IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROTTON of Marsden in the County of York, Millwright, do hereby
declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAPS" to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in steam traps for the discharge of water
of condensation from steam pipes and other apparatus in which steam is employed
and has for object to produce a steam trap combining simplicity with efficiency.
t For this purpose I employ a cylindrical, or rectangular, or other suitably shaped
vessel provided with a removable steam tight cover affording access to its interior
when so desired.
This rectangular vessel has an inlet for steam and water of condensation and an
outlet for discharge of water of condensation. These are furnished respectively
with an inlet and an outlet pipe secured in any convenient manner as well
understood.
The outlet is in communication through an elbow or equivalent with a pipe that
descends within the vessel and is furnished with a removable extension made with
a valve seat; and serving as a guide to the discharge valve which is arranged to
close upward against the said seat. To operate the discharge valve I employ a ball
or float in conjunction with a rod or stem and an arrangement of levers whereby a
powerful leverage is obtained to open the valve against the pressure of steam in
the trap. The ball or float is able to move upward and downward along the rod
.or stem within certain limits, but on attaining a certain height comes into contact
with a suitable stop or projection so that the rod or stem is compelled to partake
of any further upward movement of the ball or float. The lower end of the rod or
stem is connected to a lever of the second order which I will for distinction call
the first lever. By a stud and slot arrangement this lever when moved is caused
to operate a lever of the first order which I will call for distinction the valve lever.
This lever is pivotted in such a manner that one of its arms is much shorter than
the other. This shorter arm of the lever enters a slot formed in a projection or
stem of the lower portion of the discharge valve so that the valve is opened
or closed by the downward or upward movement of the shorter arm of the lever.
The levers may conveniently be carried by a fixed wrought iron plate fastened to a
cast iron base piece secured to the bottom of the containing vessel. The upper end
of the float rod or stem is guided or steadied by any suitable means; thus it may

page_text: work freely through a hole formed in a bar or frame secured to the bottom or side
or sides of the containing vessel. The float may conveniently be a hollow ball of
copper or other suitable material provided with a tube through its centre which is
placed upon the rod or stem so that it may rise and fall on the latter as the height
of the water of condensation in the vessel varies. On a pivot or centre occupying
a fixed position in the vessel is a bell crank lever one arm of which is provided
with notches or teeth, into which a catch or pawl secured to the outer movable end
of the first or shorter lever or to the lower end of the vertical rod, can enter when
raised during the operation of the trap, thus holding the levers in such a position
as to keep the discharge valve open. A spring tends to keep the notched arm of
the bell crank lever under the float, which however as it descends to its lowest
position moves the notched arm of the bell crank lever so as to disengage the catch
or pawl from the notches or teeth and allow the vertical rod to fall to close the
discharge valve.
The operation of a steam trap as above described is as follows. Supposing the
water of condensation from steam to be gradually accumulating in the rectangular
or other vessel the ball or float will be gradually rising up the vertical rod or stem
until it comes in contact with the projection thereon, when the rod or stem will be
raised as the ball or float continues to rise. The effect of this will be to raise the
outer and movable end of the first lever above mentioned which through the pin or
stud will raise the longer arm of the valve lever and depress the shorter arm,
thereby opening the discharge valve for the discharge of the water of condensation
which is effected by the steam pressure acting on its surface. The catch or
pawl above mentioned is also raised with the vertical rod and attached lever;
successively entering the notches of the notched arm of the bell crank lever.
When the float descends the rod or stem will be held in its raised position thereby
keeping the discharge. valve open until the water and float shall have fallen low
enough to enable the latter to press back the notched arm of the bell crank lever
thereby liberating the catch or pawl, allowing the rod, the first lever and the longer
arm of the valve lever to fall, raising the shorter arm of the valve lever and closing
the discharge valve. As water of condensation again accumulates, the above
described operations will be repeated. The apparatus may be made of gun metal.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1884.

