IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND VALVES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Baker Scott Webb, of Stratford, in the County of
Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND VALVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Baker Scott Webb
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1876.
CHARLES BAKER SCOTT WEBB, of Stratford, in the County of Essex. “Im-
PROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND VALVES."
My Invention consists in dispensing with the ordinary tap handle and sub-
stituting therefor a mouth-piece of far simpler construction and much more
economical in manufacture; I proceed as follows:-1 take a wooden or metal tube
of suitable length and diameter, say about 3 inches long and one inch in diameter.
I close one end of such tube either with a metal cap or wooden plug, such cap or
plug being provided with a projecting rim or flange, such rim or flange being for
the purpose hereafter described. I now take the ordinary body of a tap, either
wooden or metal, and form an orifice in the top thereof of sufficient dimensions to
permit of the tube or mouth-piece being dropped through the same. On the under
side of such wooden or metal tap body I form another orifice immediately beneath
the one already described as being formed in the top. On each side of this lower
orifice I affix a wooden or inetal shoulder by any suitable means, such shoulder
projects about 1 inch beneath the bottom of the tap body and serves to steady the
mouth-piece when inserted therein. Around the top of the tube or mouth-piece
about half an inch beneath the cap or plug, before described, I drill two or more holes
preferably immediately opposite each other. I then insert such tube or mouth-piece
through the hole or orifice formed in the top of the tap body when it drops into
the hole or orifice formed beneath, as already described, and is prevented from
falling through the same by the projecting rim or flange which lodges and rests
upon the top edge of the shoulder affixed at each side of such lower orifice as
before-mentioned, and by which shoulder the mouth-piece is kept in position.
Having so inserted the tube or mouth-piece I then close the orifice in the top of
the tap body by a metal plate, or wooden plug, or in any other suitable manner.
I then pass over the projecting end, which forms the spout thereof, a spiral spring
of suitable strength and size. I then affix by any suitable means a wooden or
metal collar about half an inch above the termination or spout of the mouth-piece,
Buch collar being provided with a horizontal projection on either side.

page_text: The action of my improved mouth-piece is as follows:- When it is desired to
draw liquor from the vat, barrel, or any other vessel, to which my improved mouth-
piece is applied, it is only necessary to place the fingers beneath the horizontal
projections on each side of the collar, affixed just above the spout, and push the
mouth-piece or tube bodily upwards when the spiral spring collapses, and the holes
drilled in the top of the tube just beneath the rim or flange are forced above the
level of the shoulder, and thus permit the liquid contained in the vessel to freely
flow out through them into the open end or spout of the tube or mouth-picce.
When sufficient liquor has been drawn off it is only necessary to take off the
pressure by letting go the metal or wooden collar when the spiral spring at once
expands, thereby forcing the tube or mouth-piece downwards and thus again
bringing the holes drilled in the top of the tube or mouth-piece beneath the level
of the shoulder, when the flow of the liquid is at once arrested. I prefer to lino
the projecting rim or flange around the top of the tubo or mouth-piece with a
washer of leather, vulcanite, india-rubber, cork, or any other suitable material, such
collar becoming swollen by the action of the liquid contained in the vessel, and thus
preventing all danger of any leakage or waste.
My improved mouth-piece is particularly adapted for application and use as a
nozzle holder to hose when used for the purpose of cleansing and flushing out vats,
watering gardens and streets, or any other similar purpose. In applying my
improved mouth-piece in this manner I proceed as follows:-I make a wooden or
inetal shoulder of any suitable size and shape (preferably resembling that of the
hose itself) and fix it by any suitable means in the mouth of the hose. I then
drop the mouth-piece through the other end of the hose, which falls down and
lodges upon the shoulder in the manner before described. I then attach the spiral
spring and collar to the projecting end of the mouth-piece, and the operator has only
to press back the collar when the water or other liquid gushes out, and it is only
necessary to take off such pressure to at once arrest the flow.
My Invention is also very applicable to funnels. In applying it in this way it
is only necessary to affix the funnel to the shoulder in any suitable manner, drop
the mouth-piece in the top of the funnel, affix the spiral spring and collar, place
the end of the tube or spout in the bottlo or vessel to be filled, press down the
shoulder, when the spiral spring at once collapses, the holes drilled in the top of the
mouth-piece are at once forced up above the shoulder, the liquid flows through,
and directly the vessel is filled it is only necessary to release the pressure when
the supply is at once stopped and all waste and leakage is effectually prevented.
My Invention is particularly effective from its combined simplicity, economy,
and facility of use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Baker Scott Webb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd July 1876.
CHARLES BAKER SCOTT WEBB, of Stratford, in the County of Essex.
MENTS IN TAPS AND VALVES."
"IMPROVE-
My Invention consists in dispensing with the ordinary tap handle, and sub-
stituting therefor a mouth-piece of far simpler construction and much more
economical in marifacture; I proceed as follows:--I take a wooden or metal tube
of any suitable length and diameter, according to the purpose for which it is to be
employed. I close one end of such tube either with a metal cap or wooden plug,
preferably of cone-like form, in order to divide the force of the downward current
and allow it to pass more freely into the tube or mouth-piece, as Lereafter described.
Such cap or plug is provided with a projecting rim or flange, such rim or flange
being for the purpose hereafter described. I now take the ordinary boly of a tap,
either wooden or metal, and form an orifice in the top thereof of sufficient

