Improvements in Water Gauges for Steam Generators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Water Gauges for Steam Generators.
We, GEORGE GORDON FORBES, of 5, Graham Street, Govan, Glasgow, Brass
Finisher, and MATTHEW SMALL FORBES, of 354, Crown Street Glasgow, Clerk,
lo hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
66
This invention relates to that class of water gauges for steam generators known
as safety gauges." In this class of water gauge should the glass break from
any cause whatever automatic valve arrangements come into action and prevent
the escape of water and steam from the boiler.
Our invention has for its object to improve the construction of such safety
gauges.
In carrying out our invention we fit the gauge glass, at its upper end, in a
short cylinder which is capable of working within a passage made in the upper
casting or support. The cylinder is packed at its lower end steam tight and has
The upper end of the cylinder has four
fitted on it a box nut and a jam nut.
or other suitable number of passages in it. communicating with the interior
space of the support and is also made with a bevelled ring or edge constituting
a valve. Projecting from the extreme end of the cylinder is a cylindrical guide
which works within a box nut screwed into the upper side of the support. Fitted
within the cylindrical guide is a spiral spring whose upper end bears against
the box nut. The passage in which the cylinder works is chamfered off or bevelled
so as to serve as a valve seat.
The lower support is made in the same manner as the upper support and it
is provided with a valve seat at the end of the passage in which the lower cylinder
works. This cylinder is also made with a bevelled ring or edge at its lower end
constituting a valve and is provided with a spiral spring fitted within a cylindrical
guide constituting an extension of the cylinder. The gauge glass is fitted within
this cylinder in the same manner as with the upper cylinder.
A stop cock is provided in the upper support as usual and a three way cock is
provided in the lower support. The three way cock can be made to open or
close as desired the passage leading to the boiler, the passage leading to the
lower end of the gauge glass and a third passage made in a downward projection
cast in one with the support and constituting the blow through passage.
So long as the glass tube remains intact the valves are retained in the open
position but immediately the glass breaks the pressure is taken off the springs
which latter thereupon expand and force the valves tight against their seats
5 thereby shutting off the water and steam.
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow,
Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Gauges for Steam Generators.
We, GEORGE GORDON FORBES, of 5, Graham Street, Govan, Glasgow, Brass
Finisher, and MATTHEW SMALL FORBES, of 354, Crown Street Glasgow, Clerk,
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:-
-
This invention relates to that class of water gauges for steam generators known
as "safety gauges." In this class of water gauge should the glass break from
any cause whatever automatic valve arrangements come into action and prevent
the escape of water and steam from the boiler.
Our invention has for its object to improve the construction of such safety
gauges.
In order that our said invention may be properly understood we have hereunto
appended an explanatory drawing showing the water gauge in section.
upper
It will be seen that in carrying out our invention we fit the gauge glass a at
its end in a short cylinder & which is capable of working within a passage c
made in the upper casting or support d. The cylinder is packed at its lower end
steam tight by means of the ring e and has fitted on it à box nut and a jam
nut g. The upper end of the cylinder is preferably made hexagonal in shape
with a passage through each face communicating with the interior space of
the support and is also made with a bevelled edge or ring constituting a valve
face. Projecting from the extreme upper end of the cylinder is a cylindrical
guide which works within a box nut / screwed into the support as shown.
Fitted within the cylindrical guide k is a spiral spring m whose upper end bears
against the box nut. The passage c in which the cylinder works is at its upper
end chamfered off or bevelled at so as to serve as a seat for the valve face j.
The lower support is made in the same manner as the upper support d and it
is provided with a valve seat at the end of the passage in which the lower
cylinder works. This cylinder is also made with a bevelled ring or edge s
at its lower end constituting a valve face and is provided with a spiral spring t
fitted within a cylindrical guide constituting an extension of the cylinder.
The gauge glass is fitted within this cylinder in the same manner as with the
w is the box nut
upper cylinder. are the passages in the lower cylinder.
and the jam nut.
The ends of the gauge glass are packed at y.
A stop cock is provided in the upper support as usual and the three way cock
is provided in the lower support. The three way cock can be made to open or
close as desired the passage leading to the boiler, the passage leading to the
lower end of the gauge glass and the third passage made in the downward pro-
jection cast in one with the support and constituting the blow through or
drain passage.
So long as the glass tube remains intact the valves or valve faces j, s, are
retained in the open position, as shown, but immediately the glass breaks through
any cause the pressure is taken off the springs m, t, which at once expand and
force the valve faces j, s, tight against the seats n, q, thereby cutting off the
outrush of water and steam.
The valve faces ; and s are carefully made so as to fit tightly against their
scats.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature or
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we consider novel and desire to claim is:-
The improved construction of water gauge substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
ea
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow,
Agent.