Improvements in Water Gauges for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
JACKSON
Improvements in Water Gauges for Steam Boilers.
We JAMES ASHTON FLETCHER, SAMUEL FLETCHER, and
FLETCHER, of the firm of Fletcher Brothers, Borough Brass Works, Ashton-
under-Lyne in the County of Lancaster, Brassfounders, 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 :-
Our said invention relates to improvements in the construction of water gauges
for steam boilers for the purpose of preventing the exit of steam from the boiler in
the event of the gauge glass breaking.
In order that our said invention may be more clearly understood we will describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawing which represents an elevation
chiefly in section of the top part of a water gauge made in accordance with our
said invention.
a is the glass tube secured thereto in the usual manuer. is the flange for
attachment to the boiler. When the glass tube is intact and the gauge in use
steam passes from the boiler along the passages d d¹ d² to the surface of the
water in the glass tube a. In the main casting we form a cylindrical chamber e in
which is a sphere e' slightly less in diameter than the chamber c. The cock has a
plug having a through passage d' and a lateral passage c² at right angles thereto
communicating when the gauge is in action with a cavity opening into the bottom
of the chamber e under the sphere c¹. So long as the gauge glass remains intact
there is an equilibrium of pressures in the chamber and the sphere lies at the
bottom. If however the gauge glass be broken the steam from the boiler rushes
outwards and also along the lateral passage and the cavity lifting the
sphere e upwards. As soon as the sphere rises the jet of steam issuing from the
passage impinges thereon and driving it against a seating formed inside
the orifice d² closes the latter and prevents the exit of the steam.
C
When it is desired to blow steam through the intact gauge glass for the purpose
of clearing away scum or deposit the handle of the cock is turned upwards
through half a circle into the position indicated in dotted lines at against a
stop In this position the passage d' will permit the passage of the steam but,
owing to the passage being turned away from the cavity c³ steam cannot get
under the sphere c¹ which will then lie at the bottom of the chamber c. The
passages and c³ are preferably made of oval section, in any case their area must
be in excess of that of the through passage d'.
In all other respects the water gauge is constructed and used in the ordinary
well known manner.
We make no general claim to the use of a ball held against a valve by steam
pressure for preventing the exit of steam as such is well known at the present
time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
1. In a water gauge for steam boilers the combination of a three way plug pa
steam passage c³ a chamber c and a ball c¹ for automatically preventing the exit of
steam when the gauge glass breaks substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown.
2. In a water gauge in which a ball valve is used for preventing the exit of
stean in case of breakage the use combination and arrangement of a three way

page_text: plug with a steam passage to the underside of the ball substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and shown.
Dated this 29th day of July 1892.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.