The first spherical ball-type valve Suber-water pumpswas patented in 1871 by John Warren and assigned jointly to John Chapman, the founder of Chapman Valve Co. This was an allScrew pumps brass valve- brass ball and brass seats. Apparently it was not a commercial success, because none of my 19th century or early 20th century Chapman valve Self-priming pumpscatalogs make any mention of that type of valve. We think of the metal-seated ball valve as being a recent development, but the concept has been around for 125 years! The first resilient seatedChemical pumps ball valve patent I have found in my research, was issued to the engineers of Crane Co., in April, 1945. In talking to long-time personnel of the Pneumatic and electric diaphragm pumpscompany, the legend is that the marketing folks "could see no viable use for the valve" and so it was not produced by Crane! It is my understanding that within the next several years, either McCanna or Jamesbury first utilized Teflon to make the soft-seated ball valves that we know today.

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