Year: 1896

page_text: We, LADISLAUS LANG and HANNS HÖRBIGER, both of 142 Aussere Waitznerstrasse,
Budapest, in the Empire of Austria Hungary, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In order that the additional pressure for ensuring an automatic, rapid and steady
opening and closing action of parallel-guided devices (such as the clacks or valves
used in pumps, blowing engines, compressors and the like) be reduced to a minimum,
so that the useful effect is increased, and further in order that the durability and
reliable action of such devices be improved and finally in order that such devices,
although having a parallel opening at all sides, may not only be arranged horizontally
but also in a suspended position or placed vertically or obliquely in an engine of any
description, improved valve devices occupying a minimum space are constructed
according to this invention which are guided practically frictionless and parallel by
means of spring guides. In closing devices of this kind, friction guides are avoided,
the bulk and bearing surfaces are reduced to a minimum and the height to which
any fluid can be raised is increased according to the pressure, the number of strokes
or the quality of the material to be conveyed. The closing device or valve proper is
cushioned or spring actuated as will be apparent from the description hereinafter
given.
In order to clearly explain the improvement, its essential feature is in the first
instance described with reference to a special application; next the variable applicability
of the invention and modifications thereof suitable for various machines are described
and finally the fluid to be operated upon and pressures in general will be discussed.
Referring first to a complete valve device such as would be suitable for blowing
engines for blast furnaces and Bessemer-blast apparatus the engine making 60, 70
and even more revolutions per minute, and for pressures up to two and three
atmospheres as ascertained by minute experiments.
The whole device substantially consists of a valve seat, a valve carrier, a valve ring
three guides and the central screw.
The valve seat is provided with sharp-edged, circular, concentrical seat edges or
seat surfaces lying in one plane. Above this valve seat the valve carrier is arranged,
which on its part carries two concentrical seat surfaces which correspond with the
seat edges on the valve seat. The valve proper is a perfectly flat, thin, ring of steel or
other hard metal, which during the period of opening will bear against the surfaces of
the valve carrier and during the period of closing against the seat edges. The carrier
surfaces thus are the limiting or stop surfaces proper and the valve carrier is also the
valve or clack stop. The three guides of exactly equal length are thin, broad, elastic
steel or hard metal blades, which are fixed to the valve carrier and to the valve ring
in a manner which ensures a sensitive spring action.

page_text: The fixing is effected by placing the guide-ends first between two thin springy
washers and these latter again between two comparatively smaller and thicker
washers, then rivetting them to the valve carrier or to the valve ring preferably by
means of copper rivets. The smaller discs which are placed on the one hand between
the guide and valve carrier and on the other hand between the guide and valve
ring, serve moreover to ensure that the S shaped or slightly cranked
guide shall not touch either the valve carrier or the valve ring for any
position of the latter. The rivet holes arranged in the valve disc and in the valve
carrier are located in circles of exactly the same diameter and at uniform angular
distances apart of 120 degrees. From this arrangement and from the absolutely
uniform length of the guides and their flexibility in the direction in which the valve
moves as well as from the perfect rigidity in the direction of the breadth of the guide
it follows that the valve ring can freely and almost without resistance move
absolutely vertically up and down between the seat edge and stop surface; the said
valve ring thus is perfectly and safely guided without anywhere presenting a sliding
surface, so that frictional contact and adhesion are entirely impossible. Further the
slight resistance of the guides, the bulk of the valve ring and the additional pressure
moving the valve on account of their uniform distribution around the centre, may be
imagined to meet at, and act respectively at, the centre of the valve ring, the opening
and closing motion of the valve, when the same is constructed in a correct mianner,
will of necessity always take place parallel to itself. The valve ring, guided straight
and parallel by the flexible guides, swings freely up and down within the limits given
by the seat edge and the stop surface on the carrier.
In order that the valve ring, when left to itself, may settle upon the seat edge with a
slight pressure, the guides are curved and the slight spring action thus obtained is
utilized to that effect. Moreover to ensure that the valve ring, even when it is
somewhat uneven, may closely. fit and bear against the seat edges, the said valve disc
is made extremely thin and elastic; by this means its bulk is reduced to a minimum
and consequently, even during the quickest action, it neither requires a special
additional pressure nor a special spring, and, even should it be rapidly forced against
the seat edges or stop surfaces, its bulk or weight produces no injurious effect, thus
the seat surfaces may be made in the form of a sharp truncated edge which does not
injure the hard valve ring. The small bulk or weight of the valve also contributes
In order to prevent
to reduce the additional pressure required for opening the valve.
