Year: 1895

page_text: I, GEORGE SEGUR BRAINERD, of 12 Howes Street, Dorchester Dist., Boston,
Mass., U.S.A., Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of steam traps in which steam and water of
condensation are received in a chamber having an outlet which is controlled by a
valve and a float lever in the chamber connected with the valve; the arrangement
being such that a sufficient accumulation of water in the chamber to raise the
float lever will open the valve and permit the escape of a portion of the
accumulation; the valve being constantly below the level of the water, so that
the escape of steam is prevented.
The invention comprises a cylinder which may be cast with one end closed and
be fitted with a cover at the other end.
That end of the cylinder near its normally closed end is enlarged to adapt it
to the free up and down movement of a ball or like float. This float has an
arm which projects rearwardly and is pivoted to the removable cover at its
centre.
An escape valve, fitted to an outlet connected with a waste pipe, is secured in
the lower part of the removable cover and is connected to and adapted to be
raised by the arm of the float.
The entrance to the cylinder is preferably at the top and is fitted with a strainer
surmounted by a cock or valve to which is connected another valve forming part
of a by-pass pipe which is connected to the valved outlet in the cover, and also
with a blow off pipe which enters the bottom of the cylinder.
When the condensed water in the cylinder exceeds a certain quantity the float
raises the escape valve and permits the excess to escape; but by reason of its
being constantly under water no steam can escape.
By reason of the arrangement of the valves or cocks the trap can be shut off
and removed, and the steam and water escape through the by-pass afore-
mentioned.
Dated this 15th day of November 1895.
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for the Applicant.
1, GEORGE SEGUR BRAINERD, of 12 Howes Street, Dorchester Dist., Boston,
Mass., U.S.A., Gentleman, 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 that class of steam traps in which steam and water of
condensation are received in a chamber having an outlet which is controlled by a
valve and a float lever in the chamber connected with the valve, the arrangement

page_text: being such that a sufficient accumulation of water in the chamber to raise the float
lever will open the valve and permit the escape of a portion of the accumulation,
the valve being constantly below the level of the water so that the escape of steam
is prevented.
The invention consists in the several improvements which I will now proceed to
describe and claim.
The accompanying drawing represents a longitudinal vertical section of a steam
trap provided with my improvement.
The
In carrying out my invention, provide a receptacle for steam and water of
condensation, said receptacle comprising a body or chamber section 1 and an
end section or head 2 which is fitted to a face or seat formed on one end of the
section 1 and is detachably secured to a flange 3 on the section by bolts 4.
section is enlarged at one end to accommodate the float of the float-lever herein-
after described. The lower portion of the section 1 slopes as shewn at 5 so as to
permit of the accumulation of sediment that may be contained in the water, near
to the outlet 6 with which the section 1 is provided. 7 indicates the inlet for
steam and water, said inlet being located in the upper part of the enlarged portion
of the section 1 and directly above the lowest part 5 so that the sediment and
impurities carried by the water will naturally fall at that place which is located a
considerable distance from the outlet end of the receptacle. Hence, the sediment
is not liable to reach the outlet valve hereinafter described.
8 represents the outlet of the trap, which is an internally screw-threaded boss
or projection on the head 2, and forms part of the passage 9 cast in the head 2, and
connected with the waste pipe 10. 11 represents a valve casing having a screw-
threaded part 12, which is formed to engage the screw-thread of the outlet 8, so
that the valve-casing is detachably connected with the head 2, and may be applied
to or removed from the receptacle therewith. The said casing is provided with
two inlet ports located respectively in its upper and lower portions, said ports
being controlled by a vertically movable valve composed of the two valve
heads 13, 14, and connecting stem 15. Said heads 13, 14 are formed to close the
ports of the casing 11 when the valve is depressed, and to open said ports when
the valve is raised.
16 represents an ear having a screw-threaded shank 17 the thread of which is
formed to engage the thread of an aperture on the head 2, so that the said ear is
detachably connected therewith. To the ear 16 is pivotally connected one end of
the float lever 18, the other end of which is provided with the spherical float 19,
which is preferably a hermetically closed hollow ball of sheet metal or other
suitable material, said float being located in the enlarged portion of the body-
section 1. The lever 12 has a forked extension 20 having rounded ends 21 which
engage the groove 22 of the valve, so that when the valve is raised by an
accumulation of water, as indicated by dotted lines in the drawing, the valve will
be raised and permit the escape of the water until the float lever falls sufficiently
to again close the valve, as shewn in full lines.
It will be seen that the connections of the float lever and the valve casing to
the removable end or head 2 enable said parts to be very conveniently assembled
outside of the main section 1, so that the trap is made operative simply by the act
of applying the head 2 to the section.
The inlet 7 communicates with a strainer chamber or holder 23 having a
detachable cap or cover 27, which confines in the holder a strainer 28. Said
strainer may be of any suitable construction; for example, it may be of wire
cloth pressed or otherwise formed. The detachable connection of the sections 23
and 27 of the strainer holder and its cover to the supply conduit enables the
strainer to be readily removed to be cleaned and repaired. To provide for the
escape of the water and steam when the strainer is being cleaned or repaired, or
when the trap is in disuse for any cause, I connect the conduit 7 with the waste
pipe 10 by means of a by-pass 24 which permits the steam and water to pass
around the trap to the waste-pipe 10 without entering the trap, the conduit 7

