US556094A

US556094A - Edward e

Info

Publication number: US556094A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1913-03-10

Description

(No Model.)

E. E. GOLD. THERMOSTATIG- TRAP.

Patented Mar. 1o, 1896..-

INVENTOR;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD E. GOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TH ERM-OSTATIC TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 556,094, dated March 10, 1896.

Application iiled April 6, 1895. Serial No. 544,713. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-traps for discharging water of condensation from pipes or vessels containing steam. It relates particularly to traps of that class in which the expansion or contraction of a thermostatic device is employed to effect the opening and closing of the trap-valve. The thermostatic device in this case is the discharge-tube beyond the valve, through which the steam or water of condensation is blown out. The invention hence relates to that type of thermostatic traps wherein the valve is unseated by the contraction of the outlet tube, its contraction being transmitted to the valve through the medium of a rod, exterior to the tube, and a lever, by means of which the motion communicated to said rod is multiplied and transmitted to the valve. My invention provides an improved and more perfect construction for this purpose than those heretofore devised.

Figure l of the accompanying` drawings is a vertical longitudinal mid-section of my improved trap in its preferred form as applied, for example, on a railway-car. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical mid-section thereof on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an under side view of the valve with a plan View of its operating rod or stem. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the strainer removed. Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in vertical mid-section, showing a slightly-modified construction of trap.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate the pipe or vessel containing steam, from which it is desired to discharge water of condensation. This pipe is screwed or connected to the valve-shell B of the trap. This valveshell is formed with a iixed diaphragm or partition a separating it into two chambers, the upper chamber being that with which the pipe A communicates and the lower chamber com'- municating with the outlet thermo-expansion pipe C, which constitutes the thermostatic element of the trap. The diaphragm a is formed preferably with two valve-seats, the one, b, being that of the steam-trap proper, against which the trap-valve D closes, and the other seat, c, being provided for the seating of a blow-off valve E operated by a screwstem E working through a stuffing-box in the manner common to compression or globe valves. The arrangement is such that when either valve D or E is unseated the steam or water of condensation is caused to blow out from the pipe A into the tube C, and the lower end of this tube being open it is freely discharged.

For nnseating the valve D or trap-valve the expansion or contraction of the tube C is utilized by the interposition of an outside rod F and a lever G. The rod F is connected at its lower end to the bottom of the tube O preferably through the medium of a collar d, ixed on the lower end of the tube and having an eye through which the screw-threaded lower end of the rod passes, and which is embraced between nuts c e screwed on opposite sides of the collar. The upper end of the rod F is connected by a pivot-pin f to the lever G, which latter is fulcrumed to a iixed pivotal point g, which is conveniently constructed on a collar h, which is xed to the upper portion of the tube O. The lever G enters the tube through a slot in its side, and its free end within the tube, which thus extends below the trap-valve, connects with this valve through any suitable intermediary, either directly, as shown in Fig. 6, or by the interposition of an operating rod or stem H, as shown in Fig. l.

Fig. l shows the preferred construction. The lever G is fulcrumed at its outer end to a bracket on the collar h, and its free end within the tube C is connected by a pivot-pin z' to the operating-stem H, which latter projects up within the valve opening or seat b and terminates directly beneath the valve D. This valve D is mounted on the upper side of the seat or opening, so that it closes with the steam-pressure, and in addition it is pressed down to its seat by a spring s which reacts against a cap j, by unscrewing which access may be gained to the valve for removing it.

