IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
We JOHN FRENCH of Nos 71 and 73 Commercial Strect in the County of
Middlesex Manufacturer and JAMES HAYES of No 30 Essex Street Hackney in
the County of Middlesex Engineer and THOMAS HENRY HODGE of N° 24 Croft
Street Deptford in the County of Kent Brass Finisher do hereby declare the
" to bo as
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS
follows:-
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in steam traps
or apparatus for automatically admitting of the passage of water of condensation
from pipes used in convoying steam and from apparatus in which steam is used.
In constructing a steam trap according to our said Invention we secure a branch
tube in an aperture in a suitably formed case or box so that a portion of one
branch of the said tube projects outside the said box the other branch being within
the said box and opening in the upper part thereof. The said two branchos aro
hereinafter termed respectively the outer branch and the inner branch. Within
the said tube at the junction of the outer branch with the inner branch we form
a valve chamber and at the inner end of the outer branch within the said chamber
wo form a seating for a stop valve which when pressed to its seating closes com-
munication between the two branches. Tho said valve is by proforence formed of
or faced with vulcanite or other suitable compressible or yielding material and is
mounted on a stem which passes through and works in a passage formed in a plug
screwed into an opening in the said valve chamber the head or outer end of the
said valve stem projecting from the face of the plug in which it works. To the
said branch tube we joint one end of a lever which carries at its free ond a float
consisting preferably of a hollow sphere or box of metal. Near that end of the said
lever which is jointed to the branch tube a finger is secured which bears against
the outer end or head of the aforesaid valve stem. The said finger is so arranged
and that part of it which bears against the head of the valve stem is so formed
that when the lever by which it is carried is in its normal position the valve is
pressed against its seating communication between the inner and outer branches
of the branch tube being thus cut off and when the said lever is raised as hercin-
after described the pressure on the valve is relaxed and the said valve is free to
retire from its seating thus opening communication between the two branches of
the branch tube.

page_text: In order to admit of adjustment of the position of the float with respect to the
lever by which it is carried we prefer to connect the said parts as follows:-Wo
form a fork at the free end of the lever and secure a plate to the said float and
joint the latter to the lever by placing the said plate between the branches of the
fork and passing a pin or screw through holes in the said fork and plate. The float
is thus hinged to the lever and by turning the said float on its joint it may be
brought to any required position relatively to the said lever. To provide for fixing
the float when adjusted we form a number of holes in the said plate concentrically
with the hole through which the joint pin or screw passes and we form a hole in
such a position in one of the branches of the fork between which the said plate is
jointed that any one of the concentric holes in the latter may be caused to coincide
with that in the fork of the lever and when the position of the float has been
adjusted with respect to the lever we secure the said parts as adjusted by passing
a pin or screw through the hole in the fork and that one of the concentric holes in
the plate with which the said hole in the fork coincides.
The outer end of the aforesaid branch tube which projects from the box con-
stitutes the inlet of the trap and is screwed to admit of connection with the steain
pipe or apparatus from which the water of condensation is required to pass. The
outlet of the said trap consists of a tube communicating with the interior of the
aforesaid box which tube projects upward outside the said box and has a bulb or
enlargement formed on it or is connected to a chamber or vessel for the purpose
hereinafter described. The box of the said trap is closed by an air tight cover in
-which-is-formed an aperture closed by a screw stopper or cap.
The method-of-using-and the action of the apparatus herein-before-described are
as follows:-The outer branch of the branch tube is connected-to-the-steam-pipe.
or apparatus with which the trap is to be used and water is poured into the box of
the said trap until the float is raised sufficiently to allow the valve to open slightly.
Any water in the pipes or apparatus to which the trap is connected passes through
the open valve-and-the-inner-branch of the branch tube into the box of the trap
-raising the water-level therein and thereby further opens the valve. When-the
water of condensation has thus all passed from the steam-pipes.steam passes from
_the_into_the_trap and forces the water out through the outlet pipe until the level
of the water in the said trap is so lowered that the float-has-desconded sufficiently
to close the valve. Part of the water which has been forced out of the trap then
returns by the outlet pipe from the bulb or enlargement or vessel or chamber
formed thereon or connected. therewith and again opens the valve to allow water
of condensation to pass therefrom. These actions continue as long as there is any
pressure of steam in the pipes or apparatus to which the trap is connected.
In some cases we connect the aforesaid valve chamber with the interior of the
float by means of a passage or passages formed in the lever carrying the latter and
we so form the acting face of the finger carried by the said lever that the action
of the said finger on the valve is reversed that is the rising of the lever carrying
the float effects the closing of the valve and the descent of the said lever releases
the valve.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We JOHN FRENCH of Nos 71 and 73 Commercial Street in the County of
Middlesex Manufacturer and JAMES HAYES of No 30 Essex Street Hackney in
the County of Middlesex Engineer and THOMAS HENRY HODGE of N° 24 Croft
Street Deptford in the County of Kent Brass Finisher do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
"
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in steam traps
or apparatus for automatically admitting of the passage of water of condensation
from pipes used in conveying steam and from apparatus in which steam is used.
