Improvements in Valves for Water, Steam, or other Liquids or Gases.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 3rd Dec.. 1891-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Water, Steam, or other Liquids or Gases.
I, Sir WILLIAM THOMSON, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University
of Glasgow, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
-
My present invention relates to improvements in detail and extended applications
of the invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me No. 5471, A.D. 1889.
In draw-off taps, stop-cocks, stop-cock check valves, or ball cocks, instead of the
pin through the valve working in closed ended slots in the can which is difficult to
remove and replace and may under certain circumstances become loose, I form upon
the side of the valves solid gudgeons. These gudgeons work in slots in the can,
each of which may consist of an upward slot from the lower edge of the can, a
horizontal slot from the upper end of the upward slot, and a downward slot to permit
of the required travel of the gudgeons and valve. Or I may omit the downward
slot and use only the vertical slot for the introduction of the gudgeons and the
horizontal slot made of sufficient depth to allow the necessary vertical motion
relatively to the can of the gudgeons and valve. For the purpose of preventing
the gudgeons from working out by the downward slot I place a key of wire or other
material in such a position as to close the latter slot.
The valves and gudgeons may be made in one piece by casting, drawing,
or stamping.
To produce pressure upon the valve while the latter is being ground at every
operation of closing and opening upon its seat, a spiral spring is used, having within
it the shank of a rivet-shaped piece of metal, the head of which is rounded and
bears centrally upon the back of the valve.
The spring bears on the step of the rivet head, and as the shank is guided by the
spring, the pressure of the rivet-head, notwithstanding the tendency of the spring
to produce greater pressure at one side than at another, is always central and
vertical.
An additional use of the rivet is to limit the compression of the spring as may
be desired.
In the application of my inventions to ball-cocks I may use my ordinary tap with
its turning stem actuated by a ball and lever as in the old ball and lever with
turning plug stop cock. I cause the rotary motion of the valve to continue upon
its seat, and thus produce the grinding effect described with reference to stop-
cocks in my aforesaid Letters Patent by making the ball lever during its upward
movement actuate a tumbling weight or weights, toggle spring or springs, or an
equivalent device, which on passing their balanced positions, move the valve further
round on its seat than the point at which the water is arrested.
During the next subsequent fall of the water in the cistern the ball-cock dis-
charges no water until it has reversed the tumbling weights or toggle springs or
equivalent devices, and has thus further ground the valve. When, however, the
reversal has taken place the valve is quickly opened to a considerable extent, and
the usual dribbling of a ball-cock may be thus prevented. Collaterally moreover
not only is this a great advantage in point of noise, but where the cistern is fed
through a meter of the inferential kind, or even of the positive kind if not in very
perfect order, the objection to the use of ordinary ball-cocks, arising from the
unrecorded passage of water, is entirely obviated.
I may produce the same effect in another way, without the tumbling weight or
toggle spring device, by a differential motion of the water in two separate compart-
ments of the same cistern, or in two separate cisterns with a communication between

page_text: them. For example the ball may be caused to float on the water of the smaller
division A, while the cock discharges into the larger division B. By this device,
when the cistern is falling, the water in division A is always lower than the water
in division B, and when the valve is closed division B continues to discharge into
division A, and thus causes the valve to turn upon its seat. The supply from the
cistern is taken out of division A, which empties comparatively quickly, and allows
the ball to fall rapidly.
When it is desired to give to the stem more turning motion than can be con
veniently given by an ordinary ball and lever, I may use a pulley actuated by a
pitch chain, or by two chains or cords attached to it, tightened on one side by a
Hoater or hollow weight, and on the other side by a solid weight.
In some cases, instead of my ordinary turning tap with its valve, I use a similar
valve mounted in a long tube, having two oblique grooves analogous to the grooves
of a rifled gun barrel, in which the projecting gudgeons slip.
A spiral spring or other springy arrangement presses between the back of the
valve and one end of the rifled tube. The valve is prevented from being pressed
out at the other end by a rim or stops at the ends of the slots attached to the tube.
