IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Eaves, of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY
VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 19th March 1878, and dated the 3rd January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Eaves at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1878.
WILLIAM EAVES, of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS."
My Invention has for its object the adaptation and application to steam boilers
of an entire ball, for the purpose of a safety valve for the escape of steam, as
required, such valve being capable of being moved repeatedly so as to present a
fresh face to the seating, and thereby economize the use of the valve. And my
Invention consists in the use of a ball made of brass, or other suitable material,
resting on a seating of steel or other suitable metal or substance harder than that
of the ball, and pressed down as required on to the seating by means of a weighted
frame capable of swinging freely on the ball. This ball is sufficiently large in
diameter to admit of its being moved a number of times on its seating, so as to
present each time it is moved a fresh face to the seating, no one face intersecting
another. The said ball may also be moved at convenient intervals before. being
worn on any one face. The valve or ball is weighted with ordinary dead weights,
but the frame by which the weights are suspended, instead of being fast to the
valve, as usual, is made to swing freely on the ball at the top by means of a centre
piece of suitable concave form, lined with soft metal or other suitable material to
prevent injury to the ball.
The lift of the valve is regulated by means of screws, which are screwed into the
lower part of the said weighted frame, and are adapted to limit the rising of the

page_text: ball from its seat by coming in contact with a collar on the stand pipe to which
the valve or ball is applied. By this means is obtained a valve composed of an
entire ball, adapted for use as a safety valve for the escape of steam from steam
boilers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Eaves in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th June
1878.
"
WILLIAM EAVES, of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS."
My Invention of "Improvements in Safety Valves for Steam Boilers" has for its
object the adaptation and application to steam boilers of an entire ball, for the
purpose of a safety valve for the escape of steam as required, such valve being
capable of being moved repeatedly so as to present a fresh face to the seating and
thereby economize the use of the valve. And my Invention consists in the use of
a ball made of brass or other suitable material, resting on a seating of steel,
hardened or otherwise, or other suitable metal or substance harder than that of the
ball, and pressed down as required on to the seating by means of a weighted frame
capable of swinging freely on the ball. The ball is sufficiently large in diameter
to admit of its being moved a number of times on its seating, so as to present each
time it is moved a fresh face to the seating, no one face intersecting another. The
said ball may also be moved at convenient intervals before being worn on any one
face. The valve or ball is weighted with ordinary dead weights, but the frame by
which the weights are suspended, instead of being fast to the valve, as usual, is
made to swing freely on the ball at the top by means of a centre piece of suitable
concave form, lined with soft metal or other suitable material to prevent injury to
the ball.
The lift of the valve is regulated by means of screws, which are screwed into
the lower part of the said weighted frame, and are adapted to limit the rising of
the ball from its seat by coming in contact with a collar on the stand pipe to which
the valve or ball is applied. By this means is obtained a valve composed of an
entire ball, adapted for use as a safety valve for the escape of steam from steam
boilers.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented a safety valve constructed in the
manner above referred to.

page_text: In these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the valve or ball made of brass or other suitable material, and of sufficient
diameter to admit of its being moved a number of times on the seating; B is the
hard seating, made of steel or other suitable substance or material, which seating
is screwed, as shewn on the outside of the stand pipe D, so as to allow of freedom in
expansion; C is the centre piece of suitable concave form, as shewn, by means of
which the weighted frame E is enabled to swing freely on the top of the ball A.
This centre piece C may be made solid with the frame E, or otherwise, and it is lined
with soft metal or other suitable material to prevent injury to the ball.
F, F, are screws inserted in the lower part of the weighted frame E, for the
purpose of regulating the lift of the valve by coming in contact with the projecting
stop collar G on the stand pipe D, thereby limiting the rise of the valve and pre-
venting it from being blown out of its seat.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not claim as of my Invention
the use of a ball otherwise than in combination with the other parts herein
described, so as to cause it to act as a safety valve adapted for steam boilers; but
what I do claim as of my Invention is the adaptation and application to steam
boilers of a ball made of brass or other suitable material, and of sufficient diameter
to admit of its being moved several times on the seating, combined with a seating
of steel or other suitable hard metal or substance and a weighted frame capable of
swinging freely on the top of the ball, thereby forming or constituting a safety
valve for steam boilers, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Eaves, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
FRED. M. WINTER,
Sheffield,
Clerk.
WILLIAM EAVES. (L.S.)