IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL VALVES AND OTHER DRAW-OFF VALVES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Dunning Barker, of 45, Bedford Row, and Arthur
George Rawson Harris, of 39, Dorset Square, both in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL VALVES AND OTHER DRAW-OFF
VALVES."
Sealed the 27th April 1877, and dated the 3rd March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Dunning Barker and
Arthur George Rawson, Harris at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 3rd March 1877.
EDWARD DUNNING BARKER, of 45, Bedford Row, and ARTHUR GEORGE RAWSON
HARRIS, of 39, Dorset Square, both in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BALL VALVES AND OTHER DRAW-OFF VALVES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in ball valves and other draw-off
valves. For these purposes I employ a peculiar india-rubber ring valve closing with
the flow of the liquid against a seat of the same material and form. These parts are
contained within a valve chamber in connection with the supply, and in the bottom of
the chamber is an outlet aperture. Into the outlet aperture a cone is fitted, and when
the cone is at or near its lowest position it closes the outlet aperture nearly water-
tight without the aid of the india-rubber valve and seating. The draw-off lever
operates against the lower end or stem of the cone to raise it. The india-rubber
seating surrounds the outlet aperture in which the cone works, and the india-rubber
valve is fixed upon the upper end of the cone. Both valve and seating consist of
stout india-rubber rings thinned off at their outer edges, which thus form somewhat
flexible lips, and when the valve is closed down against the seat it is only these
outer edges or lips which come into contact, and the two flexible parts having but a
small area of contact form a perfectly fluid-tight joint.
In opening and closing the valve the cone serves to prevent a sharp rush of water
taking place between the flexible lips, as the water is stopped back by the conc,
except when the lips are widely separated.
The same object may be attained by reversing the lips, forming them on the inside
of the rings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Dunning Barker and Arthur George Rawson Harris in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st September 1877.
EDWARD DUNNING BARKER, of 45, Bedford Row, and ARTHUR GEORGE RAWSON
HARRIS, of 39, Dorset Square, both in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BALL VALVES AND OTHER DRAW-OFF VALVES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in ball valves and other draw-off
valves. For these purposes we employ a peculiar india-rubber ring valve closing
with the flow of the liquid against a seat of the same material and form. These
parts are contained within a valve chamber in connection with the supply, and in
the bottom of the chamber is an outlet aperture. Into the outlet aperture a cone is
fitted, and when the cone is at or near its lowest position it closes the outlet aperture
nearly water-tight without the aid of the india-rubber valve and seating. The
draw-off lever operates against the lower end or stem of the cone to raise it. The
india-rubber seating surrounds the outlet aperture in which the cone works, and the
india-rubber valve is fixed upon the upper end of the cone.
Both valve and seating
consist of stout india-rubber rings thinned off at their outer edges, which thus form
somewhat flexible lips, and when the valve is closed down against the seat, it is only
these outer edges or lips which come into contact, and the two flexible parts having
but a small area of contact form a perfectly fluid-tight joint.
In opening and closing the valve the cone serves to prevent a sharp rush of water
taking place between the flexible lips, as the water is stopped back by the cone,
except when the lips are widely separated.
The same object may be attained by reversing the lips, forming them on the inside
of the rings.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a ball valve constructed according to our Inven-
tion. The same is also applicable (when a handle is substituted for the ball and
lever) for use generally as a draw-off valve. a is a metal shell adapted to screw on
to the supply pipe at a¹; it has a seating formed within it to receive the metal cone
b, which, as the Drawing shows, is provided with a surface or flange to rest flat upon
the face within the shell, but it is not essential that these surfaces should fit together
water-tight. c is a cap closing au aperture in the top of the shell by which the
cone b is inserted; it also serves to guide the upper stem of the cone b. The cone
is also furnished with a stem at its lower end, and this projects out of the shell by
a hole formed through the under side of the spout a²; it abuts upon an eccentric d,
which has fixed upon its axis the lever e, carrying the ball or float (in the case of a
ball valve), or a simple handle takes the place of the lever e in the case of a draw-off
valve for hand use. The main feature in the arrangement, however, is the elastic
seat and valve fand g. These parts are shown to a larger scale at Figure 2. The
elastic seat is a ring of moulded india-rubber, which is sprung into its place around
the metal face or seat in the shell, as the Drawing indicates, and the elastic valve is
a similar ring sprung around the head of the cone b, just above the surface or flange
which takes a bearing upon the seating in the shell. It will be observed that both
the india-rubber rings are formed with thin edges or lips, and it is these which come
together and are held in water-tight contact by the pressure of the water around,
whilst the metal parts prevent any undue vertical pressure of the one ring upon the
other. When by turning the eccentric d the cone b is raised, the lips of the rings
readily separate and allow water to pass, but a sudden rush is prevented by the cone b
which is of such a form that it almost fills the passage in the shell until it has risen

page_text: so far that the lips are already widely separated; this construction also ensures the
quiet closing of the valve.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of another valve acting in a similar manner, but
having the lips reversed or on the inner side of the flexible rings.
The flexible rings forming the valve seat and valve are shown to a larger scale at
Figure 4, together with some other of the parts. As before, a is the shell connected
with the supply pipe at a¹; it has a metal seating within it to receive a valve plate b,
which is carried upon the end of a screw passing through the cap c, and thus the
valve plate b can be raised and lowered at pleasure; ƒ and g are the elastic lipped
rings.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim,--
First. The construction of ball valves and other draw-off valves, with elastic
lipped ring valves and valve seats, which are separated from each other mechanically
for the purpose of permitting the water or fluid to flow, substantially as described.
Second. The construction of ball valves and other draw-off valves, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Dunning Barker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
EDW”. D. BARKER. (L.S.).