This tube is so supported and guided that it is prevented from rotation and is moved
in one direction or the opposite when the ball or hollow weight in the cistern rises
or sinks. Thus the acting face of the valve is pressed against the open end of the
supply pipe, and when the rifled tube is pressed farther the obliquity of the grooves
causes the valve to turn round while continuing to press on the now closed end of
the supply pipe.
When it is required to prevent the escape of fluid round the screw, I use the
method described with reference to Figure 4 in the Specification of my aforesaid
Letters Patent with the following improvements:-
I. A single screw in the fixed part of the valve to serve both for the valve
chamber to turn in and for the cover to be screwed on by.
II. Instead of the fixed feather in the valve cover, I use a loose link pivoted to
the head of the valve cover and worked by a slot in the cone, or pivoted on the
cone and working in a slot on the valve cover.
III. An indicator and check to show whether the valve is open or closed, and to
prevent it being jammed by continuing too far the turning motion for opening the
valve. This indicator and check consists of a nut working on a screw on the stem
close to the handle, and prevented from turning by proper guides, and which when
the screw is turned in the direction for opening is caused to move until projections
upon it or check pieces moved by it prevent further motion of the handle.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1891.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Water, Steam, or other Liquids or Gases.
I. Sir WILLIAM THOMSON, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University
of Glasgow, North Britain, 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 :--
My present invention relates to improvements in detail and extended applications
of the invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me No. 5471, A.D. 1889.
In draw-off taps, stop-cocks, stop-cock check valves, or ball-cocks, instead of the
pin through the valve working in closed ended slots in the can which is difficult to
remove and replace, and may under certain circumstances become loose I form
upon the side of the valves solid gudgeons. These gudgeons work in slots in the
can, each of which may consist of an upward slot from the lower edge of the can,

page_text: a horizontal slot from the upper end of the upward slot, and a downward slot to
permit of the required travel of the gudgeons and valve. Or I may omit the
downward slot, and use only the vertical slot for the introduction of the gudgeons
and the horizontal slot made of sufficient depth to allow the necessary vertical
motion relatively to the can of the gudgeons and valve.
For the purpose of preventing the gudgeons from working out by the downward
slot I place a key of wire or other material in such a position as to close the latter
slot.
The valves and gudgeons may be made in one piece by casting, drawing, or
stamping.
To produce pressure upon the valve while the latter is being ground at every
operation of closing and opening upon its seat, a spiral spring is used, having
within it the shank of a rivet-shaped piece of metal, the head of which is rounded,
and bears centrally upon the back of the valve.
The spring bears on the step of the rivet head, and as the shank is guided
by the spring, the pressure of the rivet head, notwithstanding the tendency of
the spring to produce greater pressure at one side than at another, is always
central and vertical.
An additional use of the rivet is to limit the compression of the spring as may be
desired.
In the application of my invention to ball-cocks I may use my ordinary tap
with its turning stem actuated by a ball-and-lever, as in the old ball-and-lever
with turning plug stop-cock. I cause the rotary motion of the valve to continue
upon its seat, and thus produce the grinding effect described with reference to
stop-cocks in my aforesaid Letters Patent by making the ball-lever during
its upward movement actuate a tumbling weight or weights, toggle spring or
springs, or an equivalent device, which on passing their balanced positions,
move the valve further round on its seat than the point at which the water is
arrested.
During the next subsequent fall of the water in the cistern the ball-cock discharges
no water until it has reversed the tumbling weights or toggle springs or equivalent
devices, and has thus further ground the valve. When, however, the reversal has
taken place the valve is quickly opened to a considerable extent, and the usual
dribbling of a ball-cock may be thus prevented. Collaterally morcover not only
is this a great advantage in point of noise, but where the cistern is fed through a
meter of the inferential kind-or even of the positive kind if not in very perfect
order the objection to the use of ordinary ball-cocks, arising from the unrecorded.
passage of water, is entirely obviated.
