IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morris, junior, of the Kent Waterworks,
Deptford, in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN VALVES."
Sealed the 19th July 1861, and dated the 8th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th February 1861.
I, WILLIAM MORRIS, junior, of the Kent Waterworks, Deptford, in the
County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VALVES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in valves. In constructing
valves, according to my Invention, I apply vulcanised india-rubber in such a
manner that the pressure of water or fluid which causes the valve to open is
compelled to extend the vulcanized india-rubber which forms the valve, and
not simply to bend or deflect it, as in valves heretofore constructed. The
vulcanized india-rubber being extended by the pressure, when the pressure is
withdrawn immediately springs back and closes the openings much more
promptly than if the valve closed only by its own weight, or by a pressure in
the opposite direction to the first; this prompt closing of the valves is very
important in pumps of large size. The following is the method in which I
prefer to arrange the valve, say, for example, that of a pump. It consists of

page_text: a cylinder closed at one end and open at the other to the source of supply; in
its periphery all around a number of slits or openings are formed, and over the
cylinder a ring of vulcanized india-rubber is sprung, and is secured at one
edge, or otherwise, to the cylinder; the vulcanized india-rubber ring is of
sufficient depth to cover closely the openings in the cylinder, and will thus
effectually prevent water or fluid passing from the exterior to the interior
thereof, but should there be a pressure of fluid within the cylinder, the
vulcanized india-rubber ring stretches and allows the fluid to pass through the
openings in the cylinder. For valves of large size I mount several cylinders,
all constructed as above described, and furnished with india-rubber rings one
over the other, the whole of the cylinders communicating interiorily the one
with the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORRIS, junior, of the Kent Waterworks, Deptford, in the County of Kent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Morris, Her special licence that I, the said William
Morris, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Morris, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Morris, 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 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Morris, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in valves. In constructing.
valves, according to my Invention, I apply vulcanized india-rubber in such a
manner that the pressure of water or fluid which causes the valve to open is
compelled to extend the vulcanized india-rubber which forms the valve, and
not simply to bend or deflect it, as in valves heretofore constructed. The
vulcanized india-rubber being extended by the pressure, when the pressure is
withdrawn immediately springs back and closes the opening much more
promptly than if the valve closed only by its own weight, or by a pressure in
the opposite direction to the first; this prompt closing of the valves is very
important in pumps of large size. The following is the method in which I
prefer to arrange the valve, say, for example, that of a pump. It consists
of a cylinder closed at one end and open at the other to the source of
supply; in its periphery all around a number of slits or openings are formed,
and over the cylinder a ring of vulcanized india-rubber is sprung, and is
secured at one edge, or otherwise, to the cylinder; the vulcanized india-rubber
ring is of sufficient depth to cover closely the openings in the cylinder, and will
thus effectually prevent water or fluid passing from the exterior to the interior
thereof, but should there be a pressure of fluid within the cylinder, the
vulcanized india-rubber ring stretches and allows the fluid to pass through the
openings in the cylinder. For valves of large size I mount several cylinders,
all constructed as above described, and furnished with india-rubber rings one
over the other, the whole of the cylinders communicating interiorly the one
with the other.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
I will cood to describe the Drawings hereunto.
341
Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, or
ump
constructed according to my Invention, and according to the arrangement I
prefer for pumps of considerable size.--
5 a, a, is the cylinder or barrel of the pump; b, the piston rod; c, the piston
or bucket keyed to the lower end of the piston rod, and packed in the usual
imanner; d is the seating for the valves, it consists of a series of cylinders
mounted one over the other, and the cylinders have slots or openings cut in

page_text: them all around their sides; the valve seating d fits into the upper part of the
passage through the bucket, and it is held down in its place by a nut screwed
on to the piston rod, and pressing on the top of the valve seating; e, e, are
the valves, they consist of rings of vulcanized india-rubber secured around the
cylinders of the valve seating by nipping rings f, f, which bind their lower
ends; these vulcanized india-rubber rings are of such a diameter naturally;
that they have to be slightly stretched to get them over their respective
cylinders. Figure 2 is a plan, partly in section, of the parts d and e. It will
be seen that the fluid in passing through the valve is compelled to stretch the
india-rubber; thus immediately the current of fluid ceases the valve closes
without waiting for the direction of the current to be reversed. Figure 3 is a
section of a valve box with an external view of a valve similar to that already
described, but adapted for use as a suction valve; in this Figure the valve is
open, the indian-rubber ring being extended by the pressure of the water which
is passing out from the interior of the cylinders through a series of holes, as
shewn at d. Figure 4 is a plan, partly in section, of the same. The cylindrical
valve seatings are here shewn perforated with circular holes, in place of having
slotted holes formed through them; this form is adopted when the lift of the
pump is high.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.