TPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND WATER VALVES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathaniel Jenkins, of Boston, in the County of
Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America,.
for the Invention of "TPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AND WATER VALVES.”
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Nathaniel Jenkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration
on the 11th July 1865, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHANIEL
JENKINS, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, of
the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM AND WATER VALVES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the first and true
Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nathaniel Jenkins, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming a part of this

page_text: Specification, in which Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are longitudinal central
sections, & Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rubber spring valve and
packing. Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the Drawings.
My Invention relates to certain improvements in steam valves and water
cocks of that description in which rubber or other suitable elastic valves or !
packings are employed, and its nature consists,-
1st, in confining the elastic valve or packing (J) to the follower (E), or
to a swivel (H) connected with the same by means of a flange (a) and a
corresponding socket in the end of the said follower or swivel, so that it (the
valve or packing) may be readily inserted or removed.
2d, in attaching the elastic valve or packing (J) to the end of a plug or
swivel (H) pivoted to the follower (E), so that when the latter while being
screwed downwards forces the said valve or packing on to its seat (K), the
follower will turn on the swivel, and the valve or packing will have no axial
motion and consequently no rubbing grinding friction on the seat, and will thus
be rendered much more permanent and durable, and less power will be required
to open and close the same than would be the case if it turned on its seat.
3d, in the employment of a compressible rubber or other suitable elastic
spring (0) so constructed and arranged as to answer the threefold purpose of
a spring, a packing for the cap, and a valve, thereby producing a very cheap
& simple self-closing faucet, and one in which the "water hammer" is
almost entirely prevented.
4th, in opening a self-closing valve by means of a screw follower (E, Fig. 4),
whose threads are so inclined that the pressure of the water and the spring will
be sufficient to rotate it (the follower) and thereby close the valve, while at
the same time by means of said inclined screw it will be easy to open the
valve and hold the same open so long as it may be required to let the water
-run.
5th, in the employment of an. adjustable stop or regulator (S, Fig. 3), in
combination with the follower of a steam valve or water cock, to prevent the
elastic packing.(J) from being injured by too much compression, and also to
*determine when the same shall have been screwed down sufficiently far.
:
&, 6th, in arranging the "waste pipe" (f, Fig. 2) with its inner orifice
in the bottom of the valve chamber cap (D) above the valve (J), so that when
the latter is opened its top will rise up to and.close the said orifice, and when
the valve is shut the waste water (or the water in the pipe above) will flow
off and be prevented from freezing.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my Invention, I will
now proceed to describe the construction and operation of the same.
.:

page_text: Figures 1, 4, and 5 are intended to represent faucets for drawing liquids
from pipes or vessels; Figure 2 represents a supply pipe cock, and Figure 3
a steam valve. In all the Figures A represents the inlet; C the outlet, and
B the cylindrical chamber for the reception of the follower and its appendages.
The outside of this chamber is provided with a screw to receive the internal
screw cut on the cap D. In Figure 1, L is a packing ring of leather or other
suitable material between the cap D and the chamber B; in Figure 4, this
packing L is made of rubber, and answers also as a water-tight packing for
the follower E,. which, or the swivel (EI) of which passes through the centre
of the same, being provided with an annular groove for its reception as clearly
shown in the Drawing. In Figures 1, 2, and 3, M is a packing box screwed
to the top of the cap D and filled with suitable packing material N, by means
of which the fluid is prevented from leaking out around the stem of the
follower E. F is the handle or wheel confined to the top of the follower by
means of the screw G in the usual manner. I is the swivel, consisting of a
cylindrical block of metal provided with a cylindrical shank n, which enters
and turns freely in a corresponding hole in the centre of the follower E, being
prevented from dropping out of the latter by means of the pin m, which enters
an annular groove in the said shank as represented in the Drawings. The
bottom of this swivel is either provided with a thimble I having a flange g, as
represented in Fig. 2, said thimble being attached by means of a screw or
pin; or it may be turned out by a suitable instrument to form a socket
similar to that formed by the flanged thimble, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or
the bottom of the swivel may be slightly concave or of any other required form
to hold the valve or rest- upon it as in Fig. 4. The valve or packing J is
made of vulcanized rubber or other suitable elastic material, of a hemi-
spherical or hemispheroidal shape, and having its base provided with a rim or
flange a, by means of which it is confined in the socket at the bottom of the
swivel H, constructed as described above. The rim a, however, may in some
cases be omitted, the compression of the valve iu said socket being sufficient
to keep it in place. I prefer, however, as a general rule, to make use of the
rim a, which can be readily compressed and snapped into the socket and as
readily removed when required.
The Drawings (Figs. 1, 2, and 3, represent the valve J as applied to the
end of the swivel H; it is obvious, however, that if desirable it may be applied
in the same manner to the end of the follower itself (the swivel being omitted),.
or to the followers of many others faucets now in general use.
The flange a
may also be applied to advantage to the elastic valves or packings of almost
any known, shape in general use, as well as to those which I have described
...

