Improvements in Pump Valves.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1895-Accepted. 21st Dec., 1895
Improvements in Pump Valves.
We, JAMES STEVEN WYNDHAM of No. 14 Kyveilog Street, Cardiff, in the
County of Glamorgan, Engineer, and JOHN HARRY HALLETT, of No. 123 Bute
Street, Bute Docks, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in pump valves, more especially to the
valves of the feed, bilge, and other pumps of steam and other engines.
is
It is a matter of common experience with the valves of engine pumps of the
class last enumerated, that the wear and tear on them is very considerable; that,
because the usual seatings are tightly fixed, their removal for being trued up,
difficult, and that, as a consequence, the working of the valves of such a pump is a
source of constant anxiety and their maintenance and renewal a source of constant
and considerable expense.
The present invention includes the combination with the usual fixed seating, of
an easily removable one fitting therein; as well as the combination with the bottom
face of a valve, of provision for an automatically prepared water cushion as well
as the combination likewise with the top face of the valve, of provision for an
automatically prepared water cushion.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of this
Specification and read therewith:
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an ordinary feed pump, shewing the valves
and their seats constructed according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a detail sectional elevation of the improved delivery valve.
Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of the improved valve guard.
Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of the improved valve.
Figure 5 is a detail side elevation of the improved and easily removeable valve
seating.
Figure 6 is a detail side elevation of the outside bush or fixed seating.
Figure 7 is a plan of the improved valve seating and its outside bush or fixed
seating.
A is the barrel of the pump; B, the plunger; C, the suction valve box; and
D, the delivery valve box. These are of the ordinary and well known construction
throughout. Their presence in the figures serves to emphasize one of the practical
advantages of the present invention, viz., the easy application of it to almost any
existing form of pump of the class above mentioned and, more especially, the
ready substitution of ordinary valves by valves made according to the said
invention.
E is the part referred to above as the usual fixed seating. It consists, in the
case of each valve, of a bush secured permanently in the valve box recess. This
bush is, preferably, flanged as to its top.
F is the part referred to above as the improved and easily removeable valve
seating. It consists, in the case of each valve, of a bush outwardly flanged about
its top edge. Its external diameter is such as to allow of it fitting within the
bush E and up to its internal face but not so tightly as might prevent its instant
withdrawal from the said bush E whenever such withdrawal should be necessary.

page_text: The flange is of the proper diameter to hold the bush F at the desired height
within the bush E, and this it does by resting upon the top of it, as illustrated in
Figure 1 in connection with the delivery valve, or by being checked in to the top
of it, as illustrated in Figure 2, as well as in Figure 1, in connection with the
suction valve. is the central portion which receives the spindle of the valve
guard. It is held to the bush F by radial arms f², f². ƒ³ is an annular groove
formed in the top of it to serve a purpose which will be explained presently, and in
order to give that groove a sufficient sectional area, the said top is made of a larger
diameter than the rest of the portion f. In any case the inner side of the groove
is formed by the periphery of the spindle of the valve guard, and the opposite or
outer side is inclined or curved outwards.
Gis the valve guard. It is supported at the proper distance above the seat F by
a spindle depending from its centre and stepped in the central portion "
already described. This guard is held in place by means of a rod, described
further on.
H is the valve proper.
It consists as heretofore of a disc adapted, by being
bored out centrally, to ride up and down the spindle g, and either faced to be flat
upon the seating F as illustrated in Figure 1 in connection with the suction valve,
or faced and ridged to be flat upon and also to engage in an annular V shaped
groove in the top of the said seating, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 and also
connection with the delivery valve in Figure 2.
The cushioning device for the bottom face of a valve, consists of the groove f³
and an annular ridge or enlargement on the under face of it, of the same sectional
area as the said groove f³ so as to fill the latter exactly when the valve H is down
on its seating. The cushioning device for the top face of the valve, consists of a
dishing formed in the top face of the valve. It increases in depth regularly from
the outer edge of the valve H to the central hole in the latter. At its junction
with this hole there may be an annular groove and other grooves concentric
therewith in the top face of the valve. The corresponding surface to the dishing i
is the bottom face g of the valve guard which is parallel throughout its area with
that of the dishing excepting that it is not ridged.
The cushioning between a valve and valve guard, both made according to the
present invention, is effected as follows. During the lift of the valve, the volume
of fluid between it and the guard is squeezed away radially much in the same way
as heretofore, but at that point of the lift where the distance between the two is
only the maximum depth of the dishing i, the remaining volume must be squeezed
up the inclined surface of the said dishing. The consequence is that it is impossible
for the valve to hammer against the guard until the opposition to the expulsion of
the last mentioned volume of water, which the inclined surface presents, shall
have been overcome. The volume of water in the groove , as well as in the
grooves concentric therewith, causes a certain amount of friction during the
expulsion of water from between the valve and the guard, and so improves
the cushioning.
The cushioning between a valve and its seating, both made according to the
present invention, is effected by the resistance to the drop of the annular ridge h
into the corresponding groove ƒ³ by the water in the latter. When the valve is
up, there is nothing except water between the spindle g of the valve guard and the
outside of the groove. As the nose of the annular ridge h fits close to the
periphery of the spindle g, it is impossible for any water to be shut iu during
the drop of the valve. It must all be squeezed up the inclined face of the groove
and out over the edge of the top of the central portion f¹. The transverse section
of the space between the said top and the bottom face of the valve H, gradually
decreases during the drop of the latter, so that before it can touch its seat, its
motion will be reduced sufficiently to permit of its settling upon its seating
without hammering it. The invention further includes the addition of a supple-
mentary cushioning device consisting of an annular ridge h' on the bottom face of
the valve and adapted to engage in a corresponding groove in the valve seating.

page_text: The cross section of both groove and ridge may be varied within limits provided
that it allows the gradual expulsion of the water from the groove.
It is to be understood that in the case of a suction valve, the above mentioned
usual fixed seating may be dispensed with, the valve seating being fixed to the
valve chamber in the usual way. In all other respects the invention described
above is applicable in all its details to either valve-suction or delivery-
indifferently.
J is a headed rod. It is passed down through central holes in the valve-guard and
the central portion of the valve-seating of the delivery valve into the valve guard
of the suction valve. K is a screwed rod passed down through the cover L of the
valve box to press hard upon the head ; of the rod J and through the said head
upon the guard of the delivery valve. The pressure of the rod J upon the guard
of the suction valve is adjusted by means of a pair of lock nuts on the tail
of the rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The hereinbefore described cushioning device adapted to act between a valve
and its seating as set forth.
2. The hereinbefore described cushioning device adapted to act between a valve
and its guard, as set forth.
3. The combination with valve seating, valve guard and valve, of the herein-
before described cushioning devices adapted to act between the valve and seating
and valve and guard, respectively, as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of November 1895
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.