IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Kidd, of 27, Leadenhall Street, in the City
of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
TRAPS." A communication from abroad by Loring P. Hawes, of
the City. County. & State of New York, United States.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joshua Kidd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1873.
I, JOSHUA KIDD, of 27, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London,
Engincer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS," to be as follows:-
:-
The object of this Invention is to allow the water of condensation to
escape from a steam heating coil or similar apparatus, and to shut the
escape orifice when the water has blown out; this I effect by means of
an adjustable expansive vessel containing alcohol or other easily

page_text: evaporated liquid in such a manner that the temperature of the water of
condensation determines the opening and closing of the escape orifice.
In carrying out my Invention I construct a round iron box or case,
the top and bottom being flat with outlet and inlet apertures. I make
this box in two parts for convenience of operating and repairing, and
hold it together steam-tight by suitable screws. I prefer to make the
steam inlet at the top and the outlet at the side; I form the metal or
affix a raised smooth seating around the inlet aperture inside the box ; in
this box I place an expansive vessel made of thin sheet metal, cylindrical,
but flat at the top and bottom. In this vessel I place a cylindrical block
of wood which is secured in its place by wires which are soldered to the
sides of the expansive vessel; said block is of sufficient dimensions to
prevent the sides of the vessel from being injured by collapsing by the
external pressure; in this vessel I place alcohol or other easily evaporated
liquid combined with or standing on any thick gummy substance like
rosin, said gum filling the vessel above the part where it is joined
together, thus preventing any waste of alcohol at this joint. When the
steam strikes said vessel the expansion of the liquid or the formation of
vapour is sufficient to press out or expand its elastic top and bottom and
stop the flow of steam by bringing one of its flat sides against the
smooth seating under the inlet, thus stopping the opening from which
the steam escapes. For regulating the temperature at which the water
of condensation is discharged I fix an adjustable screw working through
a stuffing box to the bottom of the box or case so that the screw can be
regulated and made to press against the centre of the expansive metal
inside the box.
When the accumulation of water of condensation allows the parts to
cool sufficiently to allow the vessel to less in thickness by the
diminished pressure within it, the sides of the vessel which have formed
the valve is drawn away from the steam inlet and the water is allowed
to run out until the heat is sufficient to expand or boil the alcohol and
produce a pressure in the expansive vessel which again springs on its
sides, and then closes the valve as before.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joshua Kidd in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joshua
KIDD, of 27, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Joshua Kidd, Her special license that I, the said
Joshua Kidd, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joshua Kidd, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS," a communication
to me from abroad by Loring P. Hawes, of the City, County, and State
of New York, United States, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Joshua Kidd, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joshua Kidd, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :—
The object of this Invention is to allow the water of condensation to
escape from a steam heating coil or similar apparatus and to shut the
escape orifice when the water has blown out. This I effect by means of
alcohol or other easily
an adjustable expansive vessel containing
evaporated liquid in such a manner that the temperature of the water of
condensation determines the opening and closing of the escape orifice.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention I construct a round iron box or case,
the top and bottom being flat with outlet and inlet apertures. I make
this box in two parts for convenience of operating and repairing, and
hold it together steam-tight by suitable screws. I prefer to make the
steam inlet at the top and the outlet at the sides; I form the metal in
the shape of or I affix thereto a raised smoothed seating around the inlet
aperture inside the box; in this box I place an expansive vessel made of
thin sheet metal, cylindrical, but flat at the top and bottom. In this
vessel I place a cylindrical block of wood which is secured in its place by
wires which are soldered to the sides of the expansive vessel; said block
is of sufficient dimensions to prevent the sides of the vessel from being
injured by collapsing by the external pressure; in this vessel I place
alcohol or other easily evaporated liquid combined with or standing on
any thick
gummy substance like resin, said gum filling the vessel above
the part where it is joined together and thus preventing any waste of
alcohol at this joint. Whem the steam strikes said vessel the expansion
of the liquid or the formation of vapour is sufficient to press out or
expand its elastic top and bottom and stop the flow of steam by bringing
one of its flat sides against the smooth seating from which the steam
escapes. For regulating the temperaturo at which the water of condensa-
tion is discharged I fix an adjustable screw working through a stuffing box
to the bottom of the box or case so that the screw can be regulated and
made to press against the centre of the expansive metal inside the box.