the guides from offering any special resistance to the rapid opening action, either by
their spring action or by their deal weight, they are likewise made extremely thin
and elastic, a construction only possible when the valve ring itself is also of minimum
bulk. Thus an intimate connection exists between the small bulk of the valve, the
thinness and elasticity of the said valve, the narrow almost sharp edged bearing
surfaces, and the high elasticity and slight spring of the guides. These qualities
together with the avoidance of friction co-operate in allowing a great valve speed with
the least additional pressure expended, and great durability. The valve carrier is
fixed to the seat by means of a central screw. A longer screw is connected to
the central screw by means of a coupling device and serves in fitting the valve seat
into the casing and to retain it therein. This closing device may be inserted in a
horizontal, an upright, a suspended, or an oblique position without the exactness of
its action being thereby in any way impaired. In order to render the concussion of
the valve upon the seat edge or upon the stop, surface as slight as possible, two valve
rings of equal or different thicknesses are placed one above the other, so that there is
a small intermediate space between them which serves to form a liquid or gas
cushion; for this purpose a second covering ring is placed above the valve disc
proper, and where they are connected to the guide ends, a thin distance-ring is
riveted between them; such distance rings may also, independently of the guide
rivets be riveted with the discs, that is to say about centrally between the guides.
Thereby the impact of the air to which the pressure-valves of a blowing engine, for
example, are subject at the moment when the piston commences its return stroke, is
materially softened owing to the fact that first the air or the oil between the covering

page_text: pressed
ring and the valve ring would have to be driven out, before the latter
with all its weight upon the seat; for that, however, the time is too short so that
meanwhile the suction valves have had time to open and the admitted air to exert a
counter pressure.
We will now proceed to the description of some modifications of our improved
valve device, reference being had to simple as well as multiple ring valves.
When guides of a greater length than those before referred to are required, they
are curved to conform to the shape of the annular valve. This method is of course
not absolutely necessary when three guides are used; on the contrary four guides,
which are straight in plan may be employed for valves of the same size; in this latter
case they may of course be curved or arranged concentrically to the valve disc.
This improved method is not limited to the employment of one valve ring only, a
plurality of them may be arranged to fit concentrically within one another, in which
case the number of guides of a larger ring valve will be increased. It is further not
necessary that each ring valve should have its own guide, it is sufficient to provide
only the outermost, or an intermediate valve-ring with guides, and to connect the
other valve rings with the guided valve ring by tueans of stays. Concentrical ring
valves may, in order to save base surface be arranged in steps above one another, but
in this case each valve ring must be guided separately.
If a very sensitive valve is required which is intended to act on the least additional
pressure, and which is required to oppose this additional pressure with a large surface,
the inner diameter of the valve is reduced so that there is just room for the central
screw to pass through and the valve ring becomes almost a complete disc, but the
guide arrangement remains the same. If the central screw is entirely, eliminated, a
complete disc is then obtained, while only one single guide need be used, a valve of
this kind can be suitably arranged only in a horizontal position.
In order to obtain as large a sectional area for the passage of the fluid as possible,
the flap, clack or valve may be of a rectangular shape; in this case only one single
guide is used; such rectangular flap or clack may also be guided by means of one
guide only. But as rectangular seat edges are difficult to construct, the order may
be reversed; that is to say, the seat surface is made quite even and the edge of the
flap or clack inturned up to form a sent edge. These modifications, described by way
to say
of example, may also be constructed with double flaps, clacks or valves, that
they may be provided with a covering ring or disc.
On arranging several rectangular flaps or valves side by side, it is advisable to
combine several say five, in a group under one cover, and to guide this group as a
whole by the aid of springs as above described. In this case several guides may be
arranged parallel and one on the top thereof, so that lateral movement may be
prevented; or they may be arranged parallel without a transverse guide, but are then
riveted to the valve carrier.
We may have a suitably extended rectangular flap, clack or valve with two different
guide arrangements; the guides may be arranged behind one another, or so as to
overlap one another, in order to obtain a larger guide extension with the same
number of guides. In order to prevent them from giving way laterally, the guides,
are placed in two different directions thus forming a rigid frame in the direction of
the length of the valve.. The stopping surface in this case is toothel, in order that a
sufficiently extensive cross sectional area may be obtained-at the moment of opening.
It is evident that such a rectangular flap or clack may be of any suitable length. If
such rectangular closing device be curved circularly in the planes of its thickness
so as to form an endless ring, a ring valve is obtained such as has already been
described.
