US1676026A - Water gauge for steam boilers - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1928.

O. H. HARTMANN ET AL WATER GAUGE FOR STEAM BOILERS Filed March 9, 192'? 2 sheets sheet 26K 16 .11 l l I la 1 v 022011. Jfarjm Jwuemtozs July 3, 1928.

O. H. HARTMANN ET AL WATER GAUGE FOR STEAM BOILERS Filed March 9, 1927 2v s eets-sheet 2 gwomtm 21 Harjimarm,

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Patented July 3, 1928.'

OTTO H. HARTMANN AND HEINRICH MANY, ASSIGNORS TO SCHMIDTSCHE PEPER-KORN, OF KASSEL-WILHELMSHOHE, GER- HEISSDAMPF-GESELLSCHAFT, M. B. H., O!

KASSEL-WILHELMSHOHE, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

WATER GAUGE FOR STEAM BOILERS.

Application filed March 9, 1927, Serial No.

- This invention relates to Water gauges for high pressure steam boilers. In gauges designed to withstand pressure of 30 to 100 atmospheres, rupture of the glass frequently occurs, and we have found experimentally that the cause of such rupture lies not so much in the stresses due to temperature and pressure as in the stresses arising from the unequal distribution of the pressure of the retaining means on the glass.

In order to secure a more equal distribution of pressure, it has been proposed to use .a glass disk secured in place by a threaded cap having an observation opening, but this construction makes it difficult to obtain a steam-tight packing. Slotted securing plates held in place by numerous bolts or screws are commonly used, but this construction results in an unequal distribution of stresses, and makes it difficult to replace the glass in case of rupture.

The present invention aims to eliminate these objections by providing a gauge wherein the retaining means bear evenly on the glass, the stresses being automatically equalized, and wherein the task of replacement is considerably simplified.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one unit of a gauge embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a similar section showing a modified form,

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show various ways of arranging the units in use.

Referring to Figs 1 and 2, the unit consists of a body 10 having a vertical bore 11 which communicates with the interior of the boiler by means of pipes 12 and 13. Valves 14 and 15 of any suitable construction are provided to cut the unit out of communication with the boiler when desired. The unit comprises upper and lower sections 8 and 9. of which one section will now be described.

A vertical slot 16 extends from bore 11 to the front face of the body 10, and a glass 17 is fitted over the slot. The glass is held in place by a cover plate 18, provided with a slot 19 thru which the height of water may be observed. Suitable packing 20 is provided at both surfaces of the glass.

173,855, and in Germany February 20, 1926.

At the rear of the gauge and spaced from the body ,10 is a pivot pin 21 mounted in horizontal flanges 42 extending rearwardly from body 10, and equalizing levers 22 are mounted on the pivot pin. Links 23 are pivotally connected to levers 22 and to plate 18 at one side of the gauge, while at the other side are threaded links 24, pivotally connected to levers 22 and at their other ends adjustably secured in slots 30 of plate 18 by means of nuts 25. It will be seen that plate 18, lever 22, and links 23 and 24 form a retaining frame, members of which are pivotally connected together.

In order to prevent displacement of the glass 17 and packing 20, collars 26 and 27 are provided, being removably secured to plate 18 and body 10 by any suitable means, and extending entirely around the glass 17.

The portions of body 10 and plate 18 which form bearing surfaces for the glass, are raised slightly above the adjacent material. the object being to facilitate grinding of the surfaces to make them accurately plane. These bearing surfaces will of course be accurately ground before the gauge is assembled, so that the pressure on the glass will be evenly distributed, and the purpose of having the bearing surfaces raised is to permit such grinding to be done either by machine or by hand without interference from adjacent parts. If it is found necessary to grind the bearing surfaces after the gauge is assembled, this is possible by removing collars 26 and 27. If desired, the bearing surfaces may be made smaller than the glass, as by beveling the material as indicated at 28. It may also be found advantageous to bevel the edges of the glass in order to relieve them of all stresses.

In the construction justdescribed, it will be readily seen that when the nuts 25 are tightened, they will produce compression on the glass. but that the compressive stresses will be distributed by the action of lever 22, which acts as an equalizer. It should also be noted that in order to replace a broken glass it is necessary to loosen only two nuts, whereupon the links 24 may be swung laterally out of slots 30 to entirely release the retaining frame.

In the'modification shown in Fig. 3, the

retaining frame comprises hooks 31 which the component in the cover plate 18 to hold it in place. The hooks are pivoted to an equalizing bar 32, and tension is applied to them by means of a bolt 33 threaded in bar 32 and having a rounded end 34 seated in a recess at the rear of body 10. This arrangement permits the bolt to rock on its rounded end as a pivot, so as to allow the retaining frame to equalize the compression on the glass. A threaded bushing 35 is provided to prevent the bolt dropping out when the retaining frame is loosened, but is shaped to permit the bolt to rock as described above. A pin 36 engages in a slot in one of the hooks to adjustably secure it to cover plate 18.

As will be evident from Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the bolts 24 should referably be arranged at the outer edges of the gauge, so that the nuts on them will be readlly accessible.

It will be noted that the upper and lower sections 8 and 9 have upper and lower slots 19 spaced vertically from each other. In order to permit reading of water levels falling between the two slots, an arrangement such as is shown in Fig. 4 may be used, wherein two units are placed side by side in staggered relation, or the gauge may comprise three sections arranged as shown in Fig. 5. A further possible arrangement is shown in Fig. 6, where two sections are disposed in inclined overlapping relation to perrpit reading the gauge at. any possible leve Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A water gauge for high pressure boilers, comprising a hollow member adapted to be connected to a boiler and havin a longitudinally extending aperture, a g ass fitted over said aperture, and a frame for retaining said glass in position, said frame consisting of members pivotally connected together end to end in series, with one of the intermediate frame members bearing on said hollow member.

2. A water gauge for high pressure boilers comprising a hollow member adapted to be connected to a boiler and havin a longitudinally extending aperture, a g ass fitted over said aperture, and a frame for retainengage in notches ing said glass in position, said frame comprising an equalizing member pivoted on the hollow member a cover plate engaging the side of the glass opposite the aperture, and links connecting the equalizing member with the cover plate.

3. A water gauge as recited in claim 1, wherein the hollow member and the frame are provided with plane bearing surfaces for said glass, the said surfaces being raised to facilitate accurate machining, and comprising in addition a pair of collars adapted to prevent lateral displacement of the glass, said collars being removable to permit accurate machining of said surfaces.

4. A water gauge for high-pressure boilers. comprising a hollow member adapted to be connected to a boiler and having a longitudinally extending aperture, a glass fitting over the said aperture, a frame for retaining said glass in position, said frame being connected pivotally with the hollow member, the hollow member and the frame being provided with plane bearing surfaces for said glass, the said surfaces being raised to facilitate accurate machining, and collars adapted to prevent lateral displacement of the glass, said collars being removable to permit accurate machining of said surfaces.

5. A water gauge as recited in claim 1,

in which the frame comprises an equalizing member pivoted to the hollow member, a cover plate, a link connecting the equalizing member with the cover plate, a second link pivotally secured to the equalizing member and detachably secured to the cover plate, and threaded means co-operating with said second link to press the said cover plate toward the said hollow member.

6. A gauge comprising a tubular member adapted to be connected to a container and having a longitudinal aperture, a transparent member fitted over said aperture, a cover plate having a sight opening and having a raised surface contacting with the outer surface of said transparent member, and means for holding said raised surface against said transparent member.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures.

OTTO H. HARTMANN. HEINRICH PEPERKORN.

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