Improvements in and connected with Automatic Water Gauges.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left 3rd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Automatic Water Gauges.
I, GEORGE MAULE MARCHANT of Chapel Hill Brass Works, Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Brass Founder and Finisher do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:--
This invention in water gauges relates, firstly; to means to be applied to or
connected with the valve for automatically shutting off steam on the breakage
or fracture of the gauge glass, for giving an alarm when such breakage occurs,
and, secondly; to the top automatic valve which is arranged and constructed so
as to act without the aid of a spring.
In carrying out my invention I arrange a bye pass or air tube in, or in
connection with, the top fitting or valve chamber, or valve, which said bye pass
is adapted to be closed by the automatic valve,-whether of the spherical or other
type adopted in water gauges,-when such valve is open and the water gauge is
in working order, and to be opened when the said valve automatically closes, by
In communi-
reason of the breakage of the gauge glass, and shuts off steam.
cation with the said bye pass or orifice is a whistle or device of any suitable
construction which is adapted to be sounded by a jet of steam issuing from the
bye pass.
When the automatic valve is open and the water gauge in working
order the bye pass or air tube is closed and no steam can pass to the whistle
or alarm, but when the confined or retained back pressure in the gauge which
keeps the valve open is destroyed by the breakage of the gauge glass, the
automatic valve is closed by the pressure of steam from the boiler and the bye
pass or orifice thereby opened or exposed to the steam which passes therethrough
and sounds the whistle or alarm, giving audible intimation of the failure of the
water gauge, the alarm being sustained until the gauge is attended to.
The method of and means for giving an alarm when the gauge glass is broken
or the steam to the gauge is shut off by any accidental cause as before described
may be applied to any suitable construction of water gauge having an automatic
top valve and is specially applicable to the valve forming the second part of my
invention which is of the mushroom type having a hollow shank adapted to pass
freely over a pipe or nipple projecting into the valve chamber and preferably
attached to or forming part of a nut or screw which enables the parts to be
removed from the top fitting for repairs and cleaning purposes. The chamber
or top fitting is provided with a seating for the aforesaid valve and at right
angles thereto is a spindle or cleaning screw which, when removed from the top
fitting, exposes the steam inlet and admits of a wire being passed through the
valve chamber and inlet to remove and clean out the sediment or other obstructive
matter lodging therein.
The bye pass or air tube which communicates with the whistle or alarm is
made through the nipple or pipe whose upper end is faced to form a valve and
a corresponding valve seating is made in the hollow shank of the automatic
valve. The lower inner sides of the said shank are bevilled or inclined, or the
shank may be perforated to readily admit steam thereto on the gauge glass
breaking. Instead of the hollow shank passing over the nipple or pipe, the
order may be reversed and the shank enter the nipple or mouth of the pipe and
the end thereof form the valve for closing the bye pass or orifice.

page_text: When the cocks are opened to admit water and steam to the gauge, the confined
pressure created by the larger sectional area of the steam inlet thoroughfare
forces and maintains the automatic valve clear of its seating or in equilibrium
so that there is free communication between the steam inlet and the gauge glass
whilst at the same time the valve controlling the bye pass or tube is forced
against its seating and closes said bye pass. On the gauge glass breaking and
relieving the pressure on the convex faced valve, the pressure of steam from the
boiler immediately forces it against its seating and closes the thoroughfare so as to
instantaneously shut off steam, but as the second valve is opened by the action
described, the steam passes through the pipe or tube and sounds the whistle or
alarm indicating to the attendant that the gauge glass has broken or given way.
A suitable horn or finger actuated by the steam cock or by an eccentric or other
mechanical device may in addition be employed to actuate the automatic valve
independently of the confined pressure in the gauge as may be required for various
purposes.
In lieu of a single automatic valve I may employ two such valves mounted or
formed on the same spindle or shank and working in chambers or boxes open
respectively to the gauge glass and to the steam inlet, the action being similar to
that described and working without the aid of a spring.
Dated this 21st day of March 1801
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Automatic Water Gauges.
I, GEORGE MAULE MARCHANT, of Chapel Hill Brass Works, Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Brass Founder and Finisher, 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 in water gauges relates, firstly, to means to be applied to or
connected with the automatic valve for shutting off steam on the breakage or
fracture of the gauge glass, for the purpose of giving an alarm when such breakage
occurs; and, secondly, to the top automatic valve which I construct and arrange
so as to act without the aid of a spring.
