IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of No. 1, Scrlc Street, Lincoln's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES." - A communication from abroad by
Gerard Sickels and John Hill Thorndike, of Boston, Massachusetts,
in the United States of America.
Scaled the 14th June 1870, and dated the 25th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th March 1870.
I, BRISTOW HUNT, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES," (a communication to me from abroad
by Gerard Sickels and John Hill Thorndike, of Boston, Massachusetts,
in the United States of America,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements on the Invention described
in the Specification of certain Letters Patent granted to me bearing
date the 20th day of July 1969, No. 2261, which Invention was a com-

page_text: munication to me from the above-named Gerard Sickels and John Hill
Thorndike.
It has been found that while the valve described in the Specification
above mentioned works well and is correct under ordinary circumstances,
yet in certain specific uses to which it is put, in a water meter, for
instance, it is desirable to have a more positive as well as a greater
certainty of action.
The present Invention so far as the movement and construction of
the valve and its relation to ports and its functions are concerned is the
same as the one above mentioned, but it has for its object the rendering
of the action of the valve more certain and positive. While in theory
the construction of the old valve is correct, in practice it is faulty for the
action is too uncertain as there is danger of the valve resting while
the lever is directly under its centre.
This Invention consists in applying a swivel surface to the index side
of the balance valve, and a post or lever swivelled at the bottom but
moving at the top and provided with a rolling or smooth top, and playing
between the arms of a movable frame to which is attached the valve stem.
This frame is moved from side to side by the valve stem, and the arms
of the frame catch against the flange or journal of the swivelled post or
lever and carry the latter against the swivel under the valve, raising
the valve and its case and opening and closing the ports. These three
parts, namely, the swivel, the swivelled post or lever, and the movable
frame carrying the latter, constitute the essential features of this
Invention.
The operation is as follows:-Steam or water being admitted by the
inlet pipe will enter through the upper opening of the sliding block
and pass through one of the ports and its connecting passage into the
cylinder where it propels the piston, while the exhaust passing through
the other port and its connecting passage into the sliding block under-
neath the valve will be removed through the discharge pipe. The valve
stem now moving carries the frame above mentioned with it, and the
jaws or arms of the same striking the projections or journals of the
swivelled lever throw the roller surface of the same towards the centre
of the sliding block, raising the latter and with it the valve.
tinued motion carrying the roller beyond the centre will
valve to drop quickly toward the exhaust port until arrested by a pro-
jection striking against a projection of the sliding block, thus reversing
The con-
allow the

page_text: the position of the valve and permitting the steam or water to enter
through the port, herein-before called the exhaust port, and its passage
into the cylinder, and propel the piston back again, the first-mentioned
port now acting as the exhaust. But the roller surface must pass
beyond the centre of the valve before the pressure of steam weight of
water upon the upper side of valve or balance of valve will cause the
depression necessary to close the port, and it is in this latter connection
that the old valve (before mentioned) has been found to be uncertain
in its action, for if the pressure from the motor was slight the valve
might rest upon the centre.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRISTOW
HUNT, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-third year of Iler reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Bristow Hunt, Her special licence,
that I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 VALVES,"
being a communication to me from abroad by Gerard Sickels and John
Hill Thorndike, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Bristow
Hunt, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the saune was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed

page_text: 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 Bristow Hunt, do hereby declaro
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 in writing, and on reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements on the Invention described in
the Specification of certain Letters Patent granted to me bearing date
the Twenty-sixth day of July One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine, No. 2201, which Invention was a communication to me from the
above-named Gerard Sickels and John Hill Thorndike.
It has been found that while the valve described in the Specification
above mentioned works well and is correct under ordinary circumstances,
yet in certain specific uses to which it is put, in a water meter, for
instance, it is desirable to have a more positive as well as a greater
certainty of action.
The present Invention so far as the movement and construction of
the valve and its relation to ports and its functions are concerned is the
same as the one above mentioned, but it has for its object the rendering
of the action of the valve more certain and positive. While in theory
the construction of the old valve is correct, in practice it is faulty,
for the action is too uncertain as there is danger of the valve resting
while the lever is directly under its centre; this will be more fully
explained herein-after.
This Invention consists in applying a swivel surface to the index side
of the balance valve, and a post or lever swivelled at the bottom,
but moving at the top and provided with a rolling or smooth top, and
playing between the arms of a movable frame to which is attached the
valve stem. This frame is moved from side to side by the valve stem,
and the arms of the frame catch against the flange or journal of the
swivelled post or lever, and carry the latter against the swivel under the
valve, raising the valve and its case, and thereby opening and closing
the required ports. These three parts, namely, the swivel, the swivelled
post or lever, and the movable frame carrying the latter, constitute the
essential features of this Invention.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Im-

