Improvements in Valves.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
Improvements in Valves.
I, DETLEV CARSTEN FRIEDRICH WULFF, of Brook Strasse, 13, Bremen,
Germany, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to what are known as lift' valves such as are employed in
steam stop valves, feed and check valves, air pump bucket and pump valves, air
valves for blowing engines and the like purposes, i.e., valves which lift from their
seats as distinguished from valves which slide on their faces.
The objects of my invention are to construct a lift valve that is not liable to
stick on its seat, which can be easily opened under pressure, which can be made of
larger diameter than valves of ordinary design, which will work without guards or
chocks and with less wear and tear than ordinary valves of this type.
I effect these objects by constructing my improved valve in the form of a spiral
spring, the major diameter of which occupies the position of what may be called
the seat of the valve, the inner edge of which having a mean diameter sufficient to
give the necessary area for the thorough-fare of the valve, the successive layers
being arranged so as to overlap each other and the terminal layer which forms the
minor diameter of the coil I secure and close with a suitable button or rivet.
A coil thus constructed would have its major diameter secured to the body of the
valve and placed with its terminal or minor diameter towards the pressure so that
the pressure within the case of the valve would tend to close the successive coils
tightly onto each other, thus where such a valve was employed in a stop valve, the
spindle of the valve would be secured to the centre of the coil with a nut or other
equivalent fastening which would take the place of the button or rivet previously
referred to. By this arrangement when the stop valve had to be opened under
considerable pressure the coils would be separated by the action of the valve
spindle, first in the vicinity of their minor diameter which would present the
simallest area of resistance, when steam would pass and the pressure would gradually
be relieved until the whole of the coil was opened.
A valve of this description when applied to an air pump would require neither
spindle nor guard as when the bucket descended into the water the valve or valves
would immediately open at the first resistance and continue to open until the
collective area through the coils was equivalent to the area through the orifices in
the bucket and when the under pressure was relieved by the upward return stroke
of the pump the coils would immediately close by the pressure of water from above.
A similar action would likewise take place to that just described in cases where my
improved valve was applied to ordinary pumps, though in some cases as in very
high speeds I provide a stop or guard to prevent an unnecessary strain and undue
opening of the coils.
I construct my improved valve in a variety of ways, in some instances I employ
flat or tapered bars of metal which I coil on a spiral mandrel in a manner some-
what similar to the process adapted in the manufacture of spiral and conical springs
and by a similar process I construct my valve of metal or other substances of
various sections, in some cases I construct the coil of the valve with a cylindrical
or elliptical formed metallic casing filled with india rubber or other elastic
material and in some cases I leave the underside open to expose the india rubber,
so that when the coil is closed the exposed face of the india rubber on the under-
side, bears on the metallic coated face of the upper side of the coil, below it.
In some cases I construct my coiled spring out of a flat or conical disc which I

page_text: cut in a lathe into the required form, these discs or blanks may be made of cast,
stamped or forged metal or other suitable substance.
When I apply my improved valve or valves to an air pump I should by
preference construct the valve in one large coil, the major diameter of which
would be as large as could be conveniently secured, by a junk ring or other
suitable means, to the top side of the bucket and the minor diameter, as small, as
the diameter of the pump rod would allow; the smaller end of the coil I secure
with a suitably formed loose sliding collar or sleeve fitting round the rod of the
pump and where necessary a fixed or adjustable collar can be provided on the
rod of the pump so as to form a guard or stop to regulate the lift of the coil;
this loose collar or sleeve I sometimes make in the form of a stuffing box into
which I place suitable packing to make it water-tight round the pump rod.
When employing my improved valve in a steam stop valve or other valve
requiring to be perfectly tight, I turn and scrape the surfaces forming the joints in
the coil.
As a modification of the foregoing method of construction instead of forming my
improved valve coil in conical spirals I form them cylindrically so that all the coils
shall be of uniform diameter, but in the last named method of construction it is
obvious that the end of the coil facing the pressure would be closed with a suitable
cover or cap.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1893.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Valves.
I, DETLEV CARSTEN FRIEDRICH WULFF, of Brook Strasse, 13, Bremen,
Germany, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to what are known as lift valves such as are employed in
steam stop valves, feed and check valves, air pump, bucket and pump valves, air
valves for blowing engines and the like purposes, i.e. valves which lift from their
seats as distinguished from valves which slide on their faces.
The objects of my invention are to construct a lift valve that is not liable to
stick on its seat, which can be easily opened under pressure, which can be made of
larger diameter than valves of ordinary design, which will work without guards or
chocks and with less wear and tear than ordinary valves of this type.
I effect these objects in the manner illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of
drawings in which,
Fig. 1, (Sheet 1,) represents a side elevation partly in section, of one of my
improved valves as fitted to a feed pump actually at work.
Fig. 2, is a half plan of the same.
Fig. 3, is a section of a stop valve fitted with one of my improved springs.
Fig. 4, represents my improved valve as fitted to an air pump bucket.
Fig. 5, (Sheet 2,) represents a conical disc which I sometimes cut in a lathe in
forming my coiled springs.
Fig. 6, represents a section of a portion of the coil of one of my improved
valves formed with a metallic casing filled with india-rubber or other elastic
material, the underside being left open.
Fig. 7, is a sectional elevation of one of my improved valves fitted with an
auxiliary spring which in some cases may be required.
Fig. 8, is a half plan of the same.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

