Improvements in or Relating to Gauges for Steam Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or Relating to Gauges for Steam Generators.
I, PAUL DUFRAY, of Sotteville-lès-Rouen in the Republic of France, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an automatically closing water gauge for steam gene-
rators, in which the breaking of the gauge-glass instantaneously produces such a
displacement, under the influence of the internal pressure of sockets or tubes,
provided with holes for the admission of fluid so that these holes become closed
and thus prevent the fluid from escaping to the exterior of the vessel.
This system has the advantage over those at present employed, of dispensing
with the use of closing valves or balls, which become easily rusted in or become
covered with boiler-scale and then close the openings in case of breakage in a
very imperfect manner, and thus only reduce the danger without avoiding it ab-
solutely. Moreover, this gauge has no stuffing boxes to insure a tight joint round
the glass-tube which it is necessary to detach in case of the breaking of the tube
in order to insert another glass.
The device comprises two parts, an upper and a lower one, connected by a glass-
tube and of similar, or very nearly similar, construction only arranged inversely;
therefore only one part need be described.
Each part of the gauge comprises a casing communicating with the interior
of the generator by means of a branch preferably cast or formed in one piece with
said casing in, say, cast-iron. Into the casing is screwed a socket with an inward
flange in which can slide with a slight amount of friction a tubular part having
a shoulder resting against the flange and making a tight joint. Into the tubular
part which is centrally perforated throughout the whole of its length is screwed
a hollow plug or cap enabling a central tube to communicate with the interior of
the generator through side orifices of which a sufficient number is provided
radially in the cap. The latter has a projection enabling it to be tightened on
the tubular part by means of a suitable key.
The glass-tube rests at the bottom in an annular groove of the tubular part a
washer of suitable material to ensure an efficient joint being interposed.
At the top the glass-tube rests in the same manner against an annular groove,
but here the groove is formed at the end of a socket extending into the central
opening of the corresponding intermediate tubular part which is provided with a
stuffing box screwed into it in order to ensure a good joint between the parts.
The socket itself is screw-threaded and screwed into the stuffing box in such
manner that by unscrewing it, the gauge-glass pressed against its supports so
as to prevent any leakage. A lock-nut on the socket prevents this latter from being
tightened.
The steam and water from the generator enter through the orifices and central
tubular parts into the gauge-glass which indicates the level of the water, as in
similar devices. But if for any reason whatever the tube breaks, the sockets or
tubular parts which normally press against and hold it, being no longer held in

page_text: place by the glass, under the internal pressure slide suddenly inwards in the outer
tubular sockets which thus cover the orifices or inlet passages. The caps press
with their annular flanges against the sockets and the fluids are consequently cut
off and prevented from escaping. The breaking of the gauge-glass cannot there-
fore lead to an accident and even if the parts should be covered with boiler scale,
the obstruction of the passages would be always ensured as well as absolute
security attained by means of the apparatus according to the present invention.
Dated this 6th day of January 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in or Relating to Gauges for Steam Generators,
I, PAUL DUFRAY, of Sotteville-les-Rouen, in the Republic of France, 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:
This invention relates to an automatically closing water gauge for steam gene-
rators, in which the breaking of the gauge-glass instantaneously produces such a
displacement, under the influence of the internal pressure, of sockets or tubes
provided with holes for the admission of steam that these holes become closed
and thus prevent the fluid from escaping to the exterior of the vessel.
This system has the advantage over those at present employed, of dispensing
with the use of closing valves or balls, which become easily rusted in, or become
covered with boiler-scale, and then close the openings, in case of breakage, in a
very imperfect manner, and thus only reduce the danger without avoiding it ab-
solutely. However, this gauge has no stuffing boxes to insure a tight joint round
the glass-tube, which it is necessary to detach in case of the breaking of the tube
in order to insert another glass.
In the accompanying drawing a gauge-glass according to the present invention
is shown in sectional elevation.
The device comprises two parts, an upper and a lower one, connected by a glass-
tube A, and of similar or very nearly similar construction only arranged in-
versely; therefore only one part need be described.
a
Each part of the gauge comprises casing B communicating with the interior
of the generator by means of a branch T, preferably cast or formed in one piece
with said casing, of, say, cast iron. Into the casing B is screwed a socket F with
an inward flange I in which can slide with a slight amount of friction a tubular
part having a shoulder resting against the flange I and making a tight joint
with the latter. Into the tubular part D which is centrally perforated throughout
the whole of its length is screwed a hollow plug or cap K enabling a central
tube L to communicate with the interior of the generator through side orifices cc,
of which a sufficient number is drilled radially in the cap K. The latter has a pro-
jection H enabling it to be tightened on the tubular part D by means of a suit-
able key or spanner.
The glass-tube A rests at the bottom in an annular groove E of the tubular
part D a washer of suitable material to ensure an efficient joint being interposed.
At the top, the glass-tube A rests in the same manner against the bottom of an
annular groove E' but here the groove is formed at the end of a socket L extending
into the central opening of the corresponding intermediate tubular part D which

page_text: is provided with a stuffing box G screwed into it in order to ensure a good joint
between the parts. The socket itself is screw-threaded and screwed into the stuff-
ing box G in such a manner that by unscrewing it, the gauge-glass is pressed
against its supports so as to prevent any leakage. A lock-nut V on the socket L
prevents this latter from becoming loose.
In the position of the parts shown on the drawing the steam and water from
the generator enter through the orifices cc and central tubular parts D and L into
the gauge-glass A which indicates the level of the water, as in similar devices.
But if for any reason whatever the tube A breaks, the sockets or tubular parts 1)
which normally press against and hold it, being no longer held in place by the
glass, under the internal pressure slide suddenly inwards in the outer tubular
sockets FF which thus cover the orifices or inlet passages c c. The caps KK press
with their annular flanges against the sockets F F and the fluids are consequently
cut off and prevented from escaping. The breaking of the gauge glass cannot
therefore lead to an accident and even if the parts should be covered with boiler
scale, the obstruction of the passages cc would be always ensured as well as
absolute security attained by means of the apparatus according to the present in-
vention. Two screw-threaded rods M M terminating in a point can be screwed
or,unscrewed for opening or closing, as required, the orifices of the conduits
admitting steam into the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;
-
1. An automatically-closing water-gauge in which the glass-tube is held
between parts capable of sliding frictionally in fixed sockets and of approaching
towards each other, in case of breakage of said tube, under the influence of the
internal pressure so as to close passages made in the caps of said movable parts
and thus to cut off communication between the generator and the outside, substan-
tially as described.
2. In a water-gauge of the character described the arrangement of a glass-tube
between two parts provided with annular grooves for receiving the ends of said
tube said parts being pressed against the tube by the internal pressure of the
generator substantially as described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts comprising the complete water
gauge for steam generators substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
201 1
ea
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.