Improvements in Stop-valves.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Stop-valves.
I, JOSEPH HOPKINSON, of J. Hopkinson & Co. Ltd. Engineers, of Huddersfield,
in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in stop valves of that class wherein the
fluid passage is closed by a pair of discs or plates which are arranged to slide
upon, and between, seats or faces and are moved to open and close the passages by
a screw-spindle. One example of such stop valves is that known as Hopkinson's
patent parallel slide valve which is described in the Specifications of former Letters
Patent No. 15905 A.D. 1889 and in the specifications of other patents granted to
John Addy Hopkinson and myself.
In the Specification of Patent No. 9392 there are described certain improvements
designed to obviate the possibility of injury to the parts of the valve as the result
of screwing down the spindle too far in the casing and by reason of the difference
of expansion and contraction between the spindle and casing when the valve is
closed.
According to my present invention I now provide improved means for preventing
injury to sliding disc stop-valves from these causes and I also otherwise improve
such valves as hereinafter set forth.. I construct the casing with a chamber for the
slide valve to rise into when open and above this chamber is a socket into which
is screwed an extension forming a neck provided with a stuffing box through which
the upper part of the spindle extends. I make the spindle solid, or in one piece,
from end to end and form on the lower or inner portion a screw-thread which
works through a nut secured in the said socket. This nut is prevented from
rotating by being made to fit a square hole at the bottom of the socket and is
securely held therein by the extension or neck which is screwed into the said
socket. On the part of the spindle which extends through the neck I form a collar
which acts as a stop at the inner and outer ends of the neck thereby limiting the
movement of the slide valve in either direction without putting any stress upon
the screw spindle or other parts when the valve is closed and without injuring the
discs by bringing them into contact with any part of the casing in opening the
valve. As the screw spindle, in being turned, moves endwise through the nut it
shews plainly, at all times, the exact position of the sliding dises.
In the "Hopkinson" parallel slide valves the discs or plates have at the back
thereof, cylindrical extensions one of which is enclosed by the other and the inner
one of which contains the spring whereby the valve-discs are kept in contact with
the slide faces or seats.
In the said valves as heretofore constructed the screw-spindle has been connected
to the discs by a strap, loop, or ring formed on the end of the spindle and encircling
the outer one of the two cylindrical portious of the discs. But I now make the
loop or ring separate from the spindle and connected with the latter by a joint
which, while securely uniting the spindle to the discs, allows the said screw-spindle
to turn freely with but very slight if any tendency to turn or twist the discs
relatively to their seats.
It has been found that in some instances there has been an accumulation of solid
matter in and between the parts of the sliding disc valve with the effect of

page_text: deteriorating the freedom of the automatic-adjustment of these parts one upon the
other and relatively to the valve seats. I now propose to prevent such accumulation
by forming small apertures which will permit the fluid to flow between the parts
of the valve and carry away any solid matter that may enter between them.
In order that the discs or plates may be able to adjust themselves properly to
their seats it is necessary that the aforesaid cylindrical portions of the discs, while
being held together without undue slackness or play, should always be free to move
one upon the other. To ensure this condition I now place between the inner and
outer cylinders a corrugated ring or sleeve of brass or other suitable metal which
is so formed and arranged that it forms a somewhat elastic lining or packing
sufficiently tight to keep the two cylinders properly together while free to expand
end wise and thereby prevent undue friction between their surfaces.
instances this ring or sleeve need not be corrugated.
Dated this 18th day of July 1896.
In some
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Stop-valves.
I, JOSEPH HOPKINSON, of J. Hopkinson & Co. Ltd. Engineers, of Huddersfield,
in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in stop valves of that class wherein the
fluid passage is closed by a slide valve consisting of a pair of discs or plates which
are arranged to slide upon, and between, seats or faces and are moved to open and
close the passage by a screw-spindle. Examples of such stop valves known as
Hopkinson's parallel slide valves are described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent No. 15905 A.D. 1889 and in the specifications of other patents
granted to John Addy Hopkinson and myself.
In the Specification of Patent No. 9392 A.D. 1895 there are described certain
improvements designed to obviate the possibility of injury to the parts of the
valve as the result of screwing down the spindle too far in the casing and by
reason of the difference of expansion and contraction between the spindle and
casing when the valve is closed."
According to my present invention I now provide improved means for preventing
injury to sliding disc stop-valves from these causes and I also otherwise improve
such valves as hereinafter set forth, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figures and 2 are vertical longitudinal sections of stop-valves of the class
known as the Hopkinson parallel slide valves embodying my improvements, aud
Figure 3 is a section of the valve discs and the belt or hoop, and illustrates a
corrugated tube hereinafter described.
In the stop valve, shewn in Figure 1 the casing A is constructed with a removable
cover A forming a chamber for the slide valve B to rise into. At the upper end
of the cover is a socket A2 into which is screwed an extension A forming a neck
provided with a stuffing-box A through which the spindle C extends. I make the
said spindle solid, or in one piece, from end to end and form on it a screw-thread
which works through a nut D scenred in the socket A2. The nut Dis prevented
from rotating by being made to fit a square or other suitably shaped hole at the
bottom of the socket and is securely held therein by the extension or neck A. On
the part of the spindle above the thread I form a collar A' which on coming in

