Improvements in Valves for Compressed Air Chambers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 13th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Compressed Air Chambers.
We, ROBERT RAMSBOTTOM of 81 Market Street, Manchester, Sportsman's
Outfitter, and HARRY ROFE of 3 Carrington Road Flixton both in the County
of Lancaster, Salesman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to valves employed in connexion with compressed-air
chambers such as footballs, air cushions, pneumatic tyres, and other analogous
articles for the purpose of inflating and deflating such chambers containing air
above atmospheric pressure, but refers more particularly to inflating valves, the
object of this invention being to simplify the form and making of the valve while
retaining the efficiency of the best constructed.
Our improvements consist in forming the valve with a cell or chamber, called
hereinafter "valve-chamber of elastic substance such as indiarubber, which is
placed in the interior of the compressed air chamber and in communication by
means of a neck or passage with the exterior thereof and open to the atmosphere.
The valve seat or seal is formed by piercing or puncturing with a needle point the
valve chamber in one or more places, without removing a piece of the substance at
the puncture, the elastic nature of the substance of the valve causing the punctured
part to remain closed. The portion of the chamber punctured may be sufficiently
rigid inwardly, or behind the puncture to resist collapse and prevent the seal from
opening towards the interior of the said chamber. The walls of the valve chamber
may be made sufficiently flexible to collapse, or bed, above or around the valve seal
when the pressure in the chamber has risen above that of the atmosphere thereby
doubly securing the retention of the confined air. When the valve chamber is
formed somewhat rigid at the seal or seat a band or face of rubber may be laid
over the puncture and secured in such manner that the pressure from the interior
of the valve-chamber causes it to rise and allow a passage into the chamber while
the pressure of the confined air presses the face down on the seal and prevents a
return flow or escape.
For the purpose of deflating the chamber when necessary I pass a cord or string
down the neck and to the bottom of the valve chamber and secure it thereto in
order that the said chamber may be drawn out of the compressed-air chamber and
the valve unsealed more rapidly.
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101
R. J. URQUHART,
i
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Compressed Air Chambers.
We, ROBERT RAMS BOTTOM, Sportsman's Outfitter, of 81 Market Street,
Manchester, and HARRY RoFE, Salesman, of 3 Carrington Road, Flixton, both
in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to valves employed with compressed air chambers such as
footballs, air cushions, pneumatic tyres, and other analogous articles for the purpose
of inflating and deflating such chambers containing air above atmospheric pressure,

page_text: but refers more particularly to such part of the valve as allow the injected air to
pass without return.
The following statement will readily explain the manner in which we carry out
our invention, having reference at the same time to the sheet of drawings hereunto
appended.
On the said drawings
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a vertical cross-section of a valve con-
structed according to our invention and adapted for footballs and air cushions.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of our improved valve in a modified form.
Figures 5 and 6 are corresponding views of our improved valve adapted for
insertion into a small neck and suitable for pneumatic tires.
Our improved valve consists preferably of a flexible diaphragm chamber or cell
having a tubular passage or neck leading thereinto and having perforations or
punctures in the diaphragm which open when the chamber is distended by pressure
and immediately close when the pressure outside the said chamber is greater than
the atmospheric pressure. In a modification of this valve the perforations in a
diaphragm are covered by a band or strip of elastic material which is unattached
at one edge by preference.
Each diaphragm or wall of the valve chamber may be perforated but the
perforations in one diaphragm preferably should not come opposite to those in the
other, the surface round each perforation and the surface of the opposing part
of the diaphragm when in contact, as from external pressure, form a seal or
valve.
Referring now to the several views in the drawings like parts of which are
indicated by similar letters of reference, a is the flexible diaphragm chamber
having a neck a' formed with a flange a² preferably of the same clastic substance
which can be readily secured by cement or otherwise to the substance of the
air chamber marked b in the several views. In Figures 5 and 6 are shown two
views of a further modification of our improved valve as adapted for insertion
into a metallic neck secured to the air chamber chiefly of pneumatic tyres and
arranged in such manner that the valve can be readily withdrawn from the neck
when desired to reduce the pressure in the air chamber. The perforations or
punctures herein before referred to are indicated by e in each of the figures.
Each wall of the diaphragm may be perforated but the perforations are better
placed not opposite each other so that a seal shall be formed over each
perforation by the external pressure of air pressing the two inner faces of the
diaphragm together.
Referring to the modified form of valve shewn by Figures 3 and 4 an elastic
band d secured at the ends indicated by dotted lines to the diaphragm is placed
to cover the perforations and may be used with advantage when the pressure is
light as an additional seal. This band d is shown only upon one side of the
diaphragm but may be applied upon both sides when same are perforated.
Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 which show a ready means of withdrawing
the valve from the casing or neck for the purpose of allowing the air to escape,
the valve diaphragm a is of an elongated form by preference and is bound on or
otherwise secured to a hollow screw plug e at e¹. The valve may be perforated
and fitted with a band in the manner before described. The screwed plug e is
formed with a screwed orifice e² to attach the air pump to, and screws into the
valve casing which is formed with a flange and fitted with washer h² and
nut 3; between the flange and washer the substance of the air chamber is clamped
making an airtight joint on connection. But the casing or neck may be secured
to the air chamber in any other convenient manner.
The valves shewn by Figures 1 to 4 may be unscaled to allow the pressure to
escape by affixing a small auxiliary tube f shewn only in Figure 1 and 2 leading
into the air chamber the tube being tied up and only used when it is desired to let
the air pressure out of the chamber, but we may use or apply any other convenient
method for unsealing our improved valve.

page_text: We would have it understood that we make no claim to the use of any method
for unsealing our improved valve or for attaching the same to the air chamber or
tc, a neck or valve casing but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
A non-return valve having a flexible collapsible diaphragm chamber constructed
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.