I may produce the same effect in another way, without the tumbling weight or
toggle spring device, by a differential motion of the water in two separate compart-
ments of the same cistern, or in two separate cisterns with a communication between
then. For example the ball may be caused to float on the water of the smaller
division A, while the cock discharges into the larger division B. By this device
when the cistern is filling, the water in division A is always lower than the water
in division B, and when the valve is closed division B continues to discharge into
division A, and thus causes the valve to turn upon its seat. The supply from the
cistern is taken out of division A, which empties comparatively quickly and allows
the ball to fall rapidly.
When it is desired to give to the stem more turning motion than can be con-
veniently given by an ordinary ball and lever, I may use a pulley actuated by a
pitch chain, or by two chains or cords attached to it tightened on one side by a
Hoater or hollow weight, and on the other side by a solid weight.
When it is required to prevent the escape of fluid round the screw I use the
method described with reference to Figure 4 in the Specification of my aforesaid
Letters Patent with the following improvements
:-
1. A single screw in the fixed part of the valve to serve both for the valvo
chamber to turn in and for the cover to be screwed on by.
i

page_text: II. Instead of the fixed feather in the valve cover I use a loose link pivoted to
the head of the valve cover and worked by a slot in the cone, or pivoted on the cone
and working in a slot on the valve cover.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect have hereunto appended five explanatory sheets of drawings, in the
several figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 is a section of a draw-off tap.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the handle and outside screwed can of the tap.
Figures 3 and 4 are clevations, and Figure 5 a plan of the valve showing its
gudgeons.
Figure 6 shows the valve with rivet stop and spiral spring surrounding the shank
of the rivet. In this case the valve is hollowed out so that the rivet-head may
bear at a point nearer to the plane of contact between the valve and its seat than
would be the case if the valve were flat.
Figure 7 is a plan, and Figures 8 and 9 are elevations of the key for preventing
the valve coming out of the can.
Figure 10 is a plan, and Figure 11 an elevation of a ball-cock for supplying
cistern.
Figures 12, 13, 14 15 and 16 illustrate modifications of a ball-cock for supplying
cisterns.
Figure 17 illustrates the improvements in the stop-cock where it is desired to
prevent the escape of water round the screw.
In Figure 2, a is the slot formed in both sides of the can, consisting in this case
of an upward slot and a horizontal slot. In this figure the valve is shown in
position with its gudgeons c, Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 resting upon the horizontal part
or shoulder of the slot.
In Figure 1 the valve is shown in position with the rivet-shaped stop d and
spiral spring e. The underside of the spring e rests upon the shoulder of the rivet-
head, as shown at Figure 6; the upper side bears against the top of the can as
shown in Figure 1.
By turning the handle and can the valve is first screwed down to its seat; by
continuing the turning the spring is compressed and the valve pressed upon its
seat by the central pressure of the rivet-head. The turning is arrested by the top
of the can coming against the end of the shank of the rivet. During the process
of turning and compressing the spring the side of the slot comes in contact with the
gudgeons and causes the valve to turn while being pressed upon its seat.
In order
to cause this turning to- commence immediately the valve reaches its seat, and to
prevent the gudgeons getting into the lower part of the slot, the key f. Figures 1, 7,
8, 9, is used.
It is formed from a flat piece of metal as shown in Figures 7 and 8,
and its use will be understood by the following description of the method of setting
up the valve in the can.
The spring is first placed in the can. The rivet follows; then the key, as in
Figure 8. Next the valve is inserted, pressed in, and turned until its gudgeons
rest on the horizontal portions or shoulders of the slots. Lastly the arms of the
key are bent down as in Figures 1 and 9 so as to lie in the slots. The valve is
now perfectly keyed, but may be withdrawn at any time by slightly raising the
arms of the key to allow the gudgeons to pass them.
In Figures 10 and 11 an illustration is given of an application of my invention
to ball-cocks for cisterns.
A long arm is keyed on to the stem y of the stop-cock. This arm has a
float at the end, the rising or falling of which with the rise or fall of water in the
cistern closes or opens the stop-cock.
