Improvements in Steam Traps or Apparatus for Separating Water or other Liquids from Steam Vapours or Gases..
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Mar., 1891-Accepted, 27th June, 1891:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps or Apparatus for Separating Water
or other Liquids from Steam Vapours or Gases..
I, FRANCIS ERNEST BLACKMORE of 50 Watlington Street, Reading in the
County of Berks, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a strong, effective, simple and
compact steam trap or apparatus for separating water or other liquids from steam
vapours or gases in such a manner as to effect separation automatically.
According to the said invention a vessel is provided in which the water of
condensation accumulates having an egress-pipe through which the said water is
discharged, the latter being controlled by a slide valve of peculiar construction.
The trap is also provided with an inside vessel or cup which acts as a float and
receptacle for condensed water and is connected to a sliding sleeve, which gives
motion to the said sliding valve. This valve, which is in the form of a ring.or
cylinder works or slides on a circular stem or spindle which is attached to a pipe
hanging in the centre of the trap from the cover.
The said stem is pierced by a triangular hole or outlet meeting a circular. hole
bored in the centre and parallel with the axis of the said stem and leading into the
hanging outlet pipe.
The cylindrical valve sliding on and off this triangular outlet by the motion of
the bucket, regulates the discharge of the water.
The outlet is made in the form of a triangle so as to open and shut the said
outlet very gradually, the apex of the triangle being first uncovered and the valve
continuing to slide off until the base is reached.
The sliding cylindrical valve is cut through parallel with its axis, allowing it to
close in and lessen in diameter until it fits the centre stem on. which it works,
perfectly.
The action of the trap is as follows-
The water on entering the trap flows around the outside of the cup or bucket
thereby causing it to float and rise and with it the sliding valve, which closes the
outlet. When the water has risen to the top or rim of the bucket it overflows into
the said bucket, which, when it is full or nearly full, sinks of its own weight.
In doing this the bucket slides the valve off the triangular outlet. Through this
outlet and up the centre pipe the water is driven by the pressure of steam and so
discharged from the trap.
When the right quantity of water has been discharged from the bucket to lighten
it sufficiently, it again floats, shutting the outlet valve, until it again fills. when it
goes through the same action as already described.
I wish it to be understood that the construction of the apparatus above described
may be somewhat modified without departing from the nature of my invention.
Dated this 28th day of June 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Traps or Apparatus for Separating Water
or other Liquids from Steam Vapours or Gases.
I, FRANCIS ERNEST BLACKMORE of 55 Queen's Road, Reading in the County
of Berks; 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 has for its object to provide a strong, effective, simple and
compact steam trap or apparatus for separating water or other liquids from steam
vapours or gases in such a manner as to effect separation automatically.
According to the said invention a vessel is provided in which the water of
condensation accumulates having an ingress-pipe through which the said water is
admitted and an egress-pipe through which it is discharged; the latter being
controlled by a slide valve of peculiar construction.
The trap is also provided with an inside vessel or cup which acts as a float and
receptacle for condensed water and is connected to a sliding frame which gives
motion to the said slide valve, together with certain details of construction all of
which will be fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings in
which-
Fig. 1 represents a section of the complete trap with the outlet valve shut,
Fig. 2 an enlarged view of the outlet valve open,
Fig. 3 a section on the line S of the valve stem D and
Fig. 4 the cylindrical valve E.
A is a vessel or casing in which the water of condensation accumulates, the said
vessel having in its interior an outlet valve B carried by a down-hanging pipe C.
The valve B illustrated in Fig. 2, consists of a stem D which screws into the
bottom end of outlet pipe C; on the said stem a cylindrical valve E slides freely,
being worked or operated by the sliding frame F which is retained in position by
the guide G, the said guide being attached to the lower end of the stem D by the
taper pin H. On the circumference or periphery of the stem D three flats are
cut (shown in the section Fig. 3), dividing the said periphery into three circular
faces.
One of the said faces forms the valve seating J and is perforated by a hole or
outlet K (which is preferably triangular in shape) meeting a circular hole L bored
in the centre and in the axis of the said stem. By the action of the trap, as will be
explained, the cylindrical valve E slides over and closes the triangular outlet K
and slides off and opens the said outlet.
Surrounding the valve B and attached to the sliding frame F is an open copper
bucket or float M, which in the action of the trap, rises and falls, carrying with it
the sliding cylindrical valve E.
Having described the details I will now proceed to explain the action of the trap
which is as follows-
The water on entering the trap by the inlet pipe N flows around the outside of
the bucket or float M thereby causing the said bucket to float and rise and with it
the sliding frame F. The said frame in rising forces the sliding cylindrical valve E
up over the triangular outlet K and so closes the valve. When the triangular
outlet is covered by the cylindrical valve sliding over it, the said cylindrical valve is
forced against the valve face J by the pressure of steam and so causing the outlet
to be perfectly closed so that no steam or water can escape.
When the water has risen to the top or rim of the bucket M it overflows into the
said bucket, which. when it is full or nearly full, sinks of its own weight. In doing
this the said bucket slides the cylindrical valve E off the triangular outlet K.
Through the said outlet and up the centre pipe C the water is driven by the
pressure of steam and so discharged from the trap. When the[right quantity of

page_text: water has been discharged from the bucket to make it sufficiently buoyant, it again
floats, shutting the outlet valve B, until it again fills, when it goes through the
same action as already described. For the escape of air a small weighted conical
valve is fixed in the cover of the trap, which remains open until the pressure in the
trap is sufficient to close it.
Although I have described the apparatus as used for the separation of water
from steam, it will be evident that it is applicable for the separation of liquids from
vapours or gases generally. It will further be evident that the details may be
varied without departing from the nature of this invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In apparatus for the purpose described the outlet valve constructed and
operated substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. In apparatus for the purposes described the combination of a vessel or
casing and a float or bucket enclosed therein with the outlet valve substantially as
herein before described.
Third. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1891.
FRANCIS ERNEST BLACKMORE.