Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or other purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or
other purposes.
I, JOHN THOMAS of Wrenbury, and 223 Conway Street, Birkenhead, both in
the County of Chester, Agricultural Engineer and Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention. to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to water gauges
for steam boilers or other purposes. It is designed to be superior in many respects
to the water gauges hitherto in use.
In carrying my invention into practice, I use same as hitherto a strong glass
tube, placed in a vertical position outside the boiler and communicating at top
and bottom by metallic tubes, fittings or mounts with the interior of the boiler,
so that water entering at the lower end of the glass tube and steam at the upper
end, the water level therein will coincide with that in the boiler. Now my
invention comprises the following improvements:-
1. The sockets of the lower and upper mounts or fittings of the gauge, in which
the glass tube is mounted or socketted, are formed with a through passage, so as
to allow for contraction and expansion of the glass, and also to facilitate the broken
pieces of glass, when the tube is fractured, being easily removed from the sockets.
To this end I provide the sockets in which the ends of the glass are secured with a
through passage, closed by a screwed and removable plug at each end. Abutting
against this plug at either end are spiral springs, and the gauge glass at its ends
rests against these springs, whereby expansion or contraction of the glass is freely
allowed for by the resiliency of the springs, and moreover glass tubes of varying
length may be employed. The ends of the glass are also packed with rings, grooves
or recesses being formed in the glass tube to receive them. Washers may be
employed between the ends of the glass and the springs. The arrangement is such
that by tightening up the plugs aforesaid, the glass is firmly secured in place by
the springs. The plugs, however, can be removed to allow of the insertion of a
new gauge glass, thus opening the through passage, which permits of the broken
pieces being easily taken out at either end. The invention provides that tubes
of varying lengths can be used in the mountings which is an important feature.
2. Another feature of my invention consists in providing an auxiliary tube, by
means of which the gauge fittings and passages can be blown through without
utilizing the gauge glass for the purpose.. This auxiliary tube is controlled by
blow-through valves, or if desired,, these blow-through valves may be combined
with the stop cocks by which access of steam or water is cut off from or admitted
to the gauge. By this arrangement of blowing through, the glass is not so liable
to breakage, as by my arrangement of auxiliary tubes, which may be of metal or
other suitable material which will not break, this breaking of the glass is avoided,
the blowing through taking place through the auxiliary tube which frees the
inside of the glass tube from being cut or chafed by the scum of the boiler.

page_text: 3. In order to enable a broken gauge glass to be very quickly replaced by a
fresh one, I propose to make the top and bottom mounts or fittings of the gauge
in two parts, and join these two parts together by providing them with flanges
coupled together by bolts, or by providing sockets unions or other suitable means.
Thus if the glass breaks all that is necessary is to disconnect the front part, com-
prising the upper and lower mounts and the glass, from the part or stop cocks
which is fixed in the boiler, and fresh mounts with a new gauge glass already
fitted, can be fixed on in place. Thus, assuming that a spare set of fittings is
kept in readiness, the fractured glass with its mounts can be replaced by new ones
and put into use again immediately.
4. In the upper and lower mounts, I form screwed holes exactly in line with the
passages which lead from the boiler but at right angles to the glass. These holes
are closed by screwed plugs, by taking off which, direct access may be had to the
passages leading from the boiler so that they can be more easily cleaned.
5. In these holes, for the purpose of cleaning the ways, may be fitted when the
plugs are removed, a cleaning device, consisting of a stuffing box or gland capable
of being screwed into the holes aforesaid and fitted with a rod having brushes
or other cleaning device or twist drill at the inner end, and at the other end with a
crank or hand lever or other suitable means. By this means the passages or ways
can be drilled and thoroughly cleaned with full steam pressure on the boiler.
To clear the passages, I close the stop cocks, remove the plugs and screw the
stuffing box or gland into the hole with the cleaning spindle projecting into the
ways or passages, then I open the stop cocks so that the cleaners can go right
through the cocks into the boiler and then rotate and feed in the spindles by the
crank or other means.
