United States Patent 1191
Breece
1111
3,893,473
[45]
July 8, 1975
[54]
CONDENSATE DRAINER
2,388,432
11/1945
Nelson .............................. .. 137/559
[76]
Inventor:
2,570,322
l0 I l95l
Ch “8
' t0p h er ...................... .. I37 / 559
George E. Breece, I390 S. Ocean
B|vd., Pompano Beach, Ma 33062
FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS
[21] ' App" NO‘: 359,908
Primary Examiner—Alan
Germany
Cohan
.......................... ..
[52]
US. Cl. .............. 5. 137/171; 137/549; 137/559;
[57]
137,203
Int. Cl. ............................................. .. Fl6t
1/34
A steam
condensate
I.
c m trap
ris. for collecting
h Si
hav.
a . t fromI a steam
d .t
Field of Search ......... .. 137/203, 204, 194, 183,
137/192, 559, 17!, 549
system which Includes a glass cyllndrlcal structure
.
[51]
[58]
me
ABSTRACT
° P . "1g?
°“ ‘"4
'"g
'Pmf’ma °°“ ‘"
connected across a lateral passage through sald hous
[56]
Re‘erences Cited
mg Wl'llCh allows for vlewmg of the l|qu1d level orcon
densate level within the steam trap. A strainer 1s 1n
UNITED STATES PATENTS
629,845
1,10s,475
l,l57,583
l,350,385
8/[899
8/1914
l0/l9l5
8/1920
cluded in the device to ?lter out impurities within the
Brown ............................... .. l37/204
condensate, An adjustable valve is provided to regu
Poindexter . . . . .
late the ?ow of condensate therethmugh
. . . . . . . . . ..
137/204
Roschanek.....
137/[83 X
Peterson ........................... .. 137/559
1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures
l6
2O
66
44
INLET
now/“l I H x
K.
Hi“OUTLET
FLO
\—42
30
2a-//
\62
so?
I
l6
|4—/
sa/
34/
\I2
\
‘0
0‘
7
3a
30
32/
36
34
DATENTFDJUL 8 I971]
SHEET
FIG. 2
2
'8
2O
66
64
26
46
22
24
44
INLET
FLOW_’
38
‘Mirr: "r-Tr JUL :1 ms
3.893473
SHEET
(J)
50
28
48
68
32
30
54
00000
00000
00000
00000
@000
52
56
36
34
1
3,893,473
2
CONDENSATE DRAINER
chamber. An adjustable valve allows for the regulation
of ?ow of the condensate through the outlet chamber.
The condensate level in the housing may then be visu
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
ally observed as to its upper level through the translu
This invention relates generally to condensate drain 5 cent cylinder. The strainer is removable through a plug
ers, and in particular to a steam trap and condensate
in the base of the housing.
drainer having an internal strainer and an internal
Thus, through utilization of Applicant's condensate
means for visually observing the actual level of liquid
drainer and strainer, the operator may visually observe
condensate within the device at all times. For proper
operation of a condensate drainer or steam trap, it is
essential that the level of condensate within the device
be regulated properly. In the past, several condensate
and maintain the correct level of condensate within the
inner housing at a predetermined level by the regula
tion of the ?ow valve.
It is an object of the invention to provide an im
devices have had no means of determining the liquid
proved condensate drainer having a visual liquid level
level in the condensate drainer or have had exteriorly
gage disposed internally thereof which can be viewed
mounted gages which give some indication as to the in 15 from either side of the pipe line.
ternal condition of the conduit path of the condensate‘,
And yet another object of this invention is to provide
however, these external gages have been unreliable and
a condensate drainer of improved operation having a
are subject to error due to clogging or changes in the
?uid-sealed glass conduit disposed within the housing
system which do not compensate for the external gage.
providing a visual condensate level gage.
Applicant‘s invention eliminates this problem by pro 20 And yet still another object of this invention is to pro
viding a steam trap or condensate drainer which incor
vide a steam trap having a housing with a glass conduit
porates the liquid level gage as part of the internal con
portion disposed internally of the housing forming a
duit of the housing itself. This is accomplished by in
part of the condensate drainer itself.
serting a glass or translucent cylindrical sleeve portion
And still yet another object of this invention is to pro
within a portion of the housing a lateral passageway 25 vide a condensate drainer having a translucent conduit
therethrough. The glass inserted cylinder thus allows
portion disposed within the condensate conduit drainer
for the actual ?uid level to be observed visually during
the operation of the condensate drainer without inter
housing.
fering with its operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with these and other objects which will
be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now
30 be described with particular reference to the accompa
nying drawings.
