Improved Valve for Automatically Shutting Off the Supply of Steam from Boilers upon the Breaking of a Pipe.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1900.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Valve for Automatically Shutting Off the Supply of Steam
from Boilers upon the Breaking of a Pipe.
We, JOSEF HÜBNER, and ISIDOR MAYER, Engine Builders, both of 5/2, Luft-
gasse 3, Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved valve for automatically shutting off the
supply of steam from boilers upon the breaking of a pipe. Nearly all valves
hitherto constructed for the purpose have a valve closing body inserted in the
steam pipe, and which, in the normal working conditions, is at rest when the
passage is open, but, directly the steam flows in at an abnormally rapid rate,
in consequence of the breakage of a pipe, or any other irregularity, is auto-
matically closed through the action of the ensuing diminution of pressure.
Two kinds of arrangements are generally recognised, the closing body being
either directly in the steam current or outside of the same. In the first case,
the closing body is pushed to by means of the steam flowing in suddenly upon
the breaking of the pipe, in combination with the diminished pressure brought
about behind the valve. In the second case, that is, when the closing body lies
outside of the steam current, it is pushed on to its seating and simultaneously
pressed down by the reduced pressure arising behind the valve in consequence
of the rapidly flowing steam, supported by the extra pressure prevailing under
the closing body of the valve.
Haying regard practical working it thus appears to be of considerable import-
ance that the closing of a valve of this kind should not be effected prematurely,
otherwise very disagreeable consequences may result very easily in the case of a
momentary increase in the quantity of steam exhausted, as frequently happens
in working.
It seems suitable that the automatic closing should only occur, when the
reduced pressure resulting from the sudden exhaustion of steam behind the valve
extends to about 20% of the steam tension in front of the valve. This reduction
of pressure never occurs in regular working, but is certain to do so upon the
breaking of a pipe, and, if the automatic closing of the valve is effected at this
limit, there is security against any undesired shutting off by the valve.
Valves constructed in the manner hitherto known cannot fulfil this condition.
In order to prevent any premature shutting off, it is necessary that, with increased
steam pressure, and enlarged diameter of the pipes, the valve body should be
made constantly heavier or that the length of the stroke should be made greater.
5 The lengthening of the stroke, however, causes the valve to act very irregularly
when there is irregularity of steam pressure and, in order to obviate this dis-
advantage smaller strokes are adopted, then again, there are very considerable
weights for the automatically closing valve body.
This however, produces other disadvantages. The larger weights require so
0 much space, that the valves cannot be produced in the normal constructional
dimensions: moreover in the action of closing, there is considerable shaking, and,

page_text: '
finally, valves of the kind can only be put up in larger sizes in such a manner
that the valve body is arranged in a perpendicular direction, which sometimes
renders their employment impossible. The slightest deviation from the per-
pendicular arrangement of the heavy valve body at once produces an inclination
and thereby prevents the automatic closing. With large size valves, moreover,
the weights of the automatic closing body, in the case of moderate strokes, which
are desirable for precise, action, are so impracticably large, and heavy, that,
hitherto, it has always been resolved to employ small weights with large strokes,
an arrangement however, which, as described, is attended with the great dis-
advantage of very uneven sensibility.
Many attempts have been made, to replace the necessary heavy weights of the
self-closing valve-body, by the arrangement of brake pistons or springs, and the
like, acting in a sense opposed to the force of gravitation; or, in other words,
to the closing direction.
All these forms of construction liave been found to be unreliable, and labour
under the fundamental error that such valves, at the utmost, effect the automatic
shutting off at the right moment for a certain steam pressure, that is in the case
of a reduction of pressure of about 20%, but immediately become over or under
sensitive, if the steam pressure for which they are regulated, is not preserved
during the working, but becomes greater or less."
The object of this invention is to provide a valve which is free from these
disadvantages and effects the closing automatically and under all degrees of
steam pressure which occur, with very considerably reduced weights of the auto-
matic valve closing body, when the reduction of pressure reaches a certain
determined fraction of the steam pressure prevailing at the time.
