IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES, AND IN THE MACHINERY USED FOR GRINDING THE SEATS OF SUCH VALVES AND OTHER ARTICLES REQUIRING SUCH AN DENDATION
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Russell Gubbins, Engineer, and James Whitestone,
Civil Engineer, both of Upper Thames Street, in the City of London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES, AND IN THE MACHINERY USED FOR
GRINDING THE SEATS OF SUCH VALVES AND OTHER ARTICLES REQUIRING SUCH
AN DENDATION"
Sealed the 1st September 1877, and dated the 15th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Russell Gubbins and
James Whitestone at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th
March 1877.
RICHARD RUSSELL GUBBINS, Engineer, and JAMES WHITESTONE, Civil Engineer,
both of Upper Thames Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES,
AND IN THE MACHINERY USED FOR GRINDING THE SEATS OF SUCH VALVES AND
OTHER ARTICLES REQUIRING SUCH AN OPERATION."
The first part of our Invention relates to an improved construction of double-
faced valve for water, gas, or steam pipes, the main object of the Invention being
to ensure a perfectly tight joint and to prevent leakage. To this end the circular
discs which form the valves are each provided at their backs with a V shaped or
conical annular groove to receive the conical edges of an expanding ring, which is
situated between the two circular valve discs, and has an opening made at its upper
part to receive a wedge-shaped block, which is capable of being raised and lowered
by means of a screw working in a female screw tapped in the top of the wedge
block. The stem of the male screw extends up through a stuffing box, so that it
may be turned from the outside by means of a handle when it is desired to open or
close the valve. The wedge block has a shoulder on each side, whereby it will lift
up the expanding ring, and with it the two circular valve discs, which (when
raised so as to open a free way along the water, gas, or steam pipe) are loose.
When it is desired to close the passage water or gas-tight the valve discs are
lowered so as to be brought opposite to their seats, then upon continuing to screw
down the wedge block the latter will expand the ring and force out the circular
valve discs against their seats, and thus produce a tight fit.
4

page_text: As a modification of the above, two segment pieces may be used in place of the
expanding ring. These segment pieces however act in precisely the same way as
the ring, and are connected by means of double toggle joints to two wedge blocks
placed between them. The inclined faces of these blocks are opposite to each other,
and between them is placed a wedge block and screw, as in the other instance, so
that by screwing down the middle wedge block the other blocks will be thrust
forward, and will thereby thrust the segments in the grooves at the back of the
circular valve discs and force the latter against their respective faces.
As a further modification the two circular discs may be thrust forward by means
of a pair of bars provided with wedge-shaped ends to act against the V grooves at
the back of the discs. The wedge bars are connected by toggle joints to a central
block, which is moved up and down by means of a screw.
For the sake of durability the faces of the valves and their seats should be of
chilled cast iron, in which case the valve seats in all these constructions must be
ground true, but as this cannot be done conveniently with the ordinary appliances:
of a machine shop we have devised a special apparatus for the purpose.
This apparatus consists of a tubular shaft mounted in suitable bearings, and
provided with gearing so that it may be driven at a moderate speed. This tubular
shaft carries the spindle of a small einery wheel, which is made to bear against the
face which is to be ground, and rapid rotary motion is given to the emery wheel by
means of a driving band which passes round a pulley on the emery wheel spindle,
and also round a similar pulley at the end of the tubular shaft. These two pullies
are enclosed within the tubular shaft, and are actuated by means of bevil gearing
driven by a band pulley actuated by any prime mover.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Russell Gubbins and James Whitestone in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 15th September 1877.
RICHARD RUSSELL GUBBINS, Engineer, and JAMES WHITESTONE, Civil Engineer,
both of Upper Thames Street, in the City of London. IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES,
AND. IN THE MACHINERY USED FOR GRINDING THE SEATS OF SUCH VALVES AND
OTHER ARTICLES REQUIRING SUCH AN OPERATION."
