IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP-VALVES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph Hopkinson both of
the firm of J. Hopkinson & Co, of Huddersfield in the County of York,
Engineers for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP-VALVES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Addy Hopkinson and
Joseph Hopkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
18th August 1883.
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers,
" IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP-VALVES
"
Our invention relates to stop-valves of the class described in the specification of
former Letters Patent dated 20th October A.D. 1881, No. 4586 and is chiefly
designed to facilitate the insertion or introduction of the sliding part or valve
into its place between the valve-seats, and the withdrawal or removal of the same
therefrom.
Heretofore the stop-valves made as described in the said former specification
have been provided with a screw whereby the two disc-faces could be forced nearer
to each other against the pressure of the spring or springs arranged between the
discs. The insertion of this screw, when it is desired to withdraw the valve from,
and replace it in, the valve-box, necessitates the disconnection of one or both of the
pipes from the said valve-box to permit access to the valve. Moreover it has been
ascertained that the withdrawal of the valve from the valve-box by an unskilful
operative frequently occasions injury to one or both of its faces by contact with the
interior of the valve-box.
Our present invention is designed to obviate these inconveniences, and for this
purpose we dispense with the above mentioned screw and make the valve-box-lid
with a chamber or dome of sufficient size arranged and attached to the valve-box
in such a manner as to receive the discs or valves when opened, thereby facilitating

page_text: their removal by merely taking off, the cover of the valve and without unscrewing
the pipes. It also permits the lid to be turned or unscrewed without injuring the
valves whatever positions the valves may be in.
This chamber or dome is connected to the body of the valve-box in such a manner
that it can be disconnected therefrom, and any suitable clamp can be applied to
force the two disc faces nearer to each other before the valve is completely
withdrawn from between the valve-seats.
We prefer to form this chamber or domo integrally with the stuffing-box, and it
may either be provided with an external screw thread fitting into a corresponding
internal screw thread in the body of the valve-box, or it may be made with a flange
and secured to the body of the valve-box by screws or bolts.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph Hopkinson in the Patent Office
on the 26th January 1884.
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson and Co, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP-VALVES
Our invention relates to stop-valves of the class described in the specification
of former Letters Patent dated 20th October, A.D. 1881, N° 4586, and its chief
object is to facilitate the insertion or introduction of the sliding part or valve
into its place between the valve-seats, and the withdrawal or removal of the same
therefrom.
Heretofore the stop-valves made as described in the said former specification
have been provided with a screw whereby the two disc-faces could be forced nearer
to each other against the pressure of the spring or springs arranged between the
discs. The insertion and removal of this screw, when it is desired to withdraw
the valve from, and replace it in, the valve-box, necessitate the disconnection of one
or both of the pipes from the said valve-box to permit access to the valve. Moreover,
it has been ascertained that the withdrawal of the valve from the valve-box or its
insertion therein by an unskilful operative frequently occasions injury to one or
both of its faces by contact with the interior of the valve-box.
Our present invention is chiefly designed to obviate these inconveniences and for
this purpose, as well as to generally improve the construction of our apparatus, we
dispense with the aforesaid screw and connect the valve-box-lid to the body of the
valve-box by a joint sufficiently near to the valve-seats to permit the two disc faces
of the valve, when forced toward each other by compression (by means of a clamp
or otherwise), to be thus held while the valve is partially inserted or introduced
between the valve-seats or is withdrawn therefrom. And, when the valve-box is
attached to pipes, we thus provide for the removal of the valve from the valve-box
and its replacement therein by merely taking off the valve-box-lid and without
detaching the valve-box from the said pipes. When the valve-box-lid is formed
integrally with the stuffing box, as is usually the case, the said lid must be made
with a chamber or dome of adequate size to receive the two discs when the valve is
opened.
In the accompanying drawing we have shewn in what manner our said invention
may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of one form of our improved
apparatus, shewing the valve open.
Figure 2 is a similar view shewing the valve closed.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a portion of the said apparatus, with the valve-box-
lid removed.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section of another form or modification
of our improved apparatus, and
Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal central section of a further modification
thereof.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
a is the valve-box and b the valve-box-lid; c, c' are the two disc-faces of the
valve, which, when in place, are held against the faces d, d¹ by the spring e. f is
the valve-spindle which is screw-threaded and enters the hollow spindle g which is
correspondingly screw-threaded at its lower end.
In the stop-valve shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the valve-box-lid is made with a
dome-shaped chamber b' of such dimensions as will permit it, when the valve is

page_text: opened, to be turned on its axis without contact with the discs of the said valve
This formation of the said chamber permits the said lid to be attached to the box a
by screwing it into a recess al in the upper part of the valve-box and it can be
unscrewed therefrom without injuring the valve-faces, whatever position the valve
may occupy. To remove the valve from the valve-box a, the said valve is first
raised to the position shewn in Figure 3 and the valve-box-lid is unscrewed; it will
be seen that, when the valve is in this position, the disc-faces c, c¹ can be forced
nearer to each other, if compressed by means of a clamp or otherwise, so that the
valve can be completely withdrawn without injury to the said faces. And in like
manner the re-insertion of the said valve, while held under compression, can be
effected.
In the stop-valve shown in Figure 4, the chamber b', instead of being dome-
shaped, is made of a width only slightly 'exceeding the space between the valve-
seats, but has its top arched transversely to the axis of the valve, and the valve-
box-lid b is secured to the valve-box & by screws or screw-bolts h passed through
the flange b*.
By constructing our apparatus as above described, we are enabled to make the
discs of the valves solid instead of perforating them to receive the above mentioned
screw for forcing them towards each other.
We prefer the arrangement adopted in the above described examples of our
invention, that is to say, the provision for the insertion of the valve in the valve-
box, and its withdrawal therefrom, through the upper part thereof, as shewn in
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4; but in Figure 5 we have shewn a modification of our
invention wherein we make the valve-box a with a recess and an aperture a³ in
the underside thereof and provide an additional valve-box-lid.b which is screwed
into the said recess.
Having thus fully described our said invention and the manner of performing
the same we wish it understood that we do not claim generally or irrespectively of
our improvements as hereinabove-specified the removing of a valve from its seat
or the replacing of the same thereon by means of clamping devices. But we claim
the improvements substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 or
the modifications shewn in Figure 4 or in Figure 5 of the drawing, whereby we
improve the construction of our apparatus and provide for facilitating the insertion
of the valve between its seats and its removal therefrom as above set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Joseph Hopkinson for myself and on behalf of
the said John Addy Hopkinson have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth
day of January in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty four.