AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF DAMAGE: CAUSED BY THE BURSTING OF WATER PIPES IN TIMES OF FROST OR OTHERWISE, AND FOR THE PREVENTION OF WATER WASTE GENERALLY
Year: 1871

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to Philip John Davies, of No. 7, Campsbourne
Terrace, Hornsey, in the County of Middlesex, Hydraulic Engineer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF
DAMAGE: CAUSED BY THE BURSTING OF WATER PIPES IN TIMES OF FROST OR
OTHERWISE, AND FOR THE PREVENTION OF WATER WASTE GENERALLY."
·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip John Davies
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd July 1871.
I, PHILIP JOHN DAVIES, of No. 7, Campsbourne Terrace, Hornsey,
5 in the County of Middlesex, Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PRE-
VENTION OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE BURSTING OF WATER PIPES IN TIMES OF

page_text: FROST OR OTHERWISE, AND FOR THE PREVENTION OF WATER WASTE GENERALLY,'
to be as follows:-
"
My Invention relates to an apparatus which can be fixed to constant
supply pipes or pipes from cisterns either above or below ground.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder wherein a carrier, bucket, or
hydrostatical bellows is formed and worked by the action of the water
for the purpose of lifting a locomotive clack to a valve seating which
forms and completes a shut off valve. I also make use of a retarding
valve to counterbalance the weight of the carrier, bucket, or hydro-
statical bellows before named and the locomotive clack from the retarding
valve chamber to the cylinder wherein the carrier above mentioned
works is a passage for the water to flow, so that it may pass through
the shut off valve into the branches where it is required.
The advantages are that one apparatus will supply any number of
branches if drawn through one main pipe. It can be adjusted to give
from the smallest quantity of water to any quantity in a given time.
Should any pipes burst through frost or otherwise, or any watercloset
valves or cocks be left open on the outlet side of the apparatus no
more than the limited quantity of water which is adjusted can flow
through these pipes until they are repaired and the apertures perfectly
closed, thus doing away with unnecessary waste of water, and should
any cocks or valves be out of order or left open by negligence the
head of water is preserved from waste and the building, goods, and
chattels from damage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Philip John Davies in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIP
JOHN DAVIES, of No. 7, Campsbourne Terrace, Hornsey, in the County
of Middlesex, Hydraulic Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-

page_text: fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Philip John Davies, Her special licence
that I, the said Philip John Davies, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Philip John Davies, my exc-
cutors, 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 "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR
THE PREVENTION OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE BURSTING OF
WATER PIPES IN TIMES OF FROST OR OTHERWISE, AND FOR THE PREVENTION OF
WATER WASTE GENERALLY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Philip John Davies, 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 Philip John Davies, 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:-
My Invention relates to an automatic apparatus to be hereafter called
a hydrostatical frugal.
The accompanying Drawings, which are full size, will explain the said
Invention.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation shewing the method or arrangement for
carrying my Invention into effect for low or high pressure, the loco-
motive clack to be worked by means of a hydrostatical bellows, as
follows:-A, the union and inlet, wherein a gauze strainer is fixed
between the flanges; B, the regulating cock and the waterway to supply
the carrier; D, the large cylinder wherein the hydrostatical bellows aud
locomotive clack works. If this frugal is used for high pressure the
air vessel O, Fig. 4, must be applied at C, which will prevent the shock
(or vibration caused by the momentum of water when the locomotive
clack shuts the supply suddenly off). E, the hydrostatical bellows (or

page_text: carrier), which is a permanent fixture to the bottom aperture of the
cylinder; F, the valve seating, whereon the two-faced locomotive clack G
rests; H, the shut-off valve seating; I, the top plate of the cylinder ;
J, the pass cock to allow a small portion of water to pass without passing
the seating H when required; K, the guides of the carrier; L, the
outlet; M, the retarding valve adjusted so as not to allow the water to
pass this way without a portion passing the passage B if the cock is
open (or in other words the pressure required to work the carrier may
vary from 2 to 50 lbs. per square inch to carry the clack to the shut off
valve seating, the retarding valve must therefore exercise a pressure
from 2 to 50 lbs. per square inch upon its own seating; these valves
are made to any shape required, and can be made so as to control the
water in such a manner that consumers living at the summit of a hill
can have as good a supply as those at the base if properly regulated.
N, the retarding valve chamber; O, the water way from the retarding
valve chamber to large cylinder; the dotted lines show two different
ways. P, the plate of retarding valve chamber. In this plate is fixed
a self-closing cock or valve Q to empty the pipes when not in use,
and to let out confined air when the pipes are being charged; R, the
plan of the guide K; S, S, the plan of the locomotive clack, top and
bottom.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, shewing the method or arrangement for
carrying my Invention into effect and for equalising the pressure of
water in high or low districts, which is done by the power of the
retarding valve governed by either spring, weight, or lever, the loco-
motive clack to be worked by means of a bucket working in a truly
bored cylinder; or the cylinder may be of galvanized iron and lined with
drawn tubing (such as is used for locomotive engine tubes). The parts
are as follows:-A, the inlet, with a strainer between the flanges; B, the
waterway and regulating cock to carrier; C, the bucket or carrier; D,
the locomotive clack resting upon the valve seating E; F, the top plate
of the large cylinder; K in this plate is the shut off valve seating G and
the pass cock H. I, the retarding valve; J, the flange to connect the
air vessel O, Fig. 4; L, the waterway from retarding valve to large
cylinder.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of Fice 2. shewing the spaces between the

page_text: Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, shewing the method or arrangement
for carrying my Invention into effect for high pressure, the locomotive
clack to be worked by means of a piston or pole in a packing box. The
parts are as follows:-A, the union and inlet with the strainer fixed to
5 the top end; B, B, the bottom and top part of the cylinder, with flanges
in the centre. Between the flanges is fixed the plate C, which forms
the retarding valve seating D and the stuffing box E. At the bottom of
the stuffing box is a tube F, which prevents the water getting at the
piston G only by the regulating screw H; this regulates the frugal, and
O can be easily got at through the screw plug P. I, the two-faced loco-
motive clack; J, the retarding valve chamber, in which is fixed the air
cock K; L, the retarding valve; M, the shut off valve seating; in this
seating can be made the small aperture N, or instead of an aperture a
fret cock can be introduced from the top of the cylinder to the bottom
part of the union, answering the purpose of a pass cock when required.
O, the air vessel; or this air vessel can be formed in the top part of the
cylinder by making it longer and bringing down the shut off valve
seating to a suitable distance.
Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 4, with the top part disconnected; Fig. 6 is a
sectional elevation, shewing the retarding valve made to be used.
separately to answer the purpose of a stop cock, safety, and retarding
valve, which will enable consumers to use the same (or their old) fittings
and pipes with safety when the constant water supply is given, even
though the pressure may be increased to any degree (or, in other words,
this retarding valve will control the water and equalize it to all con-
sumers at one and the same time, even though the district may be
uneven. The parts are as follows:-A, the inlet, wherein a gauze
strainer is fixed between the flanges; B, the valve; C, the lever, keyed
in the middle eylet hole D, D, D; E, the balance or bucket, which
works in a truly bored cylinder; or instead of the bucket E a piston
working through a stuffing box will answer this purpose; F, the wheel
or scale attached to the bottom part of the bucket rod by means of a
screw; by turning this wheel opens and shuts off the valve B. G, G, is
the space left for weighting with lead, &c. when required; H, the
outlet; the dotted lines show that the inlet may be made the outlet or
outlet the inlet by the alteration of the valve seating and crank; I, the
socket for the air vessel O, Fig. 4; J, the large cylinder. The way the

page_text: valve works is as follows:-The water enters at A and presses open the
valve B, and fills the chamber J; but if there is no means for the water
to escape it forces down the bucket, piston, or balance, thus acting on the
lever which closes the valve B, but when the draw off cocks are opened
the balance is relieved and the pressure of water behind the valve B
presses it open alternately; but if this valve should be made as shewn
by the dotted lines the bucket or balance is forced down by the whole or
stronger column of water, which amounts to the same purpose. What
I claim in this Invention is, the principle of retarding water by a valve
governed by the equilibration of the water itself.
Fig. 6 is a method I intend for using my retarding valve as automatic
apparatus to open or shut cocks, valves, or doors, which are the means
of starting or stopping any kind of hydraulic or other machinery, such
as hydraulic rams, water wheels, &c., which are often fixed a long
distance away from the premises to be supplied with water, thus giving
trouble to people to start or stop the action of the machines, or other-
wise causing the pipes to burst by reason of the ball-cocks shutting
off the water in the main pipe. The action is as follows:- -When
the main pipe is open the balance E rises and pulls up the lever or
crank K, which communicates by means of cranks, levers, screws, or any
other mechanical contrivances with the starting cock, valve, or doors,
but when the main pipe is closed, or the ball cocks all shut off, a
little extra pressure forces down the balance E and presses down
the lever K, which shuts the cock, valve, or door, thus stopping
the machine and prevents the delivery pipes from bursting and the
machine from unnecessary wear and tear; also water waste from the
reservoir.
Fig. 7 shews another method for preventing pipes bursting, and for
opening and closing the shut off cocks, valve, or doors of any hydraulic
rams or other machinery. A, the outlet of a hydraulic water ram;
B, the shut off valve; C, the guides of the valve; D, the sling con-
nection for connecting the valve, cock, or door, to the balance; E, the
stuffing box; F, the bucket; G, the cylinder wherein the bucket or
piston is made to work; H, the scale for balancing the bucket or piston
to the column of water in the rising main; I, the inlet from the main
or delivery pipe. The action is as follows:-The water enters from the
main pipe to the balance at the inlet I, and causes it to rise or fall

