Improvements in and relating to Valves for Controlling the Supply of Water to Steam Boilers and for other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Valves for Controlling the Supply
of Water to Steam Boilers and for other Purposes.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
Our invention relates to check or back-pressure valves for use as feed-valves on
steam-boilers and for other purposes.
The main object of our said invention is to permit access to the feed-valve of a boiler
for cleaning or other purposes, whilst the said boiler is under steam. By our improve-
ments, however, we provide convenient and advantageous means for closing or cutting
off the communication with the boiler and thus preventing leakage through the valve
when the boiler is not i .se.
In carrying our said invention into practice, we combine with the valve a suitable
stop-cock whereby the passage for the admission of water to the boiler may be closed,
and we so construct the valve box or casing that, while the said cock is closed, the
valve and its seat can be removed for cleaning, examination or repairs, or can be
replaced by a new valve and seat, and such removal can be effected without the
necessity for drawing the fire, or letting down the boiler.
We combine with the said stop-cock a screw-spindle, which extends through the
plug of the said cock and whereby the lift of the valve may be regulated or the said
valve held down upon its seat. By these means we are enabled to close the stop-cock
at any time without altering the adjustinent of the said screw-spindle.
We prefer to employ a stop-cock such as that described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to us and dated 9th June 1887, No. 8312, or in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to us and dated 2nd March 1888,
No. 3238, that is to say, a stop-cock packed with asbestos or other suitable material
vulcanized in situ.
Moreover we prefer to provide a ring of woodite, or other suitable material which
surrounds the said screw-spindle in the form of a packing-ring within a recess in the
upper end of the plug of the cock, thus forming a fluid-tight joint around the said
spindle.
A screw-cover is provided for holding the said ring in place, and this cover also
secures the handle upon the plug of the stop-cock and a portion of the said cover
serves as the nut for the said screw-spindle. The screw-spindle and the said cover are
so constructed and arranged that the extent of lift of the valve for which the said
spindle is adjusted will be indicated by the length of screw-thread visible above the
said cover.
The valve-seat is arranged within a short pipe which is secured in any convenient
manner to the body or casing of the stop-cock. Therefore, when the said stop-cock is
closed, the said pipe can be readily detached, and the said pipe with the valve and
valve-seat therein removed without detaching the cock from the boiler.
Dated thi 9th avamba 1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Valves for Controlling the Supply
of Water to Steam Boilers and for other Purposes.
We, Joux ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, 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:-
Our invention relates to check or back-pressure valves for use as feed-valves on
steam-boilers and for other purposes.
The main object of our said invention is to permit access to the feed-valve of a
boiler for cleaning or other purposes, whilst the said boiler is under steam. By our
improvements, however, we also provide convenient and advantageous ineans for
closing or cutting off the communication with the boiler in order to prevent leakage
through the valve when the boiler is not working.
In carrying our said invention into practice, we combine, with the check or back-
pressure valve, a suitable stop-cock whereby the passage for the admission of water to
the boiler may be closed, and we so construct the valve-box or casing that, while the
said cock is closed, the valve and its seat can be readily removed for cleaning,
examination or repairs, and its removal can be effected without the necessity for
drawing the fire or letting down the boiler, that is to say, without discharging the
water therefrom, or lowering the level of the water therein.
We combine, with the said stop-cock, a screw-spindle which extends through the
plug of the said cock, and whereby the lift of the valve may be regulated or the said
valve held down upon its seat. By this arrangement, we are enabled to open and
close the stop-cock at any time without altering the lift of the valve.
We prefer to employ a stop-cock such as that described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to us and dated 9th June 1887, No. 8312, or in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to us and dated 2nd March 1888
No. 3238, that is to say, a stop-cock packed with asbestos or other suitable material
vulcanized in situ or otherwise.
We, in some instances, provide a ring of woodite or other suitable material, which
surrounds the said screw-spindle in the form of a packing-ring within a recess in the
upper end of the plug of the cock, thus forming a fluid-tight joint around the said
spindle.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in transverse section, and
Figure 2 a vertical longitudinal central section, showing one form of our combined
stop-cock and valve.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line x, xl, Figure 2, and
Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal central section illustrating a slight modification
of our invention.
at is the shell or barrel of the stop-cock, which is provided with a flange a¹ whereby
it may be secured to the boiler or other vessel or chainber with which it is to be used.
