An Improved Key or Wrench for Operating Stop Cocks or Screw- down Ferrules on House Supplies for the use of Turncocks, Plumbers, Gas Fitters, and others.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Key or Wrench for Operating Stop Cocks or Screw-
down Ferrules on House Supplies for the use of Turncocks,
Plumbers, Gas Fitters, and others.
I, CHRISTOPHER SAINTY, of Tangier Islands, Eton, Buckinghamshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object, the construction of a grip for the use of turncocks,
plumbers, gas fitters, householders, and others for opening and for closing when
desired the stop cocks or supply cocks by which the water and gas supplies are
furnished to houses and buildings.
The stop and supply cocks for both water and for gas are at a great depth below
the surface of the ground to preserve them and the pipes from frost, and damage
from vehicles. This depth extends in most cases to 3 feet and requires a long
arm to reach such a tap.
By my invention, after opening the cover, lid, or cap, the crutch of a tap can
be turned and in the event of the crutch being torn off from any cause, the grip
constituting my invention can be made to grip any small projecting end of the
stock or spindle and the cock be opened or closed by a turning operation whether
the tap be a plug or a screwdown one.
For the purpose of my invention, I form a crutch or a cross bar on one end of
a tube, the other end having a ferrule, screw, or other enlargement, a portion is
also screw threaded or coned for engagement over contractable and extensible
grip pieces or jaws which are jointed to the end of a rod in the tube, said rod
having a cross bar or crutch by which it can be turned for left and right hand
operation respectively.
The grip pieces or jaws can be opened and closed to fit any size of tap crutch,
spindle, or the like, or the ferrule of a screwdown tap should a fresh washer be
required.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Christopher Sainty.

page_text: An Improved Key or Wrench for Operating Stop Cocks or Screw-
down Ferrules on House Supplies for the use of Turncocks,
Plumbers, Gas Fitters, and others.
I, CHRISTOPHER SAINTY, of Tangier Islands, Eton, Buckinghamshire, Engineer,
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 has for object, the construction of a grip key or wrench for the
use of turncocks, plumbers, gas fitters, householders, and others for opening and
for closing, when desired, the stop cocks or supply cocks by which the water and
gas supplies are furnished to houses and buildings.
The stop and supply cocks for both water and for gas are at a great depth below
the surface of the ground to preserve them and the pipes from frost, and damage
from vehicles. This depth extends in most cases to 3 feet and requires a long
arm to reach such a tap.
By my invention, after opening the cover, lid, or cap of the ground box, the
crutch of a tap can be turned, and in the event of the crutch being torn off from
any cause, the grip constituting my invention can be made to grip any small
projecting end of the stock or spindle, and the cock be opened or closed by a
turning operation, whether the tap be a plug or a screwdown one.
For the purpose of my invention, and as represented in the annexed drawings,
I form a crutch or a cross bar on one end of a tube, the other end having a ferrule,
screw, or other enlargement, a portion is also screw threaded or coned for engage-
ment over contractible and extensible grip pieces or jaws which are jointed to
the end of a rod in the tube, said rod having a cross bar or crutch by which it
can be turned for left and right hand operation respectively.
The grip pieces or jaws can be made to fit any size of tap collar or stuffing box
and any size of tap crutch, spindle, or the like, or the ferrule or collar of a
screwdown tap, should a fresh washer be required.
Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation. Figure 2 an exterior elevation. Figure 3
a right angled part sectional elevation of the lower portion of the apparatus con-
stituting a key or wrench for operating stop cocks and the like.
A is cross bar handle on tube B, the lower end or swelling (having deep
slots 1) to ride up and down over a bolt or rivet affixed to the lower limb H of
the central rod I, and from which the two suspended jaws J, J, have free play
to adjust and fit over any size of tap stock or spindle K, us at Figure 2, the tube B
being then lowered for its swelled out end to press on the inclines or conc
faces M, M, of the jaws J, J, and close them into contact to grip the tap crutch
or the spindle K accordingly.
The cross handle N of the central rod I is then turned on the screwed end P
of the rod I until its shoulder Q bears on the head 1 of the tube B, when the
tube B is so lowered down that its bottom and swelled part C forces upon the
incline faces M, M, and puts the jaw in grip with the crutch or spindle K by
which it can be turned and the passage through the cock opened or closed.
The opening and closing rotation is preferably effected by the cross handles A, A,
but from practice I find that by a person catching hold of both handles A and N,
the lower parts turn together.
The left hand screw thread l' on the rod I is essential, as when turning off the
cock, particularly a screwdown cock, a more secure closing can be effected.
It will be observed that in the case of a leaky stop tap, the jaws J, J, can be

page_text: set open to fit over the ferrule flange S to tighten up the packing, and if long
enough, on to the square T for removal and fitting of a fresh washer valve, the
water or gas having been previously shut off at the main.
Figure 4 sectional elevation of a similar apparatus in which the screw threaded
portion P is at the lower end of both tube B and rod I, so that after the apparatus
is lowered by the crutch N for the grip jaws J, J, to engage over the spindle
or other part of a tap stem, the tube B is rotated by its crutch A until the cone
end of the swelling C is in contact with the cone faces M, M, of the jaws J, J,
which are by this action made to grip the tap stem or the like as the turning
appliance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improved tap key or wrench shown on the annexed drawings for buried
stop and like cocks of service water and gas supplies operable in the manner and
for the purposes specified.
2. The combination of a tube 1 and inner rod I, the lower ends of which are
arranged for self fitting and mechanical application to grip a buried service
supply tap plug or spindle for opening or for closing, or for repairs of tap plug
or valve, as described.
The 1st day of April 1898.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Christopher Sainty.