IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We HENRY LANCASTER and RICHARD FLETCHER CHRISTMAS TONGE of the firm
of Lancaster and Tongo, of the Lancaster Works, Withington Street, Pendleton
near Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS" to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates more particularly to the form of steam trap for which the
said Henry Lancaster has obtained Her Majestys Letters Patent No 3663 of the
year 1882 and is also applicable to other traps of a similar construction. In traps
constructed in accordance with the said invention, the ingress to the cistern is
governed by a valvo on the end of a hollow arm which has a scrow thread, for
advancing and retracting the valve as the hollow float rises and falls in the cistern.
In practice we have found that under some conditions the air which precedes or
accompanies tho influx of water into the hollow arm and float is apt to induco
irregularity in the action of the trap by causing the float to rise and thus pre-
maturely to close the ingress valve before the arrival of the steam. To obviato
this defect we provide a small ball valvo which allows the air to escape before it
reaches the hollow float. When the hollow float is submerged and the hollow arın
lies in an inclined position the ball valve leaves its seating so as to allow any air
that may enter the said arm to escape. When the steam obtains access to the float
the water is discharged and the float rises and closes the influx valve in tho
ordinary manner. The hollow arm in rising from an inclined to a horizontal
position causes the small ball to fall into its seating so as to prevent the steam
from escaping To facilitate the setting of the hollow arm and float in their
proper working positions wo form the part containing the valve seating with lugs
having quadrant slots through which pass the securing bolts or screws.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We HENRY LANCASTER and RICHARD FLETCHER CHRISTMAS TONGE of the firm
of Lancaster and Tonge of the Lancaster Works, Withington Street, Pendleton
near Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Engineers do hereby declaro 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 and accompanying drawings :--
Our Invention relates more particularly to the form of steam trap for which tho
said Henry Lancaster has obtained Her Majestys Letters Patent No 3663 of the
year 1882 and is also applicable to other traps of a similar construction. In traps
constructed in accordance with the said invention the ingress to tho cistern is
governed by a valve on the end of a hollow arm which has a scrow thread for
advancing and retracting the valve as the hollow float rises and falls in the
cistern. In practice we have found that under some conditions the air which
precedes or accompanies the influx of water into the hollow arm and float is apt to
induce irregularity in the action of the trap by causing the float to rise and thus
prematurely to close the discharge valve before the arrival of the steam. To
obviate this defect we provide a small ball valve which allows the air to escape
before it reaches the hollow float. To facilitate the setting of the hollow arm and
float in their proper working positions we form the parts containing the valve
scating with lugs having quadrant slots through which pass the securing bolts
or screws.
In order that the nature of our Invention may be fully understood we will refor
to the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein Fig: 1 represents an elevation
partly in section and Fig: 2 a plan of our improved steam trap. In the said Figs:
is the hollow float b is the hollow arm and c is the ball valve which we apply
thereto. To the said arm we attach the hollow nipple c. which contains a ball'and
is formed with a seating on which the ball rests when the float is in its highest
position as indicated by the full lines. The said nipple is formed in two parts
screwed together for convenience of getting the ball into position. When the float
is in its lower position the ball falls from its seating as indicated by the dotted
lines. When the ball is off its seating there is a clear passage from the arm
through the nipple and any air which may enter the arm can escape freely. When
the steam obtains access to the float the water is discharged in the usual manner
and the float rises and closes the discharge valve opening. When the arm b. rises
from its inclined position indicated by the dotted lines to or towards the horizontal
position indicated by the full lines the ball assumes its position upon the seating
and thereby closes the passage through the nipple and prevents the discharge of
steam through the same. If preferred the nipple or valve fixing c may be applied
on the top of the arm instead of below so as to discharge the air in an upward
direction the seating being suitably changed in position or the said valve fixing
may be otherwise situated so that it is canted to move the ball from its scating
when the float sinks and returns to its seating when the float rises. The method
of adjusting tho part d in which is formed the discharge passage and the scating
for the discharge controlling valve is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig: 1. The

page_text: part d is formed with lugs c. e. seen also in Fig: 2. In these lugs are formed
quadrant slots f. f. through which pass the screws g. g. whereby the part d. is
secured to the side of the box h. in which the apparatus is enclosed. The part b
may be turned upon its axis within the limits allowed by the said slots so that the
float may be readily set to close the discharge valve opening when the float has
risen to a suitable height as for example when the arm b. has assumed a horizontal
position. If preferred a flange might take the place of the two lugs in which case
more than two slots might be formed in the flange so as to increase the range of
adjustment but when the parts aro accurately made the range indicated is
sufficient for our purpose. The parts of the apparatus not herein described may
be as already described in the Specification descriptive of our aforesaid former
Invention or may be of any construction suitable to the class of steam trap to
which our Invention relates.
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 combination of the ball. valve c. with the hollow float a. constructed and
acting substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated hereinbefore and
in and by the accompanying drawings.
2. The application to the floats or float arins of steam traps of ball valves which
open to permit the discharge of air when the floats sink and close when the floats
rise substantially as set forth and indicated.
3. The provision of the lugs c. e. or of a flange in which are formed quadrant
slots f. f. to facilitate the setting of the part b.