IMPROVEMENTS IN Cocks
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wilks, of Rotherham, in the County of
York, Brass Worker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Cocks."
Sealed the 22nd September 1858, and dated the 16th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wilks at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th April 1853.
I, HENRY WILKS, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Brass
Worker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN Cocкs" to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention consists in having a hole down the
centre of the plug of the cock terminating at either side of the plug in
the barrel, at some little distance from the top of such barrel, for the
purpose of lubricating the plug and barrel of cocks, and by this means
prevent them from setting fast and grooving the plugs. It is particularly
applicable to steam and hot water cocks.
The second part of this Invention consists in lining the barrels of

page_text: cocks with lead, gutta percha, or any other casily compressible material,
thereby saving the expense of grinding the plugs of cocks into the
barrels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Wilks, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 5th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
HENRY WILKS, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Brass Worker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Wilks, Her special licence that I, the
said Henry Wilks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Henry Wilks, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Wilks, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Wilks, 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 accompanying drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates, first, to an improved construction of cock,

page_text: whereby the efficient lubrication of the barrel and plug may be easily
effected, and preventing thereby the grooving or setting of the plug;
second, to a system or mode of lining the interior of the barrels of
cocks with some soft and casily compressible material, such as leather,
gutta percha, or lead, &c.
Figure 1, on my sheet of drawings represents a side elevation of
one of my improved self-lubricating steam cocks; and Figure 2, is
a corresponding vertical section of the same, drawn full size. A, B,
are the inlet and outlet nozzles of the cock; and C, the conical
plug, which is cast hollow for the double purpose of lightness, and
to allow of the internal upward pressure of the steam within the
chamber D, keeping the plug tight when the cock is opened. The
upper and solid portion of the plug has a passage E, drilled vertically
within it, which passage liverges at F, into two smaller ones G, G,
opening into the barrel of the cock. A nut and washer H, serve to
retain the plug in its proper place. To the upper or square end of the
plug is screwed an oil cup I, the outlet of which corresponds exactly
with the vertical passage E, in the plug. The lower portion of the
oil cup is expanded at J, to form a base, which expansion serves to
retain the small lever or handle K, on the square head of the plug.
By the herein-before described arrangement it will be clearly seen
that the plug and barrel will be constantly lubricated so long as a
supply of lubricating material is kept up in the oil cup.
The second portion of my Invention is shewn in Figures 3, and 4,
which represent respectively a side elevation and corresponding vertical
section of a full sized gas cock. In this cock the improvement con-
sists in lining the interior of the barrel A, with leather, gutta percha,
wood, or also lead or other compressible metallic substance. The
lining is shewn by the portions B, colored blue in the drawing, and
obviates the necessity and expense of grinding the plug into the
barrel. It will be obvious, on reference to the drawings, that the
inside lining or coating may be fitted to the plug instead of in the
interior of the barrel of the cock.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or

page_text: carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and there-
fore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
récited Letters Patent, is,
First, the system or mode of lubricating cocks of any kind by one
or more internal passages formed within the body of the plug, such
passages being in connection with a suitable reservoir of lubricating
material, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of lining or coating the barrels or plugs
of cocks with leather, gutta percha, wood, or soft metal, in the manner
and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wilks, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.
HENKY WILKS. (L.B.)