IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF FLUIDS."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Auld, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REGULATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF FLUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Auld at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd November 1860.
I, DAVID AULD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
5 Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REGULATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF FLUIDS," to be as follows, that
is to say:-
This Invention relates to a system or mode of controlling or regulating the
pressure and flow of fluids of various kinds, and under various conditions, and
it answers particularly well for regulating or reducing the extreme hydrostatic
pressure or force, arising in connection with waterworks which supply water
from high levels.
According to one modification of the present improvements, as applied to a
water duct or pipe, the apparatus consists of a weighted lever valve working
upon a scat in the line of pipe. The valve chamber, which is fitted into and
forms a part of the line of pipe, has arranged within it a vertical spindle,

page_text: having at its lower end a hemispherical or other valve, with a corresponding
seat or working surface. The upper end of the spindle has attached to it a
flexible diaphragm and a recessed disc piece of metal as a working surface for
such flexible or elastic diaphragm. The valve spindle is weighted by an
adjustable lever spring, or dead weight, or other contrivance, as may be most
convenient. The inflowing water is admitted between the lower valve and the
upper diaphragm, and as it passes along its pressure operates upon both
surfaces in such a way, that as the pressure of the influx increases, the force
upon the diaphragm correspondingly closes the valve, and thus reduces the
pressure upon the efflux side. This apparatus may be used under various
forms, and in various conditions, and if reversed, it answers admirably for
steam purposes, or for regulating the pressure of steam or other aeriform
fluids. In any case the reactionary pressure upon or against the base of the
valve operates so as to aid in the pressure-regulating action. Instead of a
flexible diaphragm, a piston or other detail or momentum may be used. The
valve may also be fitted as a stop or shut-off apparatus by so arranging the
parts that the thoroughfare may be entirely closed by a screw or other
means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Auld in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd May
1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
AULD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said David Auld, Her special license that I, the said David Auld, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Auld, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGU-
LATING THE PRESSURE AND FLOW OF FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst

page_text: others) that 1, the said David Auld, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of
one of them, 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 David Auld, do hereby declare the.
nature of my said Invention, and in. what manner the same is to be per-
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. :-
My said Invention relates to a system or mode of controlling or regulating
the pressure and flow of fluids of various kinds and under various conditions,,
and it answers particularly well for regulating or reducing the extreme
hydrostatic pressure or force arising in connection with water works which
supply water from high levels.
According to one modification of the present improvements, as applied to a
water duct or pipe, the apparatus consists of a weighted lever valve working.
upon a seat in the line of pipe. The valve chamber, which is fitted into and
forms a part of the line of pipe, has arranged within it a vertical spindle,
having at its lower end a hemispherical or other valve, with a corresponding
seat or working surface. The upper end of the spindle has attached to it a
flexible diaphragm and a recessed disc piece of metal as a working surface for
such flexible or elastic diaphragm. The valve spindle is weighted by an
adjustable lever, spring, or dead weight, or other contrivance, as may be most
convenient. The inflowing water is admitted between the lower valve and the
upper diaphragm, and as it passes along its pressure operates upon both
surfaces in such a way that as the pressure of the influx increases the force
upon the diaphragm correspondingly closes the valve, and thus reduces the
pressure upon the efflux side. This apparatus may be used under various forms
and in various conditions, and if reversed, it answers admirably for steam
purposes or for regulating the pressure of steam or other aeriform fluids. In
any case the reactionary pressure upon or against the base of the valve
operates so as to aid in the pressure-regulating action. Instead of a flexible
diaphragm, a piston or other detail or movement may be used. The valve
may also be fitted as a stop or shut-off apparatus by so arrauging the parts
that the thoroughfare may be entirely closed by a screw or other means.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in regulating the
pressure and flow of fluids may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to

