Improvements in Steam Traps.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug.. 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
Improvements in Steam Traps.
WILLIAM GEIPEL of 49 Kidbrooke Park Road, Blackheath Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in steam traps, that is to say apparatus
for automatically draining the condensed water from steam pipes or other steam
receptacles, and relates particularly to expansion traps, that is to say those which are
operated by the unequal expansion of the metal or metals of which the trap is
constructed.
The object of the invention is mainly to make a more reliable & durable
apparatus.
It is found that in traps worked on the expansion system such for example as the
trap described in the Specification of a Patent No. 7860 dated 18th April 1893, or
that in Specification No. 995 dated 8th January 1884 or No. 1876 dated 18th July
1871, & others that if the valve is set to work with a certain steam pressure &
this pressure happens to be increased & with it therefore the temperature, there is
consequently extra expansion, which causes straining of the trap or damage to the
valve face. Or this may cause a permanent set in the trap, so that it requires
re-adjustment for working at the lower pressure again, otherwise there may be con-
tinual leakage of steam.
To overcome this difficulty, I make use of a helical spring, or springs, so arranged
that when the expansion exceeds the desired limit, it extends, or compresses, or
otherwise acts on the spring instead of straining the trap as above set forth.
I apply this improvement to my own trap, described in Specification No 7860
1893, Fig. 6, as follows:-Instead of the nut on the valve spindle being fixed by the
top bracket, I place the helical spring round the valve spindle, so that it presses the
valve home to its seat. In order that the valve shall not follow its seat beyond a
certain point, at which it is desired the trap shall begin to discharge, I arrange a nut
on the spindle which catches on the top of the bracket, and so holds the valve open.
When steam blows through, the valve is closed, while if there be too much movement
due to the pressure of steam being higher than that which is necessary to cause the
mere closing of the valve, then the helical spring is compressed, which action saves
the straining of the trap, or cutting of the valve face.
A similar arrangement of spring may be applied to the traps described in Specifi-
cations No 995 (1884) and No 1876 (1871) and others.
I do not bind myself to apply the spring at the valve itself. In some cases I may
transmit the pressure of the spring to the valve by means of a lever or system of
levers, as is customary in some kinds of steam safety valves. In other cases I may
arrange the springs in the frame of the trap itself. Neither do I bind myself to the
CPQ77

page_text: use of the helical spring so far as concerns my own steam trap described in Specifi-
cation No. 7860 1893 to which other forms of springs may obviously be applied; for
example, the bracket may be made, so as itself to provide the necessary elastic
property.
In some cases I may add to the lever, which may be used for transmitting the
pressure of the spring to the valve, a handle, so that the pressure of the spring may
be relieved by hand, so as to cause the trap to blow through, while steam is in it;
& I may use a stop or catch to hold the lever thus permanently while the hand is
removed.
P
I, WILLIAM GEIPEL, of 49 Kidbrook Park Road, Blackheath, in the County of
London, Electrical 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 :--
86
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 object to provide steam traps of this kind which shall be
inore reliable and durable than those heretofore in use, and which shall also be
readily accessible and capable of being easily repaired.
It is found that in steam traps worked on the expansion principle, such as the
traps described in the Specification of my Patent No. 7860 dated 18th April 1893, or
that described in Specification No. 995 dated 8th January 1884, or Specification
No. 1876 dated 18th July 1871, and others of a like kind, if the valve is set to work
with a certain steam pressure and this pressure, and therefore the temperature,
happens to be increased, there is consequently extra expansion which causes straining
of the trap, or damage to the valve face. Or the trap may in this way have a
permanent set imparted to it, so that it requires re-adjustment before it will again
operate to prevent the discharge of steam at the lower pressure, otherwise there will
be continual leakage of steam.
Now this invention has reference to improved constructions and arrangements of
means designed to obviate this disadvantage, as I will now proceed to explain by
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing my present invention applied to a steain trap of
the kind shown in and described with reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 6 of my said
former Specification No. 7860 of 1893. and-Fig. 1-is--a--section-on-the-line-x x-of
Fig.1.
