of Air or other Gaseous Bodies.
Year: 1885

page_text: of Air or other Gaseous Bodies.
I HENRY THOMAS WEDLAKE trading as H. Wedlake of 8, Berkeley Road,
Regent's Park in the county of Middlesex, Organ Builder do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention for AN IMPROVED COMPENSATING VALVE FOR
GOVERNING THE PASSAGE OF AIR OR OTHER GASEOUS BODIES to be as follows:-
My invention relates to compensating valves for governing the passage of air or
other gaseous bodies in which the pressure of the said air or other bodies is
equalized on both sides of the said valves whereby the same can be opened or
closed with a minimum expenditure of power and force and has for its object the
construction and arrangement of these valves in such a manner that the passage of
the air or other gaseous bodies is not suddenly or immediately cut off or allowed
but that the same is effected gradually and by degrees. These my improved com-
pensating valves are thus especially applicable to wind chests particularly of pedal
organs and also in other places where the aforesaid effect is desirable.
I carry out this my aforesaid object by making the valve a double valve as is
usual and connecting the two discs or valves that form this double valve together.
The apertures that these discs or valves govern and the passages for the air or other
gaseous body are arranged and formed in the usual or other convenient manner so
that when the said double valve is closed the presure of the said air or other body
tends to force one disc or valve on to its seat and the other disc or valve away from
its seat whereby an equilibrium is preserved and the said double valve can be
opened or closed with a minimum expenditure of power and force. The seat of
one of these discs or valves is a flexible seat. This can conveniently be effected by
making the aperture that is governed by this disc or valve larger than the said
disc or valve and securing round the edges of this said aperture a strip or strips of
flexible material which project so far beyond the aid edges as to reduce the said
large aperture to the required size or dimensions. The seat of the other disc or
valve is preferably made rigid as is usual. Thus when this double valve is to be
opened for the passage of the air or other gaseous body the discs or valves are
drawn away from their seats and that disc or valve that has a rigid seat at once
opens a passage for the air or other body while the flexible seat follows the other

page_text: valve a certain distance and does not immediately open a passage until the limit
of the flexibility thereof has been reached when the full or complete passage as
formed is opened but the pressure of the air or other body still keeps this flexible
seat bent towards its disc or valve and therefore as the double valve is being
closed this disc or valve. first meets its seat and the passage of the air or other
gaseous body through this my compensating valve is thus not suddenly or
immediately cut off or allowed but is effected gradually and by degrees as is
desired.
Instead of making the seat of one disc or valve rigid as before described both
seats can also be flexible if I should so desire but in this case I make the said seats
with a different degree and amount of flexibility so that the action aforesaid would
still be maintained.

page_text: An Improved Compensating Valve for Governing the Passage
of Air or other Gaseous Bodies.
HENRY THOMAS WEDLAKE trading as H. Wedlake of 8 Berkley Road Regents
Park in the County of Middlesex Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for AN IMPROVED COMPENSATING VALVE FOR GOVERNING THE
PASSAGE OF AIR OR OTHER GASEOUS BODIES, 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 compensating valves for governing the passage of air or
other gaseous bodies in which the pressure of the said air or other bodies is
equalized on both sides of the said valves whereby the same can be opened or
closed with a minimum expenditure of power and force and it has for its object the
construction and arrangement of these valves in such a manner that the passage
of the air or other gaseous bodies is not suddenly or immediately cut off or
allowed but that the same is effected gradually and by degrees. These my
improved compensating valves are thus especially applicable to wind chests parti-
cularly those of pedal organs and also in other places where the aforesaid effect is
desirable. I carry out this my aforesaid object by making the valve a double valve
as is usual and connecting the two discs or valves that form the double valve
together. The apertures that these valves or discs govern and the passages for the
air or other gaseous bodies are arranged or formed in the usual or other convenient
manner so that when the said double valve is closed the pressure of the said air or
other body tends to force one disc or valve on to its seat and the other disc or valve
away from its seat whereby an equilibrium is preserved and the said double valve
can be opened or closed with a minimum expenditure of power and force. The seat.
of one of these valves or discs is a flexible seat this can be conveniently effected by
making the aperture that is governed by this disc or valve larger than the said
disc or valve and securing round the edges of this said aperture a strip or strips of
flexible material which project so far beyond the said edges as to reduce the said
large aperture to the required size or dimensions; the seat of the other disc or
valve is preferably made rigid as is usual.
In order that my improved compensating valve and its corresponding flexible seat
may be clearly understood and the manner in which it is constructed together with
its use I will now refer to the several details lettered upon the accompanying sheet
of drawings.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the sections.
In the said drawing Figs. 1 and 2 represent transverse sections through the wind
trunks of organs upon each of which are indicated the lower portions of pedal
pipes. The wind trunk A is provided with a partition which divides the said
trunk into two chambers that half marked B being the reservoir which contains
the compressed air forced into it by the main bellows whilst the other part
marked C is charged with air only at such times when the valves open the
passages of communication.

