IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING OR SELF CLOSING TAPS OR STOPCOCKS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hartley Perks and John Morley trading as
William Perks and Company of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Manufacturers for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING OR SELF
CLOSING TAPS OR STOPCOCKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hartley Perks
and John Morley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
12th September 1883.
ROBERT HARTLEY PERKS and JOHN MORLEY trading as William Perks and
Company of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturers "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPRING OR SELF CLOSING TAPS OR STOPCOCKS
"
In ordinary spring or self closing taps or stopcocks the liquid way is entirely
open between the inlet pipe and body of the tap and when there is a high pressure
supply the sudden closing of the tap causes injury to and frequent bursting of the
pipes consequent upon the concussion of the liquid in the pipes.
Our invention consists in constructing and arranging in the manner hereinafter
described the parts of spring or self closing taps or stopcocks whereby on closing the
tap the passage of the liquid is gradually checked or cut off and the inconveniences
before referred to prevented.
In constructing a spring or self closing tap or stopcock according to our
invention we use a stem carrying at its inner end a valve, and at its outer end a
head or handle for pressing it inwards for opening the tap. The said valve is
pressed outwards or to its seat between the inlet pipe and body of the tap by
a coiled spring around the valve stem as usual. Over the valve seat and projecting
into the inlet pipe of the tap is a perforated cap having in it by preference two
sets of perforated holes of different sizes the smaller set of holes being situated
nearer the valve seat than the larger set of holes. It is by the opening and closing
of these two sets of holes in the cap that communication between the inlet pipe
and body of the tap is established and cut off. When the valve stem is pressed
inwards by acting upon its outer head or handle the valve is lifted from its seat

page_text: and passes into the perforated cap described. As the valve leaves its seat it first
passes and uncovers the smaller set of holes in the cap and afterwards passes and
uncovers the larger set of holes in the cap. The liquid in the inlet pipe is thereby
permitted to pass through the perforated cap and open valve seat into the body of
the tap and from thence into the outlet pipe of the tap. In like manner when
the valve stem is liberated the valve in passing to its seat first passes and virtually
closes the larger set of holes in the cap and just before it is fully pressed to its
seat the said valve closes the smaller set of holes in the cap. By means of the
checking arrangement described the tap is gradually opened and gradually closed
and the flow and stoppage of the liquid is consequently gradual and its stoppage
unattended by the concussion which occurs when the current is suddenly stopped.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Hartley Perks and John Morley in the Patent Office on the
8th March 1884.
ROBERT HARTLEY PERKS, and JOHN MORLEY, trading as William Perks and
Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPRING OR SELF CLOSING TAPS OR STOPCOCKS."
In ordinary spring or self closing taps or stopcocks the liquid way is entirely
open between the inlet pipe and body of the tap and when there is a high pressure
supply, the sudden closing of the tap causes injury to and frequent bursting of
the pipes consequent upon the concussion of the liquid in the pipes.
Our invention consists in constructing, and arranging in the manner herein after
described the parts of spring or self closing taps or stopcocks, whereby on closing the
tap the passage of the liquid is gradually checked or cut off and the inconveniences
before referred to prevented.
In constructing a spring or self closing tap or stopcock according to our invention
we use a stem carrying at its inner end a valve and at its outer end a head or
handle for pressing it inwards for opening the tap. The said valve is pressed to
its seat between the inlet pipe and body of the tap, by a coiled spring around the
valve stem as usual. Over the valve seat and projecting into the inlet pipe of the
tap is a perforated cap having in it by preference, two sets of perforated holes of
different sizes, the smaller set of holes being situated nearer the valve seat than
the larger set of holes. It is by the opening and closing of these two sets of holes
in the cap that communication between the inlet pipe and body of the tap is
established and cut off. When the valve stem is pressed inwards, by acting upon
its outer bead or handle, the valve is lifted from its seat and passes into the
perforated cap described. As the valve leaves its seat it first passes and uncovers
the smaller set of holes in the cap and afterwards passes and uncovers the larger
set of holes in the cap. The liquid in the inlet pipe is thereby permitted to pass
through the perforated cap and open valve seat into the body of the tap and from
thence into the outlet pipe of the tap. In like manner, when the valve stem is
liberated the valve in passing to its seat first passes and virtually closes the larger
set of holes in the cap and just before it is fully pressed to its seat the said valve
closes the smaller set of holes in the cap. By means of the checking arrangement

