AN IMPROVED COCK OR TAP
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bright at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th September 1882.
WILLIAM BRIGHT of Exeter in the County of Devon "AN IMPROVED COCK
OR TAP "
My Invention, which relates to improvements in that description of cocks or
taps in which pressure of the hand direct upon the spindle, or through the
medium of a handle or lever, is employed to admit water from the supply pipe,
has for its objects to simplify the construction of such cocks or taps, to render
them less liable to get out of order, and to reduce the friction of the movable
parts, and, by utilizing the pressure of the water in a more effective manner to
close the water way, to prevent waste.
At the underside of the valve, and normally closing the aperture therein; is a
washer or ball of india-rubber or other suitable pliable material secured to the
lower end of the spindle and maintained in place by the action of a coiled or
spiral spring, the upper end of which bears against a collar or shoulder formed
on the spindle, and the lower end of which bears on the top of the valve which
is firmly secured in position. The spindle is free to move vertically within the
spring in such manner that ou pressure being exerted on the spindle, the resistance
of the spring is overcome, and the washer or ball being thereby forced downwards,
the aperture aforesaid becomes unobstructed, and the water passes upwards through
it and thence by an orifice, or orifices, formed in the valve, into the discharge pipe.
On removing the pressure from the spindle, the washer or ball moves up and
closes the aperture, in which it is assisted by the pressure of the water below it.
"A stud or knob may be formed on the spindle which, when the spindle is pressed
down, takes into a corresponding groove, and obviates the necessity for constant
application of pressure of the hand during the discharge of water."

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Bright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th March
1883.
WILLIAM BRIGHT of Exeter in the County of Devon AN IMPROVED COCK
OR TAP
My invention which relates to improvements in that description of cocks or taps
in which the pressure of the hand direct upon the spindle, or through the medium
of a handle or lever, is employed to admit water from the supply pipe, has for its
objects to simplify the construction of such cocks or taps, to render them less liable
to derangement, and to reduce the friction of the movable parts, and, by utilizing
the pressure of the water in a more effective manner to close the water way, to
prevent waste. At the underside of the valve, and normally closing the aperture
therein, is a washer or ball of india rubber or other suitable pliable elastic material
secured to the lower end of the spindle and maintained in place by the action of a
coiled or spiral spring, the upper part of which bears against a collar or shoulder
formed on the spindle, and the lower end of which bears on the top of the valve
which is firmly secured in position. The spindle is free to move vertically within
the spring in such manner that, on pressure being exerted downwards on the
spindle, the resistance of the spring is overcome, and the washer or ball being
thereby forced downwards, the aperture aforesaid becomes unobstructed, and the
water passes upwards through it and thence by an orifice, or orifices, formed in the
valve, into the discharge pipe.
On removing the pressure from the spindle, the washer or ball moves up and
* closes the aperture, in which it is assisted by the water below it.
£
And in order that the said invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
⚫ more particularly to set forth, by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings
and the figures and letters marked thereon, the mode or manner in which the same
may be used or practically carried into effect.
Figs 1 and 2 on the accompanying sheet of drawings represent vertical sectional
views of a cock or tap constructed according to this invention. Fig 1 shews the
waterway closed, and Fig 2 shews it open. At the underside of the valve a, and
normally closing the aperture c therein, is a ball b of india rubber or other suitable
pliable or elastic material secured to the lower end of the spindle d by a nut and
washer, as shewn. A spiral spring e, the upper end of which bears against the
underside of the collar f formed on the spindle and the lower end on the top of
the valve a, exerts an upward pressure upon the spindle d and tends to maintain
the ball b in the position shewn at Fig 1.
On the application of the requisite downward pressure upon the button or
knob d' of the spindle d, the resistance of the spring e and the pressure of the
water acting below the ball bare overcome, and the ball b being thereby forced
downwards from the aperture c, as shewn at Fig 2, the water passes upwards
through the said aperture c and through the orifice g formed in the valve a, into
the discharge pipe h as indicated by the arrows shewn on the drawing. The
downward pressure on the spindle & being withdrawn, the ball b immediately rises
upwards and closes the aperture c, and the pressure of the water below tends to
keep the ball b pressed firmly against the aperture.
At Figs 3 and 4 are represented vertical sectional views of a modification of my
invention. Fig 3 shews the waterway closed, and Fig 4 shews it open.
A washer or plug i of india rubber or other suitable pliable or elastic material
is placed at the bottom of the spindle d and is carried on the plate n. This washer

page_text: or plug i bears on an elastic ball 6 which tends to keep the washer or plug i
against the aperture c and thus to maintain the water way closed as shewn at Fig. 3.
The ball b is contained within the cylindrical chamber k the wall of which is
pierced with an orifice o through which the water flows to the underside of the
washer or plug i which, by the pressure of the water acting below it, is further
assisted in closing the water way. Towards its lower end the spindle d is made
hollow as shewn.
On the application of the requisite downward pressure upon the button or
knob d of the spindle d, the washer or plug i is forced downwards from the
aperture c, the ball or spring b yielding to the pressure, and the water passes
upwards through the said aperture and flows thence through the hollow portion d
of the spindle & into the discharge pipe h as indicated by the arrows shewn on the
drawing. A stop or stud 8 formed on the spindle d and working in a groove t
may be used to keep the cock open so as to obviate as desired the necessity of
continuous application of the downward pressure upon the spindle.
Figs 5 and 6 illustrate by sectional views the adaptation of the modification last
described of this invention to actuation by a ball and lever. Fig 5 shews the
waterway closed, and Fig 6 shows it open. When, by lowering the level of the
water in the cistern or tank to which the cock is fitted, the ball A and lever A¹ are
lowered on the pivot B, as shewn at Fig 6, the washer or plug i is forced inwards
and so opens the water way c through which the water passes from the cylindrical
chamber into the discharge pipe h as indicated by the arrows shewn on the
drawing.
The end wall of the cylindrical chamber k is extended across the supply pipe l,
as shewn, for the purpose of checking an unduly impetuous flow or high pressure
of water, and an orifice o' is formed therein to admit the water to the outside of
the cylindrical chamber k whence it passes to the underside of the washer or plug i
through the orifice o as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs 3 and 4.
When the water, rising in the cistern, acts upon the ball A and lever A¹ to raise
them on the pivot B, the washer or plug i is drawn up by the spindle d and closes
the aperture c, the pressure of the water acting at the back of the washer or plug i
assisting in the closing of the said aperture. The ball or spring 6 may be dispensed
with in this modification of the invention when desirable.
Waste of water is lessened under this invention, friction is reduced and the
details of construction being simple the cock is rendered less liable to derangement.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
invention and the mode or inanner in which the same may be used or practically
carried into effect, I claim as the invention secured to me by the herein before in
part recited Letters Patent-The arrangement and construction of cocks or taps to
utilize the pressure of the water supply in closing, or to assist in closing and to
maintain closed, the water way of such cocks or taps, substantially as described
and shewn on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bright have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fourth day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
WILLIAM BRIGHT. (L.S.)