Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps.
-
We, CHARLES HARRIS WHITAKER, of No. 7, Pearl Street, Boston, Massachusetts,
and ALFRED CATLIN WHITING, of No. 203, South Willard Street, Burlington,
Vermont, both in the United States of America, Gentlemen, do hereby declare
the nature of our 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 steam-traps of the kind which employ a thermostatic
regulating device for operating the valve, and it has for its object to improve
traps of the kind specified, by rendering them more delicate and sensitive in
operation than heretofore.
The invention consists in the improvements which we will now proceed to
describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,―
Figure 1 represents a horizontal sectional view of a steam-trap constructed
in accordance with our invention.
Figure 2 represents a side elevation thereof.
Figure 3 represents a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.,
Referring to the drawings,-
a designates an elongated hollow casing, composed of cast-iron or other suit-
able material, and having at one end an inlet al, and at the other end an outlet a²
for the steam and water of condensation. A valve-seat a surrounds the inlet a',
and a valve b located in the casing a near one end of the latter opens and closes
against said valve-seat.
c represents a substantially semi-circular shell, of annular cross-section,
jointed into the casing a near the ends of the latter, and containing a termostat d
of corresponding semi-circular shape, the ends of which enter the casing a, as
shown. The valve b is attached to the end of a valve-stem b¹, which is stepped
loosely at its rear end in a socket at that end of the regulating tube d which is
nearest the outlet a². A suitable adjusting device, such as the screw e, bearing
against the said end of the tube d is provided, and a spring f surrounding the
valve-stem 6 and interposed between an abutment at on the interior of the
casing a and the end of the tube d presses the latter against the adjusting-
screw e.
The end of the tube d nearest the inlet a¹ is engaged with the valve-stem 6¹
between the valve b and a pin 62 on said stem, so that movements of the said end
of the tube d longitudinally of the casing a will operate to open and close the
We prefer to employ as a regulator
valve with respect to the valve-seat a³.
the well-known Bourdon tube d, consisting of a closed metallic tube of oval shape
in cross-section, as shown in Figure 3, containing a liquid, this being a particularly
sensitive and durable form of regulator. a designates a partition extending
across the casing a and practically closing the same against the passage of steam
or water of condensation, the said partition having an aperture formed in it large

page_text: enough to admit the valve-stem 61 loosely, without permitting the passage of
any appreciable amount of fluid. By means of this construction, we cause the
steam and water of condensation passing throught the trap to follow the course
of the shell c, so that the whole amount of fluid passing through is carried into
contact with the Bourdon tube d.
The operation of the described form of steam-trap is as follows: The action
of the Bourdon tube normally holds the valve 6 open. The advancing steam,
upon entering the casing a and shell b, heats the Bourdon tube and causes its
ends to spread and close the valve, thereby preventing the further entrance of
steam into the trap. As soon as this occurs, the heat from the steam which is
already in the trap begins to radiate from the walls of the shell c, and causes
the steam to condense. The consequent cooling of the Bourdon tube causes the
latter to contract and open the valve b, permitting the water of condensation
which has accumulated in the system with which the trap is connected, to escape
through the trap. The re-entering steam then closes the valve as before. În
order to obtain the best radiating efficiency from the shell c, the latter should
be composed of thin metal, preferably brass, which will readily conduct the
heat from the interior of said shell and dissipate it in the surrounding atmos-
phere; and it will be noted that by employing a shell constructed and arranged
as described with relation to the Bourdon tube and the casing a, we reduce to a
minimum the dead space surrounding the Bourdon tube, and obtain a maximum
rediating surface for the shell.
At the same time, by causing both the steam and water of condensation to pass
directly around the Bourdon tube, the latter is caused to respond more quickly
to changes in temperature.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A steam-trap comprising an elongated casing having an inlet at one end,
an outlet at the other end, a valve-seat surrounding said inlet, and a transverse
partition substantially closing said casing as a fluid-passage, a valve adapted to
open and close against said seat and having a stem extending longitudinally
of said casing and traversing the partition, a substantially semi-circular shell
jointed at its ends to said casing and composed of thin metal adapted to quickly
dissipate heat from the interior of the shell, and a Bourdon tube of substantially
semi-circular shape enclosed in said shell and having its ends in the casing, one
end being connected with and adapted by its movements to operate the valve.
2. A steam-trap comprising an elongated casing having an inlet at one end,
an outlet at the other end and a valve-seat surrounding the inlet, a valve adapted
to close against said valve-seat, a substantially semi-circular shell jointed at its
ends to said casing and composed of thin metal adapted to quickly dissipate
heat from the interior of the shell, and a Bourdon tube of substantially semi-
circular shape enclosed in said shell and having its ends in the casing, one end
being connected with and adapted by its movements to operate the valve.
Dated this 24th day of October 1899
CHARLES HARRIS WHITAKER.
ALFRED CATLIN WHITING.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
15, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
CHARLES HARRIS WHITAKER.
ALFRED CATLIN WHITING.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
15, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.