Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps.
I, JAMES WYLLIE, of the New Calder Paper Mill, Mid Calder, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Paper Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
steam traps and to render them not liable to get easily out of order.
In carrying out my invention I employ a trap box of a rectangular or other
convenient form with its interior divided by a partition into two compartments
which may be termed respectively the inlet and trap compartments. The com-
munication with the steam pipes or other apparatus to which the trap is applied is
at the upper part of the inlet compartment and this compartment communicates
with the trap compartment through a wire-gauze diaphragm forming the upper
part of the dividing partition. The wire-gauze is to prevent the passage of
dirt or foreign matters, which falling to the bottom of the inlet compartment can
be removed thence, periodically, through a stopcock provided for the purpose. The
partition and wire-gauze also tend to cause a more complete separation of the water
from the steam.
The outlet for water from the trap compartment is by a horizontal pipe
projecting more or less across the compartment, and having fitted on it a sleeve
which is fixed at right angles to a tube extending a suitable distance at right angles
from the outlet pipe. The tube acts as a lever and carries an open cup or pan
with the bottom of which it communicates at its outer end, whilst its inner end
within the sleeve has formed in it a narrow port which coincides with a narrow
port in the outlet pipe when the tube with the cup or pan is turned down into its
lowest position. When the cup or pan is in its lowest position the water in the
trap box is forced out through the outlet pipe down to the level of the lowest point
of the top edge or lip of the cup or pan; and water then within the cup or pan is
also forced out so that the cup or pan becomes a float and rises in a manner to shut
off the communication with the outlet pipe. After the outlet is thus closed water
will continue for some time to accumulate in the trap box and to raise the floating
cup or pan until the latter reaches a stop, after which the water still accumulating
will eventually overflow into the cup or pan and cause it to descend and again open
the outlet port.
As an additional precaution to prevent dirt getting to the
outlet port, the cup or pan has wire gauze fixed across its otherwise open top.
The proportions and relative positions of the parts may in practice be modified
or adjusted to suit the pressures of steam which have to be dealt with in different
cases.
D1
1
ear
1000
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps.
I, JAMES WYLLIE, of the New Calder Paper Mill, Mid Calder, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Paper Maker, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
steam traps, and to render them not liable to get easily out of order.

page_text: In carrying out my invention I employ a trap box of a rectangular or other
convenient form, divided internally into two compartments, termed respectively the
inlet and trap compartments. The steam pipes are connected to the trap at the
upper part of the inlet compartment, and this compartment communicates with
the trap compartment through a wire-gauze diaphragm or other suitable screen or
grating forming the upper part of the partition. The water in the trap compart-
ment escapes by a horizontal pipe fixed therein, having fitted on it a sleeve
T-piece, from which extends a tube carrying and communicating with, at its outer
end, a cup or pan having a screen of wire gauze or the like fixed across its otherwise
open top. The tube acts as a lever with the sleeve T-piece, a narrow port in
which coincides with a narrow port in the outlet pipe, when the tube with the cup
or pan is in its lowest position, and through this port the water in the trap box is
forced down to the level of the lowest edge or lip of the pan. The water within
the pan is next forced out, and the pan becoming a float rises so as to shut off
communication with the outlet pipe. The water accumulates and raises the floating
pan until it reaches a stop, after which the water overflows into the pan causing it
to descend and open the outlet port.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood, I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings, to be
hereinafter referred to, and showing a steam trap made with my improvements.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a plan of my improved steam trap with the cover
removed, Figure, 2, being a longitudinal vertical section of the complete trap. Figure, 3,
is an enlarged horizontal section of the outlet pipe and sleeve and a part of the
tube, Figure, 4, being an enlarged vertical section of the same..
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
I employ a trap box, A, of a rectangular form with its interior divided by a
partition, A', into two compartments, B, and, C, which may be termed respectively
the inlet and trap compartments. The trap box, A, is provided with a removable
cover, A³, which is held by bolts, A³, allowing easy access to the internal parts.
The communication with the steam pipes or other apparatus (not shown) to which
the trap, A, is applied, is through a hole, B', at the upper part of the inlet com-
partment, B, and this compartment_communicates with the trap compartment, C,
through a wire-gauze diaphragm, D, forming the upper part of the dividing
portion, A. The wire gauze is to prevent the passage of dirt or foreign matters,
which matters falling to the bottom of the inlet compartment, B, can be removed
thence, periodically, through a hole, E, which is fitted with a plug or stopcock (not
shown), for the purpose. The partition, A¹, and wire-gauze diaphragm, D, also
tend to cause a more complete separation of the water from the steam.
The outlet for water from the trap compartment, C, is by a horizontal pipe, F,
fixed to one side and projecting more or less across the compartment and having
fitted on it a sleeve T-piece, G, which is fixed at right angles to a tube, H,
extending a suitable distance at right angles from the outlet pipe. The tube, H,
acts as a lever, and carries an open cup or pan, J, with the bottom of which it
communicates through a hole, J', at its outer end, whilst its inner end within the
sleeve T-piece, G, has formed in it a narrow port, K, which coincides with a
narrow port, F1, in the outlet pipe when the tube with the cup or pan, is turned
down into its lowest position, that is when the bottom of the outer end of the tube
rests on the bottom of the trap box, A. When the cup or pan, J, is in its lowest
position, the water in the trap box, A, is forced out through the outlet pipe, F,
down to the level of the lowest point, J, of the top edge or lip of the cup or
pan, J', this low water level being indicated by the dotted line, L; and the water
then within the cup or pan, J, is also forced out, so that the cup or pan becomes_a
float, and rises in a manner to shut off the communication with the outlet pipe, F.
After the outlet is thus closed water will continue for some time to accumulate in
the trap box, A, and to raise the floating cup or pan, J, until the upper part of the
latter butts against the cover, A³, of the trap box, or it might be any other stop

page_text: provided for the purpose, after which the water still accumulating will eventually.
overflow into the cup or pan, and cause it to descend and again open the outlet
port, F. The dotted line, M, indicates the highest level to which the water can
accumulate in the trap box, A. As an additional precaution to prevent dirt getting
to the outlet port, F1, the cup or pan, J, has wire-gauze, ., fixed across its
otherwise open top.
The proportions and relative positions of the parts may in practice be modified
or adjusted to suit the pressures of steam which have to be dealt with in different
cases.
Having now 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:
1. The construction and arrangement or combination of parts constituting my
improved steam trap, substantially as herein before described."
2. In a steam trap a water-outlet pipe having centered on it a tubular lever
carrying a cup or pan which is open-topped but covered with wire gauze or
equivalent material and which on becoming filled with water when the water
accumulates up to a maximum level descends and opens communication with the
outlet pipe and on being sufficiently emptied floats up again and closes the com-
munication substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. Constructing a steam trap with an inlet compartment separated by a partition
the upper part of which is a permeable diaphragm or screen substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this First day of February 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.