Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
WILLIAM HENRY THOMPSON and ROBERT THOMPSON, 155, Fenchurch Street,
London, E.C., Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention has for its object the production of a simple direct acting steam
trap operating by the temperature of the steam or condensed water or other fluid
passing through or contacting with it.
In carrying our invention into practice we employ a corrugated tube (herein-
after called the tube) preferably formed with a series of circular corrugations of
such a form of cross section and in such succession and number as may be required
to give the tube an amount of lengthwise elasticity as will admit of its longitudinal
extension and contraction operating the valve (controlling the flow of the steam
or condensed water) to and from its seating as hereinafter mentioned and in order
to increase the expansive power and quicken the action of the tube we charge it
with spirit or other liquid rapidly susceptible to variations of temperature. We
arrange or enclose the tube in a circular or suitably formed case in such a manner
that it presents one end (hereinafter called the operating end) centrally to the
valve and valve seating (controlling the flow of the steam and condensed water)
which are arranged in a valve box or chamber, (as hereinafter mentioned) formed
at one end of the case (hereinafter called the valve end) the other end of the tube
extending to and taking its bearing centrally on a regulating screw arranged in
the other end of the case (hereinafter called the outlet end) that by turning the
screw in the required direction the tube may be regulated or adjusted into proper
working relation with the valve and valve seating which seating is made readily
adjustable by forming it with a suitable grating formed or provided with a
partially hollow shank or bolt which is arranged to pass through a valve box or
chamber formed or arranged on the valve end of the aforesaid case and project
through a hole formed therein so as to receive a nut by which the seating is drawn
and held up to the valve box face and aperture prepared to receive it, the shank
or bolt being made hollow so as to receive and form a bearing or guide for a
shank or spindle formed on and projecting centrally beyond the face of the valve
so as to support and facilitate its working in line with the corrugated tube and
true to the face of the valve seating.
The valve box or chamber may be made detachable from the aforesaid case for
better access to its interior and when in position be held to the case by bolted
flanges, screw or other suitable connection or connections, and also the said box
or chamber is arranged with a suitably formed aperture or apertures leading to
the outside for connection with the steam pipe pipes or vessel to be drained.
The operation is as follows:-the tube being adjusted into proper working
relation with the valve and valve seating by the regulating screw so that when
the tube is at its normal position or condition the valve is open or free to open
on the admission of the steam (from the pipe or vessel with which the trap may be

page_text: connected) which flowing through or by the valve blows through the trap contacting
with the tube until it and the spirit contained or sealed therein become so affected
(by the heat of, the steam) that its longitudinal expansion or extensión (permitted
by the spring of the corrugations) commences and continues, thrusting the valve
at its operating end in the direction of the valve seating until the valve is closed
and so held as to shut off the steam by the expansive force of the tube until an
accumulation of condensed water in the pipe or vessel aforesaid lowers the tempéra-
ture and admits of the tube contracting to its normal working position or con-
dition in which operation it again opens the valve and allows the steam to blow out
the condensed water (through the outlet end of the trap) and again raising the
temperature of the tube the operation is continued and repeated at intervals while
the trap is under steam pressure. The operating end of the tube may be formed
with a solid or piston formed head for thrusting on the valve or it may be formed
to receive the valve so that it moves with the head; also when it may be expedient
to multiply the expansive force of the spirit in the tube the head may be formed
hollow with an annular space of larger internal diameter than the tube so as..to
increase the area of the surface presented to the expansive force of the spirit with
which the hollow or annular space is charged in common with the tube and so
multiply such force for action on the valve with increased power in proportion to
the difference between the internal diameter and area or piston surface of the head
and the internal diameter and end surface of the tube.
.i.
The aforesaid head may be made in the form of a piston supporting and direct-
ing the operating end of the tube by working in a cylinder formed with or in the
case.. When the tube is of such a length as to require supporting we arrange
the corrugations so as to leave the tube plain in parts for the application of a ring
or rings surrounding it and working in the casing so as to support it whilst in
action.