This is attained by a suctional action produced by means of the steam flowing
through, the object of which is to keep the valve body away from the closing
position, and thus to a certain extent to increase the actual weight of the valve
body. This suctional action is further proportional to the prevailing steam pres-
sure and thus creates for all conditions of working the ideally correct weight
of the valve body. At the moment when the reduction of pressure has reached
a certain point, it is overcome by the pressure which effects the automatic closing,
as the suctional or in other words pressure effect of the quickly flowing steam,
and at this moment the automatic closing of the valve is effected with certainty
and without any shock.
In the accompanying drawing some valves constructed in accordance with the
invention are illustrated by way of example.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a valve with a valve closing body placed out-
side the steam current.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a cheek valve with the valve closing body
placed in the steam current.
J
Fig. 3 a sectional elevation of a cheek valve fitted with mechanism for raising
the valve body.
Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same valve with the valve body somewhat
raised.
'
Fig. 5 an elevation and Fig. 6a horizontal section of the same along the line a
in Fig. 3.
All the valves are combined with return cut-off valves, which, however, form
no part of this invention and as a matter of course may be omitted.
With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that the automatically
closing valve body A is inside the valve casing and outside the steam current.
The body A is bored centrally and is seated with its lower even surface B on a
bearing C which carries the spindle D that projects into the cylindrical bore of
the body A. Above the spindle D, the body A is cone-shaped and furnished
with one or more openings E.
This characteristic form is common to all the modifications illustrated. The
steam flowing in the direction of the arrow produces in the known manner a

page_text: local reduction of pressure above or in other words behind the cone-shaped
upper part of the closing body A by its ejection-like action, which exercises a
raising effect on the closing body and to a greater extent in proportion to the
degree of the steam pressure and its velocity and the nearer the closing body A
is to its seating ring F.
As already explained, the weight for the closing body must be increased in
proportion as the diameter of the valve is enlarged and the steam pressure in-
creased and the smaller the stroke up to the closing position.
In the present arrangement, the reduction of pressure above the cone shape
point or head of the body A produces a suctional action through the openings E
and so a reduction of pressure in that direction, which extends through the pipe
shape slit G between the spindle D and the bore of the body A to the ring shaped
slit H between the lower surface B of the body and the upper seating surface J
of the bearing C.
By this suctional action the body A is pressed down forcibly on to the seating
surface J of the bearing C, and with greater force as the steam pressure and the
velocity of the current increase, and in exact proportion as required by the
ideally necessary increase of weight in the closing body, in order that no prema-
ture automatic closing may occur.
If now the reduction of pressure above the valve A exceeds a certain degree,
riz., that at which with suitable determined dimensions, the automatic closing
should occur, the constantly increasing suctional action of the quickly flowing
steam preponderates on the whole upper surface of the body A and, supported
Ly the extra pressure of the steam confined in the chamber K, the automatic
closing occurs, precisely, but proportionately slowly and without shock.
As will also be seen, the same purpose is effected by the suctional action pro-
duced at the slit H between the seating surface B of the body A and the upper
surface J of the bearing C, as by the employment of suitably large weights for
the body A, this suctional action being to certain extent the same as the creation
of an ideal weight, and securing the same advantages, viz., a sufficiently late
shutting off with proportionately small stroke, without however being burdened
with the disadvantages attending the employment of large weights, as described.
Fig. 2 illustrates the form of the valve body A in a cheek valve, when the
former is placed in the steam current. In this case, also, the body A is seated on
the seating surface J of the bearing C and has a suction opening E. In this
figure, only one such central opening E is formed in the diameter of the spindle
and it is easy to see that the number and size of the openings E are determined
by the extent of the suctional action at the slit H and render possible a variation
in the moment at which the automatic closing occurs.
