US1571921A - Steam trap - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2 1926. 1,571,921

F. L. HUTCHINSON STEAM TRAP Filed May 51 1924 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEKS,

Patented Feb. 2, 1926. j 1

UNITED STATES PATENT OflFiFlQE.

FRANK L. HUTCHINSOIN, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS SIGNMENTS, TO MILWAUKEE VALVE COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

STEAM TRAP.

' Application filed May 31, 1924. .Serial No. 716,980. i

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FRANK L. I-Inronnisort, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Wauwatosa, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam Traps, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification. I a i This invention relates to improvements in steam traps, and more particularly to a steam trap adapted to be connected to the return pipe in a high pressure vapor or steam heating system.

In heating systems employed inbuildings, where steam under pressure is employed, it is customary to control the admission of steam to the radiator and toprovide an outlet pipe to return water of condensation back to the boiler. In order to make the system conducive of the best results and to provide forlits maximum efficiency, it is necessary to prevent the passage of any of the live steam back through the return pipe with the water of condensation. It is also necessary in systems of this character to provide means whereby air which may be trapped in the radiator can escape, so that the air will not act to prevent'the entrance of steam into the'radiator.

IVith the above in mind, therefore, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a device adapted to be connected to the return pipe and constructed to permit the passage of water of condensation therethrough and also any air trapped in a radiator, but at the same time preventing the escape of live steam. V

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described particularly adapted for high pressure vapor and steam heating systems and arranged so that the value is controlled by a compound leverage thereby obviating any sticking of the valve and insuringan eiiicient device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steam trap which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable, and is well adapted for the purpose described.

Vith the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists of the improved steam trap and its parts and combinations asset forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof. In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is 'a front view of the improved steamtra'p, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the valve stem, the compound leverage forv moving the same and the thermostatically controlled valve; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of th thermostatically controlled valve.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing it will be seen that the steam trap consists of a casing 8, provided with airinlet opening 9 and an outlet opening 10. The casing is formed immediately adjacent the inlet opening with av chamber 11. in which is seateda screen or basket 12 formed with perforated walls. Said member 12 serves to screen the water of condensation entering the casing through the opening 9 and collects sediment. The chamber 11 is provided with a cleaning opening 18 closed by a threaded plug 14 and when desired said plug can be removed and the basket 12 grasped by its handle 15 and lifted from the chamber to permit emptying and cleaning of the basket. An'opening 16 formed in the wall of the chamber 11 provides con'imunication between said chamber and the float chamber 17 of the steam trap. The upper side of the casing is open but is normally closed by means of a cover 18 removably held in place by bolt and nut means 19 and 20, a washer member or gasket 21 being interposed between the cover and the casing to prevent leakage.

Threaded in the bottom of the casing is a bushing 22 having formed therein a valve seat, adapted to receive a valve 23 carried by a hollow tubular valve stem 24. The valve 23 and stem 24 are mounted for re ciprocal movement in a guide member 25 Fixed to the valve stem 2% is a collar 27 v which has pivoted to opposite sides thereof, the end portions of a. pair of bell cranlc levers 28. The midportions oli said hellcrank levers are pivoted to a depending arm 29, formed from the guide member A second pair of hell-crank levers 30 are pivoted at their outer end portions to said depending arm 29, as at 31, and at their mid portions to the lower end portions oi? the lirst mentioned belheranl; levers 28, as at 32. A hollow float 25? is carrir-al by the other ends of said bell-crank levers 3 Oln'iousl v, therefore, as the Heat is raised, the valve stem 2% and the valve 23 will consequently be moved upwardly to unseat the valve. The compound leverag re provided by the arrangement just described renders the operation of the valve positive under all conditions. A considerable lllOVCll'lGni) ot the float results in but a small movement of the valve stem but the leverage arrangement results in great force being applied to the sten'i in 'aisiiig' or lowering the same. Consequently, any tendency the valve may have to stick, will be easily overcome. Thus, the device is well suited for high pressure tems where pressure might cause the valve to become inoperative.

