IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES. FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES
Year: 1887

page_text: I JOHN WILLIAM MELLING of 11 Birkett Bank Wigan in the County of Lancaster
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES.
FOR STEAM AND OTHER MOTIVE POWER ENGINES, to be as follows:-
My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a cut off or expansion
valve or valves composed of two or more discs connected together by a feather or
web of metal the discs are fitted and free to slide in rings or seatings formed in the
frame and sides of the slide or main valve.
In some cases where I use two or more pairs of discs I connect each pair together
and mount them áll adjustably on one spindle or valve rod.
In place of using my improved valve as an expansion valve in combination with
a slide or other valve I may use the disc valve alone to admit steam to and exhaust
steam from the engine.
In one arrangement a slide valve and three discs are used the discs being fitted into
rings or seatings formed in the frame and sides of the steam passages the centre disc
serves for both ends of the main valve alternately cutting off the steam by one of its
sides for one end of the main cylinder and by its other side for the other end of the
main cylinder. The discs are coupled the same distance apart as the sides of or
openings into the steam ports so that the flow of steam is stopped at the same time by
both discs; in all positions the discs are in a state of equilibrium and thus are easily
operated.
may
This arrangement is applicable where a varying length of travel is given to the
disc or expansion valves the travel being regulated from the governor or otherwise.
Where it is preferred to actuate the expansion valve by a uniform traverse I
employ two separate expansion valves each formed of two or more discs connected to
separate spindles jointed to the opposite ends of a double lever which is pivoted at its
centre to a rod which receives movement from the eccentric or otherwise; the centre
of the double ended lever is also connected by rods to the governor by which the
position of the valves is altered so as to vary the degree of expansion or the position
of the valves may be adjusted by hand.

page_text: In another arrangement I employ two valves each of which consists of a pair of
discs mounted upon a spindle with a right and left hand screw the turning of which
will move the valves nearer to or further from one another to vary the cut off. In
some cases I prefer to mount the expansion valves so that their movement is at right
angles to that of, the slide or other main valve.
In place of combining my improved disc valve with a slide or other valve I may
arrange the disc valves alone to govern the admission of steam to the engine and to
control the exhaust.
To effect this I employ preferably one pair of discs for each valve separate valve
rods being used for the admission and exhaust the valves are fitted and free to slide
in bearings made in projecting flanges above the steam admission and exhaust ports
or otherwise the passage of steam to the main cylinder as well as the exhaust being
opened and closed by the discs which are operated in any convenient manner. The
valves may consist of any number of discs arranged in pairs excepting where one
disc can do double duty and coupled as before mentioned.
The face of the discs and their bearings may be of solid metal or one or both may
be provided with packing rings.
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5041 1
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page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Steam and other Motive Power
Engines.
I JOHN WILLIAM MELLING of 11 Birkett Bank Wigan in the County of Lancaster
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 consists in the construction and arrangement of a cut off or expansion
valve or valves composed of two or more discs connected together by a feather or
web of metal the discs are fitted and free to slide in rings or seatings formed in or
attached to the frame and sides of the slide or main valve.
In some cases where I use two or more pairs of discs I connect each pair together
and mount them all adjustably on one spindle or valve rod.
In one arrangement a slide valve and three dises are used the discs being fitted
into rings or seatings formed in or attached to the frame and sides of the steam
passages the centre disc serves for both ends of the main valve alternately cutting off
the steam by one of its sides for one end of the cylinder and by its other side for the
other end of the cylinder. The discs are coupled the same distance apart as the sides
of or openings into the steam ports so that the flow of steam is stopped at the same
time by both discs; in all positions the discs are in a state of equilibrium and thus
are easily operated.
may
This arrangement is applicable where a varying length of travel is given to the
disc or expansion valves the travel being regulated from the governor or otherwise.
Where it is preferred to actuate the expansion valves by a uniform traverse [
employ two separate expansion valves each formed of two or more discs connected to
separate spindles jointed to the opposite ends of a double lever which is pivoted at its
centre to a rod which receives movement from the eccentric or otherwise; the centre
of the double ended lever is also connected by rods to the governor by which the
position of the valves is altered so as to vary the degree of expansion or the position
of the valves may be adjusted by hand.
In
In another arrangement 1 employ two valves each of which consists of a pair of
discs mounted upon a spindle with a right and left hand screw the turning of which
will move the valves nearer to or farther from one another to vary the cut off.
some cases 1 prefer to mount the expansion valves so that their movement is at right
angles to that of the slide or other main valve.
The valves may consist of any number of discs arranged in pairs, excepting where
one disc can do double duty, and coupled as before mentioned.
The face of the discs and their bearings may be of solid metal or one or both may
be provided with packing rings.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into

