Improvements in Stop-valves.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stop-valves.
We, JOSEPH HOPKINSON of J. Hopkinson & Co. Limited, Engineers, and JOHN
Lowis, Works Manager, both of Huddersfield, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to stop-valves of the class or kind described in the
Specifications of former Letters Patent granted to John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph
Hopkinson viz. No. 10411 A.D. 1893 and others, which stop-valves are provided with
a parallel pair of plates or discs for opening and closing the fluid-passages by sliding
across seats or seat-faces arranged in and transversely to such passages.
The general principle upon which these sliding valves are constructed involves the
arrangement of the plates or discs to slide between two opposite faces under elastic
pressure which tends always to keep the discs in contact with such faces while
permitting them to slide freely thereon for opening and closing the valve.
In the said stop-valves as hitherto usually manufactured, one of the plates or discs.
of the pair has on its back a central circular projection or boss which enters and is
surrounded by an annular projection or ring on the back of the other disc, the two
projections being so fitted together as to permit the springs to keep the discs at all
times properly in contact with the seat faces on which they slide. The outer ring or
projection is, in some instances, encircled by an eye or loop on the inner end of the
stop-valve spindle this being the means whereby the discs are operatively connected
with the said spindle.
By our present invention we seek to improve the aforesaid stop-valves in respect of
the working of the sliding plates or discs by diminishing the friction of the parts
upon each other, and the liability of the parts to adhesion and corrosion and also by
providing for the automatic adjustment of the discs relatively to the seat faces so that
the tendency to uneven wearing of the surfaces in contact shall be diminished if not
entirely obviated.
For these purposes we adopt the principle of ball or roller bearings that is to say
we provide, between the parts or elements of the pair of sliding discs, series of balls
or cylindrical rollers controlled by "live" or independent rings or cages or otherwise
arranged. We place one annular series of balls or cylinders between the aforesaid
central projections on the discs and another annular series of such balls or cylinders
between the outer annular projection and the eye or loop of the stop-valve spindle.
Or in some instances we may find it convenient to only have the balls or rollers in the
first named of these positions. If the discs are of iron we prefer to make the balls of
brass or gun-metal.
By using these balls or rollers as set forth we are enabled to maintain the proper
connection between the two discs with great freedom of adjustment relatively to their
seat-faces and without any inconvenience such as that which may arise from unequal
expansion when the parts in contact are of different metals or that which may arise
from oxidation or corrosion when such parts are both of the same metal. Moreover
we ensure an almost total ahsence of friction between the two discs or plates and
between the outer plate and the loop or eye of the spindle; therefore the said discs
will be free to turn about their axis so that in moving them for opening and closing
the stop-valve different parts of the surfaces of the discs and seats may be brought

page_text: successively into contact with each other and the said surfaces will be, throughout
their entire area, maintained in a flaid-tight condition.
To further insure the attainment of our object we provide means whereby the spring
between the two discs shall exert its pressure at the centre of the same. For this
purpose we place at the back of each disc a loose plate or frame upon which the
springs bear evenly all around the same. Each of these loose plates or frames has a
central cone, or other projecting surface which bears against the back of the disc and
thereby the spring exerts its pressure on the two discs with the least possible friction.
In some instances we may arrange the springs to bear centrally on only one of the
pair of discs.
Dated this 1st day of May 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Stop-valves.
We, JOSEPH HOPKINSON, of J. Hopkinson & Co. Limited, Engineers, and JOHN
Lowis, Works Manager, both of Huddersfield, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to stop-valves of the class or kind described in the
Specifications of former Letters Patent granted to John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph
Hopkinson viz. No. 10411 A.D. 1893 and others, which stop-valves are provided with
a parallel pair of plates or discs for opening and closing the fluid passages by sliding
across seats or seat-faces arranged in and transversely to such passages.
The general principle upon which these sliding valves are constructed involves the
arrangement of the plates or discs to slide between two opposite faces under elastic
pressure which tends always to keep the discs in contact with such faces while
permitting them to slide freely thereon for opening and closing the valve.
In the said stop-valves as hitherto usually manufactured, one of the plates or discs
of the pair has on its back a central annular projection or ring which enters and is
surrounded by a similar annular projection or ring on the back of the other disc, the
two projections being so fitted together as to permit the springs to keep the discs at all
times properly in contact with the seat faces on which they slide. The outer ring or
projection is, in some instances, encircled by an eye or loop on the inner end of the
stop-valve spindle this being the means whereby the discs are operatively connected
with the said spindle.
By our present invention we seek to improve the aforesaid stop-valves in respect of
the working of the sliding plates or discs by diminishing the friction of the parts
upon each other, and the liability of the parts to adhesion and corrosion and also by
providing for the automatic adjustment of the discs relatively to the seat faces so that
the tendency to uneven wearing of the surfaces in contact shall be diminished if not
entirely obviated.
For these purposes we adopt the principle of ball or roller bearings, that is to say,
we provide, between the parts or elements of the pair of sliding discs, a series of balls
or of cylindrical rollers controlled by "live" or independent rings or cages or
otherwise arranged. We place one annular series of balls or cylinders between the
aforesaid central projections on the discs and anotber annular series of such balls or
cylinders between the outer annular projection and the eye or loup of the stop-valve
spindle. Or in some instances we may find it convenient to only have the balls or
rollers in the first named or the last named of these positions, or between the inner

