IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Beckett, of the Anchor Iron
Works, Chelmsford, in the County of Essex, for the Invention of
if IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES."
Sealed the 19th June 1874, and dated the 31st December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Beckett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 31st December 1873.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECKETT, of the Anchor Iron Works, Chelmsford,
in the County of Essex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
valves for regulating the flow of steam, gases, air, water, or any other
fluid or liquid, and which are applicable to all cases in which valves,
cocks, faucets, gates, taps, or other similar contrivances are employed
for closing and opening passages or ways for the alternate exclusion or
admission of fluids or liquids.

page_text: The back or inner surfaces of the
their centres, such spindles being
On each of the opposite sides of
These improvements consist in the application and arrangement of a
pair of metal discs or plates, and in the method and means in and by
which motion is given to the same in opening and closing the apertures
or passages to which the same are applied as valves so as to secure the
most perfect and reliable fitting thereof against their respective seatings
when closed, and to leave an entirely unobstructed passage for the fluid
or liquid when the valves are removed from their seatings and the
passage opened. The metal discs or plates are placed in the pipe or
passage way of the fluid or liquid, and the edges or peripheries of the
same are provided with cogs or teeth.
same have spindles which project from
furnished with screw threads thereon.
the shell of the valve a rack is formed or fitted to correspond with the
cogs or teeth on the edges or peripheries of the discs or plates. A tube
or barrel having a screw thread tapped on the interior thereof is pro-
vided, and a smaller cross tube or barrel affixed at right angles (or
forming part thereof) at the lower end, the same being also provided
with scrow threads corresponding with the screw threads on the before-
mentioned spindles attached to the back or inner surfaces of the discs or
plates. Upon the sides of the said last-mentioned tube or barrel wings
or flanges are formed, and which slide in grooves formed in or fitted
upon the sides of the shell of the valve. A rod or spindle having its
lower end tapped with a screw thread to gear into the screw thread on
the inner part of the tube or barrel is provided and fitted into the shell
of the valve with a stuffing box, collar, and bearing, as will be well :

page_text: of the discs or plates come into gear with the racks on each of the
opposite sides of the shell, one turning to the right and the other to the
left. The same rotating motion causes the screwed spindles on the back
or inner surfaces of the discs or plates to unthread and move laterally,
and (the discs or plates having been previously adjusted the one from
the other before inserting the same into the shell) when opposite the
passage or seating of the valve to close it in the most perfect and
effectual manner. By turning the rod or spindle in the contrary direc-
tion a reverse upward action takes place until the surfaces of the discs
or plates are removed from contact with the seating and allow of the
free passage of the fluid or liquid.
It may be observed that the rotating motion of the discs or plates
when closing possesses this important advantage, that it scrapes and
cleans the seat or surface of the passage before it is finally forced up
to it.
As a modification of this Invention one disc or plate only is some-
times employed, the same having a projection or pivot in the centre
thereof, which slides between two lugs projecting from the lower end of
the tube or barrel. Upon the sides of the tube or barrel wings or flanges
are formed, and which slide in grooves formed in or fitted upon the sides
of the shell of the valve, the lower ends of such grooves being slightly
bevilled towards the seat of the valve. On the ascent of the tube or
barrel the disc by reason of its own weight gradually assumes a hori-
zontal position, and by that time has been raised clear of the pipe or
passage, and in descending the top of the disc strikes against the top of
the pipe or passage, and is gradually caused to resume the vertical
position, and upon reaching that position is forced against the seating
by reason of the wings or flanges on the tube or barrel working through
the bevilled portion of the grooves. In this mode of action the disc or
plate is operated upon in the same way as previously described in the
case of two discs or plates being employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Le
filed by the said William Henry Beckett in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY BECKETT, of the Anchor Iron Works, Chelmsford, in the County
of Essex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Beckett, Her
special license that I, the said William Henry Beckett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry
Beckett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no 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," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Henry Beckett, my execu-
tors 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 William Henry Beckett, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to the use of metal discs or valve plates and
to the means by which motion is given to them for opening or closing
the valve passages so as to secure complete fitting of the valve plates to
their seats for closing the passages, and yet admit of a free passage for
the fluid when desired.

page_text: But that the Invention may be fully understood I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me
in carrying the same into effect.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a transverse
section of apparatus arranged according to my Invention; Figure 3 is a
sectional plan of the same taken through the line 1, 1, of Figure 1. In
each of the Figures the same letters indicate corresponding parts.
a, a, indicate the barrel of the valve apparatus by which connection is
and
made with the pipes of supply and delivery; b is the valve chamber;
c, c, are the two valves or valve plates. The edge of cach of these
valves or valve plates is formed with cogs or teeth c¹, which are formed
to take into corresponding cogs or tecth in racks a, d, of which there is
one to each valve or valve plate, but they are applied at opposite sides of
the valve chamber b. Each valve or valve plate is also provided with a
stem c with a thread thereon adapted to take into a corresponding
This socket e is
female screw formed in the lower part of the socket c.
also tapped transversely to receive the screw thread of the stem f, by
which the socket e, together with the valves or valve plates c, c, may be
raised or lowered. The socket e is formed with or has applied to it
projections or horns e¹, e¹, to move vertically in grooves or between
guide plates b¹, b¹, formed in or applied to the interior of the valve
chamber b. The upper part of the spindle or stem ƒ is formed with a
collar f¹ to turn in the recess formed for it under the stuffing box b²,
through which the stem frises, and is thereby made fluid-tight. The
stem then has applied to it a wheel for other suitable handle by
which it may be freely turned. Upon turning the spindle f in one
direction the socket e with the valves c, c, will be raised, and in this
rising of the valves or valve plates c, c, they will be caused to turn by
their teeth c¹ taking into the teeth of the racks b', and in so rising they
will by the turning of their spindles c³ in the socket e be drawn away
from their valve seats, thus freeing them. Then on turning the spindle f
in the opposite direction the valves will be caused to rotate or partially
rotate in the opposite direction, when the action of these threaded
spindles c¹ in the socket e will be to cause them in their descent again
to close firmly on the valve seats.

page_text: It will be observed that a very important advantage arising out of
this rotary motion being given to the valves in their closing is that the
valve seats, as well as the surfaces of the valves brought in contact with
them, are scraped and cleansed in the act of or before final closing.
.
Having thus described my Invention, and means by which I carry the i
. same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise arrangement of parts shown and described, as the same
may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the
Invention; but what I do claim is, the adaptation or combination of
means whereby the valve apparatus is operated to regulate the passage
or flow of fluids, substantially as described.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Henry Beckett, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 23rd day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
TYY
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