Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Dec., 1888
and other Apparatus.
I, ALEXANDER ROBERTSON, of Dawson Terrace, Carron, in the County of Stirling,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be us
follows, that is to say :—
My said Invention has principally for its object to render stopcocks more con-
veniently and satisfactorily applicable for boiler gauges and other apparatus containing
steam or hot water; my improved stopcocks are however also applicable for other
apparatus.
In carrying out my Invention I make the internal movable part of a conical form
like the conical plug of an ordinary stopcock and I fit it to work in a similar socket
or box, but I make the passage or passages through it and I combine it with the
other parts of the apparatus in various novel modes to suit each particular application.
In most applications the movable part or plug is to be moved by means of a spindle
formed on or fixed to it and passing out through a stuffing box, with a handle or small
hand wheel fixed on its outer end; and the spindle may be at the larger or smaller
end of the plug as may be most convenient in each case. In all cases the plug is
made with a passage entering it at the end opposite to that at which the spindle is
attached, such passage being in communication with one or two ports at the side of
the plug, whilst in many cases a second passage is formed more or less directly across
the plug.
In modifications suitable for a boiler gauge, the stopcock box or fitting in which
the top of the glass gauge is fixed has its inner end in communication with the
interior of the boiler, and the plug is formed with a single passage entering its inner
end and (when the plug is in the open position) communicating through a lateral port
with the gauge tube. The stopcock box or fitting for the lower end of the gauge
tube is similarly made but with the addition of a discharge nozzle, and the plug is
made with a second passage. In one position the plug forms a communication
between the interior of the boiler and the bottom of the gauge tube; and in another

page_text: position it forms a communication between the gauge tube and the discharge nozzle
to allow of the gauge tube being cleared. The inner end of each plug is made to
serve as a seat for a small ball valve which ordinarily rests in an enlargement in the
stopcock box but which will automatically close the passage through the plug in the
event of the gauge tube being broken.
When two gauge tubes are used beside each other, single upper and lower con-
nections may be made with the boiler, with branches to each tube, and with suitable
modifications of my improved stopcocks.
Dated this Seventh day of February 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in and Connected with Stopcocks for Boiler Gauges
and other Apparatus.
I, ALEXANDER ROBERTSON, of Dawson Terrace, Carron, in the County of Stirling, 1
North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has principally for its object to render stopcocks more con-
veniently and satisfactorily applicable for boiler gauges and other apparatus containing 2
steam or hot water; my iniproved stopcocks are however also applicable for other
apparatus.
In carrying out my Invention I make the internal movable part of a conical form
like the conical plug of an ordinary stopcock and I fit it to work in a similar socket
or box; but I make the passage or passages through it, and I combine it with the 2
other parts of the apparatus in various novel modes to suit each particular application.
In most applications the movable part or plug is to be moved by means of a spindle
formed on or fixed to it and passing out, through a stuffing box, with a handle or small
hand wheel fixed on its outer end; and the spindle may be at the larger or smaller
end of the plug as may be most convenient in each case. In all cases the plug is
inade with a passage entering it at the end opposite to that at which the spindle is
attached, such passage being in communication with one or two ports at the side of
the plug whilst in many cases a second passage is formed more or less directly across
the plug.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may

