IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTED WITH VALVES FOR CONTROLLING STEAM OR OTHER FLUID
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Murdoch, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONNECTED WITH VALVES FOR CONTROLLING STEAM OR OTHER FLUID."
AND
Sealed the 6th January 1880, and dated the 28th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Murdoch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th October 1879.
WILLIAM MURDOCH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH VALVES FOR CONTROLLING
STEAM OR OTHER FLUID."
This Invention comprises various improved constructions or arrangements of valve
apparatus for controlling steam or other fluid.
In one arrangement the functions of a stop valve and of a regulating or throttle
valve are combined, the regulating action being applicable by hand or by a steam-
engine or other governor. In this arrangement the valve is a hollow cylinder
having one closed end and a spindle or stem, which last passes out through a stuffing
box, and has a lever fixed on it externally to be connected to the governor or to be
moved by hand. The valve cylinder works over a fixed piston block standing a
short distance above the valve seat, and made with an internal cavity from which a
small pipe connection fitted with a stop valve is made to the atmosphere, or to a
condenser, or to some other space in which the pressure is lower than that of the
fluid to be controlled by the valve. One or more ports are made in the side of the
piston block, giving access to its interior, and certain grooves of peculiar form are
made in the piston block and valve cylinder on their outer and inner surfaces
respectively, these grooves being such, as on turning the valve cylinder in either
direction, to cause the steam or fluid to enter or leave the space between the block
and the cylinder end, and cause the opening or closing of the valve accordingly.
The extent to which the valve is turned determines the extent to which it is
opened or closed as the passages formed by the grooves become automatically
closed by the opening or closing movement of the valve. The valve is made to
serve as a stop valve by means of an external screw spindle by which it can be

page_text: closed down on its seat. An inner cylindrical lip is, by preference, made to project
up within the seat so that the valve all but closes the passage before reaching its
seat, and it is prevented from striking the seat by a cushion of steam retained
between the block and the end of the valve cylinder.
The combination of the cylinder (herein before described as forming the valve)
with the piston block and with the grooves or passages and ports, may be applied
in various ways, and in some cases apart from the actual valve, and the piston or
inner part may be movable, and the cylinder or outer part stationary; or one part
may be movable angularly, and the other part longitudinally or in the direction of
its axis. Instead of communicating the angular motion to the cylinder or piston
through the spindle thereof, such motion may be imparted to a separate spindle
passing through a stuffing box in the valve chest, and acting inside on the cylinder
or piston by means of a toothed segment or equivalent connection.
In some cases a small auxiliary valve or cock worked by a governor is used to admit
and exhaust steam or fluid to and from the space between the piston block and the
valve cylinder. In other cases the movement of the valve cylinder as it approaches
its seat is made to open a stopcock or valve admitting steam or other fluid to act
in controlling apparatus, or allowing steam to escape so as to facilitate the controlling
of the motions of certain kinds of engines. An application of the arrangement last
indicated may be advantageously made in the case of compound engines for driving
the screw propeller when fitted with a momentum or other governor for preventing
racing, in which case the closing of the throttle valve causes the opening of a pipe
by which the steam in the high-pressure valve casing can escape, and be thereby
prevented from continuing the motion of the engines. The escape pipe may lead
the steam to the intermediate casing, or to the condenser, or elsewhere. The
arrangement is also applicable to non-compound-engines.
A very convenient combined arrangement is formed by mounting the valve
cylinder and piston block in the same axial line as the governor. When the
governor is of the momentum or any other kind which acts by an angular movement
of a shaft or spindle, that spindle may be fixed to or be in the same piece with the
valve spindle. When the governor is of a kind acting by a longitudinal movement
of a sleeve or spindle, the valve cylinder may still be placed in the same axial line,
the longitudinal movement being converted into an angular one in any convenient
way. If preferred, only the combination of the cylinder and piston with the
peculiar grooves and ports may be arranged in connection with the governor, the
actual throttle valve being at any convenient distance and being connected to the
cylinder or piston by levers and links, or other suitable connections.
Steering engines and small engines for moving the valve gear of large engines
are amongst the machines to which the improved valve apparatus may be
advantageously applied, and in some cases the cylinder and piston block or piston
may be made double-acting and with equal or unequal effective areas at the
opposite ends.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Murdoch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th April
1880.
