IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter James Catterall and Edward Birch both of
Manchester in the County of Lancaster for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter James Catterall and
Edward Birch at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th
November 1882.
PETER JAMES CATTERALL and EDWARD BIRCH both of Manchester in the County
of Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF
LIQUIDS
Our improvements relate to the invention for which we obtained Letters Patent
No. 3173 dated twenty first of July 1881 and are partly or wholly applicable for
other purposes.
To regulate the supply of water we make use of a tube on which are fixed two
diaphragms of leather or other material the upper diaphragm being larger than the
lower; the periphery of each diaphragm secured between the flanges of a shell or
case formed in three parts the lower end of the tube is fixed in or formed with a
chamber in which is a ball resting on a seating to form a valve: in the lowest part
of the shell is fixed a waste pipe that may enter the chamber and be closed by the
ball
To the top of the shell is connected a water supply pipe provided with an
improved tap hereafter described, and to the space between the diaphragms water
is admitted the pressure of which lifts the diaphragms and tube when the supply
to the top of the shell is shut off.
A Spring may be used instead of water to lift the diaphragms.
From the side of the lowest part of the shell projects a pipe connected to the
water chest or other receptacle or tube to which the water is to be supplied
A small hole is made at the top of the shell to allow water to escape into the
water chest when the diaphragms are being raised. When it is desired to admit

page_text: water to the water chest the top of the water supply pipe is opened the pressure of
water forces down the upper diaphragm and with it the tube and lower diaphragm.
When the tube descends the waste pipe supports the ball which closes it and the
water flows through the tube around the ball and through the side pipe into the
water chest.
When the tap of the water supply pipe is closed the pressure of water admitted
between the diaphragms (or a spring) lifts them, the ball is raised from the waste
pipe, closes the valve at the bottom of the tube and allows the waste water to
escape through the waste pipe When a spring is used to raise the diaphragms a
vent hole is made in the tube to allow water to pass between the diaphragms to
allow them to be raised.
To prevent beer or other liquid returning to the barrel from which it is drawn
we fit in the barrel a tap with a ball valve to which is connected the pipe that
extends from the barrel to the bar to prevent liquid returning into the barrel
through back pressure.
In making our improved tap we use a ball valve, we turn a screw to actuate the
spindle that presses the ball in order to close the tap; on- the spindle we fix a
flexible diaphragm the periphery of which is secured between the flanges of the
body of the tap thus forming a tap from which no water can leak.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter James Catterall and Edward Birch in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th May 1883.
PETER JAMES CATTERALL and EDWARD BIRCH both of Manchester in the County
of Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF
LIQUIDS
Our improvements relate to the invention for which we obtained Letters Patent
No. 3173 dated 21ª. July 1881 and are partly or wholly applicable for other
purposes.
To regulate the supply of water we make use of a tube on which are fixed two
diaphragms of leather or other material the upper diaphragm being larger than the
lower; the periphery of each diaphragm is secured between the flanges of a shell or
case formed in three parts the lower end of the tube is fixed in or formed with a
chamber in which is a ball resting on a seating to form a valve, in the lowest part
of the shell is fixed a pipe that may enter the chamber and be closed by the ball-
To the top of the shell is connected a water supply pipe provided with an improved
tap hereafter described and to the space between the diaphragms water is admitted
the pressure of which lifts the diaphragms and tube when the supply to the top of
the shell is shut off. A spring may be used instead of water to lift the
diaphragms.
From the side of the lowest part of the shell projects a pipe connected to the
water chest or other receptacle or tube to which the water is to be supplied. A
small hole is made at the top of the shell to allow water to escape into the water
chest when the diaphragms are being raised. When it is desired to admit water to
the water chest the tap of the water supply pipe is opened, the pressure of water
forces down the upper diaphragm and with it the tube and lower diaphragm: when
the tube descends the waste pipe supports the ball, which closes it, and the water
flows through the tube around the ball and through the side pipe into the water
chest.
