IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GUAGES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel Inst P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GUAGES" (a com-
munication from abroad by Heinrich Ochwadt of Vonder Heydt mine near
Saarbrücken in the Empire of Germany Engineer) to be as follows:-
This water guage offers the advantage that the water-level in the boiler can be
directly observed through a glass-scale it can therefore never be obstructed or mark
false indications It is not necessary to blow of the water guage whilst at work
or to open for that purpose cocks or other closing apparatus, an operation which
frequently causes in other constructions leakages and errors in marking resulting
therefrom. The water-guage is also provided with an arrangement for instan-
taneous stoppage of the orifice in the event of the glass breaking; and for greater
security when putting in another glass a cock is added.
The water-guage consists of a metal casting which is provided with a plug and
fixed by means of rivets or screws to the front-plate of the boiler or to an annular
projection thereon.
The casting has on its face a graduated gauge glass closed at both ends and of
a semicircular section into which the water of the boiler enters freely through
a corresponding opening in the stop cock or it may be replaced by two straight
glass-plates so arranged as to permit of the water-level being observed through
them.
This guage glass, or glass-plates may be of such thickness that the breakage of
the same is practically impossible nevertheless for greater security an arrangement
is designed whereby the opening in the boiler-shell, when the glass bursts, will
immediately be stopped. This arrangement consists of an iron-plate vertically
suspended on pivots in the interior of the boiler and provided with a washer of
leather or india-rubber riveted thereupon. A float attached to the lower part of
D.

page_text: the iron-plate maintains the latter in such a position that the water and the steam
in the boiler arrive at the indicator without difficulty.
As this plate in consequence of the float attached thereon will follow all the
motions of the water-level, its mobility is assured in all cases, and it can never
happen that in the moment of danger it will not act in consequence of incrustation
or mud.
As soon as the glass bursts, the plate is driven by the escaping contents of the
boiler against the front-plate and closes the opening.
In order to cause the safety plug described to leave the aperture spontaneously
when the broken glass has been replaced by a new one, a small hole is pierced
through the upper rivet, which must be reopened by a needle, if obstructed, before
putting in the new glass. The pressure will be gradually equalised through this
hole whereby the float will be able to raise the plate.
1
11001

page_text: Improvements in Water Gauges.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES" (a.com-
munication from abroad by Heinrich Ochwadt of Vonder Heydt mine near
Saarbrücken in the Empire of Germany, Engineer), and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
This water gauge offers the advantage that the water level in the boiler can be
directly observed through a gauge glass; it can therefore never be obstructed or
mark false indications. It is not necessary to blow off the water gauge whilst at
work or to open for that purpose cocks or other closing apparatus, an operation
which frequently causes in other constructions leakages and errors in marking
resulting therefrom. The water gauge is also provided with an arrangement for
instantaneous stoppage of the orifice in the event of the glass breaking, and for
greater security when putting in another glass, a cock is added.
The water gauge shewn in the Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing
consists of a metal casting a which is provided with a plug and fixed by means of
rivets or screws to the front plate of the boiler or to an annular projection thereon.
The casting a has on its face a graduated gauge glass b closed at both ends and of
a semi-circular section, into which the water of the boiler enters freely through
a corresponding opening in the stop cock, or it may be replaced by two straight
glass plates so arranged as to permit of the water level being observed through
them, see Figure 4.
•
This gauge glass or glass plates may be of such thickness that the breakage of
the same is practically impossible, nevertheless for greater security an arrangement
is designed whereby the opening in the boiler shell, when the glass bursts, will
immediately be stopped. This arrangement consists of an iron plate c vertically
suspended on pivots in the interior of the boiler and provided with a washer of
leather or india rubber riveted thereupon. A float fattached to the lower part
of the iron plate maintains the latter in such a position that the water and the
steam in the boiler arrive at the indicator without difficulty.
As this plate in. consequence of the float attached thereon will follow all the
motions of the water level, its mobility is assured in all cases, and it can never
happen that in the moment of danger it will not act in consequence of incrustation
or mud.
As soon as the glass bursts the plate is driven by the escaping contents of the
boiler against the front plate and closes the opening.
In order to cause the safety plug c described to leave the aperture spontaneously
when the broken glass has been replaced by a new one, a small hole g is pierced
through the upper part of the plug, which must be reopened by a needle if.
obstructed before putting in the new glass.
The pressure will be gradually
equalised through this hole whereby the float f will be able to raise the plate c..

page_text: As it may happen with very dirty waters that mud collects in the gauge glass,
a hole may be bored in the bottom of the casting and a blow-off cock inserted at m.
For simple water gauges the curved glasses may be used; or instead of these
flat glass plates may be made use of as shewn in Figure 4.
In this case, in simple water gauges a third plate may be affixed in front whilst
with curved glasses the covering plate must be slit as shewn at Figure 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. The combination of parts consisting essentially of a semi-circular gauge
glass b, suitably attached to the boiler shell and open towards the interior of the
boiler throughout its entire length, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination of parts consisting essentially of two glass plates fixed to
a casting preferably parallel or at right angles to each other and provided with
a cock so as to shew the water level in the interior of the boiler.
3. The combination of parts consisting of a closing plate e vertically suspended
on pivots in the interior of the boiler, the position and mobility of which plate is
secured by a float f attached to its lower part designed to effect an instantaneous
closing of the aperture should the glass burst.