Improvements in Gauge Glass Mountings.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gauge Glass Mountings.
.".
I, ALBION VILE, of 2; Denton Road, Canton, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Marine 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 the mounting of gauge glasses under pressure such
as are used upon boilers and is designed to effect such a joint between the gauge,
glass and the mountings and a rigid extension joint between the mountings them-
selves, that under no circumstances of variable internal pressure upon the mountings
and gauge glass,, as in blowing off, nor in ordinary use shall there be direct end or
high lateral pressure upon the gauge glass, and further by a metallic extension piece.
surrounding the gauge glass in direct metallic continuity with the mountings, a
high and more uniform temperature shall be maintained outside the gauge glass,
thus obviating the common risk of fracture to the gauge glass during work or whilst
blowing off.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the drawing annexed hereto and to the letters
and figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an external side elevation of my improved gauge glass mountings.
Fig. 2 is a front sectional view showing details of gauge glass joints.
A is the ordinary gauge glass suitable for carrying a large internal pressure. The
mountings B B are of the usual construction, having the usual valves or cocks b b
and a waste pipe C on the lower mounting for blowing through the gauge glass.
The joints about the ends of the gauge glass are similar for each end and consist
of a cupped or hat washer D of a suitable elastic material, which will stand the
pressure of high pressure steam, such as Woodite. The edges d of the cup or hat
washer fitting the gauge glass are brought to a knife edge, so that the steam or other
internal pressure will itself make a sliding steam and water tight joint upon the
gauge glass; the flanges d' of the washer comes home upon the turned edges of the
mountings.
The flanges of the said washers are pressed home upon the mountings B B through
intermediate covering washers E E by the extension of a slotted metallic extension
piece F and a screwed nut or bush G, which engages with a screwed thread H on the
said extension piece F. The nut or bush G is provided with bars or projections or
other devices to enable the said nut or bush to be easily turned by the hand, thus
avoiding the use of any special spanner or tool to screw up or to disengage the gauge
glass.
It is obvious that when the nut G is turned so as to thrust apart the
washers E, a firm steam tight joint is made up on the flanges d' of the cup pieces D
directly upon the faces of the fixed mountings B and this without any strain what-
ever upon the gauge glass A itself, the cup ends d of the washers D making
automatically a sliding steam tight joint upon the gauge glass. One end of the
extension piece and the nut G are revolvably connected with their respective
washers E by set screws K working in circumferential grooves.
When it is desired to blow out the gauge glass and the internal pressure is
relieved, both from the gauge glass and the mountings, it is obvious that there

page_text: would be a tendency for the mountings, which have been kept apart by internal
pressure, to close sharply together, and upon the gauge glass, in such cases where
the gauge glass directly beds upon the mountings. In my improved device such
closing of the mountings, when internal pressure is removed, is resisted by the rigid
metallic extension piece F, and the glass is preserved from any sudden strain or
change of stress.
As also the tubular extension piece F is metallically in contact with the heated
mountings, it will itself become equally warm and will tend to maintain an equality
of temperature outside and about the gauge glass as exists inside.
The extension piece F is provided with various slots through which the gauge glass
may be seen and the interior of the extension piece F may be glazed white or in
colours to render the gauge glass and contents more easily observable if desired. The
extension piece F may be fixed in any angular position so that the slots therein are
presented in any convenient direction for the observation of the gauge glass.
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 what I
claim is:
First. In a gauge glass and mountings for carrying high internal pressure means
for making a rigid steam tight joint between opposing metal faces on each of the
fixed mountings, to relieve the gauge glass from all longitudinal stress from the
mountings or the steam joint.
Second. The combination with a gauge glass and mountings for carrying high
internal pressure of a rigid metallic extension piece, adapted to elongate by screw
thread and nut or other means, so as to effect a rigid steam joint between opposing
faces of the rigid mountings, substantially as described.
Third. In combination a gauge glass, rigid mountings controlled by usual cocks,
cup pieces or hat washers fitting over ends of said gauge glass, collars making joints
on flanges of said hat washers and metallic faces of mountings, and a tubular ex-
tension piece surrounding said gauge glass and fitted with screwed collar or nut,
-adapted to elongate to make said steam tight joint between collars, washers and faces
of rigid mountings, substantially as and for the purposes described.
· Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.