IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES FOR OPERATING ALARM APPARATUS
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Nov.. 1888
1 WILLIAM HAYTHORNTHWAITE, of the Cherry Tree Mill, near Blackburn, in the
County of Lancaster, Manager do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES FOR OPERATING ALARM APPARATUS to be as follows:-
This invention is particularly applicable to valves used in connection with installa-
tions of automatic fire extinguishing sprinklers, but may be used for other purposes,
the chief object of the improvements being to give an alarm in the event of any
attempt being made to close the valve which controls the supply of water to the
installation or in the event of the water supply failing in the mains or other source of
supply.
I will describe the Invention as applied to the main valve on the supply pipe.
In carrying my Invention into effect I connect to the main valve chamber an
auxiliary valve supported in a casing connected by a pipe to the apparatus for
operating the alarm, which may be a gong, bell, whistle, horn, gun, or any other
suitable appliance. The auxiliary valve spindle projects into the main valve casing
and the auxiliary valve is held on its seating by a spiral spring, strong enough to resist
the maximum pressure in the supply pipe; so long as the main valve is open the
auxiliary valve is closed by the spring but as soon as the spindle of the main valve is
turned or moved a projection thereon, or in connection therewith, immediately comes
against the projecting spindle of the auxiliary valve, thereby opening this valve and
permitting water to flow from a small pipe or passage in communication with the
valve chamber, at a point preferably below the main valve, into the auxiliary valve
casing and thence by the pipe hefore mentioned to the apparatus which operates and
continues to operate or cause to be operated the alarm until the main valve is again
fully opened and the spring has closed the auxiliary valve. Or I form a screw thread
on one end of the main valve spindle which when the main valve begins to close
operates and opens another valve to give the alarm. Or I fix a projection on the
main valve which when moved will open a tap or valve to allow water to escape and

page_text: operate the alarm. Or I fix a wheel or equivalent on the spindle which gears into
another wheel which is timed when closing the main valve to open another valve
to work the alarm. Or I arrange a cylinder with a piston which is supported when
the water pressure is present but when it diminishes the piston moves and thereby
opens the valve which causes the alarm to be given.
The invention may be applied to other valves besides the main valve and to valves
which control the supply of steam gas etc., wherever it is desirable to notify the fact
that an attempt is being made to close a valve.
In some cases it might be advantageous to dispense with the auxiliary valve and
instead to actuate the alarm apparatus directly by the movement of the main valve
completing an electric circuit releasing a weight or spring or setting clock work in
motion or any suitable means for giving the alarm.
In order to give an alarm, when the town's water or other source of supply is shut
off from the installation or fails, I connect to the pipe above the main supply valve, or
to a steam boiler, a small pipe connected to a valve chamber which is also connected
to the main supply pipe below the usual back pressure valve. In the valve chamber
are two valves one a back pressure valve, which prevents the return of water to the
main or other supply pipe, the other valve is acted upon by the water pressure from the
main, assisted by a spring or equivalent, to close the connection between the installa-
tion pipe or steam boiler as the case may be and a pipe connected to the apparatus for
operating the alarm. When the water supply in the mains is shut off or fails the
weight of the column of water in the installation pipe, or the boiler pressure as the
case may be, overcomes the resistance of the spring and allows the valve to
open and water from the installation pipe, or steam from the boiler, to operate the
alarm.
The valves may be of different areas if desired to assist in maintaining the desired
equilibrium between the pressures in the pipes above and below the valve casing.
Dated this 20th day of January 1888.

page_text: I WILLIAM HAYTHORNTHWAITE of the Cherry Tree Mill near Blackburn in the
County of Lancaster Manager 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:-
--
This invention is particularly applicable to valves used in connection with installa
tions of automatic fire extinguishing sprinklers but may be used for other purposes,
the chief object of the improvements being to give an alarm in the event of any
attempt being made to close the valve which controls the supply of water to the
installation.
I will describe the Invention as applied to the main valve on the supply pipe.
In carrying my Invention into effect I connect to the main valve chamber an
auxiliary valve supported in a casing connected by a pipe to the apparatus for operating
the alarm which may be a gong, bell, whistle, horn, gun, or any other suitable
appliance. The auxiliary valve spindle projects into the main valve casing and the
auxiliary valve is held on its seating by a spiral spring strong enough to resist the
maximum pressure in the supply pipe; so long as the main valve is open the auxiliary
valve is closed by the spring but as soon as the spindle of the main valve is turned
or moved a projection thereon, or in connection therewith, immediately comes against
the projecting spindle of the auxiliary valve thereby opening this valve and permitting
water to flow from a small pipe or passage in communication with the valve chamber
at a point preferably below the main valve into the auxiliary valve casing and thence
by the pipe before mentioned to the apparatus which operates and continues to operate
or cause to be operated the alarm until the main valve is again fully opened and the
spring has closed the auxiliary valve. Or I form a screw thread on one end of the
main valve spindle which when the main valve begins to close operates and opens
another valve to give the aların. Or I fix a projection on the main valve which when
moved will open a tap or valve to allow water to escape and operate the alarm.
The invention may be applied to other valves beside the main valve and to valves
which control the supply of steam gas etc. wherever it is desirable to notify the fact
that an attempt is being made to close a valve.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are sectional plan views respectively showing my improved
alarm valve in three different positions, namely, full open, partly open, and closed, and
Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of Fig. 3.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views respectively of various alternative arrangements of
my improved alarm valve.
Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are three views of another arrangement of my improved
alarm valve.

page_text: Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4.-
a designates the main valve casing, 6 the main valve fitted in slideways a¹ in the
casing is the projection on the main valve and c the valve spindle which is operated by
means of a hand wheel c¹ to actuate the main valve and so open or close the passage a²
which is in connection with the main or supply pipe not shown, d is the auxiliary valve,
d its spindle, and d² the spring which keeps the valve d normally closed; the auxiliary
valve d is contained in a casing e to which is connected a pipe e¹ for conveying water
to the alarm apparatus, not shown.
When the main valve b is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the passage a² is fully
open and consequently water is turned on from the main or supply pipe to the installa-
tion and at the same time the auxiliary valve is kept closed against the water
pressure by the spring d² so that no water can pass through the pipe e¹ to the alarm
apparatus but as soon as the spindle c is turned and the main valve b begins to close
as shown in Fig. 2 the projection 6' thereon comes against and moves the spindle d'
thereby partially opening the auxiliary valve d and allowing water to flow from the
main through the pipe to the alarm apparatus which is thereby operated.
The continued movement of the main valve in the same direction as shown in
Fig. 3 has the effect of fully opening the auxiliary valve d and when the main valve b
is quite closed as shown in Fig. 3 water will still flow from the main through a bye
pass 62 in the main valve and through the auxiliary valve and pipe e' so that an alarm
will be given continuously as long as the main valve remains closed as in Fig. 3 or
partly open only as in Fig. 2 but as soon as the main valve is again fully opened as
in Fig. 1 and the projection 6¹ has been moved clear of the auxiliary valve spindle d¹
then the spring d² closes the auxiliary valve d and stops the alarm.
Instead of the bye pass 62 a pipe or passage in communication with the main or
supply pipe at a point below the main valve and coupled either to the main valve
chamber or to the auxiliary valve chamber might be employed to permit water to
flow and actuate the alarm apparatus continuously after the main valve has been
completely closed.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 the spindle d' of the auxiliary valve has a
head formed on it and passes freely into the main valve b so that when the main
valve is fully open as shown the auxiliary valve d is held to its seating but as soon
as the main valve begins to close the pressure of water forces the auxiliary valve from
its seating and water then flows through the casing e and pipe e' to the alarm apparatus
as above described.
Fig. 6 shows the auxiliary valve d carried directly upon a projection formed on or
attached to the main valve so that immediately the main valve begins to close
water flows from the main through the pin el to the alarm apparatus.
Fig. 7 shows substantially the same arrangement as in Fig. 6 the only difference
being that in Fig. 7 the lid of the auxiliary valve d is flat instead of being coned
as in Fig. 6.
The
Fig. 8 shows the spindle d¹ of the auxiliary valve d formed with a reverse thread
to that on the spindle c into which the end of the spindle d¹ is screwed.
auxiliary valve d and its spindle are held from rotating by means of two pins ƒ as
shown or by any equivalent means.
When this spindle c is turned in one direction to close the main valve 6 the auxiliary
valve d is moved in the other direction and so opened by the reversely threaded
spindle d¹.
Fig. 9 is substantially the same as Fig. 8 the only difference being that the
auxiliary valve d is in this case shown flat instead of taper or coned as in the preceding
view.
The arrangement illustrated by Figs. 10, 11, and 12 is very similar to that shown
in Fig. 5 but here the main valve is an ordinary screw down instead of a slide
valve as in the preceding views; to suit this construction the passage a² is divided by
a web a³ and the spindle d¹ of the auxiliary valve d is screwed into or otherwise
connected to the main valve b or its spindle.

page_text: When the main valve b is closed as shown in Fig. 11 the auxiliary valve d is open
and water is free to flow through the pipe e¹ to the alarm apparatus but when the
main valve is open as shown in Fig. 10 the auxiliary valve d is closed and no water
can pass through it to the pipe e¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1.-The use and application of the improved alarm valves constructed and arranged
substantially as herein shown and described, or in an equivalent manner with the
mover of the auxiliary valve inside the main valve casing, for the purpose of giving
an alarm in the event of any attempt being made to close the valve which controls
the main or supply pipe.
2. The combination with a main stop valve, of an auxiliary valve arranged to be
opened to permit water or other fluid to How and operate an alarm apparatus by any
movement tending to close the main valve, both said valves and the auxiliary valve
mover being contained within one and the same casing.
3. The combination with a main stop valve, of a bye pass such as b² or an
equivalent passage or pipe to allow water or other fluid to flow from the main or
supply pipe through an auxiliary valve to the alarm apparatus when and so long as
the main valve is fully closed.
4. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts embodying
my improvements in valves for operating alarm apparatus substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and as shown.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.
Dated this 19th day of October 1888.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.