IMPROVE MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to John Farrand Clarke, of 26, Moorgate Street, in the
City of London, Gas and Steam Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS."
Sealed the 3rd December 1861, and dated the 7th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Farrand Clarke
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th June 1861..
I, JOHN FARRAND CLARKE, of 26, Moorgate Street, in the City of London,
Gas and Steam Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS," to
be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to regulate the supply of fluids to boilers and'
other vessels or holders. For this purpose I construct and employ a cock or
tap which opens and closes both the inlet and the outlet at the same time, and
by the same action of the handle, key, or spindle. The same cock thus effects
both the supply and discharge at the same time. I so arrange it that the fluid
can only be drawn off when it has reached a certain level in the vessel or
holder, and the supply being kept up as fast as the fluid is so discharged, the
fluid in the vessel or holder is always maintained at the height required. To
draw off the fluid from the desired level, I fit to the cock a pipe communi-
cating with or forming part of the discharge way, and extending upward to such
level within the vessel or holder, in which it opens at the height required. I
prefer to have this pipe moveable or adjustable, to vary its angle or position in
the vessel, and to form its top opening funnel-shaped or of larger diameter
than the rest of the pipe.

page_text: In one arrangement of cock, which is that which I prefer, I extend the plug
beyond the discharge communication into a supply or inlet passage, which I
bring into the vessel through the tail of the cock, and I form a recess, socket,
or hollow in this extended part of the plug, with an orifice at the side which
communicates with the inlet when the plug is turned to open the discharge
way, but when the plug is turned to close the discharge, the blank part of the
recess comes against the inlet and closes it. Thus, as fast as fluid is discharged
fresh fluid enters and keeps the proper supply in the vessel.
By applying the apparatus to boilers for heating water the upper layer of or
hottest water will thus be drawn off. The apparatus also serves as an indi-
cator, because if from some obstruction or otherwise the supply should not
attain the proper height, the same will be indicated by the cessation of the
discharge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Farrand Clarke in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FARRAND CLARKE, of-26, Moorgate Street, in the City of London, Gas and
Steam Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Farrand Clarke, Her special licence that I, the said John Farrand
Clarke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Farrand Clarke, my 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-S
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF FLUIDS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Farrand Clarke, 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 calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Farrand Clarke, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Draw-
ings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is to regulate the supply of fluids to boilers
and other vessels or holders. For this purpose I construct and employ a cock
or tap, herein-after described, which controls both the inlet and the outlet at
the same time and by the same action of the handle, key, or spindle. The same
cock thus effects both the supply and discharge at the same time. I so arrange
it that the fluid can only be drawn off when it has reached a certain level in the
vessel or holder, and the supply being kept up as fast as the fluid is so dis-
charged, the fluid in the vessel or holder is always maintained at the height
required. To draw off the fluid from the desired level, I fit to the cock a pipe
communicating with or forming part of the discharge way, and extending
upwards to such level within the vessel or holder, in which it opens at the
height required. I prefer to have this pipe moveable or adjustable, so that its
angle or position in the vessel may be varied, and to form its top opening
funnel-shaped or of larger diameter than the rest of the pipe.
In my improved arrangement of cock I extend the plug beyond the discharge
communication into a supply or inlet passage, which I bring into the vessel
through the tail of the cock, and I form a recess, socket, or hollow in this ex-
tended part of the plug, with an orifice at the side which communicates with
the inlet when the plug is turned to open the discharge way, but when the plug
is turned to close the discharge the blank part of the recess comes against the
inlet and closes it. Thus, as fast as fluid is discharged fresh fluid enters and
keeps the proper supply in the vessel.
By applying the apparatus to boilers for heating water, the upper layer of
or hottest water will thus be drawn off. The apparatus also serves as an indi-
cator, because if from some obstruction or otherwise the supply should not
attain the proper height, the same will be indicated by the cessation of
the discharge.
I now proceed particularly to describe with reference to the accompanying
Drawings the best mode known to me of carrying the Invention into effect.
Figure is an elevation, chiefly in section, of apparatus constructed
according to my Invention, shewing the cock open, and Figure 2, elevation,
also chiefly in section, shewing the cock closed; Figure 3, side elevation, and
Figure 4, end view. The "internal outlet pipe" is not shewn in Figure 4,
and is shewn broken off. in Figures 2 and 3. Figure 5 is an elevation of the

