Improvements in and relating to Shields or Guards for Water-gauges.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1893-Accepted 12th Aug., 1893
5
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Shields or Guards for
Water-gauges.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the Firm
f J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, do
ereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide improved shields or guards for
vater-gauges, to protect the boiler attendant from the pieces of glass which are
usually scattered about when a gauge-glass breaks.
The shield proper, when applied to our improved water-gauges which have
safety devices to prevent the escape of water and steam when the glass breaks, is
preferably made of glass. But when applied to other gauges, the shield proper
may be made of stronger material than glass, as for example it may be made of
metal or other opaque material provided with a vertical slot or slots through which
the height of the water in the gauge-glass can be seen.
We mount our improved shield between brackets carried by the upper and
lower arms of the gauge in such a manner as not to interfere in any way with the
setting down of the gland nuts, or with the removal or insertion of a gauge-glass.
The shield-proper preferably consists of one or more flat plates or strips extending
vertically in front of the gauge from the top to the bottom of the gauge-glass.
We prefer to employ two or more plates or strips placed at a suitable angle to
each other so as to afford the most efficient protection to the attendant in case of
breakage of the gauge-glass. We so mount the strip or strips constituting the
shield proper that it or they can be readily removed for cleaning or other purposes
without disturbing the water-gauge or any part thereof.
We may advantageously carry our invention into practice as follows, that is to
say: We provide a pair of brackets each having an eye adapted to pass over and
turn upon that part of the steam or water arm on which the gland nut is screwed,
We mount one of said brackets on the steam arm, and the other on the water arm,
and we hold them in place by nuts which may be screwed down tight to lock the
guard in any required position, or may be slacked back to allow the brackets to
turn freely to either side, to allow easy access to the gland nuts for the purpose of
adjusting the same, or removing or inserting a gauge-glass. The said brackets we
preferably make of angular shape. The lower bracket or support is provided with
recesses to receive and form a rest for the lower ends of the shield strips or plates
whilst the upper support is slotted to allow the said plates to be passed there-
through and supported therein.
When
The said plates or strips are held quite loosely both vertically and laterally and
are free to expand and contract and can be removed and replaced without
interfering with the supporting brackets. The slots or grooves in the supporting
brackets may be lined with rubber or other soft, elastic or pliable material.
the strips or plates are formed of glass they should be very carefully annealed so
O as to be soft and capable of resisting a moderate blow. When in position they
form an angular shield or guard which does not interfere with the view of the
gauge-glass, nor give any deceptive appearance as to the height of the water,
and as above stated can be turned to one side when required to allow of
adjusting the gland nuts or for any other purpose, while at the same time it will be
45 seen that the said brackets for supporting the shield are permanently attached to
the gauge. Our improved shield is simple in construction and may be applied to
any ordinary water-gauge.
In a slightly modified construction we provide, in front of the water and stean

page_text: arms or other convenient part of the gauge, pivot pins on which we place the
supporting brackets instead of mounting them axially with the gauge-glass.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1893,
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Shields or Guards for
Water-gauges.
-We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the Firm
of J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, 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 has for its object to provide improved shields or guards for
water-gauges, to protect the boiler attendant from the pieces of glass which are
scattered about when a gauge-glass breaks, and also to shield the gauge-glass from
draughts and blows.
Our improved shield in the preferred form comprises a metal guard formed in
one piece extending vertically in front of the gauge-glass from top to bottom
thereof, and provided with an opening or with openings in which there is or are
placed and held one or more strong strips of glass through which the height of the
water in the gauge-glass can be seen. Said metal guard is made of curved
transverse section so as to efficiently cover the gauge-glass. The strips of glass
are kept in place by means of turn-buttons or other means which allow of ready
removal of the glass strips for cleaning and other purposes. When we use two or
more glass strips we place same at an angle with each other. In some cases if
intended to be applied to our improved water-gauges which have safety devices to
prevent the escape of water and steam when the gauge-glass breaks, the shield
proper may be made wholly of glass.
