IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP VALVES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Stiff, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Merchant and Manufacturer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP VALVES." -A communication from
abroad by John S. Leng, of the City of Brooklyn, County of
King's, and State of New York, in the United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles
Stiff at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th November 1875.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES STIFF, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Merchant and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP VALVES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the
parts herein-after described of stop valves for regulating and cutting off

page_text: the passage of liquids and gases through pipes, and for other like
purposes. By these improvements simplicity of construction, durability
in wear, and ease and rapidity in operation, are secured.
The valve is opened and closed by a sliding motion, the opposite
edges of the said valve working in inclined grooves or ways in the sides
of the valve chamber. Those parts of the said grooves or ways situated
over the valve seat are so inclined that as the sliding valve approaches
the said seat to close the valve the said inclined parts of the grooves or
ways cause the said sliding valve to pass on to the said seat, and on the
movement of the valve in the opposite direction to open the valve, the
said inclined parts of the grooves or ways slightly lift the said valve
from its seat. By the use of the said grooves or ways the face of the
valve is kept from contact with the inner wall of the valve chamber
from the moment the valve begins to open, so that all wear upon the
face of the valve by friction against the wall of the chamber is
avoided.
The sliding motion of the valve for opening and closing it is effected
by an arm moving through a quadrant, the said arm being carried by a
rocking shaft passing through the valve chamber. The said rocking
shaft is moved by a lever outside the valve chamber. The said arm has
an opening made in it, two cross bars being situated at the bottom of
the said opening. The front bar of the arm works in a curved or
inclined slot between two horn-shaped pieces on the back of the valve,
and by its motion in the said slot when the actuating arm is moved
through the required angle by the rocking shaft and lever gives a
sliding motion to the valve so as to open or close it. The back cross bar
of the actuating arm when the valve has been closed bears on one of
the horn-shaped pieces described on the back of the valve and forces
the said valve home to and holds it firmly against its seat.
The parts for working the valve and holding it down to its scat may
be modified. For example, the sliding motion of the valve may be
effected by a toothed sector on the rocking shaft working in a rack on
the back of the valve, and the holding down of the valve to its scat
may be effected by a cam on the said toothed sector.
The combination of parts described for working and holding down
the valve may be used without the inclined parts of the grooves or ways

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Charles Stiff in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 29th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES STIFF, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant
and Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
in the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Charles
Stiff, Her special license, that I, the said William Charles Stiff, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Charles Stiff, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP VALVES," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by John S. Leng, of the City of
Brooklyn, County of King's, and State of New York, in the United
States of America), upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Charles Stiff, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner 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 I, the said William Charles Stiff, do hereby

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the
parts herein-after described of stop valves arranged within an enclosing
chamber for regulating and cutting off the flow of liquids and gases in
pipes, and for other like purposes. By these improvements simplicity
of construction, durability in wear and ease, and rapidity in operation,
are secured.
The valve is opened and closed by a sliding motion, the opposite edges
of the said valve working in inclined grooves or ways in the sides of the
valve chamber. Those parts of the said grooves or ways situated over
the valve seat are so inclined that as the sliding valve approaches the
said seat to close the valve the said inclined parts of the grooves or
ways cause the said sliding valve to pass on to the said seat, and on the
movement of the valve in the opposite direction to open the valve the
said inclined parts of the grooves or ways slightly lift the said valvo
from its scat. By the use of the said grooves or ways the face of the
valve is kept from contact with the inner wall of the valve chamber
from the moment the valve begins to open, so that all wear upon
the
face of the valve by friction against the wall of the chamber is
avoided.
The sliding motion of the valve for opening and closing it is effected
by an arm moving through a. portion of a circle, the said arm being
carried by a rocking shaft passing through the valve chamber. The
said rocking shaft is moved by a lever outside the valve chamber. The
said arm has an opening made in it, two cross bars being situated at the
bottom of the said opening. The front bar of the arm works in a curved
or inclined slot between two horn-shaped pieces on the back of the valve,
and by its motion in the said slot when the actuating arm is moved
through the required angle by the rocking shaft and lever gives a
sliding motion to the valve so as to open or close it. The back cross
bar of the actuating arm when the valve has been closed bears on one
of the horn-shaped pieces described on the back of the valve and forces
the said valve home to and holds it firmly against its seat.
The parts for working the valve and holding it down to its seat may
For example, the sliding motion of the valve may be
be modified.