page_text: above and represented in the accompanying Drawings. It is also evident that
my swivel H may be used to advantage in connection with elastic valves or
packings of almost any description now in use, as well as with the valve J in
the Drawings.
Fig. 5 represents a self-closing faucet, in which a single piece of rubber
or other suitable elastic material or compound O is made to answer the
threefold purpose of a spring, an elastic valve or valve seat packing and a
packing for the cap D of the chamber B. The shape of this spring packing
is clearly represented in Figs. 5 and 6; a being a flange, and da central hole.
The natural or uncompressed length of this spring O is somewhat more than
the distance between the valve seat K and the cap D, so that when the latter
is screwed down upon the top of the valve chanıber B the bottom of the valve
will be forced down sufficiently tight upon the scat K to form a water-tight
packing, while at the same time the flange a (being compressed between the
cap and the top of the valve chamber) will also form a water-tight packing
between the two. Through the centre of the spring is a round hole d, through
which is forced a rod P sufficiently large to form a water-tight fit, being
provided at its lower end with a screw nut b; this rod P also passes freely
through a hole in the centre of the cap D, and is pivoted at e to the cam
lever Q, by turning which the spring O will be compressed, and its lower end
raised sufficiently high from the valve seat to allow the fluid to flow freely
from the inlet A to the outlet C. When the lever is released the elasticity
of the spring O immediately forces its bottom on to the valve seat K and
closes the faucet as represented in Fig. 5. The spring O thus constructed
and arranged also prevents nearly all the "water hammer" when the faucet is
suddenly closed.
Figure 4 represents another modification of this principle of constructing a
self-closing faucet, in which the spring O is somewhat shorter, and placed
'below the valve seat K, its flange a being confined in a socket in the cap R,
which is screwed water-tight to the under side of the faucet as clearly shown
in the Drawing The upper end of the said spring in its uncompressed or
natural condition being somewhat longer than the distance between the valve
seat K and the cap R, so that the elasticity of the material will keep it
pressed sufficiently tight against the valve seat. The valve is opened or
forced from its seat by the pressure of the swivel H upon its upper surface
instead of being raised as shown in Fig. 5. The follower E in Fig. 4 is
provided with a coarse screw, the inclination of which is such that a partial
rotation of the follower will entirely open the valve, while the upward pressure
of the spring valve O is sufficient to overcome the friction of said screw and

page_text: throw it up, thus making a self-closing faucet. The advantages of combining
a screw follower thus constructed with the valve of a self-closing fancet have:
been alluded to above.
Fig. 3 represents a steam valve constructed in substantially the same
manner as the faucets in Figures 1 and 2; it is provided, however, with an
adjustable stop for the purpose specified above in setting forth the nature of
my Invention. This stop consists of a thumbscrew S, which passes vertically
through the wheel or handle F as clearly shown in the Drawing. When the
valve has been forced down sufficiently hard upon its seat K, the said thumb-
screw is turned down till its point strikes upon the top of the cap M. If the
valve is now opened, the next time the follower is screwed down to close the
same it cannot be forced any further than it was before, being prevented by
the point of the screw S striking as before on the top of the cap M. Thus the
said thumbscrew becomes an adjustable guide to show when the valve is
properly closed, and a regulator to prevent the same from ever being injured
or spoiled by the too great pressure of the follower upon it. The Drawing
(Fig. 3) represents only one method of applying the principle of this improve-
ment; it is obvious, however, that the adjustable stop or regulator may be
applied in various other equivalent ways, and accomplish the required result.
For instance, an adjustable screw might enter the top of the cap M, and
project above the same so as to come in contact with the under side of the
wheel F, or there might be check nuts on the follower itself between the
wheel and the cap M.
"and
Figure 2 represents a "supply pipe" cock having a "waste pipe" or
channel fleading from the bottom of the valve chamber cap D, so that when
the valve J is raised or opened to its full extent the elastic packing I¹ will
come in contact with the inward opening of the said "waste pipe
effectually close it; but when the valve J is closed down upon its seat K,
the inward orifice of the waste pipe will be open, and the liquid in the pipe or
pipes above will be free to run down, the valve being somewhat smaller than
the chamber so as to afford a passage for the liquid between the two.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, what I claim as new
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First, attaching the elastic packing or valve to the follower or swivel by
5 means of a flange a and a corresponding socket in said follower or swivel,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second, the swivel H in combination with the follower E and valve seat K,
substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: Third, the compressible elastic body O, constructed and arranged as repre-
sented in Figures 4 and 5 for the purposes described.
Fourth, the screw follower E, constructed as shown in Figure 4, in com-
bination with the valve of a self-closing faucet, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Fifth, the employment of an adjustable stop or regulator S or its equivalent,
in combination with the follower of a steam valve or water-cock, substantially
as set forth and for the purpose described.
Sixth, the arrangement of the "waste-pipe" or channel f, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
second day of June, A.D., 1865.
NATHANIEL JENKINS.
(L.S.)