US1348915A - Removable plug for boilers and the like - Google Patents

Description

APPLICAT'ON FILED )ULYZE. I916.

Patented Aug. 10

llz'am H WILLIAM H. WINSLOW,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR T0 WINSLOW SAFETY HIGH-PRESSURE BOILER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

REMOVABLE PLUG FOR BOILERS AN THETJKE.

Application filed m 26,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WINSLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented. a certain new and useful Improvement in Removable Plugs for Boilers and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and. .exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to removable plugs for boilers, or the like.

It is well known in the art that washout plugs are provided in most boilers to allow of removal of mud and scale when the boiler is cleaned. In low pressure boilers the ordinary brass plug that is threaded into the shell of the boiler is fairly satisfactory. Such plugs are not practical for high pres sufe boilers, especially of the type shown in my copending applications, Serial No. (356,179, filed October 23rd, 1911, derial No. 8ell,445, filed May 28th, 19H. Serial No. 859,157, filed August 29th, llll-l, which are designed to carry regularly hill) or (MU lbs. pcr square inch steam pressure. Not only is the pressure too great but thc temperature is so high that the diflcrence in thermal cocliicient of expansion destroys thc valuc oi' the plug as a closure. Screw plugs are further impractical because they must be d awn up so tightly for high pressures that rcmoral and'inscrtion of a. plug large enough to allow access to the interior of the boiler requires too much power. In other words it becomes a task that is beyond the repair nian or cleaner.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved plug which is easily put in place or IQIIHWfll and which will remain tight even under high pressure. I shall now describe more fully in the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, one embodiment of my in rention.

The single figure of the drawings is a fragmentary section oi part of a boiler showing the plug in position on its seat.

In boilers of the type set out in my abovementioned co-pending applications, it is desirable to clean the tubes, especially the lowermost tubes in each section where mud and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10. 1920.

1915. Serial N0. 41,812.

scale are most likely to deposit and settle.

The tubes 1 and 2 which may form the lowermost tubes in the section or may [ii any other tubes that it is desired to clean.

are welded to the header 3 by autogen'ous welding so as to form these parts into a unitary integral structure. The tubes and headers are made preferably of steel tubing. Hollow b osscs 4: and 5 are formed on the header 3 1n alinement with the tubes Land 2 and on the opposite side thereof so that the opening in these bosses 4 and 5 are in ahnernent with the openings in the tubes 1 and 52. These hollow bosses may be formed of thimblcs welded to the header 3, or where the particular portion of the header 3 is formed of astecl casting, these hollow bosses t and 5 may be made of cast metal integral with the rest of the casting. The hollow boss has a conical seat 6 of rather a small degree of taper. The boss is counterbored and screw-threaded at 7 to receive a plug 8. A conical plug 9 having a squared shank 10 is seated upon the annular seat (3 in thc boss 4. The squared shank 1 e.\'- tends into a. recess ll in the threaded plug H and has its outer end which is squared oil resting against thc bottom l2 of the cavity H for holdinglhc plug 9 upon its scat ii. The conical plug 9 is faced with a iackrt 13 of a tough and Fairly soft metal. preterably copper. This jacket of copper l3 extends ovcr the front face of the plug 9 and ovcr the conical portion in the form of a cup or pan and is folded over at the bark of the plug as shown at 14. This jacket forms an impcrloratc conical gasket which forms a rcry tight closure bctwccn the tapered plug 9 and the scat (3. In fact this copper jackcl; forms the real closure, the plug 9 bcing mcrcly a vehicle lot it and a means for holding it in place aftcr it is applied.

The action of the dcvicc entirely diflcrcnl from a screw plug or from a conical valrc, as hcrctoi'orc constructed in the art. It is to be distinctl noted that the conical plug 9 docs not rcrolvc and has a. longitudinal movement only. The plug 9 with the copper facing is inscrtcd into the opening and placed loosely on the seat 6. The screw-plug 8 is then screwed into the threaded part T and the squared shank 10 of the plug 9 rests against the hottorn 12 of the cavity 11, this bottom 2 being faced off accurately so to hold tl conical plug 9 in exact alinement in the axis of the Jobs 4. As the screw-plyg 8 is drawn up, the plug 9 is forced along the ani" of the tube driving the same forward against thc conica'l seat 6, gripping the copper gasket 13 firmly against the seat so as to form a very tight joint. The area of contact between the bottom 12 of the plug 8 and the end of the shank 10 is much smaller than the area of contact between the plug 9 and the copper gasket 13, or between the copper gasket 13 and the seat 6, and as a consequence the plug 9 does not turn when the screw-plug 8 is drawn tight.

