Improvements in certain Steam-traps for Separating from Steam, contained in or passing through Steam-pipes, Vessels, or Cavities, any Water which may Result from the Condensation of Steam or may be carried into such Pipes,sels or Caties with the Steam passing therein.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in certain Steam-traps for Separating from Steam,
contained in or
passing through Steam-pipes, Vessels, or
Cavities, any Water which may Result from the Condensation of
Steam or may be carried into such Steam Pipes, Vessels, or
Cavities with the Steam passing therein.
I, THOMAS OXLEY, of 18 Saint Mary's Parsonage, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to certain steam-traps for separating from steam contained
in or passing through steam-pipes, vessels or cavities any water which may result
from the condensation of steam or may be carried into such steam-pipes, vessels or
cavities with the steam passing therein.
The kind of steam-trap to which my invention relates is that in which the water
accumulating in the steam-trap from time to time is caused to exert an upward
pressure upon a body or float provided at its lower part with a valve and more than
counterbalanced by a weight and thus counteract the pressure exerted upon the
said valve by the steam and bring about the opening of such valve.
A steam-trap of the kind above mentioned is required to permit the escape
of water when there is no steam present in the steam-pipes, vessels or cavities
in conjunction with which it is employed and therefore it is necessary that the
weight employed to counterbalance the weight of the valve and the body or float
to which such valve is connected shall be sufficiently heavy to more than counter-
balance the weight of the valve and body or float and cause such valve to be
raised from its seating whenever there may be no pressure of steam in the steam-
trap. In order that when steam under pressure is admitted to the steam-trap
the valve of the steam-trap may be brought into contact with the seating in
conjunction with which it acts in order that the escape of steam may be prevented
from taking place, it is necessary that the pressure of such steam acting upon
the said valve or upon the body or float to which such valve is connected shall
be employed to press the said valve upon the said seating. Steam-traps of the
kind above mentioned as hitherto constructed while efficient for use with steam-
pipes or vessels or cavities which contain steam at pressures not exceeding eighty
pounds per square inch can not be conveniently applied to steam-pipes or vessels
or cavities which are intended to contain steam at high pressures such as one
hundred and fifty pounds to the square inch for the reason that the steam presses
upon the valve by which the escape of accumulated water from the steam trap
should take place and consequently when the steam is at the highest pressure
with which the steam-trap is intended to work there is some difficulty in raising
the said valve from the seating in conjunction with which it is employed. In
order to overcome the difficulty in raising the valve from its seating when subject
to the highest pressure of steam to which the steam-trap is to be subjected it
has hitherto been necessary to employ devices which either render the steam-
trap incapable of allowing the escape of accumulated water at lower pressures
or incapable of preventing the escape of steam while allowing the escape of
accumulated water at lower pressures; either of these. defects rendering the
steam-trap useless except with steam of the highest. pressure for use with which
it is intended. In order that the defects in steam-traps of the kind above
mentioned as hitherto constructed may be fully understood, I will briefly indicate,
the methods hitherto adopted of overcoming the difficulty of causing the valve of
the steam-trap. to be lifted from the seating in conjunction with which it is
D
027

page_text: employed when subject to the highest pressure of steam with which the steam-
trap is to be employed. In order that the valve of a steam-trap may be more
readily lifted from the seating in conjunction with which it is employed when
subjected to the highest pressure of steam with which the steam-trap is to be
employed it has been necessary either to increase the force or power available
to raise the said valve from the seating in conjunction with which it acts or to
reduce the power or force needed to so raise the said valve. To increase the
power or force available to raise the valve of a steam-trap of the kind above
mentioned it has been necessary either to increase the mass of the weight
employed to counterbalance the weight of the valve and the body or float con-
nected to it or to increase the upward pressure of the accumulated water available
to act upon the said body or float by increasing the depth of the said body or
float and to reduce the force needed to raise the said valve from the seating
in conjunction with which it is employed it has been necessary to reduce the
size of the said valve so as to enable it to be more readily opened. The adoption
of each of the above described methods results in certain objectionable con-
sequences. The adoption of the method in which a heavy weight is employed to
increase the power or force available to raise the valve of a steam trap of the
kind above mentioned while enabling the steam-trap to be used with steam of
high pressure causes the valve of such steam-trap to be raised from its seating
whenever the pressure of steam in the steam-trap falls below the normal pressure as
is often the case and thus entails a waste of steam so great as to preclude the use of
the steam-trap in cases in which variations of steam pressure occur at all frequently.
