IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING OR FORCING THE FLOW OF WATER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John
Gedge & Son, No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING OR FORCING THE FLOW OF WATER."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Charles Douchain, of Saint Cloud, near Paris,
TT
Sealed the 31st October 1861, and dated the 7th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th May 1861.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge & Son, No. 11,
WellingtonStreet, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS
FOR CONDUCTING OR FORCING THE FLOW OF WATER," communicated to me from
abroad by Charles Douchain, of Saint Cloud, near Paris, France, Hydraulic
Engineer, to be as follows:-
The first improvement is a double vent trap intended to cleanse water
conduits, and is furnished with a syphon filter to facilitate their discharge.
This apparatus is constructed with two valves in caoutchouc, the one super-
posed above the other, and separated by a rod or neck. The first prevents the.
outflow of water, the other the entrance of air, and both are protected by
metal buffers. The apparatus is serviceable when the water conduit. is of
Price Sal

page_text: rapid descent, which frequently occasions fouling. A stop key is so placed as
to permit at will the entrance of air into the conduit to operate its discharge.
The second improvement is a box to be placed under the pavement of
streets, and may serve for watering them, or in case of fire. In its construc-
tion a cock (with its end screw-threaded to receive the hose joint) has
a stuffing box above it in order that the key of the cock may be opened or
closed. This latter is fixed in a cast-iron box near the edge of the pavement;
in the bottom of the box there is a knife or partition so placed as to divide the
flow of the water, so that it may escape in two jets. The lid of this box is
hinge-jointed, and secured when closed by a screw, which at the same time
passes a hood over the tapped end of the cock aforesaid. In case of fire or for
watering, it will be sufficient to open the box, screw a hose joint on to the
tapped end of the cock, and turn the key.
The third improvement is a trap serving to regulate water service. This
cast-iron trap is cast with a circular hole closed by an iron stopper. On
that part of the trap which is to receive the stopper is a circular piece, in
which is fitted a brass screw. The under side of the plug has four arms or
ribs, one of which terminates in a countersink for the reception of the brass
screw; the end of the opposite arm forms a spur which adjusts itself in the
trap; the ends of the other arms drop into receptacles provided for them. In
the centre of the stopper is a mortice-hole for the passage of the key when the
stopper is to be raised. Around the square of the trap is formed a rabbit,
which is filled with bitumen or cement, where the opening to the conduit is
under the pavement. This trap is intended to replace the ordinary iron pipe
with wooden plug.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as

page_text: I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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 law-
fully 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 "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING OF FORCING THE
FLOW OF WATER," (a communication to me from abroad by Charles Douchain,
of St. Cloud, near Paris, France, Hydraulic Engineer,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors or
administrators, 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 William Edward Gedge, 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 the
following statement, reference being had to the several Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures
and letters of reference marked thereon.
The first part of this Invention relates to vent traps for cleansing conduits,
and I will first describe a double-action vent trap. To simplify the arrange-
ment described in the Provisional Specification the two vent apparatuses for
conduits working under great pressure and those working under ordinary
pressure may be united in one, and Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 1) shew this
simplified apparatus. The non-floating ball B is composed of a metallic part
covered with caoutchouc, rendering it a water-tight stop, (it may, however, be
made wholly of copper, and roughed and turned to fit its seat). This ball B
(which is the principle of this vent trap) is lodged in a bronze cylinder G,
which serves to guide it, and in which it circulates freely. The space left
between the exterior diameter of the ball and the interior diameter of the
cylinder G is perceptibly equal to the surface of the vent hole.
A is the box,
and Cits cover. The upper valve D, together with its seat F, F, is protected
by a hood or cap E, acting as exterior guide, and having a section H for
escape of the air and the introduction of the lever L (Figure 2). The lower
part of the cylinder G carries guides I which unite, forming a sort of knife,
breaking the direction of the current of air, and forcing it to follow the contour
of the ball without carrying it up in its escape by the vent hole; but when the

