Improvements in Valves.
Year: 1899

page_text: IDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves.
I, CLAUDE KENNEDY MILLS, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me from George Joseph Schoeffel, Manufacturer, of 24, West
Street, in the City, County and State of New York, in the United States of
5 America), to be as follows:-
This invention relates mainly to valves designed to be controlled automatically
by electro-magnetic means, or by means actuated by air or liquid presure. The
valve may be either a normally open or normally closed one, the position of the
valve being maintained by the pressure in the pipe line in which the valve is
connected, but in describing the valve it will be described as a normally closed
valve.
This valve is provided with a piston, which is balanced by the pressure from
the inlet side of the valve, the area of the two sides of the piston being greater
than the area of the valve, and the pressure acting from the inlet side upon
the valve to hold it to its seat.
exhausting the pressure from the rear side, so that the pressure on the inlet side
To open the valve, the piston is unbalanced by
of the piston will overbalance the pressure. upon, the valve and thereby effect
its opening. This action is controlled by an auxiliary valve in several ways.
One way is to provide a port leading from the inlet side of the valve to the
ar side of the piston, and which port is controlled by the auxiliary valve,
said port being normally open, so that the pressure acts upon both sides of the
iston. The auxiliary valve is so constructed that while maintaining the port leading
o the rear side of the piston open, it maintains closed an exhaust port from the
ear side of the piston. Thus the operation of the auxiliary valve will operate
close the inlet port to the rear side of the piston and simultaneously open the
xhaust port, thus reducing the pressure upon the rear side of the piston and
ermitting the pressure upon the inlet side to open the valve, as above stated.
he exhaust port may lead either to the exterior of the valve or to the outlet
de of the main valve.
A second way of controlling this action is to do away with the inlet port to
e rear side of the piston, and to provide ports through the piston, so that the
essure from the inlet side of the valve passes directly through the piston
o the chamber behind it, and thus acting upon both sides of the piston to
ance the same. To unbalance the piston, an exhaust port controlled by an
xiliary valve is provided, and this post may lead to the side of the main valve
ere the auxiliary valve chamber will be located, or such port may pass through
cap which closes the chamber at the rear side of the piston, and the auxiliom.
e be carried by said cap. Thus the operation
[Price 81

page_text: only, in this instance, to open the exhaust and thereby reduce the pressure upon
the rear side of the piston and permit the operation as before.
The auxiliary valve is provided with a stem which passes, in the first form,
through the auxiliary valve casing located at the side of the valve, and which
stem is arranged to be actuated by an electromagnetic device controlled in any
desired way. Instead of controlling this auxiliary valve by an electromagnetic
device, such valve stem may be arranged to be operated by a piston actuated either
by air or liquid pressure, the action of the piston being controlled either by
hand or automatically.
In the second arrangement, in which the auxiliary valve is located in the cap
which closes the chamber at the rear of the piston, the auxiliary. valve stem
passes through the cap and may be operated either by electro-magnetic means
or by air or fluid pressure as in the first arrangement.
In either form it will be seen that when the main valve is closed, and conse-
quently the controlling piston is balanced the operation of the auxiliary valve
effects the unbalancing of the piston and thereby causes the main valve to open,
and upon returning the auxiliary valve to its normal position, the piston will
again become balanced and the pressure will automatically close the main valve.
If the main valve is designed to remain normally open, it will be evident that
the auxiliary valve will be held in the position which effects the unbalancing of the
Diston, so that the pressure acting upon the inlet side of the piston will maintain the
valve open, and to effect the closing of the valve the auxiliary valve is moved
to a position which will result in a balancing of the piston, so that the pressure
upon the main valve will effect the closing. The auxiliary valve in all forms will
be preferably held in its normal position by the pressure from the inlet side of the
main valve, so that it will readily return to its normal position after being
operated to effect the operation of the main valve. Thus it will be seen that in
the valve herein described, the use of closing springs with either the main or
auxiliary valve is entirely dispensed with.
In both constructions the main valve may be provided with a valve stem
which projects through the valve casing and designed to be operated by hand
through the agency of a lever, as is well known. Where the valve is located
in a pipe line having a considerable pressure, it requires considerable pull to
operate the main valve by hand, and to avoid this objection the main valve is
not operated directly by hand, but the auxiliary valve is so operated. In such
a construction the stem of the main valve need not project through the casing, but
works in a bearing in one end of the valve chamber, the piston forming the other
bearing for the valve, and while the hand operator may be applied to either form
of auxiliary valve described, it is preferable to apply it to the second form, in
which the auxiliary valve stem passes through the cap which closes the chamber
at the rear of the piston.
Dated this 11th day of 1800
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents.