page_text: contact with the upper end of the neck and with the nut D acts as a stop to limit
the opening and closing movements of the valve. This stop prevents the jambing
of the valve discs against the casing and the cover, and also obviates the liability
of breakage of the spindle. The spindle C, in being turned about its axis moves
end wise through the nut and therefore indicates the exact position of the sliding
valve.
It is desirable in some instances that the screw thread should not be exposed to
the action of the fluid and in such instances I arrange the nut outside the casing,
the thread being formed integral with the spindle or upon a sleeve C¹ placed
loosely on the spindle C as shown in Figure 2. The said sleeve bears against a
loose collar A that rests on a shoulder C and it is arranged so as to have no
endwise movement independently of the spindle. The hand wheel for opening and
closing the valve is attached to the upper end of the sleeve which is further
furnished with a collar C for a purpose hereinafter specified. The nut D through
which the sleeve screws is carried by an extension D' secured on the cover A¹.
The nut may be separate from the extension D' and fixed so as not to have any
endwise or rotary movement, or it may be formed integrally with the extension as
shown in the drawing. As the sleeve is not capable of endwise movement
independently of the spindle but moves up and down with the spindle, it therefore
operates in the opening and closing of the valve in the same manner as if the spindle
and thread were made in one solid piece, the movement being limited by the contact
of the collars A', C with the nut D or extension piece D'.
In stop valves of the class above referred to the discs or plates B', B³ of the slide
valves have at the back thereof, cylindrical extensions B, B one of which is
enclosed by the other and the inner one of which contains the spring F whereby
the valve-discs are kept in contact with the slide faces or seats G. In the said
stop valves as heretofore constructed the serow-spindle C has been connected to
the discs by a belt or hoop, formed solidly on the end of the spindle and encircling
the outer one of the two cylindrical portions of the discs. But I now make the
hoop or belt C separate from the spindle C and connect the two parts by a joint
which, while securely uniting the spindle to the discs, allows the said spindle to
turn freely with but very slight if any tendency to turn or twist the discs relatively
to their seats. This joint consists of a collar C on the end of the spindle engaging
with a recess C in the hoop or belt C. The collar can be inserted through the
open side of the recess and is so fitted thereto that when the spindle is in place the
said spindle can turn freely about its axis while moving the discs to open or close
the valve. In order to prevent the accidental disengagement of the collar from
the belt the opening through which the collar is inserted is formed at the side
of the belt and is parallel to the axis of the valve discs as shown in the drawing.
In order that the discs or plates may be able to adjust themselves properly to
their seats it is necessary that the aforesaid cylindrical portions B, B' of the díses,
while being held together without undue slackness or play, should always be free
to move one upon the other. To ensure this condition I now place between the
parts B, B a corrugated ring or sleeve H Figure 3 of brass or other suitable
metal which is arranged to form a somewhat elastie lining or packing sufficiently
tight to keep the two cylinders properly together while allowing them freedom to
expand endwise and thereby preventing undue friction between their surfaces. In
some instances the ring or sleeve H need not be corrugated.
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 1
claim is:-
1. In a parallel slide stop valve the employment of a collar or collars to limit
the opening and closing movements of the valve in combination with a screw
thread and wheel having a revolving and endwise movement and with a fixed
non-revolving nut, substantially as described.
2. In a parallel slide stop-valve having a continuous spindle furnished with a

page_text: collar or collars, the connection of the spindle to the belt or hoop by means of a
joint substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
3. A stop valve wherein the operative parts are constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to Figure 1, or to Figure 2, of the
drawings, and for the purposes specified.
4. The combination with the valve discs of the ring or sleeve H substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 18th day of March 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.