In-this-ease,-instead-of-serewing-the--valve--spindle-a--through-the-bracket-b-and
fixing-it-by-a-nut-bearing-against-the--bracket,--as--in-the--arrangement--shown--in
a-hole-c-in-the-bracket-and-is-surrounded-by-a--helical-or-coiled-spring-d--that--is
arranged-between-a-washer-e-resting-against-the-bracket,-and-a-collar-f-fixed-on-the
spindle-the-arrangement-being-such-that-normally-the-spring--presses-the-valve-a
Fig. 6-of-my said-former-specification, the-spindle-is-arranged to pass-freely through
on-its-seat. In-order-that-the-valve-shall-not-follow--its-seat-during--contraction,
beyond-a predetermined-point-at-which-it-is--desired-the--trap--shall-begin-te--dis-
charge, there-is-arranged-on-the-valve-spindle-us-a-nut-g--which--then-abuts-against

page_text: the-top-of-the-bracket-b-and-so-helds-the-valve-open-The-extent of opening-of-the
valve-at-this-time-can-be-vare l-by-serowing the valve--spindle, which-is-provided
with-a-hand-wheel-more-or-less--through--the--nat-g--which--nots-as-an-adjustable
step-to-limit-the inward-endways-motion-of-the-valve-spindle--and-valve.
The-action-of-the-improved-steam-trap-is-as-follows-
Upon-steam-blowing-through-the-discharge-pipe h-of-the--trap, the--valve-a¹-will,
in-eonsequence-of-the-unequal-expansion-of-the-pipe-h-and-the--rod-is-be-closed, and
should-the-expansion-of-the-tabs-h--and--consequent--movement-of--the--valve-sent
exeeed-the-predetermined-limit,-due-te-the-pressure-and-consequent-temperature--of
the-s eam-being-higher-than-that-which-is-necessary to--eanse--the--mere-elesing-of
the-valve,-or-for-other-reasons--there--should--be--excessive--movement-of-the-valve
seat, then-the-belieal-spring-d-will-be-eompressed-and--allow-the-valve-to-yield, thus
obviating-straining-of-the-trap-or cutting-of-the-valve-face.
Fig. 2-is-a-central longitudinal-section-partly-in-elevation--showing--how-such-an
Arrangement-of-spring-ean be-applied-to-a-steam-trap-tf-the--kind--de eribed-in-the
said-former-Specification-No.-1870-of-1871.
In-this--ens--d--is--the--helical-spring
surrounding the valve-spindle-a-and-acting-to--normally-press--the-valve--a--either
home-against-its-seat-h-en-the-adjacent-end-of-the-expansion--tube--h;-or-against--a
step-g,-on-the-end-of-the-valve-spindle,-aecording-as-the-trap-is-shut-or-open. The
stop-gi-is-eonfined-within-a-recess-in-the--valve--a'--by-a-cover--a²--serewed--on--the
valve. The-action-of-this-improved-trap-is-the-same-as-that-hereinbefore-described
with-referenee-to-the-trap-shown-in--Fig. 1. The--spring- d--may, if-desired,--be
arranged-round-the-spindle-a-outside--the--glond,-after-the--manner--illustrated--in
Fig. Asimilar-arrangement-of-spring--valve-may-be--applied -te--the-steam--trap
deseribed-and-shown-in-Specification No. 995 of 1884-and--ther--traps-of-this-class.
In-eneh-of-the-arrangements-shown in Figs. 1-and-2,-it-will-be-seen-that-the-valve
spindle-ean-be-serewed-ontward-against-the-action-of--the-spring, so-as-to--hold--the
valve-in-the--open--position--and--allow--steam-to--blow--through--the--trap--when
necessary
I-do-not-limit-myself-to-applying-the-spring--at--the--valve-itself. In-some-cases
I-may-transmit-the-pressure-of-the-spring-to-the-valve-of-a--trap-of-the-kind-herein
specified,-by-means-of-a-lever-or-system-of levers.
Fig-3-is-a-side-elevation-showing-sach-an-arrangement-applied-to-a-steam-trap-of
the-kind-described-in-my-said-former-Specification-No. 7860-of-1803-and-Fig. 4-is-a
similar-view,-but-partly--in--section--showing-a--similar--arrangement-applied--to--a
trap,
of-the-kind-described-in the-said-former-Specification-No.-1876-of-1871.
