Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Steam Traps.
We JOSEPH BUTTERWORTH, of 23 Withington Street, Pendleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and RioHARD FLETCHER CHRISTMAS TONGE of Croston
Cottage, Swinton, in the County of Lancaster Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates chiefly to that type of steam trap in which the water is
drained by means of a valve or tap actuated by a ball at the end of a hollow lever
through which the water passes to the ball, and from the latter to the box or body of
the trap.
In the above type of trap the ball has a little hole or holes below the water level in
the trap (when the latter is at work) through which water percolates until the ball
loses its buoyancy and falls, when it opens the valve or tap and releases the condensed
water from the steam vessel or pipe.
When the heat of the water is above the boiling point, it bursts into steam on its
way through the hollow lever to the ball and the steam thus generated drives the water
out of the ball, causing same to rise and close the valve before the whole of the
condensed water has been discharged from the steam vessel or pipe. To remedy this,
we propose to place a valve or regulating screw between the inlet valve and ball
by means of which the orifice between the two can be diminished to any required
extent; at the same time another outlet, also provided with a regulating screw or
valve, is made by means of which the water may be passed directly from the steam
pipe to the body of the trap without passing through the ball. Thus any portion
required of the water to be drained may be passed through the ball, and by allowing
only a small portion to do so the discharged water may passed off at any required
temperature below that of the steam from which it is drained without floating the ball.
That portion of the water which passes direct from the inlet of the trap to the body
of same without passing through the ball we carry to the bottom of the trap by a
suitable pipe or outlet so as to cause as little disturbance and consequent overflowing
as possible.
'
It will be obvious that this improvement is applicable to all open or partially open
traps (by which we mean those traps in which the pressure is wholly or partially
removed from the water immediately it passes the inlet of the trap) by arranging a
valve or valves so that only part of the water drained by the trap actuates the ball or
float, while on the other hand the ball or float shuts off the valve which passes the
whole of the drained water, at a point determined by the relative proportions of
the water which acts on the ball or float, to that which does not do so.
In cases where the valve is of that type which lifts off its seat, it is proposed to
make it annular and resting on a seating of similar shape. By this means the
water passes from under the inner as well as the outer edge of the valve, thus nearly
doubling the discharge of the valve without increasing its lift so long as the latter
does not exceed say of the diameter of the seating.
Dated this 11th dow of Doromban 180x

page_text: We, JOSEPH BUTTERWORTH of 23 Withington Street, Pendleton in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and RICHARD FLETCHER CHRISTMAS TONGE, of "The Hut,"
Swinton 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 chiefly to that type of steam trap in which the water is
drained by means of a valve or tap actuated by a ball at the end of a hollow lever
through which the water passes to the ball, and from the latter to the body or
box of the trap.
In above type of trap, the ball has a little hole or holes below the water level in the
trap (when the latter is at work) through which water percolates until the ball loses
its buoyancy and falls, when it opens the valve or tap, and releases the condensed
water from the steam vessel or pipe.
When the heat of the water is above the boiling point, it, bursts into steam on its
way through the hollow lever to the ball, and the steam thus generated drives the
water out of the ball, causing same to rise and close the valve before the whole of
the condensed water has been discharged from the steam vessel or pipe. To remedy
this, we propose to place a valve or regulating screw between the inlet valve and ball
by means of which the orifice between the two can be diminished to any required
extent; at the same time another outlet, also provided with a regulating screw, or
valve, is made, by means of which the water may be passed directly from the steam
pipe to the body of the trap without passing through the ball. Thus any required
portion of the water to be drained may be passed through the ball, and by allowing
only a small portion to do so, the discharged water may pass off at any required
temperature below that of steam from which it is drained without floating the ball.
That portion of the water which passes direct from the inlet of the trap to the body
of same without passing through the ball, we carry to the bottom of trap by a suitable
pipe or outlet, so as to cause as little disturbance and consequent overflowing as
possible.
It will be obvious that this improvement is applicable to all open or partially open
traps (by which we mean those traps in which the pressure is wholly or partially
removed from the water immediately it passes the inlet of the trap) by arranging a
valve or valves so that only part of the water drained by the trap actuates the ball or
float, while on the other hand the ball or float shuts off the valve which passes the
whole of the drained water at a point determined by the relative proportions of the
water which acts on the ball or float to that which does not do so.
In cases where the valve is of that type which lifts off its seat, it is proposed to
make it annular, and resting on a seating of similar shape. By this means the water
passes from under the inner as well as the outer edge of the valve, thus nearly
doubling the discharge of the valve without increasing its lift so long as the latter
does not exceed, say one eighth of the diameter of the seating.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is made to
the drawings on sheet herewith.
Figure 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of the steam trap showing the
improvements described. The working parts are enclosed in a box or cistern W.
A copper ball, having a small hole H at the bottom is connected by an elbow pipe B
to a hollow quick threaded screwed spindle A, at the end of which is placed a loose
valve V, alternately forced to its seat S, and released by the rising and falling of the
ball, rotating the quick threaded screwed spindle A.

page_text: Supposing the cistern W to be connected at I to a steam pipe or vessel that
requires draining, and to be full of water to the outlet hole, the ball E will fill with
water through the small hole H till it loses its buoyancy and falls to the bottom. In
so doing, it opens the valve V by rotating the screw A. If there be water present in
the drain pipe at I, it will flow into E, and keep it down, and the valve V open, but
if steam only pass V, it will drive the water out of the ball E up the tube F, from the
top of which it is deflected into the box by the bell G, thus lightening the ball E,
which rises and closes the valve V, when the same cycle of operations occurs
again.
It is found that the water in some cases bursts into steam, and prematurely rises
the ball E, and closes the valve V, before the water is all drained. To remedy this,
we place a valve C in the elbowpipe B, leading to the ball, and provide another
opening X, with or without valve D, whereby part of the water passing V can be
diverted through X, by partial closing C, to any required extent.
Thus the action of the steam on the ball E, can be regulated, and the trap made
to pass water of any temperature, up to that of the steam from which it is drained
before it begins to rise the ball E, and close V.
The same arrangement is applicable to all similar traps where the pressure is wholly
or partially removed from the water, when it enters the trap by arranging the
valve similar to C, and a valve similar to D if necessary so that only part of
the water drained by the trap actuates the ball, or float E, while on the other hand
the ball E shuts the valve V, which passes the whole of the drained water at a point
determined by the relative proportions of the water which acts on E, that which
passes direct to the box.
The valve V and seating S are made annular, as shown in the plan Fig. 2.
A large opening is thus obtained with a small lift of the valve, as the water
escapes through the hole in the centre of valve as well as along the outer edge
of same.
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. In trap shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the diversion of the water to be drained
so that only part passes through the ball, instead of the whole, as heretofore.
Second. In similar traps, where the pressure is wholly or partially removed from
the water immediately it passes the inlet to the trap the diversion of the water to
be drained, so that only part passes through the ball instead of the whole, as
heretofore.
Third. The use of an annular valve as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the delivery of the
valve is nearly doubled, for a given lift.
Dated this Eleventh day of September 1896.
RICHARD FLETCHER CHRISTMAS TONGE.
JOSEPH BUTTERWORTH.