US624511A - Valve apparatus - Google Patents

Description

No. 624,5".l Patented may 9, |899. F. A. 'LITTLEFIELIL VALVE APPARATUS.

(Application led Apr. 22, 1398.) (No Model.)

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NrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. LITTLEFIELD, OFVNASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE VALVE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,51-1, dated May 9, 1899.

Application led April 22,1898. h

. power necessary to open large valves of usual construction is obviated, the fluid-pressure being utilizedto balancethe valve, and I have herein so constructed the apparatus embodyin g my invention that whether the pressure be high or low the power necessary to operate the Valve is substantially that-nec essary to overcome the friction of the controlling member in its stuffing-box.

The novel features of my invention will be hereinafter described in the specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is `a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of my novel valve apparatus, the main valve being closed. Fig. 2 is a similar detail, but showing the controlling means in position to effect the opening of the main valve by fluid-pressure; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, with the parts in position ready to effect closure of the main valve.

The case or shell A is herein shown as provided with an inlet A' and an outlet A2, and the case is divided by a diaphragm AX, having a fluid-passage A3 therethrough, the edge ofthe opening being shown as upturned to form the main valve-seat ax.

The case A is in the present instance of my invention provided with an extension or chamber B, communicating by an opening a with the case, the cap C at the opposite side of the valve-seat being extended at C to provide guide-bearings c c for the actuatingstem of the controlling means, to be described,

a suitable stuffing-box C2 being located at the outer end of the tubular extension of the cap. The main valve is preferably made as a centrally-apertured disk b, having a central depending eXteriorly-threaded 4hub b' and a Serial No. 678,459. (No model.)

downturned peripheral flange b2, a ringbxof soft metal or other suitable material being firmly held within the flange against the under side of the disk Z1 by a flanged sleeve b3, screwed onto the hub b', the annulus b 4 rest-v ing onV the seat ctx when the valve is closed. This construction makes renewal of the annulus a very simple matter, so that when the same becomes worn it can beremoved and a new ring inserted without necessitating renewal of the other parts.

The lower end of the hub b' is shown as cored out to receive the reduced end dx of a tubular stem d, passing loosely through the opening a and into the chamberB, said stem having secured to or forming a part of it a piston D within but not necessarily fitting tightly the chamber B, the bore of the stem coinciding with that of the hub and eXtending entirely through the piston D, the shoul der d of the stem limiting its upward move# ment relatively to the hub.

By removing the cap of the valve-caseit will be seen that the main valve may be removed bodily from the case, the stem d slida ing out from the hub b at such time.

1f steam or other fluid under pressure in the valve-case be permitted to pass beneath the,- piston, several different effects may be produced-that is, by making such exposed area of the piston enough greater thanwthe opposite exposed area of the main valve fluid pressure on the piston will operate to lift'the main valve from its seat. If thev two areas referred to are substantially the same, the

fluid-'pressure on the Vmain valve 4will be in equilibrium, and to unseat the valve only sufcient power to overcome friction will be required, as in the present case. On the other hand, by making the area of the main valve greater than the opposed area of the piston the force required to unseat the valve may be varied as desired.

' In the embodiment of my invention shown herein the fluid under pressure passes into the chamber B beneath the piston D through the hollow stem d, and such passage of the fluid is controlled by a valve operated from the" exterior of the valve-case. Tothis end an' annular upturned flange b4 onV the upper IOO face of the disk b is threaded to receive a nut b5, Which surrounds the enlarged head a' of a stem d2, extended through the bearings c c and the stuffing-box C2, said stem projecting beyond the latter to be moved manually. Below the nut b5 the head a is ann ularly fianged, as at a3, and recessed or cupped out in its end at a4 to receive an auxiliary or controlling valve, shown as a ball a5, loosely attached to the head by a pin d, the central hole in the disk l) preferably being slightly beveled ata7 to form a seat for the auxiliary valve, it be ing seen that the head a' has a limited reciprocating movement between the disk I) and the nut. I-Ioles l5 in the flange b4 permit the entrance of fiuid from the case and beneath the head d and through the tubular stem CZ when the auxiliary valve d5 is unseated, as in Fig. 2, the loose attachment of the latter permitting it to freely adjust itself to the seat a7. When the main valve is closed, as shown in Figi, the water, steam, or other fluid enters the case A at the inlet A and fills the case above the diaphragm A and passes through the holes 15 into the space between the head 1 a/ and disk b and also on top of the auxiliary valve a5, maintaining the latter seated, and