In this arrangement, moreover, the bearing C, as well as the lower part of the
valve body A, are brought to a head in the form of a cone against the inflowing
steam, partly for the purpose of diminishing the resistance occurring upon the
inflowing, but particularly with the object of supporting the suctional action to
be produced in the slit H. As will be seen, the diameter of the upper surface of
the bearing C is somewhat larger than that of the under seating surface of the
valve body A. Hereby, through the steam flowing upwards around the cone-
shaped bearing C, along the line indicated by arrows in Fig. 2, and acting like
an ejector, a reduction of pressure is effected in the circular hollow space I,
which, as will be seen, at once extends to the slit H and hereby strongly supports
the suctional action already described, introduced by the upper openings E
along the spindle D.
This arrangement with the valve body in the flowing steam, acts as can be
seen, substantially in a similar manner as that represented in Fig. 1 by means
of the suctional action of the seating slit H.
The arrangement illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 in connection with a cheek
valve is similar to that in Fig. 2 and differs only in the position of the con-

page_text: "
nections. Moreover, in this case, the valve body A is arranged to be raised by
means of a lever M which projects into the same. The lever M is seated on the
spindle N which projects beyond the casing. This spindle carries the hand-
wheel bearing the inscriptions "shut
and "open
and in addition to this
an adjusting tappet 1 of any preferred construction. Hereby it is possible to
close and to open the valve body A from outside in the manner known, to
regulate its position from outside also and finally to fix it in any position.
In order that the valve may be made more sensitive as is sometimes desired,
the closing body A, in this arrangement, can be raised to a certain extent by
turning the rotary lever M (sec Fig. 4). In order that the described suctional
action at the slit H may be assured in every position, the lower part of the
body A, in this arrangement, engages with the seating plate or bearing C in
such a manner that the suctional action at the slit H necessary for the special
working is assured in every position. This arrangement is thence exactly
similar in its action as that described in Fig. 2.
As will readily seen the valve for use in case of the breaking of a pipe,
and as constructed according to this invention, renders possible the sure working
in all conditions and positions, as no "cornering" of the weight which, in spite
of the shortness of the stroke, is very light, can occur, and the suctional action
at the seating slit described and which produces the peculiar action of this valve
is obviously quite independent of the force of gravitation.
Dated this 12th day of May 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Improved Valve for Automatically Shutting off the Supply of Steam
from Boilers upon the Breaking of a Pipe.
We, JOSEF HÜBNER, and ISIDOR MAYER, Engine Builders, both of 5/2, Luft-
gasse 3, Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, 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 relates to an improved valve for automatically shutting off the
supply of steam from boilers. upon the breaking of a pipe. Nearly all valves
hitherto constructed for this purpose have a valve closing body inserted in the
steani nipe, and which, in the normal working conditions, is at rest when the
passage is open, but, directly the steam flows in at an abnormally rapid rate
in consequence of the breakage of a pipe, or any other irregularity, is auto-
matically closed through the action of the ensuing diminution of pressure.
Two kinds of arrangements are generally recognised, the closing body being
either directly in the steam current or outside of the same. In the first case,
the closing body is pushed to by means of the steam flowing in suddenly upon
the breaking of the pipe, in combination with the diminished pressure brought
about behind the valve. In the second case, that is, when the closing body lies
outside of the steam current, it is pushed on to its seating and simultaneously
pressed down by the reduced pressure arising behind the valve in consequence
of the rapidly flowing steam. supported by the extra pressure prevailing under
the closing body of the valve.

page_text: Having regard to practical working it thus appears to be of considerable import-
ance that the closing of a valve of this kind should not be effected prematurely,
otherwise very disagreeable consequences may result very easily in the case of a
momentary increase in the quantity of steam exhausted as frequently happens
in working.
It seenis suitable that the automatic closing should only occur, when the
reduced pressure resulting from the sudden exhaustion of steam behind the valve
extends to about 20% of the steam tension in front of the valve. This reduction
of pressure never occurs in regular working, but is certain to do so upon the
breaking of a pipe, and, if the automatic closing of the valve is effected at. this
limit, there is security against any undesired shutting off by the valve.
Valves constructed in the manner hitherto known cannot fulfil this condition.
In order to prevent any premature shutting off it is necessary that, with increased
steam pressure, and enlarged diameter of the pipes, the valve body should be
made constantly heavier or that the length of the stroke should be made greater.