The adoption of the method in which the depth of the water exerting an upward
pressure upon the body or float connected to the valve of a steam-trap and the
depth of such body or float are increased in order that the upward pressure upon
such body or float may be increased results, firstly, in making the steam-trap incon-
veniently large, secondly, in increasing the weight of the said body or float and so
partially or entirely neutralising the advantage due to the increased depth of such
body or float, and, thirdly, in rendering the steam-trap incapable of being put in
operation except by a great accumulation of water in such steam trap. If a heavy
weight be employed to counterbalance the increased weight of the body or float
aforesaid the closing of the valve of the steam-trap is rendered uncertain and when-
ever the pressure of the steam in the steam-pipe to which the steam-trap is applied
may become reduced below a certain limit the counterbalance weight will overcome
the pressures holding the said valve against its seat and thus cause steam to be
wasted. If the size of the valve of the steam-trap be reduced so as to enable such
valve to be easily lifted from its seat by the upward pressure of the accumulated
water in the steam-trap upon the body or float connected to the said valve the
escape of accumulated water from the steam-trap is much interfered with or
prevented and the valve is rendered very liable to become choked and to be
prevented from closing so that in the one case the escape of accumulated water
is prevented and in the other case steam is allowed to escape and is wasted. The
objectionable consequences resulting from each of the three methods above described,
of enabling steam-traps of the kind above mentioned as hitherto constructed to be
applied to steam-pipes, vessels or cavities intended to contain steam at a greater
pressure than eighty pounds to the square inch have rendered such steami-traps
practically inapplicable for use in such cases and since such steam-traps are very
efficient when applied to steam-pipes vessels or cavities containing steam at a lower
pressure than eighty pounds to the square inch it has been very desirable that steam-
traps of the kind above mentioned should be made applicable for use with steam
pipes, vessels or cavities which are required to contain steam at a pressure greater
than eighty pounds to the square inch.
'My invention consists in improvements by means of which I render steam-traps
of the kind above mentioned applicable for use with steam-pipes, vessels or cavities
required to contain steam at a pressure greater than eighty pounds to the square
nch without rendering such steam-traps inconveniently large or employing incon-

page_text: veniently heavy weights to remove the valves.of such steam-traps from the seatings
in conjunction with which they act, and by means of which I cause the said steam-
traps to work equally well whether the steam in the steam-pipes or vessels or
cavities in conjunction with which such steam-traps are employed is at the highest
pressure or at a lower pressure.
According to my invention I cause the steam in the steam-trap to press upwards
as well as downwards upon the valve by means of which the escape of accumulated
water from the steam-trap takes place, and in order to cause such valve to be pressed
upon the seating in conjunction with which it acts, I provide a piston or an equivalent
therefor of an area sufficiently greater than that of the opening in the seating with
which the said valve acts and cause the pressure. of the steam to act also on such
piston or the equivalent therefor. To remove the valve above mentioned from the
seating in conjunction with which it acts, I employ a lever and weight and to control
the movement of the said valve I employ a body or float normally resting upon the
said valve and raised so as to release such valve from pressure whenever the upward
pressure exerted upon the body or float aforesaid by the water accumulated in the
steam-trap reaches a certain amount. By causing the relative areas of the valve of
the steam-trap and of the piston or equivalent therefor employed in conjunction with
the said valve to bear aur suitable relation to one another I am enabled to
render the steam-trap applicable for use with steam-pipes or vessels or cavities
to contain steam at any required pressure without it being necessary to reduce
the size of the outlet for the accumulated water and without rendering the
steam-trap inoperative when the steam in such pipes or vessels or cavities is at
pressures lower than the normal, and without causing steam to be wasted.
One form of steam-trap constructed according to my invention, is illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a steam-trap constructed according to my inven-
tion, and
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of such steam-trap taken partly upon the plane
indicated by the line A, B, of Fig. 1 and partly upon the plane indicated by
the line C, D of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of that which is shown in Fig. 1 seen in
the direction from C to D of Fig. 1 and
Fig. 4 is a side view of that which is shown in Fig. 1 seen in the direction
from D to C of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the steam-trap drawn upon a larger scale than
Fig. 1.
The same letters of reference are applied to corresponding parts in all the
figures.
