Improvements in Automatic Valve Apparatus for Water Pipes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Valve Apparatus for Water Pipes.
I, JOHN BARR, of the Glenfield Company Kilmarnock, Limited, of Kilmarnock,
in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to provide improved and reliable valve
apparatus constructed so as to automatically close a main or other pipe conveying
water, whenever the pressure of the water becomes greatly lowered through the
bursting of a pipe or other cause. The automatically operating valve may be
either a sluice valve, or an equilibrium or double-beat valve, or any other suitable
known kind of valve. For moving the valve a cylinder with piston is provided,
and is arranged to act by means of devices acted on by the pressure in the main
or water pipe. The constructive details of the apparatus are susceptible of
considerable variation to suit different cases and requirements; but my invention
will be fully understood from the following description of three modifications or
examples which are shown on two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings.
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, of the drawings is a sectional elevation of one
modification of my improved apparatus as arranged with a sluice or sliding
valve.
Figure, 2, on Sheet, 2, is a sectional elevation of a second modification of the
apparatus as arranged with an equilibrium valve.
Figure, 3, is a sectional elevation of a third modification having a sluice or
sliding valve, but with the means for controlling the action of the cylinder varied
from the corresponding parts of the first and second modifications.
In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
In Figure, 1, only the outside of the sluice box or valve box, A, is shown the
internal parts being of any suitable known construction, an arrangement having
antifriction rollers being preferred. Connected by stays, B, to the valve box
there is a cylinder, C, having in it a piston, D, fixed on a prolongation of the
valve spindle, E. Connected to the opposite ends of the cylinder, C, there are
pipes, F, connected to a four-way valve, G, which has fixed on its plug a lever, H,
placed so as to be acted on by a projection on a bar, J, which is fixed to a
plunger, K, working in a cylinder, L, the bar, J, working through an upper guide
in a bracket fixed to the cylinder, C, and being loaded with weights adapted for
the pressure at which the apparatus is intended to operate. The bottom of the
cylinder, L, is connected by a pipe, M, to the part, N, of the main through which
the water flows after passing the sluice valve. When there is normal or full
pressure in the main the plunger, K, is raised up in the position in which it is
shown in the figure; but on the pressure in the main becoming diminished in
.consequence of the bursting of a pipe or other cause the plunger, K, is made to
descend by the load on it, and the bar, J, acts ou the lever, H, of the four-way
valve in a manner to cause water under pressure to act on the upper or outer side
of the piston, D, and make it close the sluice valve. The four-way valve box, G,
has connected to it supply and exhaust branch pipes (not shown) and when water
is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder, C, it passes off from the other end,
but at a comparatively slow rate depending on the size of the pipes, F, so that the
sluice valve is not closed too quickly or with concussive effect."

page_text: The lever, H, of the four-way valve, G, is moved up again by hand, the
projection which is jointed to the bar, J, being held back for the lever to pass.
When the bar, J, rises the projection slips past the lever, H, and afterwards
assumes its proper acting position.
Instead of the supply pipe to the four-way valve, G, being connected to the
part, N, it may be connected to the part, Z, of the main on the inlet side of the
sluice valve, A, or to a separate main or branch water pipe. The separate main
may be under a higher pressure, and be used as a power main for the purpose of
operating the valves on the route. In situations where a low head or other
circumstance renders it necessary a hand pump may be used to generate pressure
to raise the piston and sluice valve. In some instances it may be found necessary
to make the piston a loaded one.
In the modification shown in Figure, 2, the equilibrium valve, Q, which is
shown in section has its spindle, E, connected to a lever, R, the other end of
which is connected to the weighted rod, J, of a piston, K, working in a cylinder, L,
which has its bottom end connected by a pipe, M, to a part, N, of the water main
or pipe through which the water flows after passing the valve, Q. On a diminution
of pressure occurring in the part, N, of the main, and in the cylinder, L, the
lever, R, is moved by the weights on the spindle, J, so as to close the valve, Q,
a stopcock or valve, S, on the pipe, M, serving for regulating the passage and
consequently the speed at which the apparatus will work.
The modification shown in Figure, 3, differs from that shown in Figure, 1, and
hereinbefore described in the means for moving the four-way valve, G. The
action on the valve is derived from the increased velocity of the water which
occurs when there is a diminution of resisting pressure from the bursting of a pipe
or other cause. A vane or paddle, T, is arranged so as to be acted on by the
current of water passing through the pipe, being fixed on the end of a lever, U,
which is fixed on a spindle, V, near the outer end of a casing, W, fixed to the
water main or pipe, N. The spindle, V, extending out through a stuffing box has
fixed on it a bell-crank lever, X, one arm of which is suitably weighted, whilst the
other arm is made with a catch which ordinarily holds up a weighted lever, Y,
fixed on the valve plug. When the velocity of flow in the pipe, N, exceeds what
the bell crank lever, X, is loaded for that lever moves so as to release, the
lever, Y, and thereby causes the four-way valve to admit water to the upper end
of the cylinder, C, which brings about the closing of the sluice valve.
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 :-
In apparatus for automatically closing a water-pipe valve on the occurrence of
diminished pressure from the bursting of a pipe or other cause, the combination
with the valve of a cylinder and piston the action of which is brought about by a
small valve moved by a weight the descent of which is due to the diminished
pressure, the parts of the apparatus being constructed and arranged substantially
in any of the modes herein before described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of June 1896.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.