US114257A - Improvement in steam-traps - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheetz JAMES H. BLEssiNe. Improvement in Steam-Traps.

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Patented May 2, i871.

JAMES H. eLEsslNe. zsheetsfsheet@ Improvement lin Steam-Traps.

N0. 114,257. Patented May 2,1871.

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JAMES H. BLESSING, 0E ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELE AND FREDERICK TOWNSEND, 0F SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 114,257, dated May 2, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN Sl'EAlVl-TRAPS.

The Schedule referred to ln these Letters Patent and making part of the saine.

To all whom it Imay concern Be it known that I, JAMES H. BLEssiNG, of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Steam-Trap; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, plate 1, is an elevation ofone side of the case of the trap, showing the receiving and dischargy" ing hot-water valvebox.

' Figure 2, plate 1, is a vertical section through a valve-box for receiving and discharging the actuating agent.

Figure 3, plate 1, is a view of onel side of the valvebox of tig. 2, showing the mechanism for trippingr the valves in this box. Y

-Fgu're 4, plate 2, is a vertical section' taken centrally through the trap-case, and its two valve-boxes and exihle diaphragm.

Similar letters of reference indicate parts in the several figures.

The object of my invention is to so construct a trap,- to be used in combination with apparatus for heating buildings by steam, that the water of condensation will be automatically forced back again into the boiler, thus keeping the latter constantly supplied with pure hot water, as will be hereinafter explained.

corresponding my invention, I will explain its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawing- A represents a case, which is preferably made of two concavo-convexplates, bolted together by their anges, as shown in tig. 4. This case A contains Within it a iiexible diaphragm, S, which divides it into two apartments, T T', between which there is no communication whatever;

The diaphragm S is constructed ofwater-proof canvas c c, rubber c* c4, and an interposed filling of felt, or other suitable non-conducting substance in lieu of the felt. The object of this non-conducting flexible diaphragm will he hereinafter explained.

Theend ofthe water-pipe containing the hot water which was condensed' in the heat-radiating coils or conduits of the warming apparatus is connected ati to one end of the valve-box C, which is fastened to case A so as` to communicate by way of passage a with the apartment T on one side of diaphragm S.

Directly above inlet-pipe 'i is a partition, 1.1', having a seat for receiving an inlet-valve, V, the stem of which is received into the bore of an adjusting handwheel stein, R, as shown in iig. 1, plate 1.

Between the partition k', which is perforated and provided with an outlet, L, of the valvesbox C, is au- To enable others skilled in the art to understandother partition, k, which is perforated and provided with an outlet, V', beneath which the hot water es- Capes on its way back to the boiler as this water 1s forced out of the apartment T through passage a.

The valve V prevents the *hot water from passing back to the boiler from the valve-box, and the valveV V' preventsthe hot water in pipe L from passing back into the valve-box.

By means 'of a anged hub, c2, the diaphragm 1s centrally secured to a rod, D, which rod passes through a cylindrical chamber, b, inclosed in a tube, N, which tube has a stuiing-box, s, of suitable description applied to its outer end, through which the rod'l) passes, as shown in fig. 4.

The tube N communicates with the apartment T of' case A, and also with a chamber, E, which'is contained within a valve-box, B, constructed on top of the tube N.

In the center of the chamber E is an oscillating rocking va1ve-trip, e, which is applied fast on a horizontal transverse stem, P, carrying on its outer end a slotted collar,- p, shown in fig. 3.

On the extremities of the trip e the free ends of pivoted valve-lifters f q rest.

The valvedifter f receives upon it the bifurcated end of the valve-stem h2 of a receiving-valve, h, which when lifted allows either water, air, or ste-ain, under pressure, to enter the chamber E through a receiving passage, x.

The valve-lifter g passes through the stem hfi of a valve, h, which latter is intended for closing an outlet or waste-passage, 0.

The springs t tin caps d d operate respectively u pon the valve-stems h2 h3 to keep the valves down upon their seat when they are not acted on by the lifting devices.

