Rough and Tumble Engineering | Page 3

point, to see that your safety is all
right. It is not uncommon for a new pop to stick, and as the steam runs
up it is well to try it, by pulling the relief lever. If, on letting it go, it
stops the escaping, steam at once, it is all right. If, however, the steam
continues to escape, the valve sticks in the chamber. Usually a slight
tap with a wrench or a hammer will stop it at once, but never get
excited over escaping steam, and perhaps here is as good a place as any

to say to you, don't get excited over anything. As long as you have
plenty of water, and know you have, there is no danger.
The young engineer will most likely wonder why we have not said
something about the danger of explosions. We did not start to write
about explosions. That is just what we don't want to have anything to
do with. But, you say, is there no danger of a boiler exploding? Yes.
But if you wish to explode your boiler you must treat it very differently
from the way we advise. We have just stated, that as long as you have
plenty of water, and know you have, there is no danger. Well, how are
you to know? This is not a difficult thing to know, provided your boiler
is fitted with the proper appliances, and all builders of any prominence,
at this date, fit their boilers with from two to four try-cocks, and a glass
gauge. The boiler is tapped in from two to four places for the try-cocks,
the location of the cocks ranging from a line on a level with the crown
sheet, or top of fire box, to eight inches above, depending somewhat on
the amount of water space above the crown sheet, as this space differs
very materially in different makes of the same sized boiler. The boiler
is also tapped on or near the level of crown sheet, to receive the lower
water glass cock and directly above this, for the top cock. The space
between this shows the safe variation of the water. Don't let the water
get above the top of the glass, for if you are running your engine at hard
work, you may knock out a cylinder head, and don't let it get below the
lower gauge, or you may get your head knocked off.
Now the glass gauge is put on for your convenience, as you can
determine the location of the water as correctly by this as if you are
looking directly into the boiler, provided, the glass gauge is in perfect
order. But as there are a number of ways in which it may become
disarranged or unreliable, we want to impress on your mind that you,
must not depend on it entirely. We will give these causes further on.
You are not only provided with the glass gauge, but with the try-cocks.
These cocks are located so that the upper and lower cock is on or near
the level with the lower and upper end of the glass gauge. With another
try-cock about on a level with the center of glass gauge, or in other
words, if the water stands about the center of glass it will at the same
time show at the cock when tried. Now we will suppose that your glass
gauge is in perfect condition and the water shows two inches in the
glass. You now try the lower cock, and find plenty of water; you will

then try the next upper cock and get steam. Now as the lower cock is
located below the water line, shown by the glass, and the second cock
above this line, you not only see the water line by the glass, but you
have a way of proving it. Should the water be within two inches of the
top of glass you again have the line between two cocks and can also
prove it. Now you can know for a certainty, where the water stands in
the boiler, and we repeat when you know this, there is nothing to fear
from this source, and as a properly constructed boiler never explodes,
except from low water or high pressure, and as we have already
cautioned you about your safety valve, you have nothing to fear,
provided you have made up your mind to follow these instructions, and
unless you can do this, let your job to one who can. Well, you say you
will do as we have directed, we will then go back to the gauges. Don't
depend on your glass gauge alone, for several reasons. One is, if you
depend on the glass entirely, the try-cocks become limed up and are
useless, solely because they