All the modifications are based upon the same principle, which avoids frictional
guides by using the spring guides herein described and so reducing the additional
pressure required for the actuation of the closing devices to a minimum and allowing
the devices to be arranged in any position without frictional guides. The applicability
of these valves is of course very extensive; they are suitable for use in blowing engines
for, blast furnaces or Bessemer blast apparatus, in dry-compressors, wet-compressers,

page_text: air pumps, mixed air pumps and pumps of all kinds as non-return valves,
and also in a modified form, as outlet devices for low pressure steam-cylinders.
The characteristic feature of all the constructional forms of the invention, by means
of which frictional guides are avoided, consists in the use of thin springy guides by
which the movable thin closing valves are so connected to the rigid valve carriers,
that the valves have a parallel motion while being sufficiently guided.
Dated this 13th day of October 1896
We, LADISLAUS LANG, and HANNS HÖRBIGER, both of 142 Aussere, Waitznerstrasse,
Budapest, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, Engineers, 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:-
In order that the additional pressure for ensuring an automatic, rapid and steady
opening and closing action of parallel-guided devices (such as the clacks or valves
used in pumps, blowing engines, compressors and the like) be reduced to a minimum,
so that the useful effect is increased, and further in order that the durability and
reliable action of such devices be improved; and finally in order that such devices,
although having a parallel opening at all sides, may not only be arranged horizontally,
but also in a suspended position or placed vertically or obliquely in an engine of any
description, improved valve devices occupying a minimum space are constructed
according to this invention which are guided practically frictionless and parallel by
means of spring guides. In closing devices of this kind, friction guides are avoided,
the bulk and bearing surfaces are reduced to a minimum, and the height to which
any fluid can be raised is increased according to the pressure, the number of strokes,
or the quality of the material to be conveyed. The closing device or valve proper is
cushioned or spring actuated, as will be apparent from the accompanying drawings,
and from the description hereinafter given."
In order to clearly explain the improvement, its essential feature is, in the first instance,
described with reference to a special application illustrated in Figures 18 and 18"
of the drawings, next the variable applicability of the invention and modifications
thereof suitable for various machines, are described with reference to Figures 1 to 17
and finally the fluid to be operated upon and pressures in general will be discussed.
Figures 18 and 18B represent in natural size, a complete valve device such as
would be suitable for blowing engines for blast furnaces and Bessemer blast apparatus,
the engine making 60, 70 and even more revolutions per minute, and for pressures up
to two and three atmospheres, as ascertained by minute experiments.
The whole device substantially consists of a valve seat 8, a valve carrier t, a valve
ring a, the three guides lk, and the central screw C.
The valve seat & is provided with two sharp-edged, circular, concentrical seat edges or
seat surfaces & lying in one plane. Above this valve seat the valve carrier t is
arranged, which on its part carries two concentrical seat surfaces 82 which correspond
with the seat edges s on the valve seat, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 18".
They are cut away at intervals to permit of the arrangement of the guides lk, like-
wise shown in Figure 18. The valve proper a is a perfectly flat, thin metal ring of
steel or other hard metal, which during the period of opening will bear against the

page_text: surfaces of the valve carrier, and, during the period of closing, against the seat
edges s'. The carrier surfaces & are thus the limiting or stop surfaces proper and the
valve carrier t is also the valve or clack stop. The three guides lk of exactly equal
length are in the form of thin, broad, elastic steel or hard metal blades, which are
fixed at to the valve carrier t and at k to the valve ring in a manner which ensures
a sensitive spring action.
The fixing is effected by placing the guide-ends between two thin springy washers
(Figures 19 and 19") and these latter again between two comparatively smaller and
thicker washers g, then riveting them to the valve carrier t or to the valve ring a,
preferably by means of copper rivets n. The smaller discs which are placed on the one
hand between the guide and valve carrier t, and on the other hand between the guide
and valve ring a, serve moreover to ensure that the S-shaped or slightly cranked
guide k shall not touch either the valve carrier or the valve ring for any position of
the latter. The rivet holes arranged in the valve disc and in the valve carrier are
located in circles of exactly the same diameter and at uniform angular distances apart
of 120 degrees. From this arrangement and from the absolutely uniform length of
the guides, and their flexibility in the direction in which the valve moves, as well as
from the perfect rigidity in the direction of the breadth of the guides, it follows that
the valve ring can freely and almost without resistance move absolutely vertically up
and down between the seat edge and stop surface; the said valve ring is thus
perfectly and safely guided without anywhere presenting a sliding surface so that
frictional contact and adhesion are entirely impossible. Further as the forces com-
prising the slight resistance of the guides, the bulk or weight of the valve ring and
the additional pressure moving the valve on account of their uniform distribution
around the centre, may he imagined to meet at, and act respectively at the centre of
the valve ring, the opening and closing motion of the valve, when the same is
constructed in a correct manner, will of necessity always take place parallel to itself...
