IMPROVEMENTS IN SLUICES OR STOP VALVES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Goold Morony Stoney, of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLUICES OR STOP VALVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Goold Morony
Stoney at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 14th February 1873.
I, FRANCIS GOOLD MORONY STONEY, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLUICES OR STOP VALVES," to be
as follows, that is to say :——
This Invention relates to improvements admitting of sluices or stop
valves being economically made of large sizes for any situation where a
moderate head or depth of water has to be dealt with.
The improved sluices or stop valves can be opened or closed with
comparatively very little power, and they are simple in construction and
not liable to get out of order. They are well suited for navigation or
irrigation works, for docks, and canal locks, and for reservoirs or tanks.

page_text: A sluice or stop valve constructed with the improvements consists of
a cylindrical shell of metal which is placed vertically, and which is of a
length sufficient for the top to be above the upper water level when the
valve is closed down. This cylindrical shell is above a circular sluice
opening, by which the water enters the duct or passage leading it off,
and this opening is provided with a conical rim or scat in which a
counterpart conical rim on the bottom edge of the shell or valve fits
when the latter is closed down. With this construction the valve is in
equilibrium as regards the water pressure, and its weight is counter-
balanced either by having a hollow jacket formed round it to act as a
float, or as is preferred by means of a counterweight connected to it by
a lever, and a link or a pair of links so that when opening or closing it
little beyond its mere inertia has to be overcome.
The arrangements for moving the sluice or valve may be modified to
suit different sizes, positions, and circumstances. It is preferred to use
a vertical screw spindle, and in the case of docks this may be con-
veniently arranged within a mooring or warping bit on a platform over
the valve. Where it is desirable for the screw spindle not to project
above the platform that is over the valve chamber, it may be held by a
bracket fixed to the under side of the platform and projecting down
within the top of the valve. The bottom of the valve may be guided by
means of a spindle held in one and working in the eye of the other of
two radiate frames, one of which is fixed in the valve and the other in
the valve opening; these frames being by preference indented upwards.
It is however preferred to guide the valve by means of an external ring
fixed just above the highest point to which the bottom of the valve rises,
this ring being supported by radiating standards which at the same time
serve to divide and direct the flow of the water so as to equalise the action
all round the valve.. A grating may be formed between the guide ring
and the bottom to stop materials or articles that might obstruct the
valva
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Goold Morony Stoncy in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 12th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS 35
GOOLD MORONY STONEY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Francis Goold Morony Stoney, Her
special licence that I, the said Francis Goold Morony Stoney, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Francis Goold Morony Stoney, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLUICES OR STOP VALVES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francis Goold Morony
Stoney, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed.
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Francis Goold Morony Stoney, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in:
and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to improvements admitting of sluices or
stop valves being economically made of large sizes for any situation
where a moderate head or depth of water has to be dealt with.
My improved sluices or stop valves can be opened or closed with
comparatively very little power, and they are simple in construction and
not liable to get out of order. They are well suited for navigation
or irrigation works, for docks and canal locks, and for reservoirs or tanks.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing
one modification of my improved arrangements. In these Drawings the
same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section of the sluice or valve as fitted in a
masonry chamber, and Figures 2, 3, and 4, are horizontal sections
or detached plan views that will be herein-after more particularly
referred to.
The valve consists of a cylindrical shell 1, of boiler iron, or other
suitable metal strengthened by three internal rings 2, of T iron, by a top
ring 3 of angle iron, and by two cast-iron frames 4, 5, these last being
shown also in Figures 2 and 3 respectively. The cylindrical shell 1 is
placed vertically and is of a length sufficient for the top 3 to be above
the upper water level when the valve is in the closed position in which 1
it is shown in Figure 1. The valve 1 is directly over a circular sluice
opening 6, through which when the valve is raised the water passes from
the chamber 7 into the culvert or passage 8 leading it away; and this
opening 6 is provided with a conical rim or scat 9, in which a counter-
part conical rim formed on the bottom frame 5 of the valve 1 fits when
the valve is closed down. The valve seat 9 is shown in Figure 4; it is of
cast iron and is bolted down to a ring 10 which is first secured to the
masonry, being bedded with cement, with which construction the valve
seat 9 can be easily removed at any time for repairs or renewal without
disturbing the attachments to the masonry. The seat ring 9 is in the
form of a radiate frame with a central boss or eye 11, which serves as a
guide to a spindle 12 fixed in the centre of the frame 5, also made
radiate.
With the improved construction herein-before described the valve 1 is
in equilibrium as regards the water pressure, and its weight may be
counterbalanced either by having a hollow jacket formed round it to
act as a float, or as I prefer by means of a counterweight or weights.
connected to it by a lever and links, or in an equivalent manner, so that
when opening or closing it little beyond its mere inertia has to be
overcome.
The arrangements for moving the valve may be modified to suit
different sizes, positions, and circumstances. I prefer to use a vertical
screw spindle 13, as shown in the Drawings, this being conveniently
arranged within a hollow cast-iron standard 14, (which in the case of
docks or canals might be a mooring or warping bit) on a platform 15
over the valve 1. A handle 16 serves for turning the screw spindle 13,
this handle being on a horizontal shaft geared to the spindle 13 by a
pair of bevil wheels 17. The screw spindle 13 works in a nut 18 fixed

page_text: in the top of a bracket 19 bolted to the frame 4 of the valve. The lower
part of this bracket 19 has a rack 20 formed on it, and this rack gears
with a pinion 21 on a short shaft having fast on it two grooved
pulleys 22. The pinion 21 also gears with a rack 23 formed on a
bracket 24 fixed to the under side of the platform 15, so that when the
valve is raised the pinion 21 rolls up the rack 23 and vice versa.
Chains 25 fixed to the two pulleys 22 pass round them to a weight or
weights 26. This counterbalancing arrangement is extremely compact
and convenient and free from friction.
In some cases I intend to guide the valve 1 by means of an external
ring fixed just above the highest point to which the bottom 5 of the
valve rises, this guide ring being supported by radiating standards
which also serve to divide and direct the flow of the water so as to
equalise the action all round the valve. A grating may be formed
between the guide ring and the bottom to stop materials or articles that
might obstruct the valve.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but that
what I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The constructing and arranging of sluices or stop valves sub-
stantially in the improved manner herein described and delineated.
2. The counterbalancing of the valve by the combination of racks,
rolling pinion, pulleys, and weighted chains, substantially as herein
described and delineated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Goold Morony Stoney, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Seventh day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-