IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES TO BE APPLIED TO STEAM DRYING CYLINDERS OR ROLLERS USED IN VARIOUS MACHINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Fletcher, of Newton Hyde, in the County
of Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF VALVES TO BE APPLIED TO STEAM DRYING CYLINDERS OR ROLLERS USED IN
VARIOUS MACHINES,'
"
Sealed the 9th December 1875, and dated the 23rd June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Fletcher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd June 1875.
I, THOMAS FLETCHER, of Newton Hyde, in the County of Chester,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES TO BE APPLIED TO STEAM DRYING CYLINDERS OR
ROLLERS USED IN VARIOUS MACHINES," to be as follows :—
This Invention relates to the construction of the valves which are
applied to the ends of steam drying cylinders or rollers used in calico
printing machines, warp, sizing, and dressing machines, and in other
machinery wherein revolving steam drying cylinders are employed.
The use of these values is twofold

page_text: from the interior of the cylinder, and permit the steam to blow through
till the cylinder is perfectly heated.
And, Secondly, When the steam is turned off to admit air into the
cylinder, and thus prevent the collapsing of the sides sometimes caused
by the vacuum produced by the condensation of the steam in the closed
cylinder.
I use a disc valve closing outwards by the pressure of a conical spring
placed round the spindle thereof. This valve works in a seating
screwed into the end of the steam cylinder, and the end of the valve
spindle is provided with a head (of a rounded or mushroom form) pro-
jecting slightly beyond the outer rim of the screwed seating, the said
head being notched at the edges to allow for the escape of the steam.
Working upon a stud or pin fixed in the rim of the seating is a small
lever with a projecting knob. By turning this lever over the centre of
the valve it comes against the rounded head of the valve spindle, and
forcing the valve inwards opens it, and it will remain open so long as
the lever is allowed to continue in this position, but upon throwing this
lever off the centre (by holding a piece of wood or other substance in
front of the knob as the cylinder is revolving) the valve is set free, and
the pressure of the spiral spring and the steam instantly closes it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
FLETCHER, of Newton Hyde, in the County of Chester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Fletcher, Her special license
that I, the said Thomas Fletcher, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Fletcher, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no

page_text: 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES TO BE APPLIED TO STRAN DRYING CYLINDERS OR
ROLLERS USED IN VARIOUS MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Fletcher, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Thomas Fletcher, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings:-
The Invention relates to the construction of the valves which are
applied to the ends of steam drying cylinders or rollers used in calico
printing machines, warp, sizing, and dressing machines, and in other
machinery wherein revolving steam drying cylinders are employed.
The use of these valves is twofold,―
Firstly. When the steam is first admitted to allow the air and con-
densed steam or water to escape from the interior of the cylinder, and
permit the steam to blow through till the cylinder is perfectly heated.
And, Secondly. When the steam is turned off to admit air into the
cylinder, and thus prevent the collapsing of the sides sometimes caused
by the vacuum produced by the condensation of the steam in the closed
cylinder.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention I will now
proceed to describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or
may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that the
same may be clearly understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following expla-
nation thereof :-

page_text: Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view, and Fig. 3 a vertical section
of an improved valve made according to my Invention.
I use a disc valve a, a, closing outwards by the pressure of a coiled
spring 6, 6, placed round the spindle c, c, thereof. This valve works in
a seating d, d, screwed into the end of the steam oylinder, and the outer
end of the valve spindle c, c, is provided with a head e, e, projecting
slightly beyond the outer rim of the screwed seating d, d, and having
suitable openings ff, for the escape of steam. Working upon a stud or
pin fixed in the rim of the seating is a small lever g, g, with a projecting
knob or handle h, h. By turning this lever g, g, over the centre of the
valve a, a, it comes against the rounded head e, e, of the valve spindle c, c,
and forcing the valve a, a, inwards opens it, and it will remain open so
long as the lever g, g, is allowed to continue in this position, but upon
throwing this lever off the centre as the cylinder is revolving the
valve a, a, is set free, and the pressure of the spiral spring 6, 6, and the
steam instantly closes it.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as
my Invention, the application to vacuum valves of mechanism which
enables the valves to be opened at pleasure for the purposes described,
and kept open as long as may be required for expelling the air and
condensed water, and thoroughly heating the cylinder, substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof I, the said Thomas Fletcher, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witnessed by,
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
THOMAS FLETCHER. (L.s.)