IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH SAFETY AND RELIEF VALVES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martyn John Roberts, of the City of Bath, Esquire,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH SAFETY AND
RELIEF VALVES."
Sealed the 5th March 1878, and dated the 11th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Martyn John Roberts
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th September 1877.
MARTYN JOHN ROBERTS, of the City of Bath, Esquire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
CONNECTED WITH SAFETY AND RELIEF VALVES."
The object of the first part of my Invention is to protect the springs of safety
valves from steam, mud, dirt, or other injurious matters. This I effect in one way
as follows:-Within an outer valve, box, or casing, which is closed, except that. as
low down as practicable there is a waste steam pipe, I place an inner box containing
the valve spring. This inner box is attached to or rests upon the back of the valve,
and is closed at all parts except that at the top there is a vertical pipe which
extends through the top of the outer box. This pipe is fixed steam-tight to the
outer box and also to the cover of the inner box, and this cover is slightly elastic or
flexible, which elasticity or flexibility may be obtained by making the cover
corrugated. Through the vertical pipe above named and through the valve spring
a rod is passed, which rests upon the bottom of the inner box. Upon this rod is a
plate which forms the lower bearing or support for the spring, the upper bearing
for the same being a flange on the bottom of the vertical pipe.
The rod is screw-threaded and works in a nut in the said plate, so that by
rotating the rod the plate may be raised or lowered, and the force of the spring
thereby regulated. A handle or lever applied to the rod enables it to be lifted, and
the valve to be thus tested and eased.

page_text: From the construction before described it will be seen that no steam can escape
into the engine room, as the only outlet from the outer casing is the escape steam
pipe, and no steam, dirt, or other injurious matter can get into the inner box in
which the spring is enclosed, while the elasticity of the cover of this box allows it
and the valve to rise when the steam pressure overcomes the force of the spring.
There are no spindles, guides, or stuffing boxes to retard or prevent the lifting of the
valve.
The same arrangement is applicable to the relief valves of cylinders, a proper
opening for the escape of water taking the place of the waste steam pipe above
described.
The object of the second part of my Invention relates to the use of levers on
safety valves or relief valves, which use has hitherto been objectionable, and, in
some cases inadmissible, because the waste steam escaped into the engine room.
I enclose the valve in a valve box, in which there is no opening, except that low
down there is a waste steam pipe. I make the cover of the valve box elastic or
flexible; through this cover and fixed to it I pass a rod, the lower end of which may
either rest upon the valve or be fixed to it, and on the upper end of the rod presses
the usual lever, held down either by a spring or by a weight. No steam can thus
escape, except through the waste pipe, while the flexible cover allows of the valve
and the rod rising.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Martyn John Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th March 1878.
MARTYN JOHN ROBERTS, of the City of Bath, Esquire.
CONNECTED WITH SAFETY AND RELIEF VALVES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
The object of the first part of my Invention is to protect the springs of safety
valves from steam, mud, dirt, or other injurious matters. This I effect as follows:-
Within an outer valve, box, or casing which is closed, except that as low down as
practicable there is a waste steam pipe, I place an inner box containing the valve
spring. This inner box is attached to or rests upon the back of the valve, and is
closed at all parts, except that at the top there is a vertical pipe which extends
through the top of the outer box. This pipe is fixed steam-tight to the outer box
and also to the cover of the inner box, and this cover is slightly elastic or flexible,
which elasticity or flexibility may be obtained by making the cover corrugated.
Through the vertical pipe above named and through the valve spring a rod is passed,
which rests upon the bottom of the inner box. Upon this rod is a plate which
forms the lower bearing or support for the spring, the upper bearing for the same
being a flange on the bottom of the vertical pipe.
The rod is screw-threaded and works in a nut in the said plate, so that by rotating
the rod the plate may be raised or lowered, and the force of the spring thereby
regulated. A handle or lever applied to the rod enables it to be lifted, and the
valve to be thus tested and eased.
From the construction before described, it will be seen that no steam can escape
into the engine room, as the only outlet from the outer casing is the escape steam
pipe, and no steam, dirt, or other injurious matter can get into the inner box in
which the spring is enclosed, while the elasticity of the cover of this box allows it
and the valve to rise when the steam pressure overcomes the force of the spring.
There are no spindles, guides, or stuffing boxes to retard or prevent the lifting of the
valve.
The same arrangement is applicable to the relief valves of cylinders, a proper
opening for the escape of water taking the place of the waste steam pipe above
described.
The manner in which the first part of my Invention may be carried into effect is
represented in Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings.
a is a safety valve of the box or chambered form described in the Specification of
my Letters Patent, dated 29th August 1876, No. 3405, but any other desired form
of the valve may be used; 6 is the valve box or casing closed except to a waste
steam pipe c, which is placed as low down as practicable; d is an inner box attached
to or resting upon the valve a; this box is likewise closed at all parts except that
there is a pipe e extending therefrom through the top of the box b; this pipe e is
fixed hermetically to the box b, and also to the cover f of the inner box d. The
said cover f is corrugated, so as to be elastic or flexible, or the requisite elasticity or
flexibility may be obtained therein by other suitable means; g is the valve spring,
the lower bearing or support of which is a plate h on the valve rod i, while the
upper bearing is a flange k on the pipe e. The rod i may be either fixed to or made
to rest on the bottom of the inner box d, and in the latter case it may be formed
with a screw thread and work in a nut in the plate h, so that if the rod be rotated
the plate h will be raised or lowered, and the force of the spring will thereby be
regulated or adjusted. The upper end of the rod has a handle or lever (not shown)
fitted thereto, in order to allow of lifting and testing the valve.
The second part of my Invention relates to the use of levers on safety valves or
relief valves, which use has hitherto been objectionable, and in some cases inadmis-
sible, because the escape steam escaped into the engine room.
This part of my
Invention is represented in Figure 2. a is the valve enclosed in a valve box b, in

page_text: which there is no opening except the waste steam pipe c placed as low down as
practicable. The cover of the valve box is made elastic or flexible, and through
this cover and fixed to it is passed the rod i, which may either rest upon the valve
a or be fixed to it; is the usual valve lever pressing upon the upper end of the rod
and held down either by a spring or a weight. It will be seen that no steam can
escape except through the waste pipe c, while the flexible cover ƒ allows of the valve
a and rod i rising.
This
I prefer to construct the flexible or elastic cover f, both of the box d, Figure 1, and
of the box b, Figure 2, of several or a number of superposed thin flexible plates or
other flexible substance, bound together at their edges, and corrugated or not.
peculiar construction gives greater flexibility to the cover f, while the strength is
maintained by the proper number of plates.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improvements in or
connected with Safety and Relief Valves,"-
First. Protecting the springs of safety valves and of relief valves substantially by
the means and in the manner herein-before described, and represented in Figure 1
of the annexed Drawings.
Second. Constructing the boxes of lever safety valves or of lever relief valves,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described, and represented in
Figure 2 of the annexed Drawings,
Third. The use of an elastic or flexible cover to the box of a safety or relief valve
spring; also, of an elastic or flexible cover to the box of a lever safety or relief valve,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described, and represented
respectively in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martyn John Roberts, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth (8th) day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
MARTYN J. ROBERTS. (L.S.)