The first part of our Invention relates to an improved construction of double-
faced valves for water, gas, or steam pipes, the main object of the Invention being
to ensure a perfectly tight joint and to provent leakage. To this end the circular
discs which form the valve are each provided at their backs with a V shaped
conical or annular groove to receive the conical edges of an expanding ring, which
is situated between the two circular valve discs, and has an opening made at its
upper part to receive a wedge-shaped block, which is capable of being raised and
lowered by means of a screw working in a female screw tapped in the top of the
wedge block. The stem of the male screw extends up through a stuffing box, so
that it may be turned from the outside by means of a handle when it is desired to
open or close the valve. The wedge block has a shoulder on each side, whereby
it will lift up the expanding ring, and with it the two circular valve discs which (when
raised so as to open a free way along the water, gas, or steam pipe) are loose. When
it is desired to close the passage water, steam, or gas-tight the valve discs are
lowered so as to be brought opposite to their seats, then upon continuing to screw
down the wedge block the latter will expand the ring and force out the circular
valve discs against their seats, and thus produce a tight fit.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal vertical section,
and Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section of a valve cock constructed according to our
Invention.
a, a, is the barrel of the valve, into which are screwed or otherwise secured the

page_text: two tubular pieces b, b, to receive the ends of the iron pipes to which the valves are
to be attached. These tubular pieces bare provided internally with curved pro-
jecting shoulders 61, 61, which constitute a bracket on which the valve discs c, c,
rest when the cock or valve is closed, as shown in the Figures. The inner ends of
the tubular pieces b, b, form the annular seats against which the valve discs c, c, aro
pressed by the expanding ring d, formed externally with bevilled faces, which bear
against the back of the valve discs c, c, so that when the ring d is expanded by
forcing down the wedge pieces e, e, (Fig. 2) by means of the screw of these valve
discs c will be forced outwards and made to bear tightly against their seats and
close the openings through the tubular pieces b, b. When the screw f is turned in
the opposite direction it draws up the wedge piece e, and thereby loosens the valve
discs c, c, so that they may (without rubbing against the faces of the tubular
pieces b, b,) be drawn up into the upper part of the valve box, and thus leave a
clear open space through the valve chamber.
In order that the valve discs and their appendages may be lifted up the wedge
piece e is provided at its lower part with two flanges e¹, e¹, Fig. 2, which by coming
against the under side of two shoulders made in the expanding ring d will causo
the ring and the discs c, c, to rise with the wedge piece e.
It will be seen on referring to Fig. 1 that one of the tubular pieces b is tapped
internally so that it may be screwed on to the end of a pipe. The other tubular
piece b is screwed externally, so that a pipe, bib, or mouth-piece may be screwed
thercon.
Fig. 3 represents the tubular piece b detached from the valve box, but formed in
one piece with the bib or mouth-piece b², so that it may be at once serowed into its
place in the valve box. This single piece is provided with a projecting curved
bracket b¹ to support the valve discs c when they are at their lowest position, as
already mentioned.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another form of tubular piece b, also provided with
the projecting curved bracket b¹. In this instance the piece b is made with a
flange b³, whereby it may be secured by bolts and nuts to the pipe to which the
valve is to be adapted.
Fig. 5, Sheet I., is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 6 is a cross section of
a modification of the valve shown at Figures 1 and 2. The plan shown at Figures_5
and 6 differs from that already explained in the form and action of the ring d. In
this instance the ring d, which is shown detached in front elevation at Fig. 7, is
split at bottom, and is made to collapse and embrace the outside of the valve discs
and thrust them forward against their seats by causing its conical internal face to
bear against the conical external face of the discs. The collapsing of the split
ring d is effected by causing the wedge piece d' at the lower side of the ring to
enter a wedge-shaped recess a* at the bottom of the valve box, as shown best at
Fig. 6. As similar letters of reference are marked on corresponding parts in
Figures 1, 2, and 5, 6, no further description of the latter will be required.
A modification of the above is shown at Figures 8, 9, and 10, Sheet II., Fig. S being
a longitudinal section, Fig. 9 a cross section, and Fig. 10 a horizontal section of the
valve in which two segment pieces g, g, Figures 9 and 10, are used in place of the
expanding ring d in the former Figures. These segment pieces g however act in
precisely the same way as the ring d, and are connected by means of double toggle
joints g³, g¹, which will force them out, and will cause the wedge blocks h, h, on
the segment g, g, to push against the conical recesses at the backs of the valve
discs c, c. The inclined faces of the blocks h are opposite to each other, and
between the segment blocks is placed the block e and screw shaft f, as in the other
machine, so that by screwing down the middle block e by means of the screw
shaft the segment pieces g and wedge blocks will be thrust forward, and will
thereby thrust forward the circular valve discs c, and force the latter against their
respective faces.