The valve ring, guided straight and parallel by the flexible guides, swings freely up
and down within the limits given by the seat edge 8 and the stop surface 2 on the
carrier.
In order that the valve ring a, when left to itself, may settle upon the seat edge
with a slight pressure, the guides are curved and the slight spring action thus
obtained is utilized to that effect. Moreover to ensure that the valve ring, even when
it is somewhat uneven, nay closely fit and hear against the sent edges, the said valve
disc is made extremely thin and elastic; by this means its bulk is reduced to a
minimum and consequently, even during the quickest action, it neither requires a
special additional pressure nor a special spring, and even should it be rapidly
forced against the seat edges or stop surfaces, its bulk or weight produces
no injurious effect, thus the seat surfaces may be made in the form of
a sharp truncated edge, which does not injure the hard valve ring. The
small bulk or weight of the valve also contributes to reduce the additional
pressure required for opening the valve. In order to prevent the guides from
offering any special resistance to the rapid opening action, either by their spring
action or by their dead weight, they are likewise made extremely thin and elastic, a
construction only possible when the valve ring itself is also of minimum bulk. Thus
an intimate connection exists between the small bulk of the valve, the thinness and
elasticity of the said valve, the narrow almost knife-edge bearing surfaces and the
high elasticity and slight spring of the guides. These qualities, together with the
avoidance of friction, co-operate in allowing a great valve speed with the least
additional pressure and great durability. The valve carrier t is fixed to the seat a by
means of a central screw C. A longer screw C¹ is connected to the central screw C by
means of a coupling device ma and serves in fitting the valve seat into the casing and
to retain it therein. This closing device may be inserted in a horizontal, an upright,
a suspended, or an oblique position, without the exactness of its action being thereby
in any way impaired. In order to render the concussion of the valve upon the seat
edge or upon the st p surface at a slight as possible, two valve rings of equal or
different thicknesses are placed one above the other, so that there is a small

page_text: intermediate space between them, which serves to form a liquid or gas cushion; for
this purpose a second covering ring D is placed above the valve disc a proper, and they
are connected to the guide ends ; a thin distance ring e is riveted between a and D,
such distance rings e may, independently of the guide rivet, be riveted in with the
disc, that is to say about midway between the guides. Thereby the impact of the
air to which the pressure valves of a blast blowing engine, for example, are subject at
the moment when the piston commences its return stroke, is materially softened,
owing to the fact that first the air or the oil between the covering ring D and the
valve ring a would have to be driven out before the latter can be pressed with all its
weight upon the seat; for that, however, the time is too short so that meanwhile the
suction valves have had time to open and the admitted air to exert a counter.
pressure.
Having thus thoroughly described the special case illustrated in Figures 18"
and 18 as regards its constructional details, as well as all its purposes in view, we will
now proceed to the description of Figures 1 to 17, with reference to which the
modifications of our improved valve device indicated therein will first he discussed
with regard to simple as well as multiple ring valves, the reference letters used
being respectively the same as those indicated in Figs. 18 and 18" and 19 and 19".
Figures 4 and 5 represent on a reduced scale the special case above referred to.
When guides of a greater length than those before referred to are required, they are
curved to conform to the shape of the annular valve as shown in Figure 4º. This
method is of course not absolutely necessary when the guides are used; on the
contrary, as shown in Figure 4B, four guides which are straight in plan, may be
employed for valves of the same size; in this latter case they may of course be curved
or arranged concentrically to the valve disc as shown in Figure 4.
This improved method is not limited to the employment of one valve ring only,
a plurality of them may be arranged to fit concentrically within one another, as
shown in Figures 2, 14 and 16, in which case the number of guides of a larger
ring valve will be increased. It is further not necessary that each ring valve should
have its own guide, as in Figure 16; it is sufficient to provide only the outermost
valve ring with guides, see Figure 2, or an intermediate valve ring, see Figure 14,
and to connect the other valve rings with the guided valve ring by means of stays
(Figures 2 and 14). Concentrical ring valves may, in order to reduce hase surface,
be arranged in steps above one another as shown in Figure 9; but in this case
each valve ring must be guided separately.
