Improvements in the Construction of Valves for Controlling the Flow of Liquids and such like Bodies and Gas and Steam.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Valves for Controlling the
Flow of Liquids and such like Bodies and Gas and Steam.
JOHN SMEATON of No. 56 Great Queen Street London W.C. in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and JOHN DICKEN SIMPSON of Buxton in the County of
Derby, Civil Engineer and Surveyor, 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 present invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of valves
to control, or shut off the flow of liquids vapours, and such like gaseous bodies, and
consists mainly of the hereinafter mentioned improvements. The ordinary valve of
this type is operated by a screw on the spindle, which work through a female screw
in the valve discs, opening, raising, or shutting off the valve when turned to the right
or left, as the case may be. On the end of the spindle a wedge piece is usually
formed, which operates, on the back of discs, when lowered to the position of the
seatings, thus closing the way of valve by pressing the discs against the seatings,
the wedge of spindle operating on a wedge-like projection, cast on the back of discs,
which does not come into action until the discs have been lowered into the bottom of
the valve box, often, if the valve is provided with a spindle and screw arrangement
of the ordinary type, the discs will be held fast by grit or other substance and the
spindle, being operated upon will cause the discs to spread quickly outwards before
they are in position for shutting off the flow of the liquid, thus rendering the valve
useless.
The ordinary valve cannot be brought into action quickly by merely pulling up the
spindle and lowering same, as the pressure of water on the face of the discs, will
hold them tight against the body of valve box, or seatings, and thereby allows the
wedge portion connected with the spindle to come into operation before the discs are

page_text: opposite the way of the valve; the improvements we claim, avoid these defects and
renders a valve less likely to fail by sticking when being operated suddenly
through any of the before mentioned causes, and also allow of a quick action being
possible.
The body of the ordinary valve is generally made with projecting flanges or
sockets with tube like projections, we prefer making the body of the valve as narrow
as possible consistent with leaving room to work the discs and the spindle arrange-
ment. In the body of the valve we prefer to form a projection with two grooves,
which acts as a guide to retain the discs in their proper places, and also to prevent
their having too much play in the box.
The stuffing box and the flange-top, through which the spindle works, are in two
pieces separate from the body of the valve, so that when unscrewed from the valve
body, the whole of the internal seatings, discs, & wedge pieces can be withdrawn for
cleaning or repairs. The discs are preferably formed of a shape to slide up and down
freely in the valve box, the seating being formed on same so as to present a fair face
to be secured in the body of the valve.
The action is as follows:- when the spindle upon which a V-like projection is
formed, is raised, the said projection is undercut to fit projections formed on the back
of the valve discs, one side however being slightly higher than the other, so that one
of the discs is practically brought into action when lifting, sooner than the other, thus
saving and preventing the chance of sticking. The wedge is also formed on a second
spindle, loose between the discs and is not brought into action until the valve discs
are nearly at rest opposite the seatings in the valve body. When the discs are being
raised by the spindle the second or wedge spindle is raised along with the discs,
a hook-like projection being cast or formed on the discs and also on the wedge
spindle, the axis of the operating valve spindle being in the same vertical straight line
with that of the wedge anindle
1. SHOWS sectional elevation of the valve when closed.
Fig. 2. shows a section through the valve and the discs or clacks, a, a', before plug
or wedge shaped spindle b. comes into action.
Fig. 3. shows the same section as Fig. 2 with the taper plug or wedge shaped
spindle in action pressing the discs or clacks against the seatings and thus tightly
closing the valve.
Fig. 4. shows a horizontal section through the valve, the discs or clacks and the
seatings when the valve is closed.
Fig. 5. shows plan of fixing the valves to an ordinary Bath.
Fig. 6. shows the sectional elevation of a Bath fitted with the valves and lever d,
for operating one of them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. A quick opening and shutting valve, worked by a spindle in conjunction with
a lever or other suitable contrivance working through a stuffing box or other suitable
packing, the spindle having at the lower end V lugs on which the two clacks, or discs,
are loosely hung when being raised, and one of which may be raised before the other
substantially as shewn and described.
2nd. Two clacks lifted by V lugs on the before mentioned spindle one being
arranged to lift before the other, if desired, and having shoulders against which the
end of the spindle acts when the clacks or discs are being shut down, the clacks or
discs being recessed in a wedge-like manner, in which recess the hereafter mentioned
wedge spindle works and is hung by a suitable contrivance when being raised
substantially as shewn and described.

page_text: 3rd. A wedge shaped spindle with V-shaped shoulders fitting into the before
mentioned recesses in the clacks or discs and raised and lowered by the said clacks
and discs.
The action of the wedge spindle being as follows:-Immediately before the clacks
or discs are shut against their seatings, the wedge spindle comes into operation against
a suitable projection at the bottom of the valve causing the clacks or discs to spread,
tighten themselves, and press firmly against their seatings substantially as shown and
described.