Improvements in Steam-reducing Valves.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam-reducing Valves.
We, JOSEF HÜBNER and ISIDOR MAYER, trading under the style of Hübner and
Mayer, of V Luftgasse 3 and 5, Vienna Austria, Manufacturing Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved construction of valves for reducing steam
pressure in which, in opposition to the constructions heretofore employed, all
frictional resistances such as those arising in the known constructions through the
use of stuffing boxes, spring or sleeve pistons, and the like, are obviated, as also the
use of spiral springs, membranes and double seated valves, which in course of time
always give rise to defects, are dispensed with.
The cylindrical slide valve carried by a tubular stem from the disc reducing valve,
which replaces the usual piston, is entirely balanced as to pressure, and by doing away
with the valve lever a very smooth working is obtained.
After the steam has been cut off, it can never pass back again, and consequently
no check valve is required; the loss of steam is reduced to a minimum by a correct
manipulation of the screw plug to the steam channel. Only a single regulation
of the steam passage by turning the rotary slide valve is required; all equalisation of
pressure is prevented and any danger of explosion is obviated by the provision of a
safety valve and two safety cone valves.
While, with reducing valves of present construction, it is necessary, when beginning
to work, to throttle the valve in the first instance, with the improved construction the
adjustment is effected once for all. The putting out of action of the reducing valve
is effected without the use of a special shut off valve.
For automatically regulating the admission of steam, the entire stroke of the
cylindrical slide valve is utilized, and thus the greatest possible sensitiveness is
attained. Any calculation of the size of the apparatus is rendered unnecessary;
a valve is simply chosen, the area of the passage of which corresponds in size to that
of the existing steam passage.
The construction of the apparatus is as follows:-
Within the cylindrical chamber of the valve casing is fitted a hollow cylindrical
slide valve having four ports or passages in its circumference, corresponding with
four similar ports in the sides of the chamber, communicating with the inlet passage
of the casing, so that when the slide is turned into the position in which its ports
correspond with those of the chamber, full steam is admitted into the interior of the
valve and passes from the lower open end of the same into the outlet passage of the
casing. The slide can be moved either longitudinally in the direction of its axis, so
as to close either partially or entirely the ports of the chamber, and these can also be
closed more or less by turning the slide on its axis. The rotation of the valve for
this purpose is effected by means of a worm on a spindle rotated by a crank handle,
and a worm wheel fitted by means of a feather. and groove ou the valve stem, so that
the worm wheel carries the slide round, but leaves it free to move vertically.
The feather and groove prevent the turning of the slide unless rotated by the
worm.
Above the upper end of the slide and of its upward extending tubular stem are
spaces in the casing into which steam is admitted from the inlet passage of the
casing through a small passage, the upper orifice of which is regulated by a conical
screw plug, the steam pressure in such spaces being regulated by a safety valve
with adjustable load at the top of the casing. By the downward pressure of the
steam in the said spaces upon the upper closed end of the slide the upward pressure
exerted by the reduced steam pressure within the cylindrical slide is balanced. The

page_text: steam pressure existing in the outlet passage is indicated by a pressure gauge
connected to a small channel communicating with the outlet passage.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Steam being admitted to the interior of
the cylindrical slide and to the spaces above it; the slide will move longitudinally
until, by the closing of the inlet ports as above described the pressure of steam
within it has been reduced to that of the steam existing in the spaces above the
slide, which is governed by the load on the safety valve. When this is attained, the
pressures being in equilibrio, the slide will remain stationary. If the consumption of
reduced steam decreases, the steam pressure within the cylindrical slide will increase
and will consequently cause the slide to rise, thereby still further closing the inlet
orifices.
The cylindrical slide has within it a central tubular stem, forming part of the
before mentioned external tubular stem at top, and extending down to some distance
below the slide and terminating in a conical disc valve which is consequently raised
as the slide rises, thereby gradually throttling the issue of steam from the latter into
the outlet passage, the valve being so arranged that when the consumption of low
pressure steam entirely ceases, the slide will have raised the disc valve so as to seat
against the lower end of the slide chamber, and thus to cut off the communication
between the inlet and outlet passages of the apparatus.
The upper end of the hollow stem which communicates with the before mentioned
steam space above the slide, is closed by a small valve.
Should at any time, the disc valve at the lower end of the valve become leaky so
that the steam pressure in the outlet passage and place of consumption increases, the
said small valve on the tubular stem will be raised by such pressure, so that the outlet
passage is put in communication through the tubular stem with the space above
the cylindrical slide, and the excess of steam pressure will then escape through the
safety valve, which prevents any increase of pressure.
