IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR VALVES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Barr, of the Glenfield Company, Kilmarnock,
Limited, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR VALVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Barr at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1881.
JOHN BARR, of the Glenfield Company, Kilmarnock, Limited, of Kilmarnock,' in
the County of Ayr, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR
VALVES."
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of self-
closing cocks or valves. The improved cocks or valves can be arranged to closo
either when the movement for opening is discontinued or in a certain predetermined
interval after being opened, and in all cases the closing action, whilst as rapid as
desirable, is gradual and without concussion.
In a cock made with the improvements the inlet passage communicates with an
annular channel encircling a projecting cylindrical edge, which is the seat of a
central opening forming the outlet port and communicating with the discharge
nozzle (or with the continuation of the piping). The outlet port is closed by means
of a piston block, the part coming in contact with the port edge or seat being a
ring of rubber or other suitablo compressible material fixed to one face of the piston
block. The piston block, having on it a ring of rubber to act as what is known
as rolling packing, works in a cylindrical chamber, which is fitted with a cover
having in one modification a small rod working out through the centre of it. The
rod has a button on its outer end, and a small valve is formed on or fixed to its
inner end, this valve closing a small passage through the centre of the piston block.
A very small communication is formed between the inlet passage and the outer
side of the piston block, either by a small groove in the side of the cylindrical
chamber or by a small hole formed through the piston block or through the side of
the chamber. As long as the small valve in the piston block is closed the pressure
keeps the piston block close down on the contral outlot port, but when the small
Price Gd1

page_text: valve is opened the pressure on the outer side of the piston block becomes
relieved, and the pressure in the annular channel then moves the piston block so
as to uncover the outlet port. When the small valve is allowed to close the
pressure gradually increases on the outer side of the piston block, which conse-
quently closes, the timo occupied in closing depending on the size of the small
communication between the inlet and the outer side of the piston block.
The small valve and its rod may be arranged so as to open by pushing inwards,
or so as to open by an outward movement, or by means of a screw or cam, and a
small spring may be applied to insure the closing of the small valve when let go.
The piston block may be packed by means of a cup leather or in any other suitable
manner, or if very accurately fitted may act without packing.
In a modification suitable for a relief or safety valve the small valve in the
piston block is placed so that the internal pressure tends to open it, and it is
loaded by a spring or otherwise to the desired pressure, so that on the internal
pressure exceeding the same the valve will open and givo relief.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Barr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June
1882.
JOHN BARR, of the Glenfield Company, Kilmarnock, Limited, of Kilmarnock, in
the County of Ayr, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR
VALVES."
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
self-closing cocks or valves. My improved cocks or valves can be arranged to close
either when the movement for opening is discontinued, or in a certain predetermined
interval after being opened, and in all cases the closing action, whilst as rapid as
desirable, is gradual and without concussion.
In cocks or valves made with my improvements the outlet from what may be
termed the valve chamber is kept closed by the pressure of the water or other
liquid on a piston block, which has in it a small passage controlled by a small
valve. The small valve is attached to a rod passing to the outside, by means of
which it is moved; and when it is opened the pressure is relieved on one side of
the piston block, and then acts on the other side to open the outlet. On closing
the small valve the piston block closes gradually, because the necessary pressure on
the back of it depends on the passage of the liquid through a small opening or
channel, the size of which can be proportioned to suit the rate of closing desired.
The small valve and its rod may be arranged so as to open by pushing
inwards, or so as to open by an outward movement, or by means of a screw or
cam, and a small spring may be applied to insure the closing of the small valve
when let go. The piston block may be packed by means of rolling packing, or by
means of a cup leather, or in any other suitable manner, or if very accurately
fitted may act without packing.
In a modification suitable for a relief or safety valve the small valve in the
piston block is placed so that the internal pressure tends to open it, and it is
loaded by a spring or otherwise to the desired pressure, so that on the internal
pressure exceeding the same the valve will open and give relief.
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 hereinafter referred to, and representing various modifications of my improved
cocks or valves.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of a
self-closing tap or nose cock, and Figure 2 is a vertical section of the cock or valve
as arranged to be actuated by a ball float lever; Figure 3 is a vertical section of a
pressure reducing valve; Figure 4 is a vertical section of a relief or safety valve;
and Figure 5 is a vertical section of a modification of my improved valve or cock
as arranged for an anti-freezing well or street pedestal fountain. In these
Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
In the tap or nose cock represented in Figure 1 the inlet passage G communicates
with a cylindrical valve chamber 7, having a central port or outlet 8 at its upper
end, and communicating with the discharge passage 9. The outlet 8 is formed
with a cylindrical rim projecting downwards, and serving as the valve seat to a
iston block 10 fitted with a rubber ring to bear on the valve seat. The piston
lock 10 is packed with a rubber ring 11 which acts as rolling packing, and is
laced on a recessed part of the piston block. A passage is formed through the
entre of the piston block. 10, and has passing through it a rod 12, to the bottom

