Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1897
1000
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or
other purposes.
I, JOHN THOMAS, of Wrenbury, and 460, New Chester Road, Birkenhead, both
in the County of Chester, Agricultural Engineer and Agent. do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to water gauges
for steam boilers or other purposes, and is designed to be superior in many respects
to the water gauges hitherto in use.
In carrying out my invention I use same as hitherto a strong glass tube placed
in a vertical or any other suitable position outside the boiler and communicating
at top and bottom by metallic tubes, fittings, or mounts with the interior of the
boiler so that water entering at the lower end of the glass tube and steam at the
upper end the water level therein will coincide with that in the boiler. Now
ny invention comprises the following improvements:-In order to enable a broken
glass to be very quickly replaced by a fresh one, I propose to make the top and
bottom metallic tubes, fittings or mounts of the gauge in two parts and join these
two parts together, by flanges, bolted together, or by means of a union or in any
other suitable marner, but prefer the union which may be of any design. This
connection is located between the stop cocks and the glass and at this point I
place in the steam and water tubes an automatic valve consisting of a ball resting
in a recess or chamber in the tubes, such ball on the breaking of a glass being
forced by the rush of steam or water up against the passage leading to the glass,
thereby closing the same and preventing the escape of steam and water and which
valve may preferably only partly close the steam or water way so as to allow
sufficient steam to pass for clearing the glass ways and indicating where the fracture
happens to be, so that it is seen at once. Thus I prefer having the steam way
valve or ball slightly grooved or have a small piston in the outer plug, with a
packed gland arrangement similar to my cleaning device spindle or piston. The
water arm valve is so designed as to completely close the passages and to prevent
the escape of water or steam when the glass breaks but in the steam arm the ball
valve is grooved to allow a small portion of steam to escape. Further the valve
chambers nearest the stop cocks are so designed as to prevent the ball valve closing
the passages in that direction and in the other direction nearest the gauge glass
I insert in the passage a rod or piston reduced to the size of a needle along a
portion of its length. This needle point enters a short distance into the valve
chamber so as to prevent. the ball closing the passage when in ordinary use but
should the glass break the sudden rush of steam will force the rod back to allow
the valve to close the passage. By the union or other arrangements, if the glass
break, the attendant disconnects the front part comprising the upper and lower
mounts and the glass from the part having the stop cocks which are fixed to the
boiler, and fresh mounts with a new gauge glass already fitted can be fixed on in
place. Thus assuming that a spare set of fittings is kept in readiness the fractured
glass with its mounts can be replaced by new ones in a very short time. Further-

page_text: AL
more, by placing an automatic valve such as described in close proximity to the
connection which is by preference a union of any pattern it is easy of access, for
repairs or other purposes. In another arrangement whereby the glass can be very
quickly removed and another one inserted, I provide in the upper and lower mounts
piston and in some cases a piston rod having a passage through from end to end.
Between these pistons I insert the glass which forms a continuation of the passage
through the pistons. The glasses may be surrounded by an outer guard or tube,
arranged with slots or openings whereby the level of the water can be seen plainly,
and having recesses at its extremities forming annular-rims receiving the packing
against which the piston heads aforesaid abut, making a steam and water-tight
joint. Spiral springs keep the piston heads firmly abutting against each end of the
guard but in cases where there is an exceptional amount of vibration it may be
necessary to use a screwed nut, to secure the heads of the pistons to the guard.