page_text: describe the modifications which I have shown on the accompanying Sheet of
illustrative Drawings.
The first arrangement shows the application of the apparatus to the
regulating of the flow of water through street mains and other similar ducts,
and the second modification shows an arrangement suitable for steam pipes.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a vertical longitudinal
section of the valvular apparatus as applied to a water supply pipe; Figure 2
is a corresponding vertical section of the apparatus as arranged for regulating
the flow or passage of steam or other gaseous fluid.
Referring to Figure 1, the end of the inlet pipe A is bolted or otherwise
connected to the valvular apparatus. The end of the pipe A opens into the
chamber B, which is mainly in the form of a vertical cylindrical chamber,
closed at the lower end, but open at the upper portion of the chamber. To
the flange of this open part is bolted the ring C, a dise D of vulcanised india-
rubber or other suitable elastic material being interposed between the flanges.
Above the diaphragm D, and inside the metal ring C, is arranged the recessed
dise or cup piece E; this part of the arrangement moves up and down with the
varying pressure of the water, its lower surface resting upon the exterior of
the diaphragm D. The central portion of the chamber B opens downwards
and into the elbow part F; the interior of this opening is lined with brass,
which forms the seating or working surface G of the valve H; this valve is
by preference of a hemispherical figure; its convex surface acts against the
seating G, so that when the valve H is raised, the passage of the water or
other fluid through the valvular opening in the chamber B is stopped. The
spindle I of the valve H is carried up through the discs D and E, and has
attached to it a connecting link piece J, through the slotted part of which the
lever K passes. This lever is jointed to a short standard L, which is fixed to
the flanges of the apparatus; the lever carries a counterweight M, which is
adjustable thereon by means of a pinching screw. With this arrangement the
flow of water or other fluid through the valvular apparatus becomes self-
regulating. The apparatus is intended to be arranged in a line of pipe
suitable for supplying a city, or a district, or portion of the same. The
weight M on the lever is adjusted so that with a certain pressure on the disc D
the valve H is, for example, kept open to the extent shown in Figure 1. In
this way the water flows down the valvular opening in the chamber B up
through the elbow part F, and along the outlet portion of the pipe A, as
indicated by the arrows in the Drawing. Upon a variation in the pressure of
the water or other fluid taking place, the diaphragm D is pressed upwards,
and the valve H is thereby raised so as to close or partially close the valvular

page_text: opening G, and thus check the flow of the water along the outlet portion of
the pipe. So also if the pressure of the water or other fluid on the regulated
or reduced side F of the valve H should increase from any cause, the back
flow raises the valve, and so closes the valvular opening G. In this way all
danger arising from a sudden increase of the hydrostatic pressure is avoided,'
and the mischief caused by the bursting of water pipes or other mains is
effectually prevented. On the other hand, if the pressure of the water or
other fluid diminishes, the weight of the lever K pressing on the diaphragm D
causes it to sink, which opens the valve H to a greater extent, and a larger
body of water flows down through the valvular opening G, so that the
apparatus provides for both contingencies, that of increased or diminished
pressure, and ensures a regular and uniform flow and delivery of the water or
other fluid on the outlet or regulated side of the apparatus.
The modification delineated in Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawing
represents the valvular apparatus arranged for controlling and regulating the
flow of steam or gas. In this arrangement the apparatus is reversed; the
steam or gas flows in by the pipe A into the valve chamber B, the lower part
of which is elongated so as to form a water chamber; this part is closed by
the ring C and the elastic diaphragm D, which is supported by the recessed
disc E. In the accompanying Drawings the lower part of the chamber B in
Figure 2 of this portion of the apparatus is made of a suitable length, so as to
contain a sufficient depth of water or other fluid to protect the diaphragm D
from being affected by the heat of the steam. Consequently such an addition
to the apparatus is only required in those cases where the elastic diaphragm is
exposed to high temperatures or other destructive influences, which may be
avoided by the protection afforded by the interposed column of water or other
suitable fluid. The steam or gas passes upwards through the valvular opening G
into the elbow part F, and thence away by the outlet portion of the pipe A.
The hemispherical valve H is supported by its spindle I above the seating G,
and as the pressure of the steam or gas varies the valve H is more or less
raised above the seating. The spindle I of the valve H is connected by the
link piece J to the lever K, which is centred on the pendent stud L; the
valve H is kept open by means of the adjustable counterweight M. The
weight on the lever is adjusted to allow steam or gas of a certain predetermined
pressure to pass through the apparatus; should this pressure increase at any
time, the diaphragm D is depressed and the valvular opening G is partially or
wholly closed by the corresponding descent of the valve H. It will be obvious
also that a diminution of the pressure on the diaphra
weighted lever L to raise the valve H, and so allow a larger
will cause the
sume of steam

page_text: or gas to pass through the apparatus. And in this way a regular and.
uniform flow or current of steam, gas, or other aeriform fluid is ensured. The
apparatus is readily adapted for being closed by hand, and so forming an
ordinary stop valve; this may be done very simply by having a hook fixed to
the end of the link piece J; and when the valve H is required to be shut, to
transfer the weight M to the hook. Or the same thing may be accomplished:
by lengthening the lever K beyond the link piece J, and hanging the weight M
upon the extended portion of the lever.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my 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 novel and
original, and therefore elaim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is the general arrangement and con-
struction of apparatus for regulating the pressure and flow of fluids formed. by
the combination of the several parts, as herein-before described, and delineated:
in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Auld, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
DAVID AULD. (L.S..)
DAVID AULD. (L.S..)