ROVEMENTS IN DIMINISHING VALES OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE PRESSURE OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Turton, William Jolley, and John
Troughton Birchall, all of Heaton Norris, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineers, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN DIMINISHING VALES
OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE PRESSURE OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS."
Sealed the 9th February 1875, and dated the 2nd November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Turton, William
Jolley, and John Troughton Birchall at the Office of the Commis-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 2nd November
1874.
We, SAMUEL TURTON, WILLIAM JOLLEY, and JOHN TROUGHTON
BIRCHALL, all of Heaton Norris, in the County of Laucaster, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN DIMINISHING VALVES OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE PRESSURE OF LIQUIDS
AND FLUIDS," to be as follows:―
Our Invention relates to apparatus principally employed to diminish or
reduce the pressure of steam, but is also applicable in the construction of

page_text: apparatus for reducing or regulating the pressure of gas or of other fluids
or of liquids. In such apparatus we employ curved hollow springs
mounted within chambers and acted upon by the pressure of steam or
fluid, and we connect the said springs with valves through which the fluid
is admitted to within the said chambers, the changes of form of the said
springs arising from variations in the pressure of fluid tending to increase
the area of inlet when there is a diminished pressure and to decrease the
said area when there is an increase of pressure. In an arrangement
suitable to be employed to regulate the pressure of steam the inlet
valve is of the equilibrium or "double beat" form, and is connected to
one end of a hollow spring similar in form to the "Bourdon" spring,
the other end of the said spring being attached to a fixed point. An
increase of pressure within the chamber or case tends to compress the
said spring and thereby to close the said inlet valve. We may employ an
adjusting spring to act upon the said hollow spring to aid in regulating
the pressure of steam. We prefer to form a passage at the fixed end of
the hollow spring for the free ingress and egress of air into and from the
interior of the said spring. We may combine the said apparatus with a
gauge to indicate the pressure of steam within the said chamber or case,
in which case we connect the diaphragm or equivalent part of the said
gauge with the interior of the said chamber by means of a tube to
contain water.
SPECÍFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Turton, William Jolley, and John
Troughton Birchall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st 2
May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, SAMUEL
TURTON, WILLIAM JOLLEY, and JouN TROUGHTON BIRCHALL, all of
Heaton Norris, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Samuel Turton, William

page_text: Jolley, and John Troughton Birchall, Her special license that we, the
said Samuel Turton, William Jolley, and John Troughton Birchall, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Samuel Turton, William Jolley, and John Troughton Birchall, our exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, cxcrcise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DIMINISHING VALVES, OR APARATUS FOR REGULATING THE PRESSURE OF LIQUIDS
AND FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Samuel Turton, William Jolley, and John Troughton Birchall, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Turton, for myself and
on behalf of tho said William Jolley and John Troughton Birchall,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to apparatus principally employed to diminish or
reduce the pressure of steam, but is also applicable in the construction of
apparatus for reducing or regulating the pressure of gas or of other fluids
or of liquids. In such apparatus we employ curved hollow springs
mounted within chambers and acted upon by the pressure of steam or
fluid, and we connect the said springs with valves through which the fluid
is admitted to within the said chambers, the changes of form of the said
springs arising from variations in the pressure of fluid tending to increase
the area of inlet when there is a diminished pressure and to decrease the
said area when there is an increase of pressure. In an arrangement
suitable to be employed to regulate the pressure of steam the inlet
.yalve is of the equilibrium or "double" beat form and is connected to

page_text: the other end of the samt spring being wollentu
R
increase of pressure within the chamber or case tends to compress the
said spring, and thereby to close the said inlet valve. We may employ an
adjusting spring or weight to act upon the said hollow spring to aid in
regulating the pressure of steam.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood we have
supplied a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference to be con-
nected herewith.
Referring in this place to the said Drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are sections
taken at right angles with each other, and represent a diminishing valve
suitable for steam pressure. In the said Figures a is a circular case
which is fitted with a removable cover b that is secured to the case by
means of screws or bolts. The case is formed at one side with an
opening surrounded by a facing to which is secured the casting c, which
is tapped to receive the end of the inlet pipe d, and is formed with
valve seatings, in which is mounted the double "equilibrium" valve e.
In the example the said valve is cast in two parts, the one part being
formed with a shank which is prepared to screw into a tapped hole
formed in the other part. As the two valve openings in the casting c
are the same size, or thereabouts, the part of the valve which is the
lowest in Fig. 1, has to be introduced separately through the side
opening in the casting c, the other part being then affixed to the
said lower part, the parts being so adjusted as that both the valve
openings in the casting c shall be closed simultaneously or thereabouts.
We do not however confine ourselves to this method of putting the said
parts together. The upper end of the valve is connected with the free
end of the curved spring, the other end of which is fixed by means
of a stump or study to the casing. The said spring is formed from a
hollow tube of a nearly elliptical form in cross section, as indicated in
Fig. 2, and is similar to the ordinary "Bourdon spring" but is made of
sufficient strength and proportions to suit our special purpose.
The form of cross section may be varied so long as the curved tubular
spring is employed. The ends of the said spring are made tight, so that
steam cannot penetrate to the interior of the spring, and we prefer to
make a small passage through the study so as to establish a free com-

page_text: munication between the interior of the spring and the outer atmosphere in
order that an accumulation of steam within the spring may be prevented.
The case a is formed with a second side opening, which is tapped to
receive the outlet pipe h.
The effect of an increase of pressure within the enclosing case is to
contract the spring, that is to say, to cause the free end of the spring to
move towards the fixed end, and it will be seen that such movement will
have the effect of reducing the arca of the combined inlet passages. The
pressure of steam within the said case will thus be prevented from rising
above a certain amount determined by the strength and proportions of
the said spring, and the adjustment of the parts.
It will be of advantage in some cases to be able to regulate the action
of the hollow spring, and it may also be necessary in some cases to use
more than one such spring, especially in the larger sizes of the appa-
ratus. In the example illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, which are drawn
about half the full size, two springs are employed, both springs being
connected by one end to a stud g, and by the other end to a connecting
piece . A spring ; is secured by one end to a curved block k, which is
formed on the end of a spindle 7 which is fitted in a bored hole in the
back of the case, the other end of the said spring bearing against the
connecting piece i. The outer end of the spindle is squared in order
that it may be turned by means of a key so as to cause the spring j to
bear more or less forcibly against the said connecting piece, and thereby
to increase or decrease the resistance of the springs f, as may be desired.
When the desired adjustment is effected the the lock nut m is tightened
to prevent backward movement of the spindle Z.
Fig. 5 illustrates further modifications. In this example a spiral
spring n acting on a spindle o, which bears against the under side of the
valve e, is employed in lieu of the aforesaid spring j. The pressure of
the said spiral spring may be increased or decreased by turning the
screw p. The free end of the spring f is provided with an antifriction
bowl, against which the upper end of the valve e bears, this arrange-
ment being substituted for the pin and slot shown in the previous
Figures.
In Fig. 6 a spring a similar to the spring ; in Fig. 3 is employed,
but is caused to act upon the spring or springs f, through the inter-

page_text: And, lastly. The combinations and arrangements of parts substantially
as and for the purpose set forth and indicated herein-before and in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Turton, for myself and on
behalf of the said William Jolley and John Troughton Birchall,
have hereunto set hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-five.