SLIDE AND SLUICE VALVES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Charles Church, of No. 14, Trinity Square, Brixton,
in the County of Surrey, for an Invention of
SLIDE AND SLUICE VALVES."
" IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said Walter Charles Church at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1880.
WALTER CHARLES CHURCH, of No. 14, Trinity Square, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR SLIDE AND SLUICE VALVES."
In the Specifications of Letters Patent granted to me on the 21st February 1872,
No. 563, and on the 19th August 1872, No. 2469, I described a construction of
circular slide or sluice valve which was caused to move by means of a circular loop
or eye embracing the valve or a boss thereon, the valve having freedom to turn
round within the said loop or eye so that by alteration of the rubbing surfaces their
wear might be rendered uniform. My present Invention relates to means of
effecting the rotation of such valves within the loops or eyes which move them, so
that as they are made to slide in either direction they are also caused to turn round
always in one direction, the alteration of rubbing surfaces and the consequent
distribution of wear being thus rendered continuous and uniform. For this purpose
I make the loop or eye so as loosely to fit the circular valve or the circular boss
which it embraces, except in two places opposite to one another, about midway
between the longitudinal and the transverse centre lines of the valve, and I
provide at opposite sides of the jacket or casing in which the valve works straight
surfaces along which its circular edge can roll, the width between those surfaces
being sufficiently greater than the diameter of the valve to allow of free movement
of the valve between them. When the eye is moved in the one direction, the one
fitting part of it while it tends to push the valve longitudinally forwards presses it
also somewhat transversely, causing one side of its periphery to roll along the one
lateral surface; and in like manner when the eye is moved in the other direction,
the other fitting part of it while it tends to push the valve longitudinally backwards,
presses it also somewhat transversely, causing the opposite side of its periphery to
roll along the other lateral surface. Thus, whether the valve is moved backwards
or forwards it is caused to turn round within the loop or eye always in the same
direction. The fitting parts of the loop or eye may be in one piece with the rest of
Diss C31

page_text: it, or they may be separate pieces fixed in it. Also, instead of mere fitting parts
which rub against the valve it is of advantage to substitute antifriction rollers
mounted on the loop or eye in such positions that while one of these rollers bears
against and rolls along one of the lateral surfaces of the jacket or casing the valve
itself is caused to bear against and roll along the opposite lateral surface. According
to a modified construction, the rollers instead of being mounted on the loop or eye
may be mounted on the valve itself, and for this purpose there are a number of
such rollers spaced uniformly round the valve, so that one or other of these shall
always be bearing against one of the fitting parts of the loop or eye.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter Charles Church in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
July 1880.
WALTER CHARLES CHURCH, of No. 14, Trinity Square, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCULAR SLIDE AND SLUICE VALVES."
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 21st February 1872,
No. 563, and on the 19th August 1872, No. 2469, I described a construction of
circular slide or sluice valve which was caused to move by means of a circular loop
or eye embracing the valve or a boss thereon, the valve having freedom to turn
round within the said loop or eye, so that by alteration of the rubbing surfaces their
wear might be rendered uniform. My present Invention relates to means of
effecting the rotation of such valves within the loops or eyes which move them, so
that as they are made to slide in either direction they are also caused to turn round
always in one direction, the alteration of rubbing surfaces and the consequent
distribution of wear being thus rendered continuous and uniform. For this purpose
I make the loop or eye so as loosely to fit the circular valve or the circular boss
which it embraces, except in two places opposite to one another, about midway
between the longitudinal and the transverse centre lines of the valve, and I
provide at opposite sides of the jacket or casing in which the valve works straight
surfaces along which its circular edge can roll, the width between those surfaces
being sufficiently greater than the diameter of the valve to allow of free movement
of the valve between them. When the eye is moved in the one direction the one
fitting part of it while it tends to push the valve longitudinally forwards presses it
also somewhat transversely, causing one side of its periphery to roll along the one
lateral surface; and in like manner when the eye is moved in the other direction,
the other fitting part of it while it tends to push the valve longitudinally backwards
presses it also somewhat transversely, causing the opposite side of its periphery to
roll along the other lateral surfaces. Thus, whether the valve is moved backwards
or forwards it is caused to turn round within the loop or eye always in the same
direction. The fitting parts of the loop or eye may be in one piece with the rest of
it, or they may be separate pieces fixed in it. Also, instead of mere fitting parts