The lengthening of the stroke however, causes the valve to act very irregularly
when there is irregularity of steam pressure and, in order to obviate this dis-
advantage, smaller strokes are adopted, then again, there are very considerable
weights for the automatically closing valve body.
This however, produces other disadvantages. The larger weights require so
much space, that the valves cannot be produced in the normal constructional
dimensions, moreover in the action of closing, there is considerable shaking, and
finally valves of the kind can only be put up in larger sizes in such a manner
that the valve body is arranged in a perpendicular direction, which sometimes
renders their employment impossible. The slightest deviation from the per-
pendicular arrangement of the heavy valve body at once produces an inclination
and thereby prevents the automatic closing. With large size valves, moreover,
the weights of the automatic closing body, in the case of moderate strokes, which
are desirable for precise action, are so impracticably large, and heavy that
hitherto it has always been resolved to employ small weights with large strokes,
an arrangement however, which as described is attended with the great dis-
advantage of very uneven sensibility.
Many attempts have been made to replace the necessary heavy weights of the
self-closing valve body, by the arrangement of brake pistons or springs and the
like acting in a sense opposed to the force of gravitation or in other words
to the closing direction.
All these forms of construction have been found to be unreliable and labour
under the fundamental error that such valves at the utmost effect the automatic
shutting off at the right moment for a certain steam pressure, that is in the case
of a reduction of pressure of about 20%, but immediately become over or under
sensitive, if the steam pressure for which they are regulated, is not preserved
during the working, but becomes greater or less.
The object of this invention is to provide a valve which is free from these
disadvantages and effects the closing automatically and under all degrees of
steam pressure which occur, with very considerably reduced weights of the auto-
matic valve closing body. when the reduction of pressure reaches a certain
determined fraction of the steam pressure prevailing at the time.
This is attained by a suctional action produced by means of the steam Howing
through, the object of which is to keep the valve body away from the closing
position, and thus to a certain extent to increase the actual weight of the valve
body. This suctional action is further proportional to the prevailing steam pres-
sure and thus creates for all conditions of working the ideally correct weight
of the valve body. At the moment when the reduction of pressure has reached
a certain point, the combined suctional and pressure effect of the steam on the
valve body overcomes the normal suctional effect tending to maintain the valve
in the open position, and at this moment the automatic closing. of the valve is
effected with certainty and without any shock.

page_text: In the drawing accompanying the Provisional Specification some valves con-
structed in accordance with the invention are illustrated by way of example.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a valve with a valve closing body placed
outside the steam current. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a cheek valve
closing body placed in the steam current; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a
cheek valve fitted with mechanism for raising the valve body; Fig. 4 is a similar
view of the same valve with the valve body somewhat raised; Fig. 5 is an
elevation and Fig. 6 a horizontal section of the same along the line in Fig. 3.
Figs. to 11 illustrate two modified forms of construction hereinafter
described.
All the valves are combined with return cut-off valves, which, however, form
no part of this invention and as a matter of course may be omitted.
With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that the automatically
closing valve body A is inside the valve casing and outside the steam current.
The body A is bored centrally and is seated with its lower even surface B on a
bearing which carries the spindle D that projects into the cylindrical bore of
the body A. Above the spindle D, the body A is cone-shaped and furnished
with one or more openings E.
This characteristic form is common to all the modifications illustrated. The
steam flowing in the direction of the arrow produces in the known manner a
local reduction of pressure above or in other words behind the cone-shaped
upper part of the closing body A by its ejection-like action, which exercises a
raising effect on the closing body and to a greater extent in proportion to the
degree of the steam pressure and its velocity and the nearer the closing body A
is to its seating ring F.
As already explained the weight for the closing body must be increased in
proportion as the diameter of the valve is enlarged and the steam pressure in-
creased and the smaller the stroke up to the closing position.
In the present arrangement, the reduction of the pressure above the cone shape
point or head, of the body. A produces a suctional action through the openings E
and so a reduction of pressure in that direction, which extends through the pipe
shape slit G between the spindle D and the bore of the body A to the ring shaped
slit H between the lower surface B of the body and the upper seating surface J
of the bearing C.
