IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING COCKS AND VALVES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE SIMULTANEOUS LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING OF STREET AND OTHER LAMPS."
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Owen at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1878.
SAMUEL OWEN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MODES AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING COCKS AND VALVES, ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE TO THE SIMULTANEOUS LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING OF STREET AND
OTHER LAMPS."
The object of this Invention is simultaneously and from any desired place to
open and close any desired number of cocks or valves by the application of pneu-
matic, hydraulic, or electric power. For this purpose, as regards the pneumatic
and hydraulic modes, the taps to be actuated are fitted with a slotted or equivalently
formed lever or handle, to which I connect the piston rod of a small cylinder, the
pistou of which can be forced in either direction by compressed air or a vacuum,
or by hydraulic pressure. I may thus, for instance, in the pneumatic arrangement
connect a number of these cylinders to one common air pipe, and open them simul-
taneously by air pressure or vacuum, and close them simultaneously by vacuum or
air pressure respectively, the pipe being in one case charged with compressed air,
and in the other case exhausted, which two operations may be done by the same
or separate apparatus; or the cylinders may be connected at one end with a
vacuum pipe, and at the other end with a pressure pipe; or one end of the cylinders
may be connected to one pressure pipe, and the other to another pressure pipe.
In the hydraulic arrangement I prefer to connect a pressure pipe to each end of
the cylinders, and when one pipe is charged the other is open, or without pressure.
As applied to street or other lamps I fit the gas pipe with a very small branch
or jet pipe, starting from below the tap and reaching to within a short distance of
the top of the main burner. The consequence of this arrangement is that the
small jet is always alight, and serves to light the main burner when the gas is
turned on to the latter.
In the electrical arrangement I fit the gas pipe with a similar small jet pipe as
just described, and I actuate the tap by means of electricity, the tap being fitted
with an electric needle appliance, which takes the place of the above-described lever
or handle.

page_text: When it is required or desired early in the evening and towards the morning to
have only the half or any other proportion of the lamps alight, I accomplish it by
leading separate pneumatic or hydraulic pipes or electrical connections to each such
set of lamps, thus for instance, if every other lamp only is to be lit the connections
to half the lamps only are actuated when first lighting in the evening; later on,
when it is sufficiently dark, the other half of the lamps are lit, and towards the
morning half of them are put out.
The simultaneous lighting and putting out of the whole or any proportion of the
lamps is effected by one operation at the gasworks, or any other place.
To effect a quick pneumatic or hydraulic action one or more pressure or vacuum
reservoirs or accumulators may be provided at the place of operation.