IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of No, 1, Serle 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, Massa-
chusetts, in the. United States of America.
-
Sealed the 14th December 1869, and dated the 26th July 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th July 1869.
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 Invention 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:-
The object of this Invention is to produce a simple and effective
balance valve which opens and closes the ports quickly and automatically,
and the Invention consists in a heavy plate with circular vertical ends,
the tipper portion of which is provided with two concave curved faces,
[Price 8d.]

page_text: the lower portion forming a straight surface; the said plate forms the
valve and vibrates within a sliding block, which latter moves and fits
snugly within the valve chest. The sliding block is provided with
suitable ports, which correspond to those in the valve chest.
The Invention consists further in the valve stem acting on a double
arm lever, the longer or upper arms being provided with friction rollers,
which by supporting the under surface of the valve holds or raises the
same and the sliding block (by being operated by the valve stem)
towards the centre of the sliding block.
The Invention consists also in providing the lower portion of the
vertical circular ends of the valve with a recess of such form and size
as to correspond to pyramidical projections in the sliding block and a
space for the required movement of the valve in such a manner that
when one side of the recess rests agaiust one side of the projections the
edge of the valve will stop communication with the ports and the space
below the valve, while it opens the space above the valve to the port,
The opposite ends will have the communications reversed.
By the adoption of this Invention advantages will be secured which
cannot be found in other valves for accomplishing the rapid opening and
cutting off of the motive power. The valve can be operated with little
oss of power; it being a balance valve there is no pressure against the
sliding surface, nor are heavy weights or springs required for the quick
action of the valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, 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-sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her 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, administrators, and

page_text: 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," (a communication to me from
abroad by Gerard Sickels and John Hill Thorndike, of Boston, Massa-
chusetts, 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 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bristow Hunt, do hereby declare
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
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to produce a simple and effective balance
valve which opens and closes the ports quickly and automatically, and the
Invention consists in a heavy plate with circular vertical ends, the upper
portion of which is provided with two concave curved faces, the lower
portion forming a straight surface; the said plate forms the valve and
vibrates within a sliding block, which latter moves and fits snugly within
the valve chest. The sliding block is provided with suitable ports, which
correspond to those in the valve chest.
The Invention consists further in the valve stem acting on a double arm
lever, the longer or upper arms being provided with friction rollers, which
by supporting the under surface of the valve holds or raises the same and
the sliding block (by being operated by the valve stem) towards the centre
of the sliding block.
The Invention consists also in providing the lower portion of the
vertical circular ends of the valve with a recess of such form and size as
to correspond to pyramidical projections in the sliding block and a space
for the required movement of the valve in such a manner that when
one side of the recess rests against one side of the projections the edge
of the valve will stop communication with the ports and the space below

page_text: the valve while it opens the space above the valve to the port. The
opposite ends will have the communications reversed.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improve-
ments 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 longi-
tudinal vertical section, and Figure 2 a transverse vertical section of the
improved valve constructed according to the principles of this Invention;
Figure 3 represents a modification of the same.
A is the valve chest, with exhaust pipe B and passages a, a', leading
to the ends of the cylinder and inlet pipe C at the top of the chest;
D is the sliding block with cylindrical inside and provided with top and
bottom openings b, d, and ports c, c. The valve E fits snugly inside the
sliding block D, and is supported with the circular ends f in corre-
sponding openings of the latter; g, g¹, are projections at the lower portion
of the block D. The valve stem G operates on the short arm of the
level L, which is pivoted at h, h, Figure 1, while the longer arms are
provided with rollers i, ¹, which act upon the lower face of the valve
plate E.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:- Steam or water being
admitted at C will enter through the port 6 of the block D and pass
through the port c and passage a into the cylinder where it propels the
piston, while the exhaust passing through a¹, port c¹, into the block D,
underneath the valve plate E, and through the port d will be removed
through the discharge pipe B. The valve stem G now moving will act
upon the lever L and throw rollers i, i, towards the centre of the block D,
thus raising the latter and valve. The further motion of rollers will allow the
valve E to drop quickly towards port c¹, until arrested by the sides of the
recess inf striking against the projections g, g', of block D, thus reversing
the position of the valve and permitting the steam or water to enter
through port into passage a¹; but the roller must pass beyond the
centre of the valve E before the pressure of steam, or the weight of
water upon the upper side of the valve E will cause the depression
necessary to close the port.

page_text: By the adoption of this Invention advantages will be secured which
cannot be found in other valves for accomplishing the rapid opening and
cutting off of the motive power. The valve can be operated with little loss
of power; it being a balance valve there is no pressure against the sliding
surface, nor are heavy weights or springs required for the quick action of
the valve.
The Inventors wish it to be understood that they do not confine
themselves to the exact construction of valve and sliding block as herein
explained, but it may be modified by substituting for the sliding block two
sliding valves k, k¹, which are operated by the tilting of the plate or
valve E, as shown in Figure 3.
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 communicated to me by
the said Gerard Sickels and John Hill Thorndike, the general construction
and arrangement of apparatus substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, or any analogous
modification thereof, and more especially I claim,―
Firstly. The balance valve E.
Secondly. The valve E in combination with the sliding block D and
valve chest A.
Thirdly, The valve E, block D, chest A, in combination with the
lever L and valve stem G, all constructed and operating substantially as
herein-before described.
And, fourthly. The modification of block D and valve E as illustrated
in Figure 3.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundrd and seventy.
BRISTOW HUNI. (L.B.)