AN IMPROVED: GUAGE VALVE, APPLICABLE TO BOILERS OF STEAM. ENGINES. AND TO PURPOSES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hicks, of Bedford Place, Clapham Rise, in. the
County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for. the Invention of." AN IMPROVED:
GUAGE VALVE, APPLICABLE TO BOILERS OF STEAM. ENGINES. AND TO
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hicks.at .the.Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition; 'on the 5th November >
.1855.
I, JOHN HICKS, of Bedford 'Place, Clapham Rise, in the County of Surrey,'
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
AN IMPROVED GUAGE VALVE, APPLICABLE TO BOLLERS OF STEAM ENGINES AND TO
OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
I construct a cylindrically-shaped tube of brass or gun metal," or of any other
suitable material, the bore of a portion thereof being of larger diameter than
the remaining part thereof, a cylindrical and hollow nozzle being cast or fixed
upon or to such tube, and opening into the same at the confluence of its greater
and lesser diameters; a concentric ring is cast in the said tube so as to project
within it, forming a shoulder separating the larger from the lesser diameter
thereof. The said tube is fitted with a plug or piston, composed of steel, wrought

page_text: or cast iron, or of any other suitable material; and which is constructed of
various dimensions in different parts of its length; the largest diameter
accurately coinciding with the greatest bore: of the said cylindrical tube, the
next diameter being greater than that of the bore of-the inner concentric ring,
but smaller than the largest bore of the said tube, and the remainder of the
said plug or piston being less than the smallest bore of the tube. The said
plug or piston is accurately turned and fitted, so as to work in the inner
concentric ring in a perfectly air and water tight manner. The smaller end of
the plug or piston is fitted or constructed with a valve, properly secured thereto,
and fitting accurately upon a valve seat, which is constructed at the end of the
cylindrical tube. The other end of the tube is fitted with a cap, screwing into
or upon the same, with an aperture in which a rod or plunger forming one
extremity of the said plug or piston, and which is provided with a terminal
knob or plate, works freely, but in an air and water tight manner.
A spiral
steel spring is placed in the tube, one end thereof resting upon the inner
concentric ring, and the other end thereof resting upon the shoulder formed
between the largest and the next sized dimensions of the plug, and being to
some extent compressed when the apparatus is properly adjusted, the object of
such spring being to cause the plug or piston to work with accuracy and
steadiness, and also to restore the same to its normal position, as herein-after
mentioned.
The apparatus being thus constructed, I will shortly explain its mode
of operation. That end of the tube in which the valve is fitted is screwed
into the boiler plate, so as to allow the steam or water, as the case may be, to
come into contact with 'the valve, thus pressing it against its seat and keeping
it perfectly steam and water tight. When it is desired to test the steam or
water in the boiler, the plug or piston is to be pressed into the tube, thus
causing the valve to open to a certain distance, when the steam or water will
rush in and escape through the before-mentioned nozle; upon the pressure
being removed, the plug or piston will resume its normal position, by reason of
the fluid contained in the boiler pressing upon the valve, and by the action
of the before-mentioned spiral spring.
This Invention may be applied, as has been stated above, to boilers of steam
engines, but it is also applicable to many other purposes, and amongst others,
as a tap for drawing off fluids, and as a means of testing the position or
quantity of any fluid in any kind of vessel, and also for regulating or permitting
the admission or emission of steam or other fluids.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hicks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
"May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HICKS, of Bedford Place, Clapham Rise, in the County of Surrey, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Hicks, Her special licence, that I, the said John Hicks, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Hicks, 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 "AN IMPROVED GUAGE VALVE,
APPLICABLE TO BOILERS OF STEAM ENGINES AND TO OTHER PURPOSES,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hicks, 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 John Hicks, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
.
Figure 1, in the annexed Sheet of Drawings, is an elevation of a guage valve
constructed according to my improved method; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
section of the same. a, a, is.a cylindrically-shaped tube, of brass or gun metal,
or of any other suitable material, having at the under part thereof a cylindrical
and hollow nozle or discharging passage b, which may be either cast so as to
form part of the tube a, a, or may be fixed upon or to the same in any suitable
manner; c, c, represents a piston or valve spindle, composed of brass or gun
metal, steel, wrought or cast iron, or of any other suitable material, and which
is constructed of different dimensions in different parts of its length, as shewn

page_text: . in the Drawing; the largest diameter marked d accurately coinciding with.the
greatest bore of the tube. a, a, & being turned and ground so as to work therein
in a perfectly steam and water tight manner. The portion of the piston or
valve spindle marked f is also turned and ground, so as to fit the collar g at the
end of the tube a, a, and to work therein, so as to be perfectly steam and water
tight without requiring any packing or stuffing for that purpose. The external
end of the piston or valve spindle is furnished with a terminal knob or plate h,
and the other end thereof is constructed so as to form a conical or button valve,
which may be either a portion of the same piece of metal as the piston or
valve spindle, or may be soldered; or screwed, or otherwise properly fastened
thereto, the said conical or button valve being ground and accurately. fitted
to the valve seat, which is constructed at the corresponding end of the tube
a, a. Upon that portion of the piston or valve spindle marked 'f, between the
collar of the tube a, a, and the terminal knob of the piston, is placed a spring,
composed of steel, brass, caoutchouc, or any other suitable elastic substance,"
the object of such spring being to retain the valve upon its seat, as herein-
after mentioned.
Having thus described the mode in which my improved guage valve is
constructed, I will now proceed to explain the manner in which it is applied
and put in operation. That end of the tube a, a, in which the valve is fitted,
and which is marked a¹ in Figure 2 of the annexed' Drawings, is screwed into
the boiler plate, so as to allow the steam or water, as the case may be; to come
into contact with the valve," thus pressing the latter against its seat and
keeping it perfectly steam and water tight. When it is desired to test the
presence of steam or water in the boiler, the plug or piston is to be pressed
into the tube a, a, by means of the terminal knob h, thus causing the valve to
open sufficiently to allow the steam or water, as the case may be, to rush in
and escape through the noźle or discharge passage b; upon the pressure
being removed, the plug or piston will resume its normal or original position,
by reason of the pressure exerted upon the valve by the fluid contained in the
boiler, and by the tension of the before-mentioned spring.
It is my intention to apply and use my Invention principally as a guage
valve for boilers of steam engines; but it is also applicable, as is manifest, to
many other purposes, and amongst others, as a tap for drawing off fluids; and
as a means of testing the position or quantity of any fluid contained in any
kind of vessel, and also for regulating or permitting' the admission or emission
of steam or other 'fluids.
"It will be observed that my "Invention combines several advantages. "The
cost of the manufacture of guage valves according to my improved méthod

page_text: is, in the first instance, comparatively small, while from the simplicity of
their construction and operation they are not so liable to fracture, leakage, or
disarrangement as ordinary guage valves or taps.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements or mode of construction which I
have described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention, nor do I
claim the several and respective parts thereof as being novel and original; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
or improved apparatus secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is, the general arrangement and combination of the several
parts herein-before mentioned, which together combined form the guage valve,
or tap, or apparatus herein-before mentioned and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hicks, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
0 Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
59, Chancery Lane,
Agent for the Patentee.
JOHN HICKS. (L.S.)