Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Height of Water in Steam Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Height of Water in
Steam Boilers.
1 JAMES CARTER of Atlas Works Stalybridge in the County of Chester
Brass and Iron Founder 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:-
The object of this invention is the construction of apparatus in connection with
what are known as water gauges and which shall prevent the escape of steam or
water in case of the glass being broken and be not liable to get out of order.
In carrying out my invention I construct the top portion of the water gauge with
a chamber provided with a cap and on the under side of such cap I form a valve
seat the cap is further provided with a hole (open to the atmosphere through one or
more small holes formed at right angles) to receive the spindle of a valve which
valve is formed with two faces one of such faces being designed to close against the
seat formed on the cap and the other face is designed to close against a seat formed
in the bottom of the chamber hereinbefore mentioned. This valve is held against
the seat on the cap when the gange is in use by means of the steam pressure in the
boiler and so allowing such pressure to act upon the water in the glass but upon the
glass becoming broken the valve immediately falls on to the seat formed in
the bottom of the chamber and closes the communication between the boiler and
the glass so preventing the escape of steam or water.
And in order that my invention may be the more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings illustrative of the
same which I will now proceed to explain with the assistance of the letters of
reference marked thereon.
In the drawing I show so much of a water gauge as is necessary to illustrate my
improvements A is a chamber formed in the body of the top portion of the water
gauge and B a cap screwed into the top of such chamber A on the underside of this
cap BI form a valve seat C and further provide in such cap B a hole D commu-
nicating with the atmosphere by means of the small holes E formed at right angles
to the hole D this hole D is designed to receive the spindle F of a valve G which
valve G is formed with two faces the face H being designed to close against the
sent C and the face K being designed to close against the seat J. The action of
this improved gauge is as follows:-So long as there is no steam in the boiler to
which my improved gauge is attached the valve G is resting with its face K upon
the seat J but upon a vary slight pressure of steam being raised in the boiler such
stean endeavours to escape through the holes D and E and in so doing lifts
the valve G and closes the face H against the seat C so making a steam tight joint,
now upon the glass becoming broken the under side of the valve G is put into
communication with the atmosphere and so such valve G is allowed to fall with its
face K upon the scat J so cutting off communication with the glass and preventing
waste of steam and water. It will be seen that the valve G is moved upou steam
pressure being raised and also upon the steam pressure being let out of the
boiler so that liability for the valve G to become inoperative is reduced to a
minimum.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details relative proportions or dimensions
of the various parts as the same may be considerably varied without departing from
the invention but I declare that what I claim is
Firstly. The use and application of a water gauge for steam boilers substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Secondly. A valve G having two faces mounted and operating substantially as
.hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 1st day of November 1894.