The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-04-28
VALVE INVENTED
BY CAPE men TO
MISHAPS
Boiler Explosions Eliminated
by Device That Will be
Made Here.
HENRY A. NUSSBAUM
HEADS NEW CONCERN
Business Men Finds His Inven-
ton Will Aid Movement
OF Safety-frst.

| A new SAFETY valve, which virtually
eliminates the possibility of explosions
Of locomotives or stationary engines,
has just been invented and a patent
obtained by the Mattingly- Graves Au-
tomato Valve Manufacturing Com
pany of this city, which is going to
manufacture the device.
Henry A. Nussbaum, the well-known
banker and merchant, is the president
of the company, and is making his
preliminary plans to begin the produc-
ton Of the valves.
The instrument is used on the water
guages, and railroads and other large
institutions in st. Louis and the East
have given the device thorough tests
and have found 1t to be perfect. A
railroad having a large terminal in St.
Louis is now planning to take out all
of the valves it is at present using
and install the Cape Girardeau make.
The valve was invented by c. F.
Mattingly, a railroad engineer of
many years experience. He was in
duced to try his skill of invention fol-
lowing a series of narrow escapes
from death due to explosions of
engines, caused by defective valves.
The water guage on an engine is
the only means the engineer has of
ascertaining the quantity of water he
has on hand. If this instrument sud-
denly becomes defective and fails to.
register the correct amount of water
on hand, an explosion is likely to fol-
low. 1t is said that an overwhelming
percentage of locomotive disasters
could be averted if the water valves
never failed to correctly record the
water supply.
Like all devices of this character,
it is too technical to interest people
who do not possess a mechanical turn
of mind. But engineers pronounce it
a perfect solution Of the problem of
avoiding engine explosions from lack
of water
Mr.. Nussbaum yesterday gave the
following explanation of how the new
device works: when the glass is in
serted, the pressure is turned on by
pulling the top of the operating lever
outward This forces the valve off its
seat and the water and steam are free
to pass around the pressure disc and
valve and out into the glass. 1t also
exerts q pressure upon the equaliza-
| ton rod, which is of greater diameter
than the valve stem, the purpose of
which is to hold the valve in its posi-
ton. But should the glass become
broken, the pressure will be automati
cally relieved from the equalizing rod
and disc. When an accident of this
kind occurs, the water from the boiler
rushes outward to the pressure disc |
so much faster than it can pass
around the disc that this natural pres
sure against the disc drives it out
ward until the valve is forced back |
upon its seat and securely closed"
Mr.. Nussbaum explained that so
many accidents occur from defective
valves and the blame is registered !
against the engineer.
at does not require mechanic to
understand how accidents from valve
trouble are possible" said Mr.. Nuss-
baum. "The valve is the only guide
the engineer has. If the water in the
engine is high or low, the valve must
record it. But if The valve breaks or
refuses to work, then it may show an
ample quantity of water even though
the boiler is practically empty.
"No valve before has been depend
able at all times. Our invention is
absolutely secure. We have turned
samples over to a number of railroads
and other concerns which use large
numbers of boilers. After giving it
a thorough test they have pronounced
1t absolutely safe.
at will reduce the accident on rail-
roads, due to boiler trouble, to the
minimum. 1t is another step in the
movement of safety first, and l have
been pleased with the interest taken
in it by the railroads. 1t is in keeping
with their idea that it is better to be
safe than sorry.
eve have not made arrangements
for plant just yet. We are Just COM
pleting our organization work. How
ever, we are prepared to turn out
small quantities upon short notice"