IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE VALVES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George Beattie, of South Bank, Surbiton,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SLIDE VALVES."
Sealed the 6th August 1867, and dated the 7th February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William George Beattie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th-
February 1867.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE BEATTIE, of South Bank, Surbiton, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE VALVES," to be as follows:-
My improvements in the slide valves of locomotive and other steam engines
consist in constructing them in such a manner as to relieve them from or to
reduce the pressure of the steam thereon, and the consequent friction
attending their movement, and for that purpose I form the valve and the
interior of the steam chest of a cylindrical shape, and extend the steam ports
partly round its circumference, and at each end of the valve in the other part
of its circumference I turn one or more grooves, in which I place one or more
parts of metallic packing rings turned to fit accurately the groove or grooves
and the interior of the steam chest, and expanded against the steam chest by

page_text: the action of springs contained in the body of the valve, or otherwise, to prevent
the steam passing to the back of the valve. The back, or that part of the
valve extending between the grooves, is turned smaller than the steam chest
to allow the exhaust steam to circulate there. The valve spindle passes
through the valve, which is made hollow to allow the passage of steam to both
ends of the steam chest.
By another modification metallic packing cut rings may extend round the
whole circumference of the cylindrical valve at each end, and form the only
wearing part of the valve, each ring being made sufficiently wide to cover the
steam port and supply the expansion lap. The body of the valve should be
smaller than the steam chest, and may be made in two or more parts for
facility of introducing the rings. The rings should be expanded by springs or
otherwise, and at the part where they are cut they should have a tongue.d
piece let in to prevent the passage of steam as the rings wear and open.
By another method I construct the slide valve with a circular back whose
central axis is in a direction parallel with the motion of the valve, and I place
the valve in a casing which may form part of the steam chest or be attached
to its interior, and is bored out to a radius very slightly larger than the valve.
At each end of the valve I turn a groove, and I place in the groove two parts
of a metallic packing ring, each being half the width of the groove and the
whole length of the groove, and turned to fit the groove accurately and the
interior of the casing. One of the two rings in each groove I press laterally
by a spring contained in the body of the valve into the angle formed by the
curve of the casing and the plane of the cylinder facing on which the valve.
works, and the other ring I press in a similar manner into the opposite
angle; I also make an opening in the back of the valve to connect the space
between the back of the valve and the casing with the exhaust steam port.
The valve is worked in the usual manner by a guide spindle, and the pressure
of steam on its back and the consequent friction in its movements are greatly
relieved or reduced by these arrangements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William George Beattie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GEORGE BEATTIE, of South Bank, Surbiton, in the County of Surrey, S
Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William George Beattie, Her special licence that I, the said
William George Beattie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William George Beattie, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDE VALVES,"
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William George Beattie, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William George Beattie, do hereby
deelare 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 improvements in the slide valves of locomotive and other steam engines
consist in constructing them in such a manner as to relieve them from or to
reduce the pressure of the steam thereon and the consequent friction attending.
their movement, and for that purpose I form the valve and the interior of the
steam chest of a cylindrical shape, and extend the steam ports partly round its
circumference, and at each end of the valve in the other part of its circum-
ference I turn one or more grooves, in which I place one or more parts of
metallic packing rings turned to fit accurately the groove or grooves and the
interior of the steam chest, and expanded against the steam chest by the
action of springs contained in the body of the valve or otherwise to prevent
the steam passing to the back of the valve. The back or that part of the
valve extending between the grooves is turned smaller than the steam chest
to allow the exhaust steam to circulate there. The valve spindle passes
through the valve, which is made hollow to allow the passage of steam to both
ends of the steam chest.
By another modification metallic packing cut rings may extend round the

page_text: whole circumference of the cylindrical valve at each end, and form the only
wearing part of the valve, each ring being made sufficiently wide to cover the
steam port and supply the expansion lap. The body of the valve should be
smaller than the steam chest, and may be made in two or more parts for facility
of introducing the rings. The rings should be expanded by springs or other-
wise, and at the part where they are cut they should have a tongued piece let
in to prevent the passage of steam as the rings wear and open.
By another method I construct the slide valve with a circular back, whose
central axis is in a direction parallel with the motion of the valve, and I place
the valve in a casing, which may form part of the steam chest or be attached
to its interior, and is bored out to a radius very slightly larger than the valve.
At each end of the valve I turn a groove, and I place in the groove two parts
of a metallic packing ring, each being half the width of the groove and the
whole length of the groove, and turned to fit the groove accurately, and the
interior of the casing. One of the two rings in each groove
press laterally
by a spring contained in the body of the valve into the angle formed by the
curve of the casing and the plane of the cylinder facing, in which the valve
works, and the other ring I press in a similar manner into the opposite angle;
I also make an opening in the back of the valve to connect the space between
the back of the valve and the casing with the exhaust steam port. The valve
is worked in the usual manner by a guide spindle, and the pressure of steam
on its back and the consequent friction in its movements are greatly relieved
or reduced by these arrangements.
In order that the foregoing may be the more particularly described and
ascertained I refer to the Drawings filed with this my Specification and
forming part thereof.
Fig. 1 (Sheet No. 1) shows a transverse sectional view of a steam cylinder
and steam chest. The steam chest at A is formed of a cylindrical shape, and
bored out to receive the valve B, which is formed in two parts, and bolted
together at C, C. The upper part is turned smaller than the interior of the
steam chest, and has two grooves formed in it, one at each end, as shown in
Fig. 2 (Sheet No. 1) at D, D. The parts of metallic rings E, E, Figs. 1 and
2 (Sheet No. 1), turned to the same radius as the interior of the steam chest,
and of the same sectional figure as the grooves, are inserted in the grooves
and pressed against the steam chest either by spiral springs or by the action
of the steam admitted through small perforations, as shown at F, F, Fig. 2
(Sheet No. 1). The lower part of the valve is turned to the same radius as
the steam chest and works over the steam ports, as shewn. At the centre of
the valve over the exhaust port it is turned for a short distance of a smaller

