IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS OR Cocks
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas Mahon Maxwell, of No. 3, Queen's
Buildings, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS OR
Cocks."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicholas Mahon
Maxwell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th June 1875.
I, NICHOLAS MAHON MAXWELL, of No. 3, Queen's Buildings, Queen
Victoria Street, in the City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
TAPS OR COCKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
taps or cocks, and whereby the same are protected from injury in the
event of the water or other fluid confined therein becoming frozen.

page_text: A passage or channel is formed in the plug from one side thereof by
boring or in the operation of casting, at right angles to and commu-
nicating with the waterway. The said passage or channel is so made
and arranged in such manner that when the tap or cock is closed the
same may communicate either with the external air or with the water
or other fluid in the pipe of the tap or cock connected with the reservoir
in which the water or other fluid is contained, the effect of either of
such arrangements being that no injury can result to the tap or cock by
reason of the water or other fluid becoming frozen, or by the expansion
of the latter when the same is thawed and again assumes the liquid
form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Nicholas Mahon Maxwell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICHOLAS
MAHON MAXWELL, of No. 3, Queen's Buildings, Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Nicholas Mahon Maxwell, Her
special licence, that I, the said Nicholas Mahon Maxwell, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Nicholas
Mahon Maxwell, 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 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 THE 'CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS OR COCKS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Nicholas Mahon Maxwell,
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

page_text: 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 Nicholas Mahon Maxwell, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :—
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the con-
struction of taps or cocks, and whereby the same are protected from
injury in the event of the water or other fluid confined therein becoming
frozen.
A passage or channel is formed in the plug of the tap or cock on one
side thereof, either by boring or in the operation of casting, at right
angles to and capable of communicating with the waterway. The said
passage or channel is so made and arranged in such manner that when
the tap or cock is closed the same may communicate either with the
external air or with the water or other fluid which is in the pipe or
barrel of the tap or cock connected with the reservoir in which the
water or other fluid is contained, the effect of either of such arrange-
ments being that no injury can result to the tap or cock by reason of the
water or other fluid becoming frozen therein, and consequently being
expanded.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as being the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of taps or cocks,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and set
forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nicholas Mahon Maxwell, have
hercunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.