page_text: provements in Valves," I will now proceed to describe more in detail
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be
distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings
illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters
of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation.
thereof, that is to say :-
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 represents a plan
view of the improvements; Figure 2, a vertical section through the line
|1–2, Figure 1; and Figures 3, 4, and 5 are detailed views.
A is the valve chest with exhaust pipe B and passages a, a', leading
to the ends of a cylinder and inlet pipe C at the top. D is the sliding
block with a cylindrical inside; it is provided with an opening band
ports c, c', and is made open at the lower side d. The valve E fits
snugly inside the sliding block D, and is supported with the circular
ends in corresponding openings in block. are projections at the
lower portion of circular openings in ends of block D. The lower side
of valve E is provided with a swivel S concave on its under side. Lis
a post oscillating in pivot p situated below the line of the valve stem G;
this post or lever is provided with a roller or convex surface i. H is a
frame, to the sides of which is attached the valve stem; the ends arc
provided with arms m, m, which guide and actuate by movement of
valve stem G the oscillating post L. These three parts, the swivel S,
post or lever L, and frame H, constitute the essential features of these
improvements.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Steam or water being
admitted by the inlet pipe C will enter through the upper opening b,
the sliding block D, and pass through the port c and its connecting
passage a into the cylinder, where it propels the piston, while the exhaust
passing through the other port c' and its connecting passage a' (the
passage first) into the sliding block D underneath the valve, will be
removed through the discharge pipe B. The valve stem G now moving
carries the frame H along with it, and
striking the projections or journals
roller surface i of the same towards the centre of the sliding block D,
raising the latter and with it the valve E. The continued motion
carrying the roller & beyond the centre will allow the valve E to drop
quickly towards the exhaust port c' until arrested by the sides of the
the jaws or arms of the same
of the swivelled lever throw the

page_text: recess in, striking against one or more projections of the sliding
block D, thus reversing the position of the valve and permitting the
steam or motor to enter through the port c', herein-before called the
exhaust port, and its passage a¹ into the cylinder, and propel the piston
back again, the first-mentioned port now acting as the exhaust; but
the roller surface i must pass beyond the centre of the valve before the
pressure of steam or weight of water upon the upper side of valve, or
balance of valve, will cause the depression necessary to close the port.
And it is in this latter connection that the old valve (before mentioned)
has been found to be uncertain in its action, for if the pressure from the
motor was slight the valve might rest upon the centre, and thus defeat
the object sought in some instances, especially in water meters, when it
is desirable to register the quantity of motor passing the valve, for there
was so little friction to the valve that while it rested upon the centre it
might trip by increased motor. Now this defect is overcome by the in-
troduction of the swivel S and the construction of lever L as shown, and
the use of frame H. The lever L is pivoted at p, allowing its upper
end to oscillate, as shown and described.
The action and operation of the roller surface i upon the swivel S is
peculiar and important. Take, for example, the position of the valve
and lever as shown in Figure 2. As soon as the lever starts its roller
surface comes against the edge of the swivel; as the lever advances it
raises the valve and block gradually; when the roller nearly reaches
the centre the swivel S changes its relative position to the valve, and its
arm S' is caused to bear against the under surface of the valve, so that
at the time the roller is directly on the centre it is crowding against the
side S' of swivel, while the swivel assumes with the lever the condition
of a link or knuckle joint, and is crowding with its joint S" the valve E
in the opposite direction from that being traversed by the lever, and
the valve E does not move until the side S₁ of swivel comes in contact
with the under surface of the valve E, nor does the lever L travel the
space between the jaws m till the valve E starts.
But there is this advantage over a link or knuckle joint proper, the
devices shown and herein explained and described do not possess the
rigidity of the former, and of course are susceptible of more delicate
action. The construction shown and described insures a continued
movement of the valve E without the least possibility of a
upon tho
centre for the jaws m bearing against the roller journal as long as
halt

page_text: there is the slightest movement of the piston by the passage of the least
amount of motor the level L must travel, and the valve E operate
accordingly. With this construction water may drop only from the
discharge pipe, still the valve will operate, and the quantity passing be
accurately registered by devices in common use and well known, and
therefore which need not be herein explained. It is not a necessity that
the post L should be provided with a roller i, as shown, as the top may
be a convex surface and may form part of the post.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention
for "Improvements in Valves," together with the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention com-
municated to me by the above-named Gerard Sickels and John Hill
Thorndike,
Firstly. The swivel S in combination with the valve E.
Secondly. The combination of the swivel S and the valve E with the
lever or oscillating post L.
Thirdly. The construction of the oscillating post or lever L.
Fourthly. The combination of the post or lever L with the frame II,
having shoulders or jaws m, m.
Fifthly. The combination of the post L, frame II, and valve E,
provided with the swivel S.
And, lastly. The combination of the post L, frame II, and valve E,
provided with swivel S, with block D, and valve stem G, all substantially
as herein-before described and as illustrated on the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
BRISTOW HUNT. (L.S.)