Improved Means for Enabling the Pipes of Water Supply Systems to be Emptied when Required.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improved Means for Enabling the Pipes of Water Supply Systems to
be Emptied when Required.
I, HERBERT STANLEY PAIGE, of Dittiscombe, Penrith Road, New Malden, in the
County of Surrey, Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows;-
The object of this invention is to enable the water service and supply pipes of
houses to be readily emptied during frosty weather so as to prevent them being
burst without discharging the water from the supply cisterns commonly used
where the supply from the mains is not constant.
For this purpose the service pipe is extended into the supply cistern and its
upturned end is formed with a seat adapted to receive a ball, attached to the end
of a suitably guided spindle or the like, which can be raised or lowered so as to
establish or cut off communication between the cistern and the service pipe; the
spindle may be attached to one end of a lever having connected to its other end a
pull-rod or chain leading to any place, whence it is desired to control the flow of
water. A small branch pipe extends from near the end of the service pipe to above
the level of the water in the cistern so as to admit air to the pipe, upon cutting
off communication between the cistern and the service pipe; upon opening the taps
on the latter, the water therein will then be freely discharged.
In order to enable the supply pipe from the main to the cistern to be readily
emptied, I provide the supply pipe near where it enters the house with means
whereby the act of closing communication between it and the main will at the same
time open the supply pipe to waste, thus allowing the water therein to escape,
air entering the upper end of the pipe through the ball valve on a small quantity
of water being first drawn from the cistern and the ball valve being thus slightly
opened. I prefer to employ for this purpose a cock adapted by a half turn of its
plug to open or close communication between the main and supply pipes, and
having its plug geared or coupled to the plug of a discharge tap on the supply
pipe, the arrangement being such that as one plug is turned into the open position
the other will be turned into the closed position, and vice versa.
If such an arrange
ment be provided in connection with a water supply system in which water is
taken constantly direct from the main, the water can be drawn off from the service
pipes by closing the half turn cock, and then turning on one of the service taps so
as to allow air to enter the said pipes.

page_text: Improved Means for Enabling the Pipes of Water Supply Systems to
be Emptied when Required.
I, HERBERT STANLEY PAIGE, of Dittiscombe, Penrith Road, New Malden, in the
County of Surrey, Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to enable the water service and supply pipes of
houses to be readily emptied during frosty weather so as to prevent them being
burst, without discharging the water from the supply cisterns commonly used
where the supply from the mains is not constant.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shews my improved means for enabling the
pipes of water supply systems to be emptied when required. Fig. 2 is a plan of the
ball seating at the end of the service pipe. 1 is the house service pipe which is
extended into the cistern, where its end is turned up so as to form a seat for a.
ball 2 attached to one end of a rod 3 that is connected at its other to one end of
a lever 4, pivoted at 4" to a post or support 5 secured to the cistern, the other end
of the lever having a pull rod or chain 6 leading to any place whence it is
desired to regulate the flow of water. The rod 3 works up and down in a pipe 7
whose upper end is held a short distance above the high water level of the cistern
by means of a
bracket 8, the lower end being connected to the
ball 2 or the lower end of the rod 3 by means of flexible water-
proof tube 9 so that water is prevented from entering between the pipe 7 and
rod 3, but the rod 3 is capable of limited movement relatively to the pipe 7. 3" is
a weight attached to the rod 3. Attached to the upturned end of the service pipe 1
is a plate 10 provided with projections or legs 11 that form guides for the ball 2.
12 is a small branch pipe that extends from the service pipe, near where it
enters the cistern, to above the water line and serves to ensure the admission of
air to the service pipes even when communication between the cistern and service
pipe is cut off. 13 is the ordinary inlet valve. In some cases the service pipe 1
may have more than one ball cut off arrangement for enabling the pipes to be
emptied of water when required.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:--
When it is desired to free the service pipes from water in the event of frost or
an accident, the rod 3 with attached ball 2 is lowered until it, guided by the legs
or projections 11 on the ball seat, rests thereon, whereupon the water is prevented
from entering the service pipe from which the water contained therein can be
discharged by opening the ordinary service taps, (the water being replaced by air
entering through the pipe 12). When it is again wished that water shall flow
through the service pipe the ball 2 is raised from its seat by means of the rod 3,
lever 4 and pull rod 6, the flexible connection 9 between the ball 2 and pipe 7
being thereby compressed.
In order to enable the supply pipe from the main to the cistern to be readily
emptied, I provide the supply pipe near where it enters the house with means
whereby the act of closing communication between it and the main will at the
same time open the supply pipe to waste, thus allowing the water therein to escape,
air entering the upper end of the pipe through the ball valve on a small quantity
of water being first drawn from the cistern and the ball valve being thus slightly
opened. I prefer to employ for this purpose a cock adapted by a half turn of its
plug to open or close communication between the main and supply pipes, and

page_text: having its plug geared or coupled to the plug of a discharge tap on the supply
pipe, the arrangement being such that as one plug is turned into the open position
the other will be turned into the closed position and vice versa.
Fig. 3 shews my improved cock for this purpose. 14, 15 are two tap barrels
connected to the main and service pipe, the one 14 being provided with a plug 16
which on being given a half turn establishes or cuts off communication between
the main and supply pipe; the other barrel 15 is provided with a threeway plug 17.
The plugs 16 and 17 are connected together by means of spur wheels 18, 19 in
such manner that on turning, say, the plug 16 into the open position the waste
way through the plug 17 will be closed, but, on turning the plug 16 into the closed
position, the plug 17 will allow water to escape from the supply pipe through the
pipe 20. The plug 16 is adapted to be turned by means of a key or otherwise into
the closed or open position. If such an arrangement be provided in connection
with a water supply system in which water is taken constantly direct from the
main, the water can be drawn off from the service pipes by closing the half turn
cock and then turning on one of the service taps so as to allow air to enter the
said pipes. Instead of a cock adapted by a half turn of its plug to open and close
communication between the main and supply pipes there may be used a screw
down valve arranged so that on turning off the water from the main water in the
supply pipe will be allowed to escape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improved means for enabling the pipes of water supply systems to be
emptied when required as described and shown with reference to the drawings.
2. The improved compound cock for enabling the pipes of water supply systems
to be emptied comprising two plugs so geared together that when one plug is in
the open position the other is in the closed position and vice versa substantially
as described and shown with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.,
Dated this 19th day of October 1898.