These would have to be unscrewed to enable the pistons to be raised to liberate
the glass. Each of these pistons is capable of being moved up or down to enable
the glass to be inserted or removed. It will be obvious that this can be done in
various ways such as by a lever of any desired pattern and in any suitable position
having any fixed abutment in proximity to the piston for a fulcrum and its end
engaging the piston. If a lever be used for raising the piston, springs are arranged
to keep them normally firmly pressed against the ends of the gauge glass. The
springs may be used either inside the heads of the fittings or otherwise in various
positions and may abut against the ends of the pistons or otherwise. Or the
springs may be used outside the gauge in various positions. To remove the glass
or glass guard it is only necessary to force back one or both pistons against the
springs when the glass or glass and guard is free to be removed. If however the
sheath or guard containing the gauge glass has been screwed by the before
mentioned occurring arrangements to the piston head it will be necessary to unscrew
the sheath or guard from the piston head before using the lever just named or
the screw arrangement hereafter to be mentioned. Or if preferred the piston may
be raised by means of a screw or eccentric or cam motion with or without the
springs already referred to, a convenient way of doing this being to dispense with
the springs and to continue the piston rod up through a stuffing box to the outside,
the projecting portion being threaded to receive a nut which may take the form
of a handwheel having a rotary movement only. If this wheel be rotated the
piston will rise or fall according to the direction of rotation. Or in some cases I
inay fix the wheel to the piston rod or spindle, the latter working in a movable nut
which raises or lowers the piston. Eccentrics or cams may be used to raise and
lower the pistons, in this case the pistons are plain all through (also I can arrange
this raising and lowering of the pistons, similar to a cylinder with piston head
actuated by steam or other pressure), or the screw arrangements for raising or
lowering the pistons may be fitted outside the heads of the gauge or otherwise in
lieu and instead of the inner screw devices. The respective pistons pass through
stuffing boxes or other packing arrangement in the upper and lower mount so
that they may work steam and water tight, and at or about the point where the
pistons bear against the abutments at the end of the gauge glass there is a packing
to keep it steam and water tight, at this point also, and in order to facilitate the
removal of the glands, I cut away portions of the flange to form sides on which
the glands may be loosened by a spanner or I may extend the gland to the outside
and provide it with a collar or suitable projections extending the gland nut so
that when the latter is unscrewed it will draw the gland out with it. The piston
head abutments are variously formed to relieve the extreme glass ends so as to
be free for expansion and contraction and when I fit the full lengths of glass tubes
I place a light fitting spring and metal cap to steady the tubes under expansion
and contraction, and save the cutting or chafing of the glass tube ends by the
steam, scum, etcetera. Another feature of the invention consists in providing an
auxiliary tube which can be interchangeable, that is, it is mounted in the upper
and lower tubes or mounts in such a manner that by inserting in the mounts a

page_text: metal tube it will serve as a scum pipe or blow through pipe or if required a glass
tube can be inserted, which serves as a gauge glass. This pipe may be placed in
various positions, in some cases it may be arranged between the stop cocks, and
the ordinary glass fittings, and in other cases it may be combined or in a line with
such stop cocks. The mounts aforementioned may consist of blocks having a
clear passage through and screwing into the tubes or in sockets thereon at one end
and having a packed gland at the other so that if when used as a gauge or
indicating glass, etcetera, such glass should break, the broken pieces can be readily
removed by unscrewing the block. The lower packed gland and stuffing or packing
chamber is fitted with an inner collar upon which the glass rests, this is bodily
moved by union or screwed arrangements to remove all particles that may be left at
the bottom, which particles always interfere with packing a new glass, and packing
rings together with the particles soon block the water ways and a wrong indication
is soon shown. The fittings are so arranged that this arrangement may be used
at both ends or by unions of any design. By this arrangement of blowing through,
the glass is not so liable to breakage, by having an auxiliary tube to blow through,
the inside of the glass tube is freed from being cut or chafed by the scum of the
boiler. The advantage of this auxiliary interchangeable tube is that if for want
of space or for any other reason the ordinary glass tube cannot be used, this
auxiliary tube can be used instead, or if not required to be used in this capacity then
a metal tube can be inserted to be used as a scum or blow through pipe as may be
desired according to the different scum and corroding particles that may be in
the water.
