IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS OR VALVES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Houghton, of Salford, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF TAPS OR VALVES."
Sealed the 12th February 1875, and dated the 21st August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Houghton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st August 1874.
I, JAMES HOUGHTON, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS OR VALVES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is applicable to taps or valves to be used for steam,
water, or gas, wherein the valve is opened and closed by turning a lever or
hand wheel keyed or fastened to a spindle passing up from the valve plug,
and is designed to do away with the stuffing boxes or artificial packing
material hitherto employed to render the same water or steam-tight.

page_text: The valve or plug is formed of a conical shape, and fits into and turns
in a conical chamber (ground to fit the valve) in the body of the tap,
and is provided with an inlet and outlet opening.
The plug instead of being made conical on the whole of its surface is
formed with a neck near the top, above which is a conical shoulder or
bearing, which bears upon a V seating formed upon the upper and
inner edge of the conical chamber of the tap, which will thus form a
double seating, and with considerable less friction than hitherto; or if
preferred this shoulder may be formed separate from the conical plug
and be made to slide down the spindle.
A screw cap is screwed on to the body of the tap, which bears upon
the upper side of the plug and keeps it well down in its place so as to
form a perfectly tight joint, which effectually prevents the escape of
water, gas, or other fluid without the aid of packing material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Houghton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOUGHTON, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date. the Twenty-first day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Houghton, Her special license
that I, the said James Houghton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Houghton, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS OR VALVES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Houghton, my executors or administrators,

page_text: by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 James Houghton, 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 tho
following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
This Invention is applicable to taps or valves to be used for steam,
water, or gas, wherein the valve is opened and closed by turning a lever
or hand wheel keyed or fastened to a spindle passing up from the valvė
plug, and is designed to do away with the stuffing boxes or artificial
packing material hitherto employed to render the samo water or steam-
tight.
The valve or plug is formed of a conical shape, and fits into and turns
in a conical chamber (ground to fit the valve) in the body of the tap,
and is provided with an inlet and outlet opening.
The plug instead of being made conical on the whole of its surface is
formed with a neck near the top, above which is a conical shoulder or
bearing which bears upon a V seating formed upon
the upper and inner
edge of the conical chamber of the tap, which will thus form a double
seating with less friction than hitherto; or if preferred this shoulder
may be made separate from the conical plug in the form of a loose ring
or washer and be made to slide down the spindle.
A screw cap is screwed on to the body of the tap, which bears upon
the upper side of the plug and keeps it well down in its place so as to
form a perfectly tight joint, which effectually prevents the escape of
water, gas, or other fluid without the aid of packing material.
In the Drawing annexed, Fig. 1 is an external view, and Fig. 2 a
section of a tap or valve made according to my Invention. a, a, is the
body of the tap, and b, b, the plug with its opening c, c; d, d, is the
neck formed near the top of the plug, above which is the conical
shoulder or bearing e, e, fitting upon the V seating f, f, formed upon
the upper and inner edge of the body of the tap; 9, 9, is the spindle of

page_text: the valve; and h, h, the handle for turning the plug to open or close the
tapi, i, is the screw cap, the outer rim of which screws on to the body
of the tap so that its central portion bears on the top of the plug and
keeps the plug b, b, and its conical shoulder e, e, well down upon its
seating, and thus forms a perfectly tight joint.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I
claim as my Invention the combination in taps or valves of this class
of the conical shoulder or bearing e, e, with its seating f, f, formed in
upper and inner edge of the body of the tap, together with the screw
cap i, i, for keeping the whole securely in its place.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Houghton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five.
JAMES HOUGHTON. (L.S.)