US850483A - Check-valve for water-gages. - Google Patents

Description

No. 850,483. I PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

' G. E. MISER.

CHECK VALVE FOR WATER GAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1907.

4 y 20 M /2 /4 m A? M zz'xaesseaxflttorvoc g.

iinirn T FTE.

CHARLES E. MISER, F WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

CHECK-VALVE FUR WATER wAGES= Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application filed January 5. 1907. Serial No. 350,881.

- breaking or removal of the gagelass.

The invention relates particu arly to improvements in the devices described and shown in Letters Patent of the United States grante'dto William S. Pitts, Charles A. Tanv ner, and Floyd G. Spink, numbered 838,055,

dated December 11,1906.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple check-valve and a stop-cock combined in a one-part casing capable of being connected directly to a boiler or like part, the said check-valve having no direct mechanical connection with the said casing or with any other parts of the device.

A further object .of the invention is to pro- I vide a check-valve which will close a port or passage leading from the boiler to the water gage quickl upon the breaking of the gageglass and t us prevent loss or Waste of the boiler-pressure or damage to the surroundings; and a further object is to-provide means entirely independent of said checkvalve for forcing and holding the same open during intervals in which the gage-glass or casing is being blown or cleaned out.

The invention consists principally in providing a check-valve in the form of a metallic .ball or globe and disposing the same in a horizontal chamber extending between the gage and the boiler in such manner that at the. instant the .glass breaks the ball will be forced by the pressure into a seat, thereby preventing the steam and water from escaping and permitting the engineer to install a new glass in a safe and convenient manner.

A further feature consists in arranging the interior of the casing so that the ball will gravitate away from its seat shortly after a new glass has been installed without assistance from any one.

, The invention further consists in providing simple means'in connection with the sto cock whereby. the ball check-valve may e moved and held away from its seat for. the purpose of blowing out the gage parts whenever desired; and the invention further consists in providing a simple shield for the protection of. the gage-glass.

Other features and parts of the invention will be fully understood from the detail description which follows and from the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in Which Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing a pair of my checkvalves and a water-gage combined, also showing the shield surrounding the gageglass. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of one of the valves, showing the checkcheck-valve unseated. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower valve, showing the grooved flange which receives and sup orts the glass-shield. Fig. 5 is a view of t e central port, substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing by-pass or duct formed in the checkvalve seat.

Similar reference characters are assigned to corresponding parts throughout the sev eral figures.

In the drawin s, A re resents the uppermost valve comp ete, B the lowermost valve, and C the glass tube comprising the waitergage, which is dis osed between and may be. connected with t. e said valves in any suitable manner.

2 represents the casings of the valves A and B, which are preferably made of tough brass and formed so as to provide one horizontal and one vertical chamber (designated by. the numerals 3 and 4, respectively.) The two chambers in each casing are separated by a vertical wall 5, the latter being perforated centrally to provide a circular passage or port 6, through which water and steam may flow from the boiler through chamber 3 into gage-chamber 4.

7 represents external threading on the inner end of the casing 2 for use in connecting the. valves to a boiler.

The casings of valves A and B are made or formed exactly alike and are therefore interchangeable; but when they areinstalled with a water-gage the upper casing is inverted, as

- The object of this opening is-to permit of the insertion or removal of the check-valve or ball '11. The threaded portion of the plug 10 is formed to a length which will allow the ball in the lower casing to stand upon it when not seated'in the same position with relation tov the center of port 6 as does the ball in the upper or inverted casing. A boss 12 is formed on the outside of each casing central with the closed end of the vertical chamber 4, and a threaded hole 13 is made through each boss.

The glass tubes of all water-gages become clouded and dirty after they have been in use for a time and therefore require frequent cleansing. In order to provide simple and eflective means for such cleaning out the lowermost valve-casing is equipped with a blow-out cock 14, which is screwed tightly into the threaded hole 13. As only one blowout cock is required in a device of this kind, the threaded hole in the upper casing A is tightly closed by the insertion of a plug 15. If for any reason it is desired to reverse the position of the two valves, plug 15 may be 'removed and cook 14 substituted, and then the upper valve: is ready for service in the lower osition.

