Improvements in "Return" and other Steam Traps, suitable also fo Use as Boiler Feeding Apparatus
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 18.6-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in "Return" and other Steam Traps, suitable also fo
Use as Boiler Feeding Apparatus.
I SAMUEL SAUNDERS of 93 and 95 Upper Moss Lane, Hulme, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Heating Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to improvements in steam traps chiefly of the type intended
to return the condensed water to the boiler or to a tank but applicable also to ordinary
steam traps. The said mechanism is also suitable for use as a boiler feeder.
According to my improvements I provide a water trapping receptacle or box within
which I pivot a float capable of rising and falling with the height of water in the trap
box. Into this box I direct the end of the pipe or coil to be kept clear of water this
inlet being fitted with a back pressure valve. At the foot of the box I arrange a
water outlet and in the upper part above the highest level of the water I also provide
an orifice which serves to admit steam pressure when the condensed water is to he
forced out of the trap box and which also serves to liberate air uncondensed steam
and vapours as the level of water rises in the trap box. In connection with these
inlet and outlet ports I arrange slide valves or it might be other suitable forms of
valves which will effect my purpose. The spindle which carries these valves is
prolonged and is connected to a piston working in a steam cylinder the said cylinder
having a valve controlled by a rod which extends from and is operated by the rocking
pivot spindle of the float. Thus it will be understood that as the float rises and falls
in the trap box the valve on the steam cylinder is correspondingly operated and the
piston being thus moved, the valves on the trap box are shifted in accordance with the
conditions. The outlet at the foot of the trap box, communicates through the valve
chest with another port leading to a drain pipe or to the return or boiler feed pipe.
The valve at the top of the trap box governs three ports, viz. the steam inlet port
opening into the trap, the air port and the steam port fed by the steam supply pipe.
While the trap box is filling, the lower outlet is covered by its valve and the upper
port is also covered the valve establishing communication between the upper part of
the trap box and the air and steam escape conduit. Thus as the water rises, the air
and uncondensed steam escape through the valve. But when the float has been lifted
to the required height, the rod operated by the float has been raised sufficiently to
reverse the slide valve on the steam cylinder, whereupon the piston is driven to the
other end of the cylinder, uncovering the top steam inlet of the trap box and also the
lower water outlet. Steam pressure has thus full access to the upper part of the trap
box and forces the water out of the trap through the lower inlet so as to get rid of the
water or to return it to the boiler or to a secondary forcing or trap arrangement
by which it is fed into the boiler. When the trap box has been cleared, the float drops
and the valves and piston are returned to their normal position. I might use a
diaphragm to operate the valves on the trap box instead of a steam cylinder, the said
diaphragm being operated either in both directions by steam pressure or in one
direction by steam and in the other by a weight or spring. It may be pointed out as
an important feature of my invention that I do not use the float to operate the main
valves directly, but only to govern the operation of these valves by a small primary
slide valve by which the boiler pressure is caused to operate the main valves.
Therefore no great power requires to be exerted by the float, but only so much as' will
suffice to move the small valve which directs the steam pressure to either side of the

page_text: piston or diaphragm. No check valves require to be employed on any part but the
steam and water inlet pipe may with advantage be fitted with.one. The valves are all
applied outside of the trap box and can easily be got at for the purpose of cleansing
and repair.
this 10th day of July 1895.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5 John Dalton Street, Manchester, Chartered Patent Agents.
66
Improvements in Return" and other Steam Traps, suitable also for
Use as Boiler Feeding Apparatus.
I SAMUEL SAUNDERS of 93 and 95 Upper Moss Lane, Hulme, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Heating Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings
:-
My said invention relates to improvements in steam traps chiefly of the type intended
to return the condensed water to the boiler or to a tank but applicable also to ordinary
steam traps. The said mechanism is also suitable for use as a boiler feeder.
To render my invention fully understood I have annexed hereto a sheet of illustrative
drawings to which I will in the course of the following description refer.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the trap with the valves set to discharge the water.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the valves in position for retaining the water.
Fig. 3 is a front view with the valve boxes in section.
Fig. 4 is a view of a general arrangement containing a secondary or subsidiary
trap.
According to my improvements I provide a water trapping receptacle or box a within
which I pivot a float 6 capable of rising and falling with the height of water in the
trap box. Into this box a I direct the end of the pipe c or coil to be kept clear of
water this inlet being fitted with a back pressure valve not appearing in the drawings.
