Improvements in or in connection with Steam Traps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in or in connection with Steam Traps.
WILLIAM GEIFEL, 49, Kidbrook Park Road, Blackheath, Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in steam traps of the kind known
as" expansion traps" by means of which water of condensation is automatically
allowed to escape from steam pipes, cylinder jackets, or other receptacles with
which the steam traps are connected, whilst any considerable escape of steam is
automatically prevented; & it has for its object to provide steam traps of this
kind which shall be more reliable and certain in their action than those heretofore
in use.
It is found that expansion traps worked on the expansion principle, such as the
trap in the Specifications of my Patents No. 7860, dated 18th April 1893 &
No. 21571 dated 9th November 1894, & others of a like kind that if the valve
is set to work at a certain steam pressure & this pressure happens to decrease,
there is consequently a fall of temperature & reduced expansion of the parts which
operate the valve; this may cause the valve to open and in some cases to allow
steam to escape. To obviate this it is necessary to alter the setting or position at
which the valve closes & according to my invention this is effected as follows.
I make use of a cylinder or drum which is open to and actuated by the pressure
of steam in the inlet of the trap. The movement of the piston or diaphragm as
the case may be is regulated by a spring of such strength as will allow of a definite
movement for each variation of pressure. This piston or diaphragm is arranged
by the medium of a rod or lever or a number or combination thereof, or by other
suitable means to alter the adjustment of the valve. Thus for high pressures the
regulation is such as suits the position or adjustment at which the valve closes
for the larger movement of the expansion parts, while for low pressures the said
adjustment is altered automatically to suit the smaller movement of the expansion
parts & vice versa.
In applying this to the trap described in my Specification No. 21571 dated
9th November 1894 the cylinder or drum is fixed over the nut which adjusts the
position of the lever or stop that closes the valve, so that the motion of the
piston or diaphragm alters the position of the nut as follows; when the steam
pressure is high the nut is lower, so raising the part of the lever which is over
& controls the valve, thus allowing more movement to the expansion parts; &
when the steam pressure is low, the nut is higher so lowering the part of the
lever which controls the valve & thus providing for less movement of the expansion
parts. In this arrangement the stud which carries the nut is attached to the
piston or diaphragm instead of to the frame of the trap as at present.
In place of the said nut I may use a collar on the stud in which case there is
provided at the end of the lever over the valve a set screw or other suitable device
for regulating the trap.

page_text: To permit an escape of air from the cylinder I may use a small cock or plug,
thus ensuring that the drum or cylinder is charged with water.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1807
Improvements in or in connection with Steam Traps.
I, WILLIAM GEIPEL, formerly of 49, Kidbrook Park Road, Blackheath, London,
but now of 97, Shooter's Hill Road, London, S.E., 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in steam traps of the kind known
as expansion traps, by means of which water of condensation is automatically
allowed to escape from steam pipes, cylinder jackets, and other receptacles with
which the steam traps are connected, whilst any considerable escape of steam is
automatically prevented; and it has for its object to provide steam traps of this
kind which shall be more reliable and certain in their action than those heretofore
in use.
It is found in steam traps worked on the expansion principle, such as the traps
described in the Specifications of my Patents No. 7860 dated 18th April 1893,
and No. 21571 dated 9th Nov. 1894, and others of a like kind, that if the valve
is set to work at a certain steam pressure and this pressure happens to decrease,
there is consequently a fall of temperature and reduced expansion of the parts
that operate the valve which may cause the valve to open and allow steam to
escape.
Now the object of this invention is to obviate this disadvantage as I shall now
proceed to explain by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my present invention applied
to a steam trap of the kind described with reference to and shown in Fig. 3 of
my said former Specification No. 21571 of 1894; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a
portion of the same to a larger scale; Fig. 3 shows partly in central vertical
section and partly in end elevation, the parts shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a
horizontal section on the line of Fig. 3.
In this arrangement the arm 1 of the lever 1, 1ª pivoted at 2, is provided with
a stud 3 the upper end of which rests against a movable diaphragm 4 in a cylinder 5
that is fixed to a standard 5ª by which it is mounted upon the body 5 of the trap.
The upper end of the cylinder 5 is connected by a pipe 6 to a steam pipe 6ª in
connection with the trap so that steam from the latter pipe can enter the said
cylinder within which is arranged the diaphragm 4 the bent up edge portion 4*
of which is attached, as by brazing to the inner periphery of the cylinder. The
pressure of the steam admitted to the cylinder 5 acts upon the diaphragm 4 so
as to govern the position of the lever 1, 1ª by means of the stud 3 and thereby
regulates the adjustment of the valve 7 which controls the escape of water of
condensation from the trap, the said adjustment being controlled by means of a
spring 8 of such strength as will allow of a definite movement for each variation
of pressure. The spring 8 normally keeps the head 9 of the stud 3 raised and in
contact with the diaphragm the movements of which, due to variations in the
steam pressure, are transmitted to the lever arm 1 by means of a collar 10 on the
said stud 3 which may be provided with an adjusting nut 10. 10b is the usual
coiled spring surrounding the stud 3 between the arm 1 of the lever and the body 5b
of the trap and acting in conjunction with the spring 8, to control the movements