When the tap of the water supply pipe is closed, the pressure of water admitted
between the diaphragms (or a spring) lifts them the ball is raised from the waste
pipe closes the valve at the bottom of the tube and allows the waste water to
escape through the waste pipe. When a spring is used to raise the diaphragms &
vent hole is made in the tube to allow water to pass between the diaphragms to
allow them to be raised.
To prevent beer or other liquid returning to the barrel from which it is drawn
we fit in the barrel a tap with a ball valve to which is connected the pipe that
extends from the barrel to the bar to prevent liquid returning into the barrel
through back pressure In making our improved tap we use a ball valve. We
turn a screw to actuate the spindle that presses the ball in order to close the tap;
on the spindle we fix a flexible diaphragm the periphery of which is secured
between the flanges of the body of the tap, thus forming a tap from which no water
can leak.
And in order that our invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect we will proceed to describe the accompanying sheet of drawings
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon. Similar letters refer
to similar parts throughout the several views
Fig: 1 is an elevation of the entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of
our improved valve for regulating the supply of water. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional
elevations of a modified form of our improved valve for regulating the supply of
water. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the back pressure valves. Fig. 6 is an
elevation partly in section of the ball valve in the water supply pipe and of the

page_text: =
treadle for actuating the same. Fig. 7 is a plan of Fig. 6. Fig. is a sectional
elevation of an air vessel for the prevention of concussion in the water supply pipe
and Fig. 9 is a detached view in section showing our arrangement for connecting
the chamber to the water chest.
In Fig. 1.- is the stillage and b is the barrel containing the beer or other
liquid to be raised. To the tap of this barrel is connected one end of the flexible
tube o the other end of which is connected to a back-pressure valve d (shown on
an enlarged scale. in Fig. 5) communicating by the pipe c¹ with the upper part of
the chamber e. This chamber.is. made in halves and a diaphragm of india-rubber
or other pliant or flexible material is fitted in the chamber the periphery of the
diaphragm being even with the periphery of the flanges of the halves of the
chamber which are then bolted together. This diaphragm effectually prevents any
liquid admitted to the upper part of the chamber e from mingling with the water
admitted to the lower part of the chamber e. The upper part of the chamber é
communicates through the back-pressure valve fƒ (shown on an enlarged scale in
Fig. 5) and pipe g with the delivery tap h. The lower part of the chamber e is
connected to the water chest by the taper socket i in the manner shown in Fig. 9
and may be easily removed if desired. Water is admitted to the water chest j
through the valve k (shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 2, 3 and 4) and supply
pipe connected to the cistern. To the supply pipe are fitted the air chamber m
(shown in Fig. 8) and ball valve n actuated by the spindle n' and treadle o (as
shown in Figs. 6 and 7): A waste pipe p is connected to the lower part of the
valve k The bend in the waste pipe is level with the top of the chamber e and is
for the purpose of keeping the chamber charged with water, when the beer in the
barrel is run off.
In the valve k (as shown in Fig. 2) q is the upper and larger diaphragm and q
is the lower diaphragm both of which are fixed to a tube q'. The periphery of
each diaphragm is secured between the flanges of the shell or case k as shown at k¹
and A chamber q³ is fixed to the lower end of the tube 92. The chamber q³
contains a ball q* which rests on and closes a seating q' and thus forms a valve.
In the lowest part of the shell is fixed the waste pipe p that may enter the
chamber and be closed by the ball q' as shown in the drawing. To the top of
the shell is connected the water supply pipe 7 provided with the treadle valve n.
