IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USABLE AS A STEAM TRAP OR FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OR DISCHARGE OF WATER OR OTHER LIQUID AT A GIVEN TEMPERATURE OR SO AS TO MAINTAIN IT THEREAT
Year: 1884

page_text: We, FRANK WESLEY DICK, of 405 Eglinton Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, and JAMES FLEMING, of 9 Paisley Road West,
in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USABLE AS A
STEAM TRAP OR FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OR DISCHARGE
OF WATER OR OTHER LIQUID AT A GIVEN TEMPERATURE OR SO AS TO MAINTAIN
IT THEREAT "and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our said Invention has for its object to construct and combine apparatus in an
improved manner for automatically controlling the action of a valve in accordance
with changes of temperature. Such valve may be that of a steam trap or it may
be a valve for supplying or discharging water or other liquid. The improved
apparatus is simple in its construction and action and we believe it to be less
liable than existing apparatus to become deranged or ineffective.
In carrying out our Invention water or other fluid is confined in a tube or other
suitable vessel but in such a manner that it can act on a diaphragm or piston and
through it on the valve which is to be controlled. The tube or confining vessel is
placed so as to be subjected to the changes of temperature according to which the
valve is to operate. Thus in the case of a steam trap the tube may be placed
inside of a pipe or vessel arranged in connection with steam pipes in the usual way
so that water due to condensation may drain into it. When the tube and its
contents are comparatively cold from the presence of water or air round it in the
containing vessel, the valve is open, but as soon as the water or air has been
discharged the steam taking its place heats the tube and the water or fluid confined
in it and produces more or less vaporisation or expansion and by the resulting
pressure causes the valve to close.
When using our improved apparatus so as to maintain water (in a bath for
example) at an approximately constant temperature the valve is applied to control
the supply of hot water from any suitable source, and the tube or confining vessel
I

page_text: is placed in the water in the bath or in a vessel through which the water of the
bath circulates. The apparatus is constructed or adjusted. to suit the desired
temperature and when the temperature of the water in the bath becomes lower the
hot-water supply valve is opened and is closed as soon as the desired temperature
is again attained. The apparatus may be modified so as to control a valve by
which cold water is supplied, the valve being arranged to open when the confining
tube is subjected to increased heat instead of closing as in the steam trap and in
the arrangement for controlling the supply of hot water.
Our improved apparatus is susceptible of many modifications in the forms and
arrangements of the various parts; but in order that our said Invention and the
manner of performing the same may be properly understood we hereunto append
a sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred' to and representing two
examples of our improved apparatus. Each example is shown in vertical section
and the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts in both,
the apparatus being constructed to act as a steam trap in both cases.
In the first modification shown in figure, 1, a vessel, 3, of a cylindrical form and
placed vertically is shown for receiving by a pipe, 4, at the top, the water of
condensation which drains from steam pipes or other apparatus heated by steam,
and this vessel, 3, has a discharge outlet; 5, at one side placed at a certain distance
above the bottom so that there may always be water in the vessel up to that
level. The outlet, 5, communicates with a valve seat or opening, 6, in a valve box
to which a discharge pipe, 7, may be connected. The valve opening, 6, has for
closing it a conical valve, 8, on the upper end of a spindle, 9, the lower end of
which rests on a flexible diaphragm, 10, held between flanges, or rings by a screw
coupling ring, 11. The valve spindle, 9 is enclosed by a tubular piece, 12, which
is screwed to the valve box above, and has its lower enlarged end connected by the
coupling ring, 11, to an enlarged end formed on a tube, 13. This tub, 13, is a
continuation of a tube, 14, which is inside of the vessel, 3, and which passes
through and is tightly screwed into the bottom of that vessel. The tube, 14, is
the tube or vessel in which a fluid is confined for the purposes of our Invention,
such fluid being water in the case of a steam trap. The upper end of the tube, 14,
is, formed with a small hole for filling it by, this hole being closed by a screw
plug, 15, when the tube has been filled. When steain occupies the part of the
vessel, 3, above the outlet, 5, the heat acting through the metal of the tube, 14, on
the confined fluid induces a pressure, which being transmitted through the
continuation, 13, of the tube to the diaphragm, 10, presses upwards the valve
spindle, 9, and closes the valve, 8, up against its seat, 6. But when the water of
condensation draining into the vessel, 3, accumulates therein sufficiently, the
heating action on the tube, 14, and its contents becomes diminished, and the
consequent contraction of the confined fluid allows the diaphragm, 10, to descend
and the valve, 8, to open. The apparatus may be adjusted by weighting the
valve, 8, and its spindle, 9, more or less. Water occupies the space round the
spindle, 9, and on the diaphragm, 10, in the tubular piece, 12, and prevents the
diaphragm from becoming overheated. The diaphragm, 10, may be of rubber or
of thin corrugated metal or of other suitable material.
The second modification shown in figure, 2, differs from the first in having
certain parts accessible externally instead of being all enclosed. Thus the upper
end of the confining tube, 14, is made to project through the top of the vessel, 3,
a lateral inlet, 16, being provided for the condensation drainage. The valve, 8,
and its valve box are inverted as compared with the first inodification, a pipe, 17,
connecting, the outlet, 5, from the vessel, 3, to the valve box which is placed
directly below the vessel, 3. The flexible diaphragm, 10, is arranged at the bottom
of the vessel, 3, being held between a flange formed on the bottom of that vessel
and a flange on a box, 18, to the bottom end of which the valve box is connected.
The underside of the diaphragm, 10, rests on a flanged disk,.19, formed with a
spindle which bears on the top of the valve spindle, 9; and the top of this valve
spindle; 9, has a key or handle, 20, fitted to it by which the spindle and the valve, 8,

page_text: can be turned for the purpose of keeping the surfaces of the valve and seat in
order. A helical spring, 21, is applied between the bottom of the box, 18, and a
nut, 22, on the spindle, 9, to press the spindle upwards, and the upward pressure
thus applied by the spring can be adjusted by screwing the nut, 22, up or down.
It is possible by suitably adjusting this spring 21, to make the apparatus discharge
water at any desired temperature within certain limits. A lever with an adjustable
weight may be substituted for the spring, 21..
Having thus particularly described the nature of our said Invention and in.
what manner the same is to be performed we proceed to ascertain the distinctive
features thereof by declaring that what we claim is :-
1. The automatic controlling of a valve for discharging water and air from
steam pipes or apparatus or for supplying or discharging water or other liquid at
a given temperature or so as to maintain it thereat, by means of a diaphragm or
piston acted on by fluid confined in a tube or vessel which is subjected to the
changes of temperature according to which the valve is to operate, the parts of the
apparatus being arranged and operating substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination of parts forming a steam trap shown in figure, 1, of the
accompanying drawings and herein before described.
3. The modifications shown in figure, 2, of the accompanying drawings whereby
parts of the apparatus are made externally accessible as hereinbefore described.
4. The application of the adjustable spring (21) substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
"
Dated this twenty-seventh day of February 1004