page_text: of the diaphragm 4. A set screw 11 at the end of the arm 1* of the lever 1, 1ª
enables an initial adjustment to be given to the valve 7 through its stem 7*.
12 and 13 are the expansion pipes of different metals through which the water
of condensation escapes by way of the valve case 7b under control of the valve 7,
as described in my said former specifications.
As will be seen, the arrangement is such that when the steam pressure exceeds
the normal pressure, the stud 3 and nut 10 are forced into a lower position
against the action of the springs 8 and 10b by the action of the said steam pressure
on the diaphragm 4 whereby the part 1" of the lever, which is over and controls
the valve 7, is raised; thus automatically allowing more movement of the expansion
parts; and when the steam pressure falls below the normal, the said stud is
raised by the springs 8 and 10 thus lowering the part 1 of the lever 1, 1" which
controls the valve and providing for less movement of the expansion parts.
It will be obvious that the arrangement herein before described may be variously
modified. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating by way of
example, the application of controlling means according to the present invention
to a steam trap of the kind described with reference to and shown in Fig. 4 of
my said former Specification No. 21571 of 1894, the adjustment of the lever 1, 1°
and valve 7 being effected in the manner and by the means herein before described
with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.
Instead of brazing the edge of the diaphragm 4 to the wall of the cylinder 5,
as shown in Fig. 3, the said diaphragm may be clamped between flanges formed
on cylinder or chamber 5 and the standard 5ª, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Again the
diaphragm may be made of such strength and resilience that the coiled spring 8
could be dispensed with.
Fig. 7 shows a modified arrangement in which a piston 4* is used in lieu of a
diaphragm. The stud 3 may be connected to the piston, in which case the hole
in the standard 5 through which it works is made sufficiently large in diameter
as to allow the collar 10 to pass through it.
permit escape of air or
As a matter of fact I
As will be obvious the
Means such as a cock 16 (Fig. 3) may be provided to
water of condensation from the cylinder 5 when desired.
prefer the-cylinder to be full of water rather than steam.
cylinder 5 may, during working, be filled with water and the pressure of the steam
in the pipe 6 be transmitted to the diaphragm 4 or equivalent through such
water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In an expansion steam trap, a controlling device whereby the position of the
stop or abutment which limits the opening movement of the valve that controls
the discharge of water of condensation from ithe trap, is adjusted in accordance
with variations in the pressure of the steam admitted to the said trap, substantially
as herein described for the purposes specified.
2. In an expansion steam-trap, the combination with the valve that controls the
discharge of water of condensation from the trap, and a lever or equivalent for
limiting the opening movement of the said valve, of a cylinder or chamber that is
in connection with the steam inlet pipe of the trap and is provided with a dia-
phragm or piston subject to the action of the pressure in the said steam pipe and
movements of which, due to variations in the said steam pressure are arranged
to control the position of the said lever or equivalent and the extent of movement
of the said valve, substantially as herein described for the purposes specified.
3. In steam traps of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the water
discharge valve and its controlling lever, of automatic adjusting means constructed
arranged and operating as herein before described with reference to and shown in

page_text: Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, or modified, according to Fig. 6, or to Fig. 7 of the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1898.