An Improved Valve Attachment for Ball Hydrants to Prevent the Inflow of Surface Drainage to Mains, said Valve being also useful in Pumps and Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Valve Attachment for Ball Hydrants to Prevent the
Inflow of Surface Drainage to Mains, said Valve being also useful
in Pumps and Engines.
A communication from abroad by THOMAS LIVINGSTON, of 460, Flinders Lane,
Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, Produce Merchant.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, England, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention consists mainly of an improved valve that may be attached to
existing ball hydrants or fire plugs, it being so fitted and combined therewith that
it will prevent any inflow to the mains whether they be charged or empty also
the improved valve opens automatically when the water is drawn therefrom and it
permits of the requisite area being maintained for the outflowing current. The
improved valve is of the rubber disc type and the improvement in it lies in that it
is fitted on a seat of conical form that causes the rubber valve to have a natural
tendency to resume and make close fitting contact with its seat. For the reason
just stated the improved valve and seat will also be applicable as the valve of pump
buckets or as clack valves in pumps whether hydraulic or air and also for a
valve in air and marine and other engines or in fact it may with advantage be
substituted for the flat rubber disc valves or clacks wherever now employed.
The improved valve attachment when applied to existing ball hydrants or fire
plugs is arranged at its lower end or it can be formed in a separate casting or
distance piece fitted between the lower flange of the hydrant and the branch of
main and thus it will be understood that the existing ball valve and its seat are not
interfered with, the ball having its requisite drop or downward movement as at
present when pressed down or opened by the rod of the portable stand pipe.
In order to better explain the invention I will now describe it by reference to
the accompanying sheets of drawings in which similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a central section of one form of my invention as applied to a ball
nydrant one half shewing it closed and the ordinary ball valve up against its seat
whilst the other half shews both the improved rubber valve and the ordinary ball
valve open.
Fig. 2 is a half plan of the underside of the improved valve seat and flange of
hydrant shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a half side view and a half section of the lower part of a ball hydrant
shewing a modified form of my improved valve seat and valve the latter being
arranged to open outwards instead of inwards as shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shews the improved seat and valve arranged in a distance piece or ring
that is designed to be fitted between the lower flange of hydrant and flange of
branch from main, and,
Fig. 5 is a half plan of said distance piece and valve.
Fig. 6 is half side view and a half central section of a ball hydrant fitted with
the improved rubber valve and seat similar to that shewn in Fig. 3 only that the
alve in this instance is secured in position by a ring or cage that is held in
position by the cover of hydrant.
Fig. 7 is a half section and a half elevation of another form of the improved
valve as applied to an air bucket, and
Fio & half plan of Rio 7

page_text: Fig. 9 is a half section and half clevation of a pump clack the improved rubber
valve being secured to a central ring to allow of it opening from both its edges.
Fig. 10 is a half section and a half elevation of the improved valve as applied to
an ordinary hand pump bucket and
Fig. 11 a half plan of the bucket.
A is the rubber valve, and B its conical seat having holes or ports b through it,
the combined area of which allows of the requisite water way.
The seat B may
either taper from its periphery downwards towards its centre as shewn in Fig. 1 or
from its periphery upwards towards its centre as shewn in Figs. 3, 4 and 6.
When
the rubber valve is of the form shewn in Fig. 1 it, in its normal state, would be a
flat disc of rubber which is forced down on to its seat by the nut C that is screwed
upon a pin C¹ the lower part of which is screwed into the central boss of a bridge
bar D cast in a metal ring D' upon which valve seat B is supported. When the
rubber valve is of the form shewn in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 it, in its normal state would
also be a flat ring and it is pressed upon its seat by a ring E of one of the several
forms shewn and which in Fig. 6 takes the form of a cage having a wide flange E'
at its top upon which the leather seat ring of the ball valve rests F is the hydrant,
Fits ball valve, F2 the leather seat ring and F³ the cover flange. The parts just
described are well known and of themselves form no part of this invention nor is it
to be understood that the improved rubber valve and seat can only be used in
hydrants when combined with those having ball valves for they can also be used
with hydrants having other forms of valve such as those having a screw stem or
those seated on a spring support; further I am aware that a flat rubber valve
might be used in combination with the ball or other valve of hydrants although
without such good results as is obtained by the use of my improved valve such a
combination not having before been employed I wish to include it as part of my
claims.
The valve or clack of my invention I prefer to be of the best vulcanized rubber
whilst the conically inclined seat is cast or formed of gun or other suitable metal.
The operation of my improved valve will be well understood by engineers
and others upon referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings as when the ball valve is pressed
down or opened the pressure of water in the main will open the rubber valve the
water taking the direction indicated by the arrow or should there be no water nor
a sufficient air pressure in the main my improved valve will not rise from its
seat whilst when there is water in the main and the ball valve is released and
allowed to rise to its seat it closes as ordinarily and my improved valve automatically
resumes its seat the conical form of which ensures of the valve making close
connection therewith.
In Figs. 7 to 11-A is again the rubber valve and B the face of bucket or
seat for valve. The valves (Figs. 7 and 9) being secured in position between a
ring and the valve face, said ring being secured by stud bolts G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. My improved valve consisting of a perforated seat of conical form having a
rubber valve or clack upon it, said valve being either secured at the centre of seat
or face or at its outer edge and at all times so that the tendency of the rubber is to
make close contact with its seat substantially as and for the purpose herein described
and in the manner illustrated in the drawings.
2. The combination of a rubber valve and seat of either of the several forms
herein described with a ball or other hydrant or fire plug and substantially in the
manner shewn in the drawings.
3. A rubber valve and seat of either of the several forms herein described
arranged within a casting or distance piece or ring substantially in the manner
shewn in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

page_text: 4. The use of a ring such as E constructed in either of the several forms shewn
in the drawings for securing the outer edge of the rubber valve on its perforated
seat substantially as herein described.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.