IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Brown, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Brassfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TAPS OR VALVES."
Sealed the 10th March 1857, and dated the 25th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
September 1856.
I, ROBERT BROWN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to an improvement in the construction of taps or
valves, to be applied to pipes or passages for supplying water, or for the
transmission of a fluid of any kind.
The improvement is more particularly designed for application to the float
and lever tap, by means of which water cisterns are supplied, and is intended
to render such taps less liable than hitherto to get out of order, whilst it is
also applicable in other situations.
The valve or moveable piece for closing the passage is made tubular, and
works easily in the mouth of the tap. The actual closing part of this valve
is a cap on its inner end, the rim of which projects, and has upon its under

page_text: side a washer of leather or other suitable material, to enable it to fit water-
tight upon the annular seat formed in the top. Immediately below this cap
there are lateral openings in the valve or moveable piece, and when the
valve is pushed inwards the water enters these openings and passes off down
the hollow valve. In this arrangement the valve is forced against its seating
by the water pressure, but it may also be made to close against the pressure
by placing the seating so that the outside of the valve cup may press against
it when closed; in this case a swelling must be formed in the tap chamber
outside of or below the seating, so that when the valve is drawn outwards
the water may have access to its lateral openings. The valve may be moved
in various ways, as, for example, by means of two or three rack teeth formed
upon it, and projecting through a slot in the side of the tap, so as to be acted
upon by teeth on the end of a lever, which lever may be that to which the
float is attached; or the valve may have two pins on opposite sides of it, and
projecting through slots in the tap, so as to be jointed externally to the
actuating lever.
A further improvement consists in making the float lever in two pieces,
one being formed with a socket, so that it can be adjusted upon the other
by means of a pinching screw, for the purpose of regulating the leverage of
the float according to the pressure of the water; or the float may be made
to slide upon the lever, so as to be adjusted at any point for the same
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BROWN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Brassfounder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Brown, Her special license that I, the said Robert Brown, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Brown, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the

page_text: 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 TAPS OR
VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Brown,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Robert Brown, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to an improvement in the construction of taps
or valves, to be applied to pipes or passages for supplying water, or for the
transmission of a fluid of any kind. The improvement is more particularly
designed for application to the float and lever tap, by means of which water
cisterns are supplied, and is intended to render such taps less liable than
hitherto to get out of order, whilst it is also applicable in other situations.
The valve or moveable piece for closing the passage is made tubular, and
works easily in the mouth of the tap or shell. The actual closing part of
this valve is a cap on its inner end, the rim of which projects, and has upon
its under side a washer of leather or other suitable material, to enable it to
fit water-tight upon the annular seat formed in the tap. Immediately below
this cap there are lateral openings in the valve or moveable piece, and when
the valve is pushed inwards the water enters these openings and passes off
down the hollow valve. In this arrangement the valve is forced against its
seating by the water pressure, but it may also be made to close against the
pressure by placing the seating so that the outside of the valve cap may
press against it when closed, and in this case a swelling or enlargement must
be formed in the tap chamber outside of or below the seating, so that when
the valve is drawn outwards the water may have access to its lateral openings.
The valve may be moved in various ways, as, for example, by means of two
or three rack teeth formed upon it, and projecting through a slot in the side
of the tap, so as to be acted upon by teeth on the end of a lever, which lever
may be that to. which the float is attached, or the valve may have two pins
on opposite sides of it, and projecting through slots in the tap, so as to be
jointed externally to the actuating lever.

page_text: A further improvement consists in making the float lever in two pieces,
one being formed with a socket, so that it can be adjusted upon the other
by means of a pinching screw, for the purpose of regulating the leverage of
the float according to the pressure of the water; or the float may be made
to slide upon the lever, so as to be adjusted at any point for the same
purpose.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of
showing certain modifications under which my improvements may
judiciously carried out in practice.
be
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a vertical longitudinal section of the
shell or case and branch thoroughfares of one of my improved taps or valves,
the weighted lever, its attachment and guide, and a portion of the valve being
shown complete. Figure 2 is a vertical section of the shell and branch
passage of another arrangement of a tap or valve as fitted with an adjustable
lever and ball float, which are represented complete. Figure 3 is a plan,
partially in section, of a tap adapted for the service of water in dwelling-
houses. Figure 4 is an elevation, partially in section, of a valve suitable for
discharging water or other fluids from cisterns, tanks, or reservoirs. In the
modification of my improved tap or valve, shown at Figure 1, the water
passes through it in the direction indicated by the arrows. The shell or
chamber of the tap A is cast or made with a horizontal waterway or passage
through it, and with a vertical aperture, in which the tubular valve B is
fitted. The lower end of the valve B passes through an opening made in the
horizontal part or acting valve face C of the waterway, and terminates in a
screw D, over which is placed a washer or ring E, of vulcanised india-rubber,
leather, or other suitable material. This washer is retained in its place by
a metal cap F, which is screwed on to the spindle D of the valve, and serves
to keep the washer E in close contact with the horizontal part C of the tap,
which thus forms the valve seating. In the lower part of the tubular portion
of the valve B are cut four or other suitable number of slots or apertures G,
which may be arranged in two rows, one above the other, as shown in the
Drawing, Figure 1. In this modification of my improvements the valve B is
actuated by a lever H, supported on a forked arm I, which projects from one
side of the tap A, and passes through a slot formed in the upper part of the
valve B. To the longer arm of the lever II is attached a wire, chain, or other
suitable means by which the lever may be depressed; at the shorter end of
the lever is a counterbalance weight, by means 'of which the valve B is kept

