CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Draper, of Wigan, in the County of Lan-
caster, and William Leech, of the same Place, of the Firm of Draper,
Leech, and Gerrard, Brass Founders, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH
STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 15th May 1866, and dated the 25th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Draper and William
Leech at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 25th November 1865.
We, JAMES DRAPER, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, and WILLIAM
LEECH, of the same Place, of the Firm of Draper, Leech, and Gerrard,
Brass Founders, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH
STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to the instruments termed water gauges, which are
applied to steam boilers to indicate the height of the water therein, and
generally consist of a glass tube mounted at each end in metallic tubular
elbow fittings which are connected with the boiler, and the Invention is designed
in order to admit of the thorough cleansing of the internal surfaces of these
tubular or hollow parts.
The improvements consist, first, in obtaining direct communication with the
boiler from the outside of the gauge by forming an aperture through the
metallic elbow fitting to admit of a cleaning instrument being passed directly

page_text: through and into the boiler (if required), and also up the glass tube, this
aperture may also be formed through the spindle of the ordinary blow-off
valve according to the position in which the gauge is used, and in either case
the aperture is to be closed by a screw or plug; and in order to shut off the
water from the boiler whilst removing and replacing the said screw or plug,
we apply a plug tap between the said aperture and the boiler, which application
constitutes the second portion of the Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Draper and William Leech in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
DRAPER, of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, and WILLIAM LEECH, of the
same Place, of the Firm of Draper, Leech, and Gerrard, Brass Founders,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said James Draper and William Leech, Her special license that we, the said
James Draper and William Leech, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said James Draper and William Leech, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER GAUGES
TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM BOLLERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said James Draper and William Leech,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Draper, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
Our Invention relates to the instruments termed water gauges,.which are
applied to steam boilers to indicate the height of the water therein, and
generally consist of a glass tube mounted at each end in metallic tubular
elbow fittings which are connected with the boiler, and the Invention is designed
in order to admit of the thorough cleansing of the internal surfaces of these
tubular or hollow parts.
. The improvements consist, first, in obtaining direct communication with the
boiler from the outside of the gauge by forming an aperture through the
metallic elbow fitting to admit of a cleaning instrument being passed directly
through and into the boiler (if required), and also up the glass tube, this
aperture may also be formed through the spindle of the ordinary blow-off valve
according to the position in which the gauge is used, and in either case the
aperture is to be closed by a screw or plug; and in order to shut-off the water
from the boiler whilst removing and replacing the said screw plug, we apply a
plug tap between the said aperture and the boiler, which application constitutes
the second portion of the Invention.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings having similar letters
of reference marked upon corresponding parts.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the improved water gauge, shewing
the top and bottom elbow fittings by which the gauge is connected to the boiler,
in which a, a, is the front boiler plate, and 6, 6, the flanges by which the guage
is secured to the boiler; c is the glass tube, which communicates with the
steam space through the thoroughfare d, and with the water space through the
thoroughfare e; a direct communication with the interior of the boiler through
the thoroughfare d and e is effected by withdrawing or unscrewing from the
top and bottom elbow fittings the plugs or screws f and g; by this means also
the glass tube can be cleaned through the aperture formed in the spindle of
the ordinary blow-off valves. When cleaning the vertical or horizontal passages
the aperture is to be closed by a screw or plug similar to the plugs fand g.
In order to shut off the water from the boiler whilst removing and replacing
the said screw plugs, the plug taps h, h, must be turned so as to close the
openings or passages communicating with the boiler.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim,

page_text: First, the use of a large opening or thoroughfare for direct communication
into the boiler for cleaning purposes from the outside of the gauge.
Secondly, the application of a plug tap having a large opening for closing
the aforesaid thoroughfare...
And, thirdly, the use of a direct opening and communication with the boiler
through the blow-off valve spindle when the gauge is used in certain positions,
as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Draper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JAMES DRAPER. (L.S.)