IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Smith, of King Street, Smithfield, in the
City of London, and Edmund Smith, of Hamburgh, Gas Meter Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
March 1859.
We, WILLIAM SMITH, of King Street, Smithfield, in the City of London,
and EDMUND SMITH, of Hamburgh, Gas Meter Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE. OF FLUIDS,"
to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to that description of cock or tap, or such like
apparatus, employed in regulating the flow of fluids in which the closing of
the passage is aided by the pressure of the fluid acting upon a valve; and the
object of our improvements is efficiency of operating, with simplicity and

page_text: economy of construction. For this purpose the valve is formed at its inner
surface, or that next the fluid somewhat egg-shaped, and it is recessed on the
opposite surface, or that next the seat, to receive and form a sort of rim round
and partially enclosing the india-rubber or other matter used as a packing,
which is thereby prevented from spreading or of being removed from the
valve by the pressure of the fluid. The stem of the valve passes simply
through a hole formed for it in the case of the cock or tap, where it may be
provided with a head to open it or be connected to a lever formed and weighted
to aid the closing of the valve. The case is formed capable of being separated
at the seat, by which ready access is obtained to the valve or its seat for repair
or otherwise. The india-rubber or other packing may be applied to the valve
seat in place of to the valve. When the apparatus is to be opened and closed
by the floating of a ball or float, commonly called ball-cocks, we obtain
capability for adjustment of the leverage by forming the stem of the ball or
float used to pass through the lever operating the valve, and to be set at
any position determined upon by screw or other suitable means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
SMITH, of King Street, Smithfield, in the City of London, and EDMUND SMITH,
of Hamburgh, Gas Meter Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said William Smith and Edmund Smith, Her special licence
that we, the said William Smith and Edmund Smith, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Smith and
Edmund Smith, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IM-

page_text: PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE FLOW
OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
William Smith and Edmund Smith, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly 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 Edmund Smith, on behalf of myself
and the said William Smith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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:
The improvements relate to that description of cock or tap, or such like
apparatus, employed in regulating the flow of fluids, in which the closing of
the passage is aided by the pressure of the fluid acting upon a valve. And
the object of our improvements is efficiency of operation with simplicity and
economy of construction. For this purpose the valve is formed at its inner
surface, or that next the fluid, somewhat egg-shaped, and it is recessed on the
opposite surface or that next the seat to receive and form a sort of rim round
and partially enclosing the india-rubber or other matter used as a packing,
which is thereby prevented from spreading or of being removed from the
valve by the pressure of the fluid. The stem of the valve passes simply
through a hole formed for it in the case of the cock or tap, where it may be
provided with a head to open it, or be connected to a lever formed and
weighted to aid the closing of the valve. The case is formed capable of being
separated at the seat, by which ready access is obtained to the valve or its seat
for repair or otherwise. The india-rubber or other packing may be applied to
the valve seat in place of to the valve. When the apparatus is to be opened and
closed by the floating of a ball or float, commonly called ball cocks, we obtain
capability for adjustment of the leverage by formning the stem of the ball or
float used to pass through the lever operating the valve, and to be set at any
position determined upon by screw or other suitable means.
But that the nature of these improvements and the means which we
adopt in carrying the same into effect may be fully understood we will proceed
to describe the Drawing annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews a section of one form of tap, with parts arranged according
to our Invention, and adapted especially to be used with a ball or float.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same. a, a, is the barrel of the tap; b, the
valve, and this valve, it will be seen, is formed at its inner end, or that next
the fluid, somewhat of an egg-shape, whilst on the opposite side or that next
the seat it is recessed, as better seen by the separate view of the valve at
Figure 3. The object of this recessing is to receive the india-rubber c, or
other packing employed, whilst by the rim b'left a sort of wall is formed,
which by being turned over on its upper edge b², serves partially to enclose
such india-rubber or other matter used as packing, to prevent its spreading
or being removed from the valve by the pressure of the fluid; a', a', is the
valve seat; d is the stem of the valve, which, when the cock or tap is to be
used as a ball-cock or tap, as shewn by Figures 1 and 2, we prefer to be
formed with a screw thread turning in a thread formed in the body of the tap,
so that a slight turn in one direction will open the valve, whilst in the opposite
it will close it. e is an arm formed on the end of the stem d, with a hole
through it to receive the stem ƒ of the ball f¹, a set screw e¹ retaining the
stem in the position desired, in order to regulate the height of water in the
cistern. Or in place of the arm e being formed to receive the stem fit may
be simply formed with a weighted end to serve as a handle to open and close
the same as shewn by Figure 4. Or the stem d of the valve may be formed
without a thread, and simply passed through a hole formed for it in the case of
the cock or tap, as shewn by Figure 5, where the stem d is provided with a
head d³, by pressure on which the valve is opened, whilst a ring of vulcanized
or prepared india-rubber g, resting with one edge against the inside of the
head d, and the other against the outside of the tap serves to keep the valve
closed. Figure 6 shews another modification, in which the india-rubber
ring g is placed behind the valve b, and the opening of the valve is effected
by means of the weighted lever handle h, which turns upon the axis of motion
a², carried by a projection a³ from the case a. In each of these illustrations
it.will be seen the cases are formed capable of being separated at the seat a³,
by which ready access is obtained to the valve or its seat for repair or
*otherwise.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the means we
adopt in carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise details shewn and described; but what

page_text: we do claim is the adaptation and combination of parts forming apparatus
for the purpose of regulating the flow or passage of fluids substantially as
explained.
In witness whereof, I; the said Edmund Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
78, Chancery Lane, London,
•Patent Agent.
EDMUND SMITH. (L.S.)