An Improved Tool for Refacing Valve-seats and like Surfaces in Position.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Tool for Refacing Valve-seats and like Surfaces in
Position.
I, HAROLD ERNEST HOUSTON, of 30, Clive Street, Grangetown, Cardiff, in the
County of Glamorgan, Wales, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to cutting tools for refacing the seats of valves without
removing them from the valve-box or body, and its object is to provide a special
form of cutter block and cutters which can be simply and readily attached to
the valve itself, and operated by the valve-spindle so as to secure the produc-
tion of an absolutely true seat in a simple and efficient manner, and the inven-
tion is particularly applicable to all types of lift valves having mitred, flat or
other seats provided with guide wings or ribs integraly with the valve.
The invention consists generally in providing a cutter block in the form of
a plate with a circular hole in the centre thereof of smaller diameter than the
wings or ribs of the valve of which the seat is to be refaced, and in cutting into
the plate from this hole grooves or keyways of sufficient number, size, and
diameter to just pass over the said ribs or wings. On the bottom face of this
plate radial grooves are cut of suitable section to receive cutters whose working
edges correspond with the shape of the seat to be refaced, and when in operation
the plate is slipped on to the valve and keyed thereto by the keyways and wings
just described then the valve and spindle are rotated by a suitable bar or key
while pressure is exerted upon the said valve or spindle through, say, the springs
in the case of a safety valve, or by other means, all causing the cutters to reface
the seat.
In carrying the invention into effect according to one modification as applied
to a marine spring safety valve of the ordinary type, the construction is as
follows: A flat circular plate of suitable thickness is provided, and has drilled
centrally through it a hole of smaller diameter than the guide wings or ribs
of the valve. At the edges of this circular hole keyways are cut of such dimen-
sions that the plate can be slipped readily upon the valve and embrace the edges
of the guide wings or ribs. The top portion of the hole or perforation of the
plate is preferably countersunk so as to pass some little way on to the mitreing
of the valve while the bottom portion of the plate has grooves cut partially across
its face from the outside edges thereof and these grooves are of such a length
that when cutters are placed therein they will sweep over the flat top surface of
the valve-seat to be refaced.
When the improved cutter block herein before described is in operation on a
valve of this type, the top bonnet or cap of the valve containing the spring is
removed, and the cutter block with tools for cutting on the flat surface are in-
serted in the radial slots of the cutter block or plate. The plate is slipped upon
the valve and keys itself on the ribs. The top bonnet or cap is replaced, but
washers are inserted between it and the valve-body to about the thickness of the

page_text: cutter and block. The cover on the bonnet itself which closes in on the spring
may also be temporarily released, and it is evident that the pressure on the
spring can be so adjusted that sufficient pressure is put upon the cutters to shave
or cut away the flat top of the valve-seat when the valve spindle is revolved. It
is also evident that by this construction the flat portion of the valve-seat is
refaced in a plane of rotation at right angles with the valve-spindle. When
the flat portion of the seat has been refaced the bonnet or cap is again removed
and bent over-cutters are fitted in of such a size and shape, that the bent-over
edges only, correspond with the mitreing on the valve-seat while the flat edges
are smooth or non-cutting. Similarly in this case, the pressure of the spring
can be adjusted and the bonnet or cap packed up with washers so that the rota-
tion of the valve-spindle will cause the bent-over cutters to cut out or shave away
the mitreing of the valve-seat, thus providing a new face or seat lying in a true
conical plane of rotation with the valve spindle as its axis.
It is to be clearly understood that the following modifications in the improved
cutter and cutter-block herein before described may be employed without depart.
ing from the subject matter of the present invention. Any type of lift valve
with flat, mitred, or other seats may be refaced with cutter-block and cutters of
suitable dimensions and shape. The pressure necessary to make the cutters
bite may be given in some instances by the springs employed, say, in marine
safety valves, but in other cases, as in junction or screw-down valves, where
springs are not employed, external means to put the necessary pressure upon the
valve-spindle may be used. The cutters may be attached to the cutter-block in
grooves of any section such as dove-tailing or square, and these cutters may be
of any number, and need not necessarily lie radially from the centre of the.
plate, as in some cases they may be arranged tangentially thereto so as to give
an advanced edge in the cutting feed.
It is intended that each valve sent out by the makers should be provided with
the cutter-block to suit it and the necessary cutters, and sent out in the form of
"
spares in the same way as additional valve-seats, springs, or other details are
"
sent out.
It is further to be clearly understood that the essential and leading feature
of the present invention is the provision of a cutter-block which will key itself
upon the valve, the seat of which is to be refaced in position by the movement
of the valve-spindle, so that, even if the spindle is out of truth, the new valve-
seat or face that is produced by the cutter will always be true to the spindle.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents
An Improved Tool for Refacing Valve-seats and like Surfaces in
Position.
I, HAROLD ERNEST HOUSTON, of 30, Clive Street, Grangetown, Cardiff, in the
County of Glamorgan, Wales, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to cutting tools for refacing the seats of valves without
removing them from the valve box or body, and its object is to provide a special