page_text: 5
ication to me: from George Joseph-Schoeffel, Manufacturer, of 24, West
Street, in the City, County and State of New York, in the United States of
America), and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates mainly to valves designed to be controlled automatically
by electromagnetic means by means actuated by air or liquid pressure or manually.
The valve may be either a normally open or normally closed one, the position of
the valve being maintained by the pressure in the pipe line in which the valve
is connected, but in describing the valve it will be described as a normally closed
valve.. This valve is provided with a piston which is balanced by the pressure
from the inlet side of the valve, the area of both sides of the piston being each
greater than the area of the valve, and the pressure acting from the inlet side
upon the valve to hold it normally to its seat. To open the valve, the piston is
unbalanced by exhausting the pressure from the rear side, so that the pressure
on the inlet side of the piston will overbalance, the pressure upon the valve and
thereby effect its opening.
This action is controlled by an auxiliary valve in several ways, as will be more
fully hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
forming a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the preferred
embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 a section on the
line 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 a longitudinal section of a modification of the
invention; and Figure 6 a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5..
In all the above views, corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals
of reference.
.. Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, the valve casing 1, which is of any suitable
construction, is provided with an inlet.side 2 and an outlet side 3 separated by
a partition 4 having an opening 5 therein, one side of which forms the
seat for the valve 6..
This valve is carried on its stem 7, which may project outside of the case at 8,
as shown, so as to be operated manually if desired. The stem also carries a
piston 9, which is of larger area than the valve, as shown, said piston working in
a cylinder 10 formed integrally with the case 1.
is an auxiliary valve chest 11, and 12 is a port connecting the inlet side of the
At the side of the valve case
valve case with the interior of said auxiliary valve chest.
connects the interior of said auxiliary valve chest with the back of the cylinder 10,
13 is a port which
whereby normally pressure will be admitted on the rear side of the piston 9 to
alance the pressure on the front side thereof, which is in contact at all times
vith the inlet pressure.
nlet side 2 will keep the valve 6 normally closed. An auxiliary cylinder 14 is
The piston 9 being thus balanced, the pressure from the
rovided with a plug 15, which is screwed into the auxiliary valve chest 11 (see
igure 3), the forward end of said plug making a tight joint with said auxiliary
alve chest.
Mounted in the auxiliary cylinder 14 is an auxiliary piston 16, the stem of
hich carries a valve 17 at its inner end, which normally closes the lower end
f the plug 15. The latter is provided with a series of openings 18 therein,
hich may connect by a port 19 with the outlet side 3 of the valve case or by
port 20 with the atmosphere. The latter port may be closed by a plug 21 when
is desired that the exhaust from the auxiliary valve shall escape into the
tlet side of the valve case. The lower end of the valve 17 is normally closed
a controlling valve 22 carried on a stem 23 which extends up through the
lve 17, auxiliary piston 16, and the head of the auxiliary cylinder 14; said
em being engaged by the stem 23 of an armature 24 which may be attracted
an electromagnet 25 carried in the casing 26 which is secured to the valve
A spring 27 is used to maintain the armature 24 normally retracted to
se the controlling valve 22.
se.

page_text: The operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention just described
is as follows:-
The fluid pressure within the valve casing is exerted directly on the inlet side
of the piston 9, and through the port 12, auxiliary valve chest 11, and port 13
the pressure is balanced on the back face of said piston.
The piston being thus balanced, the pressure in the inlet side of the valve case
will keep the valve 6 normally closed. By energizing the magnet 25, the
armature 24 will be attracted to open the controlling valve 22. The pressure
from the inlet side 2 of the valve will thereby be permitted to pass through the
hollow auxiliary valve 17 around the stem 23 to enter the back of the auxiliary
cylinder 14 to force the piston 16 downwards and thereby opening the auxiliary
valve 17. This movement permits the pressure from the back of the piston 9
to be relieved through the port 13, auxiliary valve chest 11, above the valve 17,
into the hollow plug 15, and thence either through the opening 20 to the atmos-
phere or through the port 19 into the outlet side 3 of the valve case.
By thus
relieving the pressure on the rear side of the piston 9, the pressure on its inner
face, being greater than that on the face of the valve 6 will open the valve and
permit the pressure to pass through the opening 5 into the outlet side thereof
to accomplish any desired industrial result. When the magnet 25 is deenergized,
the spring 27 will elevate the armature 24, allowing the pressure to close the
controlling valve 22 and preventing further pressure from entering the auxiliary
cylinder 14. The pressure within the auxiliary valve chest 11 therefore closes
the valve 17 and shuts off communication between the back of the piston 9
and the exhaust, whereupon the pressures on both sides of said piston will
be again balanced, and the pressure on the inlet side 2 of the valve case will
close the valve 6. Thus it will be seen that the use of closing springs with
either the main or auxiliary valve is entirely dispensed with, the closing of
such valves being effected in each instance by the pressure to be controlled.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the valve casing 1 is provided, as in the first
instance, with inlet and outlet sides 2 and 3 respectively, and with a valve 6,
the stem 7 of which carries the piston 9 working in the cylinder 10.
In this modification the auxiliary valve is in the form of an ordinary puppet
valve 28 normally closing a passage 29 having suitable exhaust openings 30.
The piston 9 in this modification is provided with a small port 31 therein, and
said piston may also be provided with a stud 32 adapted to engage the bottom
of the valve 28 when the piston has been moved to its full extent to thereby
close the valve 28. This stud may, however, be dispensed with. With the
present modification, the stem 23 is operated by an armature of an electromagnet
carried within the casing 26, and said stem engages one end of a walking-
beam 33, the other end of which bears against a suitably packed rod 34 which
engages the outer end of the valve 28. If desired, a second walking beam 35
may be employed, which may be operated by hand, one end of which engages
either the end of the walking-beam 33 or the rod 34 directly.
The operation of this modification of the invention will be as follows: Normally
the auxiliary puppet valve 28 is kept closed by the pressure on the outer side
of the piston 9.
By means of the contracted port 31, the pressure will be equally balanced on
both sides of said piston, and in consequence the valve 6 will be kept closed by
the pressure on the inlet side 2 of the valve case. When the magnet is energized.
the rod 23 will be forced outwardly, oscillating the walking-beam 33 and
opening the valve 28. This relieves the pressure on the rear side of the piston 9
more rapidly than the pressure can be supplied through the contracted port 31,
and in consequence the pressure on the inner face of said piston will result in the
opening of the valve to permit the pressure to pass from the inlet to the outlet
side of the valve case. It the stud 32 is used, said stud will engage the valve 28
near the end of the. movement of the piston to close said valve and thereby restore
the walking-beam 33. This will re-establish the balance on both sides of the

