Improvements in Water Gauges for Boilers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Gauges for Boilers.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to water gauges for boilers and it has for its object to so
construct the gauge, that, whilst it, under normal conditions, allows a perfect blow
through, the steam and water ways will be closed automatically in the event of the
gauge glass breaking.
The improved gauge is made with the usual fittings but there is fitted in the
inside of the glass a long rod or spindle with a valve on it at each end. The valve
at the upper, or steam end, is, preferably, a small piston valve whilst the valve at
the lower, or water end, is, preferably, a disc valve of larger area than the steam
valve. The upper end of the spindle passes through a hole, which serves as a
guide, in a bridge which is secured to the seat of the steam valve. The seat,
which is or may be ring shaped, fits into a washer which is screwed into the brass
fittings of the gauge. Small projections or feathers or equivalent are made on or
fitted to the valve seat and these projections or feathers catch in holes or recesses
in the screwed washer, so that, by turning the seat round, the washer can be
screwed up and down and the valve seat be adjusted so as to suit the position
of the valve or the length of the spindle. If desired the projections or equivalent
may be made in the washer instead of on the valve seat. The piston valve may
also be adjustable on the spindle and in this case the, valve seat may be. a
fixture.
The lower or water valve is made of such diameter that, when the gauge glass is
broken, the rush of water will lift it up off its rest or support and force it up
against a seat, made in the fittings at the lower end of the glass tube, and, in this
manner, close off the water way. The water valve normally rests on a cylindrical
rest having passages in it, or on projections or supports, in such manner that the
water has free access to its under side. The rest is also made to serve as a guide
for the lower end of the spindle.
The water valve is or may be made with a rim or beading to increase its lifting
area.
The steam valve may be a ground metal valve which fits into the steam opening
or passage way in the valve seat or it may be a disc or other suitable valve.
The spindle may be solid or hollow.
In the event of the gauge glass being broken the water pressure lifts up the
water valve together with the spindle and the steam valve, and, as the water valve
is of greater area than the steam valve, the upward pressure is sufficient to force
the steam valve against its seat and so cut off the escape of steam at the same time
as the water valve closes tight up against its seat at the bottom of the gauge glass
and, cuts off the escape of water. When the gauge is in proper working order the
valves fall down and leave a free passage so as to get a perfect blow through.
New gauge glasses can be inserted in place by merely taking out the steam valve.
scat and fitting in the glass tube.
If so desired the valves may be reversed, that is to say, the steam valve, or an
auxiliary valve, may be made large enough to lift up the spindle, instead of the
water valve, whenever the glass is broken.
Dated this 8th day of Septembe
1033
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Gauges for Boilers.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, MB., C.M., B.Sc., 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 water gauges for boilers and it has for its object to so
construct the gauge, that, whilst it, under normal conditions, allows a perfect blow
through, the steam and water ways will be closed automatically in the event of the
gauge glass breaking.
The improved gauge is made with the usual fittings but there is fitted, in the
inside of the glass a long rod or spindle with a valve on it at each end. The valve
at the upper, or steam end, is, preferably, a small piston valve whilst the valve at
the lower, or water end, is, preferably, a disc valve of larger area than the steam
valve. The upper end of the spindle passes through a hole, which serves as a
guide, in a bridge which is secured to the seat of the steam valve. The seat,
which is or may be ring shaped, fits into a washer which is screwed into the brass
fittings of the gauge. Small projections, or feathers, or equivalent, are made on
or fitted to the valve seat and these projections or feathers catch in holes or
recesses in the screwed washer, so that, by turning the seat round, the washer can
be screwed up and down and the valve seat be adjusted so as to suit the position
of the valve or the length of the spindle. If desired the projections or equivalent
may be made in the washer instead of on the valve seat. The piston valve may
also be adjustable on the spindle and in this case the valve seat may be a fixture.
The lower or water valve is made of such a diameter, that, when the gauge glass
is broken, the rush of water will lift it up off its rest or support and force it up
against a seat, made in the fittings at the lower end of the glass tube, and, in this
manner, close off the water way. The water valve normally rests on a cylindrical
rest having passages in it, or on projections or supports, in such manner that the
water his free access to its under side. The rest is also made to serve as a guide
for the lower end of the spindle.
The water valve is or may be made with a rim or beading to increase its
lifting area.
The steam valve may be a ground metal valve which fits into the steam opening
or passage way in the valve scat or it may be a disc or other suitable valve.
The spindle may be solid or hollow.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the gauge.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the gauge.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line - Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate similar or like parts.
is the steam connection and the water connection. d is the blow off cock.
e is the gauge glass which, as shown, is fitted in the connections a, b in the usual
manner. is the steam cock. g is the water cock. These cocks are, preferably,
"Shiels and Elliot" cocks as shown.
1
Fitted in the interior of the glass tube e is a vertical spindle or rod h which has
a small piston valve i fitted on it, at its upper cud, and a disc valve j, of larger
area than the piston valve, screwed on its lower end. The extreme upper end of
the spindle passes through a guide hole bored in a.bridge m made one with, or 5
secured to the ring seat n of the piston or steam valve. This seat, which has a
central hole for the reception. of the piston which, latter, fits tightly into said

page_text: hole when the valve is closed, fits into a washer o which is screwed in the brass.
fitting a of the gauge. Small projections or feathers are made on, or fitted to a.
flange on, the valve scat n and these projections or feathers catch in corresponding
holes or recesses made in the screwed washer o. q' is a nut for closing the hollow g
made in the fitting a. When this nut is taken out, the bridge m can be easily
turned round in one or other direction so as to screw up or down the washer o and
thereby adjust the valve seat n to any desired position. Instead of adjusting the
valve seat the valve i may be made to screw up and down on the spindle in order
to give the necessary adjustment.
b
The water valve j, which is made of such a diameter, that, when the gauge glass.
is broken, the rush of water will lift it up off its rest t and force it up against a
circular seat r made in the fitting so as to close the water way, normally rests.
on four triangular supports s (Fig. 3) made on the upper side of the hollow
cylindrical rest t which is fitted in the hollow u of the fitting b. This rest, which
has passage ways cut in it, covers over the opening to leading to the blow off
cock d. The hole y made through its top serves as a guide for the lower end of
the spindle h. The disc valve has, preferably, a broad rim j, as shown at Fig. 4,
for the purpose of giving a large lifting surface for the water to act upon when
the gauge glass is broken.
In the event of the gauge glass being broken the water rushes through cock g
and lifts up the water valvej together with the spindle h and the steam valve,
and, as the water valve j is of greater area than the steam valve i, the upward
pressure is sufficient to force the valve i tightly into the hole made in seat n and
so cut off the escape of steam at the same time as the water valve closes tight up.
against its seat r at the bottom of the gauge glass and cuts off the escape of water.
When the gauge is in proper working order the valves fall down and leave a free
passage as shown, so as to get a perfect blow through.
New gauge glasses can be inserted in place by merely screwing out the nut q²
and taking out the steam valve seat n and then fitting in the glass tube.
If so desired the action of the valves may be reversed, that is to say, the steam
valve, or an auxiliary valve, may be made large enough to lift up the spindle and
water valve instead of the water valve raising the steam valve, whenever the glass e
is broken.
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. A water gauge for boilers constructed substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. A water gauge having self closing water and steam valves which are
connected together by a spindle so as to operate synchronously, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th day of May 1893
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.