IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF TAPS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Pitcairn Wright, of the Firm of Wright
and Butler, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Lamp
Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF TAPS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1868, and dated the 5th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Pitcairn
Wright at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th May 1868.
I, DAVID PITCAIRN WRIGHT, of the Firm of Wright and Butler, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF TAPS," to be as follows
(that is to say):
My improvements in taps for drawing off, stopping, or regulating the
flow of liquids and fluids apply to the kind that permit the use of a cork

page_text: or other equivalent barrel or internal lining surrounding the plug, and
simply consist in constructing the main barrel and shank of the tap of
iron, and protecting the same when desired from oxidation or corrosion
by galvanizing, tinning, or otherwise coating.
The construction of taps mainly of iron combined with the use of a
cork or other equivalent barrel or internal lining, renders the grinding
in or fitting of the plug unnecessary, at the some time offering many
facilities of construction that will greatly economize cost with increase
of strength and durability.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Pitcairn Wright in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
PITCAIRN WRIGHT, of the Firm of Wright and Butler, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said David Pitcairn Wright, Her special license that
I, the said David Pitcairn Wright, my executors, administrators and
assigns, or such others, as I, the said David Pitcairn Wright, my
exccutors, administrators, or 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 MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF TAPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said David Pitcairn Wright, by an instru-
ment 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

page_text: 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 David Pitcairn Wright, 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 improvements in taps and cocks for drawing off, stopping, or regu-
lating the flow of liquids or fluids apply to the kind that permit the use
of a cork, gutta percha, india-rubber, or other equivalent barrel or
internal lining surrounding the plug, and simply consist in constructing
the main or external barrel and shank of the tap as well as the delivery
pipe of iron, and protecting the said taps and cocks when desired from
oxidation or corrosion internally and externally by galvanizing, tinning,
or otherwise coating.
The construction of taps and cocks mainly of iron combined with the
use of a cork or other equivalent barrel or internal lining renders the
grinding in or fitting of the plug unnecessary, at the same time offering
many facilities of construction that will greatly economize cost with
increase of strength and durability.
In giving effect to my Invention I form the body of the tap proper,
that is, the barrel, shank, and delivery pipe, wholly or in parts from
wrought iron, heated and shaped in dies after the manner in which
joints, clbows, bands and T pieces are now commonly formed and used in
conveying gas; or they may be produced in cast or malleable iron by
the processes well known of moulding and casting. In all cases I prefer
the simplest form of construction so as to permit the insertion from the
top or open end of the barrel of a cork, gutta percha, india-rubber, or
other equivalent tube, in which the plug (solid or otherwise) works,
which plug may be made of iron, or iron cased with brass, or wholly of
brass, held down by a collar pressing on its upper part, and screwed over
the exterior of the barrel; or the said collar may be turned and fitted on,
and secured by small screws passing through the periphery of the collar,
and into the upper portion of the barrel at right angles with its action.
By the use of such collar the barrel may be cast solid at the bottom, but
if preferred, the plug may be cast open at its lower end so as to form a
waterway from the shank of the tap in and down through the plug, the

page_text: lower portion of the barrel externally forming the delivery pipe, in which
case the plug may be retained by the collar before named, or by other
equivalent means, the barrel being so formed for receiving the internal
cork or other equivalent tube or barrel for the plug to work in. The
iron portions of taps or cocks thus produced I purpose coating internally
and externally when desired by galvanizing, tinning, or the use of other
equivalent means for preventing oxidation, or the surface of the iron
coming in contact with the liquids passed through such taps or cocks,
as iron rapidly oxidyzes, and thereby discolours the liquids that come in
contact with it.
Taps or cocks with their various forms and modes of construction being
so commonly known I have not thought it necessary for the purpose
of this my Specification to draw or illustrate my Invention, as my
improvements do not involve any particular manufacture of taps and
cocks dependent on shape, or the mode of putting together when wrought
iron is used, provided the form is sufficiently adhered to to admit of the
use and application of an inner tube or barrel of cork or other equivalent
material for the plug to work in, as the use and application of the cork
or other equivalent barrel is indispensable to my Invention, as it not
only greatly economises labour but entirely prevents the bare surface of
the iron being acted on by the liquid or fluid which would be a speedy
result however thickly galvanized if the plug were ground in and worked
in the iron barrel without the intermission of cork or other equivalent
material, but in a general way I prefer using a brass plug, as when the
tap or cock so made is turned off the surface of the plug opposite the
flow-way is exposed to the liquid it holds in check.
Having thus given a general description of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it under-
stood that I do not separately claim the use of cork or other equivalent
barrels or tubes in taps and cocks, as cork has been extensively used for
this purpose, nor do I claim any particular form of tap, as the construc-
tion may be varied without affecting the general character of my
Invention; but what I claim and wish to protect by these my in part
recited Letters Patent is, the use of iron, either wrought or cast, in
combination with cork or other equivalent barrels for the purposes
herein generally described, the said iron being protected on its surface
when desired by the process of galvanizing, tinning, or other equivalent

page_text: means of coating or depositing a metallic surface not liable to rapid
oxidation.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Pitcairn Wright, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
DAVID PITCAIRN WRIGHT. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.