Improvements in Steam or Water Taps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or Water Taps.
I, JOSEPH ALLMARK of 160 Oldham Road, Tonge, Middleton near Manchester in
the county of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of constructing steam taps, which
have provision for introducing asbestos in such a manner as to dispense with
ground surfaces of plug and barrel, to prevent the passage of steam or other fluids
from the inlet side of tap to the outlet, when the tap is closed, with an annular
casing round the barrel of tap.
My improvements consist in forming the lower portion of the barrel within an
annular chamber of globular or other convenient form, the capacity of same being
more than double the area of the bore of tap. A partition is formed in such a
manner as to allow a full-sized thoroughfare in the bottom of the barrel communi-
cating with the half annular chamber, which is in connection with the inlet branch
of tap. The outlet half annular chamber communicates with the plug through an
aperture in one side of the barrel placed as near the top of the said chamber as
possible.
The barrel dips a little more than half way into the annular chamber, with which
it communicates through a reduced orifice formed by an internal ring, or flange; cast
in the bottom of the barrel, wide enough to have a groove turned in to receive a
gland ring or lining, leaving a margin inside on which is formed a curved surface to
support the plug.
The plug has a corresponding curved surface fitting into, and revolving upon this
curved margin and stands flush with the bottom face of the ring.
The plug being hollow from the under side is always open to the inlet chamber
of tap whether open or shut. The barrel is bored out the depth of stuffing part,
a little larger than where the ring fits from a point some distance above the outlet
aperture, to a distance below the outlet port, terminating in the groove mentioned
above, and as much larger than the plug as is necessary to allow of said gland ring
being dropped down between the barrel and plug. In the said gland ring is
drilled or cast an aperture corresponding with the outlet orifice through side of
barrel.
I cut or cast this ring in two pieces transversely at such an angle that the port
which is cast or drilled in one side of plug revolving on the horizontal plane comes
alternately above and below the oblique line which severs the top part of lining from
the bottom portion. Thus when the plug is turned to communicate with the outlet
chamber, the orifice in the side of the plug comes above the angle, and when turned
half way round is brought underneath. A packing ring of asbestos or other suitable
material is placed upon this elliptical surface and the top portion of ring in which is the
before mentioned aperture, is placed thereon and forced down by a gland held by screw
bolts, or the gland itself can be made to screw into stuffing box, answering the same
So far as
purpose, packing being used in the stuffing box in the ordinary manner.
this gland ring and cutting at an angle are concerned, I lay no claim to this being
public property through lapse of a previous patent, but I make this improvement
that after cutting or casting the lining in two pieces, I bevel the edges outwards
thereby forming a dovetailed space for packing which prevents displacement, either
by a rush of steam, or by the act of moving the plug round. The top packing space
is formed by reducing the plug from the level of packing ring, sufficiently to form
a good shoulder thus making a recess of more than double the thickness of packing
ring. This reduced portion of the plug extends to the top of the stuffing box, and

page_text: from this point is again reduced to form the shank which passes through the gland,
and is provided with a square for a key to open and shut the tap. The gland is
made with a projecting ring which fits into the recess and of such a depth as to follow
down the packing as it wastes away, by this arrangement a second cavity is formed
between the shank and the inside of the projecting ring in the gland, which can
also be used for packing if necessary.
Also the recess in the bottom of the barrel
may be used for packing or other material for making a steam tight joint, and a
small pin fixed in bottom edge of ring with a corresponding hole in groove into
which the pin fits preventing displacement of loose ring. As will be readily seen
when the gland is screwed down the packing in stuffing box as also the elliptical
..packing between the cut lining is compressed against the plug and inside of barrel,
preventing any escape of steam either at the gland or through the tap, and also
keeps the plug down upon the curved shoulder on which it rests. By these methods
I assure a full sized thoroughfare throughout; with uniform expansion and con-
tracting of working parts, as well as giving a neat and compact design.
Water guage taps may be made on this principle, with the addition of a cleaning
out screw in the centre of the tap; in line with plug to enable the attendant to clear
out the passage to the boiler, whenever the steam is down.
Dated this 31st day of May 1889.
JOSEPH ALLMARK.
1
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or Water Taps.
I JOSEPH ALLMARK of 160 Tonge Lane, Middleton in the county of Lancaster,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this 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 steam and water taps which have packing introduced in
such a manner as to dispense with the ground surfaces of the plug and barrel.
In order to compress the whole of the packing by one operation from the outside
of the tap, and at the same time to give a full and clear thorough-fare through the
tap when open; I construct the tap in the manner hereinafter described.
This steam tap is made in the form of a hollow globe or other convenient shape
with a branch on each side to connect to the piping or other required attachments,
the interior of the chamber being more than double the area of the bore of the tap.
I form the barrel in the centre of this annular chamber connecting the outside of
the barrel to the outer casing by a mid-feather which divides the chamber in two
parts, and is semi-circular below the barrel to give a clear thorough-fare to the bottom
of the plug.
The barrel communicates with the half annular chamber which is in connection
with the inlet branch of tap.
The outlet half annular chamber communicates with the plug through an aperture
in one side of plug and barrel, placed as near the top of the said chamber as
possible.
The barrel dips a little more than half way into the annular chamber with which it
communicates through a reduced orifice formed by an internal ring or flange, cast in
the bottom of the barrel wide enough to have a groove turned in, to receive a gland
ring or lining leaving a margin inside on which is formed a curved surface to support
the plug. The plug has a corresponding curved surface fitting into, and revolving
upon this curved rim, and standing flush with the bottom face of the rim. The plug
being hollow from the under side is always open to the inlet chamber of the tap
whether open or shut. .
The barrel is bored out from the top to a distance below the outlet port terminating
in the groove mentioned above and as much larger than the plug, as
necessary to
allow of a gland ring being dropped down between the barrel and the plug. In this