From the side of the lowest part of the shell projects a pipe r connected to the
water chest j to which water is to be supplied. When it is desired to admit water
to the water chest j the treadle valve n of the water supply pipe 7 is opened and
water admitted to the valve k, the pressure of water forces down the upper
diaphragm q and with it the lower diaphragm q' and tube qª: water flows through
the tube q² around the ball q' (which then rests on and closes the waste pipe p) and
through the side pipe r into the water chest j
When the treadle valve n of the water supply pipe 7 is closed a spring & lifts the
diaphragms tube q* and chamber q³; the ball g is thus raised from the waste pipe p
and rests on and closes the scating 9 at the bottom of the chamber q³ and allows
the waste water to escape through the waste pipe p: as the spring a raises the
diaphragms, water passes through the vent hole q (formed in the bottom of the
chamber g³) and thus allows the diaphragms to be raised.
A hole is made in the shell k and when it is desired to raise the diaphragms,
tube and chamber q by water instead of the spring 8, a pipe is attached
which is connected to the main water supply, the pressure of which is continuous.
This pressure of water raises the diaphragms and tube whenever the treadle
valve n is closed and the supply of water through the pipe is shut off from the
upper diaphragm q.
In the modified form of the valve k (as shown in Figs. 3 and 4) only one
diaphragm is used, the lower diaphragm being dispensed with: the shell is made
in two instead of three pieces and the chamber and tube q' are formed in one piece.
Fig. 3 shows the diaphragm q aud tube q' raised, the treadle valve'n being closed
and the pressure of water in the supply pipe being ahut off. The ball q* rests in

page_text: the seating'q. at the bottom of the tube q³ and closes the valve. Fig. 4 shows the
diaphragm q and tube q³ in the position it would occupy when the treadle valve n
is opened and tho pressure of water through the supply pipe is admitted to the
valve k. The ball o' rests upon and closes the waste pipe p and water flows
through the tube q³ and piper into the water chest j.
Fig. 5 shows the back-pressure valves d and f connected by the pipe c': each of
these valves d and fis formed of a ball resting upon a conical seating: pieces of
wire d and fare fitted to prevent the balls from closing the pipes.
In Figs. 6 and 7-n is the ball valve and o is the treadle which actuates the
valve spindle n' secured to a flexible diaphragm n³ held at its periphery between
the flanges of the body of the valve: the ball n rests in a conical seating near the
foot of the water supply pipe l.
In Fig. 8.-
-m is the air vessel placed between the treadle valve n and the water
supply cistern: m² is the india-rubber air ball placed within and nearly filling the
interior of the shell is the pipe which carries the water supply from the cistern
into and out of the air vessel m to the treadle valve n and thence to the valve k.
To regulate the flow of water in the pipe la screw-down tap is placed between the
cistern and the air vessel m, (this tap is not shown in the drawings)
Fig. 9 shows the lower part of the chamber e connected by the taper socket i to
the water chest j.
The mode of operation of the whole apparatus is as follows:-The beer flows
from the barrel b through the tube c, valve d and tube c and fills the chamber e.
When it is wished to draw beer the tap h is opened and the treadle o is operated
so as to raise the ball in the valve n and admit water through the supply pipe l,
valve k, piper and chest j into the lower part of the chamber e. The pressure of
the water forces up the diaphragm in the chamber c, raises the beer through the
pipe g and delivers it through the tap h. The back-pressure valve d prevents any
beer from being forced back into the barrel b. When sufficient beer has been
drawn the treadle o is released and the ball allowed to fall and close the valve n
and shut off the supply of water through the pipe : the diaphragms and tube q
then rise in the valve k and allow some of the water to escape from the chamber e
and chest j through the waste pipe p and the beer from the barrel b again fills the
chamber e.
The back pressure valve ƒ prevents any beer from returning from the pipe g to
the chamber e.
Having stated the nature of our Invention and described the manner of
performing the same
We declare that we claim
1. The improved valve for regulating the supply of water or other liquid
substantially as described and as shown with reference to Figs. 2, 3 and.4 or any
mere modification thereof,
In witness whereof I the said Peter James Catterall for myself and on
behalf of the said Edward Birch have hereunto set my hand and seal this
twenty fourth day of May One thousand eight hundred and eighty three