Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1899

page_text: .
Improvements in Steam Traps.
I, JOSEPII BUTTERWORTHI, of Thorn Cottage, Pendlebury, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention relates to the type of steam trap described in Patent No. 23,794/
1895 in which a valve is operated by a lever and float acting on a quick threaded
screw, or other mechanism having a similar effect. In the above patent the valve
is loose and fits in the end of the screwed spindle so that when the float and lever
rise the valve is forced on to its seat. It is now proposed to reverse this seat.
placing the valve on the steam or pressure side and supporting it by forks or other
means so that it will drop centrally on its seat. The screwed spindle is screwed
the opposite hand so that when the lever and float fall the valve is forced off its
seat by the end of the spindle butting against it, or an intermediate piece, and
when they rise the valve is allowed to drop on its seat, the steam forcing it tightly
against same. The spindle and valve are thus separated from each other, and
as the latter is supported by its forks or other means it is not essential that the
spindle should be exactly in line with it.
When the water has passed the valve it passes through the spindle and lever
(which are hollow) into the ball or float, thus weighting the latter and keeping
it down till all the water has passed away by means of a pipe which is screwed
into the top of the ball and which reaches nearly to the bottom of same.
After the water is all drained away and steam passes the valve it presses on the
surface of the water in the ball and drives it out, when the ball becomes huojant
and rises, shutting the valve and preventing further escape until the ball again
becomes waterlogged by water flowing into it from the box in which it floats
through a small hole made for the purpose. In the case of very high pressure
steam the water flowing from it is very hot and partially bursts into steam in the
ball, causing the latter to become buoyant before all the water has passed away.
To obviate this the upper part of the pipe which screws into the ball is made
to form a tap or valve which can be opened wholly or partially so as to let out
all or any part of the steam given off by the hot water, in which case the ball will
not rise until all the water is drained away and live steam actually passes the
valve. Or a separate outlet instead of, or in addition to the above pipe may bo
formed in the ball or lever for the same purpose.
It will be evident that the invention is applicable to all steam traps in which
the water passes through the lever and ball or float.
Tinted this 22nd day of January 1899

page_text: I, JOSEPH BUTTERWORTH, of Thorn Cottage, Pendlebury, 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:--
The invention relates to the type of steam trap described in Patent No. 23794/1895
in which a valve is operated by a lever and float acting on a quick threaded
screw, or other mechanism having a similar effect. In the above patent, the valve
is loose and fits in the end of the screwed spindle so that when the float and lever
rise, the valve is forced on to its seat. It is now proposed to reverse this seat,
placing the valve on the steam or pressure side and supporting it by forks or other
means so that it will drop centrally on its seat. The screwed spindle is screwed
the opposite hand, so that when the lever and float falls the valve is forced off its
seat by the end of the spindle butting against it, or an intermediate piece, and
when they rise the valve is allowed to drop on its seat, the steam forcing it tightly
against same. The spindle and valve are thus separated from each other, and
as the latter is supported by its forks or other means it is not essential that the
spindle should be exactly in line with it.
When the water has passed the valve, it passes through the spindle and lever
(which are hollow) into the ball or float, thus weighting the latter and keeping
it down till all the water has passed away by means of a pipe which is screwed
into the top of the ball, and which reaches nearly to the bottom of same.
After the water is all drained away and steam passes the valve it presses on the
surface of the water in the ball and drives it out, when the ball becomes buoyant
and rises, shutting the valve and preventing further escape until the ball again
becomes waterlogged by water flowing into it. from the box in which it floats
through a small hole made for the purpose. In the case of very high pressure
steam the water flowing from it is very hot and partially bursts into steam in the
ball, causing the latter to become buoyant before all the water has passed away.
To obviate this, the upper part of the pipe which screws into the ball is made
to form a tap or valve which can be opened wholly or partially so as to let out
all or any part of the steam given off by the hot water in which case the ball will
not rise until all the water is drained away and live steam actually passes the
valve. Or a separate outlet instead of, or in addition to, the above pipe may be
formed in the ball or lever for the same purpose.
It will be evident that the invention is applicable to all steam traps in which
the water passes through the lever and ball or float.
In order that the invention may be thoroughly understood, reference is made
to the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2, which are a side elevation and
plan of the steam trap and are partly in section in each case. The working parts
of the trap are contained in a box B covered by a lid A secured by two or more
screws as shown.
The brass nut or body C containing the screwed spindle D is secured to the box
by bolts passing through slotted ears as shown in Figure 1.
The spindle D is screwed a very quick thread, so that when the ball E (which
is connected to it by an arm F) falls, it rotates the spindle D and causes it to
force the end of the valve G inward, thus forcing the latter off its seat H as shown
Figure 2 and allowing the water entering at I to pass through the hollow
spindle D and arm F into the ball E and thence into the box B from which it is
drained by the outlet K Figure 1.

page_text: After the water is drained away from the vessel to which the trap is attached,
and steam enters at I it passes by the same path to the ball E where it presses on
the surface of the water in the latter, and drives it out through the tube L into
the box B thus causing the ball E to become buoyant and rise, when it rotates the
spindle D in the opposite direction and allows the valve G to close preventing any
further escape until the ball E again becomes waterlogged by water flowing into
it from the box by a small hole M (Figure 1) provided for the purpose, when the
same cycle of operations occurs.
As the valve G is entirely separate from the spindle D which operates it, there
is no necessity for them to be absolutely in line with each other and they are less
liable to stick.
i
Where the vessel to be drained by the trap contains very high pressure steam,
the water flowing from it is very hot and bursts into steam in the ball E, which
steam presses on the surface of the water in the latter and by driving it up the
pipe L into the box B, causes the ball to become buoyant before all the water has
escaped from the vessel to be drained.
To obviate this, the upper part of the pipe L which screws into the ball is made
to form a plug tap or valve at N (Figure 1) which can be opened wholly or partially
so as to let off all or any required part of the steam given off by the hot water, in
which case the ball will not rise until all the water is drained away and live steam
passes the valve G. A separate outlet similar to N instead of, or in addition to,
the one in the pipe L may be placed in any other part of the ball E or arm F, for
the same purpose.
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. Fitting the valve on the pressure side of its seating and operating it as
described.
2. The valve N fitted in the pipe L as described, or a similar valve instead of,
or in addition to, the above valve, fitted in ball E or arm F.
3. The combination of parts forming the trap as described in specification and
shown in Figures 1 & 2.
4. Fitting the valve N or a similar one as described in 2nd claim, to any other
steam trap in which the water passes through the ball.
Dated this 20th day of October 1899.
JOSEPH BUTTERWORTH.