Improved Means for Automatically Preventing the Freezing of Water in Pipes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Automatically Preventing the Freezing of
Water in Pipes.
I, JOSEF SCHRATZENSTALLER, of Orleans Platz 2 and 4, Munchen, in the Empire
of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my present invention is to provide a device for automatically
preventing the freezing of water in conduit-pipes by utilizing the expansion and
contraction of a tubular rod to actuate the outlet valve of the pipes.
And in order that this my invention may be more readily understood and carried
into effect or practice, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
Figure 1 shows the improved device applied to a water tank.
Figure 2 is a detail view showing the outlet-valve actuated by means of the
tubular expansible rod.
Figure 3 is a detail view showing means for suspending the tubular rod.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout all the figures.
The improved device embodies a metal tubular rod i having a great co-efficient
of linear expansion; said rod is secured at one end, to a wall by means of a bolt
placed at . The free end of the rod i is provided with a roller h resting on one
arm of a lever f adapted to oscillate on a pivot extending at through an extension
on said lever, so that the oscillation point of the lever be located near the contact
point of the roller and the respective lever-arms being different in length from
each other.
The end of the larger arm of the lever f is connected with a plate g, provided
with a longitudinal slot, said connexion being made by means of tightening screw
extending through said slot and allowing to fix said lever-arm at any desired point
on said plate g; the latter is provided with divisions and pivotally connected
at e with a rod m extending into a cylinder band carrying at its lower end a
plate (Fig. 2) having at its underside a disc, which closes on to the mouth
of a nozzle o. Said nozzle is tightly secured in a central hole provided in the
bottom of the cylinder, the tightness being obtained for instance by means of
Said nozzle may be connected to the water feed-pipe,
two leather rings n, n.
feeding the aforesaid tank. The cylinder has at its upper part an over flow,
which may be connected to a pipe leading into the tank.
The improved device operates as follows:-At the ordinary temperature, the
plate prests on the mouth of the nozzle o, and the admission of water is inter-
cepted into the cylinder b; therefore no water will flow through the overflow
pipe r.
When the temperature becomes lower to a certain extent, the contraction of
the tubular rod i draws the arm of the lever f, on which rests the roller h down-
0wards, and this movement will be transmitted to the end of the larger lever-arm
and multiplied with the leverage, so that the movement will be sufficient to cause
the late to bring the plate p away from its seating through the agency of the

page_text: rod m, whereby water will be admitted into the cylinder b. Said water soon rises
to the over-flow piper and flows slowly into the tank and conduits thereof to
prevent freezing within the same.
The improved device may be regulated in accordance with any desired tempera-
ture by suitably adjusting the lever f on the plate g. When the temperature
becomes higher, the tubular rod i reassuming a length corresponding to the
ordinary temperature, does no more act on the lever f; the plate p falls down
upon its seating again and no water will be admitted into the cylinder 6 and
therefore no water will flow through the overflow pipe r.
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:―
The improved device for automatically preventing the freezing of water in
pipes by the utilization of the expansion and contraction produced by the different
temperatures, of a metal tubular rod actuating an outlet valve, distinguished by
a tubular rod i having a great co-efficient of linear expansion, secured at one end
to any stationary part and acting by means of its other end on the smaller arm of
a pivoted lever through the agency of a roller, the larger arm of said lever being
adjustably secured to a plate pivotally connected with a rod, carrying a plate
arranged within a cylinder and adapted to open and close a suitable nozzle in
accordance with the temperature, said nozzle being tightly secured in the bottom
of the cylinder; an over flow pipe provided on the said cylinder and through
which water admitted into the same, flows into the pipes to prevent freezing sub-
stantially as set forth.
Dated this ofth day of T1900