AN IMPROVED VALVE TO BE USED FOR REGULATING AND STOPPING THE SUPPLY OF PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Copeland, of the City of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED VALVE TO BE USED FOR REGULATING AND STOPPING THE SUPPLY OF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Copeland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1872.
I, JOHN COPELAND, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED VALVE TO BE USED FOR REGULATING AND STOPPING THE SUPPLY
OF STEAM, WATER, AIR, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to make a valve in which the ordinary
glands and packings are dispensed with, and the valve and box con-
taining it manufactured with the greatest economy of manual labour.
The valve is at one end or centre of a valve box, the exit end of which
is directly opposite to the supply; and at right angles to the box there
is a hole in which there is a spindle having fixed to it a cam, eccentric,

page_text: or lever central with the valve, and this spindle is turned by a handle or
wheel. To keep the spindle steam, air, or water tight, I form on it a
conical or flat surface fitted to a part projecting from the valve box, and
this conical or flat surface is kept to to its place by a nut or by a plate
and screws.
When the cam, eccentric, or lever is not in contact with the valve the
pressure of the steam or other fluid keeps the valve closed; but when
the handle or wheel is turned more or less it presses the cam, eccentric,
or lever against the valve, and thereby opens the valve more or less
as required. Or the action may be reversed by making the cam
close or regulate the valve, and the pressure of the steam or other
fluid open it, the cam as before regulating the position by a handle or
wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Copeland in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COPELAND, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Copeland, Her special
license that I, the said John Copeland, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Copeland,
my executors, administrators, and 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 "AN IMPROVED VALVE TO BE USED FOR REGULATING AND STOPPING THE
SUPPLY OF STEAM, WATER, AIR, GAS, OR OTHER FLUIDS," upon the condition,
amongst others, that I, the said John Copeland, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe

page_text: 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Copeland, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of reference
marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to make a valve in which the ordinary
glands and packings, and the regulating screw on the spindle, are dis-
pensed with, and the valve and box containing it manufactured with the
greatest economy of manual labour. In one arrangement the valve is
at one end or centre of a valve box, the exit end of which is directly
opposite to the supply; and at right angles to the box there is a hole,
in which there is a spindle having fixed to it a cam, eccentric, or lever
central or at any other desired position with the valve, and this spindle
is turned by a handle or wheel. To keep the spindle steam, air, or
water tight, I form on it a conical or flat surface fitted to a part pro-
jecting from the valve box, and this conical or flat surface is kept to its
place by a nut or by a plate and screws.
When the cam, eccentric, or lever is not in contact with the valve the
pressure of the steam, water, or other fluid keeps the valve open; but
when the handle or wheel is turned more or less it presses the cam,
eccentric, or lever against the valve, and thereby closes it more or less,
or shuts it off entirely, as may be required.
In another arrangement the action may be reversed by making the
cam or its equivalent open the valve more or less, and the pressure of
the steam, water, or other fluid close it, the cam being worked as before
by a handle or wheel.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings I represent the arrangement
in which the valve is at one end of the valve box, and regulated or kept
shut by the cam, the spindle of which has a conical surface kept to its
place by a plate and screws.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation; Fig. 2, an external plan; Fig. 3,
a longitudinal section; Figs. 4 and 5, sectional plans; and Fig. 6, a

page_text: longitudinal section having a slight modification of one of the parts.
And in all the Figures a represents the valve box; b, the valve; c, the
cam; d, the spindle, to which the cam is fixed; e, the bearing of the
spindle; f, the conical surface fitted in a conical recess formed in the
box; g, the plate; and h, the screws for keeping the conical surface
tight and the spindle in its place; and i, the handle or wheel for
turning the cam as required; and at k, Figs. 4 and 5, is shewn a
projection for preventing the cam from being turned too much.
It will be seen that in Figs. 3, 4, and 6 the valve b is shewn quite
closed, and in Fig. 5 full open; but by turning the handle to other
intermediate positions the passage can be regulated as required, and the
modification in Fig. 6 is simply extending the bearing e of the
spindle d, in order to enable the spindle and cam to withstand high
pressure.
When desired instead of using an external cam for regulating or
shutting the valve I use a grooved or internal cam acting on the head
of the valve, so that both cam and valve move together independent
of the pressure of the steam, water, or air.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim, the improved valve for regulating and
stopping the supply of steam, water, air, gas, and other fluids, as shewn
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Copeland, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Copeland, in
the presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN COPELAND. (L.S.)