AN IMPROVED EQUILIBRIUM VALVE FOR WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bagshaw and Walter Bagshaw, both of Victoria
Foundry, Batley, in the County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
EQUILIBRIUM VALVE FOR WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bagshaw and Walter
Bagshaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1877. :
JOHN BAGSHAW and WALTER BAGSHAW, both of Victoria Foundry, Batley, in
the County of. York. "AN IMPROVED EQUILIBRIUM VALVE FOR WATER AND
OTHER FLUIDS."
Our valve is particularly applicable as a sluice valve, and obviates the frequent
sticking that takes place in sluice valves of ordinary construction when being opened
or shut.
The same arrangement of valve may also be used instead of those of ordinary.
construction for water and other fluids, and is as hereafter described.
We provide a valve box having in it an inner and outer compartment or chamber.
We fit so as to slide freely a valve or plug, which is made taper on one or more
sides, and faced, so that when closed these sides fit on to corresponding faces on the
inner chamber or compartment of the valve box, forming a water-tight joint.
When the valve or plug is open, the faces not being in contact, a communication
between the inner and outer chambers or compartments is provided, through which
the fluid may pass from the inner chamber or compartment to the outer, or vice
versa, and from there conveyed in the ordinary manner by suitable pipes.. The
inner chamber or compartment is so constructed that the fluid presses equally on
both faces of the valve or plug, preserving the valve or plug in equilibrium,
rendering it at all times perfectly easy to open or close, which operation may be
effected through the medium of a screw, lever, or their equivalents.
The stuffing box for the valve may be of ordinary construction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Bagshaw and Walter Bagshaw in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th November 1877.
JOHN BAGSHAW and WALTER BAGSHAW, both of Victoria Foundry, Batley, in
the County of York. "AN IMPROVED EQUILIBRIUM VALVE FOR WATER AND
OTHER FLUIDS."
Our said Invention relates to valves of the class generally known as sluico valves,
and consists of a peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts
of the valve proper and valve box of such valves, whereby the pressure is brought
upon both sides of the valve, which is thus maintained in equilibrium, the liability
to the sticking which frequently takes place-in sluice valves of the ordinary con-
struction in the act of opening or closing being thereby entirely obviated.
This improved valve is applicable generally for regulating the flow of water and
other fluids.
In carrying out our said Invention we construct or fit the valve box or casing
with two compartments or chambers or their equivalents, herein-after designated
respectively the outer and the inner compartment, the communication between which
is regulated or controlled by means of a valve or plug having two or more acting
plane sides or faces, one or more of which is or are made taper and arranged in
connection with corresponding faces in the valve box in such a manner that the
valve or plug, in its closed position shall be in contact with the said faces, and
thereby intercept the communication between the two compartments, whilst when
moved in a rectilineal direction under the action of a screw lever or otherwise the
face or faces of the valve or plug, by reason of the tapering form, shall be brought
out of contact with the faces, or one of them, of the valve box, and the communi-
cation be thus established between the two compartments, the water or other fluid
passing between the side-oi sides of the valve or plug and. the corresponding face or
faces of the valve box, and through an opening or openings formed in or surrounded
by the said face or faces from the outer compartment to the inner compartment, or
vice versa. The outer compartment' is so constructed that the fluid has access to
and presses equally on both sides of the valve or plug, whereby the latter is
maintained in equilibrium, and the operation of opening or closing it is greatly
facilitated.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall now.
proceed-more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to:
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of our Drawings represents a longitudinal section of a valve constructed-
according to our said Invention; Figure 2 is a transverse section; and Figure 3 a
sectional plan of the same,, both corresponding to Figure 1.
·
Figure 4. is a sectional plan; and Figure 5 a transverse section, illustrating a
modification of the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3; and Figures 6, 7,
and 8 are sectional plans illustrating other modifications.
A is the valve box constructed. with an outer compartment a and an inner com-
partment a, at the point of junction of which there are formed or fitted faces B for.
the reception of the taper plane sides or faces c, c, of the valve or plug C. The
valve or plug is so arranged as to be capable of being raised and lowered by being
moved in a rectilineal direction for the purpose. of opening and closing the
communication between the two compartiments. When the valve or plug is in its
lowest position, as shewn by full lines in the Drawings, the faces c, c, of the valve
or plug are in contact with the faces B of the valve box, and the communication
between the two compartments a, a, is accordingly. intercepted. By elevating'
however the valve or plug its faces c, c, by reason of the tapering form of the parts,
are brought out of contact with the faces B, B, of the valve box, as shewn by dotted
lines in Figure 2, and the communication is thus established between the two com-

page_text: partments a, al; the water or other fluid which is introduced at d, for example,
passing from the outer compartment a, between each side c of the valve or plug C
and the corresponding face B of the valve box, and through the openings e,
surrounded by the faces B into the inner compartment a¹, and thence by the outlet
f to the pipes or connections; or the water or other fluid may be introduced at f
and passed through the apparatus in the opposite direction, the compartments a, a³,
being then respectively inner and outer, and the outlet from the valve situate
at d.
The valve or plug C may be raised and lowered by a screw lever or other equi-
valent means.
In our Drawings we have represented a screw g (engaging with a
non-rotating nut h fitted in the valve or plug) as employed for that purpose, the
said screw being supported at its lower end in the bottom of the valve box A, and
at its upper end in a stuffing box i, beyond which it may be fitted with a crank
handle or hand wheel for the facility of turning it.
"
It will be observed that the compartments of the valve box are constructed of
such forms that the water or other fluid shall have access to both the faces c, c, of
the valve, so as to balance the pressure on both its sides. In the arrangement
shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 this object is effected by bifurcating the inner compart-
ment a', its two branches extending, one on each side of the valve.
In the modifications illustrated by Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, one face of the valve is
in contact with the body of the water or other fluid, and the other face is placed in
connection therewith by a small passage a², which is just sufficient to maintain the
balance of pressure on both faces.
The last-mentioned Figures also shew modified forms and arrangements of the
valve box adapted for various purposes, and which will be understood without
further explanation.
In the modification shewn in Figure 8 the connection pipe marked a¹ takes the
place of the bifurcated inner compartment represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
If desired, one face only of the valve may be made taper, both faces being however
balanced by the pressure in the manner herein-beforo described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we
would observe in conclusion that we are aware that it has previously been proposed
to employ double-beat valves, consisting of annular duplex valves adapted to
respective bevelled annular seats, and arranged in a suitable valve box for the
purpose of maintaining the valve in equilibrio, or nearly so, and therefore to this
arrangement we lay no claim; but what we consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Lotters Patent is, the employment of a taper valve or plug having plane faces, in
combination with a valve box formed or fitted with corresponding faces and with
chambers or passages for admitting the fluid to the opposite faces of the valve or
plug, the whole constructed and arranged so as to operate substantially in the
manner and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Bagshaw and Walter Bagshaw, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.