When the accumulation of water of condensation allows the parts to
cool sufficiently to allow the vessel to become less in thickness by the
diminished pressure within it, the sides of the vessel which have formed
the valve are drawn away from the steam inlet, and the water is allowed
to run out until the heat is sufficient to expand or boil the alcohol and
produce a pressure in the expansive vessel which again springs out its
sides and then closes the valve as before.
And in order that the said Invention may be most fully understool
and readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the
Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: A, A, is an outer shell which should be of sufficient strength to resist
an internal pressure or 100 lbs. to the square inch; it is formed of two
pieces which are held together by suitable screws which can be removed
to repair or clean the inside of trap. B is the expansive vessel made of
thin sheet metal in a flattened form supported in its position by the
outer shell A, A, and adjusted by the stem C and wheel H. This vessel
contains alcohol or other easily vaporized liquid combined with or
standing on any thick gummy substance like resin, said gum filling the
vessel above the central joint and thus preventing any waste of alcohol
at this joint. When the steam strikes said vessel the expansion of the
liquid or the formation of vapour is sufficient to press out or expand its
elastic top and bottom and stop the flow of steam by bringing one of its
flat sides against the opening G from which the steam escapes.
When the accumulation of water of condensation allows the parts to
cool sufficiently for the vessel B to collapse or lessen in thickness by the
diminished pressure within it, the top of the expansive vessel which has
formed the valve is drawn away from the steam inlet and the water is
allowed to run out until the heat is sufficient to expand or boil the
alcohol, and produce a pressure in the vessel B which again springs out
its top or sides and then closes the valve as before. P is a cylindrical
block of wood which is secured in its place by wires O, O, which are
soldered to the sides of the expansive vessel; said block is of sufficient
length to prevent the sides of the expansive vessel being injured by
collapsing by the external pressure, or from the face of the regulating
stem C being screwed down upon it. E is the outlet pipe; F is the
inlet pipe; G is the inlet valve or opening and is composed of soft metal
being secured in its place by the concentric ring b, b. His a hand
wheel for turning the spindle or stem C; I is a stuffing nut; K, K, shews
the top of the gum; and L, L, the top of the alcohol. This trap may
be employed to advantage to remove the water from steam engine
cylinders. By a proper adjustment of the screw spindle C, water of any
temperature from 100° Fahrenheit to 212° Fahrenheit may be retained
or discharged as desired; a certain temperature produces a certain
pressure in vessel B, to which is due a corresponding expansion of said
vessel; so if the screw spindle is so adjusted that it requires 200°
Fahrenheit to close the valve, the trap will continue to discharge water as
fast as it accumulates at that temperature; if the water becomes hotter the
valve closes, while if it cools the valve opens. The many advantages of

page_text: this feature are obvious. This trap will operate equally well either side
up.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and ŏ
original, and therefore claim as the Invention to be secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. I claim in the manufacture of steam traps the expansive
vessel B filled with alcohol or other easily evaporated liquid, the
expansion and contraction of which by heat and cold causes said 1
expansive vessel to act as a valve in opening and closing the steam
inlet F.
Second. I claim in steam traps the combinations of the expansive
vessel B, adjusting spindle O or its equivalent, stuffing nut I, operating
in connection with the steam inlet F, wooden support P, and wires O, O. 1
Third. I claim in the expansive vessel of steam traps the wooden
support C and pins O, O, and the use of resin or other analogous
substance for preventing the escape of alcohol.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joshua Kidd, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in the 2
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
ARTHUR W. EASTWOOD,
21, Campden Hill Road.
JOSHUA KIDD. (L.S.)