Captive steam fittings (on loco’s))

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Captive steam fittings (on loco’s))

This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 16 January 2010 at 14:19 by Jeff Dayman.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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15 January 2010 at 20:55 #47426
Nigel Hyde
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@nigelhyde97004
I need to convert my loco’s steam fittings so that they cannot completely unscrew . Any ideas re modification or making would be welcome

Thanks

Nigel
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15 January 2010 at 20:55 #21667
Nigel Hyde
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@nigelhyde97004
16 January 2010 at 00:41 #47428
Jeff Dayman
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@jeffdayman43397
Hi Nigel,

Never heard of anyone doing so – care to expand on why?

Anyway, I had one ide that might work. Make your outer fitting in the normal way but leave a cylinedrical recess in the bottom. Then make a “top hat” shaped piece to fit the recess and make it’s OD so it can’t pass thru the bushing. Put it in place in the outer fitting and cross drill for a stainless steel roll pin. Saw the top hat part in two along the long axis, so the parts can be passed thru the bushing. After both parts of the top hat are through, assemble them to the outer fitting and fit the roll pin.

Same sort of thing could be done with a T bar of copper wire, silver soldered to the outer fitting after assembling the T bar inside the boiler during boilermaking.

Hope the ideas help.

Jeff
16 January 2010 at 01:10 #47431
John Baguley
Participant
@johnbaguley78655
Hi Nigel,

the easiest way to adapt the original fittings is firstly to make a new valve stem with the outer part that the handle fits to a smaller diameter than the threaded part. Then make a new gland nut with the hole to fit the reduced stem of the valve. The gland nut then stops the stem from being unscrewed completely.

Are you wanting to do this to comply with the latest boiler regs as in the blue book? As far as I am aware, the regs are not retrospective and do not apply to older boilers, only new ones. However, it is a good idea to alter the valves, if only for safety’s sake.

John
16 January 2010 at 12:12 #47441
Nigel Hyde
Participant
@nigelhyde97004
Thanks John & Jeff, I think,as the bodies are made and in situ I will go along John’s route.Worth looking at Jeff’s for new makes. Yes you are right, I am trying to comply with what appears to be current regulations on my existing locomotives. I fear for example removing the complete blower valve unit from my 30 year old Simplex Boiler!

Thanks

Nigel
16 January 2010 at 14:19 #47450
Jeff Dayman
Participant
@jeffdayman43397
Hi Nigel and John,

I like your vale design idea John, but can foresee one possible failure mode. If over time and with corrosion etc. the gland nut ever gets stuck to the vale stem, it will still come out if turned hard.

However, if the gland nut were secured against rotation somehow, ie a screw or roll pin into a body lug parallel to the stem, the locked gland nut would ensure the stem could not come out. This would be a little cumbersome to make but would be very sure of not allowing the stem out under any circumstances.

Cheers Jeff
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