Improvements in or connected with Valves for Controlling the Supply of Steam to Steam Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Valves for Controlling the
Supply of Steam to Steam Engines.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM LINFORD, of 32, Dalston Lane, London, Marine Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
This invention has reference to valves used on steam generators for controlling
the supply of steam to the engine or from such generator, and has for its object,
amongst other things, to construct valves which shall partially act as a governor to
engines, and also as an automatic stop-valve in case of any breakage or failure
from any cause, of the steam supply pipe, or of the shafting, and under other
circumstances.
According to this invention, a valve is used on or in connection with the steam
generator, opening against the pressure and direction of flow of the steam from the
generator; and through the aperture controlled by this valve the steam passes to
the engine. In connection with this valve a spring (or weight) is employed and
normally tends to open said valve. Thus in action, under normal conditions, with
the steam in the generator and that in the steam pipe and valve-case under normal
pressures and conditions, the valve will be opened and kept open by the spring, but
when through any cause, the flow of steam becomes abnormal, the valve is closed,
or partially closed, and presses against the spring, that is, the spring (or weight) is
so set or arranged that should the pressure on the steam pipe side of the valve fall
below a certain point by the bursting of a steam pipe, or the racing of the engine,
or other cause, the pressure of the steam on the steam generator side of the valve
will act upon the spring (or weight), and will shut the valve against the pressure of
said spring (or weight).
A by-pass, such as a small hole, may be provided in or in connection with the
valve, so that should it happen that the valve is shut when it is not required, the
steam will pass from the boiler to the opposite side of the valve, and when a certain
pressure is reached on that side, the valve will again open automatically.
The parts of this valve may be arranged and combined in different manners, and
in some cases may be adapted to act as the screw down or similar valve, or automatic
valve, at will. In one form, a stop valve opening inwards may be employed, said
valve having a spindle carried through a valve case in the outside of which a spring
is arranged pressing upon same and tending to keep the valve open, suitable means
for adjusting the spring, and for preventing same falling downwards, such as a pin,
nut, or other device, being provided.-
Dated thin th
CA 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Valves for Controlling the
Supply of Steam to Steam Engines.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM LINFORD, of 32, Dalston Lane, London, Marine Engineer,
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 has reference to valvės used on steam generators for controlling
the supply of steam to the engine, or from such generator, and has for its object,

page_text: amongst other things, to construct valves which shall partially act as a governor to
engines, and also as an automatic stop-valve in case of any breakage or failure,
from any cause, of the steam supply pipe, or of the shafting, and under other
circumstances.
According to this invention, a valve is used on or in connection with the steam
generator, opening against the pressure aud direction of flow of the steam from the
generator; and through the aperture controlled by this valve the steam passes to the
engine. In connection with this valve a spring (or weight) is employed and normally
tends to open said valve. Thus in action, under normal conditions, with the steam
in the generator and that in the steam pipe and valve-case under normal pressures
and conditions, the valve will be opened and kept open by the spring, but when
through any cause, the flow of steam becomes abnormal, the valve is closed, or
partially closed, and presses against the spring, that is, the spring (or weight) is so
set or arranged that should the pressure on the steam pipe side of the valve fall
below a certain point by the bursting of a steam pipe, or the racing of the engine,
or other cause, the pressure of the steam on the steam generator side of the valve
will act upon the spring (or weight), and will shut the valve against the pressure of
said spring (or weight).
A by-pass, such as a small hole, may be provided in or in connection with the valve,
so that should it happen that the valve is shut when it is not required, the steam
will pass from the boiler to the opposite side of the valve, and when a certain
pressure is reached on that side, the valve will again open automatically.
The parts of this valve may be arranged and combined in different manners, and
in some cases may be adapted to act as the screw down or similar valve, or automatic
valve, at will. In one form, a stop valve opening inwards may be employed, said
valve having a spindle carried through a valve case in the outside of which a spring
is arranged pressing upon same and tending to keep the valve open, suitable
means for adjusting the spring and for preventing same falling downwards, such as
a pin, nut, or other device being provided.
One form of valvular apparatus having the characteristics above described, is
shewn in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, Figure 2 an end outside elevation, and Figure 3
a detail, to an enlarged scale, of the valve.