page_text: according to the pressure of the column of water thus acting on the
valve, cock, or door, which stops the machine, thus saving the pipes.
from bursting and the machine from heavy strains.
Fig. 8 shews the same thing and answers the same purpose as Fig. 7;
this needs no stuffing box, but is done by having a solid cylinder head.
The water enters at I, which gives motion to the bucket A, and works
the crank B, which can be connected to the sling D, Fig. 7; the pressure
of water in the main or delivery pipe is balanced by the sliding
weight W; this also shews a section of a chimney C and a boiler E,
shewing the method of using this apparatus to prevent hot water pipes
and boilers which generate steam from bursting, by checking or re-
tarding the heat, which is done by the extra power of steam forcing
upon the surface of the water in the boiler E, causing it to rise at F
through the dotted lines or pipe to my apparatus, thus forcing down
the bucket A, which works the crank B, which is connected to the
damper D or to the doors of the furnace.
What I claim in this is my retarding apparatus to be connected to
hot or cold water pipes leading from or to boilers, or they may be con-
nected to the boiler and arranged so that the increase of steam will act
upon the water, which acts upon the bucket or piston, causing it to rise
and fall, thereby working cranks, &c. connected to dampers, doors, &c.,
thus retarding or accelerating the heat in such a manner as to prevent
the pipes, &c. from bursting.
The way in which these frugals work is as follows:-When fixed,
shut off the regulating cock and charge all the pipes with water,
after which adjust the regulating cock and charge all the pipes with
water, after which adjust the regulating cock to give a given quantity
in a given time; then by opening any of the draw-off cocks, the water
will pass casier through the regulating cock in lieu of the retarding
) valve;
but as the regulating cock is not sufficiently large to admit
that quantity required at one operation in the given time, the retarding
valve is burst open and a good supply is obtained until the carrier
has fulfilled its duty of carrying the locomotive clack to the shut off
valve seating; the supply then ceases and the carrier falls back to
its original place, leaving the locomotive clack suspended by the
pressure of water behind it; by shutting the draw-off cock an equi-

page_text: FOLLICU between the water above and that below the valve
seating, when the locomotive clack falls upon the valve seating of the
carrier, and so on alternately.
.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to tho
precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, neither do I confine myself as to what materials may be used
in the manufacturing of the above-recited frugals, as many variations
may be made therefrom without deviating from the principle or main
features of my said Invention, for instance, the carrier that lifts the
locomotive clack to the shut-off valve seating can be made on the
principle of a gasometer working in mercury, and in many other ways,
anything that tends to answer this purpose will be hereafter called a
carrier. The two-faced portable clack that shuts off the flow of water,
also the retarding valve and the air chamber can be made, as shewn,
to any shape; anything that tends to answer these purposes will be
recognized as parts of my Invention, and known by the names I have
given them, and I would have it known that these frugals will work
with or without the retarding valve if required; but what I particularly
claim in my Invention is the principle of an automatic apparatus which
shuts off the flow of water by the current of the water itself acting upon a
portable shut off valve, which cannot be opened only by the water being
particularly compressed or bound in the pipes on the outlet side of the
shut-off valve which produces equilibration between the water above
and that below the shut off valve seating. These frugals to be fixed to
cisterns or any main supply or communicating pipe leading from street
main to dwelling houses or other premises where they have a constant
supply (in a similar manner that water and gas meters are now fixed) so
as to shut off the flow of water in case of pipes bursting; also to prevent
pipes bursting, and to prevent water waste where consumers neglect to
shut watercloset valves, sinks, cocks, and other apertures perfectly off.
These frugals can be fixed at any distance from the draw off cocks, and
will supply any number of branches, which is a most important part of
my Invention, and can be regulated when fixed to give in a given time
from a small to a large quantity at one operation, according as the
`consumer may open the draw off cock (that is to say) if he should only

page_text: open it one quarter way he will only get one quarter of the quantity the
frugal is regulated to give in the given time, until he has shut the cock
perfectly off to form an equilibrium between the shut off valve seating,
so that in case of pipes bursting or cocks being left open in any way,
inundation and water waste is impossible.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip John Davies, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this
day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
PHILIP JOHN DAVIES. (L.S.)