WILLIAM MURDOCH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH VALVES FOR CONTROLLING STEAM OR
OTHER FLUID."
3
My said Invention comprises various improved constructions or arrangements
of valve apparatus for controlling steam or other fluid.
In one arrangement the functions of a stop valve and of a regulating or throttle
valve are combined, the regulating action being applicable by hand or by a steam-
engine, or other governor. In this arrangement the valve is a hollow cylinder,
having one closed end, and a spindle or stem, which last passes out through a
stuffing box, and has a lever fixed on it externally to be connected to the governor
or to be moved by hand. The valve cylinder works over a fixed piston block
standing a short distance above the valve seat, and made with an internal cavity,
from which a small pipe connection, fitted with a stop valve, is made to the
atmosphere, or to a condenser, or to some other space in which the pressure is
lower than that of the fluid to be controlled by the valve. One or more ports are
made in the side of the piston block, giving access to its interior, and certain
grooves of a peculiar form are made in the piston block and valve cylinder,
on their outer and inner surfaces respectively, these grooves being such as on
turning the valve cylinder in either direction, to cause the steam or fluid to enter
or leave the space between the block and the cylinder end, and cause the opening
or closing of the valve accordingly. The extent to which the valve is turned
determines the extent to which it is opened or closed, as the passages formed by
the grooves become automatically closed by the opening or closing movement of
the valve. The valve is made to serve as a stop valve by means of an external
screw spindle, by which it can be closed down on its seat.
The combination of the cylinder (herein before described as the valve), with the
piston block, and with the grooves or passages and ports may be applied in various
ways, and in some cases, apart from the actual valve, and the piston or inner part may
be movable, and the cylinder or outer part stationary, or one part may be movable
angularly, and the other part longitudinally, or in the direction of its axis.
An application of one of my arrangements may be advantageously made in the
case of compound engines for driving the screw propeller when fitted with a
momentum or other governor for preventing racing, in which case the closing of
the throttle valve causes the opening of a pipe, by which the steam in the high-
pressure valve casing can escape, and be thereby prevented from continuing the
motion of the engines. The escape pipe may lead the steam to the intermediate
casing or to the condenser, or elsewhere. The arrangement is also applicable to
non-compound engines.
Steering engines and small engines for moving the valve gear of large engines
are amongst the machines to which my improved valve apparatus may be
advantageously applied; and in some cases the cylinder and piston block or piston
may be made double-acting, and with equal or unequal effective areas at the
opposite ends.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto appened three Sheets of explanatory
Drawings, to be hereinafter referred to, and representing various examples of my
improved apparatus. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.

page_text: Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a sectional plan, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of one modification of my improved throttle valve
apparatus; Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the valve cylinder and piston block;
and Figure 4 is an end elevation. The valve is a hollow cylinder 1, having its
upper end 2 closed and formed in the same piece with a spindle 3 which passes
out of the casing 4 through a stuffing box, and has a lever 5 connected to it. This
lever 5 might be fixed to the valve spindle 3, but it is represented as being formed
with a boss held in a bearing 7, and engaging with the spindle by a groove and key,
so that the lever does not partake of the endway movement of the spindle. A rod 8
connects the lever 5 with a speed governor or with a hand lever, and the movement
of the lever is limited by a stop pin 9 fixed in it, and projecting into a slot in the
bearing plate 7. The valve cylinder 1 works over a hollow fixed piston block 10,
from the interior of which a small pipe connection 11 fitted with a stop valve 12
is made to the atmosphere, or to a condenser, or some other space, in which the
pressure is lower than that of the fluid to be controlled by the valve. The
apparatus is sometimes used in an inverted position, as compared with Figures 2
and 4, and in that case the pipe connection is extended inwards, as indicated by
the dotted lines, so that any water due to condensation of steam may pass off by
the outlet 11. Two ports 13 are made at diametrically opposite points in the
'side of the piston block 10, giving access to its interior, and certain grooves or
passages 14 are formed in the valve cylinder 1 to communicate as required with
the ports 13. The valve cylinder 1 is also formed with other grooves or passages 15,
to communicate as required with ports or grooves 16 formed on the outside of the
piston block 10 in a manner to communicate with the space 17 within the valve
seat, and which communicates with the main entrance passage 18.
