IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING STOPCOCKS OR VALVES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE
DIECIFICATION.
"
I, JOHN BARR, of the Glenfield Company Kilmarnock, Limited, of Kilmarnock,
in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Secretary, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING STOPCOCKS OR VALVES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
self-closing stopcocks or valves, and it consists principally in employing a
differential tube so as to serve both as the movable piece or closing detail and as
the discharge nozzle. The differential tube works in a vertical body or valve box
connected at its middle to the service or supply pipe; and the lower and smaller
end of the tube projects down through the bottom of the body being packed with
a cup leather or otherwise. At the top of the body there is a washer of leather
or other suitable material which serves for making tight the joint of the cover and
also acts as a seat against which the upper end of the differential tube closes,
whilst its central part acts as a cup leather to pack a hole in the cover through
which passes the spindle attached to the differential tube and having a button or
handle at its upper end. When the differential tube is closed its upper larger end
is within a conical recess formed in a separate shell, or it might be in the upper
part of the tap body; and this conical recess prevents the water or other liquid
being shut off or let on suddenly. The preponderance of pressure upwards on the
larger part of the differential tube keeps the tube in its closed position when it
has been closed; and when it has been opened (by pushing down the spindle) and
let go, the rush of water up into the conical recess on its way to the inside of the
tube causes the tube to rise until it closes up against its seat.
The stopcock or valve inay be arranged with the differential tube in a horizontal
or inclined position; and the difference between the areas of its ends may be
varied in different cases to suit the pressure of the water; whilst with very low
pressure a light helical spring may be applied to the differential tube to assist in
closing it. Where it is desirable to prevent concussion in the service pipe from
too sudden closing a piston is formed or fixed on the differential tube and arranged
to work in the lower part of the valve body.
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 a self-closing stopcock or valve as
made with my improvements.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an elevation and figure, 2, is a
vertical section showing the valve closed; whilst figure, 3, is a sectional detail
showing the valve open.
The valve body, 4, is of a cylindrical form having the inlet, 5, from the service
pipe, at one side. The body, 4, is fitted with screwed-on caps or covers, 6, 7, the
spindle, 8, passing through a hole in the upper one and the differential discharge
tube, 9, passing through a hole in the lower one. Washers of leather or other
suitable material are fixed between the covers or caps, 6, 7, and the body, 4, and
are cupped so as to pack the spindle, 8, and discharge tube, 9. This differential
tube, 9, is the movable piece and its upper end, 10, which is of larger area than
its lower part closes up against the washer of the top cap, 6. A conical shell, 11,
is fixed in the upper part of the body, 4, and surrounds the upper larger part, 10,
of the differential discharge tube, 9, and when the tube is depressed by means of
its spindle, 8, and knob or button, 12, the water has to pass up between the conical
shell, 11, and the upper part, 10, of the tube on its way to the inside of the tube,
and the current tends to raise the tube and close the outlet, whilst when the tube
is raised the pressure on the larger part, 10, tends to keep it closed. To prevent
the valve from closing too suddenly a piston, 13, is formed.or fixed on the tube, 10,
and works in the lower part of the body, 4, being provided with a rubber ring
to act as rolling packing. A small hole, 14, is formed through the piston, 13, to
allow the water to pass from one side of the piston to the other, but as the water
can pass slowly only, the valve is thereby prevented from closing suddenly.
Having thus particularly described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed I proceed to ascertain the distinctive feature
of novelty thereof by declaring that what I claim is :—
The application of a movable differential tube to serve as the closing and
discharging piece of a self-closing stopcock or valve the parts being arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.