US312725A - Valve - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W- S. JARBOE.

VALVE. v No. 312,725. Patented Feb.24,1885.

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WALTER JARBOE, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, ASSIGNOR TO BAILEY, FAR- BELL & 00., OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,725, dated February 24, 1885.

Application fill d August 9. 1884.

I0 ctZZ'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER S. JARBOE, of the city of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Heretofore leather, rubber in various forms, paper, and felt have been used to form the packing for the seats of valves used for water and steam purposes; but these substances have been found to be entirely inadequate for use with natural gas. The properties of natural gas and the conditions under which it is obtained have necessitated an entire change in the appliances which, prior to its discovery and application for useful purposes, were used for conducting, applying, and regulating the conduction of manufactured gas, water, and steam. It flows from the wells under enormous pressure and at a very low temperature, rarely exceeding 45 Fahrenheit. It is very penetrating, inodorless, very explosive, and is freighted with gritty sand. The effect it has on leather and rubber seats is to destroy the fiber and make them brittle and useless in a very short time. riorating action of the constituents of the gas, While the cutting action of the sand rushing over the seats cuts them out very rapidly. Paper and felt are also cut out very rapidly by the sand. The result is that these materials are practically useless for the purpose, and their use has been abandoned. Recourse was had to valves having ground metallic seats, and such valves are now in general use; but they are neither satisfactory nor safe, for the reason that the low temperature of the gas causes the valve-casing to contract and throw the surface of the'seat out of true, so that the valve cannot close tightly, and more or less leakage results. This leakage is attended with great danger to life and property. The gas thus escaping passes from the valve through the pipes to the furnace or other place of use, where, owing to its freedom from odor, its presence remains undetected, and it often accumulates in such quantity that when the gas is turned on and a light is applied to the furnace an explosion more or less destructive in char- This is due to the dete-- (No model.)

acter will occur. These explosions are sometimes caused by the escaped gas finding its way to a fire. here the service-pipes are connected with a bed-room,there is danger of the occupants being suffocated by the escaping gas. In view of these considerations, efforts have been made to construct a valve which will not be affected by the gas; but so far these efforts have not been attended with success. I have, however, after a series of experiments and investigations, both as to the causes of former failures and the nature and properties of various materials, discovered that the sub stance known in commerce as vulcanized fiber possesses properties, heretofore unrecognized, which'render it fit for use in the construction of the seats of valves used with natural gas and protect it from the deteriorating and destructive action of the gas. Broadly speaking, vulcanized fiber may be stated to be vegetable pulp or fabric which has been treated with the chloride of zinc, tin,'calcium, or aluminum, with or without the use of other substances, and is a hard, gelatinous, fibrous substance, somewhat flexible, capable of being cut, sawed, turned, or molded to shape, and susceptible of fine finish, not liable to disintegration or induration in the presence of a hydrocarbon, not affected by water, impervious, practically unaffected by low temperatures, and capable of retaining its elasticity for a long time under pressure.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe it by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which I show it adapted to an ordinary globe-- valve, such as has been heretofore used with a metallic valve-seat for natural-gas purposes.

In the drawing, the figure is a vertical 1on gitudinal sect-ion of the said valve.

The globe or body of the valve consists of a T-fitting, a, of usual form, having couplings a, for connecting the same to the gas-pipes, and a lateral branch or opening, o for receiving the valve. Extending diagonally across the interior of the fitting is a diaphragm, I), provided. with an opening, 0, around which the valve-seat c is formed. This seat has a a true or planed face, upon which the valve closes. The effect of the low temperature df the gas upon the fitting is, as stated, to cause the seat to be warped out of true, so that a metallic valve will not close tightly thereon, and will permit more or less leakage between the surfaces of the seat and valve. Screwed in the socket a is a threaded sleeve, d, having a stuffing-box, d, atits upper end. The valve stem 0 extends through the sleeve (1 and stuffing-boX d, and at the lower end is provided with a valve, f, consisting of the cup f and disk The disk 9 is formed of vulcanized fiber and fits within the recess ,of the cup, being secured thereto by a threaded stem and nut.

The operation of the valve is similar to that of any other globe-valve. The disk 9 is sufficiently elastic to compensate for any irregularity of the surfaces of the seat 0 caused by the contraction of the fitting a, which is due to the low temperature of the gas; At the same time it is of such a hard, close structure that it is not affected by the action thereon of the sand which passes over it. Nor is it affected in any way by the low temperature or constituents of the gas. Practical experience has demonstrated that it preserves not only its form but its properties under this use, and 0b viates all leakage between the seat and valve.

It is apparent that instead of providing the valve with the disk 9 the valve may have a plain face, and the seat 0 be provided with an annulus or washer composed of vulcanized fiber.

I am aware that vulcanized fiber has been employed for bearings in journal-boxes, and that as an article of commerce it is not new. I therefore do not desire to claim vulcanized fiber as a new article of manufacture.

although I have described a particular form and construction of the valve, 1 do not desire to limit myself thereto.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A naturalgas valveprovided with a packing of vulcanized fiber, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of July, A. D. 1884.

, \YALTER-S. JARBOE.

ll'itnesses:

Jos. H. Jacons, Tnoams \V. BAKEWELL.

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