A steam trap assembly is formed with a casing defining a valve chamber therein with an inlet for introducing fluid generally consisting of condensate and steam into said chamber and with an outlet for discharging condensate from the chamber.Instrumentation Ball Valves A bucket-type float freely movable within the valve chamber is formed with an outer surface portion adapted to engage and disengage a valve seat defining the orifice of an outlet passage through which condensate is discharged from said steam trap.Forged Steel Valves The float is structured as a hollow shell member defining a downwardly directed opening and with a generally continuous body having a substantially spherical configuration extending to a mouthpiece member which is fitted in the opening of the spherical shell member to define the opening with a generally circular configuration. GATE VALVESThe mouthpiece member has a weight characteristic tending to bias the center of gravity of the float member downwardly toward the opening. A steam trap assembly comprising: a casing defining a valve chamber therein; inlet means for introducing fluid generally consisting of condensate and steam into said chamber; outlet means defining an outlet passage for discharging condensate from said chamber, said outlet means including means defining a valve seat located on the interior of said chamber at the upper portion thereof, said valve seat forming a valve orifice constituting the initial portion of said outlet passage; a free-floating float member unconnected by any mechanical means with any part of said assembly so as to be freely movable within said valve chamber, said float member having an outer surface portion adapted to engage and disengage said valve seat for opening and closing said outlet passage; said float member being structured as a hollow shell member defining a downwardly directed opening with a generally continuous body having a substantially spherical configuration; and a mouthpiece member fitted in said opening to define said opening with a generally circular configuration, said mouthpiece member having a weight characteristic tending to bias the center of gravity of said float toward said opening to maintain the stability of said float without need for mechanical guidance or restraint. The present invention may be briefly described as a steam trap assembly comprising a casing defining a valve chamber therein, inlet means for introducing fluid generally consisting of condensate and steam into the chamber, outlet means defining an outlet passage for discharging condensate from the chamber, the outlet means including means defining a valve seat located on the interior of the chamber at the upper portion thereof, said valve seat means forming a valve orifice consisting the initial portion of the outlet passage, and a float freely movable within the valve chamber and having an outer surface portion adapted to engage and disengage the valve seat means for opening and closing the outlet passage. As a result of the present invention it is possible to achieve certain objectives in the operation of steam traps involving a bucket type float which is freely movable within the steam trap chamber. By utilization of the principles of the present invention, the bucket float is made of a spherical shell configuration and it is provided with a circular inlet opening with the mouthpiece member fitted therein in order to bias the center of gravity downwardly toward the bucket float opening. Although the structure of the invention provides several advantages not attainable with the prior art, it nevertheless continues to provide simple construction without pins and levers since it enables a free-floating bucket float to be utilized and since it makes the steam trap easy to manufacture at lower cost. However, because of the configuration of the bucket float of the invention, more reliable operation of the steam trap occurs and there is less likelihood of impairment of the steam trap operation as a result of misorientation of the float within the steam trap chamber and snagging of the float against the chamber walls.

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