:
"
The corrugations in the tube instead of being circular may extend spirally along
it or vary in sectional and circular or longitudinal form for giving it the necessary
elasticity, and the tube may be used without the aid of the spirit for purposes
where its metallic expansion has sufficient power. When it may be necessary
to form or arrange the case so as to closely fit or surround and support the tube in
such a manner as to retard the flow of the condensed water past it, we arrange
longitudinal passages in the case of suitable form leading from the aforesaid valve
to the outlet through which the water and steam may flow in their passage over
and past the tube. The regulating screw may be connected to the tube and work
in a screw arranged at the outlet end of the case or the nut or screw may be
formed at the end of the tube and extend into it for any required distance to admit
of the screw working in its interior and supporting it from the bearing provided
at the outlet end of the case in which bearing the neck is supported so as to be
accessible from the outside of the trap.
The tubes may be duplicated and arranged so as to thrust on the valve with
combined effort.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Our invention has for its object the production of a simple direct acting steam
trap operating by the temperature of the steam or condensed water or other fluid
passing through or contacting with it.
In carrying our invention into practice we employ a corrugated tube (herein-
after called the tube) preferably formed with a series of circular corrugations of
such a form of cross section and in such succession and number as may be required
to give the tube an amount of lengthwise elasticity as will admit of its longitudinal
extension and contraction operating the valve (controlling the flow of the steam
or condensed water) to and from its seating as hereinafter mentioned, and in order
to increase the expansive power and quicken the action of the tube we charge it
with spirit or other liquid or matter rapidly susceptible to variations of tem-
perature (hereinafter called the volatile fluid). We arrange or enclose the tube
in a circular or suitably formed case in such a manner that it presents one end
(hereinafter called the operating end) centrally to the valve and valve seating
(controlling the flow of the steam and condensed water) which are arranged in a
valve box or chamber (as hereinafter mentioned) formed at one end of the case
(hereinafter called the valve end) the other end of the tube extending to and
taking its bearing centrally on a regulating screw arranged in the other end of the
case (hereinafter called the outlet end) so that by turning the screw in the required
direction, the tube may be regulated so as to adjust the valve into proper working
relation with the valve seating.
The valve box or chamber may be made detachable from the aforesaid case for
better access to its interior, and for examination and renewal of the valve or valve
seating and when in position it may be held to the case by bolted flanges screw
or other suitable connection or connections and also the said box or chamber is
arranged with suitable valve seating in proper relation with a suitably formed
aperture (or apertures) leading to the outside for connection with the steam pipe,
pipes or vessel to be drained.
The operating end of the tube may be formed with a solid or piston formed
head for thrusting on the valve or it may be formed to receive the valve so that it
moves with the head; also when it may be expedient to multiply the expansive
force of the volatile. fluid in the tube, the head may be formed hollow with an
annular space of larger internal diameter than the tube so as to increase the area
of the surface presented to the expansive force of the volatile fluid with which the
hollow or annular space is charged in common with the tube and so multiply such
force for action on the valve with increased power in proportion to the elasticity
of the head or any corrugated part of it or the difference between the internal
diameter and area or piston surface of the head and the internal diameter and end
surface of the tube.
The aforesaid head may be made in the form of a piston supporting and direct-
When the tube
ing the tube by working in a cylinder formed with or in the case.
is of such a length as to require supporting we may arrange the corrugations so
as to leave the tube plain in parts for the application of a ring or rings surround-
ing it and working in the casing so as to support it while in action.
The corrugations in the tube, instead of being circular, may extend spirally
along it or vary in sectional and circular or longitudinal form for giving it the
necessary elasticity, and the tube may be used without the aid of the volatile fluid
for purposes where its metallic expansion has sufficient power.