page_text: which rub against the valve, it is of advantage to substitute antifriction rollers
mounted on the loop or eye in such positions that while one of these rollers bears
against and rolls along one of the lateral surfaces of the jacket or casing the valve
itself is caused to bear against and roll along the opposite lateral surface. According
to a modified construction, the rollers instead of being mounted on the loop or eye
may be mounted on the valve itself, and for this purpose there are a number of
such rollers spaced uniformly round the valve, so that one or other of these shall
always be bearing against one of the fitting parts of the loop or eye,
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itself is caused to bear against and roll along the opposite lateral surface. According
to a modified construction, the rollers instead of being mounted on the loop or eye
may be mounted on the valve itself, and for this purpose there are a number of
such rollers spaced uniformly round the valve, so that one or other of these shall
always be bearing against one of the fitting parts of the loop or eye,
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a back view of a circular slide arranged to operate according to my
Invention; Fig. 1a is a side view thereof, and Fig. 1b is a transverse section of the
loop or eye of the rod which works it; Figs. 2, 24, and 2b, and Figs. 3, 3, and 3b,
are similar views shewing. two modifications of the arrangement; and Figs. 4, 4ª,
and 4b, are back, side, and end views shewing another modification.
In all these Figures like parts are marked by similar letters of reference. A is the
circular slide which is enclosed in the eye or loop B of the slide rod C, by the
reciprocation of which the slide is moved to and fro over the port faces. According
to the arrangement shewn in Figs. 1, 1, and 1b, the eye B fits the circular boss of
the slide only in two opposite parts D1, D2, situated about midway between the
longitudinal and transverse diameters of the eye, and the slide jacket is made with
two opposite straight surfaces E³, E, almost touching the circular flange of the
slide. When the slide rod moves in the direction of the arrow F¹ the slide is pressed
on by the part of the eye marked D¹, and consequently its flange is borne against
the straight face E¹, the frictional contact causing it, as it moves longitudinally, to
roll along E¹ so that it partly revolves within the eye in the direction of the
arrows G. Again, when the slide rod makes its back stroke in the direction
indicated by the arrow F2, the slide is pressed by the part D³ of the eye and thus
its flange is borne against the opposite surface E2 causing it to roll, and therefore to
revolve within the eye in the same direction G as before. Thus, at every stroke of
the slide rod in both directions the slide is caused to turn partly round always in
one direction, so that its rubbing surface and the port face on which it works are
subjected to uniform wear. When the slide reciprocates vertically the eye may be
lubricated from a stationary oil pipe H working freely in an oil hole I, or when
the slide works in an inverted attitude it may be lubricated by a passage K.
In the arrangement shewn in Figs. 2, 2, and 2b, a number of rollers L mounted
on the slide bear successively against the parts D1, D2, of the eye causing the flange
of the slide to roll alternately along the straight bearing strips E', E', which project
inwards from the opposite sides of the slide jacket. The eye B is itself guided
along straight faces M, M, formed on the sides of the jacket. When the slide works
horizontally oil is introduced by an oil hole I opening to a cavity J formed in the
upper side of the eye, which cavity slopes down both ways to a central oil hole.
In Figs. 3, 3, and 3b, the fitting parts D1, D2, of the eye B are separate pieces let
into the eye and secured therein by rivets or otherwise, so that when they are worn
they can be removed and fresh pieces can be substituted for them. The lubricant,
when the slide works horizontally, may be introduced by an oil hole I opening into
a cavity J in the eye, or when the slide works vertically the lubricant may be
introduced by a stationary oil pipe H supplying a cavity J'. According to the
arrangement shewn in Figs. 4, 4, and 4b, the eye B has mounted on it two opposite
rollers P1, P2, which cause the partial revolution of the slide at each stroke. Thus,
when the slide rod moves in the direction of the arrow F¹ the roller P¹ is made to
bear against the surface E³, and also against the boss of the slide pushing the flange
of the slide against E', and the frictional contact of the roller with the slide boss,
and of the side flange with E' conspire to cause partial rotation of the slide in the
direction of the arrows G. When again the slide rod moves in the direction F the

page_text: the roller På operates in a similar manner, causing farther rotation of the slide in
the same direction as before.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed I claim,—
First. Producing rotation of a circular slide or sluice valve within the eye which
causes it to reciprocate by directing the pressure of the eye obliquely on the valve
so as to press it transversely against a surface along which it rolls as it moves
longitudinally, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Second. The combination of the circular slide A, the eye B, and its two diagonally
opposite fitting parts D1, D2, with the two opposite rolling faces E¹, E³, of the slide
jacket, as herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 1º, and 1º, and Figs. 3, 3ª, and 3º,
of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The combination of the circular slide A and rollers L, the eye B, and its
two diagonally opposite fitting parts D1, D2, with the two opposite rolling surfaces
E¹, E, as described with reference to Figs. 2, 2*, and 2b.
Fourth. The combination of the circular slide A, the eye B, and its two diagonally
opposite rollers P1, P2, with the two opposite rolling faces E¹, E2, as described with
reference to Figs. 4, 40, and 4b.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Charles Church, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. C. CHURCH. (L.S.)