page_text: plug detached on the opposite side to that shewn in Figure 2. (The plug is
not in section in Figure 2.) The apparatus is, by way of example, and to
avoid inconvenience in description, supposed to be applied to an ordinary
kitchen boiler, though it may be adapted in similar manner to other vessels or
receptacles of liquids.
A is the body of the cock; B, the ordinary discharge fluid way or outlet
formed through its tail, and continued at B' through the nose, as usual;
C is a pipe which I call the "internal outlet pipe"; this pipe is screwed into
the tail of the cock at the end of the outlet fluid way B, into which it leads.
This pipe C is situated within the boiler, in which it extends upward to the
required height, that is to say, to the level at which the boiler is always to be
kept supplied with water. The water contained in the boiler can, of course,
only be drawn off when it is up to or higher than the mouth D of this pipe.
The upper part of the pipe is shaped conically or funnelwise, widening gradu-
ally to the mouth or entrance D. The pipe is formed in parts, the upper or
'conical part terminating at bottom in a nozzle which screws into the socket E
on the end of the elbow or lower part of the pipe C. The elbow may bo
turned sufficiently round in the mouth of the fluid way B to bring the upper
part of the pipe at an angle to vary the height of the mouth D in the boiler,
and thereby vary or adjust, as required, the level at which water can be drawn
off through it; (but the shape of the pipe and the details of its adjustment to
the cock may be varied,) or the pipe may be shortened by just cutting off a
portion at the end D, or heightened by adding a picce thereto. F is a passage
formed through the tail of the cock, and opening at its back end into the
interior of the boiler; G is a pipe through which water is supplied to the
boiler; it it screwed on to the bottom of the cock, and communicates with
the large cistern or other source of supply. The bottom of the cock is open
so as to form a communication with the interior of this pipe G. I recommend
that there should be a stop-cock at a convenient part of this pipe G; H is the
plug; it is furnished with the usual spindle I and handle J: This plug H
extends downwards beyond the discharge opening into the lower part of the
body of the cock, that is to say, the plug is mado proportionately deeper than
ùsual, and consequently the body of the cock or chamber in which it works is
also made deeper than usual to correspond. (The body of the cock opens at
bottom into the pipe G, as before stated and shewn in the Drawing.) The
extended or lower part of the plug is formed with a recess K, which is open
at bottom so as to lead into the pipe G; L is an orifice or passage formed in
the side of the recessed part of the plug at the level of the passage F; and
communicating with the interior of the recess K, so that when the plug is in

page_text: the position shown in Figure 1 the recess K is brought into communication
with the passage F, and a fluid way formed from F to G through the orifice L
and recess K; M is the ordinary passage through the plug for bringing the
discharge way B in the tail of the cock into communication with its continua-
tion B through the nose. The relative position of the two passages M and L
is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the passage M opening into the way B
at a part of the plug over that at which the passage L opens into the way F;
in other words, the direction of an imaginary horizontal line drawn through.
the passage L would be parallel to the direction of an imaginary horizontal
line drawn through the passage M, so that when the plug H is turned by its
handle to move the passage M from the fluid way B, the same action moves
the opening L away from the way F. N is part of the boiler to which the
cock is affixed.
When the cock is to be opened, the handle Jis turned to move the plug H
and bring the passage M in a line with the fluid ways B, B', to open the
outlet way in the usual manner, and at the same time this same action of
the handle and plug also brings the orifice L in a line with the mouth of the
passage F, and thereby effects a communication or thoroughfare between
the passages F and G, through this opening L and the recess K; the passages
G, K, L, and F thus form a continuous passage for the admission of water
into the boiler, so that (of course supposing the stop-cock in G open) then as
fast as water is drawn off through the outlet passages C and B, B', water will
enter through the passages G, K, L, and F into the boiler, which is thus
kept filled to the required height. But the water will only flow out so long
as it is up to or over the edge of the mouth D, so that if by any stoppage or
obstruction in the inlet pipe the supply of water through the latter should
cease, the same will be indicated by the cessation of the outflow through the
passage B'. Thus the same action of tho key and motion of the plug that
opens the outflow from the boiler likewise opens the inflow of fluid into it.
When the cock is to be closed, the handle J is turned to its former or
closing position, as shewn in Figure 2, to move the fluid way M at right
angles to the passage B, and close the outflow through it by the plug in the
usual manner; the same action of the handle and motion of. the plug also
at the same time move the opening or passage L away from the mouth of the
passage F, and bring it into a direction at right angles thereto, as shewn in
Figure 2, in which position the blank or smooth side of the body of the plug
or part where there is no opening through the side comes against and closes
the mouth of the passage F, and stops the inflow of water into the boiler
from the pipe G, so that the same action of the handle and motion of the plug.

page_text: that closes the outflow also and at the same closes the inflow; both outflow
and inflow are thus controlled by the same cock.
When it is desired to run out all the water from the boiler in order to clean
it, the pipe C can be readily unscrewed.
By my arrangements the employment and consequent expense of an
intermediate, or, as it is called, supply cistern, with its ball cock and con-
nections or fittings, is entirely dispensed with, and, moreover, there is hardly
any risk of bursting.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the general arrangement and combination of parts constituting my
improved apparatus for regulating the supply of fluids, as herein-before
described.
Second, the improved construction of cock herein-before described, in so
far as regards the arrangements therein, whereby it is rendered capable of
serving to control the inflow of fluid through it as well as the outflow, that is
to say, in so far as regards the arrangement and combination, in the manner
herein-before described, of the additional fluid way formed through the cock
and the recess in the plug, and opening at the side of such recess, whereby a
passage is opened through the cock when the ordinary discharge fluid way is
opened, and closed when such discharge- way is closed, all as. herein-before
explained.
Third, the combination with my improved cock, arranged as described, of
an internal outlet pipe or pipe leading into the discharge fluid way of the
cock, and placed within the boiler or other vessel from which fluid is to be s
withdrawn, so that fluid can only be drawn off when at the required height
therein, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Farrand Clarke, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
g
Witness,
M. HENRY,
84, Fleet Street,
London.
J. F. CLARKE. (L.S.)