Improvements in and relating to Gas and Air Reversing Valves for Regenerative, Smelting, and other Furnaces or Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Gas and Air Reversing Valves for
Regenerative, Smelting, and other Furnaces or Purposes.
We, JOHN JARDINE, of Windsor Terrace, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell,
Lanarkshire, Engineer, and JOHN FERGUSON, of 26 Shields Road, Pollokshields,
Renfrewshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises certain improvements in the
construction and arrangement, and mode and means of actuating or reversing, the gas
valves and the air valves of regenerative smelting and other furnaces, or for use at
other purposes; and which will enable these valves to be easier worked and kept in
order, and loss liable to leakage and loss of gas, than the tongue and other gas and air
valves of such furnaces have been as heretofore constructed.
According to our Invention, we place the valve within a rectangular chamber, into
which the gas or air is admitted, and so as to be reciprocated or oscillated over a
horizontal or convex curved face or face plate, formed over the three admitting or
reversing ports or entrances to the conducting channels in the brickwork leading to
and from their respective gas or air regenerating chambers through the valve chamber
or arrangement, and the centre one to the chimney flue. By one arrangement of
these improvements, the valve chest would be constructed of rectangular vertical sides
of strong cast-iron plates, bolted together by flanges at their corners, and by lower
flanges to the building or cast-iron face plates built horizontally in the brickwork.
And have an angled top with vertical sides bolted on the said rectangular side
plates, with the inlet branch pipe preferably over the centre of the box, and with an
inlet or shut-off valve worked by a screw or lever over this branch, for the inlet of
the gas from the pipes leading the gas from the gas producers; or for the air, a
simple slide valve lid or cover, might be used over the box, without the branch, for
This valve chamber or box
admitting the air direct from the outer atmosphere.
would have suitable cleaning doors in their side plates and have the three ports
ranged in the face plate and building in line in its longitudinal direction, and bo only
the width of the ports or face plate over these, in the transverse direction, and have a
D slide valve, with sharp angled face edges working or set over the cast-iron face
plate or plates, set in the brickwork between the ports to give a complete closing
action, notwithstanding any dust or tar which might lie on the face plates over the
ports. This D valve might be made of cast-iron, plate-iron, or steel, as desired, and
extend over two ports in the longitudinal direction, and only of the width of one port
in the transverse direction: so that, in one extreme position of the valve across the
ports, the valve would admit gas or air from the valve chest to be heated through the
one end port to their respective regenerative furnaces, and the waste heating gases or
products of combustion from the other set of regenerative or heating chambers would
be led through the other port and interior of the D valve, through the centre port, to
the chimney.
These D valves would be preferably formed with flanges on their
inner lower edges, and fitted or coated inside over these with fire-brick, fire-clay,
ganister or other fire-resisting or refractory material. Each valve would be mounted
by joint snugs and short vertical links, under one arrangement, to an oscillating
crank on a transverse shaft, mounted over the centre of the valve chest, preferably in
bearings in the side plates, at the joint between these and the angled top or cover.
This crank shaft would preferably have a counter-weighted lever to approximately
balance the weight of the valve hanging on the crank inside by its vertical links, so
that when the crank shaft was turned upwards from the horizontal plane on one side,

page_text: and the weighted lever turned downwards from the other side, both to near the
borizontal plane on the opposite sides, the valve would be raised off its seat and ports
at the one end of its chamber, down over the end ports at the other end of its
chamber, to reverse the currents of either gas or air as described, to their regenerative
chambers at the other end; and allow the waste gases from the other side and
chambers to pass through the valve to the centre chamber and escape to the chimney
Hue. The crank shaft might be so turned or oscillated by a pinion on it, and a
segmental toothed wheel on the short end of a long lever, mounted on a stud on the
upper frame of the box, actuated either by hand, or by a reciprocating rod, from an
hydraulic or other reciprocating piston and plunger; or it might be two reverse
single acting hydraulic cylinders, in line with the moving ends of the actuating lever
preferably connected to the piston or plunger motive rod by links, to compensate for
the radial action of the lever. In some cases when this hydraulic automatic action is
used, the crank shaft might be dispensed with, and only an oscillating and lifting
crosshead be mounted in side snugs or brackets over the contre of the valve, connected
at the top of radial links on each side of the valve, mounted on central studs at their
lower ends to the centre and sides of the valve chest, and connected by links at the
centre of the crosshead to the reciprocating rod of the ram cylinders, which in this
case would work through stuffing boxes in the ends of the valve chest, and so enclose
all the working mechanism of the valve within the valve chest, except the water
cylinders and their reversing cocks or valves; and as their piston rod was reversed to
either side, the valve would be lifted off its face over the one end port and set down
over the other end port by its said side radial links, and reverse the currents all as
described in reference to the crank arrangement.