In these this figures k is a lever pivoted at k¹, one of its arms bearing against the
valve spindle a while its other end is acted upon by the coiled spring d which
encircles a stud and is arranged between the body of the trap and the lever. y are
adjustable nuts on the stud to limit the extent of outward movement of the corre-
sponding arm of the lever, and consequently the normal extent of opening of the
valve. It will be seen that the spring cannot press the lever further outward than
the nuts will allow, so that when the lever is in the out ward position, the contraction
of the tubes h opens the valve and allows the discharge to take place. Should there
be excessive expansion of the tubes, the lever / simply compresses the spring d thus
avoiding straining of the trap or cutting of the valve face. The principle upon which
motion is given to the free ent of the pair of tubes h is not here claimed as new. It
is clearly explained in the specification of my above mentioned former Patent No 7860
of 1893, and, as will be seen f. om the drawings, in the application of my present
invention, the valve a' is pla ed at the free end of the said pair of tubes h
Fig. 2 shows a similar arrangement to that represented in Fig. 1 3, but in which
the lever is acted upon by a flat spring d' instead of a coiled spring.
The lever in the arrangement shown in Figs. 13, 4 and 2 o may be extended, as
shewn at k², to form a handle by depressing which the valve a' can be left free to
move away from its seat and permit steam to blow through the trap for any desired
length of time.
So far as concerns the steam traps described in my said prior Specification

page_text: No. 7860 of 1893, I do not limit myself to the use of the helical spring, nor-to-the
combination with-the-trap-of-a-spring-and-lever--as--shown-in-Figs. 1-3--and-2-5,-as
other forms of springs may obviously be applied,-for example-the-bracket-b-Fig. 1
may-be-made-so-as-itself-to-provide-the-necessary elastie-property.
It will be obvious that the springs must in each case be of sufficient
strength to hold the valve against the pressure of steam for which the trap is
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do not
claim broadly the use in a steam trap of a spring arranged to obviate the straining of
the trap or damage to the valve face when the trap is subjected to excessive steam
pressure, but that what I do claim is :-
1.-The-combination-with-the-valve-of-a--steam--trap--constructed-as--deser.bed -in
the Specification-of-Letters-Patent-No.-7860-of--1803,--of--a--spring--arranged -and
operating-substantially-as-hereinbefore-described-with--reference--to--and--shown--in
Fig-of the-drawings-annexed.
2.-The combination with the-valve-of-a--steam--trap-construeted as--described--in
the Specification-of Letters Patent Ne. 1876-of-1871-or-in-the Specification-of Letters
Patent-No.-005 of 1884-or other expansion-traps of a--like--kind,-et-a-helical-spring
arranged-and-operating substantially-as-hereinbefore-described-with-reference-to-and
shown in Fig.-2-cf-the drawing-annexed.
3. The combination with the valve of a steam trap of either-of the kinds described
in the Specification of Letters Patent No 7860 of 1893 herein-referred-te, of a lever
and spring arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference respectively to and shown in Fig. 1 3;-in-Fig--4, and in Fig. 2 of the
drawings annexed
Dated thin 0th dow of Aunt 100%
Dated this 9th day of August 199
10
For the Applicant
W. LLOYD WISE
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C. Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Steam Traps.
WILLIAM GEIPEL of 49 Kidbrooke Park Road, Blackheath Kent, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in steam traps, that is to say
apparatus for automatically draining the condensed water from steam pipes or
other steam receptacles, and relates particularly to expansion traps, that is to say
those which are operated by the unequal expansion of the metal or metals of which
the trap is constructed.
The object of the invention is mainly to make a
more reliable & durable
apparatus.
It is found that in traps worked on the expansion system such for example as
the trap described in the Specification of a Patent No. 7860 dated 18th April
1893, or that in Specification No. 995 dated 8th January 1884 or No. 1876 dated
18th July 1871, & others that if the valve is set to work with a certain steam
pressure & this pressure happens to be increased & with it therefore the
temperature, there is consequently extra expansion, which causes straining of
the trap or damage to the valve face. Or this may cause a permanent set in
the trap, so that it requires re-adjustment for working at the lower pressure again,
otherwise there may be continual leakage of steam.
