IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL OR OTHER Cocks
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Eskholme, of Rotherham, in the County of
York, Engineer, and Henry Wilkes, of the same Place, Brassfounder,
for the. Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL OR OTHER Cocks."
ealed the 5th June 1857, and dated the 23rd January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Eskholine and
Henry Wilkes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 23rd January 1857.
We, GEORGE ESKHOLME, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Engineer,
and HENRY WILKES, of the same Place, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL OR OTHER COCKS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the use of a hollow or tubular plug for ball and
other cocks, such plug forming the waterway for the supply of water. The
upper or lower part of the body of the cock is closed, and is fitted with a ring
or disc of leather or other suitable material as a packing. When the valve is
closed the lip or edge of the tubular plug is kept pressed against this packing,
and consequently as the supply enters by the side of the cock, below or above
the point of contact between the end of the tubular plug and the packing, it
follows that no water can flow, but so soon as the plug descends or ascends so
as to withdraw it from the packing, the water will immediately flow, over the
end of the plug and pass through it as required. The lever of the float in the

page_text: ball cock embraces the lower end of the plug in such a manner as not to
interfere with the free escape of the water. When applied to other cocks,
the hollow plug has suitable waterways made in it, to communicate with the
discharge spout of the cock.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Eskholme and Henry Wilkes in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
ESKHOLME, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Engineer, and HENRY
WILKES, of the same Place, Brassfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
George Eskholme and Henry Wilkes, Her special license that we, the said
George Eskholme and Henry Wilkes, our exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said George Eskholme and Henry Wilkes,
our executors, administrators, or 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 BALL OR OTHER
Cocks," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George Esk-
holme and Henry Wilkes, by an instrument in writing under my band and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 we, the said George Eskholme and Henry Wilkes,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:—
This Invention consists in the use of a hollow or tubular plug for ball and
other cocks, such plug forming the waterway for the supply of water. The
upper or lower part of the body of the cock is closed, and is fitted with a ring

page_text: or disc of leather or other suitable material as a packing. When the valve is
closed the lip or edge of the tubular plug is kept pressed against this packing,
and consequently as the supply enters by the side of the cock below or above
the point of contact between the end of the tubular plug and the packing, it
follows that no water can flow, but so soon as the plug descends or ascends so
as to withdraw it from the packing, the water will immediately flow over the
end of the plug and pass through it as required. The lever of the float in the
ball cock embraces the lower end of the plug in such a manner as not to
interfere with the free escape of the water. When applied to other cocks the
hollow plug has suitable waterways made in it, to communicate with the
discharge spout of the cock.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose we shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed. The
same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical section of a ball cock con-
structed according to our Invention. A is the plug, which is made hollow or
tubular, aud forms the waterway or discharge spout of the cock. This plug
works water-tight through a cup leather B, and is embraced by an eye formed
in the lever C of the ball float, two laterally projecting pins serving to connect
the plug to the lever. D.is a leather or other suitable washer, which is held in
its place by the screwed plug E, and against this leather washer presses the
upper lip of the plug when the cock is closed, as shewn by the dotted lines,
thereby effectually preventing the passage of water therethrough. On the
descent of the plug, however, to the position shewn by the full lines the water
will have free passage over the upper lip of the plug, as shewn by the arrows.
The lever C is connected by a short link c to the fixed centre F, in order to
impart a parallel vertical motion to the plug of the cock.
Figure 2 of the Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section of a tap
for ordinary purposes, constructed according to this Invention, with the plug
down or closed; and Figure 3 is a similar view of the same with the plug
(which is shewn in section) elevated or open. A is the plug, and B the cup
leather.
5 The body of the cock is divided horizontally by a division cast therein at
C, C, through which passes the plug A, kept fluid-tight round its outer sides
by the cup leather, as shewn in the Drawings. This plug is connected by a
screw pin (Figure 3) with the screwed spindle G, which passes through a fixed
nut and stufling box K, and is fitted with a turning handle. L. a, a, are

page_text: lateral openings made in the upper portion of the plug, for the escape of
the fluid therethrough. D is a leather or other suitable washer, held in its
place by the screwed plug E, for the purpose of forming a fluid-tight seat
for the lower edge of the plug A to rest upon when the cock is closed, as shewn
in Figure 2, in which case no water or other fluid can pass up the centre of
the plug; but when the plug is elevated, by turning the screw spindle G, as
shewn in Figure 3 of the Drawings, then a free passage is opened throughout,
and a discharge of the fluid effected.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to the precise details or arrangements which we have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of our said Invention; but what
we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general constructions and arrangements of cocks, as herein-before
described, and illustrated by the Drawings.
Second, the combination of a hollow or tubular plug with a cup leather and
washer, as herein-before described, and illustrated by our Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Eskholme and Henry Wilkes,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Ninth day of July, Onc
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
GEORGE ESKHOLME. (L.S.)
HENRY WILKES.
(L.S.)