page_text: up to its seating C when not acted upon through the wire or chain. When
the lever II is depressed, the valve B is forced downwards, and this action
brings the upper row of slots or apertures G in a line with the inlet water-
way, whilst the lower row is below the opening in the part C, the water
therefore rushes through the upper opening from the inlet through the
tubular portion of the valve, and away by the lower apertures to the outlet
passage of the tap, as indicated by the arrows. The arrangement and con-
struction of this tap renders it particularly applicable for the supply of water
to baths and for other domestic purposes.
In the modification of my improvements, as delineated in Figure 2, the
valve is actuated by a lever and float acting against the pressure of the water,
which in this modification tends to keeps the valve closed. The waterway
or passage through the body of the tap K forms a right angle, or, in other
words, passes along a horizontal line, and then downwards in a vertical
direction. The valve L is tubular, and very similar to that herein-before
described, and is fitted within the vertical part of the shell of the tap. On
the upper part of the valve is placed a washer or ring E, of india-rubber,
leather, or other suitable material, and this is secured by a flanged cap D.
The slots or apertures G for the passage of the fluid through the tap are
made just below the cap D. The valve washer E rests on the lower surface
of the horizontal portion of the tap, and closes up the aperture of the vertical
passage; the pressure of the fluid in this arrangement of the tap tends to keep
the valve closely down upon its seating. The valve L is raised by means of
a lever M, which turns on a pin passed through the lug N projecting from
the side of the tap K. One end of the lever M has upon it three or four
rack teeth, which take into two or more teeth made on the lower part of the
valve L. When the lever M is depressed it turns upon the stud pin in the
lug N, and this action causes the teeth on its inner end to act upon those on
the lower part of the valve, and thereby raise the valve L, so as to bring the
slots G on a level with the horizontal waterway, the water passing through
the slots and down the vertical passage in the centre of the valve piece L.
In the modification of my improvements in the arrangement or construction
of taps or valves, as shown in Figure 3, the water is shifted by means of a
pin, which travels in a groove in the shell. The valve O shown in this Figure
is attached to a curved pipe P, the raising or depressing of which turns the
water on or off, as required. The valve O is similar in its construction and
arrangement to that shown in Figure 2, excepting in the means by which it
is turned round its axial line. In this case a spiral groove R is made in the
metal of the tap Q at one end of the horizontal passage or waterway. The

page_text: valve has a pin S projecting from its side, and this pin travels in the
groove R when the outlet pipe P is turned upon its axis. The outlet pipe P
is curved at its upper part, and is attached to the valve O. Upon turning
the outlet pipe upwards, so as to place it in a vertical position, the pin in the
valve travels along the inclined plane of the spiral groove R, and this
motion opens the valve to the position shown in the illustrative Figure. On
the contrary, when the pipe P is turned downwards, the valve O is screwed
out against the face C, and the slots or apertures in the valve are then
opposite the sides of the passage, which is consequently closed. In this
arrangement or construction of a tap the pressure of the water acts upon the
upper side of the valve, tending to keep it closely down upon its seat.
The fourth modification of my improvements in valves is shown in Figure 4,
which is an elevation, partially in section, of a valve suitable for discharging
water or other fluids from cisterns, tanks, or reservoirs. The short metal
tube T is fitted in an aperture made in the bottom of the cistern or tank, and
is soldered or fitted thereto round the flange made near the upper part of the
tube. The valve U is of a tubular form, and the lower part of it slides freely
in the pipe or tube T. The upper part of the valve tube is cut away on each
side, forming two slots or apertures, through which the water or other fluid
passes to the outlet. A washer or ring E, of india-rubber, leather, or other
suitable material, is fitted under the cap of the valve, which rests upon the
upper edge of the tube T, and thereby closeз the passage. The valve is
raised by means of a wire, chain, or other suitable attachment, and when
lifted, as shown in the Drawing, the water or other fluid flows off, as indicated
by the arrows, through the slots or apertures made in the valve tube.
The last part of my Invention, relating to an improvement in regulating or
adjusting the leverage of floats, by which taps or valves are made self-acting,
is shown under one modification in Figure 2, in which the float or hollow
ball W is attached to a rod X, the free end of which is made to slide upon
the lever M, and is secured thereto by a thumb-screw. By means of this
arrangement the distance of the float from the valve may be varied, and the
leverage thereby adjusted to suit the pressure of the fluid on the valve.
Another modification of this part of my Invention consists in making the
float or ball W to slide upon the lever which actuates the valve, and securing
it thereto at any desired part by means of a pinching screw or other suitable
fastening.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself

page_text: to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of taps or valves suitable
for the passage of water or other fluids, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of arranging and constructing taps or valves
wherein the fluid to be discharged passes first from the inlet branch of the
shell into the body of the shifting plug or valve piece by lateral apertures
therein, and thence escapes by similar apertures at another part of the plug
or valve's length into the opposite discharge branch of the shell, as herein-
before described with reference to Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of arranging and constructing taps or valves,
wherein the fluid to be discharged enters the plug or valve piece by lateral
apertures, and is discharged down the centre of the plug or valve piece, as
described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4 on my Sheet of Drawings.
Fourth, the system or mode of adjusting or regulating the ball float action
of taps or valves by adding to or diminishing the effective leverage, as herein-
before described with reference to Figure 2 on my Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Brown, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-seven.
ROBERT BROWN. (L.S.)