To overcome this difficulty, 1 make use of a helical spring, or springs, so
arranged that when the expansion exceeds the desired limit, it extends, or
compresses, or otherwise acts on the spring instead of straining the trap as above
set forth.
I apply this improvement to my own trap described in Specification No. 7860
1893, Fig. 6, as follows:-Instead of the nut on the valve spindle being fixed by
the top bracket, I place the helical spring round the valve spindle, so that it
presses the valve home to its seat. In order that the valve shall not follow its
seat beyond a certain point, at which it is desired the trap shall begin to discharge,
I arrange a nut on the spindle which catches on the top of the bracket, and so
holds the valve open. When steam blows through, the valve is closed, while if
there be too much movement due to the pressure of steam being higher than that
which is necessary to cause the mere closing of the valve, then the helical spring
is compressed, which action saves the straining of the trap, or cutting of the
valve face.
A similar arrangement of spring may be applied to the traps described in
Specifications No. 995 (1884) and No. 1876 (1871) and others.
I do not bind myself to apply the spring at the valve itself. In some cases
I may transmit the pressure of the spring to the valve by means of a lever or
system of levers, as is customary in some kinds of steam safety valves. In other
cases I may arrange the springs in the frame of the trap itself. Neither do I bind
myself to the use of the helical spring so far as concerns my own steam trap
described in Specification No. 7860 1893 to which other forms of springs may
obviously be applied; for example, the bracket may be made, so as itself to provide
the necessary elastic property.
In some cases I may add to the lever, which may be used for transmitting the
pressure of the spring to the valve, a handle, so that the pressure of the spring

page_text: may be relieved by hand, so as to cause the trap to blow through, while steam is in
it; & 1 may use a stop or catch to hold the lever thus permanently while the
hand is removed.
Dated this 8th day of November 1894.
Improvements in Steam Traps.
I, WILLIAM GEIPEL, of 49 Kidbrook Park Road, Blackheath, in the County
of London, Electrical 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 object to provide steam traps of this
kind which shall be more reliable and durable than those heretofore in use,
and which shall also be readily accessible and capable of being easily repaired.
It is found that in steam traps worked on the expansion principle, such as the
traps described in the Specification of my Patent No. 7860 dated 18th April 1893,
or that described in Specification No. 995 dated 8th January 1884, or Specification
No. 1876 dated 18th July 1871, and others of a like kind, if the valve is set to
work with a certain steam pressure and this pressure, and therefore the temperature,
happens to be increased, there is consequently extra expansion which causes
straining of the trap, or damage to the valve face. Or the trap may in this
way have a permanent set imparted to it, so that it requires re-adjustment before
it will again operate to prevent the discharge of steam at the lower pressure,
otherwise there will be continual leakage of steam.
Now this invention has reference to improved constructions and arrangements
of means designed to obviate this disadvantage, as I will now proceed to explain
by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing my present invention applied to a steam trap
of the kind shown in and des-ribed with reference to Fig. 6 of my said former
Specification No. 7860 of 1893; and Fig. 1 is a section on the line of
Fig. 1.
In this case, instead of screwing the valve spindle a through the bracket b and
fixing it by a nut bearing against the bracket, as in the arrangement shown in
Fig. 6 of my said former Specification, the spindle is arranged to pass freely
through a hole c in the bracket and is surrounded by a helical or coiled spring d
that is arranged between a washer e resting against the bracket, and a collar / fixed
on the spindle, the arrangement being such that normally the spring presses the
valve a' on its seat. In order that the valve shall not follow its seat during
contraction, beyond a predetermined point at which it is desired the trap shall
begin to discharge, there is arranged on the valve spindle a, a nut g which then
abuts against the top of the bracket band so holds the valve open. The extent
of opening of the valve at this time can be varied by screwing the valve spindle,
which is provided with a hand wheel, more or less through the nut g, which acts as
an adjustable stop to limit the inward endways motion of the valve spindle and
valve.
