IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHING TAPS OR STOP-COCKS TO WATER, GAS, STEAM, AND OTHER PIPES FOR MAKING CONNECTIONS THEREWITH, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Forster Cotterill, of Cannock, in the
County of Stafford, Gentleman, and George Biddle, of Cannock,
aforesaid, Plumber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHING
TAPS OR STOP-COCKS TO WATER, GAS, STEAM, AND OTHER PIPES FOR MAKING
CONNECTIONS THEREWITH, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT
PURPOSE."
Sealed the 29th August 1871, and dated the 3rd March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Forster Cotterill
and George Biddle at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd March 1871.
We, CHARLES FORSTER COTTERILL, of Cannock, in the County of
Stafford, Gentleman, and GEORGE BIDDLE, of Cannock, aforesaid, Plumber,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ATTACHING TAPS OR STOP-COCKS TO WATER, GAS, STEAM, AND OTHER PIPES, FOR
MAKING CONNECTIONS THEREWITH, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT
PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
:-
Our Invention has for its object to facilitate the attaching of taps or
stop-cocks to water, gas, steam, and other pipes for making connections

page_text: therewith, particularly while the said pipes contain water, steam, or gas
under pressure, our said Invention preventing the loss or escape of water,
stean, or gas during the making of a connection with the pipes or
mains and remedying the inconveniences which attend the ordinary
methods of effecting the said connection. At the place where the {
connection is to be made we fix an annular clip, the said clip being
in two parts connected together by screws. The said clip has a hole in
it provided with a collar or short tube screwed internally. The clip
is fixed on the pipe in such a position that the said holo and collar aro
situated over that part of the pipe to which connection is to be made. We
take a stop-cock in which the inlet and outlet pipes and the hole in
the plug are in the same line, the screw on the inlet pipe being engaged
with or screwed in the screw collar on the clip. The handle of the
tap being turned so as to bring the hole in the plug in its open position
we pass a drill through the tap, the drill carrying a stuffing box,
which stuffing box screws on the exit pipe of the tap. By means of
the ordinary clamp or the clamp herein-after described the drill is
worked and made to drill a hole through the pipe or main. The hole
having been drilled the drill is withdrawn sufliciently far to permit of
the closing of the tap. The stuffing box is next unscrewed and removed
with the drill. The stop-cock is thus left fixed over the hole in the
pipe or main and in free communication therewith, the connection having
been made without loss of water, steam, or gas from the pipe or main,
and without the necessity for shutting off the water, steam, or gas from
the pipe or main, during the making of the said connection.
Instead of employing a separate drill we make the barrel and water
ways of the tap of malleable iron and make the inlet pipe into a drill.
This we effect by giving to the end of the inlet pipe of the tap a saw
tooth figure and fixing across the water way a small cutting tool having
the figure of a drill. The end or cutting part of the inlet pipe of the tap
is caschardened to enable it to cut into the pipe or main. The end
of the inlet pipe thus forms the drill, and the tap having been closed
and the requisite rotation being given to it, the drill at its bottom drills
a hole in the pipe or main, a screw on the outside of the inlet pipe
enabling it to screw into the main or into the hole in the pipe or main ;
or the hole may be first partially made by a separate drill and finished
by the apparatus described. Where the tap is made of brass or other
soft motal or alloy a steel cutter is affixed to its end to effect the drilling

page_text: Instead of using the ordinary clamp for working the separate drill, or
combined tap and drill we prefer to employ a clamp constructed as
follows: We make the clamp of nearly the figure, by preference,
of two sides of a triangle instead of rectangular and much smaller than
usual. At the bottom of each leg of the triangular frame we fix a cross
piece of a curvature suited to fit on the pipe or main with which
connection is to be made. A chain is attached to one end of each of
the cross pieces, the other end carrying a screw to which the chain can
be attached and by which it can be tightened. In using this clamp it
is placed upon the pipe or main and the chains passed round the said
pipe or main and tightened by the screws referred to, so as to fix the
clamp. Instead of attaching the clamp to the pipe by chains, it may be
attached to stakes or piles driven into the ground.
Clamps made according to our Invention may be fixed in a horizontal
position so as to enable the connection to be made at the side of the
pipe or main instead of at the top as usual, or the said clamp may be
used in the ordinary position.
1
T
to nine Box
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Forster Cotterill and George Biddle in the
Great Scal Patent Office on the 31st August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
FORSTER COTTERILL, of Cannock, in the County of Stafford, Gentleman,
and GEORGE BIDDLE, of Cannock, aforesaid, Plumber, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year_
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Charles Forster Cotterill and George.
Biddle, Her special licence that we, the said Charles Forster Cotterill
and George Biddle, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Charles Forster Cotterill and George Biddle,

