IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM, GAS, OR FLUID TAPS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Radford, of the Central Brass Works,
Thornton Road, Bradford, in the County of York, Brassfounder,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM, GAS, OR FLUID TAPS."
Sealed the 11th March 1873, and dated the 24th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Radford at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th December 1872.
I, JOHN RADFORD, of the Central Brass Works, Thornton Road,
Bradford, in the County of York, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM, GAS, WATER, OR
FLUID TAPS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to the employment of fixed plugs or stoppers
and moveable barrels instead of the moveable plugs or stoppers as here-
tofore. For this purpose I employ a fixed plug or stopper made conical
and hollow, and having a cast divisional piece near the centre (this
divisional piece may be cast in any suitable part of the plug or stopper).
Steam, gas, water, or fluid admitted through the plug or stopper and
coming in contact with the divisional piece passes through an opening
made near the divisional piece, then through a passage made in the

page_text: moveable barrel and onwards through another opening made in the plug
or stopper in a line and on the other side of the divisional piece.
The barrel is made moveable and turns its hollow passage on or off the
openings made in the plug or stopper.
On the top part of the metal forming the hollow passage of the barrel
is fitted a handle for the purpose of turning or moving the same on the
plug or stopper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Radford in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 17th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RADFORD, of the Central Brass Works, Thornton Road, Bradford, in the
County of York, Brassfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Radford, Her special licence
that I, the said John Radford, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Radford, 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 STEAM,
GAS, WATER, OR FLUID TAPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Radford, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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.

page_text: opening E made therein in breadth equal to the diameter of the openings
D and F, and in length equal to the top of the opening D and bottom
of the opening F. The communication between the top of the plug at
B and the bottom at G is formed by means of the passage E. On the
projecting piece I is fitted the handle J for the purpose of moving the
barrel H across the plug or stopper A.
Steam, gas, water, or other fluid passing through the opening B travels
as shewn by the arrows, that is to say, passes from B through the
openings D, then on through the passage E through the opening F into
the opening G. To shut off all communication the barrel H is turned or ]
moved across the plug or stopper A by means of the handle J, the
openings made in the projecting piece I coming in contact with the
metal of the plug or stopper A; K and L stop nuts; M, washer. The
ends of the plug or stopper A are made in some cases with right and left
handed screws to allow of the removal of the tap from the pipes when 1
required.
Having now described my Invention and the best means I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn and
described, as the same may be varied without departing from the 2
peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do claim is, the making
or constructing taps with moveable barrels and fixed plugs or stoppers
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Radford, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of 2
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
WALTER JA*. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.
JOHN RADFORD. (L.S.)