The action of the improved steam trap is as follows:-
Upon steam blowing through the discharge pipe h of the trap, the valve a' will,
in consequence of the unequal expansion of the pipe h and the rod i, be closed,
and should the expansion of the tube h and consequent movement of the valve seat

page_text: exceed the predetermined limit, due to the pressure and consequent temperature of
the steam being higher than that which is necessary to cause the mere closing
of the valve, or for other reasons there should be excessive movement of the valve
seat, then the helical spring d will be compressed and allow the valve to yield, thus
obviating straining of the trap or cutting of the valve face.
Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section partly in elevation showing how such an
arrangement of spring can be applied to a steam trap of the kind described in the
said former Specification No. 1876 of 1871. In this case d is the helical spring
surrounding the valve spindle a and acting to normally press the valve al either
home against its seat on the adjacent end of the expansion tube h, or against a
stop on the end of the valve spindle, according as the trap is shut or open.
The stop g' is confined within a recess in the valve a' by a cover a screwed on the
valve. The action of this improved trap is the same as that herein before described
with reference to the trap shown in Fig. 1. The spring may, if desired, be
arranged around the spindle a outside the gland, after the manner illustrated in
Fig. 1. A similar arrangement of spring valve may be applied to the steam
trap described and shown in Specification No. 995 of 1884 and other traps of this
class.
In each of the arrangements shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the
valve spindle can be screwed outward against the action of the spring, so as to
hold the valve in the open position and allow steam to blow through the trap
when necessary.
I do not limit myself to applying the spring at the valve itself. In some cases
I may transmit the pressure of the spring to the valve of a trap of the kind herein
specified, by means of a lever or system of levers.
g are
Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing such an arrangement applied to a steam trap
of the kind described in my said former Specification No. 7860 of 1893 and Fig. 4
is a similar view, but partly in section showing a similar arrangement applied to a
trap, of the kind described in the said former Specification No. 1876 of 1871. In
these figures is a lever pivoted at k¹, one of its arins bearing against the valve
spindle a while its other end is acted upon by the coiled spring d which encircles a
stud and is arranged between the body of the trap and the lever.
adjustable nuts on the stud to limit the extent of outward movement of the
corresponding arm of the lever, and consequently the normal extent of opening of
the valve. It will be seen that the spring cannot press the lever further outward
than the nuts will allow, so that when the lever is in the outward position, the
contraction of the tubes h opens the valve and allows the discharge to take
place. Should there be excessive expansion of the tubes, the lever k simply
compresses the spring d thus avoiding straining of the trap or cutting of the
valve face.
Fig. 5 shows a similar arrangement to that represented in Fig. 3, but in which
the lever is acted upon by a flat spring d' instead of a coiled spring.
The lever k in the arrangement shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 may be extended,
as shewn at k², to form a handle by depressing which the valve a¹ can be left
free to move away from its seat and permit steam to blow through the trap for any
desired length of time.
So far as concerns the steam traps described in my said prior Specification
No. 7860 of 1893, I do not limit myself to the use of the helical spring, nor to the
combination with the trap of a spring and lever as shewn in Figs. 3
and 5, as other forms of springs may obviously be applied, for example the
bracket Fig. 1 may be made so as itself to provide the necessary elastic
property.
It will be obvious that the springs must in each case be of sufficient strength to
hold the valve against the pressure of steam for which the trap is required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that I do not

page_text: claim broadly the use in a steam trap of a spring arranged to obviate the straining
of the trap or damage to the valve face when the trap is subjected to excessive
steam pressure, but that what I do claim is :-
1. The combination with the valve of a steam-trap constructed as described in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 7860 of 1893, of a spring arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in
Fig. 1 of the drawings annexed.
2. The combination with the valve of a steam trap constructed as described in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 1876 of 1871 or in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 995 of 1884 or other expansion traps of a like kind, of a
helical spring arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing annexed.
3. The combination with the valve of a steam trap of either of the kinds herein
referred to, of a lever and spring arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference respectively to and shown in Fig. 3, in Fig. 4, and
in Fig. 5 of the drawings annexed.
Dated thin och de
1005
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.