Improvements in or applicable to Water Gauges for Steam Boilers or other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 16th Mar., 1898
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 water gauges and has for its object certain
improvements on my previous Patent No. 290919.
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. My improvements consist
mainly in the arrangement for enabling the glass to be removed and replaced by
another. I provide
1. In the upper mount and in the lower mount, a piston and rod each having
through passages from end to end. Abutting against the outer ends of these
pistons are spiral springs, and between the two piston heads in the upper and
lower mounts, I insert the gauge glass which forms a continuation of the hollow
passage through the pistons and rods. The respective pistons pass through stuffing
boxes in the upper and lower mounts so that they may work steam and water-tight
and at or about the point where the pistons abut against the ends of the gauge
glass there is a packing to keep it steam and water-tight at that point also.
The
spiral springs keep the pistons firmly pressed against the ends of the gauge glass.
To remove the gauge glass all that is necessary is to force back one or both pistons
against the springs, and the gauge glass can then be removed and another one
inserted in its place. To facilitate this being done, I may provide fixed abutments
in proximity to the piston head and an abutment on the piston head, then by
inserting a key or lever between the abutments the pistons can be raised to allow
of the removal of the glass. The ends of the piston rod may be packed and in order
to prevent the packing from being misplaced when the piston is raised, a spiral
spring may be used concentric with the spring that bears on the piston rod in order
to depress the packing and avoid displacement.
2. The glasses may be surrounded by an outer guard or tube, arranged with
slots or openings whereby the level of the water can be seen plainly, and having
recesses at its extremities forming an annular rim receiving the packing against
which the piston heads aforesaid abut, making a steam and water-tight joint. The
spiral springs keep the piston heads firmly abutting against each end of the guard
but in cases where there is an exceptional amount of vibration it may be necessary
to use a screwed nut to secure the heads of the pistons to the guard. These would
have to be unscrewed to enable the pistons to be raised to liberate the glass.
3. In my previous patent I mentioned an arrangement whereby the top and
bottom mounts or fittings of the gauge are made in two parts, and these two parts
joined together by providing them with flanges coupled together by bolts,
or by providing sockets, unions or
other suitable
means. İ have

page_text: also. The spiral springs E keep the pistons firmly pressed against the ends of the
gauge glass, while allowing for expansion and contraction of the glass, and per-
mitting glass tubes of varying lengths to be employed. To remove the gauge
glass all that is necessary is to force back one or both pistons against the springs
and the gauge glass can then be removed, and another one inserted in its place.
To facilitate this being done, I may provide fixed abutments H, in proximity to
the piston head and an abutment I on the piston head, then by inserting a key or
lever J between the abutments, the pistons can be raised to allow of the removal of
the glass. The ends of the piston rod may be packed at d and in order to prevent
the packing from being misplaced, when the piston is raised, a spiral spring e may
be used, concentric with the spring E that bears on the piston rod, in order to
depress the packing and avoid displacement. In some cases as shown in
Figure 2, I may provide a fixed abutment L.on the upper mount, and a pin or
abutment L' on the piston head, then by placing a lever K on the abutment L
and coupling its end to the pin L' by means of connecting link M, means are
provided for raising the piston head for removing the glass.
The glasses B may be surrounded by an outer guard or tube N, arranged with
slots or openings n whereby the lever of the water can be seen plainly, and having
recesses at its extremities forming annular rims N' receiving the packing G against
which the piston heads aforesaid abut, making a steam and water-tight joint.
The spiral springs keep the piston heads firmly abutting against each end of the
guard N but in cases where there is an exceptional amount of vibration it may be
necessary to use a screwed nut P as shown in Figure 2, to secure the heads of the
pistons to the guard. These would have to be unscrewed to enable the pistons to be
raised to liberate the glass.
In my previous patent I mentioned an arrangement whereby the top and bottom
mounts or fittings of the gauge are made in two parts, and these two parts joined
together by providing them with flanges coupled together by bolts, or by providing
sockets, unions or other suitable means. I have found that a very suitable form of
joint is produced, as shown in Figure 3, by screw threading the shank Q of one of
the parts, and screwing on to it a screwed ferrule R having a flange S formed
on its outer end. Previous to screwing on this ferrule however, I place on it the
union nut T, and when the ferrule is screwed on, and the union nut screwed on
to the other part of the mount, a tight connection between the two mounts is made.
Washers or packings may be inserted in recesses in the union joint.
In order to further guard the gauge glass, and prevent water dashing against it
in the case of fire, etcetera, I provide a sighting shield W in front made of celluloid,
horn or other suitable transparent material or variously formed round the gauge
glass. This may be bolted or otherwise secured to the upper and lower mounts.
This 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 inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improvement in water gauges, which consists in providing the upper
mount and (or) lower mount of the gauge, with a sliding piston or plunger working
steam-tight through stuffing boxes therein, and having a free passage from end
to end, and adapted to receive the ends of the gauge glass, in combination with
springs so arranged as to press the piston head firmly against the ends of the gauge
glass, and form a steam and water-tight joint, while enabling the pistons to be
forced back by hand against the spring pressure when it is required to remove the
gauge glass or replace it by another, substantially as described.
2. In a water gauge in which there is a hollow piston at one or both ends of the
gauge glass and springs, forcing such piston against the ends of the glass, the
lever arrangements for forcing back the pistons or plungers against the pressure of