IMPROVE- MENTS IN DIMINISHING VALVES AND UNIONS OR JOINTS FOR STEAM, WATER, AND OTHER PIPES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Royle, of 71, Market Street, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DIMINISHING VALVES AND UNIONS OR JOINTS FOR STEAM, WATER,
AND OTHER PIPES."
Sealed the 18th April 1879, and dated the 30th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Royle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1878.
JOHN JAMES ROYLE, of 71, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIMINISHING VALVES AND
UNIONS OR JOINTS FOR STEAM, WATER, AND OTHER PIPES."
My improvements in diminishing valves consist in arranging a valve box with
an internal division fitted with a valve; the spindle of this valve passes through a
stuffing box, and is connected outside to one extremity of a metallic tube, by
preference of zinc although other metal might be substituted; this expanding tube
is held rigidly at its other end, so that in case of its expanding in length the valve
is thereby closed. I connect the reduced pressure side of the same valve box with
the inside of the expanding tube, and control the communication between the two
by a safety valve set to open when the desired reduced pressure is exceeded, the
escape of steam in this case serves by imparting its heat to the expanding tube to
lengthen the same and so to close the valve, and thus I obtain a diminishing valve,
possessing great certainty of action, and which can be rendered more sensitive by
arranging the expanding tube to dip into and communicate internally with a vessel
of water.
Instead of the low pressure side of the valve being in communication with an
expanding tube as aforesaid, I sometimes connect the same to an open bottomed
inverted vessel capable of floating in water or other suitable liquid and enclosed
within an outer steam tight (casing to which a safety valve is applied weighted to

page_text: the reduced pressure. In this case I provide an orifice in the floating vessel to
allow the steam to escape therefrom into the outer casing, and thus if such orifice
permits more steam to escape than is necessary to keep up the required pressure in
such outer vessel the safety valve opens, and so by relieving the pressure permits
the main valve which is attached to the floating vessel to close to its seat.
My Invention further relates to improvements upon a diminishing valve
described in the Specification of Letters Patent, No. 4237, granted to me
December 9th, 1874, and consist in using the form of float (represented in Figs.
& 7 of the Drawings forming part of the Specification) for actuating the main valve
which in this case would be mounted upon the back of the outer vessel or reservoir,
the spindle of the valve being connected through a suitable link with the top of
the pivoted float, and the safety valve being in communication with the inside of
such float.
As a means of connecting diminishing valves to steam pipes, and suitable as a
joint for other purposes, I arrange a union formed of two parts corresponding
together, the outer extremity of each of these parts being screwed or otherwise
fitted to enable them to be connected to the steam, water, or other pipes, whilst
their inner extremities are arranged to form a joint at an angle of about 45° with
the central line or axis of the outer extremities; the joint which can thus be
effected by these parts at any deviation, say, from a straight line to an angle of 90°,
is produced either by an annular projection on one part being ground into a corre-
sponding groove formed in the face of the other part or by the introduction
between the faces of an india-rubber, soft-metallic, or other ring. The two parts
are bound together preferably by a set-screw passing through one part and
screwing into the other at right angles with the joint and at an angle of 45° to
the outer extremities.
These unions may be constructed of malleable cast iron, in which case I prefer
to introduce female screwed ferrules into the moulds in forming the outer
extremities and to cast the metal round them so as to dispense with the tapping or
screwing of the parts when so constructed of cast iron.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John James Royle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th May
1879.
JOHN JAMES ROYLE, of 71, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIMINISHING VALVES AND
UNIONS OR JOINTS FOR STEAM, WATER, AND OTHER PIPES."
Fig. 1 representing a side sectional view, and Fig. 2 an outside end view of my
improved diminishing valve, and Fig. 3 a modification of the same. Referring to
Figs. 1 and 2, A is a valve box with an internal division B, and fitted with a
valve C; the spindle D of this valve passes through a stuffing box E and is con-
nected outside to one extremity of a metallic tube F, by preference formed of zinc
or other metal; this expanding tube F is held rigidly to the valve box A at its
other end by the side rods G, in order that as it expands in length the valve may
be thereby closed. I connect the reduced pressure side of the valve box A with
the inside of the tube F by forming a passage D¹ through the spindle and control
the communication through this passage by a small escape valve H set to open by
the coiled spring J and hand wheel K when the desired reduced pressure is
exceeded; the escape of steam in this case serves by imparting its heat to the
expanding tube F to lengthen the same and so to close the valve C. I thus obtain
a diminishing valve possessing great certainty of action, and which can be rendered
more sensitive by arranging the expanding tube F to dip into and communicate
internally through the drip pipe L with a vessel of water.