6. Surrounding three sides of the glass is a guard, leaving one side of the glass
open. Opposite this opening is a minor suitably fixed and adapted to reflect the
water. level in the water gauge glass. This guard protects the attendant from
injury, should the glass break, while enabling him to read the indications reflected
in the mirror.
The invention is not confined to water gauges for boilers, as it may be used in
connection with ascertaining the level of liquids in barrels and vessels of various
descriptions.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, l'atent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or
other purposes.
I, JOHN THOMAS of Wrenbury, and 223 Conway Street, Birkenhead, both in
the County of Chester, Agricultural Engineer, and Agent, 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:-
"This invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to water gauges
for steam boilers or other purposes. It is designed to be superior in many respects
to the water gauges hitherto in use.
In carrying my invention into practice, I use same as hitherto a strong glass
tube placed in a vertical position outside the boiler and communicating at top and
bottom by metallic tubes, fittings or mounts with the interior of the boiler, so that

page_text: water entering at the lower end of the glass tube and steam at the upper end, the
water level therein will coincide with that in the boiler.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of my apparatus fitted to a boiler;
Figure 2, a view of the cleaning tool;
Figure 3, another form of the apparatus suitable for fire engines and the like;
Figure 4, a similar apparatus, but so arranged that the glass shall lie closer
to the boiler.
My invention comprises the following improvements:-
1. The sockets A of the lower mount b and upper mount a of the gauge, in which
the glass tube B is mounted or socketted, are formed with a through passage, so
as to allow for contraction and expansion of the glass, and also to
facilitate the broken pieces of glass when the tube is fractured,
being easily removed from the sockets. To this end, I provide the sockets A in
which the ends of the glass are secured with a through passage, closed by a screwed
and removable plug Cat each end. Abutting against this plug at either end are
spiral springs D) and the gauge glass at its ends rests against these springs,
whereby expansion or contraction of the glass is freely allowed for by the resiliency
of the springs, and moreover glass tubes of varying length may be employed.
The ends of the glass may also be packed with rings, grooves or recesses being
formed in the glass tube to receive them. Washers E are employed between the
ends of the glass B and the springs D. The arrangement is such that by tightening
up the plugs C, the glass is firmly secured in place by the springs. The plugs,
however, can be removed to allow of the insertion of a new gauge glass, thus
opening the through passage, which permits of broken pieces being easily taken
out at either end. The invention provides that tubes of varying lengths can be
used in the mountings which is an important feature.
2. Another feature of my invention, consists in providing an auxiliary tube or
scum pipe F which is interchangeable and so connecting the passages or ways in
the mounts a and b, by means of which the gauge fittings and passages can be
blown through without relying upon the gauge glass for the purpose. This
auxiliary tube F may be controlled by the blow-through valve R (Figure 1) or if
it is desired these blow-through valves may be combined with stop cocks O and P.
(Figure 3) opening and shutting the passages by which access of steam or water
is cut off from or admitted to the gauge. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3
there are two three or more way cocks O and P which can be opened either to the
gauge glass B or to the auxiliary pipe F', these cocks being coupled together by
the connecting rod O' so as to work in unison. By this arrangement of blowing
through the glass is not so liable to breakage, as by my arrangement of auxiliary
tube F', which may be of metal or other suitable material which will not break,
the gauge fittings and passages can be blown through without utilising the gauge
glass at all for the purpose, or in the case of Figure 1 utilising it only to a limited
extent, the blowing through taking place mainly through the auxiliary tube which
frees the inside of the glass from being cut or chafed by the scum of the boiler.
The tube F may of course also be fitted with a through passage, closed by a
screwed and removable plug K, such plug being in line with the tube F and
cock R.
3. In order to enable a broken gauge glass to be very quickly replaced by a fresh
one, I propose to make the top and bottom mounts or fittings a and b of the gauge
in two parts, and join these two parts together at G by providing them with flanges
coupled together by bolts, or by providing sockets unions or other suitable means.