At the foot of the box a I arrange a water outlet d and in the upper part above the
highest level of the water (which is indicated by dotted lines) I also provide an orifice
or porte which serves to admit steam pressure when the condensed water is to be
forced out of the trap box, and which also serves to liberate air and vapours as the
level of water rises in the trap box, the said air and vapours finding their way through
the D valve f to the outlet g. In connection with these inlet and outlet ports
I arrange slide valves f, h or it might be other suitable forms of valves which will effect
my purpose. These valves are housed in valve chests j, k secured to the end of the
trap. The spindle i which carries these valves is prolonged and is connected to a
piston m working in a steam cylinder n, the said cylinder having a valve o controlled
by a rod p which extends from and is operated by a lever r on the rocking pivot
spindle 9 of the float as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus it will be under-
stood that as the float rises and falls in the trap box, the valve o on the steam cylinder
is correspondingly operated and the piston m being thus moved, the valves f, h on
the trap box are shifted in accordance with the conditions. The outlet d at the foot
of the trap box, communicates through the valve h with another port d' leading to a
drain pipe or to the return or boiler feed pipe. The valve f at the top of the trap
box a governs two ports, viz. the steam inlet port e opening into the trap and the air
port e. The steam port 2 admits the steam supply through the chamber e³. The
chamber e communicates by the pipe s with the valve chest n¹ of the steam cylinder n.
While the trap box is filling, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the lower
outlet & being covered by its valve and the upper port e being also covered, the

page_text: valve f establishing communication between the upper part of the trap box and the air-
and steam escape conduit e'. Thus as the water rises, the air and uncondensed steam
escape through the valve f. But when the float has been lifted to the required height
for instance to the position shown in Fig. 1, the rod p operated by the float has been
raised sufficiently to reverse the slide valve o on the steam cylinder n whereupon the
piston m is forced to the other end of the cylinder n, uncovering the steam inlet e of
the trap box and also the lower water outlet d. Steam pressure has thus full access
to the upper part of the trap box a and forces the water out of the trap through the
lower outlet so as to get rid of the water or to return it to the boiler or to a secondary
forcing or trap arrangement by which it is fed into the boiler.
When the trap box a has been cleared, the float 6 drops and the valves f, h and
piston m are returned to their normal position. I might use a diaphragm to operate-
the valves on the trap box instead of a steam cylinder, the said diaphragm being
operated either in both directions by steam pressure or in one direction by steam.
and in the other by a weight or spring.
Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of a secondary forcing or trap arrangement for
raising the water before trapping it through to the boiler. The condensed water
drains into a cistern u, and thence through the pipe and back pressure valve v³ into
a trap box w. The box w is connected by a steam pipe to the boiler y. When the
float in the trap box w has risen sufficiently, the steam pressure is admitted from the
boiler by the pipe & and the water is forced up through the pipe z to the trap a by
which it is delivered to the boiler in the manner fully described.
It may be pointed out as an important feature of my invention that I do not use
the float to operate the main valves directly, but only to govern the operation of these
valves by the small primary slide valve o by which the boiler pressure is caused to
operate the main valves. Therefore no great power requires to be exerted by the float,.
but only so much as will suffice to move the small valve o which directs the steam
pressure to either side of the piston or diaphragm.
It is not essential that any check valves should be employed as the main valve or
valves may be made to cover several ports for the admission or discharge of steam or
water to the trap or subsidiary trap or boiler, but the steam and water inlet pipe c may
with advantage be fitted with a check valve. The other valves are all applied outside
of the trap box and can easily be got at for the purpose of cleansing and repair.
Instead of the valves and cylinder standing vertically as in the drawings, they
might be arranged horizontally."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I.
claim is.
1. The improved steam trap arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown.
2. A steam trap in which the valves for effecting the discharge of the water from
the trap cistern are worked from an independent steam cylinder or other operative-
means, the governing valve or pressure shunting appliance of the said steam cylinder
or other operative means, being moved from the float pivot substantially as described.
and shown.
3. The improved arrangement, containing and including a secondary or subsidiary
trap or return lifting or forcing means, substantially as described and as shown.
in Fig. 4.
Dated the 10th day of April 1890.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5 John Dalton Street, Manchester, Chartered Patent Agents..