(a) is the pipe or connection by means of which the steam-trap is connected to the
steam-pipe or vessel or cavity from which water is to be removed by means of the
steam-trap and which will be hereinafter referred to as the steam-pipe. (b) is
the chamber of the steam-trap in which water produced by the condensation of steam
or carried into the steam-pipe with the steam passing therein accumulates. The
chamber (b) is closed at its upper end by a cover (c) secured to the casting (¹)
enclosing such chamber (6). The casting (61) at its lower end is secured to a
pedestal (). In the pedestal (d) is secured a tube or part (e) provided with
a seating (e) in conjunction with which acts a valve (f). The tube or part (e)
is caused to make steam-tight joints at its upper and lower parts with the
pedestal (d) so that leakage into the cavity (9) formed in the pedestal (d) may
not take place between the tube or part (e) and the pedestal (d). The cavity (9)
is connected by means of the pipe (h) with the place to which the water discharged
from time to time from the steam-trap is to be conducted. A lever (j) is mounted
upon an axle (¹) which at one end is supported by a pivot secured in the
pedestal (d) and passes through a suitable stuffing-box provided in the pedestal (d)
and is provided with another lever (j³) of which a part only is shown in the

page_text: drawings, upon which is mounted a weight tending to turn the lever (j) in the
direction indicated by the arrow (E) and by causing the lever (i) to act upon
an edge (f) formed at the upper side of an opening formed in the stem of
the valve (f) tending to raise the valve (f) from the seating (e). Upon the
upper end of the stem of the valve (f) is supported a body or float (k) which
is placed within the chamber (b) and guided at its upper end by being provided
with a projecting stud (4) passing through a hole formed in a bar (m) secured
in notches formed in the wall of the chamber (6) which projecting stud (¹) is
made of such length that it will limit the upward movement of the valve (f)
from the seating (c) to the required extent. The body or float (k) is at its
lower end provided with a projecting stud (3) passing into a recess formed in
the upper end of the stem of the valve (f). The tube (e) is formed at its
upper end with a seating (e) of a diameter somewhat larger than the seating (e¹)
and upon the stem of the valve (f) is formed a part (*) to act in conjunction
with the seating (e) so as to prevent water from passing into the cavity (9)
between the stem of the valve (f) and the seating (e²) when the valve (f) is
in contact with the seating (el). In the pedestal (d) are formed ports or
passages (n) (n) by means of which the chamber (b) is placed in communica-
tion with the space beneath the valve (f). The weight tending to turn the
lever (j) in the direction indicated by the arrow (E) must be sufficiently heavy
to be able to raise the valve (f) from the seating (e) when there is no pressure
of steam within the steam-trap. The body or float (k) requires to be of such
weight that in conjunction with the resultant downward pressure of the steam
upon the valve (f), the valve (f) will be kept in contact with the seating (e¹)
so long as the accumulation of water in the chamber (b) does not increase
beyond the quantity which it is desired to retain in the steam-trap in order to
prevent the escape of steam and the said body or float (k) requires to be of
such bulk that when the chamber (b) is nearly filled with water the upward
pressure exerted by such water upon such body or float (k) will so reduce the
pressures tending to keep the valve (f) in contact with the seating (el) that
the weight tending to turn the lever (j) in the direction indicated by the
arrow (E) will be able to raise the valve (f) from the seating (e) although
steam at the maximum pressure with which the steam-trap is to be employed
may be present in such steam-trap. When steam under pressure passes into the
chamber (b) it will cause the valve (f) to be pressed into contact with the
seating (e) and it will then exert an upward pressure upon the valve (f)
and acting upon the stem of such valve (f) will exert a downward pressure
greater than the upward pressure which it exerts upon the said valve by
an amount proportional to the difference between the area of the seating (el)
and that of the seating (e³) the upper part of the valve (f) thus serving
as a piston to press such valve (f) into contact with the seating (e'). The
end (g¹) of the cavity (g) in the pedestal (d) is closed by a door (o) and the
opening in the pedestal d below the lower extremity of the tube or part (e) is
closed by a plug (7). It will be obvious that the cover (c) and pedestal (d) must
be so secured to the casting (1) in which the chamber (6) is formed that the joints
between such parts will remain tight when subjected to steam under the full
pressure of that to be contained in the steam-pipe to which the steam-trap is to be
applied.