A condensate drainer comprising a housing, said
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
housing having an inlet receiving chamber and an out~
let chamber, said housing having a first vertical passage
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of Applicant’s in
opening into said inlet chamber and disposed beneath 35 vention.
it, a translucent conduit connected in communication
FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view in elevation of
with said housing ?rst passage, a strainer chamber dis
Applicant’s invention.
posed in the axial line of said ?rst passage, said translu
FIG. 3 is a planar cross-sectional view along line
cent conduit coupled in communication with said first
A-A of FIG. 1 of Applicant’s invention.
vertical passage at one end, a strainer disposed within
said strainer passage, said housing including a cross
over passage in communication with said strainer
tion of Applicant‘s invention including the cylindrical
translucent conduit and the surrounding housing in
chamber disposed horizontally of said housing, said
cluding a strainer and plug.
FIG. 4 is an elevational view in cross-section of a por
housing having a vertical passage coupled into said hor
izontal cross-over passage at its lower end, said vertical
passage at its upper end connected into said outlet ?ow
chamber, adjustable valve means coupled between said
outlet ?ow chamber and said vertical passage for regu
lating the flow of condensate therethrough. Disposed
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said translu
cent cylinder, laterally through the housing, is a large
passage which allows observation of the translucent
cylinder from either side of the housing. The translu
cent cylinder is constructed of glass and is sealed in a
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings and especially FIG. 1,
Applicant's device is shown generally at 10 comprising
a solid unitary housing 12 having a laterally disposed
aperature 14 cut therethrough. Also visible within the
housing aperature I4 is translucent cylindrical conduit
16 which is coupled at each end within the housing
conduit system. An adjustable valve 22 is shown
mounted on the top of housing 12 with a threaded por
tion 64 engaged by nut 24 in a sealed valve housing 20
?uid-tight manner within the housing by compression 55 having stem 18 protruding therethrough. The plug 34
loading on gaskets, the top gasket being recessed in the
is threadably engaged in the bottom of the housing for
body so that no wear by steam draining can occur.
removal of a strainer 30 located inside the housing con
Stream is forced under pressure into the inlet cham
ber where it strikes the chamber walls and begins con
duit system.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the condensate conduit
60
densing into large droplets. Through the action of
within housing 12 is shown. An inlet ?ow of steam is re
steam pressure and gravity, the condensate is forced
ceived into chamber 26 disposed in the upper portion
through the housing ?rst passage, through the translu
of the housing 12. Vertical passage 28 opens into the
cent cylinder, and is received into the strainer chamber
bottom surface of receiving chamber 26.
at the bottom of the housing. Impurities are trapped by
Vertically disposed glass cylinder I6 is connected
65
a strainer. The condensate then flows through the
cross-over passage and is forced up into the housing
vertical chamber and then out through the outlet ?ow
within the housing in a ?uid-sealed manner about an
annular flange at the bottom opening of passage 28 and
is concentrically disposed thereabout at its upper end.
3,893,473
3
4
The housing has vertical cylindrical chambers 58 and
60 which receive and hold the lower and upper por_
tions of cylinder 16 firmly in place. The lower face of
chamber 58 opens into strainer chamber 32. Plug 34
has a plurality of apertures disposed annularly about
of the chamber is diverted. Condensate (by pressure
and gravity) ?ows down through vertical passage 28
and vertically disposed glass conduit 16 into the
through the glass cylinder 16 into the strainer 30 where
it is expelled out through the plug housing 34 and into
strainer 30 where impurities are collected. Condensate
then flows into cross-over passage 36 and is forced
back up to vertical chamber 40 where the valve 24 reg
ulates the amount of condensate that is received into
the discharge chamber 44. The level of condensate
a strainer chamber 32. The housing 12 has a cross-over
passage 36 connected at one end into chamber 32 and
observed through the glass conduit 16 and thus manu
the circumference to allow condensate to ?ow down
terminating at its other end with a plug 38. Rising verti
cally and opening into passage 36 is a vertical cylindri
cal channel 40. A valve seat 42 is coupled across the
upper end of channel 40. A valve 22 is engaged to the
top upper portion of housing 12 and has retained
maintained within the conduit system may be visually
ally regulated by adjusting the condensate flow through
the valve 22.
The strainer is removable by disengaging tap 34
which allows for the strainer to be cleaned when neces
5 sary.
