CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRANTS AND STAND PIPES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ANALOGOUS (
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Chidley, of Cutsdean, in the County of Worcester,
for an Invention of “CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRANTS AND STAND
PIPES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ANALOGOUS
(Void by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Chidley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th Juno 1880.
"
'CERTAIN IMPROVE-
JAMES CHIDLEY, of Cutsdean, in the County of Worcester.
MENTS IN HYDRANTS AND STAND PIPES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
This Provisional Specification relates to further improvements over a Provisional
Patent granted to me May 12th, 1880, No. 1951, for improvements in hydrants
and stand pipes, parts of which improvements are applicable to other analogous
purposes. The object of this my said Invention consists in the construction,
combination, or arrangement of parts of hydrants or stand pipes, whereby they are
rendered nonrefrigerating, thus producing a continuous supply of water during the
most inclement weather; it is applicable to all situations where there is a supply of
water under pressure, and is at all times capable of being used in the same manner
as an ordinary hydrant applicable to similar situations, and in addition it possesses
the special advantage of resisting frost, the water being always in a liquid state,
and thereby dispensing with the necessity of fires or gas jets which now have to
be applied to hydrants in exposed situations during frost.
I will now proceed to describe the improvements herein after described as
applied to what I term or designate a frost resisting hydrant, which consists
substantially of an upright casing of cast iron or other suitable material. This casing
may be made square, circular, or any other shape in horizontal section, but by
preference I make it octagonal. This casing is cast in one piece so far as the body or
principal part is concerned, the body is closed at the bottom and all necessary

page_text: aportures and projections are formed in it. It has a vertical plate or diaphragm
bolted inside it and dividing it into approximately equal parts. It is covered by
cap or cover bolted on by means of bolts passing through a flange at the top.
Within this external casing and at the lower part thereof is a closed vessel which
I term the water chamber; the back portion of this water chamber reaches nearly to
the top of the inside of the hydrant, if desirable however it need not be made so high.
This part of the water chamber is closed at the top by a cap bolted on and
admitting of easy removal. The water is admitted to the interior of this upper
portion of the water chamber by a pipe which discharges into its highest portion,
and which is always in communication with the main water supply under pressure
from the town waterworks or other means of supply. This water pipe which
discharges into the water chamber I bring by preference up through the water
chamber itself, although I do not limit myself to that method of construction. In
the lower part of the water chamber there is a screen which serves the purpose of
preventing the water from impinging with violence on the hollow float or air vessel
herein after described. In the lower part of this screen is an opening to permit
the passage of the water through it. At the bottom of the water chamber and by
preference in the front part of the hydrant, is a suitable opening which com-
inunicates by a tube with the outer air; this is for the purpose of permitting the
escape of sediment from time to time. In the ordinary working of the hydrant
this tube is closed by a deep piston fitting the tube and provided with a rod with
a ring at the outer end. This rod and ring lie wholly within the tube and are
surrounded by any suitable material which is a bad conductor of heat. The outer
end of the tube is closed by a screwed cap. The lower portion of the water
chamber is closed by a cover bolted on. In this cover there is an opening, and above
this opening and secured to the upper side of the cover is the valve chainber,
which is a casing of cast iron or other material of any suitable shape; it is closed
at the upper end, and has a small opening at the top through which passes the
valve spindle; at the bottom there is a larger aperture made of a required shape to
form a seating for the valve and conical for the efficient discharge of the water
through it. In the front of the valve chamber is an outlet for the water; passing
through the centre of the valve chamber, vertically, is a spindle which carries a
valve described more particularly below. At the lower end of this spindle and
secured to it is a float or air vessel, which I make by preference a hollow copper
ball, though I do not limit myself either to that shape or material. On the upper
part of the valve spindle, but within the valve chamber, is a shield of sheet metal
or other material surrounding the spindle. The spindle is provided outside the
valve chamber with a collar and a shield of leather or similar material to make an
airtight joint on the cover of the water chamber. The upper part of this collar
forms a stop to prevent the too great movement of the rack hereinafter described.
The lower part of the spindle just above the ball float carries a valve consisting of
a hollow conical plug, having an aperture in it for the water to pass through; below
this aperture there is a ring, or more if found suitable, of vulcanized india rubber
or other like material, secured to the spindle by a screwed cap of cast iron or other
metal; parallel with the spindle is a rack which, as well as tho spindle, is capable of
vertical movement through fixed guides secured to the vertical diaphragm before
mentioned. This rack can either move together with the spindle or separately
from it. The upper end of this rack may be made long enough to pass through the
cover of the hydrant, so that it may be worked by direct pressure, but I prefer to
actuate it in the manner mentioned below. To the inside of the upper part of the
hydrant are secured two brackets, which have suitable bearings to carry a shaft of
wrought iron or steel. In the middle of this shaft and firmly secured to it is a
utilated pinion, that is, a pinion having teeth on a portion only of its
circumference. These teeth are made of proper shape to engage with those on the
rack, so that when the rack rises or falls the wheel and shaft partially rotate or
vice versa. To one end of the .shaft above described is fastened a winch handle
which projects through a slot in the casing of the hydrant, and is worked by a

page_text: knob on the outside to the mutilated pinion above mentioned, and on the side of it
remote from the rack is affixed a pitch chain, the other end of which is attached
to what I term the air bolt, which is a heavy sliding door of cast iron or other
material faced where required with india rubber or leather, or like material, to make
an air tight joint. The air bolt is provided with a knob working through a vertical
slot in the front of the hydrant. By means of this it can be moved by hand if it
should accidentally set fast. This slot has a proper shield affixed to prevent
the entry of rain water. On each of the air bolt there is a bracket carrying a
pulley, over which passes a chain with a counterweight attached to the outer end.
The inner end of each chain is fastened to the air bolt. I do not limit myself to
the use of the rack and pinion as described above, but if necessary I use the
combination of wheel and levers, as described in my previous Specification, or a
combination of the two. Also if desirable I use the spring brake in connection
with the air bolt, which is the same part as is called the sliding door in my
previous Specification. Above each bearing of the pinion shaft and the counter-
balance pullies, also at suitable positions on the rack I attach proper oil cups or
lubricators.
The space between the diaphragm or vertical plate previously described and the
upper part of the water chamber, also the space between the water chamber and the
outside casing, both at the sides, the back, and front, and below, also the space
between the valve chamber and the spout, are packed with sawdust or other
nonrefrigerating compound which is conveniently applicable to the purpose.
I will now proceed to describe the action of the hydrant, starting with the
apparatus in its normal condition. The water chambers are full of water, the rack is
in its highest position, and the valve and air bolt or sliding door are closed. On
the winch handle being partially rotated, or the rack depressed by hand, the
mutilated pinion partially revolves winding the pitch chain on it and thereby
raising the sliding door or air bolt, tbus opening communication between the valve
chamber and the outside air. On continuing the same motion of the rack and
pinion further, the lower end of the rack engages with the projection on the valve
spindle, thus carrying with it and depressing and thereby opening the valve. The
same series of movements is caused by the combination of wheel and levers as
described in my previous Specification. When the valve is depressed the water
rushes past the india rubber ring or rings and through the hollow conical plug
into the valve chamber, thence through the outlet under the sliding door or air bolt,
and out finally through the spout. The flow of water continues so long as the rack
is kept in this depressed position, but upon pressure being removed the float
attached to the lower end of the valve spindle causes the valve to rise and close,
the sliding door falls by the excess of its weight over the counterweights, the fall
of this air bolt being sufficiently slow to give time for all the water which has
passed through the valve to flow away.