IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STOP- VALVES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph Hopkinson, both of
the firm of J. Hopkinson and Co of Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Engineers, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STOP-
VALVES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Addy Hopkinson and
Joseph Hopkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
30th June 1882.
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson, & Co of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STOP-VALVES
"
Our Invention is chiefly designed to increase the efficiency and convenience of
the stop-valves described in the Specification of our former Letters Patent dated
October 20th A.D. 1881 No. 4586.
For this purpose we combine with such stop-valves the following novel means for
opening and closing the same, that is to say, we combine with the valve proper or
sliding part of the valve a rack and pinion so arranged that the said valve may be
fully opened or closed by slightly turning the said pinion on its axis.
For this purpose we attach to the shell or casing of the stop-valve a small
chamber in such a position that the rod or spindle which clips or takes hold of the
valve proper or slide extends and slides into a tubular guide, aperture, or socket in
the said chamber. This spindle, instead of being formed with screw-threads and
fitted into a nut or screw socket as described in the said former Specification, is
provided with rack teeth geared with a pinion or segment fixed on a spindle which
is arranged transversely to the said rack and fitted to turn in a stuffing box and
gland in the said chamber The said spindle projects through the said gland and
is provided on its outer end with a key or lever or wheel whereby it may be easily
turned on its axis for opening and closing the said valve."
We, in some cases, provide the rack spindle with a conical collar or shoulder,
so arranged that when the valve is open the said collar will tightly close the

page_text: aperture through which the said spindle extends to the stuffing box so that the
pressure will be completely cut off from the latter.
In some instances we use a circular spindle rack, that is to say a rack with teeth
extending all around it so that the pinion spindle may be arranged at any desired
angle to the axis of the valve spindle.
It will be obvious that by these improvements we avoid all the inconvenience
attending the use of a sliding spindle in a stuffing box and provide for
manipulating the said stop-valves in a very easy and convenient manner,
"
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph Hopkinson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th December 1882.
•
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson and Co of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STOP-VALVES."
Our invention is chiefly designed to increase the efficiency and convenience of the
stop-valves described in the Specification of our former Letters Patent .dated
October 20th, A.D. 1881, No. 4586.
For this purpose we combine with such stop-valves the following novel means for
opening and closing the same, that is to say, we combine with the valve proper, or
sliding part of the valve, a rack and pinion so arranged that the said valve may be
fully opened or closed by slightly turning the said pinion on its axis.
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which we will now
proceed to describe.
Figure 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of a valve provided with a rack and
pinion.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the said pinion and a portion of the rack.
Figure 3, is a sectional elevation of a water-gauge with cocks or valves provided
with means for opening and closing the same according to our said invention.
Figure 4, is an elevation, partly in section on a plane at right angles to the section
in Figure 3.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
a is the valve proper consisting of two parts whose faces a are fitted to slide
upon the seats b with which they are kept properly in contact by the spring c
interposed between them substantially as described in our said former Specification.
According to our present invention, as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, we combine
with the shell or casing d of the stop-valve a small chamber d' in such a position
that the rod or spindle e which clips, or takes hold of, the valve or slide a extends
into the said chamber and slides in a tubular guide, aperture or socket d³ forming
part of the same. This spindle e, instead of being formed with screw-threads and
fitted into a nut or screw-socket (as described in the said former Specification) is
now provided with rack-teeth e' geared with a pinion f, or a segment, fixed on a
shaft or spindle g which is arranged transversely to the said rack. The chamber d¹
is provided with a stuffing box h fitted with a gland at i; the spindle g projects

page_text: through the said gland, as clearly shewn in Figure 1, and is provided on its outer
end with a key, lever, or wheel whereby it may be easily turned on its axis for
opening and closing the said valve.
We, in some cases, provide the rack-spindle with a conical collar or shoulder, so
arranged that when the valve is open the said collar will tightly close the aperture
through which the said spindle extends to the stuffing box so that the pressure of
the steam or other fluid will be completely cut off from the latter.
In the application of our invention to a water-gauge the arrangement of the
parts is substantially like that above described as will be seen by reference to
Figures 3 and 4. The valves a are arranged in the positions occupied by the
ordinary water-gauge cocks; each valve has in combination with it a chamber d
into which the rack extends, and the pinion-shaft g passes transversely through
this chamber and through a stuffing box h, and gland at the end thereof, as above
described. The outer end of this pinion-shaft g is provided with the usual handle
for opening and closing the valve.
In some instances we use, instead of the rack shewn in figures 1 and 2, a circular
spindle rack, that is to say; a rack consisting of a rod or spindle with teeth
extending all around it so that the pinion-shaft g may be arranged at any desired
angle in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the valve-spindle.
It will be obvious from the above description that by arranging the closed
chamber in combination with the valve box or casing so that the valve rod or
spindle extends and slides in the said chamber, we avoid all the inconvenience
attending the use of a sliding spindle in a stuffing box, and provide for manipulating
the said stop-valves (whatever may be the purpose for which they are used) in a
very easy and convenient manner
To some extent the advantages of this arrangement may be obtained by
employing, as the equivalent of the rack and pinion above described, an arrange-
ment of gearing consisting of a bevel-pinion mounted on the pinion-shaft g and
geared with another bevel-pinion which has screw-threads cut through its boss and is
fitted on a screw-threaded portion of the valve spindle; or we may substitute worm
gearing for the bevel-pinions in combination with the screw-spindle. But these
last described arrangements are only useful in the case of large valves
Having thus fully described our said invention, and shewn how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, we wish it understood
that we make no claim to, or in respect of, the adaptation or application of toothed
gearing for operating any valves other than those of the class or kind hereinbefore
referred to, but we claim.
The improvements consisting in the combination, with a valve, substantially such
as is described in our said former Specification, of a spindle or rod provided with
teeth and geared with a wheel, pinion, or segment inside a closed chamber forming
part of, or attached to, the valve box or casing, as, and for the purpose, set forth.
In witness whereof I the said John Addy Hopkinson for myself and on
behalf of the said Joseph Hopkinson have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Twenty seventh day of December in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness
CARTER HOYLE
Prospect Street
Huddersfield
Book Keeper
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON (LS.)