IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cort, Engineer, of Trafalgar Road, Old Kent
Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES."
Sealed the 13th November 1877, and dated the 16th May 187
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cort at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th May 1877.
JAMES CORT, Engineer, of Trafalgar Road, Old Kent Road, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES."
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of valves for
gas, steam, water, and other fluids, whereby a perfectly tight joint shall be obtained
should the seat of the valves wear out or be obstructed by dirt or other causes.
The valves are made in the shape of a hollow globe, with openings for inlet and
outlet of the same size as the pipes or mains on which they are fixed.
Inside the hollow globe aforesaid works a half spherical door, kept in position
and fixed to a half spherical bridge piece or bracket working on two centres.
The top of the half spherical door is furnished with a circular rack gearing into
a pinion actuated by means of a spindle which passes through a stuffing box and
furnished with a hand wheel.
The door is connected to the bridge piece or bracket aforesaid by a screw, the
object of which is as follows:-Should the door not fit perfectly against its seat at
the inlet or outlet of the valve (owing to the wear, dirt, or other causes), by a slight
movement of the pinion aforesaid the door receives a rotary motion through the
rack, and is thus screwed tight against the seat.
The door is put in motion to open or close the valve by means of a handle fixed
to a socket encircling the spindle aforesaid, and connected to the bridge piece or
bracket.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Cort in the Great Soal Patent Office on the 16th November
1877.
JAMES CORT, Engineer, of Trafalgar Road, Old Kent Road, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES."
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of valves
for gas, steam, water, and other fluids, whereby a perfectly tight joint shall be
obtained should the seat of the valves wear out or be obstructed by dirt or other
causes.
The valves are made in the shape of a hollow globe, with openings for inlet and
outlet of the samo size as the mains on which they are fixed.
Inside the hollow globe aforesaid works a half spherical door, kept in position
and fixed to a half spherical bridge piece or bracket working on two centres.
The top of the half spherical door is furnished with a hand wheel.
The door is connected to the bridge piece or bracket aforesaid by a screw, the
object of which is as follows:-Should the door not fit perfectly against its seat at
the inlet or outlet of the valve (owing the wear, dirt, or other causes), by a slight
movement of the pinion aforesaid the door receives a rotary motion through the
rack, and is screwed tight against the seat.
The door is put in motion to open or close the valve by means of a handle fixed
to a socket encircling the spindle aforesaid and connected to the bridge pièce or
bracket.
And in order to explain this Invention more fully, I will now proceed to describe
the means whereby it may be put into practical effect, reference being had to the
illustrative Sheet of Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral
Figures and letters of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through the line W, X, of Figure 2; and Figure 2,
a plan through line Y, X, of Figure 1 of a valve for gas, steam, water, and other
fluids, constructed according to this Invention. In each of these Figures similar
letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts.
The valve as shown in these two Figures is supposed to be nearly closed.
A is the circular body of the valve, the outlet of which is furnished at a with a
'seat or facing; B is a half or partly spherical door carefully ground so as to fit
especially against the seat or facing a; it is held in position by a bridge piece C
working on two centres or bearings C¹, C. The bearing C¹ is formed as a casing
which carries a quadrant or pinion D, gearing into a half spherical rack E, forming
part of the door B. The said door is furnished at its centre with a boss F, into
which works a screw G, the collar of which abuts against the flange H of the
socket h, cast on the centre of the bridge piece C. A screw and nut H¹ connects
the screw G to the socket . A spindle K passing through a stuffing box k is
keyed on the quadrant or pinion D, passing through the boss C", and is actuated by
a liandle L, hand wheel, lever, or any other suitable mechanical arrangement. On
the boss or socket C is keyed a circular plate M furnished with a pawl N (Figure 2)
and stop pin O. A cam P fixed on the spindle K acts against the pawl N, which
is made to enter at a certain moment a chamber Q provided for that purpose on the
casing R, which envelopes the whole of the outside working parts.
MODE OF OPERATION.

page_text: L is made to revolve. This motion is communicated to the cam P, acting against
the pawl N, which is kept fixed by working against the inner edge of the casing R,
as shown in Figure 2.
The pawl forming part of the plate M, which is keyed on the boss C¹¹, carries it
round with it, causing the bridge piece C to revolve on its centres, and bring with it
the door B in front of the facing a of the inlet of the valve.
At this part of the operation the pawl N has been brought in front of the
chamber Q, in which it is made to enter by the cam P, which continues its course
as shown in Figure 3. The connection between the plate M, bridge piece C, and
spindle K being broken, the motion is now communicated to the quadrant or pinion
D, which imparts a rotary motion to the door B by means of the spherical rack E.
The rotary motion causes the door B to unscrew itself from the screw G which
abuts against the socket h of the bridge piece C, thus bringing the said door
forward and causing it to work itself perfectly tight against the facing a.
The stop
pin O arrests further motion of the cam P. To open the valve the motion of the
handle L is reversed, the pinion D turns the door round in the opposite direction,
causing it to screw itself again on to the screw G, thereby releasing itself from the
seat a.
The cam P revolves with its spindle K until it comes in contact with the
stop pin O fixed on the plate M, which brings round the bridge picce C and door B
inside the body of the valve. The plate M in its rotary motion causes the pawl N
to come out of the chamber Q. Lugs S prevent the bridge piece C giving more
motion to the door B than is necessary to open or close it, and a hand T (Figure 1
and 4) shows to the operator the exact position of the said door.
"
It will be found that a valve constructed as above will always offer a clear way
when opened, and not liable to leak, all obstruction being removed by the rotary
motion of the door against its seat.
Having now described and set forth the nature and object of this Invention for
Improvements in the Construction of Valves" and the means whereby it may bo
effected, I would remark in conclusion that what I claim as my Invention and
desire to secure by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. Opening and closing valves for gas, water, steam, and other fluids by
means of a partly spherical door worked round to the desired position by a bridge
piece connected thereto by a screw, which, in combination with a rotary motion
imparted to the said door by a circular rack and quadrant or pinion, forces it on or
releases it from the seat provided for that purpose, substantially as described and
represented.
Secondly. The method of obtaining the above motions by a cam working in
connection with a pawl, or independently therefrom, substantially as described and
represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cort, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES CORT. (L.S.)