page_text: "
I WILLIAM ROTTON, of Marsden, in the County of York, Millwright, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in steam traps for the discharge of water
of condensation from steam pipes and other apparatus in which steam is employed
and has for object to produce a steam trap combining simplicity with efficiency.
For this purpose I employ apparatus arranged substantially as illustrated in the
accompanying sheet of drawings whereof Fig 1 is a vertical section, and Fig 2 is
a detail view. A is a vessel which may be cylindrical or rectangular or of other
suitable shape provided with a removable steam tight cover affording access to its
interior when so desired.
This rectangular vessel has an inlet B for steam and water of condensation and
an outlet C for discharge of water of condensation.
These are furnished respectively with an inlet and an outlet pipe secured in any
convenient manner as well understood.
The outlet C is in communication through an elbow D or equivalent with a
pipe E that descends within the vessel and is furnished with a removable
extension F made with a valve seat F1 and serving as a guide to the discharge
valve G which is arranged to close upward against the said seat. To operate
the discharge valve I employ a ball or float H. in conjunction with a rod or
stem I and an arrangement of levers which I will presently describe, whereby
a powerful leverage is obtained to open the valve G against the pressure of
steam in the trap. The ball or float H is able to move upward and downward
along the rod or stem I within certain limits, but on attaining a certain height
comes into contact with a suitable stop or projection K. so that the rod or stem I
is compelled to partake of any further upward movement of the ball or float H.
The lower end of the rod or stem I is connected to a lever M of the second order
which I will for distinction call the first lever. By a stud and slot arrangement N
this lever when moved is caused to operate a lever 0 of the first order which I will
call for distinction the valve lever. This lever is pivotted at O¹ in such a manner
that one of its arms O2 is much shorter than the other 03. This shorter arm 02
of the lever O, enters a slot G₁ formed in a projection or stem of the lower
portion G³ of the discharge valve G so that the valve is opened or closed by the
downward or upward movement of the shorter arm 0³ of the said lever O. The
levers may conveniently be carried as shown by a fixed wrought iron plate P
fastened to a cast iron base piece Q secured to the bottom of the containing
vessel A. The said plate P having a projection P¹ which may be drawn into a
recess Q¹ formed in the base piece Q as will be readily understood. The upper end
of the float rod or stem I is guided or steadied by any suitable means; thus it may
work freely through a hole formed in a bar or frame secured to the bottom or side
or sides of the containing vessel. The float H may conveniently be as shown,
a hollow ball of copper or other suitable material provided with a tube J through
its centre which is placed upon the rod or stem I, so that it may rise and fall on
the latter as the height of the water of condensation in the vessel varies. On a
pivot or centre R occupying a fixed position in the vessel is a bell crank lever S
one arm S' of which is provided with notches or teeth S' into which a catch or
pawl T secured to the outer movable end of the first or shorter lever M or to the
lower end of the vertical rod I can enter when raised during the operation of the
trap, thus holding the levers in such a position as to keep the discharge valve G

page_text: open.
A spring tends to keep the notched arm of the bell crank lever S under the
float, which however as it descends to its lowest position moves the notched arm of
the bell crank lever so as to disengage the catch or pawl T from the notches or
teeth and allow the vertical rod to fall to close the discharge valve, G.
The operation of a steam trap as above described is as follows:-Supposing the
water of condensation from steam to be gradually accumulating in the rectangular
or other vessel the ball or float H will be gradually rising up the vertical rod or
stem. I until it comes in contact with the projection K thereon when the rod
or stem will be raised as the ball or float continues to. rise.
The effect of this will be to raise the outer and movable end M¹ of the first
lever M, which through the pin or stud M3 will raise the longer arm 0³ of the
valve lever O, and depress the shorter arm 02, thereby opening the discharge valve G
for the discharge of the water of condensation which is effected by the steam
pressure acting on its surface. The catch or pawl T. is also raised with the vertical
rod I and attached lever M, successively entering the notches S2 of the notched
arm S¹ of the bell crank lever S. When the float H descends the rod or stem I
will be held in its raised position thereby keeping the discharge valve G open until
the water and float shall have fallen low enough to enable the latter to press back
the notched arm S₁ of the bell crank lever S thereby liberating the catch or
pawl T allowing the rod I, the first lever M and the longer arm O³ of the valve
lever O to fall, raising the shorter arm 0° of the said valve lever and closing the
discharge valve G. As water of condensation again accumulates, the above
described operations will be repeated. The apparatus may be made af gun-metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a steam trap the employment of a system of levers operated by a ball or
float, the said levers being so combined and arranged as to afford a powerful
leverage for opening the discharge valve of the trap against the pressure of steam
substantially as described.
2. In a steam trap the use in combination of a ball or float, a system of levers
for operating a discharge valve a vertical rod connected to one of the levers and
upon which the ball or float slides vertically, a catch or pawl carried by one of the
levers or by the said vertical rod, and a bell crank lever having a notched arm with
which the catch or pawl engages substantially as hereinbefore described for the
purpose specified.
3. The improved steam trap constructed arranged and operating substantially as
herein before described with reference to and shewn in the drawings.