Year: 1886

page_text: We WILLIAM GRATY of Edith Walk Great Malvern Hydraulic Engineer, and
JOSEPH WATSON WILLIS, Tutor of Cherbourg' Great Malvern do hereby declare
the nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an Improved ball-valve to be used in connection with
cisterns and the like for supplying water to buildings for domestic and other
purposes.
The body of the tap is somewhat similar to those now in use, but instead of the
plug and cup-leather or their equivalent a constant source of annoyance and waste-
This
a spindle carrying a cone or washer of simple construction is substituted.
spindle and cone, or washer is so arranged that the force of the water instead of
tending as in ordinary taps to open the valve, tends on the contrary to close or seal
it. The top of the spindle is guided either by the screw cap or otherwise so that,
whilst operating readily, it cannot be driven out of place by the force of the water;
and motion is communicated to the spindle by the lover or ball-stem connected with
the spindle, passing either through the case or body of the tap, or under the tap, or
otherwise. The screw-cap above mentioned prevents any leakage of water or entrance
of particles of extraneous matter at the top or upper part of the tap whilst it may be
readily removed, without the employment of skilled labour whenever it may be thought
necessary, either to renew the washer or cone or for any other purpose.
The device is constructed in different forms and the details are carried out so as to
suit the exigencies of particular cases. The copper ball is frequently provided with a
slide to regulate the length of the lever to the pressure of water in any particular
case, and this, although not essential to the invention is an improvement. Moreover
the ball is frequently so constructed that it is entirely covered with a copper coating,
and this also is an improvement in the construction of such copper balls yet not
essential to the device.

page_text: We WILLIAM GRATY of Edith Walk Great Malvern Worcestershire Engineer and
JOSEPH WATSON WILLIS of "Cherbourg" Great Malvern Worcestershiro Tutor 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 consists of an improved Ball valve adapted for use with water
Cisterns but applicable also to analogous purposes.
In a ball valve constructed according to our Invention we dispense with the
ordinary plug and cup leather or their equivalent which are objectionable and we uso
a spindle or the like operated by the lever of the ball and carrying a cone or washor
so arranged in combination with the valve casing and seating that the pressure of the
inlet fluid tends to close or seal the valve instead of as in ordinary ball valves
tending to open it. The said spindle should be guided so that it cannot be displaced
by the pressure of the inlet fluid.
We will explain our Invention more particularly with reference to the accompanying
Drawing, which represents a vertical section of a ball valve constructed according to
our Invention. A is the casing, or body, of the valve, with a seating for the valve
proper at a.
a is the inlet by which the fluid enters the valve and a³ is the outlet by
which it leaves the valve. B is a spindle carrying a washer, or cone C, which con-
stitutes the valve proper. D is the stem, or lever, which is connected to the spindle B
at e, and is centred on the pin at f. The said stem, or lever D carries at its outward
end the ball by the rising and falling of which with the rise and fall of the water, or
liquid, in the vessel or cistern, the passage through the valve is closed, or opened.
The casing A, has an opening closed by a plug picce G screwed or otherwise firmly
but romovably secured therein. This plug piece is shown as constituting the guide
for the top of the spindle B, but the spindle may be guided by the casing or by
guides connected therewith as may be convenient.
The plug piece G, prevents any leakage of water, or entrance of foreign matter at
the top of the valve, and it can be readily removed and the valve proper be taken out
through the opening which the said plug closed. The minor details may of course be
varied without departing from the nature of our Invention.
The ball may be of any suitable kind but we prefer to construct it so that it can be
slidden along, and fixed in position upon, the lever D, to regulate the leverage in
accordance with the pressure against which the valve has to open. We also prefer to
cover the ball entirely with a copper coating.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our-Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
First A ball valve, wherein the valve proper is a simple cone, or washer, carried
by a spindle, or the like, and enclosed in a casing and connected with the stem, or

page_text: lever, of the ball which operates it so that the valve proper is opened against the
inlet pressure which tends to press the valve to its seat substantially as herein before
described.
Second-In a ball valve the combination with a spindle, or its equivalent, and
valve proper, opening against the inlet pressure, of a casing with an opening closed
by a plug G, by removing which plug the valve proper can be withdrawn substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Third-The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the ball valve
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.