In Fig. 2 I shew a lever M and sliding weight N as a substitute for the coiled
spring J and hand wheel K hereinbefore described.
Fig. 4 of the accompanying Drawing illustrates an external view of my improved
union or universal bend for connecting steam, water, gas, or other pipes together
in a straight line or at any required angle up to 90°, and Fig. 5 is a transverse
section of Fig. 4. This union consists of two parts a and b, having tapped or
screwed extremities c and d to enable them to be screwed to the pipes requiring
connection. It will be observed that the joining of these two parts is at an angle
of 45° with the axis of the screwed ends, so that by revolving these parts one upon
the other any desired angle can be obtained up to a right angle, as seen in Fig. 4a
and in section in Fig 5ª. It may be here remarked that the screwing of the ends c
and d facilitates very materially the coupling of pipes at awkward angles, as the
respective ends c and d can either of them be turned upon the pipes in the act of
screwing in or out slightly to accomodate the angle at which the pipes are required
to be coupled together. The joining of the two parts of this union is effected by
having an annular projection e formed on one part, and a corresponding recess.
formed in the other part, this projection partaking in cross section of a conical
form; the two sides of this annular projection are ground in against the two corre-
sponding sides of the recess, whereby a double and perfect joint is obtained. To
secure the two parts of this union together I prefer to employ a set screw f, passing
through the one portion a at right angles to the joint and at an angle of 45° to the
axis of the pipe and tapped into the other portion b, as seen in Figs. 5 and 50, the
underside of the head of this set screw being carefully faced so as to fit accurately
on to the end of the boss rising from a, and whereby I have found that a perfectly
tight joint is secured without any packing.
In Figs. 6 and 6a I illustrate the same union connected together by a bolt g,
passing through both parts a and b, and which is tightened up by means of a solid
ended nut h; this description of nut or cap effectually preventing any leaking
along the threads of the bolt.
It will be obvious that this improved union can be constructed of brass or cast
iron or cast malleable iron, and that in the case of iron being employed the screwed
ends may be wrought iron sockets introduced into the mould and the other part

page_text: cast upon them, and instead of the annular conical joint soft metal or other washers
might be employed.
Fig. 7 illustrates a side sectional view of a larger sized union or universal bend
constructed according to this Invention, having flanges c and d at each extremity
for connecting to the pipes in the ordinary manner. The two parts a and b are in
this modification secured together by the claw bolts i (one of which is seen
separate in Fig. 9), the flange J of the part a is circular so as to allow the claws of
the bolts to lay hold of it in any part of its circumference whilst the flange k of the
portion b is provided with ears / projecting beyond its circumference to receive the
claw bolts i, such bolts being provided with square shanks passing through corre-
sponding square holes formed in the ears l, and whereby the flanges j and k are
capable of being revolved one upon the other, the bolts serving as a guide to keep
the parts concentric.
In this case a packing ring m is employed, but it will be apparent that other
means of making the required joint might be adopted as also of connecting the
two parts together. Instead of flanges or screwed ends it will be obvious that this
union can be constructed with socketed ends, and thus be particularly applicable
for connecting pipes employed for heating purposes.
I am aware that lengths of piping have sometimes been manufactured with their
flanges or joints set at an angle of 45 degrees or thereabouts, and therefore I make
no claim to the manufacture of lengths of pipe with flanges or joints similarly
disposed.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for
carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise angle at which the two parts of my improved
union are connected together nor to the precise details, relative proportions, or
dimensions of the various parts of the apparatus, herein-before described and illus-
trated on the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention; but what I claim is,-
1st. The improvements in diminishing valves, as hereinbefore described and
illustrated on the accompanying.
2nd. A union joint and universal bend for connecting metal pipes together when
constructed in one and the same article, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
3rd. The tapped ends c and d, set-screw f (or bolt g and solid ended nut h), in
combination with the double ground conical or other joint e set at an angle of 45
degrees or thereabouts, as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated
on the accompanying Drawing.
4th. With reference to Fig. 7, the use and application of the claw bolts i or their 4
equivalent in combination with the angular joint - and flanged ends c and d,
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Royle, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 29th day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand 4
eight hundred and rasander
JOHN JAMES ROYLE. (L.S.)