IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE, AND PREVENTION OF WASTE OF WATER
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Howard, of Four, Linden Grove, Nunhead Lane,
Peckham, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS UNDER
PRESSURE, AND PREVENTION OF WASTE OF WATER."
Sealed the 11th August 1876, and dated the 26th February 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Howard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th February 1876.
+
JOHN HOWARD, of Four, Linden Grove, Nunhead Lane, Peckham, in the County
of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE
FLOW OF FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE, AND PREVENTION OF WASTE OF WATER."
To the main water supply tap I attach an apparatus constructed substantially as
follows A cylinder of brass or other material having one end closed by a cover,
through which I make an outlet to which a tap can be attached, is fitted with two
metal discs, both of them having a seating turned at one end or a leather washer
attached, one of them having a cup leather secured to the reverse end; this disc
which I prefer to be solid, has a hole drilled through it, which I partially close
with a regulating screw, I fix the cylinder containing the discs above the water way
of a cottage or other valve having a seating; when water is allowed to enter the
pipe leading to the seating, it forces the two discs into the cylinder and the water
passes through the water way; the upper discs being held firmly against the top of
the cylinder closes the outlet through the cover, and the water forcing through the
hole in the other disc, pushes it down upon the seating of the water way pipe, .
closing it; when the main supply tap is closed the upper disc frees itself from the
outlet, and returns to its original position; I sometimes place the cylinder below the
valve, in which case I only use the disc fitted with a cup leather, & close the way
through it, admitting the water to raise it by a tube attached to the water way
pipe.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th August
1876.
JOHN HOWARD, of No. 4, Linden Grove, Nunhead Lane, Peckham Rye, London,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS
FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE AND PREVENTION OF WASTE
OF WATER."
This Invention has for its object improvements in automatic apparatus for
regulating the flow of fluids under pressure, and prevention of waste of water; and
consists in the employment of loose valves actuated by a relief valve in such
manner as is herein described.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my automatic valve for attaching to the water
supply pipe of a water closet or other use; a, a, is a cylinder which is attached at b,
to a body similar in construction to that known as the Carter valve. The
cylinder a, a, contains a moveable lock d, into which a spindle is screwed; the
spindle has a button or disc attached to its other end; to the top of the block dis
attached a cup leather O; to the top of the cylinder I attach a valve, the upper
part of which acts as a relief valve, the lower as a supply valve, by means of the
perforated spindle to the top of which is attached an inverted cup leather m, a
button or disc n being screwed on its other end. The action of this arrangement is
as follows: On depressing the spindle water from the supply pipe p, which is
attached to the water supply as well as the inlet 8, passes by the spindle into the
cylinder a, a, and forces the block d down upon the top seating in the valve at v,
closing it; when the spindle is lifted the water forces the block d upwards in the
cylinder a, a, displacing the water above the cup leather m, through the releif
way u, until the disc or button upon the spindle closes the way through the
valve at v from beneath. The quantity of water used at each action of the valve
is determined by the speed with which the part of the cylinder above the cup
leather m is filled with or emptied of water; which speed I regulate by the looseness
of fit of the moveable spindle in the opening w, and the size of the aperture u.
Fig. II. is a vertical section of another arrangement of my automatic valve; a, a, is
a cylinder attached at b to the body of a Carter valve; upon the top of the cylinder
is a releif valve c; the cylinder contains two moveable blocks d and e; g, g, are the
inlet and outlet apertures; the block has a hole drilled through it, and is furnished
with a cup leather i. On opening the releif valve c the outlet of which is at , by
means of the spindle f, the pressure of water from the supply pipe forces d and e
upwards, unclosing the water way j; the block e closes the releif valve c from
beneath, and water passing through d by means of the opening causes a to
descend upon the water way j, closing it against the pressure, the force of which
holds it firmly in its place by means of the cup leather i; when the relief valve c is
closed by means of the spindle f, the block e is released and descends until it rests
upon the regulating screw of d, as shewn in Fig. 2.
Fig. III. is a section of an arrangement in which I dispense with the block e, as
shewn in Fig. 2; and which closes only when the releif valve c is closed by the
spindle f
Fig. IV. is a section of an arrangement in which the perforated moveable block d,
which works through an inverted cup leather b is gradually forced upwards by the
pressure of the water from beneath against the stoppor a at the end of the spindle f
and so cuts off the flow.
Fig. V. is the section of an arrangement in which I dispense with the cup leather i,
as shewn in Fig. II., and attach to da diaphram of india-rubber or other suitable
material. I also perforate the moveable block or valve c, so that when the releif
valve c is opened by unscrewing the spindle f, the pressure of the water lifts & until
it has raised e against the face of the disc attached to f, after which the water
accumulating within the cylinder a, a, through the aperture 1, causes a to resume

page_text: its original position, and cuts off any further flow of water. The block or valve e
is returned to its place by screwing down the spindle f.
What I claim is the arrangement of valves which are opened and closed
automatically by the pressure of water, and which are actuated by releif valves
substantially as described in the foregoing Specifications and Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Howard have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN HOWARD. (L.S.)