The said shell or barrel is also provided with a flange u², to which is secured a short
bent or elbow pipe 6 which, together with the lower end of the shell or barrel a, forms
the valve-casing. c is the check or back-pressure valve, which is fitted to a sent d
firmly secured in or on the upper end of the said elbow-pipe b. e is the plug of the
stop-cock, which is hollow or tubular throughout its length, and is provided at its
upper end with a lever or handle f for operating it, and with a cover g. This cover
Is screwed tightly upon the said plug and retains the handle in place thereon. The
upper end of the said cover is screw-threaded internally to form a nut, and a rod or
spindle extends centrally through the plug e and is provided with a screw-threaded
portion which extends through and works in the said nut. A hand-wheel j is fixed
upon the upper end of the said rod or spindle / to facilitate the turning of the same

page_text: about its axis. The lower end of the said spindle enters a socket c¹ on the back of the
valve C, and thus serves as a guide for the said valve, as well as for regulating the lift
thereof.
In the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, a suitable stuffing-box k and a gland k¹
are provided in the upper part of the plug e, the said gland being so arranged that it
can be forced down to compress the packing around the spindle h, by means of the
cover g.
Or other convenient devices may be provided for tightening the packing
when required. In the modification of our invention shown in Figure 5, the spindle /
is provided with a ring of woodite or other suitable material which is firmly held in
place by the cover g.
It will be seen that, by properly adjusting the screw-spindle h, the lift of the valve
can be regulated as desired; and that this adjustment can be effected at any time
without moving the plug of the cock; it will also be seen that the thoroughfare to
the boiler can be closed and opened by turning the plug e by means of the handle f
without altering the lift of the valve. It is evident, moreover, that, when the said
thoroughfare is closed by the plug e, the pipe or casing 6 together with the valve cand
valve-seat d can be readily removed from the shell or barrel a of the stop-cock, so that
the said valve and its seat can be cleaned or repaired while the boiler is under steam,
and without the necessity for taking the stop-cock to pieces or detaching the same
from the boiler.
Suitable projections or lugs m are formed on the shell or barrel a of the stop-cock
to limit the upward movement or lift of the valve. is a blank-flange which can be
readily removed to permit the cleaning of the thoroughfare to the boiler.
The screw-spindle and the cover gare so constructed and arranged that the extent
of lift of the valve for which the said spindle is adjusted will be indicated by the
length of screw-thread visible above the said cover. The stop-cock may be cou-
structed as described in our said former Specifications or in any other suitable
manner.
In feed-valves as heretofore constructed, the top of the valve-casing and the adjust-
ing spindle and hand-wheel have to be removed to permit the withdrawal of the valve
for cleaning or repairs, and the valve-seat is fixed within the casing in such a manner
that it is practically inaccessible for repairs and cannot be removed from the said
casing without detaching the latter froin the boiler. In our apparatus, however, the
valve and valve-seat are arranged in or on the upper end of an elbow or other suitable
pipe or casing as above described, and can, therefore, be removed with the said pipe
at one operation without disturbing the stop-cock or detaching the same from the
boiler; and, when thus removed, both the valve and its seat are easily accessible for
cleaning or repairs.
It is obvious that the stop-cock can be otherwise suitably constructed and arranged
if desired, and that we can substitute for the said stop-cock a stop-valve for shutting
off the fluid-pressure from the check or back-pressure valve. Moreover, instead of
the elbow-pipe, we can employ any other suitable pipe, in or on which the valve and
its seat are arranged as above described, and which can be readily connected with and
detached from the shell or casing of the stop-cock or valve, for the purposes above
specified. For instance the shell or barrel of the stop-cock or valve can be made
with a suitably bent or curved inlet pipe or passage opposite to the thoroughfare to the
boiler, and the check-valve be seated upon a pipe or casing connected with the said
bent or curved pipe or passage.
Our improved apparatus, although chiefly designed for use on a steam-boiler, is
applicable for other purposes where it is necessary or desirable to have access to the
valve in the manner above specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it understood that
we claim :-
Tit à nhuok na back-pressure valve seated as herein described in or upon a

page_text: suitable pipe or conduit which is so attached to the shell or casing of a stop-cock or
valve that it is readily removable therefrom, for the purposes above specified.
Second The elbow-pipe having the valve seated thereon and connected with the
shell or casing of the stop-cock or valve below the same, as, and for the purposes,
specified.
Third The apparatus constructed substantially as described and as shown in the
accompanying drawings for the purposes above specified.
Dated this 7th day of August 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.