We mount our said shield between brackets carried by the upper and lower
arms of the gauge in such a manner as not to interfere in any way with the setting-
down of the gland-nuts, or with the removal or insertion of a gauge-glass.
An important feature of our invention is that the strips of glass through which
the gauge-glass is seen are not held rigidly or tightly but are quite free to expand
and contract in every direction. They are therefore not liable to break when in
use. Moreover they can be easily removed for cleaning, and as readily replaced.
The glasses are preferably of plain rectangular section and can therefore be
obtained without difficulty from any ordinary glazier.
A further important feature of our invention is the great facility afforded for
removing and replacing the entire shield or guard.
Our improved guard is very simple in construction and is durable and efficient
and of great practical utility.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front view, and
Figure 2 is a side view of a water-gauge fitted with our improved guard.
Figure 3 is a front view of the guard detached.
Figure 4 is a section of the guard taken on the line x Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detached central section of the top bracket that supports the
guard.
Figure 6 is a similar detached section of the bottom guard-supporting bracket.
Figure 7 is a plan view of said brackets.
Figure 8 is a front view

page_text: Figure 9 is a rear vie
Figure 10 is an end view of a slightly modified form of guard having only
lass.
Figure 11 is a transverse section on the line y y Figure 8.
Figure 12 is a front view of a further modified form of guard.
Figure 13 is a vertical section of the same, and
Figure 14 is a horizontal section taken on the line z z Figure 12.
Figure 15 is a plan, and
Figures 16 and 17 are central sections of the top and bottom brackets
espectively for supporting said guard.
Figure 18 is a front view of a still further modified formn of guard composed
wholly of glass.
Figure 19 is a central section of the top bracket for supporting said guard,
Figure 20 is a similar section of the bottom bracket.
Figure 21 is a plan view of said brackets.
Figure 22 shows partly in vertical section a portion of a water arm illustrating
another mode of carrying the supporting bracket.
Figure 23 is a plan view of the supporting bracket.
Like letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figures 1 to 7 A is the steam arm, B is the water arm of the gauge ;
C is the gauge-glass.
D D' are brackets provided with eye pieces D2 and mounted respectively on the
steam and water arms of the gauge, said eye pieces being adapted to pass over the
screw threaded parts on which the gland nuts are screwed. D', D₁ are nuts for
holding the brackets D D¹ in place. Said nuts may be screwed down tight to lock
the brackets in any required position, or may be slacked back to allow the brackets
to be turned or adjusted. The top bracket is provided with a curved slot D³ for
receiving the upper end of the guard hereinafter described. The bottom bracket
is provided with a curved recess D³ for receiving and supporting the lower end of
the guard.
E is the metal guard curved in transverse section as shown more clearly in
Figures 3 and 4, and shaped at its upper and lower ends to enter the curved slot
and recess D³ in the supporting brackets D, D'. The ends of the guard are
reduced in width at top and bottom as shown to facilitate the insertion and removal
thereof and to avoid unduly enlarging the size of the supporting brackets, and also
to provide more room for turning the handle of the gauge-cock. To place the said
guard in position in front of the gauge, the upper end thereof is passed up through
the curved slot in the upper bracket D and then the lower end is allowed to drop
into the recess in the lower bracket D'. The said guard is formed with two large
O parallel apertures E' extending nearly from top to bottom thereof, and is
constructed to receive two strong flat strips of glass F which fill said openings
and are held in the frame by turn buttons Fi as shown in Figure 4, or by other
equally simple means, which mode of retention allows of very easy removal and
replacement. The glass strips F are arranged at an angle as shown and through
5 them the gauge-glass can be seen and the height of the water observed at a glance
from either side of the gauge.
It is obvious that this construction of guard does not materially interfere with
the observation of the water level, or with the manipulation of the handles of the
steam and water cocks; moreover the entire guard can be instantly removed
50 whenever required for cleaning or other purpose and as easily replaced without
interfering with any part of the gauge.
