Improvements in Charging Apparatus for Introducing Steam and Fluids into Vessels under Pressure.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 189)---Accepted, 6th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Charging Apparatus for Introducing Steam and
Fluids into Vessels under Pressure.
I, JAMES CRAIG, Junior, of 190, West 100th Street, City of New York, State
of New York, United States of America, Engineer, 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:—
My improvement relates to nozzles or charging devices for filling vessels under
pressure, and refers especially to charging nozzles for charging or filling the
heating cylinders used in connection with compressed air motors, where the
cylinder is to be filled with steam and hot water under pressure, and where an
outlet is required for the escape of the fluid with which the cylinder is already
filled.
This invention consists in a charging nozzle containing within itself both the
charging and discharging tubes, adapted to be connected with their respective
orifices, whereby the charge enters the vessel and the discharge leaves the latter
through the same apparatus: and further consists in a locking device on the nozzle
by which it is secured to the vessel to be charged in such manner that the
nozzle cannot be detached from the vessel, either intentionally or by accident,
while the charging nozzle is connected with the charging orifice whereby all
injury to the operator or to the apparatus is prevented.
The particular construction of the charging nozzle herein shown is more especially
designed for use in charging or filling the heating cylinders for compressed air
cars or vehicles.
In the accompanying drawing, illustrating this invention, Fig. 1 is a horizontal
section of the charging nozzle, taken centrally through the same, attached to the
heater orifice; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the yoke on the outer end of the
charging nozzle; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle through the
line
Fig. 1 Fig. 4. is a transverse sectional view through the line y-y:
and Fig. 5 a similar view through the line ; Fig. 6 is a horizontal view,
partly in section of the charging nozzle, showing certain parts in an unlocked
position; and Fig. 7 is a detail.
My improved charging nozzle consists of two tubes, one preferably within the
other, the outer one of which is connected with the inlet orifice through which the
steam or water enters the heater, and the inner one with the discharge orifice
from the latter.
.
1 is the inlet or charging tube, and 2 the outlet or discharging tube, situated
within the tube 1. In the tube 1 is the valve seat 3. with which engages the valve 4
mounted on the outside of the tube 2, by means of which the passage of the steam
through the charging tube is controlled. Communicating with the ports 5 in the
tube back of the valve is the supply pipe 6, through which the steam or hot
water enters the nozzle. The inner outlet tube 2 is supported and moved within
the tube by the yoko 7, attached to the part S, which screws onto the outer end
of the apparatus at 9. As shown in the drawing the tube 2 screws into the
yoke 7, by which means the position of the tube is regulated, and the valve 4.
adjusted on its valve seat. Attached to the part 8 is the wheel 10 by which it
is turned. As will be evident, when the part 8 with the yoke 7 is screwed onto
the end of the nozzle, the tube 2 is moved along within the tube 1, and the valve 4

page_text: slid away from its valve seat, or unseated; and as the part 8 is unscrewed, the
tube is moved back and the valve brought against its valve seat and closed. The
valve in the charging tube 1 is thus opened and closed by the movement of the
discharge-tube 2, and at the same time the latter tube is connected with, or with-
drawn from, the discharge orifice on the heater, as described further on.
The end of the tube 1 is bevelled on the outside, as shown in the drawing,
in order to slide and fit into the charging orifice 11 connected with the heater
and the tube 2 is correspondingly bevelled on the inside to slide over and enclose
the end of the discharge orifice 12. The tube 1 is made to slide into the orifice 11
by the encircling screw ring 13, the inner surface of which is provided with a
shoulder 14, which bears against, or engages with, a similar shoulder 15 on the
outside of the tube 1, and which ring screws into the attaching or locking ring 16
of the nozzle. This attaching ring 16 consists of an annular ring screwing over
the ring 13, and adapted to be attached and secured to the heater orifice. On the
end of the ring 16 are segmental projections 17, which fit into corresponding
recesses 18 within the orifice 11, and hold the nozzle in position on the latter.