In constructing a steam trap according to our said Invention we secure a branch
tube in an aperture in a suitably formed case or box so that a portion of one branch
of the said tube projects outside the said box the other branch being within the
said box and opening in the upper part thereof. The said two branchos are herein
after termed respectively the outer branch and the inner branch. Within the said
tube at the junction of the outer branch with the inner branch we form a valvo
chamber and at the inner end of the outer branch within the said chamber wo
form a seating for a stop valve which when pressed to its seating closes communi-
cation between the two branches. The said valve is by preference faced with tin
and is formed on a stem which passes through and works in a passage formed in a
plug screwed into an opening in the said valve chamber the head or outer end of
the said valve stem projecting from the face of the plug in which it works. To the
said branch tube we joint one end of a lever to the free end of which a float
consisting preferably of a hollow sphere or box of metal is secured. Near that end
of the said lever which is jointed to the branch tube a finger is secured which bears
against the outer end or head of the aforesaid valve stem. The said finger is so
arranged and that part of it which bears against the head of the valve stem is so
formed that when the lever by which it is carried is in its lowest position the valve
is pressed against its seating communication between the inner and outer branches
of the branch tube being thus cut off and when the said lever is raised as herein-
after described the pressure on the valve is relaxed and the said valvo is free to
retiro from its seating thus opening communication between the two branches of
the branch tube.
The outer end of the aforesaid branch tube which projects from the box
constitutes the inlet of the trap and is screwed to admit of connection with the
steam pipe or apparatus from which the water of condensation is required to pass.
The outlet of the said trap consits of a tube communicating with the interior of
the aforesaid box which tube projects upward outside the said box and has a bulb
or enlargement formed on it or is secured or connected to a chamber or vessel for
the purpose hereinafter described. The box of the said trap is closed by an air
tight cover in which is formed an aperture provided with a screw stopper.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an elevation of a steam trap con-
structed as hereinbefore. described part of the case being broken away in order

page_text: to exhibit the mechanism within it Figure 2 is a plan of the same without the
cover of the case and Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 1 Figure 2. Tho
same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in each of the said
Figures of the drawings.
A is the case a is the cover thereof which is secured in place by bolts a' and
nuts as a ring at of compressible material such as tarred hemp being inserted
between the flanges before scrowing them down in order to make a close joint.
a is the stopper which is screwed into the aperture in the said cover.
In order to
provide for the escape of air from the trap as hereinafter described a passage is
formed by cutting a small groove a transversely through the screw thread formed
in the said aperture and the stopper a is made to fit easily and is screwed down
only so far as it can be turned by hand without the aid of any instrument. B B¹ is
the branch tube the branch B of which is passed through a hole in the case A and
is secured in place by a nut b¹ engaged with a screw thread formed on the said
branch B. b is the valvo chamber formed at the junction of the branches B B
and 63 is the valve seating. C is the valve c¹ is the facing of tin c³ is the stem of
the valve and is the plug screwed into the valve chamber 6 in which plug the
valve stem works D is the lever and d' is the float secured to it. The said
lever D is forked and is jointed to the branch tube B B¹ by screws d³ ³. E is tho
finger which bears against the outer end of the valve stem c². The said finger is
formed and is secured between the branches of the fork on the lever D as herein-
after described. The part of the said finger which bears against the end of the
valve stem is curved to admit of the valve opening when the lever D is raised as
hereinafter described. Shoulders (cne of which is shown at e') are formed at the
sides of the said finger which shoulders bear against the undersides of the branches
of the said lever and the upper part of the finger is screwed to admit of the
engagement of a screw nut e therewith. is a plate through which the upper
part of the finger E passes which plate rests on the upper sides of the branches of
the-lever-D-and-has-a-lip-formed-on-its-underside which rests on the valve stem
and forins a stop which limits. the downward motion of the said lever. The said
finger E is-adjusted to the required position by sliding it between the branches of
the lever D until the said finger is in position to bear against the end of the valve
stem when the lever is in its lowest position and is then secured by screwing
down the nut & F is the inlet pipe which is connected to the branch B of the
tube B B G is the outlet pipe and g' is a hollow sphere constituting the chamber
connected to the outlet pipe.