page_text: being provided with a valve 25 whereby it may be closed, while the by-pass is
provided with a valve 26 whereby it may be opened when it is desired to dis-
continue the use of the trap. When the trap is working, the valve 26 is closed,
and the valve 25 is open.
The outlet 6 for the sediment is connected with the waste pipe 10 so that the
drainage from the receptacle can be conveniently disposed of, the said outlet
having a valve 32 whereby it may be kept closed when not in use.
The pipe 29, connecting the passage 9 with the waste pipe 10, has a valve 30,
by which it may be opened and closed. This construction, together with the
sectional construction of the strainer holder enables the trap to be readily taken
away for repairs, without stopping the flow of steam and water. To accomplish
this result, the strainer holder is detached from its cover, the connection 31 is
detached from the outlet 6, and the pipe 29 from the valve 30. The trap can
then be removed from its place, whereupon, the valve 25 being closed, and the
valves 26, 32 and 30 closed, the steam and water pass from the conduit 7 to the
waste pipe 10 through the by-pass 24.
The trap may be used without the strainer, the steam conduit being detachably
connected with the trap casing in any suitable way.
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:
(1.) The improved steam trap comprising the chamber having the inlet 7 and
the outlet 8, the valve casing within the chamber, the valve in said casing, the
pivoted float lever connected with the valve, the strainer holder communicating
with the trap and composed of separable sections, the detachable strainer in said
holder, the supply-pipe connected with said holder, the by-pass connecting said
supply-pipe with the outlet and provided with a valve whereby it may be opened and
closed, the supply-pipe being also provided with a valve between the by-pass and
the chamber, whereby said pipe may be closed to discontinue the operation of the
trap, the by-pass providing an outlet for the steam and water of condensation
when the trap is not in operation.
(2.) The improved steam trap, comprising a steam conduit 7 having a valve,
the trap casing detachably connected with the steam conduit and having a
water outlet, a float valve for said outlet within the casing and a shut off valve in
the outlet, exterior to the casing, a waste pipe detachably connected with the outlet,
and a by-pass connecting the steam conduit with the outlet, and provided with a
valve.
(3.) The improved steam trap, comprising a steam conduit 7 having a valve,
the trap casing detachably connected with the steam conduit and having an
internal float valve, a water outlet and a sediment outlet, each provided with a
shut off valve, the waste-pipe detachably connected with the said outlets and the
by-pass connecting the steam conduit with the waste pipe and provided with a
valve all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the drawing hereunto annexed.
Dated this 19th day of August 1896.
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicant.