Improvements in Water-gauges.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-gauges.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co. of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this, invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to water-gauges of the kind or class wherein an automatic
valve is employed which, in the case of breakage of the gauge-glass, will immediately
close the water-passage and thus prevent the escape of water.
Our said invention is designed to simplify the construction and increase the
efficiency. of such water-gauges, and to permit the ready removal of the valve and
thus facilitate the inspection of the saine and the cleaning of the water-ways or
passages without, the necessity for taking the gauge to pieces.
An important feature of our said invention is the employment, in combination with
a.spherical valve or ball, of, one, or. more inclined surfaces arranged within the: hody
of the gauge-cock in such a manner that the said, valve or ball will be supported
thereon and will be retained within the gauge-cock by the cleaning-screw or, by a
suitable screw or other cover or door provided for the purpose, so that, when, the
said screw or cover is removed, the valve will roll out of the gauge-cock by its own
weight through the hole which is opened by the removal of the said screw, or cover.
The. said inclined surfaces or supports for the valve or ball have, moreover, slots, or
orifices through or between them so arranged that the ways or passages of the water-
gauge are not obstructed by the said supports, and free access is afforded, to, the said
ways or passages for cleaning the same.
The said, inclined surfaces, are, in some instances, formed upon an extension of, the
drain-cock or try-cock, or upon projecting pieces attached to the aforesaid cock,
the.said extension being formed with a slot to permit access to the water way or
passage from the boiler, and to permit the water to get beneath the ball. In other
instances, one or more inclined surfaces are cast on, or otherwise attached to the
interior of the gauge-cock for the purpose of supporting the ball.
By the improvements above described, we provide a water-gauge which is, in many
respects, more advantageous than those heretofore constructed. It is obvious that
the hole through which the valve or ball is, inserted need be but slightly larger in
diameter than the said ball. The said ball can, therefore, be inserted and removed
through the hole usually provided for permitting the cleaning of the water-ways or
passages. The ball is held up by the inclined surfaces in such a position that it does
not obstruct the usual thoroughfares of the water-gauge. The said. ball will, roll out
automatically when the screw which retains it in the gauge is removed. Moreover
the said ball, by reason of its being supported upon an incline, will be more efficient
in its action.
It is obvious that the arrangement of the surface or surfaces for supporting
the valve or ball may be somewhat modified without departing: from the nature of
our said invention.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants."

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-gauges.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co. of Huddersfield in the County of York, Engineers, 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:
Our invention relates to water-gauges of the kind or class wherein an automatic
valve is employed which, in the case of breakage of the gauge-glass, will immediately
close the water-passage and thus prevent the escape of water.
Our said invention is designed to simplify the construction and increase the
efficiency of such water-gauges and to permit the ready removal of the valve and
thus facilitate the inspection of the same and the cleaning of the water ways or
passages without the necessity for disturbing the waste pipe joint or taking the
gauge to pieces.
An important feature of our said invention is the employment in combination with
a spherical valve or ball of an inclined surface arranged within the body of the gauge-
cock in such a manner that while the gauge is working, the ball valve will rest
thereon and will be retained within the gauge-cock by a suitable screw or cover provided
for the purpose. When the said screw or cover is removed, the ball will roll down
the inclined surface and out of the gauge-cock through the hole which is opened by the
removal of the said screw or cover. It will be seen that the ball is kept in its place
resting against the end of the screw plug which is all that requires to he removed to
release the valve. That is to say our valve is in all cases a ball or sphere which
rests upon a fixed surface or floor while the gauge is working and is kept in
place thereon by a plug or the like and which on the removal of the plug is free to
roll down or off the said floor or surface, and it will be seen that our invention does
not include any apparatus or arrangement in which a valve other than a ball or sphere
could be employed or in which the valve is held while the gauge is working in a seat
or support which with the valve resting therein has to be removed from the gauge
when the valve is taken out of the same. The said surface or floor for the ball has,
moreover slots grooves or apertures so arranged that there is a comparatively large
free passage for the water underneath the ball valve thereby ensuring the lifting of
the valve to its seat by the rush of water when the gauge-glass breaks. Moreover the
said slots or apertures are so arranged that the passages of the water-gauge are not
obstructed by the said surface or Hoor, and free access is afforded to the said ways
or passages for cleaning the same. The ball need not be retained in a direct line with
the axis of the gauge-glass.
The said inclined surfaces are in some instances formed upon an extension of the
drain-cock or try-cock. In other instances the said inclined surfaces are cast or
otherwise attached to the interior of the gauge-cock or on a loose plug constructed to
screw into the gauge-cock from below. The object of having these surfaces inclined
is that the ball, when the plug is removed, will roll out automatically. They may
be arranged at any desired angle of inclination or if in any case it should be found
convenient to arrange them horizontally they may be so arranged so long as suitable
provision is made for the free passage of the water and steam past or below the
valve while the same is resting on the said surfaces.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a partial front elevation and partial vertical central section of our
improved lower-cock for a glass water gauge constructed with the opening, for the
insertion and removal of the ball, at the front.
Figure 2 is a partial side elevation and partial vertical central section on the
linea, Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 3 is a partial horizontal section on the line y, y, Figure 2.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are similar views of our improved gauge-cock constructed with
the aforesaid opening for the ball at the side.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are similar views of a modification of our invention wherein the
inclines for supporting the ball are formed on a cage or piece separate from the
try-cock for the purpose hereinafter specified, and wherein the opening for the ball
is at the front, and
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are like views of a modification wherein the inclines are
formed on a separate cage or piece from the try-cock and the opening for the ball
is at the side.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.
A is the gauge-cock, B the gauge-glass, and C the try-cock. Referring to
Figures 1 to 3 the try-cock is formed with two parallel upward extensions or
flanges a projecting into the cavity in the gauge-cock the said flanges forming a
channel between them which when the try-cock is screwed home is in line with the
water passage c in the gauge-cock. Each extension a is formed with an internal
ledge a sloping at a suitable angle from the highest point at the back to the lowest
point at the front. A ball d of suitable size for closing the orifice e leading to
the gauge-glass is placed in the aforesaid channel between the flanges a and rests
on the ledges a¹ being free to roll up and down the said ledges. In order to
ensure the said ball being lifted by the rush of water when the glass B breaks,
we provide an ample passage a² for the water beneath the ball by well grooving
out the metal between the said ledges a¹. We prefer that the thoroughfare a² thus
formed beneath the ball shall be greater than that above the ball between the said
ball and the lower end of the passage e. It is obvious that with this construction
the risk of the ball not being lifted when required is reduced to a minimum.
For retaining the ball in position on the inclines a² we provide a screw plug
screwed into the front of the gauge-cock the said plug having a projecting end fl
against which the ball rests. When the said plug fis removed, the ball will roll down
the inclines a' and out of the gauge-cock at the hole opened by the removal of the
said plug. The water passages in the gauge-cock may then be cleaned in the usual
manner, the said flanges a offering no obstruction to this operation.
We prefer to construct the plug f relatively to the ball and inclines, so that the
said plug will raise the ball sufficiently when in its normal position to ensure that
the escaping current shall always act on the underside of the ball.
Referring to Figures 4, 5 and 6 the construction and mode of action of the gauge-
cock therein shown is similar to that above described with the exception that the
inclined edges on which the ball rolls are arranged at right angles to the water
passage instead of in line therewith and the plug is at the side of the gauge-cock
instead of at the front, to correspond with the direction of the inclines on which the
ball rolls. In this modification we provide a hole or passage a³ formed through the
flanges or projections a in line with the water passage c and ordinary cleaning
plug g in order that the water may have an unrestricted passage beneath the ball,
and to admit of cleaning the water passage c without necessitating the removal of
the try-cock. In practice we prefer in this modification to close the channel formed
by the flanges a at that end furthest from the plug f, as shown in Figure 4.