page_text: I construct my improved valve as illustrated in Figs. 1, and, 2, in the form of a
spiral spring, a, the major diameter of which occupies the position of what may be
called the seat of the valve, the inner edge of which having a mean diameter
sufficient to give the necessary area for the thoroughfare of the valve, the successive
layers being arranged so as to overlap each other and the terminal layer which
forms the minor diameter of the coil, I secure and close with a suitable button or
rivet b.
:
A coil thus constructed would have its major diameter secured to the body of the
valve and placed with its terminal or minor diameter towards the pressure so that.
the pressure within the case of the valve would tend to close the successive coils
tightly on to each other. Where such a valve is employed in a stop valve as.
illustrated in Fig. 3, the spindle of the valve will be secured to the centre of the
coil with a nut, d, or other equivalent fastening which would take the place of the
button or rivet previously referred to. By this arrangement when the stop valve
had to be opened under considerable pressure the coils would be separated by the
action of the valve spindle, e, first in the vicinity of their minor diameter which
would present the smallest area of resistance, when steam would pass and the
pressure would gradually be relieved until the whole of the coil was opened.
A valve of this description when applied to an air pump as illustrated in Fig. 4,
would require neither spindle nor guard as when the bucket descended into the
water the valve or valves would immediately open at the first resistance and.
continue to open until the collective area through the coils was equivalent to the
area through the orifices in the bucket and when the under pressure was relieved
by the upward return stroke of the pump the coils would immediately close by the
pressure of water from above. A similar action would likewise take place to that
just described in cases where my improved valve was applied to ordinary pumps,
though in some cases as in very high speeds I provide a stop or guard, c, (Figs. 1
and 2,) to prevent an unnecessary strain and undue opening of the coils.
I construct my improved valve in a variety of ways, in some instances I employ
flat or tapered bars of metal which I coil on a spiral mandrel in a manner somewhat.
similar to the process adopted in the manufacture of spiral and conical springs and
by a similar process I construct my valve of metal or other substances of various
sections; in some cases I construct the coil of the valve with a cylindrically or
elliptically formed metallic casing filled with india-rubber or other elastic material
as illustrated in Fig. 6, and in some cases I leave the underside of such casing, f,
open to expose the india-rubber, g, so that when the coil is closed the exposed face
of the india-rubber on the underside, bears on the metallic coated face of the
upperside of the coil below it.
In some cases I construct my coiled spring valve out of a flat or conical disc, as
illustrated in Fig. 5, which I cut in a lathe into the required form, these discs or
blanks may be made of cast, stamped or forged metal or other suitable substance.
When I apply my improved valve or valves to an air pump, I should by
preference construct the valve in one large coil, (Fig. 4,) the major diameter of
which would be as large as could be conveniently secured, by a junk ring, h, or
other suitable means to the top side of the bucket i, and the minor diameter as
small as the diameter of the pump rod, j, would allow; the smaller end of the coil
1 secure with a suitably formed loose sliding collar or sleeve, k, fitting round the
rod of the pump and where necessary a fixed or adjustable collar, l, can be provided
on the rod of the pump so as to form a guard or stop to regulate the lift of the
coil; this loose collar or sleeve I sometimes make in the form of a stuffing
box into which I place suitable packing, m, to make it watertight round the pump
rod.
When employing my improved valve in a steam stop valve or other valve
requiring to be perfectly tight, I turn and scrape the surfaces forming the joints in
the coil.
As a modification of the foregoing method of construction instead of forming my
improved valve coil in conical spirals I form them cylindrically so that all the

page_text: coils shall be of uniform diameter, but in the last named method of construction it
is obvious that the end of the coil facing the pressure would be closed with a
suitable cover or cap.
As a further modification of the foregoing methods of constructing my improved
valves, I sometimes employ an auxiliary spring to insure the tight closing of the
valve where low pressures are employed as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, in which, n,
is the auxiliary spring, o, a spindle through which the action of the spring is
communicated to the valve and p, a guide for the same formed with wings, 7, in the
seat of the valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be perforined I declare that what I
claim is,
1. In a lift valve constructing the valve of a rod of metal vulcanised india-rubber
or other suitable substance of any convenient section and turned to the shape of a
spiral spring either cylindrically or conically, in the manner and for the purposes
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. In a lift valve constructing the valve out of a disc of metal of conical or flat
shape and cut to a spiral on a lathe or other suitable machine such discs being cast,
stamped or otherwise formed and afterwards turned to obtain the necessary
overlapping, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described
and illustrated.
3. In a lift valve constructing the valve in the form of a spiral spring such spring
having a cylindrical or elliptical formed metallic casing filled with india-rubber or
other elastic material, such metallic casing being either closed or left open on the
underside so as to expose the india-rubber, in the manner and for the purposes
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 30th day of July 1894.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.