Referring to the drawings a is the valve; and b is the valve case in which the
valve a works, the part 6' being the branch connected with the steam generator, and
the branch 63 being that connected with the engine. c is the spindle in connection
with and upon which the valve a operates. d is the spring by which the action of
the valve is effected, its pressure being transmitted to the valve rod c by the collar c',
mounted on c, and supported by a shoulder thereon formed by the valve rod being
of smaller diameter at and above the point where said collar rests. e is a bridge
bar supported by the columns e¹ to the valve case a, and supporting the upper part
of the spring; and fis a wheel having a threaded hole through its boss, and working
on the threaded upper portion of the valve rod c, by which by turning it in the
required direction, the valve a may be mechanically brought onto its seat and the
passage of steam entirely stopped. The degree of compression under which it is
desired the spring should act is adjusted by the nuts worked in the threaded
upper portions of the columns el; and by the adjustment of which, greater or less
compression may be brought on the spring d.
The spindle c fits easily in the boss a¹ of the valve a, and the valve when off its
seat has freedom of motion vertically on said spindle between two collars c² and c³
thereon. When the valve is being pressed by the steam towards its seat, the upper
end of the valve boss a¹ bears upon the collar c³, and this collar, by the pressure
exerted by the spring d presses against it in the opposite direction. The collar c³
prevents the valve from falling off the spindle, and at the same time acts as a
closing valve, to the small by-pass aperture h in the valve a.
By the aperture a small quantity of steam is allowed to pass through the valve
when it has become shut by the action of a rush of steam. When however it is

page_text: desired to close the aperture and shut off all steam, the collar c³ is brought up to the
bottom end of the valve by turning the hand wheelf and shutting the aperture hand
bolding the valve upon its seat.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-When the engine is working and the
pressure of steam on both sides of the valve a is under normal conditions, the valve a
will be off its seat, i.e., open, it being kept open by the pressure of the spring b
acting upon it in a downward direction through the collar c, spindle c, and collar c².
When, however, through any cause, the flow of steam becomes abnormal, through
the pressure on the branch side, 63, of the valve falling below a certain point-say by
the bursting of the steam pipe, or the racing of the engine, or other cause-the
pressure of steam acting on the under side and tending to lift the valve and close it,
will be greater than that of the steam, together with that exerted by the spring, on
the other side tending to open it, and so it will lift the valve, against said combined
counter pressures, onto its seat, so closing the steam passage and cutting off the
supply of steam to the engine. In the case, however, of the upsetting of the normal
conditions having been due to a temporary cause, such as by a temporary race of
the engine, it being gradually supplied, the valve will automatically open after this
governing action, when the race is finished, by the restoration of the pressure in the
steam pipe on the engine side of the valve, due to the flow of steam thereto through
the port or aperture h, the valve opening by the reaction of the spring d, and the
full supply of steam to the engine restored when the normal pressure is reached,
and an equilibrium established. By the above action the apparatus serves as a
governor to the engine.
When the valve or apparatus is used as a stop-valve, the valve a is brought onto
its seat by turning the hand wheelfin the required direction, when the collar c
comes in contact with the under side of the valve, lifting it onto its seat and
closing the by-pass aperture h. In this condition no steam can pass from the
branch b'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described improvement in or connected with valves for controlling
the supply of steam to steam engines, that is to say, an apparatus comprising a valve
working in connection with a seat, and disposed in or on the steam pipe of the
engine, and so adapted that the pressure of the steam from the steam generator
tends to operate said valve and close the steam passage; and a spring acting on
said valve in a direction opposite to that of said steam from the generator and
tending to operate the valve and open the steam passage, and by which, when
normal conditions prevail, the valve is operated and the steam passage kept open,
but which when these conditions are broken and an abnormal volume of steam flows
past said valve, is unable to resist such abnormal pressure on it and said valve is
caused to shut off the flow of steam against the pressure of the spring.
2. In a valve of the kind and for employment as herein specified, a by-pass
by which steam acting on the generator side is passed to the other side and fills the
steam pipe and restores pressure on that side for the purposes specified.
3. The valve or valvular apparatus comprising a combination of the parts set
forth with reference to the drawings, and operating in the manner and for the
purposes specified.
Dated this 02-1 Inc. of Contraba 1000
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.