The method of using and the action of the apparatus hereinbefore described are
as follows: The. branch B of the branch tube B B¹ is connected (as shown in the
drawings) to the steam pipe or apparatus with which the trap is to be used and
water is poured into the case of the trap through the aperture in the top until the
float is raised sufficiently to admit of the valve C opening slightly and the serow
stopper as is then put in place. On steam being admitted to the pipes or apparatus
with which the trap is connected air from the said pipes or apparatus passes into
the trap and escapes between the aperture in the cover a' and the stopper a³ by
the passage a. When the air has thus passed from the said steam pipes or
apparatus any water of condensation therein passes through the branch tube B B¹
into the case of the trap raising the water level therein and consequently further
raising the float d¹ and permitting the valve C to open further. When the water
of condensation from the steam pipes or the steam apparatus to which the trap is
connected has thus all passed into the trap and the outlet pipe steam enters the trap 5
through the branch tube B B' and forces the water from the trap into the outlet
pipe until the level of the water in the trap is lowered sufficiently to permit the
float to descend to the position shown in the drawings when the valve being closed
the further passage of steam is cut off. As the steam in the trap condenses part of
the water. which has been forced into the outlet pipe returns to the trap and again
raises the float thus liberating the valve and permitting of the passage into the trap
of any further. accumulation of water of condensation in the steam pipes. The

page_text: actions herein before described continue as long as there is any pressure of steam in
the pipes or apparatus to which the trap is connected. By means of the apparatus
hereinbefore described the water of condensation passing through the trap may be
raised to any desired height within the range limited by the steam pressure in the
boiler of the steam apparatus to which the trap is connected.
The object of the chamber g' is to retain sufficient water to ensure the raising of
the float lever D sufficiently to allow the valve to open on the condensation of the
steam within the trap. This object may be attained by coiling the outlet pipo
horizontally at or above the level of the upper part of the trap or by connecting
the outlet pipe with a chamber or vessel otherwise than as illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings. When the outlet pipe G is of such a height as to retain
a sufficient quantity of water to raise the said float lever the said chamber g' may
be dispensed with.
Instead of securing the finger E to the lever D as herein before described the said
finger may be formed on the said lever or part of the lover may be so formed as to
nct as required on the valve spindle c² but we prefer to secure the said finger to tho
lever as herein before described and as illustrated in the drawings in order that
wear of the parts may be readily compensated for by loosening the nut e' and
shifting the finger E nearer to the valve spindle and again screwing down tho
said nut.
In some cases we connect the aforesaid valve chamber with the interior of tho
float by means of a passage or passages formed in the lever carrying the latter and
we so form the acting face of the finger carried by the said lever that the action of
the said finger on the valve is reversed that is the rising of the lever carrying the
float effects the closing of the valve and the descent of the said lever releases the
valve.
This arrangement is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying
drawings. In Figure 4 tho mechanism is shown in clevation and the case in
section and in Figure 5 the whole apparatus is shown in horizontal section taken
on the line 2 Figure 4 Figure 6 is n vertical section of the float shown separately
drawn to a larger scale than Figures 4 and 5. The same letters and figures of
reference indicate the same parts in each of the said Figures of the drawings. H is
the caso or box of the trap is the cover in a groove in which a ring h³ of suitable
compressible material is placed I is the inlet i¹ is the valve chamber J is the
-float Kare branch tubes which constitute the lever carrying the float J
the passages in which tubes communicate between the valve chamber i¹ and
the interior of the float. L is the valve is the valve stem M is the finger
which is secured to the tube K in such a position as to bear against the end of the
valve stem as required and is so formed as to press the valve to its seating when
the float is raised as shown in Figure 4 and to admit of the valve being opened
when the float is depressed as indicated in dotted lines in the said Figure. The
tubes K and are secured to the valve chamber by means of glandsk k²
which are passed over the tubes k² k¹ before they are connected to the tube K and
after the said tubes K and k¹¹ are connected together they are connected to tho
valve chamber i' by screwing the said glands into screwed openings in the sides of
the said valve chamber. The float J has an opening in the lower part and
another opening in the upper part which opening is covered by a valve j³
jointed to the float at j and resting on a seating. N is the outlet pipe.
The action of this arrangement is as follows. The position of the float when the
mechanism is not in action is that indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4. When the
float is in this position the valve L is free to open and water of condensation from
the steam pipes or apparatus to which the trap is connected passes through the
passages in the pipes k¹¹ K into the float J thence through the hole into the
box or case H and out by the pipo N. When the whole of the water of
condensation has passed from the steam pipes or apparatus steam passes therefrom
into the float J and raises it and thus closes the valve L the parts being then in the
position shown in Figures 4 and 5 in which position they remain until the steam

page_text: which has passed into the float J condenses when the float descends and by its
descent the valve L is liberated and the passage of water of condensation from the
steam pipes or apparatus to the trap is thus again permitted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the samo is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
steam trap herein before described with reference to Figures 1. 2 and 3 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
steam trap herein before described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Thirdly. Connecting the outlet pipo of a steam trap to or forming thereon
a chamber or vessel or otherwise providing for the retention of a quantity of
water in the said pipe or in connection therewith substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described.
Fourthly. The arrangement herein before described by which a sliding stop valve
in a steam trap is closed as required by the wedging action on the valve stem of a
lever carrying a float or of a finger formed on or connected to the said lever
whether the said wedging action be produced by the elevation or by the depression
of the said lever.