When the charging nozzle is to be attached, the part 8 is unscrewed from the
end of the nozzle until the tube 2 is drawn back far enough to seat the valve 4
on its seat, and thus close the valve in the tube 1, and the ring 13 is partially
unscrewed from the attaching part 16, as is shown in Fig. 7. The end of part 16
is then inserted in the orifice 11, the projections 17 sliding in the grooves 19,
until opposite the recesses 18. The attaching ring 16 is then turned by the
handle 20, and the projections 17 slid into their several recesses 18, in the orifice 11,
when the part 16, and hence the charging nozzle, will be attached to the heater
orifice and securely held in the latter. The ring 13 is then turned, by means of
the wheel 21, and screwed into the fixed attaching part 16. The part 16 being
held from turning by its connection with the heater orifice, as the ring 13 screws
into it, the shoulder 14 on the ring presses against the shoulder 15 on the outside
of the tube 1, and causes the tube to move forward with the ring and thus slides
the tube into the orifice, as shown in Fig. 1. The charging tube is then in
place in the charging orifice on the heater, and ready for the admission of steam
or hot water. The part 8 is then screwed by means of the wheel 10 onto the
cuter end of the apparatus, which causes the tube 2, attached to it, to move forward
and its end to slide over and enclose the end of the discharge orifice 12; at the
same time the valve 4 on the tube 2 is slid away from its seat, and the valve
in the charging tube opened, allowing the steam to pass through the charging tube
into the heater as shown in Fig. 1. As the valve 4 in the charging tube is opened.
and as the connection is made between the discharge tube and discharge orifice
the valve or stop-cock on the heater connected with the discharge pipe is opened,
and the air or water allowed to escape through the discharge orifice and the
discharge tube in the nozzle at the same time as the steam or hot water enters
through the charging tube and orifice, and passes into the heater.
As is thus seen, with my improved charging nozzle the connection is made with
both the charging and the discharging orifices and the valve in the charging tube
opened at the same time and by one operation, and when an automatic discharge
valve is used on the cylinder, which opens by the pressure of the steam entering
the cylinder, the whole operation of charging the heater cylinder and allowing the
escape of the air or water is effected at one operation, and by the same operator.
It sometimes occurs that the charging nozzle is disconnected from the heater
orifice while the charging is progressing, or before the tubes are withdrawn from
the orifices, causing the nozzle to be blown violently out, and resulting in injury to
the operator or apparatus.
To prevent such an occurrence, I employ the locking device shown in the drawing.
This consists of a key or feather on the outer surface of the tube 1 which fits into
a recess in the inner surface of the locking ring 16, and prevents the latter ring
being turned so as to remove the projections 17 from the recesses in the orifice, or
so as to disconnect the nozzle from the orifice until the tube has been withdrawn
from the charging orifice,

page_text: On the outside of the tube 1 is a feather or key 22, which fits and moves in a
recess 24, shown more clearly in Fig. 7, in the inner surface of the attaching
ring 16. Communicating with this recess is a segmental groove 23, in which the
key slides as the ring 16 is turned to bring the projections 17 into the recesses 18
when attaching the nozzle to the orifice.
The position of the recess 24 and groove 23 with respect to the key 22 and to the
projections 17 is such that when the nozzle is detached and the tube 1 drawn back,
the key will rest in the outer corner 25 of the groove, and the projections 17 will
be in position to slide in the groove 19 in the edge of the heater-orifice. In attach-
ing the nozzle to the orifice, as the ring 16 is turned to bring the projections 17
into the recesses 18 in the orifice the key 22 slides in the groove 23 in front of the
recess 24, and in position to enter the latter. As the tube 1 is then slid forward to
form a connection with the charging orifice, the key enters the recess and moves
to the back of the same. The nozzle is now attached to the orifice by the
projections 17, and is securely locked by the key 22 in the recess 24, as, so long as
the key remains in the recess, the ring 16 cannot be turned to move the pro-
jections 17 out from the recesses in the orifice, and detach the nozzle; and hence,
the nozzle cannot be detached until the tube 1 is withdrawn far enough to slide
the key out from the recess and in position to slide in the groove 23. In this
position, as shown in Fig. 6, there is sufficient space between the tube and the
orifice to allow any steam that may be confined in the orifice to pass gradually
out without blowing out the nozzle, and if by accident the operator should
withdraw the tube before closing the valve in the latter, the escape of the steam
around the tube would warn him of his mistake, and enable him to close the valve
before any injury resulted.