page_text: Upon the lower board of the wind trunk which is the compression half of the
same is an ordinary pneumatic bellows D from which air is permitted to escape
through the pipe E upon the pedal being put down. Upon the upper side of this
small bellows D is a short arm F which has direct communication with the central
spindle G of the valves or it may be attached in any way or to any part of the
said valves or valve according to their shape or manner of opening which it is
desired to impart Thus, in Fig. 2. I prefer to connect it with the valve spindle
which has a central position but in Fig. 1 I attach it to a point near to one edge
the valve in this instance being pivoted and opening in a similar manner to an
ordinary clack valve. Upon a valve spindle G are secured two discs or valves H
and H forming a double or double beat valve as is usual and it will be seen that
the compressed air in the chamber B tends to force the lower valve H on to its
seat and the upper valve H' away from its seat thereby preserving an equilibrium
and enabling me to open or close the valve ports or wind passages with a minimum
expenditure of power and force and the way in which I govern the passage of air or
other gaseous bodies preventing them from sudden ingress or egress is by providing
one or both valves with a flexible seat made of a material which may be either
leathery caoutchouc or metallic according to the composition or nature of the
body with which I have to deal, that is to say, when treating respectively with air,
water or steam. By referring to Figs. 3 4 and 5 it will be seen how my improved
flexible valve seat performs its duty together with the method of construction
I adopt when dealing with air or wind. After having decided upon the effective
area of the opening through which the air or other gaseous body is to pass I make
the aperture in the main body or valve chamber J about double the diameter of
which I have already decided to perforate the elastic portion of the seat.
I do not confine myself to any positive dimensions it being sometimes necessary
to alter the relative proportions according to the nature of the body being dealt
with as well as the pressure exerted upon such body or bodies. I then make the
external diameter of the elastic material larger than the aperture in the valve
chamber upon which it is to be secured allowing its major diameter to project
about as far on one side of the edge of the said aperture as it does upon the other
side of the same edge. I sometimes prefer to stiffen the bending edge of the
flexible material of my improved valve seat, and I do so in the following manner,
I secure upon one or both sides of the elastic material as may be required around
the edge of the effective opening a ring or rings K made of a stiff substance of any
dimensions 1 consider advisable to meet the requirements.
I do not limit myself to the position in which I place my flexble seat, that is to
say, I may sometimes place it upon the pressure side of the chamber and sometimes
upon the reverse side of the said chamber.
In instances where my improved compensating valve is used under water pressure
this stiffening ring K may be dispensed with and the elastic part made to suitable
dimensions.
The leathery, caoutchouc or metallic ring is then secured to the valve chamber
around the edge of its major diameter at L and the seating is ready for its valve.
The other valve H is preferably made rigid and rests upon a rigid seat.
When a
pedal is put down air is permitted to escape from the bellows D and the pressure
of wind in the reservoir B immediately causes the said bellows to collapse bringing
with it the valve spindle G and the two discs or valves which are attached to it.
Here I have a considerable gain my valves being so light I am able to use a
bellows or pneumatic lever of very much smaller dimensions than heretofore the
area of the top board of my bellows not requiring to be more than one half of that
used for ordinary supply valves, wear and tear is also reduced to. a. minimum owing
to the lightness of touch which my valves secure to the bellows.
Upon the valve H being drawn down air immediately rushes through the
aperture into the inner chamber C and flows round to the foot of the pipe, but
the action of the other disc H is not so sudden its Hexible seat follows the valve
a certain distance as shown in Fig. 4 and does not open a passage until the desired

page_text: limit of flexibility has been overcome thus admitting pressure gradually and by
degrees.
When a complete passage has been made for the air or other gaseous body the
said flexible seat does not return to its normal position but remains distended as
shown in Fig. 5. so that when the valve is being closed one disc meets its elastic
seat before the other meets its rigid seat and sudden cut off or shock is entirely
prevented.
The foregoing description applies generally to the details of Fig. 1 the only
difference being that the two valves are carried upon a rocking bar which is
pivoted at the point P. both being in equilibrium and that at H having a flexible
seat which follows its respective disc or valve in the same manner as in the case of
the double beat valve which has been previously described.
Thus I am enabled through this my improved compensating valve to provide an
action which is not only noiseless but one which opens the sound board valve
simultaneously with the putting down of the pedal. A spring M holds the discs or
valves in their position of rest supported upon a cross bar N which in its turn is
supported upon the sides of the chamber C. The chamber and its attachments are
perfectly self contained and their application to the wind trunks of pedal organs is
one of the greatest simplicity.
Having described the nature of my invention as shown in Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5.
it is obvious that its use will give the organist a touch decidedly sympathetic
and noiseless which advantage I am enabled to produce by simple means and
consequently, inexpensive, moreover my said invention is also applicable for use in
pumps and especially in double beat valves for raising forcing or exhausting water,
air, gases and other fluids as it may be in many cases be usefully employed where
it is essential to avoid sudden shocks upon machinery.
I do not confine myself to making the seats of valves flexible circumstances may
happen where it is preferable to attach the flexible material to the valve leaving
the seat with an ordinary opening, or even giving flexibility to both seat and valve
by the use of such flexible material upon both the said seat and valve, and I would
have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the use of any particular
substance for the purpose of constructing my improved compensating valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st To be the inventor of a valve having a flexible seat.
2nd The construction and use of a single or double beat valve having one or both
of its seats made flexible.
3rd The construction of a valve having a flexible seat and used for purposes in
connection with air, gas, steam water or other liquids.
4th The use of any material in the construction of this my improved compensating
valve, which may be most suitably and conveniently adapted for dealing with
whatever fluid air or other gaseous body which may be under treatment.
Dated this 26th day of November 1885.