Instead of regulating the supply of steam to the space above the cylindrical slide
by a coned screw plug as described, this may be effected by means of a loaded valve,
the load of which is regulated according to the reduced pressure desired to be
maintained. By this arrangement the regulation of the reduced pressure in the
spaces above the slide is effected automatically, without any loss of steam escaping
through the safety valve, such as would take place with the screw plug arrangement.
If the above described apparatus be reversed in position the above described
small valve closing the tubular stem of the slide will serve as a check valve if its
seat be also reversed.
When the apparatus is employed with steam engines and the like where there is a
continuous but unequal consumption of steam, the worm and worm wheel, as also the
feather and groove connecting the latter with the slide can be omitted, and the
chamber of the cylindrical slide can be made with a steam port extending all round
the slide, so that the rotation thereof will not affect the steam supply.
The cylindrical slide may also be arranged to be raised by hand by means of a
screw spindle for causing the disc valve on the lower end thereof to shut off the
steam supply as described.
Dated this 7th day of Noramban 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam-reducing Valves:
We, JOSEF HÜBNER and ISIDOR MAYER trading under the style of Hübner and
Mayer of V. Luftgasse 3 and 5 Vienna Austria; Manufacturing Engineers, 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 :-
Our invention. relates to an improved construction of valves for reducing steam
pressure in which in opposition to the constructions heretofore employed, all frictional

page_text: resistances such as those arising in the known constructions through the use of
stuffing boxes, spring or sleeve pistons, and the like, are obviated, as also the use of
spiral springs, membranes and double seated valves, which in course of time always
give rise to defects, are dispensed with.
The cylindrical slide valve carried by a tubular stem from the disc reducing valve,
which replaces the usual piston, is entirely balanced as to pressure, and by doing
away with the valve lever a very smooth working is obtained.
After the steam has been cut off, it can never pass back again; and consequently
no check valve is required; the loss of steam is reduced to a minimum by a correct
manipulation of the screw plug to the steam channel. Only a single regulation of
the steam passage by turning the rotary slide valve is required; all equalisation of
pressure is prevented and any danger of explosion is obviated by the provision of a
safety valve and two safety cone valves.
While with reducing valves of present construction, it is necessary, when beginning
to work to throttle the valve in the first instance, with the improved construction the
adjustment is effected once for all. The putting out of action of the reducing valve
is effected without the use of a special shut off valve.
For automatically regulating the admission of steam, the entire stroke of the
cylindrical slide valve is utilized, and thus the greatest possible sensitiveness is
attained. Any calculation of the size of the apparatus is rendered unnecessary; a
valve is simply chosen, the area of the passage of which corresponds in size to that of
the existing steam passage.
The accompanying drawing shews a reducing valve constructed according to our
invention:
Figure 1 shews a longitudinal section through the steam inlet and outlet; Figure 2
a longitudinal section at right angles to that shewn at Figure 1; Figures 3, 4 and 5
shew cross sections through the valve and casing, indicating the extreme positions of
the openings.
The steam enters in the direction of the arrows, and passes through the open slide
valve K into the discharge passage leading to the place of consumption; at the same
time it passes through the passage E into the spaces B and B above the valve K.
The openings 00 in the casing (and those in the cylindrical slide valve K are in
line with each other as at Figure 3 when the valve is in the position at Figure 1, and
if the valve K is raised, they are more or less closed in the axial direction, being
entirely closed when the valve arrives in the position shewn at Figure 2.
When the openings are in line with each other; the sum of their areas is equal to
the internal area of the slide valve, that is to say the steam passage is full open. By
means of a worm Z rotatable in the cover D, and gearing with a worm wheel sliding
on the upper end of the valve K this can be turned round to any desired extent,
thereby reducing the area of the openings O in a circumferential direction, or entirely
closing them as at Figure 5, thereby reducing or cutting off the steam supply. Any
unintentional rotation of the valve is prevented by a guide rib or feather L.
Steam pressure is admitted to the spaces B B to an extent corresponding to the
load on the safety valve S and which holds in equilibrio the desired reduced steam
pressure. The regulating screw plug R has for its object to reduce the loss of,steam
through pipe H to a minimum amount, by closing the steam passage E more or less;
the passage M Figure 2 leads to a pressure gauge, shewing the steam pressure-existing
in the place of consumption.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The steam passes through passage E into the spaces B B' above the slide valve K.