At t e front end of each casing a threaded opening 16 is made through the wall leading to chamber 4, directly in linewith the interior port 6, into which a flanged bushing 17 is fitted. This bushing forms part of a stufiing-box which supports the guide-stem 18 of stop-cock 19. A gland-nut 20 closes the outer end of said bushing, and a hand-wheel 21 is suitably fitted to the outer end' of stem 18. The inner end of the stop-cock is made cone-shaped to fit a countersunk seat forming the outer end of the port 6. A similar seat is formed at the inner end of port 6 to receive the ball or check-valve 11 when the pressure from the boiler seats the same. 22 represents aninwardly-projecting tine or part, preferably formed integrallyand centrally with stop-cock 19. This tine or part should be made a little longer than the thickness of the wall 5, so that when the stop-cock is screwed inwardly the said tine will engage and unseat the ball-valve before the stopcock itself is seated. The object of this feature is to provide a simple means for unseating and holding the ball away from the mouth of. ort 6 at times when the engineer desires to filow out the gage-glass. It will be observed that the construction and arrangement of the valve parts are such that when the stop-cock is screwed outwardly far enough to leave a free passage through port 6 that the tine 22 will also be drawn. outward through said port a sufficient distance to permit the ball to take its seat in case any emergency should arise, such as the breaking of the gage-glass or the-opening of the blow-out cock connected with the lower casing.

23 represents a small duct or by-pass formed in each check-valve seat at the inner end of port 6, (see Fig. 5,) provided .for the 1purpose of allowing a slight flow or feed of oth water and steam through said ports into the gage-ch ambers. These ducts are employed to effect the balancing of the pressure in a newly-installed gage-glass, and'they are made small, so there will not be a sudden inrush of the hot fluid, which might cause the breaking-of the unseasoned or untempered glass.

Frequently when a gage-tube bursts the glass is broken into small pieces, which are thrown with great force in every direction and sometimes injure persons who happen to be in the immediate vicinit In order'to ard against such injury, have provided each of theeasings with a flange 24, which surrounds the walls of the vertical chamber 4 and form in the outer face thereof a groove 25, into which a detachable shield 26, prefer ably made of thin flexible sheet brass or tin, is placed. At a convenient point in the circle of the flange 24a notch 27is formed for. the

purpose of providing means for inserting the shield. The notch 27 extends inwardly beyond groove 25, and therefore permits of the shield being entered at either of the open ends of said groove. The metal of the shield should be flexible enough to readily follow and conform to the small circle of the groove when forced inwardly by hand. The shield may bereadily and quickly removed after the breaking of a glass to permit of the installing of a new one and then replaced in the .manner described. The shield is made from a sheet of metal of less width than required to form a complete tube when disposed 1n the groove 25,'and when placed'in position as de-' scribed a slottedopening 28 appears in the front side, through which a view of the gage glass may be obtained whenever desired; but this slot should not be large enough to allow the particles of a broken glass to escape and cause any damage or injury.

In practice my safetv-valves are attached to a boiler in substantially the position and relation as shown in Fig. 1. After thevalves have been secured to the boiler and the gage.- glass in stalledthe shield 26- is then cut and put in place. heneverything is'in readiness for steaming up, the engineer will turn hand-wheels 21 to the left until the shoulders of cocks 19 come to a stop against the inner end of bushings 17. Then the passages or ports 6 will be open and free, and'tines 22 will be drawn forward far enough to allow balls 11 to take their seats in case such action becomes necessary' As long as the gage-glass remains intact the pressure in the boiler and gage parts will be balanced or equalized, and

. their seats by gravity and during such intervals will stand in, substantially the ositipn shown in Figs. 1 and 3'. Nothing in t e ordinary working-of a boiler or gage mechanism can cause the seating of the balls. They may roll around to some extent within the enlarged ortion of cavity 3 but they cannot get out o? the ath of the pressure. instant that the gage-glass breaks or upon the opening of blowout-cock 14 the force of the pressure from the boiler seeking an escape as soon as the equilibrium has been destroyed will force or lift the balls in both of the casings and carry them into their respective seats, as shown in Fig. 2. The balls being considerably larger than the ports 6 and being truly spherical readily fit the said seats and closev the circular orts and prevent any violent outrush of t e steam and water. There will be a slight dripping or oozing of .the fluid through the small grooved ducts 23; but the volume will not be great enough to injure anything or to seriously interfere with the insta ling of a new glass.

