IMPROVEMENTS IN BIB COCKS OR COCKS FOR DRAWING OFF WATER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick George Underhay, of Crawford
Passage, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BIB COCKS OR COCKS FOR DRAWING OFF
WATER."
Sealed the 4th August 1874, and dated the 7th February 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick George
Underhay at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th February 1874.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE UNDERHAY, of Crawford Passage, Clerkenwell,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BIB COCKS OR COCKS FOR DRAWING OFF
WATER," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in bib cocks or cocks
for drawing off water.
In the construction of bib or drawing-off cocks I employ a valve faced
with vulcanised india-rubber or leather and closing against the flow of

page_text: the
the water. On the stem of the valve is a cup leather fitting into a small
cylinder or barrel, and a passage is bored through the valve stem, so
that the water pressure is exerted behind the cup leather and balances
pressure on the face of the valve. The outer end of the cylinder
beyond the cup leather is enlarged, and it is provided with a screw cap.
Upon the stem of the valve is a metal disc, very nearly fitting the en-
larged part of the cylinder, so that time is required for water to pass it.
The object of this disc is to prevent the valve jarring in closing, as the
valve moves back to its seat the disc comes up to the mouth or entrance
to the enlarged portion of the cylinder and confines the water within it.
At the same time the valve itself is checked, and pauses an instant
before reaching its seat, whilst the water leaks past the disc. A coiled
spring is employed to return the valve to its seat. The spring presses
upon the back of the valve, and also upon a metal washer surrounding
its spindle, and behind the washer is a felt ring forming a packing to
prevent the escape of water around the spindle when the valve is open.
A thumb lever takes hold of the spindle of the valve between this
packing and the cup leather, and when this lever is pressed upon the
valve is lifted from its seat and the water flows out at a spout at the
side. Or the spring may be placed beyond the cupped leather, the
washer and felt ring on the spindle being dispensed with; and in this
case in order to lift the valve from its seat an arm or lever is employed,
mounted on a spindle passing through a stuffing box, and beyond the
stuffing box the spindle receives a handle or lever. The packing in the
stuffing box (a felt ring is sufficient) prevents the escape of water
around the spindle when the valve is lifted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick George Underhay in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 6th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
GEORGE UNDERHAY, of Crawford Passage, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-

page_text: seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick George Underhay, Her
special license that I, the said Frederick George Underhay, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick
George Underhay, 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 BIB COCKS OR COCKS FOR DRAWING OFF
WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick
George Underhay, executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Frederick George Underhay, 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 thereof, that is to say:
-
This Invention has for its object improvements in bib cocks or cocks
for drawing off water.
In the construction of bib or drawing-off cocks I employ a valve faced
with vulcanized india-rubber or leather and closing against the flow of
the water. On the stem of the valve is a cup leather fitting into a small
cylinder or barrel, and a passage is bored through the valve stem, so that
the water pressure is exerted behind the cup leather and balances the
pressure on the face of the valve. The outer end of the cylinder beyond
the cup leather is enlarged, and it is provided with a screw cap. Upon
the stem of the valve is a metal disc, very nearly filling the enlarged part
of the cylinder, so that time is required for water to pass it. The object
of this disc is to prevent the valve jarring in closing; as the valve moves
back to its seat the disc comes up to the mouth or entrance to the en-
larged portion of the cylinder and confines the water within it, and at
the same time the valve itself is checked, and pauses an instant before
reaching its seat, whilst the water leaks past the disc. A coiled spring
is employed to return the valve to its seat. The spring presses upon

page_text: the back of the valve, and also upon a metal washer surrounding its
spindle, and behind the washer is a felt ring forming a packing to
prevent the escape of water around the spindle when the valve is open.
A thumb lever takes hold of the spindle of the valve between this
packing and the cup leather, and when this lever is pressed upon the
valve is lifted from its seat and the water flows out at a spout at the
side. Or the spring may be placed beyond the cupped leather, the washer
and felt ring on the spindle being dispensed with; and in this case in
order to lift the valve from its seat an arm or lever is employed, mounted
on a spindle passing through a stuffing box, and beyond the stuffing box
the spindle receives a handle or lever. The packing in the stuffing box
(a felt ring is sufficient) prevents the escape of water around the spindle
when the valve is lifted.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I have shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed a
bib cock constructed according to my Invention.
Figure 1 shews a longitudinal section of the cock; and Figures 2
and 3 shew separate views of the valve and valve stem. In these Figures
a is the valve, faced with a disc of vulcanized india-rubber or leather;
b is the valve stem carrying a cup leather c, which works within the
cylinder d. A small passage is formed along the centre of the valve
stem from the end of it which carries the valve, and is carried through
the side of the stem at e in rear of the cup leather c. The outer end of
the cylinder d is enlarged, as shewn, and closed by a screw capƒ; on
the rear end of the valve stem is the disc g, nearly fitting the enlarged
part of the cylinder; h is the coiled spring for holding the valve up to
the valve face k; this spring presses against the back of the valve, and
also upon the metal washer 7, which embraces the valve stem; m is a
packing ring of felt, or other elastic material, upon which the washer
rests and prevents the escape of water around the valve spindle when
the valve is open; n is a forked thumb lever for drawing back the valve
away from its seat, it embraces the projection o, which is on the under
side of the cylinder d, and turns upon a screw pin passed through this
projection. The forked arms of the lever n pass through slots in the
cylinder and embrace the valve stem, recesses being formed in the sides 3
of the stem for the ends of the arms to lie in, as shewn. When the
thumb lever n is pressed on, the valve is drawn back from its seat and the
water flows out through the spout p so long as the lever is held down.

page_text: When the lever is released the valve is pressed back to its seat by the
spring h, its closing being retarded by reason of the water in front of the
disc g on the rear end of the valve stem having to leak slowly past this
disc as it moves forward with the valve. When the valve comes up to
its seat it is held against it by the spring, the pressure of water upon
the face of the valve being then balanced by the pressure of water upon
the rear end of the valve stem.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim, the
construction of bib cocks or cocks for drawing off water, substantially as
herein described and illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick George Underhay, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this First day day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
F. G. UNDERHAY. (L.S.)