To the outer end of the rod D an arm, F, is rigidly secured, the outer end of which is reduced, screwthreaded, and provided with a nut.

On this reduced end of' arm E the slotted end n' of a connecting-rod, n, is applied so as to slide freely, limited only by th'e length of the slot.

The opposite end of the rod n is pivoted to the lower shortest arm of a. vertically-vibrating loaded arm, w, which has a weight, W. applied on its upper end, as shown in iig; 3.

I have thus described the several parts constituting my improved steam-trap. The operation is as fol# lows:

The trap is adjusted in communication with 'a system of steam-heating pi pes or coils so that the water of condensation can pass into the apartment T of case A, through valve-b`o (l, and out again through the pipe L leading to the boiler.

On the opposite side of the case A a pipe leading trom a hydrant, a, reservoir, or other suitable source from which a head ot' water can be conveniently obtained, is put in communication with the inlet-passage X, above valvefh, so that when this valve h is raised (the opposite or outlet-valve hl being shut) the water under pressure will rush through chamber E, through passage I), and into the apartment '1" of case A. The outlet-pipe O may be carried olf whereverrit may7 be convenient to discharge the waste water.

The steam from the boiler is admitted to the system of heat-radiating. pipes or coils above referred to, and as it passes through them and is constant-ly e'ondensing,-the hot water resnltingfrom the condensation is forced from the waste-pipe by the pressure of steam through the opening closed by valve V into the valvebox C, and thence into the/apartment T of case A, thus pushing the diaphragm S inward and lilling the case. Now if, on the other side of the case A, the actuating agent above named be admitted by lifting valve 7L, it will pass through chambers E and b into the case A on the opposite or empty side of the diaphragm, and if' the pressure besucient it will push the diaphragm back again, and thus force the hot water, previously received into the case, out through passage a' into valve-box G, and thence beneath valve V', and into the boiler' again.

The loaded lever 'w has its fulcrum loosely on the stem P ofthe valve-trip e, and passes through an enlarged slot made vertically through the collar 11, which is fast on the said stem. Now, as the diaphragm is pressed toward valve-box B by the accumulation of water and force of steam in apartment T, the arm F on the red D moving outward will carry with it the loaded lever w, until the weight W passes a vertical plane, intersecting the' axis of i stem P, when the weightWwill fall to one'side and lift the valve h, (the valve h* beingshut,) and thus establish a communication between the apartment '1" and the actuating agent.

The force thus brought to act on that side of the diaphragm next the apartment T will force the diaphragm toward the valve-box C,'shut valve V, and open valve V', thus compelling the hot water in apartment 'l to ow back into the boiler.

`lWhen the apartment T is thus emptied and the diaphragm and its rod D have moved the loaded lever w past a vertical plane, the weight W will fall to one side and liftthc valve hl., close valve li, and thus allow the water in the apartment T to pass olf freely through outlet O, whilethe apartment T is being again filled with hot water.

In this way and by these means the operation goes on automaticallyand constantly to repeat itself.

The diaphragmS receives ou one side hot water and on the other side cold water, consequently, by making this diaphragm a non-conductor of heat, the temperature of the hot Water while in the case A will not be materially reduced. A

instead ot'a attened Caseland a flexible diaphragm, as hereinabove described, a cylinder' having a piston working in it may be employed, and is considered by me the equivalent of the case and diaphragm.

Having described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. l'lhe non-conducting diaphragm S, or its equivalent, working in a case, A, in combination with inlet and outlet-valves applied to said case on opposite sides ol' said diaphragm, and operating substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the case A, or its equivalent, of the hot-water valve-box C, containing inletvalve V- and outlet-valve V', and communicating by way of passage a, with the hot-water apartment T, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the diaphragm-case A, the receiving and'discharging-valve box B, the diaphragmrod D, and suitable valvelifting devices, operating automatically on the valves in said box, substantially as described.

4. The non-conducting diaphragm S, made iexible, substantially as described.

' JAMES H. BLESSING..

VVituesses JOHN BRENNAN, JNO. W. MGNAMARA.

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