AN IMPROVED DIMINISHING VALVE, AND ALSO A WATER OR STEAM ESCAPE APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM IN CASE OF FIRE, AND TO ASSIST IN QUENCHING THE SAME." PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jesse Greenhalgh, of Hyde, in the County of Lan-.
caster, Mechanic, and James Greenhalgh, of Audenshaw, in the said
County, Farmer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED DIMINISHING VALVE,
AND ALSO A WATER OR STEAM ESCAPE APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM IN CASE OF
FIRE, AND TO ASSIST IN QUENCHING THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jesse Greenhalgh and
James Greenhalgh at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st July 1862.
We, JESSE GREENHALGH, of Hyde, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic,
and JAMES, GREENHALGH, of Audenshaw, in the said County, Farmer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED DIMINISHING
VALVE, AND ALSO A WATER OR STEAM ESCAPE APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM IN CASE
OF FIRE, AND TO ASSIST IN QUENCHING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in an improved diminishing valve. We'
form the valve similar to a round or square box, open at one end, and having
apertures at each side, and cause the valve to work in a pipe having apertures
corresponding with the aperture in the valve, and forming part of the chamber
connected to the boiler, or steam or water pipe. Above the valve there is a
spring, which is adjusted to any desired pressure, by a screw, so that when the
steam or water is admitted under the valve, the apertures in the valve shall be

page_text: fully open to the apertures in the pipe, or partially closed over each other,
according to the pressure.
escapes.
And, secondly, in an improved self-acting fire alarm and water or steam
We suspend a weight or connect a spring or lever by a band of
gutta percha, cord, or any material that can be consumed by fire over a
bell-crank lever or catch in connection with a bell, whistle, or other alarm, or
in connection with a valve in a pipe containing water or steam, so that when
the band is consumed, the weight, spring, or lever shall act upon the bell-crank
or catch and set the alarm free, or open the valve and allow the steam or
water to escape, and thus quench the fire.
These arrangements are suitable for public buildings, warehouses, mills,
ships, and all places in danger of fire..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jesse Greenhalgh and James Greenhalgh in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 31st December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JESSE
GREENHALGH, of Hyde, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic, and JAMES
GREENHALGH, of Audenshaw, in the said County, Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Jesse Greenhalgh and James Greenhalgh, Her special licence that we, the
said Jesse Greenhalgh and James Greenhalgh, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Jesse Greenhalgh and. James
Greenhalgh, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter:
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
DIMINISHING VALVE, AND ALSO A WATER OR STEAM ESCAPE APPARATUS, TO GIVE
ALARM IN CASE OF FIRE, AND TO ASSIST IN QUENCHING THE SAME," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Jesse Greenhalgh: and James
Greenlialgh, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.

page_text: the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said. Letters Patent...
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Jesse Greenhalgh and James Green,
halgh, do hereby declare the nature of our said. Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be. performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say)::-
Our Invention consists, first, in an improved diminishing valve... We form
the valve with two pistons, and make in one a number of inclined slots. The
valve works in a pipe or cylinder forming part of the valve-box or chamber
connected to the steam or water pipe, and on the top of the valve there is.a
spring, which is adjusted to any desired pressure by a screw. When the
steam or water is admitted, it presses against the piston,, on which the spring
acts and brings, the other pistou nearer the passage, so that the inclined slots
shall give more of less opening, according to the pressure.. Or we make the
valve with three pistons, and make inclined slots in two of them, and weight
the valve by a lever and weight...
Our Invention consists, secondly, in an improved self-acting fire alarm and
water or steam escape. We suspend a weight by a band of gutta percha,.
cord, or other material that can be consumed by fire over a lever and catch in
connection with a valve on a pipe containing water or steam, so that when the
band is consumed. the weight shall, fall on the lever and allow the valve to be.
opened for the steam or water to escape, and thus quench the fire.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures.
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which. Fig. 1 is a.
section of our improved diminishing valve with two pistons;. Fig. 2, a sec-.
tional plan of the same at the line A, B; Fig. 3, a section of a larger valve-
with three pistons; Fig. 4, a sectional plan of the same at the line C, D;
Fig. 5, a vertical section of a valve for the water and steam escape;
and Fig. 6, a section of part of a building having: pipes and valves in
several. positions.. In Figs. 1 and 2,, representing one arrangement of our
improved diminishing valves, a is the valve-box or chamber,, having an opening
for supply at 6, and another for discharge at c. The chamber has a pipe or
cylinder d, and a flange or seating e. The valve is formed of the piston f, the.
rod g, and the piston h, and at the top of the valve there is,a spring i mounted,
with a plate k, into which is fitted the pointed end of the screw 1, which can
be turned as required for giving more or less power to the spring, according
to the pressure required. The piston h has in it a number of inclined slots m,.
which allow the passage of water or steam between them and the seating c

page_text: according to the position of the valve, the greatest area being when the valve
is at the bottom. When steam or water is admitted to the chamber it presses
against the piston f, raises it and the piston h more or less; according to the
pressure, and thereby diminishes or increases the area between the inclined
slots m and the flange or seating e, and thus regulates the discharge in a self-
acting manner. In Figs. 3 and 4 the valve is formed of three pistons n, o, p,
fitting the pipe or cylinder q, and the two flanges, s. The valve is weighted
by the levert and weight u, and the two pistons o, p, have inclined slots for
diminishing or increasing the area between them. and the flanges. When
steam or water is admitted by the supply passage v, it comes in contact with
the top piston, causing it to be raised or allowing it to fall, according to the
pressure, and thereby increasing or diminishing the area between the slots and
flanges and the passage of the steam or water.
!'
In Fig. 5 we represent one form of valve suitable for a water or steam
escape in case of fire. The valve is shewn at w, it rests in the seating a in
the chamber y, having a flange z, which fixed to the steam or water pipe:
Above the valve there is a lever a¹ working on the fulcrum 6', and having a
set screw cat the centre of the valve, and an incline or cam d¹ at its end.
On the fulcrum e¹ works another lever f¹, having a tail g¹ resting on the
incline d', and a plate h' for receiving a blow. The valves are fixed on pipes
in all available and suitable positions in buildings, as shewn at k¹, Fig. 6, and
also in ships and other places in danger of fire. Above the plate h¹ there is a
weight 1, Fig. 6, suspended by a band of gutta percha, cord, or any material
that can be consumed by fire. When steam or water presses against the
valve, the lever a' is locked against the tail g of the lever f¹, and cannot rise;
but the moment the lever f¹ is depressed by the weight falling upon it, the
tail turns and unlocks the lever a¹, so that it can rise and allow the steam or
water to escape and quench the fire. Or instead of the weight l', we connect
the lever f¹ to a spring by bands or cords that can be consumed, and thereby
obtain the same result as with a weight. Or, instead of valves, we attach
weights or springs by bands or cords to the handles of taps or cocks of any
required dimensions. We also connect a spring or lever by a band of gutta
percha, cord, or other material that can be consumed by fire, to a lever or
catch in connection with a bell, whistle, or other alarm, so that when the
band or cord is consumed, the bell, whistle, or alarm shall be set free and
give notice of danger. For sailing ships and other places we run the band in
all desirable positions for holding up the weight or drawing up the spring, so
that if the band or cord should be burnt an alarum or bell shall be struck and
give timely notice.

page_text: Having now described our Invention, and the manner in which the same
s to be performed, we desire it to be understood that we claim the improve-
ments in diminishing valves, and also the water or steam escape apparatus
o give alarm in case of fire, and to assist in quenching the same, as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Greenhalgh, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Jesse Greenhalgh, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES GREENHALGH. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named James Greenhalgh, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.