The instantaneous lever arrangements of interchangeable tubes and duplicates
are fitted with particular screw arrangements for drawing, the packing, also the
packing arrangements and piston head abutments are at various distances from
the extreme ends of the glass tube, and also there are spaces left according to the
length of tube for free expansion and contraction, which is not so in any other
similar arrangements.
The lever or screw arrangements for instantaneously renewing the fractured
gauge glass together with the gauge glass and the sheath or guard in which it
is fitted as herein before mentioned or glass itself can be placed very conveniently
in the interchangeable scum pipe fittings in line with the one or more ways master
stop taps or otherwise; also the scum tubes can be placed in various positions about
the stop taps according to requirements and in some cases I have five ways from
the centre of the stop tap plugs and on any of these I can fix the scum pipe and
glass arrangements.
1
LT
1
Databa 1907
Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or
other purposes.
I, JOHN THOMAS, of Wrenbury, and 460, New Chester Road, Birkenhead, both
in the County of Chester, Agricultural Engineer and Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to water gauges

page_text: for steam boilers or other purposes, and is designed to be superior in many respects
to the water gauges hitherto in use.
In carrying out my invention I use same as hitherto a strong glass tube placed
in a vertical or any other suitable position outside the boiler and communicating
at top and bottom by metallic tubes, fittings, or mounts with the interior of the
boiler so that water entering at the lower end of the glass tube and steam at the
upper end the water level therein will coincide with that in the boiler.
The present invention will be understood from the following description, refer-
ence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 shows a side elevation (partly in section) of part of a water gauge with
some of my improvements applied thereto;
Figure 2 a detail view showing the spring applied to the outside of the piston
instead of the inside;
Figures 3 and 4 detail views showing arrangements for raising the piston by
means of a screw;
Figure 5 detail view of arrangement for locking or releasing the piston when
the springs are dispensed with.
Referring to Figure 1, a al is the upper tube, fitting or mount of the gauge, and
A the socket thereof in which one end of the glass tube B is mounted. The lower
mount and its socket in which the other end of the glass tube is mounted is omitted
to avoid unnecessary drawing. In order to enable a broken glass to be very quickly
replaced by a fresh one, I make both the top and bottom metallic mounts in two
parts a a, and join these two parts together by means of a union C or in any
other suitable manner, but I prefer the union which may be of any design as set
forth in my prior Patent No. 4322 of 1897. This connection is located at top
and bottom between the stop cocks D and the gauge glass B, and at this point I
place in the steam and water tubes an automatic valve consisting of a ball E
resting in a recess or chamber F in the tubes, such ball on the breaking of the glass
being forced by the rush of steam or water up against the passage G in the mounts
leading to the glass B, thereby closing the same and preventing the escape of
steam and water. The valve E may preferably only partly close the steam or
water-way so as to allow sufficient steam to pass for clearing the glass ways, and
indicating where the fracture happens to be, so that it is seen at once. Thus I
prefer so far. as regards the steam way in the upper mount, to have the valve E
slightly grooved, or have a small piston in the outer plug with a packed gland
arrangement similar to my cleaning device spindle or piston set forth in my prior
Patent No. 29091 of 1896. But as regards the water way in the lower mount, I
prefer to have the valve so designed as to completely close the passage, and to
prevent the escape of water or steam when the glass breaks. Further the valve
chambers F nearest the stop cocks are so designed as to prevent the ball valve E
closing the passages H in that direction, and for which purpose the end of the
passage H projects into the chamber as shown, which arrangement effectually
prevents the ball E from seating itself on the opening to the passage H. Closing
the taps from the boiler allows the ball to fall into the chamber and this is an
additional safety. By the union or other arrangement, if the glass B breaks the
attendant disconnects the front part a of the upper mount from the other part a¹,
which is fixed to the boiler, and the same with the lower mount. Fresh mounts
with a new gauge glass already fitted, can then be fixed on in place. Thus assum-
ing that a spare set of fittings is kept in readiness, the fractured glass with its mounts
can be replaced by new ones in a very short time. Furthermore by placing an
automatic valve E such as described in close proximity to the union C, it is easy of
access for repairs or other purposes.