page_text: dimensions to permit of the tube or mouth-piece being dropped through the same.
On the under side of such wooden or metal tap body I form another orifice imme-
diately beneath the one already described as being formed in the top. On each
side of this lower orifice I aflix a wooden or metal shoulder or valve box by any
suitable means; such shoulder or valve box projects about 1 inch beneath the
bottom of the tap body and serves to steady the mouth-piece when inserted therein,
and is furnished with a stuffing box filled with suitable packing in order to prevent
the waste and inconvenience from the liquid escaping round the outside of the
tube or mouth-piece. Around the top of the tube or mouth-piece, about half an
inch beneath the cap or plug before described, I drill two or more holes, preferably
immediately opposite each other. I then insert such tube or mouth-piece through
the hole or orifice formed in the top of the tap body, when it drops into the hole
or orifice formed beneath as already described, and is prevented from falling through
the same by the projecting rim or flange which lodges and rests upon the top edge
of the shoulder or valve box, affixed at each side of such lower orifice as before
mentioned, and by which shoulder or valve box the mouth-piece is kept in position.
Having so inserted the tube or mouth-piece I then close the orifice in the top of
the tap body by a metal plate or wooden plug, or in any other suitable manner.
I then pass over the projecting end which forms the spout thereof a spiral spring
of suitable strength and size. I then aflix by any suitable means a wooden or
metal collar, about half an inch above the termination or spout of the mouth-piece,
such collar being provided with a horizontal projection on either side.
The action of my improved mouth-piece is as follows When it is desired to
draw liquor from the vat, barrel, or any other vessel, to which my improved mouth-
piece is applied, it is only necessary to place the fingers beneath the horizontal
projections on each side of the collar, affixed just above the spout and push tho
mouth piece or tube bodily upwards when the spiral spring collapses, and the holes
drilled in the top of the tube just beneath the rim or flange are forced above the
level of the shoulder or valve box, and thus permit the liquid contained in the
vessel to freely flow out through them into the open end or spout of the tube or
mouth-piece. When suflicient liquor has been drawn off it is only necessary to
take off the pressure by letting go the metal or wooden collar, when the spiral
spring at once expands, thereby forcing the tube or mouth-piece downwards and
thus again bringing the holes drilled in the top of the tube or mouth-piece beneath
the level of the shoulder or valve box when the flow of the liquid is at once
arrested. prefer to line the projecting rim or flange around the top of the tube
or mouth-piece with a washer of leather, vulcanite, india-rubber, cork, or any other
suitable material, as such washer becoming swollen by the action of the liquid
contained in the vessel thus prevents all danger of any leakage or waste.
My improved mouth-piece is particularly adapted for application and use as a
nozzle holder to hose when used for the purpose of cleansing and flushing out vats,
watering gardens and streets, or any other similar purpose. In applying my
improved mouth-piece in this manner 1 proceed as follows:--I make a wooden or
metal valve box, of any suitable size and shape (preferably resembling that of the
hose itself), and fix it by any suitable means in the mouth of the hose, having first
dropped the mouth-piece into the valve box, which mouth-piece falling down
lodges upon the valve box in the manner before described. 1 then attach the spiral
spring and collar to the projecting end of the mouth-piece, and the operator has
only to press back the collar or nozzle of the hose, when the water or other liquid
gushes out, and it is only necessary to take off such pressure to at once arrest the
flow. To avoid the necessity of holding such spiral spring in a compressed position
when desiring to let the fluid escape, I allix a suitable lug on the rim of the collar
and a suitable catch on the bottom of the shoulder or valve box, and such lug and
catch locking into each other retain the mouth-piece in the desired position for as
long as is necessary, and it is only necessary to unlock the catch when the spiral
spring at once expands and the supply of fluid is shut off.
My Invention is also very applicable to funnels. In applying it in this way it

page_text: is only necessary to affix the funnel to the shoulder in any suitable manner, drop
the mouth-piece in the top of the funnel, affix the spiral spring and collar, place the
end of the tube or spout in the bottle or vessel to be filled, press down the shoulder,
when the spiral spring at once collapses; the holes drilled in the top of the mouth-
piece are at once forced up above the shoulder; the liquid flows through, and
directly the vessel is filled it is only necessary to release the pressure when the
supply is at once stopped and all waste and leakage is effectually prevented.
One of the principal advantages of my Invention is the facility and convenience
it affords for filling vats, cisks, and other similar vessels. In adapting my Invention
to this purpose 1 provide the metal collar at its base with a metal flauge having
a suitable screw-thread formed thereon, and I connect thereto any suitable length
of piping which at its base is furnished with suitable orifices. I place such piping
in the bung hole of the cask, allowing it to rest on the bottom thereof, and by
pressing down the shoulder at the top of such pipe it permits the liquor to flow
down the same and into the cask through the orifices formed at the bottom of
the pipe, as just described. By so doing the inconvenience and delay at present
experienced when filling casks by having to wait until the froth has subsided is
entirely avoided, and thereby a considerable economy in the attendant's time is
effected. By releasing the pressure of the hand or unlocking the catch and lug, as
before described, the supply is at once cut off.
'
Another advantage is that whenever the washer gets out of order it is only
necessary to unscrew the mouth-piece and fix thereon a new washer.
My Invention is particularly effective from its combined simplicity, economy,
and facility of use.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood, that what I claim and
desire to secure by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, my improved
method of constructing taps and valves and the use of the same, in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Baker Scott Webb, have hereunto sot
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and soventy-six.