55
In Figures 8 to 11 is shown a guard fitted with but one glass strip instead of two
such as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In other respects the frame is constructed
'similar to that above described and need not therefore be further referred to.
In Figures 12 to 14 we bave shown a still further modified form of guard which
in this case consists of two flat plates E each having one long aperture fitted with
a plain glass strip. For this construction of shield or guard we provide supporting

page_text: brackets of the kind shown in Figures 15 to 17. Said brackets are formed with
angular slots and recesses D³ to receive the guard but otherwise are shaped similar
to those above described. The corners of the frames are cut away as.shown at E
so as not to be in the way of the attendants hand when he is turning the steam and
water cocks.
Sometimes instead of using metal shields or guards such as shown in Figures 12
to 14 we employ simply flat strips of glass F Figure 18 which are supported by
the brackets shown in Figures 19 to 21. These brackets are similar in construction
to those shown in Figures 15 to 17 but have a larger radius and can be turned to
one side to admit of access to the gland nuts for the purpose of setting down said
nuts without requiring the removal of the guard from the gauge. This is an
advantage in cases where the guard or shield is made wholly of glass.
In all the above constructions-the-nuts may be screwed down tight to lock the
guard in any required position, or may be slacked back to allow the brackets to be
adjusted. It is obvious from the above description that the guard can be set with
the shield or strips at any angle which will best protect the gauge-glass from the
currents of cold air.
In Figure 22 we have shown a lower bracket attached to a support D³ secured to
the front of the water arm instead of to the screwed part on which the gland nut
is screwed. This bracket can be removed without interfering with the nuts of the
gauge-glass.
The glass plates or strips are not rigidly held, and are therefore free to expand
and contract in every direction, and can be removed and replaced without
interfering with the supporting brackets. The slots or grooves in the supporting
brackets may be lined with rubber, or other soft, elastic or pliable material, or we
may otherwise provide for preventing rattling or shaking of the guard especially
when applied to locomotives. The glass strips or plates should be very carefully
annealed so as to be soft and capable of resisting a moderate blow. When in
position they form a shield or guard which as above stated does not materially
interfere with the view of the gauge-glass, nor give any deceptive appearance as to
the height of the water. The brackets for supporting the shield are permanently
attached to the gauge.
In some instances we employ brackets cast on or fixed to the gauge body.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A shield or guard for the purpose specified consisting wholly or partly of
glass and so constructed that when connected with the upper and lower arms of the
water gauge as herein set forth it will but very slightly obstruct the view of the
gauge-glass and can be removed or replaced at any time without removing or
adjusting any of the part of the gauge.
2. A shield or guard supported independently of the gland nuts, in brackets,
such as those herein described, at the top and bottom of a water gauge, for the
purpose specified.
3. A shield or guard having a glass-strip or glass-strips supported in a metal
or other suitable frame which has its ends reduced in width, as, and for the purpose,
specified.
4. A shield or guard constructed with a curved or semi-circular frame fitted with
flat glass strips or plates which are held safely therein without end wise restriction
or pressure, as, and for the purpose, specified.
5. A shield or guard frame fitted with one or more glass strips held loosely in
place by means of turn-buttons, or otherwise, substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
6. A bracket constructed to hold the glass strips in a slot or recess and adapted
to be applied to the arm of the gauge independently of the gland nut, substantially
as, and for the purpose, specified.

page_text: 7. The combination of the shield or guard with brackets by which it is
held one of said brackets forming a rest and the other bracket a lateral support,
for the purpose specified.
8. The apparatus for protecting without concealing a water-gauge glass, substan-
tially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 7, or to Figures 8 to 11, or to
Figures 12 to 17, or to Figures 18 to 21, and operating as specified.
9. The combination with a water-gauge of a shield or guard such as that herein
described, for the purpose specified.
Dated this day
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.