IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS, COCKS, OR VALVES FOR WATER, GAS, STEAM, OR OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Miles Hawthornthwaite, of Lancaster, Clerk, and
Thomas Abbott, of Lancaster, Plumber, both of the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS, COCKS, OR
VALVES FOR WATER, GAS, STEAM, OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 24th July 1868, and dated the 31st March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Miles Hawthornthwaite
and Thomas Abbott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 31st March 1868.
We, MILES HAWTHORNTHWAITE, of Lancaster, Clerk, and THOMAS
ABBOTT, of Lancaster, Plumber, both of the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TAPS, COCKS, OR VALVES FOR WATER, GAS, STEAM, OR OTHER LIQUIDS," to be
as follows:-
"
The essential feature of this Invention is the application of two
circular discs or facings of metal, leather, wood, steatite, ebonite,
vulcanite, glass, bone, ivory, porcelain, earthenware, soapstone, gutta-
percha, and other suitable material having a corresponding curved slot

page_text: hole in each for the water way. One of the facings is fixed or stationary,
having a round hole in the centre, the other or movable facing has a
square hole in the centre to receive a spindle squared at the end, which
passes through a gland or stuffing box in the shell or body of the tap
and through the round hole in the stationary or fixed facing. The discs
or facings can be made of any of the above materials, but by preference
(for cold water) a fixed facing of metal and a movable facing of leather
fixed in a backing or casing of metal, or a fixed facing of leather
backed by a disc of metal and a movable facing of metal. For hot
water or steam two metal facings or one of metal and one of wood,
porcelain, or other material. The body or shell of the tap is made in
two parts (of any convenient form according to the purpose for which
it is intended), joined together by flanges and screws and a leather
washer. In the outlet half of the shell or body of the tap to which
is attached the nozzle and gland, a recess is formed in the flange to
receive the fixed facing which has a flange which is let in flush with
the flange of the shell or body of the tap. The inlet half of the tap
is formed to allow the movable face to work freely in it. The movable
facing is merely slipped on the end of the spindle, the pressure keeping
the facings together, which each having a true or level surface prevent
the leakage or escape of water until the two curved slot holes are
brought opposite each other by turning the spindle. The advantages
of these facings are that having true and level surfaces and working
with a circular or rotary motion, every such motion has a tendency to
improve rather than deteriorate their surfaces, also the facings never
moving off each other prevents any corroding action which the water
might have upon them. Thus it will be seen that the objectionable screw
spindle is done away with, the wear and tear is almost nil, and the
construction and working of the tap much simplified; also that the
facings will of necessity wear several years longer than any at present
in use by simply having only the pressure of the water against them.
If it should be found necessary at any time to renew one or both of the
facings, it can be done at a trifling cost, leaving the body or shell of
the tap intact.
The improvements herein specified are applicable to ordinary bib
cocks, ball or cistern cocks, lever, or self-closing cocks, hot water or
range cocks, and other cocks or valves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Miles Hawthornthwaite and Thomas Abbott in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MILES
HAWTHORNTHWAITE, of Lancaster, Clerk, and THOMAS ABBOTT, of
Lancaster, Plumber, both of the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Miles Hawthornthwaite and Thomas
Abbott, Her special licence that we, the said Miles Hawthornthwaite
and Thomas Abbott, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Miles Hawthornthwaite and Thomas Abbott, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TAPS, COCKS, OR VALVES FOR WATER, GAB, STEAM, OR OTHER LIQUIDS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Miles Hawthornthwaite
and Thomas Abbott, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or one of our, 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
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Miles Hawthornthwaite and Thomas
Abbott, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, reference
being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
The essential feature of this Invention is the application of two
circular discs or facings of metal, leather, wood, steatite, cbonite,