The steam pressure on the under surfaces of this valve causes this to rise until by the
consequent throttling of the steam inlet, the downward pressure exerted in B B¹ holds
the upward pressure in equilibrio, the steam pressure above and below the valve being
then equal as determined by the load on the safety valve.
According as the consumption of reduced steam diminishes, the slide valve K will
rise, and with it the conical valve S¹ connected to its stem, whereby the openings O
of the valve casing C.will be more or less covered by the solid sides of the slide valve,

page_text: thus throttling the passage of steam to a greater extent. If now the reduced steam
pressure in the place of consumption reaches its greatest allowable limit, such as on
ontire cessation of the consumption, the slide valve will have risen to such a height as
to entirely close the openings O and to cause the valve S₁ to close upon its seat N, as
at Figure 2, so that no further passage of high pressure steam to the place of
consumption can take place.
Should the valve S₁ eventually become leaky, so that an increase of pressure takes
place in the place of consumption, the small safety valve S" at the upper end of the
hollow slide valve rod A, which is pressed down by the steam above, will be forced
open, whereby the place of consumption is put by the hollow rod in communication
with the steam chamber B¹ which in its tura communicates with B through grooves F,
and from these chambers the surplus steam pressure escapes through the safety
valve S, which is loaded to the reduced pressure only.
By means of the screw plug R, the admission of steam to the chambers B B¹ can be
regulated according to the position and weight of the load P on the safety valve, so as
to adjust the apparatus for any desired reduction of pressure.
As shewn at Figure 6 there may be employed in place of the screw plug R, a
regulating valve k loaded to the desired pressure whereby the admission of steam
through passage E to the chambers B B' and consequently the loading pressure on the
slide valve K will be automatically regulated without loss of steam.
In this case the steam required to load the slide valve K, will pass through passage E
to the regulating valve k and through the lateral openings of this and its hollow lower
end into the chambers B B¹, where it acts on the slide valve in the manner described.
But while in the first described arrangement, the steam passage to the chamber B B
required to be regulated every time by hand by means of the screw plug R, that is to
say, with an increase of the boiler pressure the steam passing to B B', must of course
also have a higher pressure, and must partly escape through the safety valve S, in the
present case the sum of the areas of the steam passages of the regulating valve k will
be varied by the existing differences of pressure, by becoming more or less covered on
the rising of the valve, and the pressure will consequently be maintained quite
automatically at the required degree, without any escape of steam through the safety
valve S.
If the apparatus were arranged in a reversed position so that the valve S¹¹ were at
top instead of below, it would act as check valve, its seat being also reversed.
With variable but continuous consumption of steam, as with steam engines, which
might cause a rapid wearing of the guide rib L, this may be dispensed with, as also
the worm and worm wheel Z, and the openings O of the casing C be continued all
round, that is to say, forming an annular opening, so that any rotation of the valve K,
would not effect the closing more or less of its openings O.
In certain cases the safety valves may be loaded with adjustable springs instead of
weights.
The valve S' can be closed on its seat N by means of the screw spindle H¹ but this
may also be dispensed with, provided a stop T be provided for limiting the stroke of
the valve S¹.
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. A steam reducing valve apparatus, wherein the steam inlet slide valve K is
loaded with steam at the reduced pressure, and is combined with a safety valve S, a
hollow stem A with valve S¹ and safety valve S, the slide valve K being provided
with openings 0 that are adjustable in respect of the openings O in the casing, both
in a circular, and in a longitudinal direction the loading of the valve by the steam in
the chambers, B B¹ being regulated by a regulating screw plug R substantially as
described.
2. In steam reducing valve apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim,
constructing the reducing slide valve K with one or more ribs or feathers L, capable

page_text: of sliding through a worm wheel, so that by rotating the wheel by the worm Z, the
slide valve can be turned so as to more or less close the opening O, the slide valve
being provided with a hollow stem A having a safety valve S
3. In steam reducing valve apparatus, such as is referred to in the preceding claims,
the simplified construction wherein the ribs L of the slide valve K, and worm and
worm wheel Z are dispensed with, while the casing C is made with an opening
extending all round in place of the openings O, so that the slide valve K can revolve
without closing its ports O, substantially as described.
4. The modified construction of the steam reducing valve apparatus, described in
the 1st claim, wherein the regulating screw plug R is replaced by a regulating valve R
Figure 6, in combination with the safety valve S, substantially as described.
5. The herein described reversed position of the steam reducing apparatus, wherein
the seat of the valve S" is reversed, so as to cause this to act as a check valve.
Dated this 6th day of Angust 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.