Fixed to the upper end ol the tubular valve stem 53-11 is a collar 23% having; secured thereto one end portion of a U-shaped, bimetal thermostat 3.7, Formed preferably ol. an outer strip of brass or copper and an inner strip of steel or other similar metal, having a ditllerent co-etlicient oit' expansitm. The collar 3% has an angular-iv shaped bore 36 communicating with the valve stem opening and a valve 37, carried by the end of the thermostat 35 is adapted in its (closed position to cover the open end of the bore 36, thus closingcommunication through the hollow valve stem between the chamber 1i and the outlet 10.

It should be observed that the casing 8 is formed with a lower j arlviet portion 38 providing; an outlet; chan'iber 3E). The valve opening in the bushing opens thereinto and fluid is :lree to flow from said outlet chamber through the outlet opening it). in the wall of the casing adjacent the bushing 22 a similar bushing -10 is located, the same being: formed with a valve seat to receive a valve -il-l. Said *alve ll is moved inwardly and outwardly by means ol a hand wheel all? and serves as an auxiliary valve so that water mav be drained from the chamber i"? when desired. independently oi? the operation of the valve 23.

In operation the valve Q-i will normally re main in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, while the thermostatic valve 3T remains in open position. Conseipientl an v air tlowing into the chamber 1?, through the inlet opening 9. is free to pass from the chamber 1T through the tubular valve stem 2% and down\vardlv throluzjh the chamber 39 and the outlet: opening; ll). its soon as any steam enters the chamber 1.? the heat thereof will cause an unequal expansion of the hi-metal parts of the thermostat 3:) and thus cause the valve 37 to seat against the open end of he bore 36 to close the same and the live steam will be confined within the rzuliator.

The water at oiulensatum which llows into the chamber 17 will. m'adually accumulate until it reaches height sullicient to actuate the Heat 33, which as it rises, will move the val e stem 24; and the valve 23 upwardly to permit an escape of the water into the rhan'iber 39 and out tin-laugh the outlet openla 10. As the level oi the water decreases, the lloat will again drop and move the valve to the closed position. 1 hen a su'llicient quantity of water has again accumulated in the chamber 17, the cycle will be repeated.

Obviously, as the water of condensation passes into the chamber 11, any foreign inatler onitained therein will be caught by and held in the basket member 12, which can be pcriialically removed through the opening l3 and cleaned out. Access into the interior of the steam trap and chamber 1'? may be conveniently had by removing the cover 18, and should it become necessary to replace an portion of the operating parts illustrated in Figs. 52 and fl, this n'iay be accomplishcd by detaching; the guide member 25 from the projections 22o, whereupon all oi these parts may be reunited as a unit from the interior of the valve. This facilitates, to a considerable degree, the repairing or replacing, of parts.

It is evident that the compound leverage arraiugenuml. between the valve and the float is construclol to exert great power in lifting the hive, thereby overcoming any tendency the valve may have to stick and also pressure thereon, making the device well suited for high pressure stems. Also the improved steam trap ol very simple and novel crmslriurtion; and is well adapted for the purpose set forth.

lrhat I claim as my invention is:

1. steam trap, comprn no; a casing lei-hung a chamber provided. with inlet and outlet openings, a float, a :va ve provided with a valve stem tor controlling said out let opening. the stem oli said valve having a passage providing communication between said chamber and outlet o 'iening, means for closing said passage, and a compound leverage between said lioat and the valve stem for operating the valve.

:3. A steam trap, eonunising a casing 'l'ormiug a chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings, a Heat, a valve provided with a valve stem for controlling said outlet opening. the stem oil said valve having 11 pasi-"aapge providing;- communication between said chamber and outlet opening, a U-shaped thermal member for closing said passage, and a compound leverage between said float and the valve stem for operating the valve. 8. A steam trap, comprising. a casing forming a chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings, a float, a valve provided with a valve stem for controlling said outlet opening, the stem of'said valve having a passage providing communication between said chamber and outlet opening, heat controlled means for closing said passage, and a compound leverage between said float and the valve stem for operating the valve.

4. A steam trap, comprising a float chamher provided with inlet and outlet openings, 1

ically actuated valve mounted on the end of 20 said stem for controlling said passage, and a compound leverage between said float and the valve stem for operating said first mentioned valve.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa- 25 ture.

FRANK L. HUTCHINSON.

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