The preferred construction of the valve is that shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It has a suit- IDD ably-yielding packingface or gasket 71: where it contacts with the scat,and for properly guiding it it is provided with wingsl Z, of which four are shown, or any other number, or in fact any other means for guiding the valve may be substituted. These wings are formed on a nut 7n screwing on the central stem of the valve for holding the gasket in place. To hold the upper end of the stem ll concentric with the valve, it is preferably provided with guiding projections or wings a fa looselyT engaging the outlet-opening. The upper end of the stem II comes close beneath the under side of the valve, so that when the tube C contracts, thereby thrusting the rod F upwardly and tilting the lever C so that its free end within the tube is moved up to a multiplied extent, the stem Il being thus thrust up strikes against and pushes up the valve D, thereby permitting the water of condensation to blow out. As soon as hot water or steam flows out it quickly heats the tube C and reexpands it, thereby pulling down the rod F and lever G and lowering the valve D to its seat, so that the outflow is stopped.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. G the valve D is arranged below the seat and closes upwardly against the steam-pressure, being closed by the elongation of the tube C, which pulls down through the rod F upon the outer arm of the lever G, and thereby throws up its inner arm which is connected to the valve. The cooling of the tube C contracts it and relieves the tension on the rod F and lever G, so that the steam-pressure is permitted to force the valve D oil from its seat, so that an outflow of water and steam occurs, and the tube (l is again expanded sufliciently to close the valve.

My improved trap is very simple in construction and very free and sensitive in its action. By mounting the lever G beneath the valve the connection is made from the exterior to the valvewithout requiring any stuiiingbox or other such complication, and without involving the frictional resistance of a stuifing-box. rlhe lever G works freely through the slot by which it enters the tube C, and no packing is required in this opening, as the steam or water is under little or 11o pressure in iiowing out beyond the valve, and little or no leakage can occur through the opening when the full area of the tube C is afforded for the escape of the water or steam. The correct adjustment of the parts is easily effeeted by turning the nuts e. In case it becomes necessary to get access to the interior of the valve-shell, the cap j may be removed, which in the construction shown in Fig. l enables the valve D to be drawn out through the top opening. lf it is necessary to get access to the lower chamber of the valve-shell, the tube (l may be unscrewed therefrom, carrying with it the collar 7L, rod F and lever G, and in the construction shown in Fig. (i carrying also the valve D, or in the construction shown in Fig. l carrying the operating-stem H. The blowoff valve E forms no novel part of my invention, and may be omitted if a means for blowing oi'f steam or water at will is not required.

To prevent the choking of the valve, or the causing of leakage by particles of dust, grit, or scale working under the valve, I provide a strainer J in Fig. l or J in Fig. f5. The strainer J is the preferred form, and consists, as shown in Fig. 5, of a short length of tubehaving slots formed in it at suitable intervals and extending down from its upper end a greater or less distance toward its bottom. The strainer fits around the upwardly-projecting valve-seat b, and its upper end rests against the under side of the cap j, which holds it in place. The bottom of the cap is rabbeted or concentrically grooved to take against the upper edge of the strainer and hold it properly centered, while its lower end is centered by fitting against the exterior of the seat projection. The cap thus serves also to close the upper ends of the slots.

By removing the cap the strainer may be lifted out through the top opening. In the construction shown in Fig. 6 the strainer .l consists of a sheet-metal cap or inverted cup having slots formed in its sides, its top being closed and a screw-cap j screwing down upon it, so that when in place it holds the strainer against displacement. Both constructions have the advantage that by the slots (or other equivalent strainer-openings) bein g arranged at the upper portion only the wateror steam passing through them is diverted upwardly, thereby tending to deposit beneath the level of the openings any heavy particles of grit or scale which may accumulate around the lower part of the chamber exterior to the strainer, and when the blow-off valve E is opened the rush of water or steam carries them out and scours out the valve-chamber. Any particles which when the trap is open may be arrested by the strainer and held by the current against the openings thereof are liable when the trap is closed and there is no current to fall by their own weight to the bottom of the strainer below the openings.

An important use of my invention is in connection with the steam-heating of railwaycars. YV ith such steam-heating systems it is customary to trap off the water of condensation which accumulates in the radiators or radiating-pipes within the car, and for this purpose a thermostatic trap is applied at the lowest point of the radiating system. Usually the drainage-pipe is carried from the ra diator down through the car-Hoor, and a trap or valve is applied beneath the floor of the car, where it will be exposed to the cooler temperature outside.

My invention admits of very conveniently mounting the trap so that it shall project through the car-loor, so that the upper or valve part shall be within the car and the lower or thermo-expansive elements shall be exposed outside the car.

