IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING WATER FROM STEAM, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edmund Edwards at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th May 1883. A communication to
him from abroad by Jules Jean Godot, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co:-Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING WATER FROM
STEAM, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
[A communication to him from abroad by Jules Jean Godot, of Paris, in the
Republic of France]
"
This Invention relates to steam traps or apparatus used for drying steam from
steam boilers by separating from it water suspended in it.
It consists of two flexible circular diaphragms preferably corrugated of copper
or other suitable metal soldered or otherwise fixed together at their circumference.
These diaphragms are arranged horizontally in a box to the top of which they are
attached by a hollow central screw the lower end of which communicates with
an opening in the centre of the upper disc. The upper end of the hollow screw
is closed hermetically by a screw plug, covered by a moveable cap.
The lower disc is capable of a certain amount of movement up and down, and
below it is arranged a valve fitted in a seat in the lower part of the box, which seat
communicates with a discharge pipe. The valve is suspended to the lower disc by
two or more vertical wires or rods forming a cage which allows a sufficient amount
of lateral play to ensure the valve fitting properly into its seat. A supply pipe
admits condensed water and steam into the upper part of the box. A few drops
of water are introduced between the two discs first described. The action of the
apparatus is as follows:-When at rest the valve is raised from its seat by the
elasticity of the diaphragms, but when in use the steam entering through the
supply pipe drives out the air and itself condenses rapidly, at the same time
heating the pipe.
The air and condensed water enter the apparatus, and the diaphragms being
cool and the valve raised they escape by the discharge pipe. They are soon
followed by steam, by which the small quantity of water contained between the
diaphragms is heated rapidly on account of the large heating surface of the latter,
and generates steam of a pressure equal to that outside the diaphragms. The
Posine 211

page_text: pressure above the valve together with the weight of the parts suspended below
the diaphragm then close the valve.
When water collects in the box, it cools to some extent the diaphragms and the
water contained between them, and the pressure there decreases; but the pressure
outside them not decreasing the excess of the external over the internal pressure
on the surface of the diaphragms is very soon sufficient to raise the valve.
It will be seen that the downward movement of the diaphragm is obtained by
If it is desired to
the weight suspended to it and the pressure upon the valve.
use a slide instead of a disc valve it is only necessary to suspend a sufficient
weight below the diaphragm from which the desired movement can be transmitted
to the slide.
The arrangement of the double diaphragms may be used for other purposes as
well as for that described, as for instance for operating an alarm whistle, or feed
regulator, the position of the supply pipe being suitably arranged.