AN IMPROVED SLUICE VALVE
Year: 1884

page_text: JOHN BECK 30, Leipsic Road Camberwell, designer and General Engineer and
FRANCIS MICHAEL TRUELOVE 30, Leipsic Road Camberwell and of tho "Hanover
Arnis
Rye Lane Peckhan Lincensed Victualler and Inventor both in Surry
London do hereby declare the nature of our said invention for AN IMPROVED
SLUICE VALVE to be as follows:-
This invention comprises immense facitities when water is required for pro-
tection from outbreaks of fire and consists of a new form of sluice valve constructed
with the object of opening quickly without concussion.
Wo effect this object by the use of a valve which instead of sliding bodily
upwards as usual in sluice valves, is disc shaped and divided vertically through
the centre. The two halves of the valve are suspended on the same centre by lugs
provided on the upper part of cach, and the waterway is opened by the halves of
the valve sliding in opposite directions round this point, so that the valve begins to
open from top to bottom at once instead of from the bottom as in ordinary sluice
valves.
Attached to the top of each half of the valve is a second lug by raising which
the halves of the valve are swung outwards upon the fixed axis in the centre.
Spanning immediately over the centre or axis is a fork with a screw attached to
the top of it. Each end of this fork is connected to the lugs on the two halves of
the valve by which on raising the screw the two halves of the valve rise moving
upon the centre or axis, To effect this movement a revolving nut is placed without
any packing the usual stuffing box being dispensed with, By the action of
turning the spindle connected with the revolving out the two halves of tho valve
moving upon the pivot axis or centre are capable of the movements of
approaching and receding to and from the central line, or perpendicular axis of the
inlet or outlet, thereby opening and closing the byway. In the centre of the
spindle we construct a small byway for the purpose of placing oil, into a receiver
having open communication to the thread or screw, At the same time oil is
supplied through the sides of the revolving nut to the outer casing, in which the
nut revolves, thereby lubricating all the frictional parts, no packing or composition
is required, the working parts being made watertight by metallic bearings, By
this novelty the total length of the screw is only required to be four inches long,
for opening and shutting a twelve inch sluice valve including space for nut.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We JOHN BECK of 30 Leipsic Road Camberwell, Designer and General Engineer
and FRANCIS MICHAEL TRUELOVE, of 30 Leipsic Road, Camberwell, and of the
"Hanover Arms," Rye Lane, Peckham Licensed Victualler and Inventor both in
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "AN IMPROVED
SLUICE VALVE" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
Our invention relates to improvements in Sluice Valves, whereby they can be
more quickly opened (without concussion) than the sluice valves in present use,
which is an advantage of vital importance in cases of fire when a full stream of
water is required with the least possible delay.
The ordinary sluice valve is generally made in one piece and raised bodily by a
screw when opening the valve or waterway this being a slow and laborious
operation.
Our invention consists in the use of a sluice valve, composed of semicircular
halves or segments which when closed together over the opening or waterway
assume the form of a circular disc their chords being at such time in watertight
contact at the middle or vertical centre line of the waterway.
These halves or segments are hinged on top to a central axis or pin and opened
or separated and closed radially thereto by means of forked arms projecting from
an overhead screw which is raised and lowered by a nut or worm forming part of,
and rotated by, the spindle which passes through the cover of the valve box and is
used for operating the valve.
And in order that our said invention may be well understood we shall now
proceed particularly to describe the same reference being made to the accompanying
sheet of drawings like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
figures.
Figure 1. is a front sectional elevation of our improved sluice valve and its
appendages. Figure 2. an end sectional elevation thereof with valve box removed.-
Figures 3 and 4. detached views respectively of each half valve, and figure 5. a front
elevation of the valve box, partly broken away.
A. A. represent the semicircular halves or segments of our improved sluice valve,
and B the opening or waterway.
On the top of each half valve or segment A are lugs C. C. the inner ends of
the lugs C. being hinged to a common central axis or pin D. mounted at right
angles to the vertical plane of the valve A A. between brackets or bearings E E.
which are carried by the valve box F.-To the lugs C. and outer ends of the
lugs C. are jointed the lower enda of two curved or forked arms G. which span the
central axis or pin D. and are carried at their upper ends by the lower end of a
vertically arranged screw H the latter being fitted into a nut or worm formed in
(or attached to) the lower end of the spindle 1. which passes up through the
cover F. of the valvo.box F. and terminates outside the cover F. in a tapered
square end for receiving the key or spanner by which the spindle I. is rotated as
hereafter more particularly described,

page_text: The spindle I is prevented from moving vertically in the cover F1 of the valve
box F. by an upper adjustable nut J and lower flange K which are carried by the
spindle I. and bear respectively on their inside faces against brass or gunmetal
gland rings a and b fitted in the cover F¹ of the valve box F. as shewn. By this
means the frictional parts are rendered watertight and no packing is required as
with ordinary stuffing boxes and glands.
Assuming the semicircular halves or segments A A. of our improved sluice valve
to be closed together in the form of a circular disc over the opening or waterway B. as
before described and it being desired to open the valve the spindle I. on being rotated
in one direction causes its lower nut or worm to rotate on and raise the screw H so
that the forked arms G of the latter pull upon the lugs C. C. of the valve halves
or segments A. A. which are thereby swung quickly outwards or diverged radially
to their central axis or pin D. until they are clear of the opening or waterway B.
when the latter will be fully opened.
To close the sluice valve again the spindle I. is rotated in the opposite direction
so that the nut or worm lowers the screw H and its arms G whereby the valve
halves or segments A. A. are depressed and closed together until their chords are
in watertight contact and the opening or waterway B shut as before.
In the body of the spindle I. is a reservoir L closed at top by a screw plug c and
containing oil which is allowed to escape gradually through a hole d. in the bottom
of the reservoir L. into the lower chamber M of the spindle I. for lubricating the
nut or worm and screw H. contained and worked therein. Holes e are also formed
through the circumference of the chamber M. for allowing the oil to pass through
and lubricate the outer cylindrical surface of the spindle I. and the surface of the
hole or passage through the valve box cover F¹ in which the spindle I is rotated
as described.
For preventing the too rapid escape of the oil through the hole d we bore out the
screw H lengthwise for a short distance from its upper end and place therein a
small piston f(figure 2) between which and the bottom of the bore is placed a
spiral spring g-The piston f. carries a rod h. the upper enlarged end of which
covers the hole d. and presses against the surrounding metal so that only a small
quantity of oil can escape from the reservoir L. past the head of the piston rod has
the spindle I. is rotated to and fro.
If desired the halves or segments A. A. of our improved sluice valve may be of a
semi-oval (or other curvilinear) configuration in lieu of semicircular as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
•
Constructing a sluice valve in semicircular (or other curvilinear) halves or
segments hinged to a common central axis or pin and operated substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing
Dated this 19th day of February 1885.
JOHN BECK.
F. M. TRUELOVE.
Edward W. Furrell & Brother (Mem. Inst. M. E),
Agents,
Bank Buildings, 124, Chancery Lane, London,