IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Tom Abercrombie Hedley, of Banbury, Civil
Engineer, and George Henry Carne Hedley, of St. Neot's, Huntingdon-
shire, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley
and George Henry Carne Hedley at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition on the 21st April 1860.
We, TOM ABERCROMBIE HEDLEY, of Banbury, Civil Engineer, and GEORGE
HENRY CARNE HEDLEY, of St. Neot's, Huntingdonshire, Gas Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES AND
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
Our improvements consist in a peculiar arrangement of cells or com-
partments, and in the use of plugs, for the purpose of directing the flow of
gas from the main leading from the retorts to any purifier or purifiers, and
thence to the gasholder, or, if required, direct from such main to said holder.
The cells or compartments are formed of one box (cast iron, by preference,)

page_text: and consist of one compartment for admission of gas from the retorts. A
number of other cells (corresponding with the number of purifiers used) range
contiguous to this, and have direct communication with it by means of plugs
or valves. Each of these cells communicate with two purifiers by means of
an inlet and an outlet pipe (opened and closed by means of valves); they
communicate also with the outlet cell or pipe which conveys the gas to the
holder. These inlets and outlets are closed and opened for the passage of gas
by plugs ground to fit the openings accurately, and these plugs may either be
cylindrical, conical, or any other, shape, and solid or hollow. They may be
worked by handles (projecting through the casing,) either drawing them up
or pressing them down, and either completely opening the aperture, or only
partially doing so, according to the quantity of fluid required to pass. The
pressure or the draught of the plugs may be effected by the screwed shank of
the handles, working in a corresponding screw in the casing by rack and
pinion, or any other well known mechanical means.
It will be seen from the abovo description that the gas may be directed at
once from the retort main cell to any one of the divisions or cells communi-
cating with any two of the purifiers, and that, if need be, the flow may be
again directed from theso latter divisions to the holder without passing through
the said purifiers. It will also be seen that this principle may be applied as
a single valve, and also for directing the flow of fluids and regulating the
quantities required in mains of gas or water in the streets, or any othor
position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and George Henry Carne Hedley
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Tox
ABERCROMBIE HEDLEY, of Banbury, Civil Engineer, and GEORGE HENRY
CARNE HEDLEY, of St. Neot's, Huntingdonshire, Gas Engineer, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and George Henry Carne Hedley, Her special
licence that we, the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and George Henry

page_text: Carne Hedley, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and 'George Henry Carne Hedley,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES AND
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and George Henry Carne
Hedley, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, 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 we, the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and
George Henry Carne Hedley, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is
to say :-
A
Our improvements consist in a peculiar arrangement of cells or com-
partments, and in the use of plugs, for the purpose of directing the flow of
gas from the main leading from the retorts to any purifier or purifiers, and
thence to the gasholders, or, if required, direct from such main to said holder.
The cells or compartments are formed of one box (cast iron, by preference).
and consist of one compartment for admission of gas from the retorts.
number of other cells (corresponding with the number of purifiers used) range
contiguous to this, and have direct communication with it by means of plugs
or valves. Each of these cells communicate with two purifiers by means of
inlet and outlet pipes (opened and closed by means of valves); they com-
municato also with the outlet cell or pipe which conveys the gas to the
holder. These inlets and outlets are closed and opened for the passage of
gas by plugs ground to fit the openings accurately, and these plugs may either
be cylindrical, conical, or any other shape, and solid or hollow. They may be
worked by handles (projecting through the casings,) either drawing them up,
or pressing them down, and either completely opening the aperture or only
partially doing so, according to the quantity of fluid required to pass. T'ho
pressure or the draught of the plugs may be effected by the screwed shank of

