Improvements in Valves for Fire Plugs and Hydrants, and Means for Operating same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Fire Plugs and Hydrants, and Means
for Operating same.
I, HUGH THOMSON, of "Thornton" Studley Park Road Kew near Melbourne
in the Colony of Victoria, Tanner, 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 :-
Hitherto it has been usual to construct fire plugs with a loose ball valve, which
is normally kept closed either by the pressure of water behind it or else by means
of a spring. This serves to prevent the entrance of dirt or sewage into the water
main, when the valve is on its sea.
The object of this invention is to provide a valve (together with means for
operating it) which can be used for fire plugs and hydrants, and which can be
opened or closed and retained in position as required.
1.
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According to this invention, the valve is supported upon the end of an arm or
lever projecting from a spindle to which motion is imparted by any convenient
mechanism, and preferably by means of a toothed quadrant fitted thereon, and
engaging with a suitably arranged worm in such a manner as that when rotated in
the required direction it will either open or close said valve, the spindle of said
worm being squared or otherwise sided to enable it to be turned by means of a
correspondingly shaped handle or lever. Or said valve spindle can be operated
by means of a forked lever and screw-threaded rod instead of by the worm and
toothed quadrant above mentioned. The valve is preferably constructed of a
solid casting, and is fitted with rubber or other packing secured between a
washer and the casting forming the main part of the valve, although an
ordinary valve can be used and be operated as above described, if preferred.i
Referring to the accompanying drawings,―
Figure 1 is a vertical central section,
Figure 2 a side elevation,
Figure 3 a front elevation, and
Figure 4 a plan of a fire plug fitted with a valve constructed according to this
invention.
Figures 5 to 10 are views of various details lettered to agree with the corre-
sponding parts in Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 11 is a vertical central section, and
Figure 12 a plan of the upper part of a stand pipe fitted with a valve constructed
and operated according to this invention, whilst
Figure 13 is a side elevation of a fire plug fitted with a valve constructed as
herein described, and illustrating the application of a modified form of mechanism
for operating it.
Similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures.
.
A. represents the main casting of the fire plug, having the usual hook-shaped
lugs B to facilitate the securing of a stand pipe thereto in the ordinary manner.
C represents the valve which is, according to my invention, made of a casting c
around the centre portion of which is arranged a washer of rubber or other packing
material c¹ upon which is fitted a ring 2 screwed through said washer to the base
of the main casting c by screws c³, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. This said
central casting c is formed with two upwardly projecting lugs c', between which
the end of an arm D is secured by means of a pin d passed through a hole in
the end of said arm and through holes in said lugs. This said arm is fitted at
its inner end upon a square part of a spindle e, upon which is also secured a
"

page_text: toothed quadrant E, having worm teeth e' with which the teeth of a worm F
are arranged to engage, said worm being secured upon a spindle f mounted in
bearings in two projecting lugs and formed with a sided end 2 over which
a correspondingly sided key or handle can be fitted. The spindle e is passed
through a screwed divided bush e fitted into the casing A, collars e³ upon said
spindle being fitted into corresponding recesses in the two halves of said bush e so
as to ensure a perfectly water-tight joint.
With this construction of valve it is merely necessary to fit a key or handle over
the sided end of the spindle and to turn same in one direction or the other so as
to actuate the toothed quadrant E, and therefore raise or lower the valve C from
ite seating, it being obvious that when said valve is moved into any desired position,
that its further movement will be prevented by the worm F and toothed quadrant E,
so that if said valve is closed and the pressure is withdrawn from the main for any
reason, said valve will still keep closed and will not drop, as is the case with the
ordinary ball valve, and moreover it has other advantages over the ordinary spring
valve in that it is not so liable to get out of order, and withal is convenient and
effectual in operation.
The apparatus illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 is the same as that hereinbefore
described, except that the quadrant E is fitted upon the spindle e within the body
or casing of a stand pipe near the upper end thereof, and the worm F, together
with its spindle f, is arranged horizontally. In order to facilitate the fitting of
this valve, the upper part A' of the casing of this stand pipe is made removable,
said upper part being secured to the lower part of the casing by set screws a or
otherwise, as will be readily understood.
The manner of operating the valve shown in these figures is the same as with the
valve above described.
The arrangement illustrated in Figure 13 is substantially the same as that
described with reference to Figures 1 to 10, except that a forked arm or lever E is
secured upon the valve spindle e instead of the toothed quadrant shown in said
previous figures, and the outer end of this bifurcated arm E is in engagement with
the lower end of the screw-threaded rod F passed through a divided nut f¹ fitted
between the two projecting lugs f³ and secured in position between them by a pin
or bolt f. With this construction it will be obvious that if the screw-threaded
bolt or rod F be turned in either direction by means of a key or handle fitted over
the sided end f¹ thereof, that the valve will be opened or closed through the
medium of the arm or lever E and valve spindle e, as above described.
With the construction of valve and operating mechanism for fire plugs herein
described, the entrance of filth or dirt of any description into the water main owing
to the pressure therein being withdrawn is entirely prevented, and moreover a
simple and more convenient fire plug or hydrant is produced.
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 :-
First. In fire plugs and hydrants a valve (such as C) consisting of a casting
(such as c) formed with lugs projecting up from its central portion around which is
fitted a ring (such as c¹) of rubber or other packing material clamped between said
casting and a metal ring secured thereto by set screws (such as c³) the whole being
constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
explained and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In fire plugs and hydrants a valve (such as C) pivotted upon an arm
projecting from a spindle (such as e) to which motion is imparted by any convenient
arrangement of mechanism, such for instance as that herein described and as illus-
trated in my drawings, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Third. In fire plugs and hydrants, a valve (such as C) pivotted upon an arm
projecting from a spindle (such as e) either fitted with a toothed quadrant with
which a worm (such as F) is in engagement, or else having a-projecting arm

page_text: engaging with a screw-threaded rod (such as F, Figure 13) the whole being
constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
explained and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Sixteenth day of February One thousand eight hundred and
ninety throa
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.