page_text: vulcanite, glass, bone, ivory, porcelain, earthenware, soapstone, gutta-
percha, or other suitable material having a corresponding curved slot
hole in each for the waterway. One of the facings is fixed or stationary,
having a round hole in the centre, the other or movable facing has a
square socket or hole in the centre to receive a spindle squared at the
end, which passes through a gland or stuffing box in the shell or body
of the tap and through the round hole in the stationary or fixed facing.
The discs or facings can be made of any of the above materials, but
by preference (for cold water) a fixed facing of metal and a movable
facing of leather fixed in a backing or casing of metal or a fixed facing of
leather backed by a disc of metal, and a moveable facing of metal (for
hot water or steam) two metal facings, or one of metal and one of wood,
porcelain, or other material. The body or shell of the tap is made in
two parts (of any convenient form according to the purpose for which
it is intended), joined together by male and female coupling screws or
by flanges and screws and a leather or other suitable washer. In the
outlet half of the shell or body of the tap to which is attached the
nozzle and gland, a recess is formed in the flange to receive the fixed
facing which has a flange which is let in flush with the flange of the
shell or body of the tap. The inlet half of the tap is formed to allow
the movable face to work freely in it. The movable facing is merely
slipped on the end of the spindle, the pressure keeping the facings
together which (each having a true or level surface) prevents the leakage
or escape of water until the two curved slot holes are brought opposite
each other by turning the spindle. Where the pressure is very low or
for hot water range cocks a screw or spring is introduced, or a pivot
is formed on the lower part of the disc and the body of the tap to
keep the surfaces in contact. The advantages of these facings are, that
having true and level surfaces and working with a circular or rotary
motion every such motion has a tendency to improve rather than
deteriorate their surfaces; also the facings never moving off each other
prevents any corroding action the water might have upon them. Thus
it will be seen that the objectionable screw spindle is done away with,
the wear and tear is almost nil, and the construction and working of
the tap much simplified, also that the facings will of a necessity wear
several years longer than any at present in use, by simply having only
the pressure of the water against them. If it should be found necessary
at any time to renew one or both of the facings, it can be done at a
trifling cost, leaving the body or shell of the tap intact.

page_text: The improvements herein specified are applicable to ordinary bib
cocks, ball, or cistern cocks, lever, or self-closing cocks, hot water, or
range cocks, and to steam and other cocks or valves.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Taps, Cocks, or Valves for Water, Gas, Steam, or other
Liquids," we will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner
in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect. And in order that the same may be distinctly understood we
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and
have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation; and
Figure 2 a plan view of the tap; Figure 3 is a vertical section of the
tap open; and Figure 4 is a plan view with the upper part of the body
removed.
The body a, a*, of the tap is made in two parts provided with
flanges b, b, and connected together by screws c, c, a leather or other suit-
able washer d, d, being interposed to make the joint tight. In the outlet
half a, a, of the shell a recess is formed in the flange to receive the
fixed disc or facing e, e, and in the inlet half a*, a*, of the same a similar
recess is formed to receive the lower or movable disc or facing f, f, and
allow it to work freely therein. We would here remark that when the
facings are made of leather we prefer the leather to be prepared with
paraffin two-thirds and tallow one-third, so as to make the leather
facings resist the action of the water or other fluid, paraffin, and any
other fat in or about the same proportions may be used, the ingredients
being melted together and the leather soaked in the compound while
warm. The disc e, e, has a round hole in the centre to allow the
spindle g, g*, to turn therein, and the disc f, f, has a square socket or
hole fitting on to the squared end 9* of the spindle. Each disc has a
curved slot h, h, made through it (see Figure 3 and 4), which slots
when the tap is opened (as at Figure 3), correspond and establish a
communication between the outlet and inlet, the said communication
being closed when the spindle is turned one-half round as at Figure 4.
Either of the discs may be provided with a facing of leather or other
suitable material, as shewn at i, i, in Figure 3; k, k, is a stuffing box
through which the spindle passes. Stops of any convenient form may

page_text: be applied either inside or outside the body of the tap, to limit the
motion of the movable disc f, f.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention
for "Improvements in Taps, Cocks, or Valves for Water, Gas, Steam,
or other Liquids," together with the manner in which the same is to be
or may be performed or carried into practical effect, we would remark
in conclusion that we claim as our Invention the construction of taps,
cocks, or valves, substantially as herein-before set forth and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Miles Hawthornthwaite and Thomas
Abbott, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.
MILES HAWTHORNTHWAITE. (L.8.)
THOMAS ABBOTT.
(L.S.)