In the modification of our invention shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 we have
mounted the ball in a cage independent of or separate from the try-cock, and we
thereby provide for permitting the said cock being fixed with its handle either at
the front or side or at an oblique angle with respect to the gauge-cock. h is the
cage on the floor of which the ball rests, the said cage being formed with a screw
threaded end adapted to screw into a screw threaded recess formed in the upper
end of the recess 6 of the gauge-cock. The cage is pierced from side to side with
a hole sufficiently large to receive the ball d and is formed with an inclined
surface or floor on which the said ball rolls and with a groove or recess * forming
ledges in the same manner as above described with respect to the ledges
a

page_text: Figures to 3. Upper and lower passages h³ and he are formed to communicate
respectively with the gauge-glass and the try-cock thoroughfare. In this arrange-
ment the opening 2 is in line with the water passage c when the plug his screwed
home, and the retaining plug which also serves as a cleaning plug is fixed in the
front of the gauge-cock as in the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3.
Referring to Figures 10 to 12 the modification therein shewn is also provided with
a cage for the ball valve independent of the try-cock, but the opening 2 therein and
the inclines ³ are at right angles to the water passage c in the gauge-cock when the
cage is screwed home, and the retaining plug is placed at the side of the gauge-
cock to correspond. Moreover, an opening or thoroughfare is formed through the
side of the cage in line with the passage c and the cleaning plug g to provide for
admitting the water freely to the lower side of the ball valve to ensure the said ball
being lifted when the glass breaks, and also admit of cleaning the water passages without
necessitating the removal of the cage h.
By the improvements above described, we provide a water-gauge which is in many
respects, more advantageous than those heretofore constructed. It is obvious that
the hole through which the hall may be removed need be but slightly larger in
diameter than the said ball. Therefore in an ordinary sized water gauge we are
enabled to employ a ball of much larger size than heretofore. The said ball can be
inserted and removed through the hole usually provided for permitting the cleaning
of the water-ways or passages. The ball moreover, is retained on the inclined
surfaces in such a position that it does not obstruct the usual thoroughfares of the
water-gauge and it will roll out automatically when the screw which retains it in
the gauge is removed. Moreover the ball, by reason of its resting upon an incline,
will be more efficient in its action.
The inclined floor upon which the ball primarily rests is put in from the lower
part of the gauge and the screw plug at the front or side of the gauge presses
against this ball and pushes it up the inclined floor to its normal position which
is a suitable height relatively to the passages.
It is obvious that the arrangement of the surface or surfaces on which the ball
rests may be somewhat modified without departing from the nature of our said
invention. For example in some instances the ball instead of leaving the gauge
when the plug is removed may he arranged to roll down the incline into a cavity
or space below the plug hole sufficiently clear of the passages to enable them to be
cleaned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. A water-gauge wherein a spherical valve or ball employed for closing the
water orifice when the glass breaks, rests in its normal position on an incline
between suitable guides and is retained in position on the incline by a
screw-plug or the like, substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
Second. In a water-gauge a ball arranged to rest over or on the edges of a hole
or aperture above the passage of the try-cock without closing the said passage as
and for the purposes specified.
Third. In a water-gauge, a try-cock provided with an inclined surface or floor
at its upper end and with Hanges or ears substantially as, and for the purpose, above
specified.
Fourth. In a water-gauge, a cage constructed with an inclined surface or floor
for receiving the spherical valve or ball, and arranged in combination with the screw-
plug substantially as above described, and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. In a water-gauge the employment, for the purpose specified of a ball which
rests upon a stationary or immovable grooved or other surface whereon it is retained
in its normal position by lateral support, on the removal of which it will roll down or
along the said surface as and for the purpose above set forth.

page_text: Sixth. The water-gauge constructed as above described with reference to either
of the forms or modifications described and shown in the accompanying drawings and
operating as and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 13th day of November 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, WC., Agents for the Applicants.