Improvements in Relief and Drain Valves for Steam, Pneumatic, Hydraulic and other Cylinders.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Relief and Drain Valves for Steam, Pneumatic,
Hydraulic and other Cylinders.
JOSEPH FREEMAN, 137, Great Tindal Street, Birmingham, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention has reference to the method of working relief and drain valves
on steam, pneumatic, hydraulic and other cylinders, whereby two or more valves
connected by pipes to a threeway cock or valve, may be used alternately as drain
and relief valves.
I will describe my invention as applied to a steam cylinder.
At or near each end of the cylinder a valve is fixed, which valves open away from
the cylinder, and are connected by pipes to a threeway cock or valve. The three-
way cock or valve is connected to the steam boiler or separator, the other outlet
going to drain. On turning the threeway cock or valve so that the outlet to the
drain on the aforesaid threeway cock or valve is closed, the steam from the boiler
has a clear passage to the aforesaid valves which are placed near or at the end of
the steam cylinder. The pressure of the steam from the boiler on the valves will
prevent them from opening during the ordinary working of the piston inside the
aforesaid steam cylinder, but if from some extraordinary cause the pressure in the
cylinder becomes greater than the pressure in the boiler, the aforesaid valves will
immediately open and relieve it, thereby acting as relief valves.
The aforesaid two valves may also be made to act as drain valves.
By turning the aforesaid threeway cock or valve so that the pressure of steam
from the boiler is shut off from the backs of the aforesaid two valves, they will
open and allow the steam and water to have a free passage through the threeway
cock or valve to drain, thereby acting as drain valves.
Instead of two relief and drain valves, as previously described, being used, one
only may be used, or any number, but they must all be connected by pipes to the
threeway cock or valve.
Likewise any number of cylinders may be used with all the relief and drain
valves being connected by pipes to the threeway cock or valve, so that, by it, they
may be used alternately as drain and relief valves.
Dated this 24th day of March 1007

page_text: Improvements in Relief and Drain Valves for Steam, Pneumatic,
Hydraulic, and other Cylinders.
I, JOSEPH FREEMAN, of 137, Great Tindal Street, in the City of Birmingham and
County of Warwickshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed,, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention relates to the method of working relief and drain valves, on
steam, pneumatic, hydraulic and other cylinders, whereby one, two or more valves,
connected by pipes or other means, to a cock or valve, having three or more -
ways, may be used alternately in relieving or draining the aforesaid cylinder or
cylinders.
Such being the nature and object of this invention, I will proceed to describe
the same as applied to the cylinders of an ordinary steam engine, making reference
to the accompanying drawings.
こ
Fig. 1 shews this invention as applied to a single cylinder of a horizontal,
engine.
Fig. 2 shews this invention as applied to a compound vertical engine, having
high and low pressure.cylinders placed side by side.
Fig. 3 shews this invention as applied to a compound vertical engine having
high pressure cylinder placed over low pressure cylinder.
Fig. 4 is a section of the valve to be used alternately in relieving and draining
the aforesaid cylinder or-cylinders.
: Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a three-way cock or valve, used on simple engines,
having one or more cylinders working at the same pressure; for operating, and in
connection with the aforesaid relief and drain valve or valves..
Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a three-way cock or valve, having an additional
branch for draining, to be used on compound engines having two or more
cylinders working at different pressures; for operating, and in connection with
the aforesaid relief and drain valve or valves.
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of the three-way cock or valve.
In. Fig. 1. A designates a cylinder, to which is attached at or near each end
a valve B, opening away from the cylinder A, and connected by pipes C to a three-
way cock or valve 1), having branches d and d¹.
The branch d of the three-way cock or valve is connected to the steam boiler
or separator, and the branch is connected to. drain or condenser. .
On turning the plug d² of the three-way cock or valve. Fig. 5, so that the
branch is closed, the steain entering the three-way cock or valve D, from the
boiler or separator by the branch d, has a clear passage through the three-way
cock or valve D, and pipes C, to the back of the valves B.
The pressure of steam from the boiler or separator on the back of the valves B,
will prevent them from opening during the ordinary working of the piston inside
the cylinder A; but if from some extraordinary cause the pressure in the cylinder A
becomes greater than, the pressure in the boiler, the valves B will immediately
open and relieve the cylinder A; thereby acting as a relief valve.
The aforesaid valves B will also act as drain valves. By turning the plug d
of the three-way cock or valve Fig. 5, so that the branch d is closed, and the
pressure of the steam from the boiler or separator is shut off from the back of the
valves B; the pressure on the inside of the cylinder A will open the valves B and
allow the water from the cylinder A to have a free passage to drain or condenser,