By this suctional action the body A is pressed down forcibly on to the seating
surface J of the bearing C, and, with greater force as the steam pressure and the
velocity of the current increase, and in exact proportion as required by the
ideally necessary increase of weight in the closing body, in order that no prema-
ture automatic closing may occur.
.
If now the reduction of pressure above the valve A exceeds a certain degree,
viz., that at which with suitable determined dimensions, the automatic closing.
should occur, the constantly increasing suctional action of the quickly flowing
steam preponderates on the whole upper surface of the body A and, supported
by the extra pressure of the steam confined in the chamber K, the automatic
closing occurs, precisely, but proportionately slowly and without shock.
As will also be seen, the same purpose is effected by the suctional action pro-
duced at the slit H between the seating surface B of the body A and the upper
surface J of the bearing C, as by the employment of suitably large weights for
the body A, this suctional action being to a certain extent the same as the creation
of an ideal weight, and securing the same advantages, viz., a sufficiently late
shutting off with proportionately small stroke, without however being burdened
with the disadvantages attending the employment of large weights as described.
Fig. 2 illustrates the form of the valve body A in a cheek valve, when the
former is placed in the steam current. In this case, also, the body A is seated on
the seating surface J of the bearing C and has a suction opening E. In this
figure, only one such central opening E is formed in the diameter of the spindle

page_text: and it is easy to see that the number and size of the openings E are determined
by the extent of the suctional action at the slit H and render possible a variation
in the moment at which the automatic closing occurs.
In this arrangement, moreover, the bearing C, as well as the lower part of the
valve body A, are brought to a head in the form of a cone against the inflowing
steam, partly for the purpose of diminishing the resistance occurring upon the
inflowing, but particularly with the object of supporting the suctional action to
be produced in the slit H. As will be seen, the diameter of the upper surface of
the bearing C is somewhat larger than that of the under seating surface of the
valve body A. Hereby, through the steam flowing upwards around the cone-
shaped bearing C, along the line indicated by arrows in Fig. 2, and acting like
an ejector, a reduction of pressure is effected in the circular hollow space L,
which as will be seen, at once extends to the slit H and hereby strongly supports
the suctional action already described introduced by the upper openings E
along the spindle D.
This arrangement with the valve body in the flowing steam, acts, as can be
seen substantially in a similar manner as that represented in Fig. 1, by means
of the suctional action at the seating slit H.
The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 and 4 in connection with a cheek
valve is similar to that in Fig. 2 and differs only in the position of the con-
nections. Moreover, in this case, the valve body A is arranged to be raised by
means of a lever M which projects into the same. The lever M is seated on the
spindle N which projects beyond the casing. This spindle carries the hand-
wheel bearing the inscriptions "shut
" and
open and in addition to this
an adjusting tappet P of any preferred construction. Hereby it is possible to
close and to open the valve body A from outside in the manner known, to
regulate its position from outside also and finally to fix it in any position.
"
In order that the valve may be made more sensitive, as is sometimes desired,
the closing body A in this arrangement, can be raised to a certain extent by
turning the rotary lover M (see Fig. 4). In order that the described suctional
action at the slit H may be assured in every position, the lower part of the
body A in this arrangement engães with the seating plate on bearing Cin
such a manner that the suctional action at the slit H necessary for the special
working is assured in every position. This arrangement is thence exactly
similar in its action as that described in Fig. 2.
As will be readily seen the valve for use in case of the breaking of a pipe
and as constructed according to this invention, renders possible the sure working
in all conditions and positions, as no "cornering" of the weight which, in spite
of the shortness of the stroke, is very light, can occur, and the suctional action
at the seating slit described and which produces the peculiar action of this valve
is obviously quite independent of the force of gravitation.
Further, as a matter of course, the form and size of the seating surfaces B
and J as also the cross-section of the spindle D and finally the special form of
the body A are without importance in regard to the idea on which the invention
is based; moreover, the openings E can be connected with the seating slit H
by means of special perforations, through which the reduction of pressure intro-
duced at E can be, extended thereto.
