Improvements in Distributing Cocks or Valves for Water Meters, Hydraulic Lifts, and analogous Machinery.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 20th May, 1899
Improvements in Distributing Cocks or Valves for Water Meters,
Hydraulic Lifts, and analogous Machinery.
I, OSCAR HOUA, of No. 62, Avenue de Cortenberg, Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Engineer to the Brussels Water Works, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to cocks or valves used in water meters hydraulic lifts
or analogous machines for operating the piston thereof by directing the current
alternately onto one or other face of the said piston.
The invention consists in the application to the said cocks or valves of a new
or improved joint which has for its object to facilitate their operation and to
ensure a tight closure of the cock or valve box without use of any packing and
consequently without need for regulation or adjustment the pressure of the liquid
being utilised for ensuring easy rotation of the plug.
This result may be obtained by application of the aforesaid joint to various
arrangements of cocks or valves and the accompanying drawing represents in
longitudinal section the application of such joint to the cock of a water meter.
The figure illustrates the application to a cock of which the plug a which is
of the form of a truncated cone is furnished at its upper end with a pivot n
bearing against the end of the box and the said plug is retained in its seating
by a part m against which bears the end of its rod or spindle c which the hammer
of the meter causes to turn one way or the other in order to change the direction
of the current upon the faces of the piston. d is the joint which is of india-
rubber or other supple material not affected by water and of cylindrical or
nearly cylindrical shape formed with an outer flange or collar f at one end and
an inner flange or collar at the other end. The outer flange f is pressed against
a metal washer 6 placed against the mouth of the cock or valve box by means
of a stuffing box e which serves as an enclosure for the joint and the inner
flange is pressed against a shoulder of the spindle of the plug a by means
of a screw nut 1. Around the cylindrical part of the joint a spiral spring or
a series of rings of metal or other suitable material is arranged so as to form
a sheath which prevents radial expansion of the said joint while permitting
torsion thereof as required during rotation of the plug.
The washer prevents longitudinal extension of the joint d which, being
unable to dilate or expand in any direction, thus has retained in it all the supple-
ness necessary to its torsional movement.
The water passing into the space between the interior of the cylindrical part
of the joint d between it and the spindle distends that part and presses it against
the spiral spring or the rings h but cannot escape either at the base or at the
top of the joint.
Grooves may be made in the thickness of the inner cylindrical wall of the joint
in order to facilitate its torsion.

page_text: The cock may be placed freely in its box k without a pivot and may or may
not have an abutment at the upper part.
In this case the plug a being free in its seating is constantly forced by the
pressure of the liquid and by reason of its truncated conical form against the
washer which protects the joint from sudden changes of pressure of the liquid.
Moreover the liquid can only enter by way of the small annular space between
the washer b and the spindle & of the plug.
Dated this Twenty-first day of Tul 1800
1
A
Improvements in Distributing Cocks or Valves for Water Meters,
Hydraulic Lifts, and analogous Machinery.
I, OSCAR HOUA, of No. 62, Avenue de Cortenberg, Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium; Engineer to the Brussels Water Works, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to cooks or valves used in water meters hydraulic lifts
or analogous machines for operating the piston thereof by directing the current
alternately on to one or other face of the said piston.
The invention consists in the application to the said cocks or valves of a new
or improved joint the object of which is to facilitate their operation and to
ensure tight closure of the cock or valve box without use of any packing and
consequently without need for regulation or adjustment the pressure of the liquid
being utilised for ensuring easy rotation of the plug.
This result may be obtained by application of the aforesaid joint to various
arrangements of cocks or valves and the accompanying drawing represents in
longitudinal section the application of such joint to the cock of a water meter.
The drawing illustrates the application to a cock of which the plug a (which
has the form of a truncated cone) is furnished at its upper end with a pivot n bear-
ing against the end of the box k and the said plug is retained in its seating by
a bridge m against which bears the end of its rod or spindle c which the hammer
of the meter causes to turn one way or the other through the medium of the
cranked lever in order to change the direction of the current upon the faces
of the piston. d is the joint which is of india rubber or other supple material
not affected by water and of cylindrical or nearly cylindrical shape formed with
an outer flange or collar f at one end and an inner flange or collar
other end. The outer Hange f is pressed against a metal washer b, placed against
the mouth of the cock or valve box k, by means of a glande which serves as an
enclosure for the joint and the inner flange g is pressed against a shoulder of
the spindle c of the plug a by means of a washer q a screw nut p and the cranked
lever which receives the blows of the hammer of the piston rod. The lever /
is secured to the spindle by means of a pin r. Around the cylindrical port d
of the joint contiguous rings of nickel or other suitable material h, preferably
.of square section, are arranged which form a sheath preventing radial expan-
sion of the joint while permitting torsion thereof as required during rotation of
the plug.
at the
The washer b prevents longitudinal extension of the joint d which, being

page_text: unable to dilate or expand in any direction, thus has retained in it all the supple-
ness necessary to its torsional movement.
The water passing into the space between the interior of the cylindrical part
the joint & between it and the spindle distends that part and presses it against
the rings h but cannot escape either at the base or at the top of the joint.
Grooves may be made in the interior of the cylindrical part of the joint in
order to facilitate its torsion.
without a pivot and may be with
The cock may be placed freely in its box
or without an abutment at the upper part.
In this case the plug a being free in its seating is, by the pressure of the
liquid and by reason of its truncated conical form, constantly forced against the
washer 6 which protects the joint from sudden changes of pressure of the liquid.
Moreover the liquid can only enter by way of the small annular space between
the washer 6 and the spindle c of the plug.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim :-
First A distributing cock or valve for water meters hydraulic lifts and
analogous machines the spindle of which is furnished with a joint of supple
material not affected by water, consisting of a cylindrical part with an outer flange
which is pressed against a washer placed on the mouth of the seating of the
plug of the cock and with an inner flange which is pressed against a shoulder
on the spindle of the said plug, the cylindrical part of the joint being surrounded
by metal rings, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing, for the purpose described.
Secondly: A distributing cock for water meters, hydraulic lifts and analo-
gous machines constructed, arranged and acting substantially as hereinbefore
described an illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this Twontiath day of Anvil 180g