Fig. 10 is a back elevation of one of the valve discs c, showing the slots in which
work the projections on the wedge pieces e and segment pieces g, g. The vertical

page_text: receives ont projections e, anu mle norizontal slots receive the presy
"
of the segment pieces g.
A further modification is shown at Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14, Sheet III. In
this instance the Invention is adapted to a ball-cock; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal
vertical section of a ball-cock for a water cistern with our improvements adapted
thereto; Fig. 12 is a cross section of the same; Fig. 13 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 14 a front or end view of the cock. The two circular valve dics c, c, are
thrust forward by means of a pair of curved blocks g¹ provided with wedge-
shaped ends to act against the V grooves at the back of the discs c. The valve is
made self-acting, and the stem f¹ is plain and made to work up and down in a
stuffing box, and its upper end is jointed to a cross head i, Figures 12 and 14,
which is connected by links i, , to one end of the lever j, which carries at its
opposite end a ball or float, not shown in the Drawing. The lower end of the
stem f¹ is made of a wedge form, and is placed between the two segment pieces g³, g¹,
as seen best at Fig. 12, so that when the stem f¹ is lowered the wedge-formed sides
will thrust out the segment pieces g¹ and cause them to push forward the valve
discs c, c, against their seats, and thereby effectually close the cock. When how-
ever the water in the cistern sinks the ball float at the end of the lever j will fall,
and will lift up the stem f¹, which by means of a cross pin f° will carry up
with it the valve discs c, and will open the cock and allow the water to flow
through.
For the sake of durability the faces of the valves and their seats in all these
modifications when connected with steam pipes should be of chilled cast iron, and
the valve seats in all those constructions above described in which the valve seats
are cast in one piece with the valve box a must be ground true, but as this cannot
be done conveniently with the ordinary appliances of a machine shop we have
devised a special apparatus for the purpose.
.
This apparatus is shown at Fig. 15, Sheet IV., and consists of a tubular shaft k
mounted in suitable bearings e, and provided with gearing so arranged that it may
be driven at a moderate speed. This tubular shaft carries the spindle of a small
emery wheel m, which is made to bear against the face or scat b which is to be
ground. Rapid rotary motion is given to the emery wheel m by means of a driving
band n, which passes over a grooved pulley m² on the emery wheel spindle, and
also round similar pulleys at the end of the tubular shaft, and which act inerely as
guide pulleys. Some of these pulleys are enclosed within the tubular shaft, and
are actuated by means of a band n and a large pulley o mounted on a short
spindle o¹, which passes through the tubular shaft and one of its bearings. The
spindle o¹ carries at its outer end a pulley o², which is driven with great speed by
means of a band actuated by any prime mover. On the outer end of the tubular
shaft k is keyed another pulley p, which is driven by a band actuated by any prime
mover. By this means the tubular shaft is caused to rotate slowly on its axis,
and carry round with it the grinding wheel m, together with the gear m², m², n,
and o. The grinding or emery wheel m is thus made to travel round and grind
the faces or seats b, b, of the valve box a, which is held steadily up to the emery
wheel in any convenient manner. When one face or seat bis properly ground the
valve box a is shifted so as to bring the other face against the emery wheel, and
when the grinding operation is finished the tubular shaft is lifted out of its
bearings and withdrawn from the valve box.
Having now described our Invention, and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, we claim as the Invention secured to us by Letters
Patent as aforesaid,-
First. The arrangement and construction of parts shown in Sheet I., in which the
valve discs c, c, which close the passage through the valve are pressed forward and
held down on their seats by means of expanding or collapsible rings formed with
conical faces, which bear against the backs of the valve discs, as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
Second. The arrangements and construction of parts shown in Sheets II. and III,

page_text: in which the valve discs which close the passage through the valve are pressed
forward and held down on their seats by micans of segment pieces carrying wedge
blocks, or formed with conical faces, which wedge blocks or conical faces bear
against the backs of the valve discs, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Third. The apparatus above described for grinding the chilled seats' of valve
boxes by means of an cinery wheel, mounted and actuated as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Whitestone, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES WHITESTONE. (L.S.)