In steam-pipes it is frequently necessary from want of space, to insert the
valves for automatically shutting off the supply of steam from boilers upon the
burst of a pipe, in such a manner that in effecting the closing they are forced
to move either horizontally or downwards.
This is very frequently the practice in the case of ships' pipes.
In all such cases, care must be taken that the valves are held in the open
position outside the time of working and when the closing path is inclined down-
wards shall not fall into the closing position by reason of their own weight.
The valves for shutting off steam described above, owing to the suctional action

page_text: therein of the current of steam may be as light as preferred, and can be held
out of action in the open position by means of counter-balancing springs.
These counter-balancing springs in no way affect the peculiar working of the
valves, they serve rather to relieve the valves from the force of gravity, or in the
case of the valves being arranged horizontally, to keep the valves out of action
in the open position.
In the accompanying drawing two examples of these valves are illustrated
in combination with such counter-weight springs, Figs. 7 and 8 representing
a single valve with downward vertical closing action, Fig. 9 a double valve
acting on both sides with horizontal closing movement. Figs. 10 and 11 are two
sectional views on an enlarged scale of this valve turned to the extent of 90°.
As will be seen from Figs. and 8, the helical spring C attached on the one
hand to the bearing d of the spindle D and, on the other hand, to the head d
of the spindle with the hand-wheel raises the valve A into the open position,
out of action, by means of the arm M.
•
In Fig. 9 the helical spring C introduced between the ends m of the levers M,
effects the same purpose simultaneously for both valves A, as shown by Figs. 10
and 11.
It should be borne in mind that in order to ensure the satisfactory working
of this arrangement, the action of the spring should serve simply as a counter-
weight and that the working action of the valves as described in the introduction
to this specification be fully retained.
The slight increase in mass caused by the introduction of the comparatively
light spring C can be fully counter-balanced by making the valve A hollow.
In fact, with large valves the movable mass is diminished.
As it is obvious that the spring acts completely as a counter-balance in all
positions and the actual weight of the valves A may be practically disregarded,
it is clear that a valve fitted in this way will have in all positions what has been
referred to as a steam suctional action, as also, in the position shown in Fig. 10,
where the closing path of the one valve is upwards and of the other downwards.
It is evident, moreover that neither the shape of the spring C nor the arrange-
ment thereof, forms any essential feature of the present invention; the spring
may in fact be replaced by weights, but springs are preferable on account of
their being light whilst having the same effect.
All that is really essential is the effect of these parts as counter-balances with-
out the described working action of the valves being otherwise affected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. Automatic closing valve for the shutting off of steam upon the breaking
of a pipe, distinguished by a valve body A, which rests on a seating plate or
bearing C and has one or more openings E in the direction of the steam current,
at which openings, by means of the ejector-like action of the flowing steam
a reduction of pressure extending to the sealing slit H is introduced, which,
acting in a direction contrary to the closing movement of the valve-body A
causes the last-named to be drawn powerfully on to the seating plate or bearing C.
2. A valve of the kind mentioned in Claim 1, with valve-body A placed in
the steam current, in which the diameter of the cone-shaped bearing C is larger
at the seating slit H than the adjacent diameter of the body A, so that the
flowing steam in the hollow space L produces a reduction of pressure extending
to the seating slit H, and supports the suctional action introduced at E which
draws the body A on to the seating slit H.
3. A form of the valve mentioned under Claim 1, in which the valve body A
has a central bore, into which a spindle D seated on the bearing C projects in
such a manner that a tubular hollow space G remains, along which the reduction
of pressure arising at the openings E extends to the seating slit H.

page_text: 4. Valves of the kind mentioned under Claims 1, 2 and 3, with solid or hollow
valve bodies in conjunction with counterbalancing parts, such as springs C,
for the purpose of holding the valves A in the open position outside the time of
action, in all directions of the closing course of these valves.
Dated this 24th day of January 1900.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.