page_text: end of which there is fixed a small valve 13 closing against a rubber ring held in a
groove in the under side of the piston block. The upper end of the rod 12 is
formed with or has fixed to it a button or handle 14, by depressing which the
small valve can be opened. The upper enlarged part of the rod 12 works in a cup
or box 15, and may be packed as shown with a rolling packing ring of rubber; or
in some cases such packing ring may be dispensed with, and a small passage
indicated by dotted lines 16 may be formed from the cup 15 into the discharge
spout 9, to drain off any water getting into the cup. A spring 17 is applied inside
the cup 15 to raiso up the rod 12 whenevor the finger ceases to depress it. Accoss
is given to the interior of the valve chamber 7 by a screwed-on cover 18.
Water has access from the inlet 6 to the bottom of the valve chamber 7 by a
small passage which may be a groove in the side of the chamber, or a small holo
drilled through the lower part of the piston block 10, or which may be arranged in
any other convenient way. When the small valve 13 closes the passage through
the piston block 10, and the lower part of the chamber 7 is full of water, the
pressure keeps the piston block 10 close up against the outlet 8; but whenever the
small valve 13 is opened by depressing the button 14, the water gets away by the
passage in the piston block more quickly than it is supplied from the inlet 6, and
the pressure below the piston block becoming relieved in consequence the piston
block descends and opens the outlet 8. Afterwards, when the small valve 13
closes the passage through the piston block 10, the water gradually accumulates
beneath the piston block and gradually lifts it and closes the outlet 8.
In the modification shown in Figure 2, the valve chamber 7, outlet 8, and piston
block 10 are inverted as compared with Figure 1. The outlet port 8 forms the
discharge opening directly into a cistern, and the rod 12 of the small valve 13 is
formed with a shot in which is inserted the end of a lever 19, having at its other
end a ball flont, which is not shown. The float lever 19 is centered on a bracket
or lug 20 formed on the casing of the valve chamber 7.
In the modification shown in Figure 3, and which is arranged to act as a
pressure-reducing valve, the movements of the small valve 13 are determined by
the pressure in the discharge passage 9. The rod 12 of the small valve passes up
through a central aperture in a metal shield 21, above which it is fixed to a
flexible diaphragm 22 of rubber or other suitable material by a small pedestal-like
block 23 which is screwed down into it from the upper side. Upward pressure
on the diaphragm 22 is resisted by a flat-coiled or volute spring 24, and the action
of this spring can be more or less modified by an oppositely acting helical spring 25
placed between the block 23 and an upper block 20, which can be set more or less
down by a screw spindle 27 tapped through the cover of the casing 28 containing
the spring 25 and other parts. A scula of pressures is marked outside of the
casing 28 at the side of a vertical slot in which there works a pointer attached to
the upper block 26, and by means of this scale it can be seen at any time for what
pressure the reducing valvo is svt. When the pressure in the outlet 9 becomes
lower than that for which the parts are set, the spring 24 acting downwards opens
the small valve 13, which brings about the opening of the main valve or piston
block 10; and the opposite action takes place when the pressure in the outlet 9
becomes too great. In order to prevent too sudden or rapid a change of opening a
cylindrical rim 29 mado with angular notches is fixed to the top of the piston
block 10 so as to work just inside the outlet port 8, and as the liquid has to pass
through the angular notches, any increase or decrease in the amount of opening is
rendered gradual. With a large valve, of the kind shown in Figure 3, the casing
will in general be made of castiron, in which case I prefer to provide the valve
chamber 7 with a brass lining. The small passage to give access from the inlet 6
to the bottom of the valve chamber 7 is in this example formed by a brass tube 30
fixed in a bore in the casting, and its upper end is made to project a little above
the bottom of the passage 6 to render it less likely for sediment to get into it;
whilst a stopcock 31 is fitted at the bottom to allow of its being cleared out if
necessary. The tube 30 communicates with the valve chamber 7 by a small

page_text: lateral opening. The piston block 10 is by preference made of vulcanite when of
Jarge size.
In the safety or relief valve shown in Figure 4 the piston block 10 is arranged
as in the float valve, Figure 2, but the rod 12 of the small valve 13 is acted on by
external weights 32 carried by a spindle 33 screwed to the spindle 12, the two
spindles 12, 33, fixing between them the central part of a flexible diaphragm 3+
fixed across the top of the valve chamber 7. When an excess of pressure occurs
it acts (but not in a sudden manner) on the diaphragm 34 so as to open the small
valve 13, and thereby bring about the opening of the large valve or piston
block 10.
In the modification shown in Figure 5, the inlet piece 35 fixed to the bottom of
a street well or pedistal has screwed into it a cup 36 which encloses the valve
chamber 7. The water has access through holes into the upper part of the
chamber 7, and the piston block 10 and other parts are arranged and act as in the
modification shown in Figure 1, the rod 12 of the small valve 13 being extended
to the upper part of the well or pedestal, and there connected to any suitable
external handle.
The external form of the bodies or casings of my improved cocks or valves may
be varied to suit the different applications that may be made of them, such as in
washhand basins, baths, urinals, and other apparatus.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, 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 and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1. The improved construction of self-closing cocks or valves, wherein the main
outlet is closed by a piston block having through it a passage provided with a
comparatively small valve, by the movement of which small valve that of the
piston block is caused through the action of the internal pressure, the parts being
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination of parts forming a pressure reducing valve, herein before
described, with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
3. The combination of parts forming a safety or relief valve, hereinbefore
described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Barr, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-two.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN BARR. (LS.)