IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VALVES FOR AIR AND OTHER PUMPS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Thomas Smith, of Lower Grange, Cardiff, in the
County of Glamorgan, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO VALVES FOR AIR AND OTHER PUMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Thomas Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st August 1879.
FRANCIS THOMAS SMITH, of Lower Grange, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VALVES FOR AIR AND OTHER
PUMPS."
My Invention is designed to do away with the old class of valve that has to rise
in a convex form and fall to a level, and which frequently gives out, causing con-
siderable loss of vacuum. It consists of a circular plate of brass or other suitable
metal, in which are a number of holes according to the size of the valve. Above and
beneath this plate I place india rubber, both portions uniting beyond the edge of
and also through the holes in the metal plate, the plate thus disposed forming with
the indiarubber a very rigid valve. I may make my valve concave, convex, or flat
(preferably flat) on the top and bottom, and of any required thickness. I bore the
said valve out centrally to fit freely on the guard, a metal bush being formed round
the central hole to allow it to work easily on the guard. I make the guard of brass
or other suitable metal, with ribs formed thereon and with intervening spaces, and
screw it on to a solid rod, hollow pipe, or stud, according to the manner in which
I wish to use the valve. The guard is of the same diameter as the valve, and its
height from the seat determines the lift of the said valve, which rises and falls ver-
tically in the usual manner.
To prevent any movement of the guard I fix it by means of a set screw, inter-
posing between the end of the screw and the thread on the rod or stud carrying the
guard, a metal cod piece, or key, which neatly fits into the guard. This key has a
screw thread formed on the surface presented to the rod or stud, and of the same
pitch as the screw thread on the rod or stud. I may also make my valve with a
metal (brass or other suitable metal) spindle upon one or both sides thereof.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Thomas Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
January 1880.
FRANCIS THOMAS SMITH, of Lower Grange, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VALVES FOR AIR AND OTHER
PUMPS."
My Invention is designed to do away with the old class of valve that has to rise
in a convex form and fall to a level, and which frequently gives out, causing con-
siderable loss of vacuum. It consists of a circular plate of brass or other suitable
metal, in which are a number of holes according to the size of the valve. Above and
beneath this plate I place india-rubber, both portions uniting beyond the edge of
and also through the holes in the metal plate, the plate thus disposed forming with
the india rubber a very rigid valve. I may make my valve concave, convex, or flat
(preferably flat) on the top and bottom, and of any required thickness. I bore the
said valve out centrally to fit freely on the guard, a metal bush being formed round
the central hole to allow it to work easily on the guard. I make the guard of brass
or other suitable metal, with ribs formed thereon and with intervening spaces, and
screw it on to a solid rod, hollow pipe, or stud, according to the manner in which
I wish to use the valve. The guard is of the same diameter as the valve, and its
height from the seat determines the lift of the said valve, which rises and falls ver-
cally in the usual manner. To prevent any movement of the guard I fix it by
means of a set screw, interposed between the end of the screw and the thread on
the rod or stud carrying the guard, a inetal cod piece or key, which neatly fits into
the guard. This key has a screw thread formed on the surface presented to the
rod or stud, and of the same pitch as the screw thread on the rod or stud. I
can also make my valve with a metal (brass or other suitable metal) spindle upon
one or both sides thereof. .
Having thus far described the nature of the said Invention and incidentally
intimated in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice,
I will now proceed (aided by the accompanying Drawings) to further and par-
ticularly describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows parts of guard and parts of valve. The guard is formed with ribs and
holes to let the water to and from top of valve. The cod piece marked a is fitted
into guard A like a key, and is screwed with the guard to fit a solid rod or hollow
pipe, so that it presents threads to the rod in place of the set pin seizing the rod,
thereby destroying the threads of the same. This set pin bears on the back of cod
piece, thus saving all trouble in getting the guard off, as in some cases the old guard
has to be cut off to save the rod. The dotted lines H show the core holes through
the metal heart or plate. The outer circular line 7 represents the diameter of the
rubber and the guard; the dotted line i the diameter of the metal heart or
plate; b shows the thickness of bush that travels on boss of guard, as shown in
Fig. 3.
Fig. 2 represents part of valve, the core hole H being of different shape to those
shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows section of valve and guard.
The guard is screwed on to a solid rod or hollow pipe, the boss of which deter-
mines the lift of valve. The lower part of the section is the face on which the valve
beats. a shows the depth of cod piece; H, the holes through plate C to unite the
rubber on both sides of the metal plate. Fig. 4 shows a square valve, the outer lines
representing the size of the valve, the dotted lines the size of the plate; H are the

page_text: holes of a round or long shape; A' are holes for studs on which the valve is made
to work. Bosses are formed on both sides of the brass plate C, as shown in Fig. 5
at B. Fig. 6 shows another form of valve and seat, having a brass plate in centre
of rubber similar to Fig. 3. The holes are the same as in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. This
form is made with or without stems, top, or bottom. The stems are cast with the
plate C, or fitted through the bosses of the brass plate with a pin fitted through the
stem and the boss, as shown in Fig. 7. In Figs. 1, 2, and 4 the valves lift
direct on the boss of the guard or on studs.
In Fig. 8 the valve works like a hinge on brass stems (or can be fitted on to a
pin). H are the holes through the plate C to unite the rubber on both sides of the
plate C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in and
Relating to Valves for Air and other Pumps," substantially as hereinbefore set forth
and described, in which Invention the following is an important point or feature,
namely: Rubber valves having working parts of brass or other metal, with a brass
or metal plate in centre.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Thomas Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
DAVID BROADFOOT MCCALLUM,
Bute Dks.,
Cardiff.
FRANCIS THOMAS SMITH. (L.S.)