page_text: radius than the steam chest, so that the exhaust steam may be admitted to
the back of the valve and fill the space between the upper half of the valve and
the steam chest.
Figure 3, Sheet No. 1, shews an end view of valve; the valve spindle
is of square section at that part in the valve and round at both ends which
work through stuffing boxes in the steam chest covers; the valve is secured
to the spindle by two cotters, as shewn at Figure 2.
Figure 4, Sheet No. 1, shews a sectional elevation of a steami cylinder
and steam chest; the steam chest is formed in one piece with the cylinder, but
may be cast separately and attached by flanges shewn in dotted lines at G, G;
the steam ports extend nearly round the interior of the steam chest, and thus
greater length is obtained than in the ordinary flat port. The valve is formed
in three pieces, as shewn in Figure 5 (Sheet No. 1), and the wearing surfaces of
the valve are the two rings H and J which respectively extend round the valve,
and are enclosed between the end pieces and the centre piece of the valve;
the rings are cut and a small space is left between the ends which are reduced
in width one-half for a short distance and a tongued piece is let in, so that
though the rings are free to expand or contract the steam cannot pass the
tongued piece; an additional ring may also be introduced, as at K, K,
Figures 4 and 5, inside the wearing rings, and be cut at a point diametrically
opposite to the joint of the exterior rings H and J. The body of the valve is
turned smaller than the steam chest, and the valve spindle which passes
through stuffing boxes at each end is attached to the valve by screwed nuts,
as shewn. The exhaust steam can pass between the centre piece of the valve
and the interior of the steam chest, as shewn in section at L, Figure 4; spiral
springs may be introduced into the recesses at M, M, M, Figure 4, to keep
the rings expanded; Figure 6 is an end elevation of the valve.
Figure 7, Sheet No. 2, is a transverse sectional view of a steam cylinder
and steam chest in which the valve is formed with a circular back, and has a
plane surface to correspond with the steam port faces. The valve is turned
rather smaller than the steam chest cover to permit it to rise when necessary
and allow the escape of water from the cylinder. At each end of the valve a
groove is turned, as shewn at A, A, Figure 9, in which are placed the parts
of rings (a, b, c, d, Figure turned accurately the same radius as the
interior of the steam chest cover, and of the same depth as the grooves in the
valve, but of only one-half the width of the groove; at the end of each ring
at each end of the valve a recess is cut into which the end of a circular bolt
is fitted, as shewn at B, Figure 7, and in dotted lines at C. The bolts are
forced outward from the valve by spiral springs, and the rings are pressed

page_text: into the angles formed by the curve of the steam chest cover and the plane of
the steam ports faces, the ring a, Figure 9, being pressed into the angle
opposite to that into which the ring b is pressed, and the end of the ring c
pressing in an opposite direction to d. Spiral springs may also be placed in
recesses to press out the rings to the surface of the steam chest (see D; D,
Figure 7), or small steam holes may be drilled, as shewn at E, E, Figure 9.
The valve spindle passes through the valve which is held secured by screwed.
nuts on the spindle, and steam must be conveyed to both ends of the steam
chest, or a hollow passage may be formed through the valve.
Figure 8 (Sheet No. 2) shews a valve with a circular back fitted into the
interior of an ordinary steam chest; the circular cover F, F, is planed to fit
the surface of the steam ports face at G, G, on to which it is pressed and held
by the studs H, H, which secure the steam chest cover. The valve is similar
in construction to the valve described in Figures 7 and 9, and works under
the cover F, F, in a similar manner to the valve in Figure 7, which is under
the steam chest cover.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim the con-
struction of slide valves, substantially as herein-before mentioned and
described and shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William George Beattie, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM GEORGE BEATITE. (L.S.)