IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL VALVES FOR HIGH OR LOW PRESSURE WATER SERVICE AND FOR DRAWING ORE AED LIAWING " WATER SERVICE AND POR DRAWING OPD OTHER LIQUIDS." PROAL SPATION
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Butler, of Grove Iron Works, Ewer Street,
Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL VALVES FOR HIGH OR LOW PRESSURE
WATER SERVICE AND FOR DRAWING ORE AED LIAWING "
WATER SERVICE AND POR DRAWING OPD OTHER LIQUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Butler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the
13th August 1875.
I, GEORGE BUTLER, of Grove Iron Works, Ewer Street, Southwark,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL VALVES FOR HIGH OR Low
PRESSURE WATER SERVICE AND FOR DRAWING OFF OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention of improvements in ball valves has for its object
simplicity of construction and action, so that the valve cannot readily
get out of repair, and when a part becomes worn out it may be easily

page_text: replaced, ensuring a constant and uniform controlling power when
required, and preventing waste of water, more especially when "
stant" service is in use.
con-
In ordinary valves the pressure of water acts against the ball and valve
and prevents their rising, thereby increasing the liability to derange-
ment and preventing the regular action of the valve, but in my
improved arrangement the pressure of water assists the ball to rise
and acts with the valve so as to keep it on its scating.
My improved valve is constructed in the following manner:-I cast a
hollow casing or valve box open at three sides, one side terminating with
an external screw thread for connection to the service branch, the other
two openings are at opposite sides, and within them works the valve. In
the lower part of the casing and beneath the service branch is a
circular faced seating on which rests the valve; in the top of the
opening is screwed a cap which acts as a stop for the valve, and also
may be taken off when required to take out the valve for renewing the
valve leather. The spindle is in two pieces, the upper one terminating
at the upper end with a head to act as a guide, and at the lower end
with a washer to receive the leather; the lower piece terminates at its
top end with a screw and washer for attachment to the upper piece, and
to clip the leather between them; the lower part of the spindle is
spread out to form two cars; between them is passed the ball lever,
and fixed to them by a pin.. From the lower part of the casing project
two cars to carry the fulcrum pin of the lever; the ball at the outer
end of the lever is weighted to ensure its falling when there is no
pressure of water against the under side; when the ball falls through
want of water in the cistern or tank it lifts the valve and allows of the
admission of water until the tank is filled, when the ball rises and draws
the valve down on to its seat; the pressure of water then being on
the top of the valve the leather is pressed tightly down on its seating
and no leakage can possibly occur.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Butler in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BUTLER, of Grove Iron Works, Ewer Street, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Butler, Her special license
that I, the said George Butler, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Butler, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BALL VALVES FOR HIGH OR LOW PRESSURE WATER SERVICE AND FOR DRAWING
OFF OTHER LIQUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Butler, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Butler, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
My Invention of improvements in ball valves has for its object
simplicity of construction and action, so that the valve cannot readily
get out of repair, and when a part becomes worn out it may be easily
replaced, ensuring a constant and uniform controlling power when

page_text: required, and preventing waste of water, more especially when "con-
stant" service is in use.
In ordinary valves the pressure of water acts against the ball and valve
and prevents their rising, thereby increasing the liability to derange-
ment and preventing the regular action of the valve, but in my
improved arrangement the pressure of water assists the ball to rise
and acts with the valve so as to keep it on its seating.
My improved valve is constructed in the following manner :-I cast a
hollow casing or valve box open at each end and at one side, the side
opening terminating with an external screw thread for connection to
the service branch; the other two openings are at opposite ends, and
within them works the valve. In the lower part of the casing and
beneath the service branch is a circular faced seating on which rests
the valve. In the top of the opening is screwed a cap which acts as a
stop for the valve, and also may be taken off when required to take
out the valve for renewing the valve packing. The spindle is in two
pieces, the upper part terminating at its upper end with a head or pro-
longed spindle to act as a guide, and at the lower end with a washer to
receive the packing. The lower piece terminates at its top end with a
screw and washer for attachment to the upper picce, and to clip the
packing between them; the lower part of the spindle is spread out to
form two cars; between them is passed the ball lever and attached
to them by a pin. From the lower part of the casing project two cars
to carry the fulcrum pin of the lever; the ball at the outer end of the
lever is weighted to ensure its falling when there is no pressure of water
against the under side; when the ball falls through want of water in
the cistern or tank it lifts the valve and allows of the admission of water
until the tank is filled, when the ball rises and draws the valve down on
its seating the pressure of the water then being on the top of the
valve the packing is pressed tightly down on to its seating and no
leakage can possibly occur.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood and more
readily carried into operation, I will now proceed to describe the Sheet
of Drawings hereunto annexed, in which,-
Figure 1 represents an outside elevation of my improved valve,
showing the connection of the lever with the spindle and cars on the
casing.

page_text: Figure 2 represents a section through the centre of the valve shewing
a circular headed guide and circular holes in the spindle, this arrange-
ment gives a slightly oscillating movement to the valve in closing so as
to gradually close on to its seating.
Figure 3 represents another arrangement in which the spindle is pro-
longed at the top and works up and down a hole in the cap which acts
as a guide instead of a circular head, and the lower part of the spindle
has a slot instead of a circular hole, so as to allow the valve to close
vertically on its seating. The slot may, if desired, be made in the lever
instead of the spindle if desired. The slotted end may be used in con-
junction with the circular headed guide if preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
my Invention and how the same may be carried into operation, I would
have it understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the hercin-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The use and application of a water pressure valve as hċrcin-
before described and illustrated by Figure 2 of the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings.
And, Second. The use and application of a water pressure valve or
any mere modification of the same, as hercin-before described and illus-
trated by Figure 3 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Butler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 12th day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
GEORGE BUTLER. (L.S.)
23, Southampton Buildings,
London.