These ports
and grooves are such as on turning the valve cylinder 1 by means of the lever 5, in
either direction, to cause the steam or fluid to enter or leave the space between the
block 10 and the end 2 of the valve cylinder, and cause the opening or closing of
the valve accordingly. The action will be easily understood from the diagram,
Figure 7, which represents the ports and passages as upon a flat surface, those in
full lines being in the piston block 10, and those in dotted lines in the valve
cylinder 1. Thus it will be seen that if a movement of the cylinder carries the
passages 15 to the right, steam will get access to them by the ports 16, where-
upon the cylinder will rise until the bottoms of the passages 15 will get above
the inclined edges of the ports 16, and the vertical distance passed through will
depend on the extent of lateral movement. Similarly, if when the cylinder is in a
raised position it is turned so as to carry the ports' 14 to the left, it will be seen
that a communication will thereby be formed with the exhaust ports 13, and the
cylinder will consequently be moved downwards. The passages 14 communicate
only at their bottom ends with the exhaust ports 13. It will be obvious that the
precise forms of the ports or passages 13 to 16 may be varied; thus instead of the
inclined line being straight it may be curved or in steps, or the inclined, curved,
or stepped edge may be on the other port or passage of each pair, or it may be
partly on each. Figure 5 is a horizontal section showing a modified arrangement
of the ports and grooves, or passages, and Figure 8 is a corresponding diagram.
In this example, each passage 14 in the valve cylinder 1 serves for both a steam
port 16 and an exhaust port 13. The valve cylinder 1 is made to serve as a stop
valve by means of an external screw spindle 19, by which it can be closed down on its
seat. An inner cylindrical lip 20 is by preference made to project up, as shown
all but closes the
in Figure 2, within the valve seat, so that the valve cylinder
passage before reaching its seat, and it is prevented from striking the seat by a
cushion of steam retained between the block 10 and the top 2 of the valve
cylinder.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a modification differing from that already
described by having the actual valve 21 separate from the valve cylinder, although
fixed on the same spindle 3, and in having the action of the ports and passages 13,

page_text: 14, 15, 16, reversed, the steam or fluid having access from the entrance 18 to the
interior of the cylinder 1, and the exhaust taking place by ports and passages
13, 11, in a stationary cylinder 22, within which the valve cylinder 1 works. In
this modification the valve cylinder 1 may be regarded as an elongated piston
working in the stationary cylinder 22.
Instead of communicating the angular motion to the cylinder or piston through
the spindle thereof, such motion may be imparted to a separate spindle, as in the
modification shown in Figures 9 to 12 on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 9 being a plan, Figure 10 a horizontal section, and Figures 11 and 12
vertical sections as at right angles to each other. The separate spindle 23 (having
on it the lever 5) passes through a stuffing box into the valve chest, and has on it
inside the chest a toothed segment 24 gearing with teeth formed or fixed on the
valve cylinder 1.
In some cases, as in the modification shown in vertical section in Figure 13, and
in elevation in Figure 14, a small auxiliary valve or cock 25 having on its spindle
a lever 5 to be connected to a governor is used to admit or exhaust steam or fluid
by the passage 11 to and from the space between the piston block 10 and the top 2
of the valve cylinder. The plug of the cock 25 is made with ways to communicate
according to the position of the lever 5, either with a pipe 26 admitting steam from
the entrance 18, or with an exhaust pipe 27.
Figures 15 and 16 on Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings are a vertical
section and an end elevation of a very convenient combined arrangement formed
by mounting the valve cylinder 1 and piston 10 in the same axial line as the
governor, the governor shown being of the kind known as Silver's momentum
governor. This governor acts by imparting an angular motion to the spindle or
shaft 28 which passes through a stuffing box into the cylinder 1, and therein, by
being square, or by feathers imparts an angular motion to the piston 10. In
consequence of this angular motion and of the arrangement of the ports and
passages, which is substantially the same as in the modifications hereinbefore
described, the piston 10 moves endways, and by the rod 29 passing out through a
stuffing box and acts on a lever 30, from which the movement is transmitted to
the throttle valve. Instead of the throttle valve being apart from the cylinder 1
and piston 10 it may be arranged in immediate connection therewith, as in
previously described modifications. When the governor is of a kind acting by ȧ
longitudinal movement of a sleeve or spindle the valve cylinder 1 or piston 10 may
still be placed in the same axial line, the longitudinal movement being converted
into an angular one in any convenient way.
