IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES, OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1880

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Lorimer Corbett at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1880.
JOHN LORIMER CORBETT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES, OR APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND
CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in taps or valves, or waste
preventing supply apparatus for delivering uniform quantities of water to water
closets, for the flushing and after-flushing operations, and for the like delivery of
water or other liquids to baths, lavatories, urinals, and other vessels for domestic
and public purposes.
The improved apparatus is simple in construction, easily
made and fitted, reliable and efficient in action, and is specially designed to regulate
or control the supply of the liquid automatically.
Under one modification of the Invention, mainly applicable for controlling the
supply from pressure water mains, but also adapted for use with service cisterns,
the improved apparatus comprises a two-way cock fitted in a seat at the inlet
orifice or pipe, which may be turned to close this inlet or admission pipe, or to
admit water through it to either of two short inlet tubes, one on each side of the
cock, leading into a small cylinder or barrel set transversely and fixed to them, and
which has a discharge nozzle at or near its centre on the side opposite to the inlet
tubes. This cylindrical chamber or barrel is, for convenience, made in two parts,
being cut transversely at or near the, centre, and screwed or otherwise fixed
together. The barrel is closed at both ends, and it is divided centrally into two
compartments by a strong thick partition, in which outlet ports are formed leading
from the interior of the barrel to the discharge nozzle formed on it. Through the
partition there passes a rigid piston rod, fitted at each end with a piston or plunger,
free to reciprocate together in the barrel. The inner side of each piston or
plunger is fitted with a rubber, leather, or other soft washer to close tight
against an annular flange or seat on the dividing partition. A small hole, groove,
or waterway is pierced through each piston, forming a communication between
the central and outer parts of each compartment of the barrel, and the size of
these holes is regulated to allow the water to pass from the centre to the outer
ends in a fixed period of time which may be greater for the one than for the
other.
The water from the inlet orifice is admitted by the two-way cock to either

page_text: compartment of the cylindrical chamber or barrel by the small inlet tubes between
the central partition and the piston in that compartment, which for the time
being will be at the outer end of its stroke, and the water flows freely through the
chamber and through the outlet port in the partition to the discharge nozzle. But
whilst the water is thus being steadily delivered, a portion also passes through
the small hole or waterway in the piston to the outer end of this compartment,
and the surface of the piston exposed to the pressure of the water on the outer
side being greater than that on the inner side by the extent of the area of cross
section of the piston rod, the piston is pressed inwards gradually (as the outer
compartment fills) until it closes up against its seat on the partition, and also
covers the outlet, and the water ceases to flow. If now the two-way cock be
reversed by hand, the same operation of delivering a uniform supply of water will
be performed through the opposite compartment in the same way, and the process
may be repeated as often as desired; or the two-way cock may be turned to cut-off
the supply of water.
This arrangement of the improved apparatus may be modified in construction for
convenience in casting or fitting the various parts. For example, the two-way cock
may be fitted in a seat directly over the cylindrical piston chamber or barrel, and
bored to admit the water to each compartment on each side of the central partition.
In this case the barrel may be made or cast in one piece with the seat of the two
way cock, and the piston chambers bored from each end and fitted with screwed
caps or covers, the inlet and outlet ports or orifices being cored out in casting.
The communicating water way between the inner and outer sides of the piston in
each compartment may also be formed by a small tube reaching nearly from end
to end of each compartment of the piston chamber; or a similar tube may pass
outside the chamber from the inlet to each outer end of the piston barrel, quite
outside the barrel, the operation of automatically closing the water inlet by the
moving piston being effected as described by any of these arrangements.
Under another modification of the Invention the two-way cock is dispensed with,
and a small valve chamber interposed between the main inlet orifice or pipe and
the two small inlet tubes of the piston chamber or barrel is substituted therefor.
The small tubes passing out from the valve chamber to the piston barrel from seats
for small clacks or conical valves, closing against the seats by the pressure of the
water, and thus preventing the passage of water in the normal position of the
valves. The valves are opened by means of a central spindle passing outside
the valve chamber, having a handle or lever fitted to it, and acting, when turned,
on a cross bar or levers inside, either jointed or fitted with pins and slots to lift
one valve off its seat whilst the other remains closed, An action similar to that of
the two-way cock previously referred to is thus obtained, with the advantage
however that when the handle is left free to open by mistake the valves close
automatically by the pressure of the water on them.
By a further improvement a small conical or other valve is fitted in the main
inlet pipe or orifice to open against the pressure of the water. This valve is fitted
with a guiding spindle passing into the valve chamber described, and is opened
either separately or simultaneously with either valve of the tubes leading to the
piston barrel by means of a cam or cams on a separate spindle, or on the opening
handle spindle when that is turned. The additional valve by closing automatically
serves the two-fold purpose of preventing the flow of water through the apparatus,
when by wear or accident any leakage occurs, and admits of the valve chamber
being opened or any other part of the apparatus being disconnected for repair
without shutting off the water from the street main. This arrangement of the
apparatus is thus particularly adapted for supplying water closets with pressure
water from the main without the use of a cistern.
The apparatus can be arranged to supply baths, lavatories, cisterns, or other
vessels to fill them and close automatically without causing overflow, by regulating
the size of water-way, or communication between the inner and outer ends of the
piston barrel; and when this passage is formed outside the barrel it can be adjusted

page_text: by means of a screw plug to time the flow of water to fill a bath or different sizes
of vessels without overflowing or waste.
In applying the apparatus for the supply of water to water-closets where it is
desirable to obtain a comparatively large supply for the flushing operation, and only
a very small supply for the after-flush or sealing of the closet, the bore or size of
the regulating water ways described may be made smaller for the one compartment
than for the other. In this way the handle or cock can be turned to supply the
flushing water through the compartment with the small water-way, and secure a
large supply or flow of water during the slow traverse of the piston in its barrel.
And the cock may then be turned to admit water through the opposite compart-
ment, the inlet to which would be closed much quicker and the after-flush supply
cut-off after a corresponding short flow.
To obtain a constant and equal pressure of water on the outer ends of the
moving pistons in the barrel, the small regulating water-ways may be carried into
the valve chamber described, and terminate in orifices therein close to the water
supply tubes for the barrel, in which case the one would be closed by the rubber
faced or other valve, also covering the supply tube, while the other is opened by
the lifting of the corresponding valve of the second supply tube.