page_text: the handles, working in a corresponding screw in the casing by rack and
pinion, or any other well known' mechanical means.
It will be seen from the above description that the gas may be directed at
once from the retorts and main cell to any one of the divisions, and that, if
need be, the flow may be again directed from these latter divisions to the
holder without passing through the said purifier. It will also be seen that
this principle may be applied as a single valve, and also for directing the flow
of fluids and regulating the quantities required in mains of gas and water in
the streets or any other position.
In more fully describing our Invention it is necessary to refer to the three
accompanying Sheets of Drawings.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 on Sheet No. 1, represent respectively a plan of the
valve box, with the cover or lid removed; the same with four of the valves
or plugs in their seats; and an inverted plan of the same, showing the pipes
communicating with it. The valve box is divided by means of divisions a,
a', a, into four separate cells or compartments, and may be composed of
two or more pieces, that is, the bottom part, with sides, ends, and divisions,
may be cast or made in one piece, and the lid or cover in another piece; or
they may be made of several pieces, and rivetted or bolted together. We
give the preference to the former mode of construction. In the latter mode
either wrought or cast metal may be used.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, on Sheet No. 2, are sections of the valve box and
pipes through the parts lettered similarly on Sheet No. 1. In each of the
four cells there are three openings to and from pipes, bolted or otherwise
fitted to the under side of the box, and communicating at their other
ends with the retorts, the purifiers, and the holders. The passage of gas
through these openings may be controlled by means of the plugs b, b', b³, &c.,
(corresponding in number with such openings,) which plugs may be raised or
depressed by means of the handles c, c', &, &c., which pass for that purpose
through opposite openings in the lid or cover. In Figures 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7
the plugs ³, b', bº, 67, and 68, are raised, and the passages to the pipes are
consequently open for the admission and emission of gas, whilst plugs b, b', b³,
and be are down, and the passage of gas through the pipes underneath is of
course stopped.
This valve is adapted for working 4 or any less number of purifiers at
one and the same time, and we may remark here, that the same principle is
applicable, under modified forms, to any number of purifiers. In arranging
the purifiers it is necessary to place them so that each is in communication

page_text: with two of the cells of the valve box; thus, the openings d, d', should com-
municate by means of two pipes e, e', with one purifier, the opening d³, d³,
through pipes, e, with another purifier, and so on, making the flow of gas
continuous, if necessary, through all the cells and purifiers. The gas from the
retorts or generators is conveyed through the pipe f and its openings 9, g', or
either of them, into the valve box. h, h', is a pipe into which the gas flows
out of the valve box through the openings i, i', or either of them, and is con-
veyed to the gasholder; or this may be reversed, the openings i, i, admitting
the gas, and 9, 9', discharging it.
It will be seen from the above description, that by opening and closing the
proper passages the gas may be directed through the cells to any one or more
purifiers separately or in succession, and from thence to the gasholder, and
that the flow need not be in one direction, but may be reversed.
Instead of the two inlets from the pipe leading from the retorts, and the two
outlets to the pipe leading to the holder, one inlet from such pipe to a con-
tinuous cell surrounding the valve box, and communicating by openings and
plugs with the cells, and one outlet communicating centrally with all the cells,
may be substituted for the above arrangement.
The Drawings on Sheet No. 3 represent a bye-pass and shut-off valve for
meters, governors, condensers, scrubbers, &c. Figure 8 is a plan view of
the box, with lid or cover removed; Figure 9 is a similar plan, showing somo
of the valve plugs in their seats; Figure 10 is an under side view, showing
the pipes connected with the box; Figure 11 is an elevation, and Figures 12
and 13 are cross sections through the parts, similarly letter at Figure 9.
In the following description the same letters refer to the same parts in cach
Drawing.
A, A, are inlet pipe and valve openings; B, C, and M are outlet pipes
and valves, any one or more of which may be opened or closed at once;
D, D, &c., are the plates or casing of the box, E being the top flanges of
same, to which the cover L is bolted or otherwise fastened; F is a partition
separating the two inlets from pipe A from each other; G, G, are valve seats;
H, H, are valve plugs, worked by the handles and rods K. It will be seen
that direction to gas or fluids may be given in several ways by opening and
closing the passages by the plugs.
Having described our Invention, we would remark that we are aware that
gas valves have been made or designed, the cells of which have been arranged
in two or more series, tiers, flats, or boxes placed above each other, for the
purpose of directing the flow. What we now claim is, the single series, tier,

page_text: flat, or box of cells for giving direction to the flow of gas or other fluids,
and the means above described, or their mechanical equivalent, for effecting
that purpose.
In witness whereof, we, the said Tom Abercrombie Hedley and George
Henry Carne Hedley, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
THOMAS WARD,
Banbury.
TOM ABERCROMBIE HEDLEY.
(L.S.)
GEORGE HENRY CARNE HEDLEY. (L.s.)