Figure 17 is a vertical section of a modification in which a comparatively small
valve with its cylinder 1 and piston block 10 arranged as in the modification shown
in Figures 1 to 4 and herein before described, is arranged to act in connection with
a large throttle valve 31, the action of the steam between the top 2 of the valve
cylinder 1 and piston block 10 being in this case sufficient to act through the
spindle 3, lever 32, and link 33, on the lever of the large throttle valve 31. The
casing 4 of the valve cylinder 1 and piston block 10 is connected to the main
steam pipe 34 by branch pipes 35, 36, communicating with the main steam pipe on
opposite sides of the throttle valve 31.
.
Figure 18 is an elevation showing the combination of my apparatus having for
its object to provide an outlet for steam from the high-pressure casing of a
compound engine for driving the screw propeller when the throttle valve is shut by
means of the governor in order that such steam may not continue to act. The
internal construction of the throttle-valve details may be like any suitable one of
the modifications hereinbefore described. The spindle (3) is made by means of a
collar and levers to act on a rocking shaft 44, having also fast on it a lever 45 which
is connected by a link 46 to the lever 47 of a stopcock fitted in a pipe 48, this pipe
48 being in communication with that part of the internal space which is between
the throttle valve and the valve casing of the cylinder. The parts are arranged so

page_text: that the outlet stopcock begins to open just when the edge of the valve cylinder (1)
reaches the lip 20 of the seat.
Figure 19 is a longitudinal section of a modification of my improved apparatus
arranged for acting on the valve gear of large engines. In this example the cylinder
1 is carried in trunnion bearings in a frame 37, and the piston block 10 has fixed to
it a rod 38 which passes out through a stuffing box and is connected through links
and a bellcrank lever 39 to the valve-motion link 40 of the large engines. The
cylinder 1 is formed with passages communicating with inlet and exhaust steam
pipes 26, 27, and it has formed or fixed on its outside a worm-toothed segment 41
with which there gears a worm 42 on a spindle having a handwheel 43 on it.
Ports, grooves, or passages are formed in or on the piston block 10 in a manner to
act in concert with the ports of the cylinder passages, and substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the diagrams, Figures 7 and 8, so that when the
cylinder 1 is turned to a greater or less extent and in either direction by means of
the worm 42, a corresponding longitudinal movement of the piston block 10
will be produced and will be communicated to the valve-motion link 40. In a
similar way the rod 38 of the piston block 10 may be connected to the tiller of a
ship's rudder, with which arrangement steering will be effected by turning the
handwheel 43, the rudder being moved precisely in proportion to the movement of
the handwheel, and the action stopping on the desired position of the rudder being
attained.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original,
and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein before in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The combination in valvular apparatus for controlling steam or other fluid, of
a cylinder and piston block having ports, grooves, or passages for the entrance of
the fluid, which cause one part to be moved longitudinally by the fluid when the
other part is turned or moved angularly, the various parts being formed and
arranged substantially as herein before described.
2. The arranging or combining together of parts forming a combined throttle
and stop valve, substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, of the accompanying Drawings.
3. The arranging or combining together of parts forming a combined throttle
and stop valve, substantially in the improved manner herein before described with
reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
4. The arranging or combining together of parts forming a combined throttle
and stop valve, substantially in the improved manner herein before described with
reference to Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, of the accompanying Drawings.
5. The arranging or combining together of parts forming a combined throttle
and stop valve, substantially in the improved manner herein before described with
reference to Figures 13 and 14 of the accompanying Drawings.
6. The combining of a speed governor with a cylinder and piston block
arranged so that an angular movement imparted by the governor causes steam or 4
other fluid to produce a longitudinal movement for acting on a throttle valve, all
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 15 and 16 of the
accompanying Drawings.
7. The combination of a larger throttle valve with a smaller one, the latter
having a cylinder and piston block arrangement, in which an angular movement of
one part causes the opening or closing of the valve by the steam or fluid, and also
that of the larger throttle valve, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figure 17 of the accompanying Drawings.
8. The connecting of the throttle-valve spindle to an outlet stopcock, so that on
the former closing the latter may open to allow steam to escape from the cylinder 5
valve casing, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.

page_text: 9. The constructing of steering engines and small engines for moving the valve
gear of large engines, substantially in the improved manner herein before described
with reference to Figure 18 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Murdoch, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. MURDOCH. (L.S.)