page_text: form of cutter block and cutters which can be simply and readily attached to
the valve itself and operated by the valve spindle so as to secure the produc-
tion of an absolutely true seat in a simple and efficient manner, and the inven-
tion is particularly applicable to all types of lift valves having mitred, flat or
other seats provided with guide wings or ribs integral with the valve.
The invention consists generally in providing a cutter block in the form of
a plate with a circular hole in the centre thereof of smaller diameter than the
wings or ribs of the valve, the seat of which is to be refaced, and in cutting into
the plate, from this hole, grooves or keyways of sufficient number, size and
diameter to just pass over the said ribs or wings. On the bottom face of this
plate radial grooves are cut of suitable section to receive cutters whose working
edges correspond with the shape of the seat to be refaced, and when in operation
the plate is slipped on to the valve and keyed thereto by the key ways and wings
just described; then the valve and spindle are rotated by a spindle bar or key
while pressure is exerted upon the said valve or spindle through, the springs
for example in the case of a safety valve, or by other means, all causing the
cutter to reface the seat.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is an elevation of a cutting tool constructed according to my inven-
tion, and
Figure 2 is a plan of the lower side of the same.
Figure 3 illustrates in side and end elevation one of the cutter blades employed
for refacing the edge of a mitred valve seat, and
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a marine safety valve fitted with the
improved cutting tool.
A flat circular plate A has drilled centrally through it a circular hole of
smaller diameter than the guide wings or ribs of the valve to which it is to be
fitted. Into the edge of this hole keyways or grooves B are cut corresponding
in number to the guide wings or ribs on the valve, and of such dimensions that
the plate A can be slipped on to the valve the grooves B embracing the edges
of the guide wings or ribs. The top edge of the circular hole in the plate is
countersunk, as indicated by the dotted line A' in Figure 1, so as to allow the
plate to pass some little distance on to the mitreing of the valve. The bottom
face of the plate has a number of radial grooves C cut in it of suitable section,
for example square or dovetail, into which grooves cutter blades of correspond-
ing section are inserted. In Figure 1 the cutter blades D shown are adapted
for refacing a flat valve or the top of a mitred seat. When it is desired, how-
ever, to reface the mitre edge of a valve seat the blades 1) are replaced by
blades E (Figure 3) in which the horizontal edge E of the blade is rounded
so as to pass smoothly over the flat top of the valve seat and the part of the blade
provided with the cutting edge E, is bent at an angle corresponding to the
angle of the mitre of the valve.
The grooves C need not necessarily extend radially from the axis of the
plate A as shown as they may in some cases be cut tangential to the axis so as
to give an advanced edge in the cutting feed.
Referring to Figure 4 which illustrates the method of employing the cutting
tool above described in refacing a marine safety valve seat, the cover F of the
valve body is removed carrying with it the valve G. The cutter block A fitted
with blades 1 for cutting on the flat surface is slipped on to the valve, the
grooves B embracing the edge of the ribs G and keying the block to the valve.
The cover F is then replaced upon the valve body, the cutter blades D resting
upon the top of the valve seat. A washer of approximately the thickness
of the cutter block with blades is inserted between the cover and the valve
body. The pressure on the spring H is temporarily released by removing the
cap K, and inserting a washer K¹ between it and the top of the cover F. In
refacing the valve seat the spindle L is revolved by inserting a pin into the
hole in the top of the spindle, or in any suitable manner, and the pressure

page_text: upon the cutter is adjusted by means of the screwed gland K. When the flat
portion of the valve seat has been refaced, the cover is again removed from the
valve body and the cutters D are replaced by the cutters E, said cutters being
inserted into the grooves C so that their smooth edges E¹ are parallel with the
valve seat when in position. The cover F is replaced as before upon the valve
body and the spindle L is revolved, causing the cutting edges E2 of the blades
to cut or shave away the mitreing of the valve seat. A new mitre face or seat
is thus formed which forms part of a true conical surface the axis of which coin-
cides with the axis of the valve spindle. It will be seen therefore that even
if the spindle is out of truth the new valve seat that is produced by the cutting
tool will always be true to the valve spindle.
The improved cutter block may be employed for refacing valve seats of other
types of valves than that above described. In valves where springs are not
employed, such as junction or screw down valves, the necessary pressure upon
the spindle to make the cutter bite may be given by external means.
It is intended that each valve supplied by the makers shall be provided with
a cutter block to suit it and with the necessary cutters, and sent out in the form
of spares" in the same way as additional valve seats, springs or other details
are sent out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1) A valve seat refacing tool consisting of a block or plate adapted to be
fitted with interchangeable cutting blades substantially as described and illus-
trated in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2.) A valve seat refacing tool consisting of a block or plate having inter-
changeable cutting blades and constructed so that it may be keyed or fixed upon
the valve enabling the valve seat to be refaced with the valve in position, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of February 1900.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents