An Attachment for Facilitating the Opening of Gate Valves and Reducing the Wear upon the Valve Seats.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1891
Complete Specification Left; 14th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment for Facilitating the Opening of Gate Valves and
Reducing the Wear upon the Valve Seats.
1 HORACE VERNET CLYNICK of 28 Cliff Street in the City of New York in
the State of New York U.S.A. Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an attachment for facilitating the lifting of the valve
plates in large gate valves, and consists essentially of toggle jointed levers attached
to the valve plates and adapted to draw both plates inwards upon external pressure
exerted against either plate.
Heretofore it has been the custom usually, to apply side gears and a worm screw
to the valve plates on large gate valves so that the necessary leverage could be
had to force them open, when located for instance in a large main water pipe line,
with the pressure of a body of water on one side of the valve and only atmospheric
pressure on the other. It is very evident that in such cases where a large valve is
to be opened, that with the great pressure on one side only, that considerable
power is required to move the valve plates, and moreover when they are moved,
bearing as they do with considerable force on the valve seat, sand and other grit
gets in between the seat and the valve and the friction between the two when the
valve plate is sliding as in opening and closing, makes the two surfaces wear
unevenly, thus causing a leak.
The objects of this invention are to avoid all of the above objections inherent in
the ordinary form of gate valve and also to provide novel and effective means
whereby the effects of the pressure on one side of the valve, counteracts and
relieves the pressure from the other side, thereby rendering it easy and possible for
the valves to be lifted by means of the ordinary central screw.
In practice the objects of this invention are obtained in the following manner,
references being had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this
Specification, and in which
Figure 1 is a plan view with the cap removed showing a groove on both sides of
the valve chamber in which slides, extensions on the moving portion.
Figure 2 shows a side elevation illustrating the manner of attaching the toggle
joints to the parts of the valve.
In Figure 2, I is the lifting screw, J is the valve stem on which is formed the
nut W, W of wedge shape, the said nut being provided with an elongation F.
which is provided with a slot E in which the pin P may be free to move vertically.
V, V are the valve plates, and the points S, S, S', S', are the seats; 0, 0¹ are
the passages of the valve, P is a pin acting as a fulcrum on which the toggle joints
are pivoted the said toggles are composed of the joints A, B, A and C, D, C':
G, Gare wedge extensions on the valve plates which serve to close the valve by
means of the nut W when forced downwards. The top extensions on the nut W
engage with the shoulders H, H' on the valve plates and serve the purpose of
lifting the said plates. The lifting screw I fits in a stationary nut at the top of
the valve.
In Figure extensions K, K on the nut W fit and slide in the grooves L, L
located in the sides or body of the valve this prevents any side motion to the
mut W when it is raised or lowered. The action of the valve may be described as
follows, when the valve plates V, V₁ are closed the toggle joints are in a normal
position, but as soon as the nut W is lifted, (for illustration it will be assumed that
the passage is under pressure of water and that the other side is empty), the
force of water against the valve plate V pushes it in and at the same time pushes

page_text: forward the joints A, C of the toggles and the joints A¹, C1, being connected to
the said joints A, C by the centre levers B, D, and to the valve plate V₁ operates
to draw inwards, thus allowing a small quantity of water to flow through the valve
passages O, O and quickly allowing the pressure to be equalized. It is thus seen
that as both valve plates are drawn away from their seats that they may be readily
lifted to full opening and yet avoid any wear.
The toggles are shown with six links although three links may be effective for
the smaller sized valves but where much strength is required the six links are
better.
It is obvious that the toggles will operate in any position the valve may be
placed in. It is also obvious that the attachment of the toggles offers a great
advantage over valves not having them, especially for instance without the toggles
the valve plate V as soon as loosened by raising the nut W would be pushed from
its seat by the outside pressure of water and the body of the valve in becoming
filled at once would act to press the valve plate V tightly to its seat, thus
requiring considerable force to overcome the friction between the valve and the
seat, and the grit almost sure to be present in most valves, cuts into the faces and
causes a leak. Besides when the valves are raised enough to let some water through
they are apt to open suddenly, letting in a rush of water which causes hammering
and otherwise strains the pipes in connection therewith. With the toggle joints
attached to the valve plates as hereinbefore described, the effects of the pressure
when on one side only of the valve, is counteracted by means of the said toggles,
hence the valves lift easily and gradually, without wearing against the seats, and
allows a small quantity of water to pass through which equalizes the pressure quickly.
I do not limit myself to the use of but one set of toggles in any one valve, I have
shown but one set for the purpose of obtaining clearness in the drawing, and parts
have been exaggerated in order to clearly illustrate the detail of the various parts
of the valve and the relation of the toggles to such portions. In very large valves
or even in the smaller ones as many as four sets of toggles may be employed,
distributed at the top and bottom of the valve plates on both sides. An additional
pin and slot could be provided in the portion J of the valve stem for fulcruming the
additional toggles.
It is obvious that the position of the joints of the toggles may be altered to some
extent from that shown in the drawing and serve the purpose sought, hence I do
not limit myself to the exact position shown nor to the relative lengths of the
joints in the toggles shown as they may also vary and yet serve the purpose.
Dated this 20th day of June 1891.
HORACE V. CLINICK,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment for Facilitating the Opening of Gate Valves and
Reducing the Wear upon the Valve Seats.
I HORACE VERNET CLYNICK of 28 Cliff Street, in the City of New York, in
the State of New York U.S.A. Engineer, 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 an attachment for facilitating the lifting of the valves
plates in large gate valves, and consists essentially of toggle jointed levers attached
to the valve plates and adapted to draw both plates inwards upon external pressure
exerted against either plate.
Heretofore it has been the custom usually to apply side gears and a worm screw
to the valve plates on large gate valves so that the necessary leverage could be had
to force them open when located for instance in a large main water pipe line, with
the pressure of a body of water on one side of the valve and only atmospheric
pressure on the other. It is very evident that in such cases where a large valve is

page_text: to be opened, that with the great pressure on one side only, that considerable power
is required to move the valve plates, and moreover when they are moved, bearing
as they do with considerable force on the valve seat, sand and other grit gets in
between the seat and the valve and the friction between the two when the valve
plate is sliding as in opening and closing, makes the two surfaces wear unevenly,
thus causing a leak.
The objects of my invention are to avoid all of the above objections inherent in
the ordinary form of gate valve and also to provide novel and effective means
whereby the effects of the pressure on one side of the valve, counteracts and relieves
the pressure from the other side, thereby rendering it easy and possible for the
valves to be lifted by means of the ordinary central screw.
In practice the objects of this invention are obtained in the following manner,
references being had to the drawing left with the Provisional Specification and in
which
Figure 1 is a plan view with the cap removed showing a groove on both sides of
the valve chamber in which slides extensions on the moving portion.
Figure 2 shows a side elevation illustrating the manner of attaching the toggle
joints to the parts of the valve.
In Fig. 2 is the lifting screw, J is the valve stem on which is formed the
nut W, W of wedge shape, the said mut being provided with an elongation F,
which is provided with a slot. E in which the pin P may be free to move vertically.
V, V₁ are the valve plates, and the points S, S, S' S₁ are the seats; O, O' are the
passages of the valve, P is a pin acting as a fulcrum on which the toggle joints
are pivoted, the said toggles are composed of the joints A B A' & C, D C¹;
GG are wedge extensions on the valve plates which serve to close the valve
by means of the mit W when forced downwards. The top extensions on the
nut W engage with the shoulders H H on the valve plates and serve the purpose
of lifting the said plates. The lifting screw fits in a stationary nut at the top of
the valve.
In Fig. 1 extensions K, K¹ on the nut W fit and slide in the grooves L, L'
located in the sides or body of the valve, this prevents any side motion to the nut W
when it is raised or lowered. The action of the valve may be described as follows,
when the valve plates V Vare closed the toggle joints are in a normal position,
but as soon as the nut. W is lifted, (for illustration it will be assumed that the
passage is under pressure of water and that the other side is empty) the force of
water against the valve plate V pushes it in and at the same time pushes forward
the joints A, C of the toggles and the joints A, C, being connected to the said
joints A, C by the centre levers B, D, and to the valve plate V₁ operates to draw
inwards, thus allowing a small quantity of water to flow through the valve
passages O, O and quickly allowing the pressure to be equalized. It is thus scen
that as both valve plates are drawn away from their seats that they may be readily
lifted to full opening and yet avoid any wear.
The toggles are shown with six links although three links may be effective for
the smaller sized valves but where much strength is required the six links are
better.
It is obvious that the toggles will operate in any position the valve may be
placed. It is also obvious that the attachment of the toggles offers a great
advantage over valves not having them, especially for instance without the toggles
the valve plate V as soon as loosened by raising the nut W would be pushed from
its seat by the outside pressure of water and the body of the valve in becoming
filled at once would act to press the valve plate V tightly to its seat, thus requiring
considerable force to overcome the friction between the valve and the seat, and the
grit almost sure to be present in most valves, cuts into the faces and causes a leak.
Besides when the valves are raised enough to let some water through they are apt
to open suddenly, letting in a rush of water which causes hammering and otherwise
strains the pipes in connection therewith. With the toggle joints attached to the
valve plates as hereinbefore described, the effects of the pressure when on one side

page_text: only of the valve, is counteracted by means of the said toggles, hence the valves
lift easily and gradually, without wearing against the seats, and allows a small
quantity of water to pass through which equalizes the pressure quickly.
I do not limit myself to the use of but one set of toggles in any one valve, I have
shown but one set for the purpose of obtaining clearness in the drawing, and parts
have been exaggerated in order to clearly illustrate the detail of the various parts
of the valve and the relation of the toggles to such portions. In very large valves
or even in the smaller ones as many as four sets of toggles may be employed,
distributed at the top and bottom of the valve plates on both sides. An additional
pin and slot could be provided in the portion J of the valve stem for fulcruming
the additional toggles.
It is obvious that the position of the joints of the toggles may be altered to some
extent from that shown in the drawing and serve the purpose sought, hence I do
not limit myself to the exact position shown nor to the relative lengths of the joints
in the toggles shown, as they may also vary and yet serve the purpose.
In the above description I have spoken of the valve as being used in a water
pipe, but I do not limit myself to such use for them, as they may be used in
connection with steam, and in fact any fluid or gas that exists under a pressure.
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. An attachment for gate valves consisting of one or more sets of toggle joints
attached to the valve stem nut and to the valve plates, and so disposed that one of
the said plates draws the other inwards when subjected to external pressure, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
2. An attachment for gate valves consisting of two sets of jointed levers each set
having a fulcrum point on the valve stem and the extreme ends thereof hinged
directly to the valve plates, and adapted to draw the said plates together by
external pressure against either plate, substantially as and for the purpose shown
and described.
3. An attachment for gate valves consisting of two or more systems of jointed
levers, a single set being composed of two jointed levers each having three joints
usually of unequal length, and the ends of the said jointed levers being pivoted to
opposite valve plates, and adapted upon external pressure against either plate
to cause both of them to be drawn together and away from their seats, as
described.
4. An attachment for gate valves consisting of a jointed lever A, B, A' and a
jointed lever C, D, C, both attached centrally and pivoted to a pin P, the extreme
ends of said levers being pivoted to the valve plates V, V', in the manner substan-
tially as shown and described.
5. An attachment for gate valves consisting of an elongated valve stem provided
with a slot in which pins serving as fulcrums for jointed levers which are pivoted
thereto, said pins having a vertical but no side movement in said slot, and said nut
having extensions on its sides adapted to slide in grooves in the body of the valve
substantially as shown and described.
6. The combination of a valve body with vertical grooves in its sides, an elongated
valve stem having extensions on opposite sides adapted to slide in said grooves in
valve body, and pins forming fulcruan points upon which are pivoted two or more
systems of jointed levers, said jointed levers being also pivoted to two valve plates
which are adapted to be raised and lowered together with the valve stem by means
of a lifting screw, all being adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose
shown and described.
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