For the purpose of fully describing and ascertaining my said invention reference
is hereafter had to the annexed sheet of drawings, wherein :-
Fig. 1 is transverse section of a water gauge having my improvements applied
tliereto.
Fig. 2 is transverse section of the upper gauge fitting, shewing a modification ;
and Fig. 3 is cross section of same taken on liner, ..
Fig. 4 is transverse section of the upper gauge fitting shewing the application of
a whistle or alarm to a suspended or supported automatic valve.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Letters A and B represent respectively the top and bottom fittings of a water
gauge, each provided in the ordinary manner with stop cocks C and D, the former
for admitting steam and the latter water and steam, from the boiler to the gauge
glass E.
A waste or discharge cock (not shewn) is also provided for blow through
purposes. In the bottom fitting B is the automatic gravity valve F confined and
supported within a cage or yoke G screwed into the nut or part B', which said
valve, when the gauge is in working condition, drops or descends by its own
gravity to the bottom of the cage as shewn in full line in Fig. 1 and permits the
water or other liquid or fluid to pass through the openings in the cage G and flow
up the glass tube E, but when the latter breaks or is fractured, the pressure of

page_text: water forces the valve upwards against its seating a as indicated in dotted lines and
thereby prevents the escape or passage of the water to the gauge glass.
The top fitting A has also an automatic valve H which, when the gauge is in
working condition, is maintained in the position shewn in full line in the drawings
and clear of its seating & by the confined or retained back pressure of steam in the
gauge as afterwards more fully explained, or by the assistance of a spiral spring as
shewn in Fig. 4, and when the gauge glass is broken or fractured, is forced against
its seating by the pressure of steam from the boiler so as to close the steam
inlet.
So far the water gauge herein shewn and briefly described is of the ordinary
character, and although the construction and arrangement of same may vary with
different makers, the principle of action is similar in all.
The first part of my invention consists in combining with the top gauge fitting
or automatic valve a whistle or alarm which, on said automatic valve being forced
up against its seating to shut off steam to the gauge glass, is sounded by a jet of
steam admitted thereto by the action of the valve and gives audible warning of the
gauge having ceased to act through breakage or fracture of the glass tube or of
parts in connection therewith giving way and destroying the conditions necessary
to the proper working of the gauge.
In carrying out this part of my invention I arrange or form a bye pass, tube or
pipe in, or in connection with, the top gauge fitting A or automatic valve
chamber J, which said bye pass is adapted to be closed by the automatic valve H-
whether of the spherical, mushroom or other type adopted in water gauges,-when
such valve is open and the water gauge in working order, and to be opened or
exposed to the steam from the boiler when the said valve closes through the
failure or breakage of the glass tube.
In communication with the said bye pass or orifice I is the whistle or aların K
of any suitable construction adapted to be sounded by a jet of steam issuing
from the bye pass.
When the automatic valve is open and the water gauge in
working order, the bye pass or orifice I is closed and no steam can pass to the
whistle or alarm, but when the confined or retained back pressure in the water
gauge, which keeps the valve H open, is destroyed by the breakage of the gauge
glass, the said valve is immediately closed against its seating by the pressure of
the steam from the boiler, and the bye pass thereby opened or exposed to the.
steam which now passes therethrough and sounds the whistle or alarm giving
audible intimation of the failure of the water gauge, and sustaining it until the
gauge is attended to.
The method of and means for giving an alarm when the automatic valve II is
closed through any of the causes named may be applied as found most convenient
to any suitable construction of water gauge having an automatic valve in the top
gauge fitting, but it is especially applicable to the valve forming the second part of
my invention. This said valve is preferably of the mushroom type, as shewn, and is
adapted to act without the aid of a spring and solely under the conditions of
pressure existing in the gauge. This valve for the purpose of combining it with
the whistle or alarm is provided with a hollow shank H adapted to pass freely
over a pipe or nipple L projecting into the valve chamber J and attached to or
forming part of a nut L' which is screwed into the top fitting and is easily
removable when it is desired to take out the parts for repairs or for cleaning
purposes. The top fitting is provided with a seating b for the aforesaid valve, an I
with a cleaning screw or screws M, (as in Fig. 1 or Figs. 2 and 3) which, when
removed, expose the steam inlet and admit of a wire being passed therethrough to
remove and clean out the sediment or other obstructive matter lodging therein.
The bye pass or opening I which communicates with the whistle or alarm is made
through the nipple or pipe L, whose upper end is faced to form a valve and is
preferably cone shaped or rounded to prevent grit lodging thereon.
seating c corresponding thereto is made in the hollow shank of the automatic
valve H and the lower edges of said shank are bevilled or inclined as shewn; or
A valve

page_text: the shank may be perforated so as the more readily to admit steam thereto on the
gauge glass breaking. Instead of a hollow shank passing over the nipple or pipe,
the order may be reversed and the shank enter the nipple or mouth of the pipe and
the end thereof form the valve for closing same.
When the cocks C, D, are opened to admit steam and water to the gauge, the
confined pressure created therein by the larger sectional area of the steam inlet
over the outlet forces and maintains the automatic valve H'clear of its seating b, or
in cquilibrium, so that there is free communication between the boiler and the
gauge glass, whilst at the same time the valve controlling the bye pass or tube I is
closed so that steam cannot pass to the whistle. But when the gauge glass breaks,
or through other causes the confined or retained back pressure in the gauge glass
is destroyed, the pressure of steam from the boiler immediately forces the valve H
up against its seating and closes the thoroughfare or inlet so as to instantaneously
shut off steam to the gauge. This action simultaneously opens or exposes the bye
pass I to the steam which therefore now passes through it to the whistle and gives
the alarm indicating that the gauge has ceased to act.
In Fig. 1 the whistle K is screwed directly into the nut L' and is therefore
situated under the top fitting, but in Figs. 2 and 3 I have shewn how it may
be secured on the upper side of the fitting or at a distance removed from the
valve chamber J and communication established between it and the said valve
chamber.
Referring to said figures, the steam admitted to the bye pass I on the valve H
being closed, passes through two or more openings d formed through the nut L'
and enters an annular channel or groove e made in the upper face of the flange
said nut, from whence it passes into a pipe or thoroughfare f formed in one side of
the fitting A which conducts it direct to the whistle K.
on
In lieu of a single automatic valve I may employ two such valves mounted or
formed on the same spindle or shank and working in chambers or boxes open
respectively to the gauge glass and steam inlet, one for closing said inlet and the
other for closing the entrance to the bye pass, the action being similar to that
described and working without the aid of a spring.
In Fig. 4 I have shewn the application of the whistle or alarm to an automatic
valve supported or suspended as hitherto by a spiral spring to maintain it clear
of its seating b when the gauge remains intact and in proper working condition
and which may, by some, he preferred to my improved valve working without a
spring. In this case the nut or collar g on the end of the shank or stem of the
spindle forms a second valve for closing the opening or orifice I communicating
with the whistle K when the gauge is intact, and for exposing it to the steam
when the gauge fails. The valve shank is made three sided so that the steam
enn pass between it and the opening in the flanged bush N through which it
works.
The method of confining and securing the spherical gravity valve in the bottom
Sitting B permits of its being readily removed for repairs or other purposes.
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:-
:-
Firstly. In water gauges for steam boilers and other like purposes, the
combination of a valve acting in the upper gauge fitting for automatically
shutting off steam to the gauge on the working conditions thereof being destroyed,
a bye pass, tube or pipe adapted to be closed and opened by the opening or closing
of said valve and a whistle or equivalent alarm in connnnnication with said bye pass
or tube, all arranged and acting in the manner and for the purposes substantially
as herein shown and described.
Secondly. In water gauges for steam boilers and other purposes wherein the
sectional area of the steam inlet is larger than that of the outlet thoroughfare
or thoroughfares and causes a confined or retained back pressure to be set up

page_text: or created in the gauge, an automatic valve H such as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3
constructed and arranged to act without the aid of a spring substantially as
herein set forth.
Thirdly. The combination, in the top fitting of a water gauge, constructed and
arranged as herein described and shewn, of an automatic valve H adapted to act
without the aid of a spring, a whistle or alarm K and a bye pass or passages
establishing communication between the valve chamber and said whistle and
opened to or closed against the steam by the action of said valve substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1895.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Patent Agents.