page_text: our 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 5
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHING TAPS OR STOP-COCKS TO WATER, Gas, Steam,
AND OTHER PIPES, FOR MAKING CONNECTIONS THEREWITH, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Charles Forster Cotterill and George Biddle, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands 1
and scals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the Aid 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 ]
Patcut.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Charles Forster Cotterill and George
Biddle, 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:
-
Our Invention has for its object to facilitate the attaching of taps or
stop-cocks to water, gas, steam, and other pipes, for making connections
therewith, particularly while the said pipes contain water, steam, or gas
under pressure; our said Invention preventing the loss or escape of
water, steam, or gas during the making of a connection with the pipcs
or mains, and remedying the inconveniences which attend the ordinary
methods of effecting the said connection. At the place where the
connection is to be made we fix an annular clip, the said clip being in
two parts connected together by screws. The said clip has a hole in it
provided with a collar or short tube screwed internally. The clip
is fixed on the pipe in such a position that the said hole and collar are
situated over that part of the pipe to which connection is to be made.
Wo take a stop-cock in which the inlet and outlet pipes, and the hole
in the plug are in the same line, the screw on the inlet pipe being
engaged with or screwed in the screwed collar on the clip. The handle
of the tap being turned so as to bring the hole in the plug in its open
position we pass a drill through the tap, the drill carrying a stuffing box,

page_text: which stuffing box screws on the exit pipe of the tap. By means of the
ordinary clamp or the clamp herein-after described, the drill is worked
and made to drill a hole through the pipe or main. The hole having
been drilled the drill is withdrawn sufficiently far to permit of tho
closing of the tap; the stuffing box is next unscrewed and removed with
the drill. The stop-cock is thus left fixed over the hole in the pipe or.
main, and in free communication therewith, the connection having been
made without loss of water, steam, or gas from the pipe or main, and
without the necessity for shutting off the water, steam, or gas from the
pipe or main during the making of the said connection.
Instead of employing a separate drill wo make the barrel and water-
ways of the tap of malleable iron, and make the inlet pipe into a drill.
This we effect by giving to the end of the inlet pipe of the tap a saw
tooth figure, the said drilling end being used in combination or not with
a small cutting tool or drill fixed across the waterway of the said inlet
pipe. The end or cutting part of the inlet pipe of the tap is case-
hardened to enable it to cut into the pipe or main. The cud of the inlet
pipe thus forms the drill, and the tap having been closed and the
requisite rotation being given to it, the drill at its bottom drills a hole
in the pipe or main, a screw on the outside of the inlet pipe enabling
it to screw into the main or into the hole in the pipe or main. Or
the hole may be first partially made by a separate drill and finished
by the apparatus described. Where the tap is made of brass or other
soft metal or alloy a steel cutter is affixed to its end to effect the
drilling with.
Instead of using the ordinary clamp for working the separate drill, or
combined tap and drill, we prefer to employ a clamp constructed as
follows:- -We make the clamp of nearly the figure by preference of two
sides of a triangle, instead of rectangular, and much smaller than usual.
At the bottom of each leg of the rectangular frame we fix a cross piece
of a curvature suited to fit on the pipe or main with which connection
is to be made. A chain is attached to one end of each of the cross pieces,
the other end carrying a screw to which the chain can be attached, and
by which it can be tightened. In using this clamp it is placed upon the
pipe or main, and the chains passed round the said pipe or main and
tightened by the screws referred to so as to fix the clamp. Instead

