AN IMPROVED HIGH-PRESSURE TAP FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF STEAM, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hughes, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manager of the Imperial Iron Tube Company, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED HIGH-PRESSURE TAP FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE
FLOW OF STEAM, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 1st April 1862, and dated the 5th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hughes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
October 1861.
I, THOMAS HUGHES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manager
of the Imperial Iron Tube Company, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED HIGH-PRESSURE TAP FOR REGULATING AND CON-
TROLLING THE FLOW OF STEAM, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows (that
is to say):-
My improvements in taps, whether used for regulating the flow or the drawing
off of fluids, are applicable for general use, but more particularly for high-
pressure purposes, whether steam, water, or other fluids, and consist in making
the plug taper and hollow, so as to permit the fluid under all circumstances to
enter the interior of the plug, and by its force being exerted in all directions
equally, the plug will not be liable to be tightened by the pressure of the fluid
or to work loose; and I effect this by forming a number of radial holes around
the top or enlarged part of the plug, opposite the flow way into the plug, and

page_text: at the lower or smaller end of the plug I form one hole or flow way, which
being turned opposite the nose or front flow way of the tap, permits the fluid
to escape, or to be drawn off, or to flow through, as required. With this
general description I will further observe that the plug may be retained in the
body or barrel of the tap by a washer and screw at its smaller or lower end, or
by a collar surrounding the neck of the plug at the top, screwed or otherwise
secured to the body of the top or otherwise, as may be preferred, according to
the purpose or shape or design in which such taps or cocks may be required
to be made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HUGHES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manager of the Imperial
Iron Tube Company, seud greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Hughes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 IM-
PROVED HIGH-PRESSURE TAP FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF STEAM,
WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Hughes, 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 calender months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Hughes, do hereby declare

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My improvements in taps, whether used for regulating the flow or the
drawing off of fluids, are applicable for general use, but more particularly for
high-pressure purposes, whether for steam, water, or other fluids; and my
Invention consists in making the plug taper and hollow, so as to permit tho
fluid under all circumstances to enter the interior of the plug, and by its force
being exerted in all directions equally, the plug will not be liable to be tightened
by the pressure of the fluid, or to work loose. I effect this object by forming
a number of radial holes or apertures around the top or enlarged part of the
plug opposite the flow way into the plug, and at the lower or small end of the
plug I form one hole or flow way, which being turned opposite the nose or
front flow way of the tap permits the fluid to escape, or to be drawn off, or to
flow through, as required. The plug may be retained in the body or barrel of
the tap by a washer and screw at its smaller or lower end, or by a collar
surrounding the neck of the plug at the top, screwed or otherwise secured to
the body of the tap, or otherwise, as may be preferred, according to the
purpose or shape or design in which such taps or cocks may be required to
be made.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of one form of
tap constructed according to my Invention. a is the plug of the tap connected
to or formed in a piece with a stock or rod b, carrying a wheel or handle c for
The
working the plug; d is the barrel in which the plug is free to move.
plug a is hollow, and has at its upper end radial openings or apertures, by
which steam, water, or other fluid enters, and is in continual communication
with the inlet e; f is an opening by which it passes (as hereafter stated) to
the outlet g; h is a leather, caoutchouc, or other washer inserted in an aperture
formed in the upper end of the plug, bearing against a spring ring i below, and
k is a spring above the plug; is a stopper screwing into the top of the tap,
and acting as a bearing surface for the rod 6 to work against; m is an
ordinary stuffing box to be used in case of leakage. No matter what position
the plug a occupies in the barrel d, it is always full of steam, water, or other
fluid, but by giving the handle c a half turn to the right or left (supposing the
outlet to be previously closed) the opening fis made to correspond with the
outlet 9. and allows the steam or other fluid to escape; a half turn in the con-
trary direction closes the passage f.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of another form of tap, in which the position
of the plug is reversed; here the stock or rod b is connected to the small end

page_text: of the plug, and the radial openings are placed at the bottom instead of the
top of the tap. The plug bears against a spring, and a screw stopper / keeps
the whole compact. In other respects the tap is similar to that just described,
and the same letters of reference indicate similar parts.
In taps constructed according to my Invention, it will be seen that the
hollow plug is always in equilibrium, however great the pressure acting upon
it may be.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the construction
of taps for regulating and controlling the flow of steam, water, and other fluids
with a plug of a conical or taper form, and hollow, with radial openings or
apertures for the admission, and with an aperture for the exit of fluid, sub-
stantially in manner herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two..
THOMAS HUGHES. (L.S.)