Due to the fact that the gasket or jacket 13 is imperlorate, it is necessary to make only one steam tight joint and that is be tween this gasket and the seat 6. This is a great :uh antagc, as is readily apparent.

'hen the plug 9 is to he removed, the screiwplug 8 is unscrewed. This may readily be accomplished as the threaded portion 7 consists preferably of straight threads and as soon as the pressure upon the stem 10 is relieved, the plug 8 may readily be withdrawn by hand. A piece of pipe having a squared end or a tube having a squared socket is slipped over the shank 10 of the plug 9 and the plug is wahhled on its seat by sidewisc motion of the stem whereupon the same may readily be withdrawn without any trouble. The shank 10 need not be square and may he made round or in any preferred form.

Due to the short distance which the copper gasket or jacket 13 moves on the seat (5, the copper does not have an opportunity to hall and spoil the joint, as would he the case if the plug 9 were rotated when Iii-ought upon its seat. The plug 9 may he madc of cast iron or of steel and in either case the co efficient of expansion due to changes in temperature would he suhstantially the same as that of the soft steel which forms the seat (3. The copper jacket 13 is of such small dimensions that the dilference in expansion would be inappreciable and as a consequence the joint always remains tight. The end f the shank 10 is squared so as to hear against the surface 12, these two surfaces being at right angles to the axis of the boss 4. As a consequence it is impossible to insert the plug i) in a skewed manner for as soon as pressure is brought upon the stem 10 by means of the plug 8 the plug 9 will he si uarcd up with the axis'of the boss and will he properly seated upon the seat 6.

The space between the hollow plug 8 and the back edge of the conical dug S) is very slight, lacing only about onesixteenth of an inch so that the conical plug cannot gct started crookcd on its scat. if i! should start crooked the rim of the hollow plug en en;

would touch the back edge of the plug 9 and would straighten it upon its scat. This distance has been exaggerated in the drawings order to make clear that there is norxixlly no contact between the hack 'cdge of t t conical plug and the front parts of the screw plug.

\Vhile 1 have shown one specific embodiment of my invention, 1 do not intend to be limited to the prccisc details of construction shown and described, as changes, variations and modifications will immediately suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and I. consider the same to come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

hat rclaim as new and .desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is the following 1. In combination a hollow boss hauing an internally threaded portion and a conical scat adjacent said threaded portion. an internal conical plug in said seat, guiding means on the rear of said conical am for guiding the same upon said conical seat. a screw-plug engaging said conical plug and clamping the same against said seat, the lateral walls of the boss being impcrforate.

2. In combination a hollow threaded boss having a conical seat adjacent the threads, amonical plug, guiding means on the rear of said conical plug for guiding the same upon said conical seat, a soft metal gasket between the plug and. the seat, a screw-plug engaging the threads and holding said conical plug and the gasket upon the seat, said gasket being formed of an imperforate cup entirely rinelosing the front and conical sides of said conical plug.

3; In combination a hollow internally threaded boss having an internal conical seat adjacent the threaded portion, a hollow conical cup shaped gasket of soft metal engaging said seat, a solid metallic conical plug in said gasket and holdin the same against said seat, a threaded plug for engaging the threads in said boss and for clamping said conical plug and said gasket against said seat, and guiding means on the rear of said conical plug for guiding said plug and said gasket upon said seat.

4. In combination a hollow boss having an annular conical seat therein, a coi'iperating plug for engaging said seat, said boss having an internally threaded portion, a threaded plug cooperating with said threaded portion, said plu r having a stem of reduced diameter, sai stem having its end have only in engagement with said threaded plug and a soft metal gasket between said seat and the plug cooperating therewith.

5.-ln combination a hollow boss having a conical sent, a threaded counterhore, a. conical )lug having a stem, an imperforate metal gas et covering the front and the conical" sides of said plug, a threaded plug having a l'ii'ish therein, said recess adapted to r'- ceire' loosely the stem of said conical plug, the bottom of the recess normally pressing against the end of the stem.