A feature of the invention set forth in my prior Patent, No. 29091 of 1896
consists in providing an auxiliary tube J which can be interchangeable, that is,
it is mounted in the upper and lower mounts in such a manner that by inserting the
ends of the tube in the mounts, it will serve as a scum pipe or blow through pipe,
or if required a glass tube could be inserted which serves as a gauge glass. This

page_text: pipe may be placed in various positions, in some cases it may be arranged between
the stop cocks, and the ordinary glass fittings, in other cases it may be combined
or in line with such stop cocks. By the present invention, the upper and lower
mounts have sockets L into which are screwed the blocks K which have a clear
passage through and are fitted with a packed gland M, so that if used as a gauge
or indicating glass etcetera, and such glass should break, the broken pieces can be
readily removed by removing the gland and unscrewing the block K. The packed
glands and stuffing boxes are fitted with inner collars or shoulders N upon which
the end of J rests. The blocks K are best removed bodily should the glass break,
to remove all particles that may be left at the bottom, as otherwise such particles
are always liable to interfere with the packing of the new glass because such
particles block the water-ways and a wrong indication is soon shown. The fittings
are so arranged that this arrangement can be used at both ends or by unions of any
kind. By this arrangement of blowing through, the glass B is not so liable to
breakage, as by having an auxiliary tube J to blow through, the inside of the glass
tube B is prevented from being cut or chafed by the scum of the boiler. The
advantage of this auxiliary interchangeable tube is that if for want of space or
for any other reason the ordinary glass tube cannot be used, this auxiliary tube
can be used instead, or if not required to be used in this capacity then a metal tube
can be inserted to be used as a scum or blow. through pipe as may be desired
according to the different scum and corroding particles that may be in the water.
The sockets L together with the blocks K and packing glands M may be applied
with equal advantage to the gauge glass B and upper and lower mounts a if desired.
Referring now to Figure 1 of the Specification of my previous Patent No. 4322/97.
I provided in the upper and lower mounts a sliding piston or plunger C working
steamtight through stuffing boxes therein and having a free passage D from end to
end. Between these pistons I inserted the gauge glass B, which formed a continua-
tion of the passage through the pistons. The glasses were surrounded by an
outer guard or tube N. Spiral springs E kept the piston heads firmly abutting
against each end of the gauge glass while allowing for expansion and contraction
of the glass, and permitting glass tubes of varying lengths to be employed. Each
of these pistons C was capable of being moved up and down to enable the glass
to be inserted or removed. This was done by inserting a key or lever J between
the abutments H referred to in that specification, in which case springs E were
necessary to keep the pistons firmly pressed against the ends of the gauge glass
These springs E were used inside the heads of the fittings but if desired may be
used outside the gauge, as shown at E¹ in Figure 2 of the present specification, in
which they are depicted coiled round the outside of the piston. To remove the
glass B or glass guard N, it is only necessary to force back one or both pistons C¹
against the springs when the glass or glass and guard are free to be removed.
Instead however of using the key or lever referred to in my specification afore-
said, I can use a screw or even an eccentric or cam motion with or without the
springs already referred to. The screw arrangements are by preference fitted
outside the heads of the gauge as depicted in Figure 3, in which figure, C¹ is
the piston. B the gauge glass, N the guard. G₁ the packing and F¹ stuffing box.
