IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP-VALVES
Year: 1886

page_text: We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP-VALVES," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in stop-valves and chiefly to such as those
described in the specifications of former Letters Patent granted to us August 18th
A.D. 1883, No 4017, and May 23rd A.D. 1884, N° 8147.
The invention which forms the subject of the first named Patent relates to stop-
valves in which the valve proper consists of a pair of sliding plates or discs arranged
to work on and between faces or seats surrounding the fluid passages, and, in the
specification of this Patent, we have described various devices designed to facilitate
the insertion of the sliding part of the valve into its place between the valve-seats
and its removal therefrom. The second patent comprises improvements whereby
we are enabled to dispense with the ordinary stuffing-box and gland for preventing
leakage around the valve stem or spindle.
The first part of our present improvements is illustrated in Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings, which is a vertical longitudinal central section of a
stop-valve.
In the specification of our said patent No 4017 we have described valves wherein
the valve-box is provided with a lid or cover, at the top or upper side thereof,
constructed in the form of a dome or arch-shaped chamber.
We have also
described a modification wherein we provide a lid or cover on the underside of
the valve-box.
According to our present invention, we modify the construction of the valves
described in our aforesaid specification N° 8147 as follows, that is to say, we
combine the advantages of these last named valves with those derivable from the
provision on the underside of the valve-box a of an aperture fitted with a lid or
cover b. This cover is, in some instances, screw-threaded and secured in place by
screwing it into the socket a¹ as shewn, or it may be secured by screws or screw-
bolts to the box or casing.
The upper part or neck a² of the valve shewn in Figure 1 embodies the means
for making the stem or spindle c tight therein, without the aid of a stuffing-box

page_text: and gland, by the use of a conical surface c' on the spindle as described in the
specification of our aforesaid patent No 8147. In some instances, we construct this
part of the valve as described in the said specification. But, in the valve shewn
in Figure 1, the seat in the neck is shewn provided with fibrous packing at a³ as
described in the specification of our patent dated January 21st, 1886, N° 968.
In these valves, as we have heretofore constructed them, the nut d through
which the screw works, has been supported by a washer or disc screwed into the
neck of the valve-box-cover as described in the specification of our patent N° 8147.
But, when we construct the valve as in Figure 1, we are able to dispense with this
washer by forming the valve-box with the interior flange or bearing e and screwing
the upper part or neck a directly into the valve-box, instead of into the lid or
cover as described in the specification of our aforesaid patent N° 968, so that the
nut will rest on the said flange or bearing as shewn.
By constructing the valves in the manner above described we diminish the
number of detachable parts thereof above the water-way. Moreover we greatly
facilitate the inspection of the valve and its seats, as it is only necessary, for this
purpose, to remove the lid or cover b and withdraw the valve through the aperture
in the underside of the valve-box...
The second part of our invention is designed to obviate the inconvenience
arising from the fact that, in stop-valves which are opened and closed by a stem
or spindle which rotates without end wise movement, there is no visible indication
of the position of the valve at any time, that is to say, the engine-driver or
attendant cannot, by looking at the stop-valve, see whether it is open or closed.
We remove this difficulty by providing such valves, with an indicator as herein-
after described.
This part of our invention is illustrated in Figures 2 to 7 of the drawings. It
consists essentially of a pin, stud or finger arranged to operate in combination with
a screw-threaded ring or collar, as hereinafter set forth.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, illustrating the
application of this part of our invention to the valve first above described and
shewn in Figure 1.
g is the indicating pin or stud, which, in this case, is fixed in the hand-wheel,
and is arranged to project through a hole in a screw-threaded ring or collar h
which works up and down upon the screw-thread at i formed around the neck of
the valve. When the hand-wheel is turned in either direction, the pin g causes
the ring to turn with it, and, according to the direction of its rotation, the said
ring will move up or down on the neck, and, by its position thereon, or by its
position relatively to the pin or stud g, will indicate the position of the sliding
discs or valve proper.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the application of this part of our invention to
stop-valves constructed with a dome-shaped lid or cover as described in the
specification of our aforesaid patent N° 4017. In the valve shewn in Figure 3,
the indicating device is similar to that in Figure 2.
In Figure 4, the finger g is formed on a screw-threaded ring g* fitted on the
spindle c. The said finger is provided at g¹ with a screw-pin which projects into a
vertical slot g in the neck a² and prevents the rotation of the said stud or finger
and the ring g* with the spindle, and which serves to indicate, by its position in
the slot, the position of the valve-discs.
In this arrangement, the screw-threads on the spindle c should be left-handed,
otherwise the positions of the stud or finger would be the reverse of those of the
discs, that is to say, the stud would be in its highest position when the discs are in
their lowest position, and vice versa.
In the valve shewn in Figure 5, the part c³ of the spindle c is made square, and
on this square part we fit a collar or sleeve k which is screw-threaded on its
periphery. This collar is recessed at k¹ to receive the upper end of the neck, which
is reduced in diameter as shewn at 7 to allow the recessed part of the screw-collar k
to rotate thereon.

page_text: The screw-ring g* is fitted upon the threads of this collar or sleeve, the stud or
finger g being fitted to slide up and down in the vertical slot g³ in the neck a³, as,
and for the purpose, above specified.
It is obvious that the turning of the spindle will cause the rotation of the
collar and will move the stud or finger up and down so as to indicate the position
of the discs as above specified.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal central section of a sluice-valve such as that
described in the specifications of our aforesaid patents N° 8147 and N° 968, and
Figure 7 is a similar section of another form or kind of stop-valve also described in
the said specifications.
Both of these valves are shewn provided with an indicating device arranged as
in Figures 2 and 3. They may, however, be provided with a device arranged as in
Figure 4 or in Figure 5.
It is obvious that the pin, stud or finger, instead of being fixed in the hand-
wheel as shewn in Figures 2 and 8, may, if desired, be fixed in the screw-threaded
ring or collar and fitted to slide in a hole in the said wheel.
The above described indicating device is applicable to stop-valves of any
dimensions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. The stop-valve constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figure 1 of the drawings for the purposes specified.
Second. A stop-valve having a stem or spindle which is rotated but not moved
endwise, for opening and closing the valve, and which is arranged in combination
with indicating devices for the purpose specified.
Third. A stop-valve such as that shewn in either of the figures of the drawings,
having an indicating pin, stud or finger, arranged to engage with, or attached to, i
screw-threaded ring working on a screw-threaded portion of the neck or of the
spindle of the valve, or on a screw-threaded collar or sleeve on the said spindle,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
0
Dated this 18th day of February 1886.
JOSEPH HOPKINSON,
For myself and on behalf of the said John Addy Hopkinson.
.
Haseltine, Lake & Co., Agents for the Applicants.