page_text: and ring is drilled or cast an aperture corresponding with the
e side of the barrel.
an angle that the port
I cut or cast this ring in two parts transversely at such a
hich is cast or drilled in one side of plug revolving on the horizontal plane comes
Iternately above and below the oblique line, which severs the top part of the lining
om the bottom portion, thus, when the plug is turned to communicate with the
utlet chamber, the orifice in the side of the plug comes above this oblique line and
hen turned half way round is brought underneath. A packing ring of asbestos or
ny other suitable material is placed upon this elliptical surface and the top portion of
be ring in which is the before mentioned aperture is placed thereon, and forced down
y a gland held by screw-bolts, or the: gland itself can be made to screw into the
tuffing box, answering the same purpose, packing being used in the stuffing box in
he ordinary manner. So far as this gland ring and cutting at an angle is concerned,
Ilay no claim to this being public property through lapse of a previous patent, but, I
make this improvement that after cutting or casting the lining in two pieces I bevel
he edges outwards thereby forming a dove-tailed space for packing which prevents
displacement either by rush of steam or by the act of moving the plug round.
The top packing space is formed by reducing the plug from the level of packing
ring sufficiently to form a good shoulder, thus making a recess of more than double
the thickness of packing ring: this reduced portion of the plug extends to the top of
stuffing-box, and from this point is again reduced to form the shank which passes
through the gland and is provided with a square for a key to open and shut the
tap.
The gland is made with a projecting ring which fits into the recess and of such a
depth as to follow down the packing as it wastes away, by this arrangement a second
cavity is formed between the shank and the inside of projecting ring which can also
be used for packing if necessary, the recess in the bottom of the barrel may be used
for packing or other material for making a steam tight joint. A small pin is fixed in
the bottom edge of packing ring with a corresponding hole, in the groove into which
the pin fits to prevent displacement of loose ring. When the gland is screwed down the
packing in the stuffing box as also the oblique packing between the cut lining is
compressed against the plug and inside of the barrel preventing any escape of steam
either at the gland or through the tap, and also keeps the plug down upon the curved
shoulder on which it rests: by these methods I assure a full-sized thorough-fare
throughout with uniform expansion and contraction of working parts, as well as
giving a neat and compact design. For water gauge taps I use the same principle
with the addition of a cleaning out screw in the centre of the tap in line with plug
to enable the attendant to clear out the passage to the boiler whenever the steam is
down.
In order that the said invention may be fully understood I now proceed to
particularize the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures on the
annexed sheet of drawing, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a longitudinal section of steam
tap.
Figure 2. is a transverse section of the same and
Figure 3. is a longitudinal section of a water gauge fitting.
"A" is the barrel dipping into the annular chamber "B" which chamber is
divided by the partition "U" in the manner before mentioned. At the bottom of the
barrel is an internal flange "D" containing a groove "E" to receive the gland
ring “F” in which gland ring is the outlet aperture G. This gland ring is divided
obliquely and packed as shown at "H" the division, having bevel edges to form
dovetail to hold packing, being shown at "I."
The top of the plug is reduced at "K" to form shoulder to receive packing above
which is the gland ring "L."
The gland ring round the barrel is held firm by the small pin “M." The plug
rests upon the curved shoulder "N."

page_text: ng in Figure 3. which is a water gauge tap, the same letters apply to all the parts with
the addition of a cleaning out screw which is shown at "O."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The method of forming the barrel inside an annular chamber and dividing the
said chamber in two parts by a mid-feather made in the form set forth.
2. Forming an internal flange, to receive packing ring and curved margin on which
the plug revolves.
3. Adapting this form of tap for water gauge fittings, with provision for cleaning
out from below.
Dated this 27th day of Fahnuo.-- 1000.
JOSEPH ALLMARK.