The box F¹ is formed with an extension sleeve F2 and onto this is screwed the
handwheel O, having the studs P engaging in the groove Q in the piston. Thus
by turning the handle, the piston is raised or lowered. In Figure 4 there is also
a screw arrangement shown having a like object, the hand wheel forms also a
nut which by screwing on to the end of guard N draws the piston and guard
together and makes a tight joint between them, or by turning the hand wheel in
the other direction, the piston is raised clear of the packing G¹, so that the glass
can be removed. In Figure 5 the hand wheel 0 is screwed onto the screwed end
of gland D of the stuffing box D2. By turning the hand wheel the packing in
the stuffing box D2 is tightened which thus locks the piston C¹ and prevents it
being moved by turning it in the other direction however the packing is slackened,

page_text: The
thus liberating the packing and allowing the piston to be adjusted by hand.
gland D¹ may be applied to the construction shown in Figure 3 if desired. Eccen-
trics or cams may however be used to raise and lower the pistons, in this case the
pistons are plain all through (also I can arrange this raising and lowering of the
pistons similar to a cylinder with piston head actuated by steam or other pressure).
The screw or cam arrangements can be applied to both top and bottom pistons.
The lever or screw arrangements for instantaneously renewing the fractured
gauge glass together with the gauge glass and the sheath or guard in which it is
fitted as herein before mentioned or glass itself can be placed very conveniently
in the interchangeable scum pipe fittings in line with the one or more ways master
stop taps or otherwise; also the scum tubes can be placed in various positions
about the stop taps according to requirements and in some cases I have several
ways from the centre of the stop tap plugs and on any of these I can fix the scum
pipe and glass arrangements.
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:
1. In water gauges for steam boilers in which the top and bottom mounts of the
gauge are made in two parts and joined together by unions or the like, the com-
bination therewith of a recess or chamber which is variously formed, arranged
in the upper and lower mounts and in the path of the steam or water, an auto-
matic valve arranged in the recess or chamber, said valve on the breaking of
the glass being forced by the rush of steam or water up against the passage leading
to the glass, substantially as described.
2. In water gauges for steam boilers, forming the valve referred to in Claim 1
so far as regards the steam way in the upper mount, with slight grooves or the
like so as to allow sufficient steam to pass for clearing the steam ways and in-
dicating where the fracture happens to be, but so far as regards the water way
in the lower mount, making the said valve without such grooves so that it shall
completely close the passage and prevent the escape of water or steam when the
glass breaks, substantially as described.
3. In water gauges for steam boilers in which there is an automatic valve
in the upper and lower mounts or fittings, arranged in a recess or chamber in
the direct path of the steam and water ways, said valve on the breaking of the
glass being adapted to close the passage leading to the glass; forming said valve
chambers in such a manner as to prevent the valve closing the passages leading
from the chambers to the boiler, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In water gauges providing the upper and lower mounts with sockets, and
in combination therewith blocks K having shoulders N, and packing glands M,
so arranged that if the gauge glass or auxiliary tube break, the broken pieces
can be readily removed by removing the gland and unscrewing the block, and all
particles of broken glass left at the bottom entirely removed, whereby there is
no liability of interference with the packing of the new glass or tube the blocks K
being coupled to the mounts by screwing into the sockets or by unions sub-
stantially as described.
5. In a water gauge, in which there is a hollow piston at one or both ends of
the gauge glass, and springs forcing such piston against the ends of the glass
the screw or eccentric or cam arrangements for forcing back the pistons or plungers
against the pressure of the springs to enable the gauge glass to be removed or
replaced by a new one substantially as described.
6. In a water gauge, the substitution for the lever arrangements claimed in
Claim 2 of my previous Patent No. 4322 of 1897, of a screw or eccentric or
cam motion substantially as described and in reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5 of
the accompanying drawings.
7. In water gauges having a sliding piston on plunger working steam tight
though stuffing boxes therein, and having a free passage from end to end in

page_text: direct communication with the gauge glass, the combination therewith of springs
arranged outside the pistons in such manner as to press the piston heads firmly
against the ends of the gauge glass (or against abutments in connection therewith
where it is desired to leave the gauge glass ends quite free) and form a steam
or watertight joint substantially as described in reference to Figure 2 of the
drawings.
8. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts substantially
as set forth.