IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP VALVES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Alfred Rothwell, of Ramsbottom, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP
VALVES."
Sealed the 6th December 1870, and dated the 4th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Alfred Rothwell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th October 1870.
I, JOSEPH ALFRED ROTHWELL, of Ramsbottom, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN STOP VALVES," to be as follows:
-
This Invention is applicable to that class of stop valves used for steam,
water, or other fluid wherein the valve is opened and closed by means of
a screwed spindle, and is designed for the purpose of dispensing with the
necessity for a stuffing box to render the spindle steam or water tight.
The spindle of the valve is made in two parts, that part attached to the
valve slides through a bush being prevented from turning by means of

page_text: a key and slot, and has its upper end screwed and fitted into a corre-
sponding screwed hole in the other part of the spindle to the end of
which the hand wheel or key is fixed. This part of the valve spindle
is formed conical and fits into and turns in a conical recess in a bush
or gland screwed into the body of the valve. A coiled spring acting
between the inside of the first-named bush and the end of the conical
half of the valve spindle presses the cono always firmly into the recess,
and thus makes a perfectly tight joint. It will be evident that when
the outer or conical part of the valve spindle is turned round by means
of a hand wheel or key the lower or screwed portion with the valve will
be forced into or withdrawn from the valve seat (according to the direction
in which the upper portion is turned, and that the valve being prevented
by the key and slot from turning round will always bed in exactly the
same position upon the valve seat, and hence the valve will be always
tight and there will be no wear of the surface of either the valve or its
seat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Alfred Rothwell in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ALFRED ROTHWELL, of Ramsbottom, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Alfred Rothwell, Her special
license that I, the said Joseph Alfred Rothwell, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Alfred
Rothwell, 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 STOP VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Joseph Alfred Rothwell, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and scals, 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 Joseph Alfred Rothwell, 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 Drawing (that is to
say) :-
:-
This Invention is applicable to that class of stop valves used for
steam, water, or other fluid wherein the valve is opened and closed by
means of a screwed spindle, and is designed for the purpose of dispensing
with the necessity for a stuffing box to render the spindle steam or
water tight. The spindle of the valve is made in two parts, that part
attached to the valve slides through a bush, being prevented from
turning by means of a key and slot (or by being squared), and has its
upper end screwed and fitted into a corresponding screwed hole in the
other part of the spindle, to the end of which the hand wheel or key
is fixed. This part of the valve spindle is formed conical and fits into
and turns in a conical recess in a bush or gland screwed into the body
of the valve. A coiled spring acting between the inside of the first-
named bush and the end of the conical half of the valve spindle presses
the cone always firmly into the recess, and thus makes a perfectly tight
joint. It will be evident that when the outer or conical part of the
valve spindle is turned round by means of a hand wheel or key, the
lower or screwed portion with the valve will be forced into or withdrawn
from the valve seat (according to the direction in which the upper
portion is turned) and that the valve being prevented by the key and
slot (or the square part of the spindle) from turning round will always
bed in exactly the same position upon the valve seat and hence the
valve will be always tight and there will be no wear of the surface of
either the valve or its seat.
It will be readily understood that the same effect would be produced
if the upper part of the spindle were made to screw into the lower
(instead of the reverse as above described) and that in place of the

page_text: spring to keep the conical part of the spindle in position a nut on the
outside might be employed.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Stop Valves," I will now proceed to describe more 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 explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 represents a sectional view of a stop
valve made according to my Invention, and Fig. 2 a slight modification
of the same.
In Fig. 1 a, a, is the body of the valve; and b, b, c, c, the valve
spindle made in two parts as above described. The upper part b, b, is
made conical outside, and is tapped with a screwed hole into which the
screw *, *, formed on the lower part c, c, which carries the valve d, d,
fits. This lower part is provided with a key c, e, which works through
a slot in the screwed bush f, f, and thus prevents the lower part of the
spindle and valve from revolving. The conical part b, b, of the valve
spindle is pressed upwards and kept steam and water tight in the conical
cap g, g, by means of a helical spring h, h; i, i, is a hand wheel fixed
on the upper end of the conical part b, b. As the upper or conical
part b, b, of the valve spindle is turned round by the hand wheel i, i,
whilst the lower part c, c, is prevented from turning by the key e, e,
it will open or close the valve d, d, according to the direction in which
it is turned, whilst the spring h, h, constantly pressing the said conical
part up into the conical cap 9, 9, will keep it always steam and water-
tight and thus dispense with the necessity for packing.
In the modification shown at Fig. 2 it will be seen that the screw *, *,
is formed on the upper part of the spindle instead of on the lower part
which latter is tapped with a screwed hole being made square outside
and sliding in a square hole in the screwed bush f, f. The upper
part b, b, also instead of being made entirely conical is provided with a
conical shoulder k, k, and instead of the spring h, h, inside a nut 1, 1, is
screwed on to the upper end of the part b, b, above the hand wheel to
keep this conical shoulder steam and water tight. The valve is also
made capable of turning on the lower end of the spindle.

page_text: 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 improvements in stop valves, as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed, and more
especially I claim making the valve spindle in two parts one screwing
into the other, and making that part to which the hand wheel or key is
attached conical, or partially so, for the purpose of keeping the same
steam and water tight and dispensing with the necessity for a stuffing
box or other packing, whether the same be kept in its place by means
of a spring or a nut.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Alfred Rothwell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Manchester.
JOSEPH A. ROTHWELL. (L.S.)