page_text: of attaching the clamp to the pipe by chains it may be attached to stakes
or piles driven into the ground.
Clamps mado according to our Invention may be fixed in a horizontal
position, so as to enable the connection to be made at the side of the
pipe or main instead of at the top as usual, or the said clamp may be
used in the ordinary position.
Although we have described our Invention as applied to pipes for
water, steam, and gas, yet our said Invention may also be applied to
other pipes.
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
- which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation one of the arrangements of our Inven-
tion for attaching a tap or stop-cock to a water or other pipe for making
a connection therewith.
a is the main pipe with which connection is to be made. On the said
main pipe a at the part where the connection is to be made an annular
clip b is fixed, the said clip being made in two parts connected together
by screws. The said clip is provided at top with a collar or short tubo c
screwed internally. Between the said collar c and the main pipo a is
an india-rubber washer d; e is the stop-cock to be fixed to the main.
The inlet and outlet pipes and the hole in the plug are in the same
line. The inlet pipe of the tap is secured to the main pipe a by screwing
the said inlet pipe into the screwed collar c on the clip. Into the end
of the outlet pipe of the tap a stuffing box g is screwed, the said stuffing
box being carried by the drill h. In placing the drill and stuffing
box in the positions represented, the plug of the tap is so turned
as to bring its hole coincident with the inlet and outlet pipes or in its
open position. When in this position the drill e is passed through the
outlet pipe plug and inlet pipe of the tap, and also through the collar c
and hole in the india-rubber washer d. By means of the clamp i, i,
(or our improved clamp) and ratchet brace k, the drill his worked and
made to drill a hole through the pipe or main a. While the holo is
being drilled the escape of water, steam, or gas through the open stop-
cock eis prevented by the stuffing box g. A hole having been drilled
the clamp and ratchet brace are removed, and the drill lifted suffi-
ciently far to permit the tape to be closed by the turning of the plug.
g

page_text: The stuffing box g is next unscrewed and removed with the drill. In
this way the stop-cock e is left fixed over the hole in the main a, the
connecting pipe being screwed into the outlet pipe of the stop-cock in
the usual way. The connection may be made at the side of the main
instead of at the top as represented.
Figures 2 and 3 represent the arrangement of our Invention in which
the tap or stop-cock is made to act as the drill; is the tap or stop-
cock of malleable iron, the drill and tapping end of which is case-
hardened. The end of the inlet pipe of the said tap is made of a
saw tooth figure, the said end marked m constituting a drill. The drill
end of the inlet pipe of the tap is taper and is screwed at n, and tho
end of the outlet pipe is furnished with a screw stopper p, the square
end of which takes into the socket of the ratchet brace spindle. In
securing the combined tap and drill, Figure 2, to the main pipe a at the
part where the connection is to be made, we by preference first drill
a hole in the pipe a by means of a separate drill q, the nose or acting
end of which has the form represented in Figure 4; the drilling of the
hole being stopped when the escape of a small quantity of water, gas,
or steam, indicates that the point of the drill has passed through the
pipe. By an examination of the drill q, Figure 4, it will be seen that
it consists of a cylindrical body, having a saw toothed end and a central
point, the saw toothed end forming an annular recess in but not quite
through the pipe, and the central point forming a small hole through
the pipe as illustrated at a³, Figure 4. We next remove the drill,
Figure 4, from the clamp and substitute therefor the closed tap or stop-
cock, Figure 2, the square end of the stopper p taking into the ratchet
brace spindle. By placing the drilling or cutting end m of the stop-
cock into the hole in the pipe partially made by the drill q, Figure 4,
as illustrated in Figure 2, and working the ratchet brace, the said hole
in the pipe is completed and the stop-cock at the same time secured in
the said pipe as illustrated in Figure 3, the screw n on the outside of
the inlet pipe enabling it to screw into the hole made in the main pipe
by the drill m. When the connecting pipe is to be applied to the
stop-cock thus fixed in the main a, the screwed stopper p is removed
and the connecting pipe screwed in its place. By opening the stop-
cock the connecting pipe is in free communication with the main.
Instead of employing a tap with a cross plug as before described and

page_text: described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Forster Cotterill and
Georgo Biddle, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this
Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
CHARLES FORSTER COTTERILL. (L.S.)
GEORGE BIDDLE.
(L.S.)
Witness,
E. G. CROCKETT,
Cannock,
Staffordshire.