Thus if the glass break, all that is necessary is to disconnect the part, comprising
the upper and lower mounts and the glass, from the part having the stop cocks
which is fixed in the boiler, and fresh mounts with a new gauge glass already
fitted can be fixed on in place. Thus, assuming that a spare set of fittings is kept
in readiness, the fractured glass with its mounts can be replaced by new ones and
put into use again immediately.

page_text: 4. In the upper and lower mounts a and b, I form screwed holes I exactly in
line with the passages which lead from the boiler but at right angles to the glass.
These holes are closed by screwed plugs K', by taking off which, direct access may
be had to the passages leading from the boiler so that they can be more easily
cleaned.
5. In these holes for the purpose of cleaning the ways, may be fitted when the
plugs K are removed, a cleaning device consisting of a stuffing box L capable of
being screwed into the holes aforesaid and fitted with a rod L having brushes
and other cleaning device or drill M at the inner 'end; and at the other end with a
crank or hand lever N or other suitable means. By this means the passages or
ways can be drilled and thoroughly cleaned while full steam pressure is on the
boiler. To clear the passages, I close the stop cocks O P, remove the plugs K
and screw the stuffing box or gland L into the hole with the cleaning spindle L'
projecting into the ways or passages, then I open the stop cocks so that the
cleaners can go right through the cocks into the boiler and then rotate and feed
in the spindles by the crank or other means.
6. Surrounding the three sides of the glass is a guard Q leaving one side of the
glass open and acting as a shield to prevent any accidental blow to the glass and
also shielding the eyes in case any time the glass tube bursta. Opposite this opening
a mirror may be suitably fixed and adapted to reflect the water level in the water
gauge glass, thus enabling the attendant to read the indications reflected in the
mirror, whilst protecting his eyes from injury should the glass break.
In use the cocks O P are screwed into position on the boiler as shown and the
rest of the apparatus fixed thereon by the unions H or other suitable connections.
The cock It is closed and cocks 0 1 opened when the gauge glass will work in
ordinary course. If at any time either passage in the mounts a or b appear to he
choked, the plug K is taken out and the tool L' with its stuffing box L inserted.
The tool is then turned by means of the handwheel N and pressed in until it drills
all dirt out of the tubes. When withdrawn, the plug K is inserted. If the glass
break, plug C, spring D and washer E are taken out at either end and the broken
glass withdrawn and a new one inserted, or instead of this, cocks OP are turned
off, the unions H or other connections undone, and the apparatus replaced by a
duplicate kept in stock. In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, in which the
passage to the boiler is at right angles to the passage J, the cleaning tool can be
first passed straight through J to clean it, then withdrawn and passed through
into the passage to the boiler by taking out the plug K.
The invention is not confined to water gauges for boilers, as it may be used in
connection with ascertaining the level of liquids in barrels and vessels of various
descriptions.
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. A water gauge, in which there is an additional blow-through tube, and the
passages of the gauge are all straight through, and have removable plugs, in combi-
nation with a tool with stuffing box fitting the holes of said plugs, whereby the
gauge can be cleaned out by that tool while it is on the boiler under pressure,
substantially as described.
2. In a water gauge, forming the water gauge apparatus in a separate piece
from the stop cocks, and attached to 'the latter by junctions, substantially as
described.
3. In a water gauge, placing on the ends of the glass tube in its sockets, washers
and springs, and beyond these a plug, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. The combination in a water gauge of the, subsidiary tube F, the terminal
plug and the, blow-off cock R, all in one line, whereby a wire or tool can be

page_text: passed through to clean them at any time by removing the plug, substantially as
set forth.
5. The combination with a water gauge having straight through passages and
plugs K', a tool L' and stuffing box device capable of screwing into the position
of plugs K, and the tool having a turning device N, whereby by removing the
plug K and inserting the tool in stuffing box the passages can be cleaned out while
the boiler is in full steam, substantially as described.
6. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved water gauge substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of September 1897
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London, Patent Agents.