(3. In combination a hollow boss having a solid metallic conical seat therein and a threaded portion adjacent said seat, an imperi'orate conical gasket engaging said seat, a roniral plug having its front and conical sides covered by said gasket, said plug having a stern extending at right angles to the body thereof, said stem having a square end, a hollow threaded plug for engaging the threads in said boss, the hollow portion of said plug having a fiat bottom wall for engaging the square end of said stem, said plug completely filling said gasket and forming the sole engage ii ant between the hollow plug and the conical plug.

7. in rombination a header, a tube joined thereto andhaving communication therewith. a hollow boss on the opposite side of said header in axial alinenien t with said tube. said hollow boss having a seat therein and a threaded portion adjacent thereto. a conical plu bearing on said seat, said plug having a stem projecting in axial alinement with said boss, a screw plug for engaging the threaded portion of the boss, said plug having a recess therein, the bottom wall of said recess engaging the end of said stern and Towing the conical plug upon its seat, said engagement forming the sole engage ment between said plugs.

H. in munbination a closed vessel, :1 i101- low boss on said vessel having ifilflmlflllflth tion with the interior thereof. said boss having a acrew-threaded portion and a conical seat portion. a. conical plug having a. facing of soft tough metal forming in cooperation with said seat a closure for said hollow boss. said plug having a stem extending axially tlu-rel'rom. said stern having a bearing surface upon the end thereof, a screw-plug for engaging the threaded portion of said boss, said plug baving a cooperz'iting engaging surface for allning said closure plug with said Hlili. the engaging surfaces being of less area than the area of engagement between the Wu and the plug and forming the sole contact between the onical plug and the sercu plug,

h. in roinbination a conical plu; compris ing an enlarged conical portion and a stem extrudiiug' axially thercl'rom and a gasket formed in the shape of a pan, said gasket embracing uid enlarged conical portion and having its rinl folded against the side thereof adjacent the point where said stem joins said enlarged portion.

h In combination a conical seat, a plug comprising an enlarged conical portion and a. reduced stem portion attached thereto, an iuuacrforate gasket inelosing said enlarged (onitul portion and engaging said seat and means for holding). said plug iunl gasket against saulseat, said means engaging the end of said stem only.

ll. In combination a conical annular seat,

a solid metallic plug having an enlarged conical portion, an imperforate gasket engaging said conical seat and formin a C10- surw therefor, means for holding sald plug and said gasket against said seat, said plug having means coiiperating with said holdin means to aline the same upon said seat and having a stem of reduced diameter adapted to engage said holding means at its end only.

12. In combination, a conical seat, a conical plug for. engaging said seat, said plug having a short stem of reduced diameter liiiojettlilg from the rear thereof, said stem being faced off flat at right angles to the of the plug, a screw threadedholding member having a flat face for engaging the flat end of the stem, the area of engagement between the stern and the holding member being substantially than the engaging area between the conical plug and seat to insure relative rotation between the stem and the holding member and to prevent rotation of the plug on its seat when the holding member is screwed into or out of engagement with the stem.

13, In combination, a hollow boss, a coniral seat in said boss, a threaded counterbore between said seat and the end of said boss, a solid metallic plug member having a conical head adapted to bear upon said conical seal. an imperforate metal gasket embracing said conical head, a screw plug threading into the counterbore and adapted to hold said plug member tight against said conical seat. a short stem of reduced diameter projerting from the rear of said conical head. said stem being finished oli fiat at right angles to the axis of the pluginember, said stein fitting loo ely into an enlarged recess in the end of said srren' plum the area of engage nn-ni between the. stem and the bottom of the l'cri'ss being substantially lBf-S than the en gaging area between the conical plug and its seat to insure relative rotation between the stern and the screw plug and to prevent r tation of the plug member on the conical seat when the screw plug is started into and out of engagement with the plug member.

ll. In conihirmtion, a steam header, a circulating tube intersecting one side of said steani header. a hollow boss on the other side of said header and eo-extensive with said circulating tube, said boss having its ends internally threaded, a conical. seat in said hollow boss at the end" of said thr ad, a solid metallic plug member having 21 conical head adapted to bear upon said conical seat a soft metal gasket formed in the shape of a pan embracing said conical head and having: its rim crimped over the back thereof, a screw plug engaging in the and mi suit svmrw mrmaily (mi (If (*x'lgugelh.

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