Thus, Applicant‘s steam drainer provides a conden
sate drainer and strainer having an internally disposed
liquid level gage which forms part of the conduit system
through the drainer showing the actual water level at all
ing 64 is tightened by nut 24 which is sealed between
the housing and the nut 24 by annular resilient seal 46. 20 times with the drainer. A valve allows for the adjust
ment of the water level and the condensate ?ow. Appli
The valve cap housing 20 is threadably coupled to the
cant‘s steam trap eliminates the need for externally
upper portion of the stern housing 64 and has a seal 66.
mounted gages of various types which increase the
The valve seat channel 42 opens into a discharge cham
complexity of the design and reduce reliability while
ber 44 which allows the condensate to ?ow out of the
housing. Both the inlet chamber 26 and the outlet 25 having now moving parts but adaptable for a wide
range of pressures and ?ow by simple ori?ce adjust
chamber 44 have threaded portions for connecting to
ment.
appropriate inlet and outlet conduit lines.
The instant invention has been shown and described
The housing 12 has a large horizontal passage 14 dis
herein in what is considered to be the most practical
posed completely through the body of the housing from
therein a valve stem 18 and a threaded housing 64
which allows for vertical adjustments in movement of
the valve face 62 within valve seat 42. Valve stem hous
the front vertical face to the back vertical face, the pas
and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however,
that departures may be made therefrom within the
sage 14 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of
scope of the invention and that obvious modifications
glass cylinder conduit 16. This allows for visually view~
will occur to a person skilled in the art.
ing the condensate level within the cylinder from either
What I claim is:
face of the housing, front or back.
FIG. 4 shows the glass cylindrical conduit 16 joined 35 l. A condensate drainer in which the internal level of
the condensate may be visually determined and is man
in a sealed relationship to housing 12 and connected
ually maintained comprising:
between the ?ange end portion 50 of path 28 and the
a housing of unitary construction, said housing hav
housing wall 60. Thus the glass translucent cylinder 16,
ing a steam inlet condensate chamber, and a con
forming a part of the condensate conduit system within
the housing serves also as a liquid level gage and may 40
densate outlet chamber, a vertical passage in com
be observed from either face through passage 14 of
housing 12. The bottom portion of vertical passage 28
has an annular protruding flange 50. concentrically
disposed in contact with the outer edge of the ?ange is 45
munication with said inlet chamber, said vertical
passage opening at its upper end into said inlet
an annular seal 48 which contacts the upper inside por
tion of glass cylinder 16 thereby providing a ?uid seal
between the housing and the glass cylinder. The bottom
of the glass cylinder 16 has a second annular seal 52
coupled to the inside surface of the cylinder 16. A 50
structural metal ring 54 is coupled concentrically
within the seal 52 to provide rigidity for holding the
glass cylinder in place as it contacts the upper edge of
strainer 30. The strainer is received within a hollow
portion of the threaded tap 34 and is held in position 55
by the seal 52 and metal support ring 54 connected to
the cylinder 16. The tap body 34 has a plurality of aper
tures 56 disposed circumferentially, projecting radially
to allow condensate which is received into the strainer
30 to flow out into chamber 32 which is cylindrical in
shape and thus into the cross-over passage 36. A tap
seal 68 is provided at the innermost end of the tap
chamber, a vertically disposed cylindrical chamber
coupled at the bottom in communication with said
vertical passage having an enlarged radius the in
side surface of which is disposed concentrically
outside of said vertical passage end, said housing
having a lateral passage disposed therethrough, the
lower edge of said vertical cylindrical passage
opening into said housing lateral passage, a second
vertical passage axially in line with said ?rst verti
cal passage opening into the diametrically opposite
side of said housing lateral passage, a strainer
chamber in communication with said second verti
cal passage, a cross-over conduit, a third vertical
passage, said cross-over conduit connecting said
strainer chamber with said third vertical conduit;
and
a tubular glass conduit connected into said housing
upper end into the ?rst vertical passage in a ?uid
sealed manner having its lower end received into
body.
said strainer chamber with portion of said glass cyl
FIG. 3 shows the relationship in housing 12 of glass
cylinder 16 observable through passage 14 and vertical 65
passage 40.
in operation, steam condensate is received into
chamber 26 (FIG. 2) where the steam striking the walls
inder conduit in contact with said second vertical
chamber whereby a portion of said glass conduit
disposed within said housing lateral passage is ob
servable from said front face and said rear face of
said housing;
3,893,473
5
6
a threaded plug coupled into said straining chamber;
a strainer disposed within said strainer chamber, held
in position by said plug;
an adjustable valve means separating said third verti
cal chamber from said outlet ?ow chamber, said 5
valve movable from an open position allowing for
20
25
30
35
45
55
60
65
communication between third vertical chamber
and said outlet chamber to a closed position stop
ping ?uid communication between said third verti
cal chamber and said outlet chamber.
*
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llt
1!
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