IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS, AND IN STOPPING BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BURTON COOPER, of Swinton Street, Gray's Inn Road, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Sixth day of November, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Burton Cooper, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Robert Burton
Cooper, my exors, adññors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Burton Cooper, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS, AND IN STOPPING BOTTLES AND OTHER
VESSELS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said Robert Burton Cooper, shall cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert, Burton Cooper, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-

page_text: tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates,-
"
First, to improvements in taps or cocks. Figure 1 shews a side view of
an earthenware cock or tap, made according to my Invention. Figure 2,
shews a plan thereof. Figure 3 is a section thereof. Figures 4, 5, & 6,
shew the separate parts of the cock or tap. a is the body or barrel of
the cock or tap; and is the spout which is connected with the barrel
by convex and concave ground surfaces at c, c. The spout is connected
with the barrel in such manner that it can be made to revolve in order to
shut off the flow of liquid from the cock, or to open the way through the
barrel and through the spout. The spout is kept up to its position in the
following manner:-d is a handle, the cylindrical stem d¹ of which descends
into the cylindrical recess in the body of the cock, and the square end of the
stem enters into the square opening or recess d² in the spout, and then a pin
is passed through the spout, and enters into a notch formed in the square end
of the stem. 3 is a stop formed on the under surface of the handle. This
stop enters into a groove or recess formed at the upper part of the body of
the cock, as is shewu. is a coiled spring which surrounds the stem of the
handle, such spring at all times pressing with a tendency to force the handle
away from its seat; hence the spout of the cock will be drawn into its seat,
and keep the joint fluid tight. I would remark, that although the concave
surface is shewn to be made on the spout aud the concave surface in the body
of the cock, this state of things may be reversed. The peculiar points of
novelty in this arrangement of construction of cocks or taps consist of the
mode of combining the spout and barrel, and also the means of retaining the
spout and barrel together, as herein described.
: Auother improvement in the construction of cocks or taps is shewn at
Figures 7 and 8. The object of this arrangement is so to construct an
earthenware cock that it may be conveniently fixed in an earthenware vessel,
and yet be readily removed. The cock or tap itself, as shewn in the Drawing
is the same in construction as that already described, but this may be varied.
The barrel or part of the body of the cock which is fixed into the vessel is
peculiar in its construction. It is made with an enlarged end, which is ground
into a recess formed in the vessel.
Figure 7 shews a front view of an earthenware cock or tap fixed therein
and Tim & shown a nuation of mut of lil with the

page_text: partly in section fixed thereto; and this fixing takes place by means of there
being projections g, g, formed on the vessel, the inner surfaces of which are
inclined, and then, the ring / being turned partly round the inclined surfaces h¹,
on which, taking under the inclined surfaces g' of the projection g, press the
concave and convex surfaces together, and make a close joint; and here, as in
the cock before described, the concave and convex surfaces may be reversed..
The improvement consists of the means of constructing an earthenware
cock or tap so as to be fixed into an earthenware vessel, so that the fluid
therein can only come in contact with the earthenware.
Figures 9 and 10 shew a plan and longitudinal section of another improve-
ment in cocks or taps; and this improvement consists in having a sliding
barrel within the outer barrel, having at its end a valve so arranged that
when the cock is required to be shut the tendency of the pressure of the fluid
is to keep the passage shut by the valve. is the outer barrel or body of the
cock, which may be of any suitable material. On the upper surface is cut or
formed a slot through which the pin passes; and the pin is affixed in a sliding
cover fitting as fluid tight as may be over the opening over which it slides.
is a valve which is applied to the end of the sliding tube ; and Z is the
seat of the valve. The cock is now shewn to be open; and in order to close
it the tube is to be slided outwards, by which the valve will be drawn to its
seat, and the pressure of fluid at the back will tend to keep it closed. The
novelty consists in the mode of using the sliding tube with the spherical
valve applied thereto.
I will now describe another part of my Invention, which consists in
a mode of constructing water plates. Figure 11, shews a section; and
Figure 12, an under side view or plan of a water plate made according
to this part of my Invention. The plate and lower part is made of china. a is
the plate, and there is an opening in the under surface 6 for the introduction
of hot water between the plate a and the under surface b. The opening for
the hot water is closed by the cover c, which is ground into its seat, and
the cover is made fast therein by there being inclined surfaces at e, e, on the
mouth of the opening against which the inclined surfaces on the plate fcome,
such plate being fastened to the cover by a plug of metal, such as tin, atg.
I would remark, that I do not confine myself to the details shewn and various
materials may be used.
.
I claim in respect to this part of my Invention the mode of constructing
hot plates so as to be glazed inside.
I will now describe another part of my Invention, which consists of means
of fastening covers in the mouths of jars or such like vessels made of earthen