page_text: through the pipes C, and the three-way cock or valve D. and branch d¹; thereby
acting as a drain valve.
In applying this invention to compound engines as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3,
E designates the high pressure cylinder, F the low pressure cylinder, and G is
the valve chest.
At or near each end of the cylinders E and F are attached the aforesaid valves. B,
connected by pipes C and C, to the three-way cock or valve D¹.
An extra branch d³, together with a hollow plug d', Fig. 6, is added to the
aforesaid three-way cock or valve D.
This extra branch is connected by the pipes C¹, with valves B, attached to.
the low pressure cylinder F; and only opens to drain the aforesaid low pressure
cylinder of any water that may accumulate.
A pipe C is connected from the valve chest G to the pipe C¹, for admitting
steam to the back of the valves B on the low pressure cylinder F, for the purpose
of preventing the heating of the aforesaid valves B.
On the aforesaid pipes C2 an ordinary stop-check valve H is placed, for
checking the supply of steam to the back of the valves B.
For the purpose of allowing any water to escape from the low pressure
cylinder F, and pipes C¹, while the engine is working with the drains closed; an
ordinary spring-weighted relief valve J, is fixed to the pipe C¹, in a suitable
position.
It will be clearly seen that in the same manner as above described, that valves B
placed on any number of cylinders may be connected and operated by the one
three-way cock or valve.
In applying this invention to pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, the operation
is similar to that previously described for steam cylinders.
For pneumatic cylinders the valves B are placed at or near each end of the
cylinder and connected by pipes or other means to the three-way cock or valve D,
Figure 5.
On turning the plug of the three-way cock or valve so that the branch d¹ is
closed, the air entering the three-way cock or valve I) by the branch d, has a clear
passage through the three-way cock or valve to the back of the valves B.
The pressure of air acting on the back of the valves B will prevent them from
opening during the ordinary working of the piston inside the cylinder, but
should the pressure in the cylinder become greater than the pressure acting on
the back of the valves B, the said valves will immediately open and relieve the
aforesaid cylinder, thereby acting as a relief valve.
For the purpose of draining the cylinder the pressure of air acting on the
back of the valves B is removed, by turning the plug d² of the three-way cock or
valve D so that the branch d is closed; the pressure inside the cylinder will open
the valves B and allow the water to have a free passage through the branch d¹ of
the three-way cock or valve and escape to drain, thereby acting as a drain valve.
For hydraulic cylinders the valve B is placed only at or near the bottom of the
cylinder, and connected by pipes or other means to the three-way cock or valve D,
Figure 5.
By turning the plug of the three-way cock or valve D so that the branch d
is closed, the water admitted to the three-way cock or valve D by the branch d,
has a clear passage to the back of the valve B. The pressure of water acting on
the back of the valve B will prevent it opening during the ordinary working of
the piston inside the cylinder, but should the pressure in the cylinder become
greater than the pressure acting on the back of the valve B, the said valve will
immediately open, thereby acting as a relief valve.
For the purpose of draining the cylinder, the pressure of water acting on the
back of the valve B is removed by turning the plug d² of the threeway cock or
valve D so that the branch d is closed; the pressure inside the cylinder will open
the valve B and allow the cylinder to be drained through the branch d¹ of the
three-way cock or valve D, thereby acting as a drain valve.

page_text: 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. A valve or valves placed in any suitable position on a steam, pneumatic,
hydraulic and other cylinder or cylinders, and connected by pipes or other means
to a cock or valve having three or more ways; may be used in relieving or
draining aforesaid cylinder or cylinders..
2. A valve or valves placed in any suitable position on a steam, pneumatic,
hydraulic and other cylinders and connected by pipes or other means, together
with an ordinary stop-check valve and relief valve, to a cock or valve having three
or more ways; may be used in relieving or draining aforesaid cylinders.
Dated this 17th December 1897.