AN IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING FLOW OF WATER WHEN A TAP IS REMOVED FROM AN OUTLET IN A SERVICE OR OTHER PIPE to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I HENRY THOMAS CREWE of 17 Sunning Hill Road, Lewisham in the county
of Kent Builders Clerk of Works & Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of my
said invention for "AN IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING FLOW
OF WATER WHEN A TAP IS REMOVED FROM AN OUTLET IN A SERVICE OR OTHER
PIPE to be as follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to enable taps and valves in ordinary domestic
and other uses to be readily removed for repair or renewal without the necessity of
emptying cisterns, shutting off water or interfering with other fittings and in the
case of hot water apparatus without putting out fire at boiler as at present requisite
when only trifling repairs such as re seating valves etc is necessary.
This invention is capable of application to all forms of taps and valves at present
in use.
The invention consists of an ordinary form of screw ferrule having an enlarged
cylindrical chamber for containing a sphere or ball of Gun metal, Phosphor Bronze,
Glass, Vulcanized Rubber or other suitable material and which is made to fit
against the outlet which has a rim turned perfectly true and slightly smaller than
the aforesaid ball, the pressure of the water acting by gravitation forces the ball
against this outlet and effectually shuts off the flow when the tap is withdrawn or
removed from the pipe.
In some cases a hollow projecting arm of a coned or other suitable appliance and
perforated to allow of as large a water way as possible is provided and preferably.
fitted to the screwed end of the tap or valve that on being screwed into the
aforesaid ferrule comes in contact with and presses back the spherical ball thus
restoring the water supply to the tap.
Dated this wath th.. of Fahr 1884

page_text: I HENRY THOMAS CREWE of '17 Sunning Hill Road, Lewisham in the County
of Kent, Builders Clerk of Works and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of
my said invention for "AN IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
FLOW OF WATER WHEN A TAP IS REMOVED FROM AN OUTLET IN A SERVICE .OR
OTHER PIPE," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The principal object of my invention is to enable Taps and Valves in ordinary
domestic use to be readily removed for repair or renewal without the necessity of
emptying cisterns, shutting off water or interfering with other fittings, and in the
case of hot water apparatus without putting out fire at boiler as at present
requisite, when only a trifling repair, such as reseating a valve ete is necessary.
In this specification the word "water" includes all other fluids, gases, or matters
for which pipes are used as a conducting medium and taps or valves of any
description as a controlling medium, and the term "tap or valve" includes all other
fittings or unions which are usually connected with such pipes for the controlling
or directing of such fluids, gases, or matters.
This invention is capable of application to all forms of taps and valves at present
in use.
The invention which I show at Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is an ordinary
form of screw ferrule A having an enlarged cylindrical chamber B with internal
projecting ribs C C forming guides for a sphere or ball E of gunmetal, phosphor
bronze, glass, vulcanized rubber, or other suitable materials, which is free to move
loosely between them, and which sphere is made to fit against the outlet aperture D
which is turned perfectly true and of slightly smaller diameter than the aforesaid
sphere or ball so that when fixed the pressure of the water acting by gravitation
forces the ball E against this outlet and effectually shuts off the flow. The outlet D
is screwed internally with a thread to suit the different sizes of ordinary taps and
valves.
In some cases a hollow projecting arın or spigot with three or other number of
wings and with a cone shaped end, as shown more particularly in Figures 9 and 10,
in which U, shows the wings, and M the end, or other suitable appliance perforated
to allow as large a water way as possible, is provided and fitted to or placed in the
screwed end of the tap or valve, which on being screwed into the aforesaid ferrule
at D, comes in contact with and presses back the ball, thus restoring the water
supply to the tap. When again the tap is withdrawn for repair or renewal, the
ball resumes its position against the aperture D' and shuts off the flow. In some
cases a spring of helical or other suitable shape is placed behind the ball to assist
its motion.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a bib or other draw off tap to which my
invention is applied.
In this Figure the tap proper is represented by the shell E¹ with a turning
*pindle F whose lower end is provided with teeth G as in the plan view Figure 3
which gear into the hollows H of strap I which loosely encircles the spindle as to be
moved to and fro, when the handle J, is turned to open or to close the water
passage through the tap. This strap I has at one end the valve proper K, to rest
against the seating of the bib or nozzle L which nozzle may be of any other shape
or it may be a pipe connection of any kind as desired. The other end of the
strap I has a stud, spigot, or pin M projecting centrally from it. The chamber A
is so constructed and fitted to the inlet end of this tap, that the spigot M touches

page_text: the ball E when the tap is shut off, but when being turned on and the strap I is
pressed back by the movement of the handle J the spigot M also presses back
the ball E, and that should the valve K require reseating it can be done by simply
unscrewing the nozzle L, or the tap may be removed altogether by unscrewing it
from the chamber A, the ball E effectually stopping the flow of water.
Figure 4 shows an application of my invention to an ordinary push spindle tap.
The valve proper K is actuated by a spring R, for its return when the spring
encircles the stem F and closes the valve the sphere E being pressed back each time
the tap is opened. The tap itself can be detached from chamber A for repair or
renewal as before described.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 represent my invention fitted to the socket of a valve such as
that used for a cistern.
Figure 8 shows my invention applied to a service or other pipe provided with a
union collar T and spigot M, upon unscrewing the union T the spigot is removed
and the ball E impinges upon the seat D' and stops the flow.
This form is specially suited as a connection for the ordinary service pipes of
houses with a water company's mains as the supply could be disconnected at any
time without inconvenience and if arranged in a box closed by a lid in a suitable
position would obviate the necessity of opening the ground either to connect or
disconnect the pipes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination of an enlarged cylindrical chamber with inner projecting
ribs or guides and a sphere or ball capable of freely moving in such chamber
and seating itself against the outlet by the action of the water and closing
the passage of same on the removal of a tap or other connection as herein
described and as shown in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 19th day of November 1884.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the Applicant.