By another arrangement of the improvements, the slide valvo would be made of a
hollow segmental D shape with a convex segmental edge face, turning in a hollow
semi-circular face plate in the valve chest and oscillating on a cross shaft mounted in
journal bearings in the side of the valve chest so as to cover the central and either of
the end ports in this semi-circular face plate and chest and have sharp edges on the
face of the valve which would keep the face plate clean and tight between and at the
edges of the ports, within the casing. A long powerful lever would be secured on
the transverse oscillating spindle of this valve, for actuating it, to lie at either angle
to cover the ports in reverse directions with the central end ports. These end ports
or branches would curve downwards from the casing, either formed in it in one
casting, or fitted with bolted on sides or end plates, to lead the gases to and from the
end flues in the brickwork, leading the gases to be heated, and the waste gases from
the alternate regenerators to the chimney flue, all otherwise substantially as described
in reference to the former modification. The actuating lever on the outside of the
reversing cross spindle of the valve might be oscillated direct by links from the
plunger rod of a direct acting hydraulic ram or rams. Or otherwise either of these
reciprocating lever arrangements or their rods for reversing the valves might be
oscillated by reciprocating bell-crank lovers having their vertical armis connected by
links below to the reciprocating rod of the oscillating valve levers, and having the
horizontal arın of the bell-crank connected to the lower end of a screw spindle passed
up through a hollow standard column above the ground level and working through
the rotating screw nut in the eye of a hand wheel mounted on the upper end of the
standard colunin in an equivalent manner to the screw wheel mechanism employed
for actuating the levers and brakes of the wheels of railway vans, and all so actunted
by hand to reverse the valves, at any convenient level above the valve chest, and their
actuating mechanism which might be erected in a pit or chamber close over the flues
conducting the gases. Or otherwise in place of this hand screw arrangement, a
vertical or horizontal water or steam cylinder might be fitted above the ground level,
and actuate the valves through the said bell-cranks, connected by reciprocating links
or rods to the ram or piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder. Instead of using a vaivè
oscillating over a horizontal or convex curved face or face plate, under another
arrangement we would use a D slide valve reciprocating on a plain horizontal cast

page_text: iron or other face over the three admitting or reversing ports, and operated by
hydraulic or screw power; and in this case the valve would not have a sharp angled
face as in the other arrangements but a piain flat flanged face.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Gas and Air Reversing-valves for
Regenerative, Smelting, and other Furnaces or Purposes.
WO, JOHN JARDINE of Windsor Terrace, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, Lanark-
shire, Engineer, and JOHN FERGUSON 26 Shields Road, Pollokshields, Renfrewshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Three Sheets
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference to and comprises certain improvements in the con-
struction and arrangement, and mode and means of actuating or reversing, the gas
valves and the air valves of regenerative, smelting, and other furnaces, or for use at
other purposes; and which will enable these valves to be easier worked and kept in
order, and less liable to leakage and loss of gas, than the tongue and other gas and air
valves of such furnaces have been as heretofore constructed.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended
Three explanatory Sheets of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown-Figures 1 and 2 on
Sheet 1 are a sectional side elevation and transverse section respectively, and
Figure 8 a corresponding sectional plan, of one arrangement of gas and air reversing
valve as constructed in accordance with our improvements, and in which the valve A
is made in the form of a raising and reciprocating slide valve within a close valve
chest D and actuated by a crank a" and segmental hand lever gearing. Figures 4
to 6 on Sheet 2 show corresponding views to Figures 1 to 3, of a similar arrange-
ment of valvo A but actuated by levers G, G4, from the plunger G of an hydraulic
ram G and a radial link c, c¹, lifting and oscillating motion within its close chest D.
While Figures 7 to 9 on Sheet 3 show similar views to Figures 1 to 3 and 4 to 6, but
in which the valve A is made of a hollow segmental D shape with a convex segmental
edge face A", turning in a hollow semi-circular face plate E, in the valve chest D
and oscillating on a cross spindle A², mounted in journal bearings A³, in the side
plates of the valve chest D and actuated by a lever B, outside mounted on the
spindle.