To prevent the ring 13 being unscrewed so far as to be detached from the ring 16,
I employ a detent or stopper 26, mounted on the ring 16 by a spring 27, which
enters a groove 28 in the ring 13, at the moment the key 22 moves out of the
recess and is in position to slide in the groove 23. One side of this groove 28
has a shoulder 29 (Fig. 3) against which the detent strikes and stops the further
turning of the ring 13. As the ring is turned in sliding the tube forward, the
detent moves out from the groove and remains on the surface of the tube, as shown
in Fig. 1.
My improved charging nozzle may be used equally well to charge the reservoir with
compressed air, and for all purposes where a charging apparatus is required, and with
any construction of orifice on the cylinder or vessel charged having the discharge
pipe and inlet pipe or orifice arranged to connect with the respective tubes of the
nozzle.
While I prefer the construction here shown, it may be varied in important
particulars without departing from the invention, as the charging tube may be
situated within the outlet tube, or the tubes may be otherwise placed, and the
details may be altered from those here shown, and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A charging nozzle comprising a charging tube and an outlet tube, whereby
the charge and discharge pass through the nozzle, substantially as described.
2. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube, a valve for controlling
the passage of the charge in the same, and an outlet tube whereby the charge and
discharge pass through the nozzle, substantially as described.
3. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube, and a discharging
tube adapted to move back and forth in the nozzle to form a connection with the
discharged orifice, substantially as described.
4. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube; an outlet tube situated
within the charging tube and capable of moving back and forth in the same; and a

page_text: valve mounted on the outlet tube, and adapted to control the passage of the charge
in the charging tube, substantially as described.
5. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube; an outlet lube situated
within the charging tube, a valve mounted on the outlet tube, and adapted to
control the passage of the charge through the charging tube; means whereby the
charging tube is moved to engage and disengage with the charging orifice; and
other means whereby the outlet tube is moved to open and close the valve in the
charging tube, and engage and disengage with the outlet orifice, substantially as
described.
6. In a charging nozzle having a charging tube situated within the nozzle
and adapted to engage with the charging orifice of the vessel charged, a locking
device adapted to prevent the nozzle from being detached from the vessel until
the charging tube is disengaged from its orifice, substantially as described.
7. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube, situated within the
nozzle and adapted to engage with the charging orifice of the vessel charged; and
a locking device on the nozzle adapted to prevent the latter from being detached
from the vessel until the charging tube is disengaged from its orifice, substantially
as described.
8. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube situated within the
nozzle and adapted to be connected with the inlet orifice of the vessel charged;
and an outlet tube, also situated within the nozzle and adapted to be connected
with the discharge orifice of the vessel, substantially as described.
9. In a charging nozzle, in combination, a charging tube, an outlet tube,
situated within the charging tube; a valve on the outlet tube adapted to control
the passage of the charge in the charging tube; and a locking device on the nozzle
whereby the nozzle is secured to the charging orifice until the charging tube is
disengaged therefrom, substantially as described.
10. In a charging nozzle, in combination a charging tube; an outlet tube,
situated within the charging tube; a valve on the outlet tube adapted to control the
passage of the charge in the charging tube; means whereby the charging tube
is moved to engage and disengage with the charging orifice; other means whereby
the outlet tube is moved to open and close the valve in the charging tube and
engage and disengage with the outlet orifice; and a locking device on the nozzle
by which the nozzle is secured to the charging orifice until the charging tube is
disengaged therefrom, substantially as described.
11. In a charging device, in combination, the charging tube 1; means whereby
the tube is moved to engage and disengage with the charging orifice; ring 16,
encircling the tube and provided with the recess 23, and adapted to engage with
the orifice; and key 22 où the tube 1, arranged to engage with the recess, whereby
the ring 16 is prevented from disengaging from the orifice until the tube is
withdrawn therefrom, substantially as described.
12. In a charging nozzle, in combination, the charging tube 1; outlet tube 2,
situated within tube 1: valve 4 on the tube 2 arranged to engage with the valve
seat means whereby the tube 1 is moved to engage and disengage with the
charging orifice; other means whereby the tube 2 is moved to engage and disengage
with the outlet orifice; ring 16, encircling the tube and provided with the recess 23,
and adapted to engage with the orifice; and key 22 on the tube 1, arranged to
engage with the recess 23, whereby the ring 16 is prevented from disengaging
from the orifice until the tube 1 is withdrawn therefrom, substantially as
described.
D1 of Tour 1800
JAMES CRAIG, JUNIOR.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.