When a steam-trap such as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings is applied
to a steam-pipe and steam is allowed to pass into such steam-pipe, steam will pass
from the said steam-pipe into the chamber (b) and by reason of the seating (e)
being of greater area than the seating (e¹) will press the valve (ƒ) against the
seating (e¹) and if such steam were to be or remain perfectly dry no change in the
position of the parts would occur. If, however, as is always the case in practice,
the steam contains any water or becomes at all condensed the water contained in or
esulting from the condensation of the steam in the steam-pipe aforesaid, will enter

page_text: the chamber (b) from such steam-pipe and accumulate in the chamber (6) until it
exerts such an upward pressure upon the body or float (k) as will suffice to so reduce
the pressures tending to press the valve () into contact with the seating (e¹) that
the weight tending to turn the lever (7) in the direction indicated by the arrow (E)
will be able to raise the valve (f) from the seating (e¹). Water will then issue
from the chamber (b) in the direction indicated by the arrows (F) through the
seating (e) into the cavity (g) and will pass away from the cavity (9) by means of
the pipe () provided to conduct it away. Some water will also issue from the
chamber (b) between the seating (2) and the stem of the valve () in the direction
indicated by the arrows (G). As the accumulated water issues from the chamber (b)
the upward pressure exerted by such water upon the body or float (k) will diminish
until the pressures tending to press the valve (f) into contact with the seating (el)
will become greater than those tending to raise it from the seating (e) and such
valve (f) will be pressed into contact with the seating (e) and the part (f) will
be pressed into contact with the seating (e) and the further issue of water froin the
steam-trap will be prevented until a further accumulation of water in the steam-
trap occurs.
By the weight tending to turn the lever (j) in the direction indicated by the
arrow (E) having besides counterbalancing the weight of the body or float (k) only
to counteract the difference between the upward and downward pressures exerted by
the steam upon the valve (f) a small deduction from the weight of the body or
float (k) pressing upon the valve (f) suffices to bring about the raising of the
valve (f) from its seat (e¹) and consequently a moderate accumulation of water in
the chamber (b) and a comparatively small weight to turn the lever (j) in the
direction indicated by the arrow (E) are sufficient to ensure the proper working of
the steam-trap even when employed in conjunction with pipes containing steam at
high pressures. By reason of the pressure of the steam on the lower surface of the
valve being employed to reduce the resultant downward pressure of the steam upon
the valve (f) to any desired extent the outlet for water provided by the seating (e¹)
is enabled to be made as large as may be desirable without difficulty being caused
in the moving of the said valve.
It will be obvious that a stuffing-box or gland might be substituted for the upper
seating (e) but I prefer to adopt the arrangement illustrated in the drawings in
order that the friction which the use of a stuffing-box would involve may be
avoided.
By the door (o) being opened and the plug (9) removed the cavity (g) and the
space below the valve (f) may from time to time when there is no steam under
pressure in the steam-trap be cleared of any dirt accumulating therein.
By the relative amounts of the upward and downward pressures exerted by the
steam upon the valve (1) being adjusted as they may be by the relative sizes of the
seating (e) and the opening through which the stem of the valve (1) passes being
made to bear any suit ible relation to each other the accumulation of water necessary
to bring about the raising of the valve (f) from the seating (e) may be made as
small as inay be desirable whatever may be the pressure of the steam in the
steam-pipe.
In a steam-trap arranged according to my invention the valve (ƒ) will when
steam under a pressure greater than about ten pounds to the square inch is admitted
to the chamber (b) remain in contact with the seating (e) until a certain accumu-
lation of water in the chamber (b) occurs and then such valve (') will be raised
from the seating (el) and as soon as the quantity of water in the chamber (b) has
become reduced to a certain extent the valve (ƒ) will be again pressed against the
seating (e) whether the pressure. of the steam in the chamber (6) be the maximum
working pressure or any lower pressure, so that a too great accumulation of water
in the chamber (b) and a waste of steam through the valve () failing to be pressed.
against the seating (e) when the level of water in the chamber (b) has fallen to a
suitable extent are alike prevented from occurring.

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 declare that what I
claim is:-
In a steam-trap of the kind above mentioned the combination of a valve (f) the
upper and lower surfaces of which are subjected to the pressure of the steam in the
steam-trap and the upper surface of which is of larger area than the lower surface
of such valve so as to form a piston in order that the resultant pressure exerted upon
the said valve (f) by the said steam shall be a downward pressure tending to press
such valve (f) against the seating or seatings in conjunction with which it is
employed; of a lever (1) caused by means of a weight to at certain times raise the
said valve (f) from the seating or seatings in conjunction with which it acts and of
a body or float (k) normally resting upon the said valve (f) and subjected to an
upward pressure when water accumulates in the steam-trap, all arranged, employed
and operating substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and for the purpose
of enabling this construction of steam-trap to work under high pressures of steam
and also to work under lower pressures.
Dated this Sixth day of October 1892.
HOWARD CHEETHAM,
Manchester, Agent to the Applicant.