IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR VALVES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Barr, of the Glenfield Company Kilmarnock
(Limited), of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR VALVES."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Barr at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th November 1880.
JOHN BARR, of the Glenfield Company Kilmarnock (Limited), of Kilmarnock,
in the County of Ayr, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS
OR VALVES."
This Invention has for its object to construct self-closing cocks or valves in an
improved manner, and so that whilst the valve closes against the pressure no
injurious concussion is thereby produced.
In one modification of the improved cocks or valves the closing detail is a plug
of rubber or other suitable elastic or compressible material held in a socket in a
small piston piece, which works with a rolling packing ring in a cylindrical
chamber. The piston piece is made with a short spindle fitted in a socket formed
at the inner end of a spindle on which the handle is fixed, the handle spindle being
free to turn on the piston-piece spindle, but moving it to or from the valve seat by
means of a cross pin. The handle spindle is screwed externally near its inner
end, and works in an internal screw in an inner or main cover, so that it moves
the valve to or from its seat by a screwing action. A volute spring is placed in a
chamber formed in the outer part of the inner or main cover, and has its ends
respectively fixed to the cover and the handle spindle, being enclosed by an outer
or supplementary cover. The handle has to be turned to open the valve, and when
let go is turned back again by the volute spring; but as the closing action imparted
by this spring operates through the screw parts, which are of fine pitch, the closing
is effected gradually and with comparative slowness. The rolling packing ring is
for preventing the passage of water or other liquid to the chamber containing the
spring; and for additional security a small washer of leather or rubber is fitted on
the handle spindle inside the inner cover.

page_text: Other modifications are formed by varying the details; thus for the rolling
packing there may be substituted a washer or diaphragm of rubber or other suitable
flexible material, which may itself act as the valve or closing detail, or may have
a valve fixed to its centre; also the volute spring may be fitted on the outside of
the body or cover, or there may be substituted for it a common helical spring or a
conic-volute spring. When a helical or conic-volute spring is used the screw thread
on the spindle is made a comparatively quick one, or is dispensed with, the spindle
in that case having a cam piece connected to it externally, by means of which the
spindle is raised for opening the valve. In some of the modifications the valvo
will act as a relief valve should concussion be produced in the pipes, the spring
allowing the valve to open slightly so that a little water may escape.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said John Barr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th May 1881.
JOHN BARR, of the Glenfield Company Kilmarnock (Limited), of Kilmarnock, in
the County of Ayr, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING COCKS OR
VALVES."
My said Invention has for its object to construct self-closing cocks or valves in
an improved manner, and so that whilst the valve closes against the pressure no
injurious concussion is thereby produced.
And in order that my Invention and the manner of performing the same may be
most readily understood, I will at once proceed to particularly describe the same
with the aid of an accompanying sheet of explanatory Drawings bearing referenco
numerals, which are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they aro
repeated.
One modification of my improved cocks or valves is shown in vertical section in
Figure 1, and Figuro 2 is a horizontal section of a part of the apparatus. In this
modification the valvo or closing detail 9 is a plug of rubber or other suitable
elastic or compressible, material held in a socket in a small piston pieco 10, which
works with a rolling packing ring 11 in a cylindrical chamber 12, formed in the
casing or body of the cock. The piston pieco 10 is made with a short spindlo 13,
fitted in a socket formed at the inner end of the spindle 14, on which the handle 15
is fixed, the handle spindle 14 being free to turn on the piston-piece spindle 13, but
moving it to or from the valve seat 16 by means of a cross pin. The handle
spindle 14 is screwed externally near. its inner enlarged end, and works in an
internal screw formed in an inner or main cover 17, so that it moves the valve 9
to or from its seat by a screwing action. A volute spring 18 is placed in a chamber
formed in the outer part of the main cover 17, and has its ends respectively fixed
to the cover 17 and to the handle spindle 14, being enclosed by an outer or supple-
mentary cover 19. The handle 15 has to be turned to open the valve, and when
let go is turned back again by the volute spring 18; but as the closing action
imparted by this spring operates through the screwed parts, which are of fine pitch,
the closing is effected gradually and with comparative slowness. Tho rolling packing
ring 11 is for preventing the passage of water or other liquid to the chamber con
taining the spring 18; and for additional security a small washer of leather or
rubber may be fitted on the handle spindle 14 inside the main cover 17.
Other modifications of my improved cocks or valves are formed by varying the
details, and are shown in Figures 3 to 8 of the Drawings, these figures all showing
parts in vertical section excepting in Figure 5, which is an elevation of the handle
and cover of the modification shown in Figure 4. A diaphragm or washer of rubber.
or other suitable flexible material may be substituted for the rolling packing ring 11,
but as I prefer the ring 11 I have shown it in all the modifications.
Where a
diaphragm or washer is used it may be made to act as the valve or closing detail,
or it may have a valve fixed to its centre as in some well known arrangements.
The volute spring 18 may be fitted on the outside of the body or cover, as in tho
modification shown in Figure 3, or there may be substituted for it a common helical
spring 20, as shown in Figures 4 and 7, or a conic-volute spring 21, as shown in
Figure 6. When a helical or conic-volute spring (20 or 21) is used the screw
thread on the handle spindle 14 is made a comparatively quick one, as indicated in
Figure 6, or a short portion of a screw surface is formed on the top of the cover
17, a corresponding surface being formed on the under middle part of the handle 15,
as shown in Figures 4 and 5, or, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, there is substituted
a cam piece 22, which is jointed on the end of the spindle 14, and is shaped so as on
being turned down to act like a lever in lifting the spindle 14.

page_text: In some of the modifications the valve will act as a relief valve should concussion
be produced in the pipes, the spring allowing the valve to open slightly so that a
little water may escape.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original, and
claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts for opening and closing the
valve pieces or closing details of cocks or valves substantially in the improved
manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the
accompanying Drawings.
2. The combination of parts shown in Figures 4 and 5 and herein before
described.
3. The combination of parts shown in Figures 7 and 8 and herein before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Barr, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-one
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN BARK. (L.S.)