subjected to equal pressure both ways, lie inert in their
respective cavities; but when the glass breaks the pressure on the front of cach
ball is relieved, and the excess of pressure behind forces it forwards so that it seats
itself as a valve on the throat d, preventing the escape of steam and water.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manuer the same
is to be performed, I claim,-
Forming in the connecting pipes of a glass water gauge a cavity containing a ball
valve, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hughes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
THOMAS HUGHES. (L.S.)