piston-chamber and the valve-case at the inlet side of the valve. The opening through Ithe disk bis of the same diameter as the externaldiameter of the stem d2, so that whaterate the auxiliary valve only sufficient power to overcome the friction in the stuffing-box is necessary.

to open the main valve the stem a2 is lifted to unseat the auxiliary valve a, so that the steam or other fluid can pass freely down the hollow stem d into the chamber B beneath the piston D, the surface of the latter being shown herein asy slightly greater than the surface of the main valve on the inlet side exposed to the to maintain the valve seated, the greater area fit tightly in the chamber B. The piston thus having the greater exposed surface, the fiuidslightly overbalance the pressure on the main valve, but not sufficiently to open said main valve, such movement of the latter being readily effected by sufficient power to overcome friction applied externally to the stem a2. In Fig. 3 the main valve is shown unseated; i but by slight inward pressure on the stem a2 sufficient to overcome friction the balanced main valve will be seated,and finally the auxiliary valve will be moved to its seat, so that communication through the stem CZ between valve seat is shut off, as shown in Fig. 1.-

Myinvention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown, for the same may be varied or rearranged Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a case having a Valve-seat therein, a cooperating main valve, fluid-pressure-actuated means to mechanically balance pressure on the inlet side of the valve, and a manually operated controlling device for said means, said device also acting to open or close the valve.

2. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a case having a valve-seat therein,

. a cooperating main valve, a fiuid-pressure-actuated piston connected with the valve by a i detachable hollow stem provided witha valveseat, and a controlling-valve for the seat in the stem, operative from the exterior of the case, to control the operation of the main valve.

3. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising acase having a valve-seat therein,

l and a piston-chamber communicating with thereby closing communication between the the case, a main valve movable in the case, a piston reciprocable in said chamber, a detachable hollow stem connecting said valve and piston, whereby fluid can pass from the inlet side of the former to the opposite side ever-the pressure of the fluid the stem and l -its head d are balanced, and in order to opof the latter, a controlling-valve, a seat therefor on said stem, all wholly within the case,

and means operative from the exterior of the case to control the movement of the main valve. In the operat1on of the apparatus shown 4. Au apparatus of the character specified, comprising a case having a valve-seat therein r a coperating main valve having an attached hollow stem, a fiuid-pressure-operated piston 1 connected with said stem, an auxiliary valve to open or close the opening through said stem, and a manually-operated stem connected with and having a limited movement indepressure of the fiuid, such pressure tending pendent of the main valve, the auxiliary valve i being supported and moved by the stem. being necessary, because the piston does not l 5. In an apparatus of the character specified, a case having a valve-seat within it, a coperating main valve comprising a disk pressure upon its under side will tend to having a central hollow hub and a peripheral flange, an annular removable member adapted to be inserted within the flange, means mounted on the hub to retain said member in place, and means to operate the valve, said annular member engaging the valve -seat when the valve is closed.

6. In an apparatusof the character speci- 1 fied, a case having a valve-seat within it, a l cooperating main valve having a detachable hollow stem extended through the seat, a piston on the other end of the stem, a chamber the chamber B and the inlet side of the mainin which-it is movable, an auxiliary valveseat on the main valve at the opening of the stem, a ball-valve to cooperate therewith, and

.a balanced stem to which said ball-valve is In testimony whereof I hve signed my loosely connected, said stem havingalimited name to this speeieation in the presence of movement independent-,of the main valve, two subscribing Witnesses.

unseatiug of the ball-'valve permitting pas- FRANK A. LITTLEFIELD. 5 sage of fluid from the easing to the Chamber Witnesses:

below the piston, to thereby balance the main JOHN COWPER EDWARDS,

valve by fluid-pressure on the piston. AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

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