If a very sensitive valve is required which is intended to act upon the least
additional pressure, and which is required to oppose this additional pressure with a
large surface, the inner diameter of the valve is reduced so that there is just room
for the central screw to pass through and the valve ring becomes almost a complete
disc, but the guide arrangement remains the same, see Figure 5. If the central
screw is entirely eliminated a complete dise is then obtained, while only one single.
guide need be used, as shown in Figure 6; a valve of this kind can be suitably
arranged only in a horizontal position.")
In order to obtain as large a sectional area for the passage of the fluid as possible,
the flap, clack or valve may be of rectangular shape, as shown in Figure 7, where in
this case only one guide is used, such rectangular flap or clack may also be guided
by means of two guides in the manner shown in Figure 8. But as rectangular seat
edges are difficult to construct, the order may be reversed, that is to say, the seat
surface is made quite even and the edge of the flap or clack is turned up to form a
seat edge, as indicated in Figure 8. The modifications as shown, by way of example,
in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 may also be constructed with double flaps, clacks or valves,
that is to say, they may be provided with covering rings or discs."
On arranging several rectangular flaps or valves side by side, it is advisable to
combine several, say five in a group, under one cover (see Figures 3, 13 and 17) and
to guide this group as a whole by the aid of springs as above described. In this case
several guides may be arranged parallel and one on the top thereof, so that lateral
movement may be prevented, see Figure 3; or they may be arranged parallel

page_text: without a transverse guide, but are then riveted to the valve carrier, as shown in
Figures 13 and 17.
Figure 1 is an explanatory diagrammatical illustration of the inventive idea. We
may have a suitably extended rectangular flap, clack or valve with two different
guide arrangements; according to Figure 14 the guides may be arranged behind one
another, whilst in Figure 1" they are arranged so as to overlap one another, in order
to obtain a larger guide extension with the same number of guides. In order to
prevent them from giving way laterally, the guides, as will be seen from the plan,
are placed in two different directions, thus forming a rigid frame in the direction of
the length of the valve. The stopping surface in this case is toothed, in order that a
sufficiently extensive sectional area may be obtained at the moment of opening. It
is evident that such a rectangular flap or clack may be of any suitable length.
If such rectangular closing device be curved circularly in the planes of its thickness,
so as to form an endless ring, a ring valve is obtained, such as has already been
described.
All the modifications are based upon the same principle, which avoids frictional
guides by using the spring guides herein described, and so reducing the additional
pressure required for the operation of the closing devices to a minimum and allowing
the devices to be arranged in any position, without frictional guides. The
applicability of these valves is of course very extensive; they are suitable for use in
blowing engines, for blast furnaces, Bessemer blast apparatus, in dry compressors,
wet compressors, air pumps, mixed air pumps, and pumps of all kinds, as non return
valves, and also in a modified form, as outlet devices for low pressure steam
cylinders.
Thus, for example, Figure 10 shows a half cross sectional view of a simple suction
ring valve without covering disc, for use in blast apparatus and dry compressors.
Figure 11 shows a half cross sectional view of a pressure ring valve with covering
discs, for use in pumps and wet compressors; this latter figure may serve as a detail
part of Figure 2.
Figure 12 represents in the same way a simple suction ring valve with covering
dise applicable for pumps and wet compressors, whilst Figure 15 shows a section.
through the periphery of a large suspended suction ring valve as applied to a mixed
air and water pump.
The characteristic feature of all the constructional forms of the invention, by
means of which frictional guides are avoided, consists in the use of thin springy
guides, by which the removable thin closing valves a are so connected with the
rigid valve carriers t that the valves have a parallel motion while being sufficiently
guided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:
1. Clacks and valve rings and dises of all kinds, which, instead of having a
frictional guide, are guided by means of thin, flexible springy guidesk, which are
suitably connected, on the one hand at l, to a valve carrier t, and on the other hand
at k to the ring or flap a (Figures 18 and 18").
2. In clacks or valve rings and discs of the kind referred to in the first claim, the
construction and use of the fixed valve carrier t for limiting the stroke of the ring or
flap (Figures 18 and 18B).
3. In clacks or valve rings and dises of the kind referred to in the first claim, the
construction of the seat surface 8 in such a manner as to form a sharp truncated edge
(Figures 18 and 18B).
4. In clacks or valve rings and discs of the kind referred to in the first claim,
constructing the rim of the valve or clack as an upturned blunt seat edge, when a
flat valve seat is used (Figure 8).
5. In clacks or valve rings and discs of the kind referred to in the first claim,

page_text: the use of a covering disc D arranged above the valve ring a proper, so that between
the two a certain space is maintained, serving to form a liquid or gas cushion.
Dated this 29th day of June 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.