:
Referring to these Drawings, according to our invention we place the reversing
valve A within a close chamber D rectangular in plan, formed by side and end
plates DD, bolted over a hollow water circulating sole or face plate E, but contracted
angularly at top by end cover plates at D, into which the gas or the air to be heated
is admitted through an opening O in the central top plate D2, the valve boing
reciprocated or oscillated over a horizontal flat (or it might be convex curved face or
face plate E E' as hereinafter described) formed over the three admitting and
reversing ports or entrances 01, 0, 0, to the corresponding conducting channels in
the brickwork F. Those O¹, 0%, lead to and from their respective gas or air
regenerating chambers and back through the chamber A¹ in the valve A to and
through the centre one 0³ leading to the chimney flue. By one arrangement of
these improvements, the valve chest D is constructed of rectangular vertical
sides D, D', of strong cast-iron plates bolted together by flanges at their joints
and corners, and by lower flanges to cast-iron face plates E built horizontally in
the brickwork F. And have an angled top D over the vertical ends and sides D, D¹,
bolted on the said rectangular side plates, with the inlet branch pipe O preferably

page_text: over the closing in central plates D' of the valve chamber D, or as seen in Figures 4
to 6 the end plates D' might be angled to meet the central plate D2, and have an
ordinary inlet or shut-off valve worked by a screw or lever over this branch O not
shown in the Drawings, for the inlet of the gas from the pipes leading the gas from
the gas producers; or when used for the admission of air to he heated, a simple
ordinary slide valve lid or cover, might be used over the opening O in the chamber D,
without the branch, for admitting the air direct from the outer atmosphere. This
valve chamber or box D has suitable cleaning doors d in the side-plates D and D',
and has the three ports 01, 0, 03. ranged in the face plate E and building F in parallel
line in its longitudinal direction, and be only a little more than the width of the
ports and valve faces in the transverse direction, and as shown in Figures 1 to 6 have
a D-slide valve A, A', with sharp angled face edges A" working or set over the cast-
iron face plate or plates E, set in the brickwork F between the ports 01, 02, 0³, to
give a complete closing action, notwithstanding any dust or tar which might lie on
the face plates E over the ports. This D-valve A A' might he made of cast-iron,
plate-iron, or steel as desired, and extend over two ports 02, 0³, or 01, 0³, in the
longitudinal direction, as shown in sharp and dotted lines respectively in these two
positions in Figures 1 and 4, and only of the width of one port in the transverso
direction; so that in one extreme position of the valve across the ports, the valve
would admit gas or air from the valve chest D to be heated through the one end port O¹
or to their respective regenerative furnaces, and the waste heating gases or
products of combustion from the other set of regenerative or reheating chambers
would be led through the other port 02 or O' and interior A' of the D valve A,
through the centre port and flue 03 to the chimney as indicated by the arrows
in Figures 1, 4 and 7. Referring to Figures 1 to 3 the valve A A¹ is mounted by
joint snugs a and short broad vertical links, or a broad journal connecting rod a¹
to an oscillating crank all on a transverse crank shaft a² mounted over the centre of
the valve chest D preferably in bearings at a³ in the joint of the central side plates D.
This crank shaft a' has a counterweighted lever a mounted on it outside the
chest D. D', to approximately balance the weight of the valve A A' hanging on the
crank ainside by its vertical links, so that when the crank a¹ and shaft a² was
turned upwards from the horizontal plane on one side, and the weighted lever a*
turned downwards from the other side, both to near the horizontal plane on the
opposite sides, the valve A A¹ would be raised off its soat E and ports 01 03,
or 0203, at the one end of its chamber, down over the end ports at the other end
of its chamber, to reverse the currents of either gas or air as described, to their
regenerative chambers at the other end; and allow the waste gases from the other
side and chambers to pass through the valve A A', to the chamber 03 and escape
to the chimney flue. The crank shaft a² might as shown in Figures 1 to 3 be so
turned or oscillated by a pinion & on it and a segmental toothed wheel gearing into
it secured on the short arin of a long hand lever & mounted on a stud 611 on the
upper side plates or frame of the box, actuated either by hand as shown in Figures 1
to 3 or by a reciprocating rod and link c', G. This lever arm might be actuated
direct by an hydraulic or other reciprocating piston or plunger; or it might be by
two reverse single acting hydraulic cylinders, in line with the moving ends of the
actuating rod, and lever; or it might be through levers G³, G, connected to the
piston or plunger rod G₁, of the hydraulic cylinder G as indicated in Figure 4. In
some cases as indicated in Figures 4 to 6, when this hydraulic automatic action is
used, the crank shaft a, a, might be dispensed with, and only an oscillating and
lifting crosshead c be mounted in side snugs or brackets a over the centre of the
valve A A', connected at the top of radial links c¹, c¹, on each side of the valve,
mounted on swivelling centres or studs at cat their lower ends to the central side
plates D of the valve chest, and connected by links ³ at the centre of the crosshead c
to a reciprocating rod ct, which in this case would work through stuffing boxes in the
end plates D of the valve chests D D' and so enclose all the working mechanism of
the valve within the valve chest, except the motive water cylinders and their reversing
levers and cocks or valve fittings; tlie piston or plunger of the water cylinder G, or

page_text: cylinders when they are used, might be directly connected to the end of the valve
rod C, and reciprocate it to-and-fro, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 4, to
reverse the valve A A', as described in reference to Figures 1 to 3; or otherwise the
motive cylinder G, might be mounted above the floor level Z and recess Z' in which
the valve chest D D¹ is erected, and have its piston rod G¹ connected to the valve
rod C through connecting rods G1, G. and crank levers G³, G, to reciprocate it, so
that reversed to either side, the valve A A', would be lifted off its face over the one
end port 0 or 02 and set down over the other end port 02 or O', by its said side
radial links c', c', and reverse the currents, equivalent to the crank arrangement
described in reference to Figures 1 to 3 on Sheet 1.