page_text: be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawing to be
hereinafter referred to and representing examples of various modifications of my
improved stopcocks.
Figures, 1, and 2, of the drawings are sections of two modifications of simple stop-
cocks for drawing off liquid from any vessel. Figure, 3, is a section showing a pair
of stopcocks arranged and combined with a boiler gauge tube. Figure, 4, is a section
showing a modification of paris shown in figure, 3. Figures, 5, and 6, are sections of
two other modified arrangements of combined boiler gauge tube and stopcocks. In
these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
The stopcock shown in figure, 1, is made with an internally conical shell or body, A,
in which there is fitted to work a conical plug, B, made with a central passage, (, and
with a side port, D. In the open position of the plug, B, the side port, D, communi-
cates with the passage, E, by which the liquid enters the stopcock. The central
passage, C, is open at the larger end of the plug, B, and the liquid issues from it when
the plug is in the open position. The smaller end of the plug, B, is made with a
spindle, F, which passes through the smaller end of the body, A, and has a small
handwheel, G, fixed on it externally by means of a nut, H, which draws the plug into
its socket.
In the modification shown in figure, 2, the plug, B, is placod with its larger end
inwards and the liquid entering by the passage, E, into its central passage, C, passes
by the port, D, when the plug is in the open position into a discharge nozzle, J.
In the boiler-gauge modification shown in figure, 3, the stopcock box or fitting, A,
in which the top of the glass gauge tube, K, is fixed has its inner end, L, in com-
munication with the interior of; the boiler, and the plug, B, is formed with a central
passage, C, entering its inner end, which is its smaller end in this example, and, (when
the plug is in the open position) communicating through a lateral port, D, with the
gauge tube, K. The central passage, C, is continued through the plug and its
spindle, F, and is closed by a screw plug, H, which also serves for fixing on the
handle, G, and which can be removed to admit an instrument for clearing the
passage, C. The plug spindle, F, is packed by means of a stuffing box, M. In a
space at the inner end of the box or fitting, A, a valve ball, N, is provided (as in some
existing boiler gauge fittings) for automatically closing the passage in the event of
the glass tube, K, breaking. In my improved apparatus this valve ball, N, will close
against the inner end of the central passage, C, in the plug, B, and the end of the plug
is bevilled with the view of facilitating the dislodging of the ball when restarting the
gange. A second port, P, is made in the plug opposite to the port, D, so that the
central passage, C, in the plug can communicate with the gauge tube, K, in opposite
positions of the plug. The fitting at the lower end of the gauge tube, K, is like that
for the upper end, but the body, A, is in addition formed with a discharge nozzle, Q,
and a socket, R, for an ordinary stopcock for blowing off. In the modification shown
in figure, 4, the inner end of the plug, B, is made square and a small passage, S, is
formed in the body, A, to communicate with a port in the side of the plug." If the
boiler pressure is holding the ball, N, against the inner end of the central passage, C,
on turning the plug into the position in which it is shown in figure, 4, the pressure
will become equalised through the passage, S, and the ball will drop down, and the
plug, B, can then be turned so as to close the passage, S.
In the modification shown in figure, 5, each plug, B, is fitted with its larger end
inwards and open to the inlet; and its central passage, C, is large enough to
admit the automatic valve ball, N, which will by the current be carried in and made
to close the port, D, in the event of the gauge tube, K, breaking. To allow of
inserting the plug, B. from the inside an inner body, T, is provided and is screwed
into the outer body, or fitting, A. In both the upper and the lower fitting the hollow
plug, B, is made with a second port, U, which is of a shape not to be closed by the
valve ball, N and in the case of the lower fitting there is also a channel, V, formed
round the inner body, T to put the gauge tube, K, in communication with the stop-
cock at R, and the blow-off nozzle, Q. With these arrangements by placing the

page_text: plugs, B, in different positions and by opening the stopcock at, R, either steam may
be allowed to blow through the gauge tube, K, or water may be blown off from the
lower communication with the boiler.
In either of the modifications shown in figures, 3, and 5, the separate blow-off stop-
cock at R, may be dispensed with, and blowing off may be effected through a separate
port, W, formed directly across the plug, B, as in the inodification shown in
figure, 6.
In the modification shown in figure, 6, the plugs, B, are placed with their axes
coincident with that of the gauge tube, K, their larger ends being towards that tube,
and their central passages, C, communicating by side ports, "D, with the boiler
passages, E. For blowing-off the body, A, of the lower fitting is made with a
nozzle, Q, and a separate port, W, is made in the plug to put the nozzle in communi-
cation with the lower boiler passage, E, the gauge tube, K, being put in communication
with the nozzle, Q, by turning the plug, B, half round.
When two gauge tubes are used beside each other, single upper and lower connec-
tions may be made with the boiler, with branches to each tube and with suitable
modifications of my improved stopcocks.
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. Constructing and combining the parts of stopcocks substantially in the improved
manner hereinbefore described with reference to figure, 1, of the accompanying
drawings.
2. Constructing and combining the parts of stopcocks substantially in the improved
manner hereinbefore described with reference to figure, 2, of the accompanying
drawings.
3. Constructing stopcocks and arranging and combining the same to form boiler
gauges in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to figures, 3,
and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
4. Constructing stopcocks and arranging and combining the same to form boiler
gauges in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to figure, 5, of
the accompanying drawings.
5. Constructing stopcocks and arranging and combining the same to form boiler
ganges in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to figure, 6, of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Fifth day of November 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.