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In Figs. l and 6 K designates the car-iioor and K the bottom sheathing. Coinciding holes are cut through both, and preferablya casing L is arranged to extend between the holes to maintain the air-space between the floor and sheathing as a dead-air space. The trap extends freely through this casing, a floor-plate p being preferably fitted around the trap to close the opening. The valves D and E are thus arranged within the car, where there is less liability of any liquid remaining in the pipes or trap being frozen, while the thermo-expansive outlet-tube C is for practically its entire length exposed to the external temperature beneath the car-floor, so that it is quickly cooled and the trap thereby caused to promptly drain out water of condensation. This arrangement has the further advantage that it prevents too great projection of the trap beneath the car-floor, as, if the entire trap were mounted beneath the car-iioor and were extended vertically, as is preferable, it would project undesirably low beneath the car, or else the tube C would have to be shortened to an undesirable extent.

The same advantages may be gained in heating other apartments than railwaycars wherever the apartment to be heated is separated by a floor from a cooler space beneath.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features, substantially as hereinbefore specified, namely:

l. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and a trap-valve closing against said seat, combined with an expansible outlet-tube, a rod connecting with the free end of saidV tube, and a lever engaged by said rod pivoted on a fixed fulcrum and projecting within the outlet-passage of the trap beneath said valve and engaged with the valve.

2. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and a trap-valve closing against said seat, combined with an expansible outlet-tube fastened detachably to said shell at one end, a rod connected to the opposite or free end of said tube and extending back toward its attached end, a lever engaged with said rod having its fulcrum carried by said tube, said lever arranged to project into the tube and connected at its free inner end with said valve, whereby the tube may be detached from the valve-shell, thereby carrying with it said rod, lever and fulcrum, and permittin g access to the interior of the shell.

3. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and a trap-valve above said seat and closing outwardly against it with the pressure, combined with an expansible tube connected at one end to the outlet of said shell, a rod connected to the free end of said tube, a lever arranged beneath the valve engaged by the opposite end of said rod, fulcrumed at its outer end and having its free inner end projecting within the outlet-passage of the trap and engaging beneath said valve, whereby on the contraction of said tube the rod pushes up the lever, and the free end of the lever in turn pushes up and unseats the valve.

4. A steam-trap comprising a valve-shell formed with a seat, and a trap-valve above said seat and closing outwardly against it with the pressure, combined with an ex ansible tube connected at one end to the ou et of said shell, a rod connected to the free end of said tube, a lever arranged beneath the valve engaged by the opposite end of said rod, fulcrumed at its outer end and having its free inner end projecting within the outlet-passage of the trap, and a valve-operating stem H connected to said lever and extending beneath said valve to communicate the upward movement of the lever to the valve to lift it.

5. The combination to form a steam-trap of a shell B having a transverse partition d formed with a seat-opening b, a valve D mounted over said seat, a spring s pressing the valve down against said seat, a valve formed with guidingewings Z projecting within said opening, an expansible tube C, a rod F, a lever G projecting at its free end within the outlet-passage of the trap, and a stem H connected to said lever and extending into engagement with said valve to lift it by the upward movement of the lever.

6. In a steam-trap having a valve -shell formed with a partition and a seat-opening through it, a valve closing against said seat, and a tubular strainer formed with openings confined to its upper portion and arranged to inclose said seat, the shell formed with an opening in line with said seat, and a cap closing said opening and formed with a concentric rabbet engaging the upper end of the tubular strainer to hold it down and in concentric position.

7. In a steam-trap having a valve-shell formed with a partition and a seat-opening through it, a valve closing against said seat, and a strainer consisting of a tube formed with slots extending from its upper end downwardly, its lower portion fitted around said seat, said shell formed with an opening in line with said seat, and a cap closing said opening, and formed with a rabbet engaging the slotted upper end of the strainer-tube and serving to close the slots therein and hold the tube concentrically in place.

ln witness whereof l have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDlVARD E. GOLD.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, THoMAs'F. WALLACE.

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