IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL-COCK HYDRANTS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Benjamin Wilkins, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Firemaster, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS
IN BALL-COCK HYDRANTS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Benjamin Wilkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1876.
SAMUEL BENJAMIN WILKINS, of Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian, North
Britain, Firemaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL-COCK HYDRANTS."
"
This Invention, which relates to improvements in ball-cock hydrants, has for its
object to provide a clear waterway in the valve chamber, and thereby to secure an
uninterrupted passage for the water, and so obviating any reduction of the pressure
from obstruction of the ball. On the stand pipe being applied to dislodge the ball
from the mouth of the hydrant, instead of forcing it into the throat of the supply
pipe as hitherto done, it is under this Invention forced to the bottom of a chamber
or recess directly open to the supply pipe, and preferably placed at one side thereof.
The water from the main is free to pass from the supply pipe to the mouth of the
hydrant, and thence through the hose for the purpose desired, without having its
pressure diminished, and without being otherwise obstructed by the ball.
pressure of the stand pipe being removed the ball rises into the mouth of the hydrant,
where it is retained by the pressure of the water underneath. The hose is attached
to the hydrant in any approved manner.
On the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Samuel Benjamin Wilkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
March 1877.
SAMUEL BENJAMIN WILKINS, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Firemaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL-COCK HYDRANTS."
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in ball-cock hydrants, has for
D

page_text: its object to provide a clear waterway in the valve chamber, thereby securing an
uninterrupted passage for the water, and so obviating any reduction of pressure
from obstruction of the ball. On the stand pipe being applied to dislodge the ball
from the mouth of the hydrant, instead of forcing it into the throat of the supply
pipe as hitherto done, it is under this Invention forced to the bottom of a chamber
or recess directly open to the supply pipe, and preferably placed at one side thereof.
The water from the main is free to pass from the supply pipe to the mouth of the
hydrant, and thence through the hose for the purpose desired without having its
pressure diminished, and without being otherwise obstructed by the ball. On the
pressure of the stand pipe being removed the ball rises into the mouth of the hydrant,
where it is retained by the pressure of the water below it.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon; that is
to say :-
At Figure 1, on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, is represented a vertical
section of one form of my improved hydrant; and Figure 2 is a plan of the same,
with the stand pipe, spindle, and fittings removed. The ball or valve chamber A is
formed in one with the supply pipe B, which opens directly into it, and is connected
at its opposite end to the main or other source of supply. On applying the stand
pipe C to the mouth of the hydrant in the usual manner the spindle D forces the
ball E from the mouth F of the hydrant to the bottom of the chamber A, leaving
the communication between the supply pipe B and the stand pipe C obstructed only
by the spindle D, instead of by the ball and spindle, both as hitherto. Obstruction
to the passage of the water is thus reduced to a minimum. When the spindle D of
the stand pipe is screwed up the ball E rises with it into the mouth F of the
hydrant, closing it, and cutting off the supply of the water which maintains the
ball E in its place by its pressure.
1
At Figure 3 is shown a second modification of my improved hydrant, under
which the obstruction to the water in its passage from the supply pipe B to the
branch pipe G connected to the hose is entirely obviated. The ball or valve
chamber A is fitted with a screw spindle D worked in a stuffing box d up and down
by the hand wheel H. The ball E, instead of being made apart, is attached to the
lower end of the spindle D, but is free to revolve by means of the swivel I, for the
purpose of lessening wear and tear of the ball when screwed home in its seat F.
It will be obvious that according as the ball E is actuated by the spindle D it will
open or close the supply of water, and when drawn fully up, as shewn in Figure 3,
it will be seen there is no obstruction offered to the passage of the water from the
supply pipe B to the branch pipe G, to which latter the hose may be attached in
any approved manner. A small stop-cock J is attached to the bottom of the valve
chamber A for the purpose of drawing off a supply of water in buckets or otherwise,
which may be required at a distance from the actual scene of operation, as for
instance at fires. By it any water remaining in the valve chamber after use of the
bydrant may be drawn off to obviate effects of frost.
At Figure 4 is shown a third modification of my improved hydrant constituting
a double hydrant. The ball E is raised and lowered by the screw spindle D, as
herein-before described with reference to Figure 3, and the water from the supply
pipe B is distributed between the two branch pipes G, to which the hose may
screwed or otherwise attached. Besides the advantage of dividing the flow of
water obtained by this modification it may in cases when it is desired be coupled
to a single hydrant of the form shown at Figure 3, the combination of the two
forming in plan the arrangement shown at Figure 5, the supply pipe B of the
double hydrant being bolted to the branch pipe G of the single hydrant. By this
arrangement the single hydrant acts as an auxiliary valve to the double hydrant,
enabling the supply of water to be cut off from the latter for repairs or other
desired purpose without necessitating the cutting off of the supply of water from a

page_text: whole district, and so rendering the rest of the hydrants in that district useless for
the time being.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, constructing ball hydrants
with separate chambers for the reception of the ball in order to provide a clear
waterway to the mouth of the hydrant, as herein-before described and shown on
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Benjamin Wilkins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
SAMUEL BENJAMIN WILKINS. (L.S.)