Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps.
We THOMAS HENRY HALSALL and JOSEPH COWAN HAMPTON, of Halsall &
Hampton, Limited, of Badger Street Tool Works, Bury, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers, and Tool Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in steam traps for discharging the
water of condensation from steam pipes and for other purposes as is well under-
stood. In our improved trap the usual hollow elbow piece connecting the steam
and water inlet with the hollow arm extending to the ball is supported not
only at the point where it rotates in the gland or journal attached to or projecting
from the inlet side of the trap, but also by a solid extension or porter projecting
from the other side in line with the inlet. This extension or porter is formed
with a quick thread multiple screw which engages with the threaded head of a
stool bracket bound to the inner side of the trap by a screw applied from without.
The screwed porter has the effect of opening and closing the inlet valve on the
hollow elbow piece as the ball float rises and falls. Any required adjustment is
obtained by slackening the screw which binds the stool bracket against the side of
the trap and turning the bracket till the required adjustment is obtained. The
ball and elbow piece being thus supported on both sides instead of on one side only as
usual, works much more freely and is not so liable to derangement as formerly.
The valve on the hollow inlet of the elbow piece may be ground in position
by simply detaching the ball float and hollow arm, removing the screw which
holds the stool bracket and inserting a screw driver or tool through the hole so as
to engage with and turn the solid porter and elbow piece. The steam inlet may
terminate in or pass through a settling chamber to separate sediment from the
steam and water and the said settling chamber may be fixed to the trap or on the
steam pipe leading thereto. To render the ball float more prompt in getting rid
of contained steam we make a perforation in the central up pipe which permits
of slight escape from the ball, while at the same time not constituting noticeable
leakage during working. We also provide an air valve at the outer end of the
elbow piece said valve consisting of a ball confined in a chamber closed by a plug.
When the ball float is down the ball valve rolls off the seating in the lower side
Therefore if air
of the elbow, and uncovers the blow through the lower side.
should precede or accompany the water entering the trap it escapes into the cistern
instead of entering the float, so that the float remains submerged. When the steam
follows, the pressure fills the ball and raises it, at the same time that the small
ball valve rolls upon its seating and prevents escape of steam.
The combined features constitute a steam trap which is cheaper, more lasting
and more effective than traps of the usual construction.
DL017 1 of December 1896

page_text: Improvements in Steam Traps.
We THOMAS HENRY HALSALL and JOSEPH COWAN HAMPTON,,of, Halsall &
Hampton Limited, of Badger Street Tool Works, Bury, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers and Tool Makers, 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 and accompanying
drawings:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in steam traps for discharging the
water of condensation from steam pipes and for other purposes as is well under-
stood:
.
In our improved trap the usual hollow elbow piece connecting the steam and
water inlet with the hollow arm extending to the ball is supported not only at
the point where it rotates in the gland or journal attached to or projecting from the
inlet side of the trap, but also by a solid extension or porter projecting from the
other side in line with the inlet. This extension or porter is formed with a quick
thread multiple screw which engages with the threaded head of a stool bracket
bound to the inner side of the trap by a screw applied from without. The screwed
porter has the effect of opening and closing the inlet valve on the hollow elbow
piece as the ball float rises and falls. And in order that our said invention may
be more fully, understood we will now describe the same with reference to the
accompanying sheet of 'drawings.
In the said drawings.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of our improved steam trap with the gland or
socket carrying the valve seating removed.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, to an enlarged scale, of our improved
method of supporting the hollow elbow piece which connects the steam and water
inlet with the hollow arm of the float.
Fig. 4 is a modified form of air valve.
The hollow elbow piece a connecting the steam and water inlet with the hollow
arm b extending to the ball float c, is supported at one side in the sleeve or
journal formed with a valve seating d and at the other side by a solid
extension or porter e.
The porter e is formed with a quick multiple screw, thread which engages with
the threaded interior of a stool bracket f secured to the inner side of the trap
cistern A by means of a screw fi as shown in the drawings.
As the ball float rises' and falls 'the screwed porter'e engaging with the thread
formed in the bracket f has the effect of closing and opening the inlet valve g
on the hollow, elbow piecé a. The valve ġ is thus forced down on, or is withdrawn
from its seating d formed in the journal d. This will be more clearly understood
from an inspection of the plan view Fig. 3.
Any required adjustment is obtained by slackening the screw f which binds
the stool bracket f against 'the side of the 'trap and turning the bracket f till the
required adjustment is obtained. The ball and elbow piece being thus supported
on both sides instead of on one side only as usual, works much more freely and
with less friction and is not so liable to derangement' as formerly.
The valve g on the hollow inlet of the elbow piece,a may be ground..in position
by simply detaching the hall float c and hollow arm b, removing the screw fl
which holds the stool bracket f, and inserting a screwdriver or tool through the
hole so as to engage with and turn the solid porter e and elbow piece a. In this
case the porter'e would be formed with a sawgate to engage the screwdriver. The

page_text: steam inlet terminates in or passes through a settling chamber h to separate
sediment from the steam and water, and the said settling chamber may be fixed to
the trap by means of bolts as shown, or on the steam pipe leading thereto. We
make no claim however to the settling chamber h as being novel. To render the
ball float more prompt in getting rid of contained steam we form the ball float c
with a curved or other tube or chimney secured to the central up pipe which
permits of slight escape from the ball, while at the same time not constituting
noticeable leakage during working. This makes the float more sensitive in its
action as it permits the steam within the ball to escape. We also provide an air
valve at the outer end of the elbow piece said valve consisting of a ball i confined
in a chamber closed by a plug j as shown in section in Fig 1. When the ball
float is down the ball valve rolls off the seating in the lower side of the elbow and
uncovers the hole through the lower side. Therefore if air should precede or
accompany the water entering the trap it escapes into the cistern instead of
entering the float, so that the float remains submerged. When the steam follows
the pressure fills the ball and raises it, at the same time the small ball valve i rolls
upon its seating and prevents escape of steam.
Fig. 1 shows the float c in its raised position and the ball i upon its seat. Fig. 3
shows the float c down and the ball valve i off its seating.
A modified form of air valve is separately shown in Fig. 4. The valve k is
normally kept upon its seating formed in the chamber j by means of a spring 1.
Upon the fall of the float e the rounded head upon the valve spindle comics
into contact with the inclined stop m secured to the end of the cistern. The valve
spindle is thus depressed and the valve k opened.
We wish it however to be clearly understood that we do not claim as novel the
two forms of air valves described.
As an alternative method we might form the hollow valve spindle with a quick
threaded screw working in a suitable nut formed in the valve seat socket, the
porter being in this case plain and sliding in a plain bearing in the bracket f.
The combined features constitute a steam trap which is cheaper, more lasting and
more effective than traps of the usual construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. The general arrangement construction and combination of parts comprising
the improved steam trap substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In steam traps of the indicated nature supporting the elbow piece carrying
the hollow arm and ball float at two points, in the manner, by the means and
substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 8th day of September 1897.