page_text: described the tap is gradually opened and gradually closed and the flow and
stoppage of the liquid is consequently gradual and its stoppage unattended by the
concussion which occurs when the current is suddenly stopped.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing
the manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical section a portion of a stand pipe to which a
spring or self closing tap or stopcock constructed according to our invention is
applied; Figures 2 and 3 represent vertical sections of the tap or stopcock detached
from the stand pipe, Figure 2 representing the tap closed and Figure 3 the tap
partly opened; Figures 4 and 5 represent cross sections of the tap, Figure 4 being
taken on the dotted line a, a and Figure 5 on the dotted line b, b Figure 2;
Figure 6 represents an elevation of a part of the tap.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
c is the inlet pipe and d the outlet pipe of the tap connected together by the
body e; f is the valve, and g the valve stem, the said valve f being pressed
upwards for closing the tap by the coiled spring ħ around the valve stem as seen
in Figures 2 and 3; i is the valve seat. Over the said valve seat i and projecting
into the inlet pipe c of the tap is a perforated cap k having in it two sets of holes
l, m of different sizes, the smaller set of holes Z being situated nearer the valve
seat than the larger set of holes m as represented. It will be seen by an
examination of Figures 2 and 3 that it is by the opening and closing of the set of
holes I, m in the cap k that communication between the inlet pipe c and the outlet
pipe d is established and cut off. When the head of the valve stem is released,
the spring h lifts the valve f to its seat and the tap is closed. On pressing the
valve f downwards the said valve is depressed from its seat and passes into the
perforated cap k As the valve leaves its seat it first passes and uncovers
the smaller set of holes in the cap as represented in Figure 3, and by the further
depression of the valve, it uncovers the larger set of holes m
The liquid in the inlet pipe c is thereby permitted to pass through the perforated
cap k and the open valve seat i into the body e and from thence into the outlet
pipe d of the tap. On the liberation of the valve stem g the valve fin passing to
its seat i first passes and virtually closes the larger set of holes m and as it is
fully pressed to its seat the said valve closes the smaller set of holes / as seen in
Figure 2. Thus, the tap is gradually opened and gradually closed and the stoppage
of the liquid is unattended by the concussion which occurs when the current is
Buddenly stopped as before explained.
For the purpose of preventing the fixing down of the valve stem for obtaining a
continuous flow of the liquid, we give the head p of the valve stem g the conical
figure represented so that a weight cannot be supported upon it, and for preventing
the fixing down of the valve stem by a nail, cotter or other like instrument inserted
under the head, or under a shoulder on the valve stem, we make the part g of the
head p, which is fixed to the valve stem, work in the projecting collar 7 screwed
in the head of the stand pipe as illustrated in Figure 1, and the underside of the
head P is made hollow or cupped (see Figure 2) to enable it, when depressed to
open the tap, to pass over the said collar r. By this arrangement no shoulder is
left external to the stand pipe under which a nail or other instrument can be
inserted for holding down the valve in its open position and hence the waste of
water which occurs by the fixing down of the spring or self closing tap, when
constructed in the ordinary way, is prevented.
Although we have represented our invention in connection with a stand pipe,
yet our improved self closing tap or stopcock may be used generally for drawing
off water or other liquids where there is a high pressure supply; and although we
have represented the perforated cap as being furnished with two sets of holes of
different sizes, yet we do not limit ourselves to the size and number and position
of the holes in the perforated cap.

page_text: :
Having now described the nature of our invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed we wish it to be understood that We claim as our
invention of "Improvements in spring or self closing taps or stopcocks;"-
First The construction and combination of parts herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for gradually opening and gradually
closing the tap or stopcock for the purpose described; that is to say, arranging
around the valve seat and projecting into the inlet pipe of the tap, a perforated
cap in which the valve works, the motion of the valve in the said cap permitting
of the passage of liquid through and cutting off the supply of liquid to the tap
substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly; The combination with the valve stem of spring or self closing taps
or stopcocks claimed in the first claim, of the parts marked p, q and r for preventing
the waste of liquid by the fixing down of the valve stem and valve.
In Witness whereof I the said Robert Hartley Perks have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventh day of March in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
i
Witness; ARTHUR J. POWELL
Clerk to. George Shaw
Birmingham.
ROBERT HARTLEY PERKS (L.S.)