Improvements in and relating to and Method of Operating Valves Used with Sludge and like Pumps.
Year: 1888

page_text: .Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Dec., 1888
Improvements in and relating to and Method of Operating Valves
Used with Sludge and like Pumps.
We, JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE, and RICHARD MUIRHEAD, both of Maidstone, Kent,
Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to loosely connect a flat faced valve to an arm also
loosely attached to a crank, eccentric, or other appliance for giving the valve a to and
fro, or reciprocating motion circular or other on its seating which we prefer should be
forumed by the projecting end of a bush pipe or an extension of one, the face of the
valve whose edge (may be plain with the working surface, or with the projecting lip)
is sufficiently large to keep itself in contact with its projecting seating during the to
and fro movements yet by its loose connection is free to lift under suction for the
passage of sludge, or other semi-fluid matter and always to close automatically by its
own weight assisted by the pressure of the atmosphere and that due to the resistance
on the delivery valves. The reciprocating action always clears the seating from any
impediment that may have lodged on it, the end of the pipe or bush which has a seating
standing up above the bottom of the valve box or chamber forms a receptacle for any
hard, solid, or other like matter that might be brought up the pipe with the sludge,
thus the valve which is particularly adapted for sewage sludge pumps, is always kept
ready for action.
The motion of the lever, crank, eccentric, or other appliance, by which our loosely
fitted valve is operated may be derived from some part of the mechanism, either
continuously, or intermittently, or may be effected by hand.
Dated this 8th day of February 1888
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said J. A. Drake
and R. Muirhead.

page_text: Used with Sludge and like Pumps.
We, JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE, and RICHARD MUIRHEAD, both of Maidstone, Kent,
Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to loosely connect a flat faced valve to an arm also 5
loosely attached to a crank, eccentric or other appliance for giving the valve a to and
fro or reciprocating, a circular or other motion on its seating which we prefer should
be formed by the projecting end of a bush pipe or an extension of one, the face of the
valve whose edge (may be plain with the working surface or with the projecting lip)
is sufficiently large .e. it has sufficient lap to keep itself in contact with its projecting
seating during the to and fro movements, yet by its loose connection is free to lift
under suction for the passage of sludge or other semifluid matter and always to close
automatically by its own weight assisted by the pressure of the atmosphere and that
due to the resistance on the delivery valves. The reciprocating action always clears
the seating from any impediment that may have lodged on it and helps to keep the
working surfaces in good order.
The end of the tubular bush which forms a seating standing up above the bottom of
the valve box or chamber constitutes a receptacle for any hard solid or other like
matter that might be brought up the pipe with the sludge, thus the valve which is
particularly adapted for sewage sludge pumps is always kept ready for action.
The motion of the lever, crank, eccentric or other appliance by which our loosely
fitted, valve is operated may be derived from some part of the mechanism either
continuously or intermittently through the medium of a crank or may be effected by
hand by means of a lever.
Our invention is shown in the annexed drawings, Figure 1.
A is the valve pivotted and hanging from an arm B, this arm B3 being suspended
from a crank C, so that any motion given to the cross bar D from an outside lever E
(when connected to some part of the pump mechanism) will give a constant motion, or
it may be connected to a land lever F for hand motion when required.
The valve A which is placed within the chamber G bears upon the bush pipe H
which may be fitted in the bottom plate I or made in a casting with it, so that
a portion of the bush pipe stands above the level of the base plate I, the diameter
of the valve A boing such that plenty of play or lap is provided to prevent the
valve uncovering the passage in A by the sliding to and fro or other movement
except when lifted off its seating by pump suction or delivery. We arrange two
wings J, J, at the side of the valve A as at Figure 2, which serve as guides in
the to and fro-motion of the valve A.
The valve may be elliptical or have an elongated face if provided for the to and
fro motion but other shapes of valves may be adopted which shall have the same

page_text: freedom of lift under the suction action but may be moved in a circular or other
direction according to the arrangement of the mechanism by which it is
operated.
At Figures 1 and 2 we show the valve hanging from a pivot pin but it may
be hung in any other manner such as by a ball and socket joint as at Figure 3,
the ball being on the end of a stem K and held within the socket of the valve
by a ring M between which and the valve A we arrange a packing of rubber or
other material N which fits close upon the ball to prevent the entrance of grit in
the ball joint and without interfering with its bearing upon the seating H in a
liquid tight manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. The improvements in and method of operating valves used with sludge and
like pumps, said valves having a free motion for lift and a reciprocating for
other horizontal sliding movement on their seatings as and for the purpose
described.
2. The employment of mechanism for imparting to the valve of a sludge or
like pump a horizontal motion when said valve is seated upon a projecting bush,
pipe or other seating formed above the level of the chamber bottom, in which
said valve is situate as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the
annexed drawings.