To cleanse the glass, blowout-cock 14 should be opened. The instant said cock is opened the balls in both casings will become seated, and as the amount of water and steam which may pass through the small ducts in the check-valve seats will not be sufficient to eflect the, cleaning of the glass the engineer will then screw inthe stop-cock in the upper casing until tine 22 pushes the ball away from its seat far enough to allow a strong stream of steam to pass into the gagechamber, and thus accomplish the washing of the glass. After the glass has been cleaned he should screw the upper stop-cock outwardly/ until it strikes the stop referred to and at the same time close the blowout-cock. The ball in the upper casing will then take its seat and both balls will remain seated until equilibrium of the pressure is restored in the gage parts, after which they will gravitate away from ports 6, as described.

The construction of my check-valves is very simple. They are practically selfcleaning and indestructible and not likely to get out of order. I

Obviously many of the details and parts may be changed or modified Within the scope defined by the appended claims, and I therefore do not restrict myself to the precise construction ,and arrangement of the device as described and shown herein.

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

1.A safety device of the class described,

' comprising a pair of interchangeable casings interiorly divided to form two chambers con- At the forming a fluidassage for one casing to the other, a pair 0 free s herical check-valves disposed in correspon mg chambers in said casings adapted to be simultaneously seated in said ort or passage and thereby allow only a sight flow of fluid from the checkvalve chambers into the other chambers when said gage-glass breaks, the said checkvalves adapted to be unseated simultaneously by gravity when a new gage-glass has been installed, a flange having a groove forming part of'a. circle formed on each of said casings concentric with said gage-glass, and a shield comprising a\sheet of metal adapted only to be inserted in said grooves after said casings have been attached to a boiler and thereby form a shield to artly surround said gage-glass, substantia ly as described.

2. A safety device of the class described,

comprising a pair of interchangeable casings threaded at their inner ends to connect wlth a. boiler, and interiorly divided to form an inner and an outer chamber in each casing,

the inner chamber communicating 'with the boiler by means of a reduced passage or opening, the said chambers being connected with each other by a central port disposed in line with said reduced passage gr opening, and each of said casings provided with a threaded opening formed through the wall leadin to the inner chamber, a gage-glass supported by and connecting the outer chambers of said casings, free check-valves capable of being inserted into said inner chambers through said threaded o enings and confined therein by screw-plugs 'tting said threaded openings, the check-valve inthe lower casing adapted when at rest to stand upon the inner end of said screw-plug, and the check-valve in the upper casing adapted when at rest to stand upon the lower floor of the inner chamber, in

a position opposite the screw-plug, a flange having a groove forming part of a circle formed on each casing concentric with said gageglass, and a sheet of metal adapted to be inserted in said groove after the casings have been attached to a boiler, for the purpose of IIO forming a shield to partly surround said gageglass, substantially as described.

3. A safety device of the class described, comprising interchangeable casings threaded at one end to connect with a boiler, and interiorlydivided to form horizontal and vertical chambers, the horizontal chambers communicating with the boiler by means of an un restricted opening or a'ssage having a smaller area than said c iamber, the chambers of each casing being connected by a port dis osed in line with said 0 ening or assage, an each casing provide with at readed opening leading to the horizontal chamber, a gagelass connecting the vertical chambers nected by a port or passage, a water-gage of sai casings,asphericalcheck-valve capable of being inserted into said horizontal chamsaid grooves after the casings have been sebers through said threaded openings and cured to'a boiler, substantially as described. 10 confined therein by screw-plugs fitting said In testimony whereof I. aflix my sIgnature threaded openings, a flange formed on each in presence of'two Witnesses;

casing having a groove forming part of a CHARLES E. MISER- circle concentric with said gage-glass, and a Witnesses: I shield comprising a thin sheet of metal HARRY DE WALLACE, adapted to be inserted in and removed from EDGAR V. Bnoobouen.

Images