page_text: a
piston 3, and the pressure on the inlet side 2 of the valve case will tend to move
the valve 6 towards its seat, but before the latter valve can return to its closed
position, the stud 32 will have been withdrawn from the valve 28, which will again
open to destroy the equilibrium on the piston 9, and thereby keep the valve 6 from
5 entirely closing. Thus if the stud 32 is employed, the piston 9 will vibrate more
or less rapidly in its cylinder, but never to an extent sufficient to close the valve 6.
By the use of such a stud therefore, the valve 28 will be kept closed during
part of the time the operation is being effected, and loss of pressure through said
valve will be reduced. If the stud 32 is not employed, the valve 28 will be kept
always open during the operation, and there will be a slight loss in the pressure
through the contracted bore 31 past the valve 28 and out through the exhaust 30.
When the magnet is de-energized, the fluid pressure on the valve 28 will close
it, or else said valve will be closed positively by the engagement of the stud
32 therewith, thereby permitting the equilibrium to be established on the piston 9°
and allowing the pressure within the inlet side of the valve case to close the
valve 6.
Valves of this character are particularly desirable in connection with pipe
lines or in other localities where the pressure is considerable and where it is
desirable to overcome the necessity of manually opening a main valve directly
against such pressure. All that is required to operate the present valve is to close
an electric circuit, which may include the controlling magnet 25. While it is
preferable that the auxiliary valve should be controlled magnetically, it will of
course be understood that it may be opened manually. It will be readily under-
stood that the stem 23 may be provided with a piston located within a cylinder.
and be operated by means of air or fluid pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A main valve adapted to be normally closed by a fluid pressure and having
connected therewith a piston on which the pressures are normally balanced, and
an auxiliary valve adapted to destroy the balance of the pressures on said piston,
whereby the overbalanced pressure on one side of said piston will positively open
the valve to be controlled, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The controlling of the auxiliary valve of the construction recited in Claim 1
by electromagnetic means.
3. An improved valve and its controlling mechanism comprising a main valve
having a piston connected therewith on which the fluid pressures are normally
balanced, an auxiliary valve arranged to destroy the balance of such pressures,
whereby the movement of the piston will open the main valve, an auxiliary
piston for operating the auxiliary valve, and a controlling valve for controlling
the fluid to the auxiliary piston, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. An improved valve and its controlling mechanism, comprising a valve case
having an inlet and an outlet side, a main valve, normally controlling a passage
etween the inlet and the outlet sides, a piston connected to said valve and
eceiving pressure always on its inlet side, a port conveying pressure to the
ther face of said piston whereby the piston will be normally maintained, in
alance, and an auxiliary valve for permitting the exhaust or reduction in pres-
ure from the rear face thereof whereby the pressure on its inlet face will open
he main valve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The operation of the auxiliary valve in the combination recited in Claim 4
means of an auxiliary piston carried in an auxiliary cylinder, and a controlling
Ive for controlling the pressure admitted to said auxiliary piston.
6. The modification shown in Figures 5 and 6, wherein the piston which
onnects with the valve to be controlled is provided with a port therein, an
xiliary valve 28 being used to relieve the pressure from the outer face of said
ston.

page_text: 7. The further employment in the modification of the invention set forth in
.Claim 6 of a stud or projection carried on the piston which engages. the auxiliary
valve in the manner set forth.
1000
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C,
Agents.