... When it, may be necessary to form or arrange the case so as to closely fit or
surround and support the tube in such a manner to retard the flow of the condensed
water past it, we arrange longitudinal passages in the case of suitable form leading
from the aforesaid valve to the outlet through which the water and steam may flow
in their passage over and past the tube.
The tube may be, duplicated and so arranged as to thrust on the valve. with
combined effort.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Sheet I shews an elevation of one arrangement of steam trap (as herein
described) partly in section.
The operation is as follows:-The tube A charged with volatile fluid being
adjusted into proper working relation with the valve B and the valve seating Ů
by the regulating screw D) so that, when the tube is at its normal position or con-
dition, the valve B is open or free to open on the admission of the steam (from
the pipe or vessel with which the trap may be connected to the valve end formed
with the valve box and inlet aperture E) which flowing through or by the valve B
blows through the trap contacting with the tube A until it and the volatile fluid
contained or sealed therein become so affected (by the heat of the steam) that its
longitudinal expansion or extension (permitted by the spring of the corrugations)
commences and continues, thrusting the valve B at its operating end in the
direction of the valve seating C until the valve B is closed and so held as to shut
off the steam by the expansive force of the tube A until an accumulation of con-
densed water in the pipe or vessel aforesaid lowers the temperature and admits
of the tube A contracting to its normal working position or condition, in which
operation it again opens the valve B and allows the steam to blow out the con-
densed water (through the box with the outlet aperture of the trap F) and again
raising the temperature of the tube, the operation is continued and repeated at
intervals while the trap is under steam pressure. The tube A is provided with
rings G arranged with apertures H for admitting the flow of the steam or
water through or past the said rings in its passage through the trap while at the
same time they work or take their bearing in the case I so as to support or guide
the tube A.
Sheet 2 shows the arrangement of the tube A in combination with the piston
head formed with annular space J so as to be supported or directed by piston
surface G in working contact with casing I and provided with apertures H for
admitting of the flow of the steam and water past the said piston head in its
passage through the trap. The operation is similar to arrangement of trap shown
at Sheet 1 with additional force on the valve B by the expansive force of the
volatile fluid (contained or sealed in the annular space J, in common with the
tube A) acting on the piston surfaces of the said annular space so as to increase
the force concentrated on the tube A and valve B in proportion as the area of the
tube A bears relation to the increased area of the operating piston surface of the
annular space J.
By reversing the ends of the traps (shewn in Sheets 1 and 2) for connection
with the pipe or vessel to be drained i.e. arranging F so as to be the inlet end or
aperture and E so as to be the outlet end or aperture the trap will operate so as
to collect an accumulation of water or steam of sufficient temperature to affect
the tube A so that it keeps the valve closed while such accumulation of water
increases in quantity and diminishes in temperature until its cooling influence on
the tube, admits of the tube contracting so as to open the valve and allow the steam
to blow out the aforesaid accumulation of water and again raise the temperature
of the tube so that the operation may be repeated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare what
we claim is:-
:-
Firstly We claim the arrangement and formation of a corrugated tube (or
tubes) in combination with volatile fluid, so that their united or collective expand-
ing and contracting force under the influence of the varying temperature of the
steam or water retained in or passing through the trap, operates a valve or part
in conjunction with the outlet and inlet passages, case and parts so as to retain
discharge or control the flow of the steam and water through the trap sub-

page_text: stantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described and shown in
Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings hereto annexed.
Secondly We claim the arrangement formation or application of a corru-
gated tube (or tubes) with a hollow piston formed head for supporting or directing
the tube and multiplying its expansive force on the valve or with a solid piston
formed head or rings working in the case or a cylinder formed therein substantially
in the manner and for the purpose herein described and shown in Sheets 1 and 2
of the drawings hereto annexed.
Lastly We claim the general arrangement and combination of the corrugated
tube (or tubes) passages and parts for retaining or controlling the flow of the
steam and water substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described
and shown in the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated th: 10th day of March 1808