page_text: effect I will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation. Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section
and Fig. 3 a plan partly in section of one form of slide valve fitted and combined
with my improved expansion valve.
In this arrangement. A designates the steam or valve chest, B part of the
cylinder, the steam admission, and 63 the exhaust ports, the main slide valve
which has the ordinary ports c¹ c² through it and is operated by the rod (3³ from an
eccentric not shown and D the improved expansion valve operated by the rod d¹
connected to a rocking link or other mechanism by which a varying traverse can be
given to it automatically from the governor or by hand. The valve B consists of three
discs d d d shown connected together in this case by the four connecting pieces or
feathers d³ the edges of which are turned of the same size as the discs so that all can
work smoothly and freely in the rings e ca ce e formed by the bored sides of the
ports in the main valve C. When in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the
expansion valve D. is in the middle of its traverse and the central disc d³ is made to
do double duty as one side cuts off the steam from the port c¹ and the other side
from the port c².
Let it be supposed for the sake of illustration that the further movement of the
main valve C be in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1 so as to open the port 6 of the
cylinder then steam would enter past the disc d and also past one side of the disc d³
into the port until the movement of the expansion valve D brought the discs d² d³
into the rings and so cut off steam from the port . The admission of steam to
the other end of the main valve is controlled in a similar manner by the other side of
the disc d³ and the disc d which arrest the flow of steam when they are brought into
the rings c c.
It will be observed that as the discs have equal areas exposed to the pressure of
steam they are in equilibrium at all points of their traverse.
Fig. 4 is an elevation and Fig. 5 an end view both parily in section of a pair of
single slide valves CC fitted with my improved expansion valves D D.
In this case each expansion valve D consists of a pair of discs do d' connected
together by the feathers d and the expansion valves are shown. (Fig. 5) placed out of
centre with the main valve which in some cases would be preferable.
Fig. 6 is a plan and Fig. 7 a sectional end view of another arrangement according
to my Invention in which two of my improved expansion valves D are fitted upon a
double slide valve C' which receives a constant uniform traverse by means of the
rod C².
The expansion valves D are traversed by the rod c³ which is connected by a double
elbow lever pivoted thereon to the valve rods d¹. The double elbow lever is also
connected by a rod f' to the governor whereby the variation in the time of the cut
off is effected according to the changes in the position of the lever f which cause the
valves D to cut off earlier or later as required.
Fig. 8 is a side view and Fig. 9 an end view both partly in section illustrating another
inode of applying a pair of my improved expansion valves D to a slide valve C.
In this case the valves D are traversed at right angles to or across the path of the
main valve and are thus independent of its movement.
The expansion valves 1) are shown as consisting of four discs in two pairs de d
and thus provide four openings into the main valve ports all of which are opened and
closed simultaneously.
In place of applying my improved expansion valves to slide valves as herein shown
and described they may be applied in a similar manner to some kinds of piston
valves and to any other form of valve to which they are adapted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is-
-
1. The combination with a main slide- or other suitable valve or valves, of.an

page_text: expansion valve or valves made up of two or more discs of equal areas connected
together and arranged to slide in rings or seatings all substantially as herein set forth
for the purposes specified.
2. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts embodying
my improvements in valves for steam or other motive power engines substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.