IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP TAPS OR VALVES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Tomlison, of Worcester Street, Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Accountant, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP TAPS OR VALVES."
Scaled the 20th May 1859, and dated the 20th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Tomlison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1858.
1, CHARLES TOMLISON, of Worcester Street, Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN STOP TAPS OR VALVES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in stop taps or valves relates to valves or
tups
which open and close by the motion of a valve or plug which is bedded
on or removed from its seating, and which by preference Farrange so that the
valve or plug opens against the pressure of the fluid whose supply or passage
it regulates.
In order that this valve or plug may be removed at pleasure either for cleaning
or other purpose, and this without opening the passage for the fluid, I fit
another similar valve in combination with the first mentioned, so that it stops
the passage when the primary valve is closed,as also when it is removed from
its seating altogether, as before mentioned. This secondary valve 1 mount on
a stem working in a guide or bridge piece, which stem also enters a hole or

page_text: socket in the bead and stem of the primary valve, into which it is loosely fitted
and otherwise arranged, so that when the primary valve is opened, the
secondary or loose valve is opened at the same time, and when the primary
valve closes it allows the secondary valve to close also; it will also close if
the primary valve be removed altogether for repairs or other purpose.
The pressure of the fluid being exerted on the secondary or loose valve, it is
closed immediately it is freed from the control of the primary valve. I fix
the primary valve on a suitable stem, which may either be actuated by a lever
or by a screw or otherwise, the stem of which is furnished with a thumb,
knob or othemake the barrel of the stop tap or valve to separate
by suitable screw or other joints, so as to insure ready and easy access to the
valves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent. filed
by the said Charles Tomlison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, CHARLES
TOMLISON, of Worcester Street, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Accountant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Tomlison, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Tomlison, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Charles Tomlison, 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, aud vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN STOP TAPS OR VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Charles Tomlison, my executors or administrators, byan 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 calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Tomlison, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of improvements in stop taps or valves relates to valves o
taps which close by the motion of a valve or plug which is bedded in or
removed from its seating, and which 1 arrange so that the valve or plug
opens against the pressure of the fluid whose supply or passage is to be
regulated.
In order that this valve or plug may be removed at pleasure either for
cleaning or other purpose, and this without opening the passage for the fluid,
I fit another similar valve in combination with the first mentioned, so thatit
stops the passage when the primary valve is closed, as also when it is removed
from its seating altogether, as before mentioned. This secondary valve I
mount on a stem working in a guide or bridge piece, which stem also enters
a hole or socket in the head and stein of the primary valve, into which it
is loosely fitted and otherwise arranged, so that when the primary valve is
opened, the secondary or loose valve is opened also, and when the primary
valve closes it allows the second one to close; it will also close if the primary
valve be removed altogether for repairs or other purpose.
The pressure of the fluid being exerted on the secondary or loose valve, it
is closed immediately it is freed from the pressure of the primary valve. I fix
the primary valve on a suitable stem, which may either be actuated by a lever
or by a screw, or the stem may be furnished with a thumb knob, shank, or
ball, or lever and ball, or other contrivance for actuating the valve; and I
make the barrel of the stop tap or valve to separate by suitable screw or other
joints, so as to ensure ready and easy access to the valves.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents an external view of a stop-cock or tap constructed
according to my Invention, while Figs. 2 & 3 show longitudinal sections of
the same, the one having the valves and passage open & the other closed.
Fig. 4 represents the principal valve & stem separate, while Fig. 5 repre-
sents a separate view of the secondary valve. a is the inlet, and 6 the outlet,
as indicated by the arrows. The inlet a may be soldered to a pipe or other
supply, or be made suitable for fixing in a cask or any other position, while
the outlet b may be open to the atmosphere, or connected with any tube of
communication or vessel that the fluid is to be passed into. The body of the

page_text: tap is made in two pieces, screwed or otherwise jointed together at c, in order
to introduce the valves d&e; d is the principal valve, which is mounted on a
stem f, furnished with a screw g fitted on the body of the tap, so that by
turning the stem f by the thumb head h, the valve may be forced against or
thrust from its seat i. The valve seat i is faced with leather, india-rubber, or
other suitable material, held in its place by the screw or other joint of the
barrel, as seen.
The stem f works through a stuffing box 7, which prevents any fluid
escaping at that point. In this arrangement the stem fis pushed through
the stuffing box from the inside, and the thumb head h fixed on by a binding
screw, or it may be in any other suitable manner. The secondary valve e is
mounted on a short stem-m fitted to the hole or cavity n, bored in the stem f
in which it is free to slide to a certain extent.
The bore and stem may be sufficiently long to constituto the only support
and guide of the valve e, or it may be further supported by a bridge p; q is a
stop against which the valve comes to prevent its receding too far from its
seat, or the stop may be otherwise provided, and exist between the stem m
and the rod f.
It will be readily understood that when the stem or rod f is turned by the
thumb head' so as to force the valve d from its seat, and disclose the passage
therein, the secondary valve is at the same time forced from its seat 7 by
reason of the bottom of the bore in f coming in contact with the end of
stem m; a little space is left between these points of contact, so that the valve
d opens a little before valve e. When both valves are thus opened free flow
of the liquid takes place, as marked by the arrows. When the stem or rod f
is turned so as to close valve d, and press it against seat & the flow of the
liquid is stopped at the same time that valve d is being closed; the valve e is
closed also by reason of the pressure of the fluid on the surface of that valve,
which therefore approaches its seat rimmediately resistance to it is removed
by the receding of the rod or stem f.
Supposing the principal valve to require examination or repair, the tap is
disconnected at the junctionc, and the valve d and nose piece removed; the
valve eat this time still intercepts the passage of the fluid, and thus prevents
loss or waste of the liquid, and other inconveniences or difficulties that would
exist in removing an ordinary tap where there is a pressure of fluid.
Instead of valve & being mounted on a rod or stem moved by means of a
screw, it may be plain and moved by a hand lever jointed to it, as seen dotted
in Fig. 3, and with a spring having a tendency to force that valve against
its seat

page_text: Instead of a lever a push knob may be used simply, which may answer even
though the pressure of fluid is great, as the valve d will be relieved from great
pressure by the valve e, and when once upon it will be easily held in that
position.
Figure 6 represents another arrangement of tap, having the valve stems in a
vertical position, but which in other respects, with the exception of the form
and fitting of the external parts, is the same as those before described, and
therefore need not be further described.
Fig. 7 represents a stop tap.or valve, the parts being arranged as in Fig. 6,
but which is suited for a stop tap or valve in a steam pipe or other passage
transmitting fluid under pressure. As will be observed, the external parts of
the stop tap or valve are flanged and jointed, so as to be readily disconnected
when required. The top of stem f in this case is adapted for the application
of a key, as usual in such stop valves. These latter valves might be inverted
with advantage, as in that case the weight of valve e would assist in its
closing, and would at all times keep it closed, with or without the pressure
of the fluid, when free from the pressure of f.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my-Invention, to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, in the application of secondary
valves in combination with the principal valves in stop taps or valves as and
for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Tomlison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
CHARLES TOMLISON. (L.S.)