A Four-way Cock.
Year: 1889

page_text: * Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 16th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890
A Four-way Cock.
JOHN FRANE KITCHING 4 Hart Road West Hartlepool Co. Durham Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A four-way cock (as per sketch) which is an open bottom (B) three-way
shell (ss), with bracket (F) cast on for bolting up against any bulkhead or
convenient position.
The plug (P) is open bottom also, with four ways (a, b, c, d,) having a division (D)
through the centre.
With this division the exhaust steam (from steam engines) from the donkeys,
steering and reversing engine, can be regulated through one cock, in different
directions at the same time, thus enabling exhaust from above mentioned to be
turned either separately or jointly to the condenser, or waste steam pipe as may be
required.
All passages can be shut off at sea when those engines are not working.
This cock is fitted with gland (G) fastened by studs in such a manner as to
prevent its being placed in wrong position. It is marked alphabetically on the
plug (P) and the gland (G), and a small brass plate is attached (in ships to the
bulkhead) in a convenient position opposite the operator of the valve, with
instructions for the working of the valve;-as follows.
A-A. Reversing engine to condenser, donkey engines & steering gear to waste
steam pipe.
A-B. Reversing engine, to waste steam pipe, donkeys, and steering engine to
condenser.
A-C. Donkey's, steering & reversing engines all to condenser.
A-D. Donkey's, steering, and reversing engines, to waste steam pipe.
A-E. All passages shut off.
By using the four-way cóck, another steam cock and several feet of copper pipe
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Four-way Cock.
JOHN FRANE KITCHING 4 Hart Road West Hartlepool Co. Durham Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The cock is an open bottom (B) three way shell, with four flanges, (sr¹¹) cast
straight or angular as required, and also having a bracket (F) cast upon it for
bolting it up against bulkheads or other parts of a ship's framing, or for a stationary
engine.
The plug (P) a taper one-which is held in position by a gland (G) & stuffing
box and studs, has an open bottom, also having four-ways (a b c d), and having a
division (D) through its centre, permits the exhaust steam from the donkeys,
steering, & reversing engines to be regulated through the cock in different directions
at the same time, and also enables steam from above to be turned either separately
or jointly to the condenser or waste steam pipe as may be required.
All passages can be shut off at sea when the aforementioned engines are not at
work.

page_text: The cock is marked alphabetically-on plug & gland-explanatory of its working
as follows.
A-A. Reversing engine to condenser, donkeys, and steering engine, to waste
steam pipe.
[
A-B. Reversing engine to waste steam pipe, donkeys, and steering engine to
condenser.
A-C. Donkeys, steering, and reversing engine all to condenser.
A-D. Donkeys, steering and reversing engine to waste steam pipe.
A-E. All passages shut-off.
Four studs hold the gland in position, and one being larger than the rest, prevents
the gland being fixed in a wrong position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
That it is a safe-guard against mistakes being made by closing one cock before
opening the other; as in the old methods, where two ordinary open bottom two-way
cocks are used, and by my Invention one of the latter is dispensed with. In the old
method by closing one cock before other was opened the steering gear engine
exhaust frequently became choked, and the vessel refusing to answer the helm at a
critical momont, has resulted in serious collisions & consequent loss of life, or in
other cases the vessel has run ashore when in narrow channels.
Also that it is a decided advantage to be able to regulate exhaust steam from the
steering gear engine, and ballast & feed donkey pumps to either condenser or waste
steam pipe, either separately or jointly, which my Invention permits, the steam
travelling in two opposite directions through the cock.
Also for regulating discharged water from bilge, or other pumps, either on deck or
overboard; whilst one pump is pumping from the sea on deck, the other can pump
from the bilgo overboard, either separately or jointly.
It can also be used for any kind of liquid.
I claim also that its extreme usefulness, simplicity, safeness, & cheapness render it
a most efficient cock on steam ships.
Dated this 7th day of Danombor 1880