IMPROVE- MENTS IN COCKS AND VALVES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COCKS AND VALVES."-A communication from abroad by Jean
Baptiste Prudence Gire, of Paris, in the Empire of France.
Scaled the 17th February 1860, and dated the 8th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th September 1859.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166. Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain. Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS AND VALVES," a communication from abroad by Jean
Baptiste Prudence Gire, of Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of cocks
and valves for regulating the passage either of steam, gas, air, or fluids, and
consists in substituting for the ordinary stuffing box a thin disc of metal or
other suitable material, such as vulcanized india-rubber, gutta percha, leather,
or horn, which disc is secured firmly at its edges, whilst its centre is perforated
[Price 8d:1

page_text: to allow of the passage therethrough of the spindle of the valve, which is made
to embrace tightly at any convenient and suitable part thereof. The elasticity
of this disc admits of the valve spindle rising and falling freely when closing
and opening the valve. In combination with this disc is a helical or other
spring, which is made to act directly or indirectly upon the valve spindle, for
the purpose of keeping the valve closed. It is obvious that these improve-
ments may be applied to all forms of valves or cocks wherein a conical or flat
disc and spindle are employed as the means of opening and closing the valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand cight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of ller
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that 1, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN COCKS AND VALVES," a communication from abroad by Jean
Baptiste Prudence Gire, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Ilenry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
cocks and valves for regulating the passage either of steam, gas, air, or fluids,
and consists in substituting for the ordinary stuffing box a thin disc or
diaphragm of metal or other suitable material, such as vulcanized india-rubber
gutta percha, leather, or horn, in combination with a helical spring, which
disc is secured firmly at its edges, whilst its centre is perforated to allow of
the passage therethrough of the spindle of the valve, which it is made to
embrace tightly at any convenient and suitable part thereof. The elasticity of
this disc or diaphragm and spring admits of the valve spindle rising and falling
freely when closing and opening the valve. The helical or other spring is
made to act directly or indirectly upon the valve spindle for the purpose of
keeping the valve closed. It is obvious that these improvements may be
applied to all forms of valves or cocks wherein a conical or flat disc and
spindle are employed for closing the orifice. The valve cock constructed on
the principle above referred to may be used as fluid pressure regulators by
suitably adjusting the strength of the helical spring.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same. and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which contains three
examples of valves constructed according to this Invention, represents a
vertical section of a gas or compressed air cock, the gas entering by the
branch A and passing out by the nozzie B, or vice versa. The valve C is
fitted on to a rod D. provided with a metallic disc or diaphragm E, the
circumference of which is accurately secured in position by screwing up the
part G against the body of the cock H. A washer or washers of caoutchouc F
may be placed on one or both sides of the diaphragm, at its edges, for the
purpose of rendering the junction perfectly tight. The rod or valve spindle 1)
has a collar a formed upon it, against the shoulder of which is fitted the
diaphragm, and firmly secured in its place by the moveable collar b. The
valve, as shewn in Figure 1, is screwed on to the upper end of the rod or
spindle D, and held in conjunction with the guide piece J (a detail plan of
which is represented at Figure 2) by the nut I. The lower end of the valve
spindle D also carries a nut, against which presses one end of the helical

page_text: spring L, the opposite end bearing against the part G. This portion of the
cock-is provided with a lateral opening at d, to allow of the passage of the end
of the lever M, which works on a fulcrum e, and enters an opening or slot
formed in the rod or valve spindle D for the purpose of elevating it when
required. A cavity or chamber is formed between the two parts G and H
to allow of the free vertical play of the centre part of the diaphragm E. This
diaphragm, when composed of metal, should, generally whilst at rest, have a
slightly concave or dished form in lieu of being perfectly flat, as the Drawing
shews it; this concavity of the diaphragm in the example given would be on
the surface next the valve.
Figure 1 represents the cock closed, but in order to allow of the escape or
passage of the gas, it is, necessary to press upon the lever M, which will
clevate the spindle D, compressing at the same time the spring L, and
straightening the disc E if it were previously curved or dished, the valve being
simultaneously elevated above its seat, guided in its movement by the parts g
of the piece J, which slide against the interior of the cylindrical portion of the
nozzle B, at the same time allowing a free passage for the gas. On releasing
the lever M, the spring L instantly closes the valve.
In Figure 3 the inlet and outlet orifices A and B are placed opposite to or
in a line with each other. The spindle D of the valve C is also provided with
a metal diaphragm E and spring L, and the valve is opened by pressing by
the hand on the knob N fixed on the top of the spindle D. In this Figure
I have not shewn the cover which closes the valve box by being screwed into
the part H, as this part is not necessary to the proper understanding of the
apparatus.
In Figure 4 the gas enters at A, and escapes at B, through the centre of
the spindle D, into which it enters by the lateral orifices I, 1. The lever M
acts upon the projection P of the spindle D, and the spring L presses directly
upon the valve C, which is furnished with a guide piece J, similar to
Figure 2.
It is obvious that, in lieu of a metal diaphragm or disc, a diaphragm of any
other suitable material may be used, such, for example, as vulcanized india-
rubber, gutta percha, leather, and horn, and in general any diaphragm of
sufficient thinness and elasticity to admit of its being bulged in either direction
in the centre and returning to its original position again without its periphery
being moved. If found desirable, the disc may be bulged or curved before
being inserted into its place, so as to enable it to give freely when subject to
a central pressure in either direction. The edge or circumference of the
diaphragm should in all cases be held firmly and securely between two

page_text: surfaces, either directly or through the intervention of rings or washers of
leather, caoutchouc, or other suitable material.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general constructions and arrangements of cocks and valves, as
herein-before described, and illustrated by the Drawings.
Second, the peculiar combination of valve spindle, helical spring, and elastic
or flexible disc. or diaphragm in valves or cocks, as herein-before described,
and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, One thousand cight
hundred and sixty.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)