page_text: ware or other material. And this part of the Invention consists in making
the mouth of each jar or other vessel with incline surfaces on the interior.
Figure 13 shows a section of a jar, and Figure 14, a plan thereof, having
the mouth and cover constructed according to this part of my Invention. Ou
the cover is fixed a plate f, by means of the tin or other soft metal plugg,
in such manner that the plate can revolve without the cover. On the
plate fare formed inclined or wedge-like projections, which come under
similar inclined projections e formed in the mouth of the jar; heuce, by
introducing the cover, and the causing the plate to revolve, the cover will
be tightly pressed into its ground seat. This part of the Invention consists of
this mode of fixing the cover in the mouth of the jar or vessel.
:
Another part of my Invention is shown at Figure 15, where a plan apart
of an external view and a section of a glass jar is shown, or a glass bottle
may be similarly stopped, and also vessels of metal. In applying spherical
stoppers to glass vessels it has heretofore been difficult to hold the stopper
securely. And this part of my Juvention consists of applying to glass jars
or bottles, or vessels of metal; a mode of securing the stoppers similar to what
I have heretofore used for earthenware jars. On the external part of the
neck of a glass jar or vessel I make a series of inclined surfaces 2, and to
the stopper I fix metal hooks y, which on putting on the cover a pass down
through the gaps at w, and then on the hooks being caused to move round
they move along the inclined surfaces, and thereby cause the cover to be closely
pressed into its ground seat.
I claim in respect to this part of my Invention the application of the mode
above described of fastening the covers of glass jars or bottles or metal vessels;
but I do not claim the mode of fastening when combined with earthenware
jars.
Another part of my Invention consists of an improvement in inkstands and
other vessels of glass or earthenware or other material; and the same i
shown in plan and section at Figure 16. The improvements consist in having
the upper and under surfaces spherical in place of flat, and ground together
and also the mode of applying the spring for keeping the parts together. a i
.the inkstand, 6 is the cover, they being spherical and ground together; the
dotted line 6' indicates that there may be, if desired, a tube formed at the
dipping place. The two parts are combined by the rode with its screw nut d
and the spring e tends at all times to keep the parts tight together. is the
knot or handle for moving the cover to close or open it, there being a pro
jection on the under surface of the cover which enters into a groove at g. B
this stop the extent of movement of the cover is controlled.

page_text: I claim the mode of making inkstands and other vessels with ground
spherical surfaces, and also the means of keeping the parts together.
Another part of my Invention consists of an improvement in the construc-
tion of mustard pots, by which a cover with a spherical surface is applied.
Figure 17 shows a section and plan of a mustard pot constructed according
to this part of my Iuvention. a is the cover, and 6 the mustard pot. The
shapes of these may be varied; but the novelty consists in applying a ground
spherical surface at c to the cover and seat of the cover, in order that a
mustard pot may be thereby more securely closed against the atmosphere.
The joint a being well formed by grinding the parts together, a ring of metal
or other material is introduced at d, as is shown, and cemented or fixed
therein. Hence, when the cover of the pot is put on it comes down on to the
spherical surface, and makes a close joint.
And another part of my Invention consists in applying a similar means of
applying covers to jars or bottles for chemists and others, together with a
peculiar arrangement of neck for aiding the pouring out the liquid put
therein. Figure 18 shows a section and a plan of the vessel, and also of the
cover separately, the upper part of the vessel being formed with a neck e,
there being a hole at f for the passage back of any fluid which may cling
to the outside and run down from the spout. In other respects the cover and
its joint, and ring of metal or other material, are the same as described in
respect to the mustard pot.
Another part of my Invention consists of a mode of constructing spherical
stoppers to decanters and glass and other jugs and vessels. Figure 19 shows
this part of my Inveution, a being a glass stopper which has a spherical
surface ut. c, there being a corresponding spherical surface to the neck of a
decanter, or it may be to the neck of a glass or other jug; and these spherical
surfaces are to be ground and fitted together. And the novelty of this part
of the Invention consists in having the continuation d formed to the
stopper, which, entering the neck of the decanter or jug, prevents the stopper
falling over.
And another part of my Invention is applicable to lamps where glass or
earthenware vessels are used for containing the spirit or matter to be con-
sumed. And this part of the Invention is shown in section in elevation, and
in two plans at Figures 20, 21, 22, and 23, and consists of fixing the burner
in a spherical stopper of glass or earthenware, and the fasteuing the stopper
by means of hooks a taking under inclined surfaces formed on the mouth
of the vessel, as shown. This mode of fixing is similar to that before described
in respect to glass jars.