US848390A - Steam-trap. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907 J. E. L. OGDEN.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.17, 1906.

partition (Z.

JOHN EDWARD LElVIS OGDEN, OF LISOARD, ENGLAND.

STEAM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'fatented rli'arcn 26, 1907.

Application filed November 17,1906. Serial No. 343,867.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN EDW'ARD Lnwrs OGDEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Penshurst, Lincoln Drive, Liscard, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-traps of the expansion type, my object being to construct such appliances from a few simple and conveniently-arranged parts that shall be capable of working with reliability and efliciency with either high or low pressure steam.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a convenient form of steam-trap constructed in accordance with this invention, while Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification of the same trap.

The same reference-letters in the two views indicate the same or similar parts.

I provide, in the example shown at Fig. 1, an outer tube or casing, such as a, which is screwed at one end into a casting orfitting containing admission and exhaust ports, as b and 0, respectively. This casting or fitting is divided into two chambers by a diagonal The inlet or admission port I) communicates with one of these chambers, as e, which I shall call the admission-chamber, and the exhaust-port a communicates with the other chamber, as f, which I shall call the discharge-chamb er. An exp ansiontube g, constructed of brass or some other metal having a high coefficient of expansion, is arranged within the outer tube a. This expansion-tube g passes through the partition (I just mentioned, so as to communicate with the inlet-chamber e. The annular space between the outer tube and the expansion tube communicates with the dischargechamber f. The other end of the expansiontube is provided with a valve-seat h, which receives a valve i, adapted to control the outflow of fluid from the expansion-tube g.

The said valve is mounted on a. stem or spindle j, passing through the cap 76 of the valve-containing chamber Z, to which the outer tube a is attached. The annular space between the outer tube a and the expansiontube 9 communicates with this valve-chamber. Aleverm is arranged, as illustrated, in combination with a spring a to exert pressure on the valve-stem j, and so force the valve toward its seat. The lever is, however,

also provided with a pin or adjustable stop 0 to limit the motion of the lever due to the action of the spring.

When the expansion-tube g contains steam, unless this steam is at a very low pressure the expansion of the tube will be such that the valve-seat and the valve will be in contact with each other. The stem 7' will also be in contact with the lever m. W hen, however, the expansiontube contains nothing but water, or a certain amount of water at a relatively low temperature, the tube will be so much contracted as 'to withdraw the seat from the valve, the valve being kept off its seat by the fluid-pressure within the expansion-tube and the spring being unable to force the .valve against its seat owing to the stop 0 provided on the lever. It follows that the water can escape past the valve-seat and flow down to the discharge-chamberf. The valve employed is of the type described in my prior patent specification forming part of the application filed January 5, 1905, Serial No. 239,786. Such valve has a pop action which gives a greater opening than can be obtained by the mere contraction of the expansion-tube g.

I may, if desired, provide the expansiontube with guiding fins or members to keep it in its proper position within the outer tube, but not to prevent relative axial movement between the two. These guiding-fins are preferably arranged toward the valve end of the expansion-tube. In the examples illustrated the upper end of the tube g is fitted with a collar or its equivalent, as p, which slides between guide-pieces projecting from the interior of the valve-chamber Z, as shown.

I provide a rod, as g, within the expansiontube, so as to leave only a narrow annular space for fluid between the rod and the interior of the expansion-tube. By thus reducing the capacity of the expansiontube I reduce the amount of steam which is pocketed in it when water begins to enter the tube. This arrangement also allows a small quantity of water to exert a large cooling effect on the expansion-tube. I may provide the inlet-chamber with a dirt-cock, through which dirt, which collects in the inlet-chamber, can be blown out, if desired.

I prefer that my trap should be placed vertically with the valvechamber at the upper end. The trap may, however, be used in other positions, if desired. 1 may, if desired, as shown, extend the expansion-tube g almost right through the inlet-chamber. When the trap is employed in a vertical position with the valve-chamber at the upper end, the expansion-tube will then be fed with water from the bottom or sump-like part of the inlet-chamberthat is, with the coolest water. With this arrangement I may, if desired, provide a small hole, as 1", in the extension of the expansiontube and at the upper end of the inlet-chamber. This hole reduces the amount of steam which will be pocketed in the expansion-tube by the rise of water, and so insures a prompt opening of the valve when a discharge is necessary.

In order to compensate for alterations in the pressure of the steam and water supplied to the trap, I provide a compensating tube, as s, which is preferably arranged parallel to the outer tube a. The interior or the compensating tube communicates at one end. with the inlet-chamber of the trap and with no other part of the same. The tube is closed at the other end-that is, at the end adjacent to the valvechamberand at this end the pin or stop 0, before described as being provided on the lever m, which controls the action of the valve, is arranged to make contact with the compensating tube. This compensating tube is full of steam during the action of the trap. It is preferably formed of a metal, such as brass, which has a high coefficient of expansion. The consequence is that the tube alters in length according to the temperature of the steam which gains access to the trap, and thus allows for the lever being pulled by the spring to a greater extent in the direction of the valve when low-pressure steam is being used than when highpressure steam is being employed. The valve can therefore close, although the elongation of the expansion-tube is not so great. The compensating tube is, however, preferably arranged only to compensate to a certain extent, so that with a very low pressure of steamsay a pressure of only a few pounds above atmosphere the valve will not close on its seat.

The compensating tube may be arranged on any side of the outer tube which may be considered most convenient in any particular case. It may be made as long as is thought necessary, and the steam may be allowed to fill either the whole'of it or only a part of it. When the trap is to be used in a horizontal position, I may, if desired, partially close up the entrance to the expansion-tube from the 1 a considerable quantity will quickly rush in.

In the modification shown at Fig. 2 the compensating tube 8 is dispensed with, and the valve-containing chamber is cast in one piece with the outer tube or casing a. A detachable screw-plug t is provided at the bottom of the sump-like part of the inlet-chamber to facilitate cleaning and to permit of the ready screwing in of the expansiontube 9.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In steam-traps of the expansion type, the combination with a water discharge valve and an expansion-tube effecting the opening and closing of the said valve, of a fitting provided with inlet and outlet chambers and having a sump-like or water-collecting chamber formed integrally with the said inlet-chamber and. an extension from the said expansion-tube projecting within the said water-collecting chamber, substantially as described.

2. In steam-traps of the expansion type, the combination consisting of a waterdischarge valve, an expansion tube, a valveseating for the said valve secured integrally with the said. expansion-tube, a loaded lever acting to press the valve against its seating, a fitting provided with inlet and outlet chambers, and a sump-like or water-collecting chamber into which the said expansiontube projects, substantially as described.

3. In steam-traps of the expansion type, the combination consisting of a water-discharge valve, an expansion-tube, a valveseating for the said valve secured integrally with the said expansion-tube, a loaded lever acting to press the valve against its seating, adjustable means limiting the said action of the loaded lever, a fitting provided with inlet and outlet chambers, and a sump-like or wa ter-collecting chamber into which the said expansion-tube projects, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I' aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EDWARD LEWIS. OGDEN.

lVitnesses:

VIVIAN ARTHUR HUGHEs, Ci-IARLEs CONRAD.

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