Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July. 1896
Complete Specification Loft 27th Nov
1898-Accepted. 17th Apr., 1897
1 JOHN EVANS HUMPHRIS of Thame in the County of Oxford Engineer &c.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This present invention relates to improvements in taps or cocks for liquids.
The improved construction of these taps may be ascertained and described by the
following details.
The 1st and most important is that the plug is cast without the (old dangerous)
slot or mortice through it having instead a short and nearly horizontal indentation
or groove outside the plug, which when turned on this groove will meet the inlet
tube and allow liquid passage round the plug to nozzle and when turned off this
passage will drain dry leaving nothing to freeze or stagnate within.
2nd. To avoid seriously weakening the plug of some taps by a deep groove the
shell or cylinder in which the plug revolves may be expanded laterally to nozzle
to allow room for a corresponding groove within on one or both sides to suit plug
groove thereby increasing the diameter of passage and facilitating the flow.
3rd and 4th. To protect the exposed portion of inlet tube when full of liquid
from the action of frost and acids within the space between the plug and the object
in which the tap is fixed, by an internal folded metal lining not joined as a tube or
ferrule but overlapping and preferably enammeled or otherwise or of any suitable
material not affected by acids, this lining being sprung in and bedded on cork or
other elastic material within the inlet tube to allow for expansion or contraction
thus preventing of same by frust, also reducing metal surface contact with acids
and consequent oxydation to a minimum.
5th. For sanitary purposes the alternate wet and dry fronts of taps can be
cleaned while under pressure, the usual driving lug being screwed in or otherwise
secured can be removed to give direct access to the inside front of tap and groove
in plug, screw taps can also have screw lug or cap. These frost proof plug taps
may be made much cheaper than bib cocks and the like.
J. E. HUMPHIS,
Thame, Oxon.
I JOHN EVANS HUMPHRIS of Thame in the County of Oxford Engineer &c.
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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in cocks or taps for liquids; the object
being to provide a way or port in the plug which will not weaken the plug to such
au extent as when the way or port is cut or mortised through or about the centre

page_text: of the plug and also in preventing the bursting of the shell or body when the water
in same freezes, the port and outlet being so arranged as to allow the liquid to
drain from the outlet when the tap is closed.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will now refer to the
annexed drawing in which :-
Figure 1. is a sectional side elevation of my invention.
Figure 2. is a sectional plan through line -y in Figure 1.
The plug a is provided with the way or port b which is cut or formed in the
side of same. The seating in the body or shell is formed as shown so that when
the plug a is in the position as shown in Figure 2 the fluid will pass in the direction
of the arrows.
By rotating the plug in the direction of the arrow 1. it will be seen that the
passage of the fluid from e will be stopped.
The channels or recesses in the body or shell are provided with elastic material
such as cork, or other suitable material so that in the event of the water or liquid
freezing, the elasticity of the material in the interior of the shell thus allows for a
certain amount of expansion of the fluid or liquid when freezing. The outlet d is
so arranged that when the plug is in its closed position the fluid or liquid will
drain from same. The usual washer g and screw pin h may be employed to maintain
the plug a in position in the seating.
Although I have shown my invention applied to one form of tap it will be seen
that various other forms of tap may be employed having my invention applied
thereto. The enlargement in the body or shell is for the purpose of giving a free
passage for the liquid or fluid.
In the case of a tap not having this enlargement I may remove a part of the
sheet or body and secure a curved piece of material to the shell by an suitable and
convenient means such as brazing or soldering so as to provide the required
enlargement at or about the way or port in the plug a. By this means various
forms of taps may be converted so as to enable a plug constructed according to my
invention to be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combined construction and arrangement of the various parts substantially
as described and illustrated.
2. In taps or cocks, a plug having a way or port formed upon or cut in the side
of said plug, an enlargement upon the shell or body for facilitating the passage of
the liquid or fluid when the tap is open; recesses or chambers for the reception of
elastic or compressible material substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of November 1896.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.