page_text: effected by a toothed sector on the rocking shaft working in a rack on
the back of the valve, and the holding down of the valve to its seat
may be effected by a cam on the said toothed sector.
The combination of parts described for working and holding down
the valve may be used without the inclined parts of the grooves or ways
for pressing the valve on to its scat. In this case the pressure of the
bar of the actuating arm is exerted centrally upon the valve.

page_text: When the valve is being opened and closed the inclination of the
ways a, a, is such as to direct the valve slightly away from its scat from
the moment its opening begins, and to keep it from contact with the
walls of the chamber and the valve seat till the moment it is forced to
its scat by the pressure of the part c of the lower end of the arm C
against the back of the valve. This construction is important,
inasmuch as it prevents the friction and wear which usually takes place
between the face of the valve and the walls of the chamber and valve
seat, and soon destroys the usefulness of the valve.
The rock shaft B and its attachments are operated by the lever G, the
valve A being moved in the same direction as the lever. The lever G
may be fixed at any desired point of its movement by means of a set
screw acting against the lever in connection with the walls of the
chamber. A graduated scale and index may be marked upon the lever
and the corresponding wall of the chamber to denote the different
degrees of opening given to the valve.
Instead of operating the rock shaft by means of a lever any equivalent
device may be employed, such, for example, as a rack and pinion.
By reference to Figure 1 the operation of the valve will be seen to be
as follows:-The valve being firmly pressed to its seat by the action of
the part c of the arm C against the back of the valve move the lever G
toward the right. This will cause a partial revolution of the shaft B
and a movement of the lower end of the arm C in the same direction
with the lever G. The arm will be brought against the curved edge
of the arm E. This curved edge being preferably of such shape that a
when the arm strikes against it it will have a tendency to move the
valve slightly away from its seat as well as in the direction the lever G
moves. This movement away from the valve seat is controlled and
limited by the ways a, a, and is important, as it entirely prevents the
wear of the face of the valve by the continued movement of the lever
G toward the right. The valve is moved outward while the arm b
moves freely upon the curved edge of the arm E.
When the valve is fully opened the arm c will be lifted off from the
curve of the arm E and at some distance from the back of the valve.
By reversing the direction of the lever G the arm will be pressed
against the curved edge of the arm D and the valve will be moved upon
the ways a, a, back to its first position. Just before the valve entirely

page_text: covers the port the inclines d, d, direct that part of the valve which
strikes against them forward upon its seat, and immediately thereafter
the bar c of the arm C exerts its pressure upon the opposite edge of the
sliding valve, forcing it home and holding it firmly in its place.
Instead of constructing the valve chest with the inclines d, d, these
may be omitted, in which case it will be necessary that the pressure
from the arm C be exerted upon the valve at a central point.
The curve upon the edge of the valve arm E, against which the bar c
acts, is by preference the arc of a circle having a radius equal to the
distance of the bar c from the axis of the rock shaft B, and it is so
related to other parts that when the valve is in the position shown in
Figure 1 this curve shall be as if described from a centre somewhat to
the right of the axis of the rock shaft. This construction insures the
continued efficient action of the bar c upon the valve oven after the
lower or left-hand edge of the valve may have become somewhat worn
in use.
I do not propose to limit myself to the use of the lever arm C here
shown, as the mode of bringing the rock shaft to act upon the valve.
The rock shaft might be provided with the segment of a toothed wheel,
the teeth of which should work in a rack formed on the back of the
valve. This would move the valve forward and back, while a cam upon
the toothed wheel would perform the function of the bar c in pressing
the valve to its seat, also when the slotted flange upon the back of the
valve is used the slot in which the arm of the rock shaft works may be
made straight instead of curved, but in that case the slot should by
preference be made to occupy a position inclined to the plane of the
valve to facilitate the movement of the valve from its seat, as herein-
before explained.

page_text: Third. The combination of the rock shaft arranged within the valvo
chamber, the lover arm attached to said shaft, and the slot in the back
of the valve in which the lever arm moves in opening and closing the
valve.
Fourth. In combination with the lever arm the slot in the back of t
the sliding valve when the same is curved or otherwise constructed,
substantially as described, to aid in starting the valve away from its
seat the moment it begins to open, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Fifth. Inclined ways to prevent wear on the face of the valve by :
preventing friction when the valve is opened and closed, substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Stiff, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and 1
seventy-six.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM CHARLES STIFF. (L.s.)