Improvements in and relating to Water Gauges of Steam Generators.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Water Gauges of Steam
Generators.
Communicated from abroad by AUGUST SVENSSox, Lubeck, Germany, Engineer.
I CHRISTEN REES BONNE of 41 Eastcheap in the County of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to avoid or minimise the accidents which some-
times happen when the water gauge glasses on steam generators break while under
pressure and is effected by providing means for the instantaneous and automatic
closing of the tubes or passages which connect the gauge glass with the
generator.
The manner in which I carry my invention into effect is by inserting in the
connection between boiler and glass a body containing a ball placed in such a
manner that while under ordinary circumstances it leaves free passage, yet as soon
as a sudden rush of steam or water occurs, as would happen when the glass broke,
the ball would be forced against the outlet passage and thus prevent further escape
of steam or water.
In the case of the upper passage the contrivance inserted consists of a solid
cylinder encased in a hollow cylinder, the former being cut out so as to afford a
bed for a ball in three positions, being also bored through to afford passage for
steam or water in the usual way. In the first of the aforesaid positions the ball
rests naturally, part of its upper half being in the passage line so that a rush of
over pressure from one side would force it into its second position in which it
entirely blocks the passage. The third position is for the purpose of bringing the
ball entirely out of the line of passage so that a cleansing tool can be passed through
and this position is got at by turning the inner cylinder right about, so that the
passages are in line again and the ball drops into the third position where it is quite
out of line of passage.
In the case of the lower connection between boiler and glass a similar contrivance
is employed the internal cylinder being provided with two passages one right
through and another issuing from and forming a right angle with the former. In
the latter a hollow extension is made in which a ball is placed, affording passage
for the water under ordinary circumstances but blocking the passage if there is
strong over pressure from one side. For the purpose of cleansing out the passages
the inner cylinder can be turned so as to bring the passage bored right through it
in line with the gauge glass and passages in the outer cylinder.
In order to insert and take out the balls, screw stoppered passages are made
through the body of the cylinder.
Dated this 04th dox of November 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Water Gauges of Steam
Generators.
I, CHRISTEN REES BONNE of 41 Eastcheap London Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Nels
August Svensson late of Lübeck Germany but now of No. 20 Österlång gatan
Stockholm Sweden Seagoing Chief Engineer) and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention has for its object to avoid or minimise the accidents which some-
times happen when the water gauge glasses on steam generators break while under
pressure. For this purpose ball valves are provided in case the gauge glass breaks
for the instantaneous and automatic closing of the cocks or taps in the tubes or
passages which connect the gauge glass with the generator, all being so arranged
or constructed that facility is afforded for blowing through and cleaning the said
taps and passages without the application of special shutting off cocks and for easily
removing the said ball valves while the taps are under pressure.
The accompanying drawings shew the manner of carrying this invention into
effect,
Fig. 1 being a vertical longitudinal section through the upper part of a water
gauge or "gauge glass" and
Fig. 2 a similar section through the lower part.
Fig. 1 is a cross section through the plug of the upper tap in a certain
position,
Fig. 2 is a cross section through the plug of the lower tap in a certain
position, and
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the plug of the lower tap.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a screw stopper d.
The plug of the upper tap has as shown in Fig. 1 a cavity in which is formed
a lower recess in which the ball i normally lies, and so that the water or steam in
the position shown can freely pass from the boiler to the glass through the
passages a² and a³. Should however the glass burst, then the ball i having part
of its upper half in the passage line will be lifted by the rush of over pressure from
the boiler, and close as a valve against the passage, thus preventing the usual
disastrous or unpleasant effects of such an occurrence. By making the recesses
for the ball more or less deep the automatic closing can be regulated according to
the force of the efflux.
Fig. 1 shews the position of the plug and the ball when the former has been
turned half round. The blowing through may now be effected, the ball being
entirely out of the line of passage. By removing the screw stopper s¹ Fig. 1 a
cleansing tool can be passed through the passages a³ and a². The ball i may be
removed by unscrewing the screw stoppers on the underside. The screw stopper s¹
serves for facilitating the lubrication of the tap..
The peculiar feature in the lower tap Fig. 2 is that while directly under the glass
the plug has two passages one 6 right through and another a¹ issuing from and
forming a right angle with the former the passage a' being provided with a hollow
extension or recess for the ball which is inserted through a hole that is then closed
by a screw stopper d'. The ball i closes automatically in case of breaking of the
gauge glass. The upper end of the screw stopper d' which forms a seat for the
ball has one or more cross cuts see Figs. 2, 24 and 3 and also Fig. 3ª which is a
plan view of the screw stopper d' with two cross cuts at right angles. These cross
cuts are necessary in order that the ball may not form a complete joint against the
screw stopper d¹ and thus the free passage between the glass and the boiler be
hindered. Fig. 2 shews the normal position in which the passage b² a can be
cleansed by a tool being thrust through it when the screws at front has been

page_text: removed. When the passages are to be blown through, the plug is turned one
fourth round so that the passage 2 stands vertical. While the plug is then turned
back into its normal position Fig. 2 the water will enter the glass when the plug is
in the position shewn in Fig. 24, because the plug has in its outside an enlargement
or recess.el which communicates with the passage 2, and the tap housing has a
similar enlargement or recess e2 which communicates with the passage a to the
boiler. When therefore the plug while being turned back from the flow through
position into its normal position comes into the position Fig. 24 the water can flow
from the boiler to the glass. By unscrewing the screw stopper d Fig. 3 the ball i
may conveniently be taken out for cleaning. In the screw stopper d there is a
passage c which communicates with the passage c¹ in the plug. These passages
are for lubrication of the plug. By turning the screw d half way round the said
passages the dirt is prevented from entering them.
By turning the plug one fourth round so that the screw d' comes across the
passage a to the boiler the lower plug serves also as a shut off cock while the
passage a¹ is cleaned after the ball has been taken out.
This may thus be done
while the cock is under pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
In water gauges for steam generators having ball valves which shut off
automatically when the gauge glass breaks:
1. So constructing the upper cock that the cavity in its plug for the ball valve
is provided with three inner nearly half-spherical recesses which serve as seats for
the ball one such recess being opposite the central passage 64 of the plug and the
other two recesses one on each side thereof (which recesses may be made of varying
depths for the automatic closing according to the strength of the rush from the
boiler), for the purpose of enabling the passages to the boiler to be thrust through
with a cleaning tool and blown through when the plug has been turned 180° from
its normal position.
2. Providing the shell of the upper cock with a screw stopper s² for removing
the ball valve while the cock is under pressure and with a screw stopper s¹ for
lubrication of the plug.
3. Arranging the lower cock directly under the gauge glass while so forming
the cavity in its plug that the passages to the boiler may be thrust through with a
cleaning tool while the plug is in its normal position.
4. Providing the plug of the lower cock with a screw d passing through its neck
and reaching to the cavity for the ball valve and provided with a lubricating
passage c which communicates with a lubricating passage c¹ in the plug, for
enabling the screw to serve for removing the ball and also for lubricating
the plug.
5. In connection with the plug of the lower cock forming the upper end of
the screw d¹ which serves for the removal of the ball valve, as a seat for the
said valve, and providing it with a cross cut for the free passage of the water from
the boiler to the gauge glass.
6. In connection with the lower cock forming the central plug passage b² at one
end with an enlargement e¹ and forming the passage a to the boiler against the plug
with a corresponding enlargement e² said enlargements being so arranged that the
water when the plug is turned from the blow off position to the normal position
can flow into the gauge glass.
Dated this 1st day of September 1891.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for Applicant.