Improvements in Faucet or Barrel-cocks.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Faucet or Barrel-cocks.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190, Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc.,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in faucet or barrel cocks and it has for its
object to prevent such cocks leaking under great fluid pressure.
Faucet or barrel-cocks, as heretofore made, have a channel or way through the
key or plug, said channel or way being of the same diameter throughout. The
pressure fluid acting on a key of this description, when closed, forces the key to
bear against the opposite wall or side of the barrel to that at which the fluid
pressure acts. By the constant turning of the key it becomes worn in time, as
the friction between it and the barrel wears down that part of the key opposite
to the fluid pressure. Eventually the cock becomes leaky and is no longer of
service.
In carrying out my invention, to prevent such friction and leakage, I make the
key or plug with a passage way through it which is much larger at the end where
fluid pressure is admitted than at the outlet. The object of this is to keep the
passage way in the key always filled with fluid, even when the cock is turned off.
When the passage way is so filled, the fluid does not press on the solid part of the
key, but passes through the passage way and presses on the opposite part of the
barrel, so relieving the key from lateral pressure and consequent excessive friction.
Under a modification the passage way through the key of the cock may be of the
same diameter throughout and the barrel be suitably cored out or recessed so as to
allow the fluid to fill up said passage way, when the cock is shut off.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1891.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
Glasgow and London, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Faucet or Barrel-cocks.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc.,
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 faucet or barrel cocks and it has for its
object to prevent such cocks leaking under great fluid pressure.
Faucet or barrel-cocks, as heretofore made, have a channel or way through the
key or plug said channel or way being of the same diameter throughout. The
pressure fluid acting on a key of this description, when closed, forces the key to bear
against the opposite wall or side of the barrel to that at which the fluid pressure
acts. By the constant turning of the key it becomes worn in time, as the friction
between it and the barrel wears down that part of the key and also the barrel
opposite to the fluid pressure. Eventually the cock becomes leaky and is no longer
of service.
In carrying out my invention, to prevent such friction and leakage, I make the
key or plug with a passage way through it which is much larger at the end where
fluid pressure is admitted than at the outlet. The object of this is to keep the
passage way in the key always filled with fluid, even when the cock is turned off.

page_text: When the passage way is so filled, the fluid does not press on the solid part of the
key, but passes through the passage way and presses on the opposite part of the
barrel, so relieving the key from lateral pressure and consequent excessive friction.
Under a modification the passage way through the key of the cock may be of the
same diameter throughout and the barrel be suitably cored out or recessed so as to
allow the fluid to fill up said passage way, when the cock is shut off.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, showing, by way of illustration, different
constructions of faucet or barrel cocks.
On the drawings:
Fig. 1 shows in side elevation an ordinary cock having my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the cock Fig. 1. The cock is shown closed.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but the cock is shown as open.
Fig. 4 shows, in section, the key as used for liquids.
Fig. 5 shows, in section, a key as used for air or gases.
Fig. 6 shows, in longitudinal section, a slightly different form of cock. The cock
is shown as closed.
Fig. 7 shows the same cock open.
Fig. 10 shows
Figs. 8 & 9 are sectional views of keys for liquids and gases respectively.
Figs. 10 & 11 are longitudinal sections of a modified form of cock.
the cock open and Fig. 11 the cock shut.
Figs. 12 & 13 are longitudinal sections of another form of cock.
the cock open and Fig. 13 the cock closed.
Fig. 12 shows
The cock Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is made with the usual form of barrel, a, but the key b
is made with a passage way c which is much larger at the inlet end c', than at the
outlet end. In these views the inlet end c' is double the width of the outlet end c³.
As will be seen the passage way is tapered, instead of being, as usual, straight and
of equal width throughout. With this arrangement, when the cock is open
(see Fig. 3) the fluid passes freely through but when it is shut (see Fig. 2) instead
of the fluid pressing up against the solid part of the key as usual it fills up the
passage way and presses against the opposite wall of the barrel. As the lateral
internal pressure on the solid parts e, el is nearly balanced there is very little friction
or wear with this construction of cock. Fig. 4 shows the key by itself and Fig. 5
shows a key cored out for gases. The cored key is equally as efficient as the solid
key. This key can only be turned in one direction when it is desired to open or
close it. Its movement is limited by a pin or stop on the barrel.
The passage way may be round, square, oblong or of any other suitable section.
Figs. 6 & 7 show a cock wherein the passage way is made with the inlet c¹ three
times wider than the outlet. When the inlet is to the outlet as 3 to 1 the key can
be turned round to either the left or right hand. The movement of the key is, in
this case, limited similar to Fig. 2. Fig. 8 shows the solid key and Fig. 9 the cored
out key.
1.
Figs. 10 & 11 show an ordinary form of cock but with the barrel cored out at f
(or it may be at the side f¹ as shown in dotted lines) to effect the same object as the
widened passage way c.
The cock shown at Figs. 12 and 13 is made with the outlet way in the barrel out
of line with the inlet way. This is for the purpose of allowing the passage way
when tapered in the proportion of 1 to 2 to be cut or bored right through the centre
of the plug or key and thus leave the solid walls e, e' of the same size so that the
pressure in the interior of the plug will be counterbalanced. In Figs. 2 and 3 it
will be seen that when the inlet and outlet ways are in line the walls e, e¹ are not
equal.
The passage way c is, preferably, made of the same or nearly the same sectional
area as the pipe connections so as to allow a free passage to the fluid when the cock
is opened. To give an equal sectional area the passage way may be made much
deeper than its width.
The invention may be applied to any suitable form of faucet or barrel cock.

page_text: The diminished friction and consequent small liability of leakage is a great
advantage for cocks working with great fluid
pressure.
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. A faucet or barrel cock having the key or plug made with a passage way
which is larger at the inlet than at the outlet, the inlet being of such size as to
permit the passage way to be filled with fluid when the cock is turned off,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
2. The modified form of faucet or barrel cock made with a cored out part f
(Figs. 10 & 11) in the barrel and with a key having a passage way of the same
diameter throughout, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1801
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.