page_text: water arrives the ball loses part of its weight, and by virtue of the incom-
pressibility of the water this ball (which acts as a piston.) is carried up and
closes the vent hole. When a certain quantity of air replaces che water in
the apparatus, the ball resuines its weight by degrees until it falls and permits
the escape of the air contained in the conduit; when the water returns the
ball is again lightened, and the vent hole closed.
In the case of conduits working under very light pressure, the metallic ball
may be replaced by a lighter one, and the space left free between the outer
diameter of the ball, and the inner diameter of the cylinder G will then be
left a little larger than the vent hole. This improvement may be summed
up thus, firstly, closing against introduction of air to the conduit by an
upper valve provided with a lever to open the trap; secondly, closing the vent
hole by the use of a non-floating and solid valve in order to prevent the
apparatus closing until all the air has escaped, and to avoid the crushing and
loss of shape to which the valve of an ordinary apparatus is subject.
I will now describe a single-action vent trap:-To empty a conduit it is
indispensable that an air tap should be opened at the upper part of the conduit
to permit the air to enter and cause the outflow, and this tap should not be
closed until the conduit is in full flow, that is to say, when all the air which
has been introduced has been repelled to the exterior through the orifice of the
tap. The single-action vent trap, based upon the same principle as the double-
action one, less the upper valve, is intended to replace the air tap, and act,
when required, without any other agency. Figures 3 and 4 (Sheet 1) shew
section and plan of this apparatus. The interior ball A (similar in compo-
sition to that of the double-action trap) works in a copper cap or hood B, with
enough play to permit the escape of the air at D, in the upper part of the cap,
and within the square, serving for the introduction of the key in unshipping
the cap. The lower part C of the trap is fixed upon the conduit in any
suitable manner, and the cap is screwed upon it. In the lower part C is a
seat E, which prevents the ball falling too low, which would be inimical to the
introduction of the air.. This seat also serves to break the currout of air, and
prevent the projection of the ball before the arrival of the water. The hole
pierced in the square of the cap to facilitate the construction of the trap is
marked by a screw F, the lower part of which is conical, and also roughed,
and by which the trap may be closed. The screw thread; which serves to
unite the cap B with the lower part C is on the fire-plug, so that a hose joint
may be screwed on when the nearest stop-cock (which is generally in the
same opening) is turned off.
The second part of this Invention relates to a box or apparatus to be placed

page_text: beneath the pavement of streets for washing or watering, or in case of fire.
This apparatus is shewn in section and plan in Sheet 2. It is composed of a
tap or cock R, with a screw threal A to receive a hose. This tap carries a
stuffing box Pabove it, so that the key of the tapmay be tightened or loosened
by the nuts The tap is fixed in a cast-iron box F of the same height as the
curb of the pavement. This box carries at its bottom a knife C which
divides the water,so that it escapes by the two orifices O and O1,situated right
and left of the knife C, when the box is placed on a sum nit. The lid of the
box is hinged, and is closed by a screw V, taking into a metal nut; a small
mortice M is reserved to lift the lid when the screw is withdrawn. Beneath
this lid,and forming part of it, is a cap D, which when the box is closed comes
above the orifice of the tap. This arrangement, then, presents the advantage
of washing beneath the pavement without opening the box,the cover carrying
a hollowed circular part, in which enters a piece of iron E adjusted on the.
square of the tap. In opening from the exterior by a forked key the water
comes rushing beneath the lid and falls back into the box to escape beneath
the public way in the direction indicated by the arrow. In case of fire, or if
required for watering the street, it suffices to open the box and screw on a
hose. The tap being an ordinary one it is easy to scour and grease it without
taking the apparatus to pieces. The same key serves to open the box, turn
the tap, and tighten or loosen the nuts of the stuffing box.
The third part of this Invention relates to screw fastenings for traps,plugs,
and openings of every description, water, gas, drain, or other. To further
extend the mode of fastening described in my Provisional Specification, and
permit its use for the plugs placed on the public roads, a certain and sure
fastening is obtained by the following arrangement:-The Figures 1, 2,3,4,
(Sheet 3) shew the screw fastening lodged in the mortice of a plug. A
metallic piece A carries two claws or arms B,B, between which passes the
conical end of a screw C, which works in a metal nut in one piece with A,so
that when the screw C is not tightened the distance of the claws apart permits
the piece A to enter the mortice of the plug (which mortice has been arranged
for this purpose). It results that if the screw is tightened, the claws forced
apart by the conical part press upon the sides of the mortice. The screw does
not rise above the top of the plug to avoid contact with passing vehicles. If
it is desired to open the plug it suffices to loosen the screw. The claws then
resume their first position, and permit the fastening to be withdrawn by the
hold given by the screw when once raised. For orifices with key plate this
arrangement may. be simplified, as also for plugs of small dimensions. The
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, (Sheet 3) shew the details of an orifice with key plate,

page_text: the cover being arranged to receive a screw fastening. This cover, shewn
Figures 7, 8, 9, carries four ribs or guides G, G, G, G, (Figure 7,) which
taken into the key plate in such wise that the cover cannot be raised except by
the introduction of a key in the middle by the passage left free at A, A,
(Figures 8 and 9). It is in this passage that the fastening shewn, Figures 10
and 11 (Sheet 3) is placed. This fastening is simply formed by a metal nut E
which carries a spur D, which prevents it turning; a screw Aengages ifself
in this nut, and between the screw and the nut is a washer R,which is cut as
shewn, Figure 11, to act as a break when the screw is screwed tight, that is to
say, when the conical part of this screw is engaged in the washer, which
forces it to open, and press upon the sides of the cover or lid. To open the
apparatus it suffices to unscrew the screw, withdraw the nut which is very
loose in the cover, and introduce the key through the passage thus left free
The nut may also form one piece with the cover, and it will then suffice to
withdraw the screw and replace it by a turrel or screw ring; or, more simply
still, to raise the screw so as to use it as hold for withdrawing the cover
or lid.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)