In order to cause the rotary motion of the valve to continue on its seat and thus
produce the grinding effect, the.ball lever is made hollow as shown at Figures 10
and and contains a heavy ball i free to roll from one end of the lever to the
When the lever-rises so as to slope up from the cock the ball i runs down
other.

page_text: to the stop-cock end, and the float being lightened, rises higher in the water and
causes the valve to turn on its seat after the flow of water has been stopped.
By the drawing, Sheet 3, Figures 12 and 13, I illustrate a typical arrangement,
for carrying out the application of my invention to ball-cocks.
C
a and are two cisterns of different capacities; a the larger, the smaller. On
the valve spindle of the cock is keyed or fixed a spur wheel e, which gears into a
rack d fixed on a ball-float 4. The rise and fall of the ball causes the valve in the
cock to be closed and opened. When water is drawn off from the cistern b
through outlet g the ball falls, and being geared into the spur wheel fixed on the
spindle of the valve c, causes the valve to open and water to pass into the tank a.
The water then runs through the small hole into the cistern, and the float
continues to rise until the valve is shut off. At the moment of shutting off the
valve the water level in the tank a is above the level in the tank b. The water in
the tank will pass into the tank until both are at the same level. This con-
tinued upward motion causes the valve to rotate upon its seat after the-manner
described in my former Patent.
In Sheet 4, Figures 14 and 15 cause the rotary motion of the valve to continue
upon its seat by means of a balance weight w. The arrangement shown in the
drawing is similar to that shown in Sheet 3, and consists of a ball float on which are
fixed two brackets which carry the rack d, the lower end of which is slotted,
and through which slot the pin or bolt g passes.
On the valve spindle is fixed or keyed a weighted lever w.
In the figure
the lever is shown at its vertical position and the float just ready to shut off the
valve.
When the weight w is past its balanced position it falls over, shown by dotted
lines to position g, and by means of the spur wheel the rack is pulled up until
the lower end of the slot strikes the pin
or bolt
9. This canses the valve to be
rotated upon its seat. When the water falls the weight of the ball is sufficient to
overcome the weight of the lever, and thus open the valve.
Figure 16 is another modification of a stop-cock for supplying cisterns. When
the cistern is nearly empty and being rapidly drawn off, the can B is resting on the
bottom of the cistern and holding the cock C open. The cock C is discharging
into the can B, and the can B is discharging into the cistern A through the
syphon D or by overflow. When the discharge from the cistern diminishes or
ceases, the water beginning to rise in the cistern floats the can B, which rises
with it and closes the cock C. The water remaining in the can B continues to
be discharged into the cistern through the syphon D, while the counterbalance
weight E lifts the constantly lightening can B higher, and in the process of
doing so turns the cock C still further and burnishes the valve upon its seat.
When water is drawn from the full cistern the cock C does not at first open:
but as it falls the can B falls with it, again turning the cock and burnishing the
valve upon its seat. When at length the valve slightly opens and charges the
can B that can more rapidly sinks and soon opens the cock full.
When it is required to prevent the escape of fluid round the screw I use a stop
cock, as represented in Figure 17. Instead of the usual stuffing box and packing
I employ a metal cone to which the cross handle g is attached, and which is
kept pressed into its conical seat in the cover c of the valve chamber by means of
bent spring washers s.
A single screw a a in the fixed part of the valve serves both for the valve
chamber to turn in, and for the cover c to be screwed on by. I use a loose
link d, one end of which is held loosely in a slot in the cone while the other end
falls into a slot in the top of the valve chamber b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1 In a ston-cock the combination of a valve having and weons working in a slot.

page_text: with a spiral spring and rivet stop arranged substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 to 6.
2. In a stop-cock with a valve and gudgeons working in a slot, the method of
keying the valve in position substantially as described.
3. In ball-cocks for cisterns the arrangements for causing the valve to turn on
its seat after the flow of water has been stopped, substantially as described and
illustrated at Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.
4. In stop-cocks where it is desired to prevent the escape of water round
the screw the loose link Figure 17 and the single screw in the fixed part of
the valve which serves for the valve chamber to turn in and for the cover to
be screwed on by.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1891.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.