page_text: central projection and. the eye or loop of the spindle. If the discs are of iron we
prefer to make the balls of brass or gun-metal.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a pair of plates or discs and the loop or eye
of the spindle furnished with balls in accordance with our invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line a, a of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of a similar construction but having cylindrical"
rollers in lieu of balls,
Figure 4 illustrates two plates or discs one in side elevation and the other in central
section furnished with cylindrical rollers between the central projections only.
Figure 5 is a section on the line a', a', of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a central section of a modification in which the rollers project through
openings in the outer annular projection or ring and bear against the inner annular
projection and the strap or loop of the spindle, the spring being removed.
Figure 7 is a section on the line a, a of Figure 6.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures.
A, A are the plates or discs each constructed as usual with an annular projecting
ring A' at the back, one of the said rings being of smaller diameter than the other so
that it may pass inside said larger ring: B is the valve spindle and B' is the eye, loop
or strap at the end of the spindle which loop surrounds the annular projections A¹ of
the discs and forms the connection between the discs and the spindle; C Figure 3 is
the spring between the discs to maintain them pressed against the seat faces with a
yielding pressure; and D, D are the balls or cylindrical rollers.
In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 a series of balls is placed between
the two annular rings A' and a second series of balls is placed between the outer or
larger of the said rings and the loop or strap B¹. The balls in each series are shown
maintained separated by a cage E, which prevents the crowding of the balls together.
The said cage may also be constructed to retain the balls when they are withdrawn
from between the discs.
In Figure 3 we have shown a similar construction but having cylindrical rollers
in lieu of balls.
Figures 4 and 5 show a construction in which the rollers are received in recesses A²
in the outer annular ring and so the necessity for a separate cage to keep the balls
separated is avoided. The recesses may obviously be formed in the inner ring if
desired instead of in the outer ring.
The construction shown in Figures 6 and 7 is a modification of that shown in
Figures 4 and 5, the recess A being carried completely through the outer annular
ring and the rollers heing enlarged in diameter to make contact with the interior face
of the loop or strap B'. In this case therefore the rolling contact is between the inner
annular ring and the loop or strap, the outer annular ring serving to keep the rollers
apart and prevent their crowding together.
By using these balls or rollers as set forth we are enabled to maintain the proper
connection between the two discs with great freedom of adjustment relatively to their
seat-faces and without any inconvenience such as that which may arise from unequal
expansion when the parts in contact are of different metals or that which may arise
from oxidation or corrosion when such parts are both of the same metal. Moreover
we ensure an almost total absence of friction between the two discs or plates and
between the outer plate and the loop or eye of the spindle; therefore the said discs
will be free to turn about their axes so that in moving them for opening and closing
the stop-valve different parts of the surfaces of the discs and seats may be brought
successively into contact with each other and the said surfaces will be, throughout
their entire area, maintained in a fluid-tight condition.
To further insure the attainment of our object we provide means whereby the spring
between the two discs shall exert its pressure at the centre of the same. For this
purpose we place at the back of each disc a loose plate or frame C¹ Figure 3 upon
which the spring C bears evenly all around the same. Each of these loose plates or
frames is formed with a central cone or other projecting surface which bears against.

page_text: a central recess in the back of the disc and thereby the spring exerts its pressure on
the two discs with the least possible friction. In some instances we arrange the spring
to bear centrally on only one of the discs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a valve of the kind herein described the employment of rollers or balls between
the two sliding discs or between one of the sliding discs and the loop or strap of the
spindle or in both of these positions substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
2. The plates or frames placed between the spring and the disc and bearing centrally
on the discs, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.