By another arrangement of the improvements as shown in Figures 7 to 9, the slide
valve A A', is made of a hollow segmental D-shape, with a convex segmental edge
face A", turning in a hollow semi-circular face E', in the seat E and end plates D' in
this case formed in one of the valve chests D, Di, having the slide plates bolted
thereto, and oscillating ou a cross shaft A2 mounted in journal bearings A³, in the side
plates D of the valve chest, preferably at the joint of these side plates and the top
plate D2, so as to cover the central port 03 and either of the end ports O' or 0³, in
this semi-circular face plate E', and chest D D', and have sharp edges A", on the
face of the valve A A', which would keep the face plate E' clean and tight between
and at the edges of the ports, within the casing. These D-valves A A', are preferably
formed with flanges on their inner lower edges A" and fitted or coated inside over
these with fire-brick, fire-clay, ganister, or other fire-resisting or refractory material
at A, to keep them from melting or changing their shape. And the face plate or
seats would preferably be mounted as hollow casings, as shown at E for cold
water to circulate through them, entering by one or more pipes as indicated at e and
discharging through one or more pipes as shown at e¹. A long powerful lever B is
secured on the outer end of the transverse oscillating spindle A³ of this valve, for
actuating it, to lie at either angle to cover the ports in reverse directions with the
central end ports as indicated in sharp and dotted lines in Figure 7. These end ports
or branches 01, 0%, formed in the face plate E, E', curve downwards from the casing
at D', D', either formed in it in one casting, or preferably as shown fitted with bolted
on end plates D³, to lead the gases to and from the end flues in the brickwork F,
leading the gases to be heated, and the waste gases from the alternate regenerators to
the chimney flue O, all otherwise substantially as described in reference to the
former modifications and as indicated by the arrows in Figure 7. The actuating
lever A on the outside of the reversing cross spindle A² of the valve A A², might in
this case be oscillated by a rod c and links c from the plunger od G₁ of a direct
acting hydraulic ram or rams G. Or otherwise either of these reciprocating lever
arrangements or their rods B Figure 7, or Figure 1, for reversing the valves A A',
might be oscillated by reciprocating bell-crank levers G³ G+, having their vertical
arins G* connected by links G below to the reciprocating rod C of these oscillating
valve levers, and having the horizontal arm of the bell-crank G³, connected by a
link G, to the piston rod G' of the hydraulic cylinder, all as shown in Figure 4. Or
otherwise the link G", might be connected to a screw spindle passed up through a
hollow standard column above the ground level Z and working through a rotating
screw nut in the eye of a hand wheel mounted on the upper end of the standard coluuin
in an equivalent manner to the screw wheel mechanism employed for actuating the
levers and brakes of the wheels of railway vans, and in this case actuated by hand to
roverse the valves A A', at any convenient level above the valve A A' and valve
chest D D', and the actuating mechanism which might be erected in a pit or chamber
at Z close over the Alues conducting the gases.
In the modification of the bed or face plates E when flat, as shown in the Figures
on Sheets 1 and 2, edge projections E" would preferably be formed on them round
the port openings 0, 0, 0, in them, a few inches in height, so as to leave water or
other liquid lying on the surface to seal the bearing edges A" of the vulve.
some cases the water might circulate in this open top space round these edges E",
instead of in the inside E³ of the bed plate. Referring to Figures 7 to 9 on Sheet 3,
And in

page_text: the working face E for the valve A, A', being semicircular, two of them might be
bolted together and bored in a turning lathe, to face and prepare them for the
valves A, A1, working on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of heating
gas or air valves, and their reversing mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and distinguished in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The constructing of heating gas or air reversing valves, of a D-slide
oscillating and reciprocating form, substantially as and operated in the manner herein
described and distinguished in reference to Figures 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 respectively of
the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In heating gas or air reversing valves, the arrangements of mechanism for
raising and lowering the D-slides, while oscillating or reciprocating the same over
their ports and face plates, substantially as herein described and distinguished in
reference to Figures 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 respectively of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. The constructing of heating gas or air reversing valves of a convex
segmental D-shape and edge face, turning in a hollow semi-circular face plate in
valve chest and oscillating on a cross shaft, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and distinguished in reference to and shown in Figures 7 to 9
of the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 27th day of May 1889
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.