Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 5th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th May, 1889
I, JOHN HOWES of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, Sanitary
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to the float and valve mechanism for controlling the
supply of water and air to closed in high pressure tanks, the object to be attained being
to keep the tank supplied with water and air.
The water supply is regulated by a suitable form of float valve or ball cock which
is preferably so arranged that the water enters but slowly until the float has fallen to
a required level. The air supply is also governed by a float valve which closes
the air pipe when the water in the tank reaches a certain level. The action is as
follows:-
The tank being empty the water when turned on enters and the level rises until
its float closes the air supply and the water continues to flow in until the air is so
compressed that its pressure equals that of the in-flowing water or until the water has
risen so high that the float which controls the inlet has closed it and shut off the
supply. As water is drawn off by the pipe provided for the purpose the water
float drops and opens the inlet but so slightly that the inflow of water is not sufficient
to equal the amount withdrawn and consequently the water level continues to sink
until the air float drops and admits a fresh supply of air. When this has been done
the water float has dropped low enough to admit a large supply of water which
quickly raises the water level closes the air supply and restores the equilibrium and
the pressure in the tank as explained above.
The correct working of this cycle of operations is due to the small inflow of
water during the first portion of the fall of the water float and this inflow must be
less than the amount drawn out of the tank otherwise the air would be gradually
drawn off with the water which had absorbed it the whole tank would be filled' with
water and kept full the air supply would never be opened and in consequence the
water would not be aerated.

page_text: The air and water inlet valves may if desired be made in such combination as to be
operated by a single float, and they may be combined in one, but to avoid complication
I generally prefer to use separate floats and separate valves.
Dated this 5th day of May 1888.
improvements in Float and Valve Mechanism for Tanks.
I, JOHN HOWES of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, 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 present invention relates to float and valve mechanism for controlling the
supply of water and air to closed-in high pressure tanks, the object to be attained
being, to keep the tank supplied with water and air for the aeration of the water.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a section of a portion of one form of water inlet cock constructed
according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a tank with my improve-
ments applied thereto and of which Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the
line a Fig. 2 and of part of which Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line c-d
of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the air inlet valve of the same
and Fig. 6 is a vertical section through part of a building showing a water system
embodying my improvements.
'
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
With reference to figure 1 which represents one form of water inlet cock for
fulfilling, the requirements of this invention A is the barrel and A¹ is the conical plug.
capable of being turned therein in the ordinary manner.
A is the water-way
.
through the plug and A³ are tributary passages from the ends of the same, the
arrangement of these being such that when first the cock is turned on the water will
be allowed to pass but slowly but when turned fully on the water will have a free
passage through the way A as in other cocks of a similar construction. This forin of
cock is adapted for use with an ordinary float and will give very satisfactory results
but in practice I prefer to use an inlet cock of ordinary construction and a float of
special construction and so arranged that not until after the water in the tank to which
it is, fitted has fallen below a certain level will fresh water be admitted. Apparatus

page_text: for effecting this is shown in figures 2 to 6 with reference inore particularly to figure 2
of which A is the water inlet cock and A* the float through which a tube A figure 4
passes so that while enabling it to slide freely
on the rod A it will still be air-tight.
The rod A is coupled to the long arm of the lever A' and is screw threaded and
provided with the nuts A³ which may be adjusted thereon. The short arm of the
lever A carries the counter weight A which is just sufficient to balance the weight of
the rod AⓇ, long arm of lever A and nuts A³ but not the additional weight of the
float A¹. A is a bracket which may be provided for guiding the lower end of the
rod A and secured against the wall of the tank X. A" is the water supply pipe
connected to the cock A and A" is the service or distributing pipe. A is a bracket
secured to the wall of the tank and carrying the convex plate A" immediately
below the cock A so as to diffuse the water as it enters the tank and cause it thence
to fall in the form of a shower or spray so as to become readily saturated with air.
B is the air inlet valve which may advantageously be constructed in the manner
shown in figure 5 in which B' is a box the lower part of which is formed with the
seat B3 for the india-rubber or equivalent valve B³ which is carried by the tubular
rod B. This rod is guided and free to be moved longitudinally in the downwardly
extending projection B which is preferably cast in one with the box B¹ and has an
opening or openings B¹ to allow the air admitted between the valve B³ and seat B² to
pass into the tank X. B' is a screw which by projecting into a slot in the tubular
rod B regulates the amount of motion imparted to the valve B. B' is the float
secured to the arm B which pivots on a knife edge B³ provided in the lower end of
the projection B and is coupled by a pin B10 to the lower end of the rod B'. Bu is
a pipe fitted into the upper part of the box B' and leading ont into the open air where
it is fitted with an air filter B¹³ as indicated in figure 6.
The tank and its fittings constructed as before described may be regarded as a
complete water aerating device.
-
--
When the before described apparatus is employed in say a system such as is
shown in figure the said arrangement is placed on preferably the top floor of
the building and the inlet pipe A" fitted with a check valve C which will allow water
to flow upwards but not permit air or water to flow downwards through it. Just
below the valve C the pipe A" is is provided with the branch C' which is fitted with a
check valve C and which connects directly to the tank X. The valve C is of such
construction that it will allow water to pass through it only in the direction indicated
by the arrow shown in figures 2 and 6, that is to say from and not into the tank X.
The pipe D which leads from the street main is provided with the stop cock D¹ and
meter E and connects with the filter D2 which is preferably of the construction shown
and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 322,722.
It may with advantage be here stated that this filter D³ consists essentially of two
chambers d and d partitioned off from each other by a diaphragm d² constituting
the filtering medium so that virtually at the underside of the diaphragm is the dirty
or unfiltered water and at the upper side the clean or filtered water. It is to the
filtered-water side that the pipe A is connected while to the unfiltered-water side is
connected the pipe F which conducts water to the closets G where the valves are
marked 9 and to such other places as may require a service of water yet not
necessarily filtered water.
The cold-water service pipe A¹ is fitted with a cock A" and descends to a level
below the hot-water circulating cistern H to which it connects as shown, suitable
connections being made with the pipe A¹ for conducting cold water to the hand
basin I, baths J and sink K where the corresponding draw-off cocks are respectively
marked i, j, and k and to such other places as may be necessary. The hot water
service pipe L extends upwards from the upper part of the cistern H and has
connected to it branches for conducting hot water to the hand basin I where the
corresponding cock is marked it, baths J where the corresponding cocks are marked 'j¹
and to the sink K where the hot-water cock is marked ¹ and to any other desired
parts. To the upper end of the pipe L is connected the hot-water return pipe M
which is preferably of diameter smaller than the pipe L and which at its lower end

page_text: connects with the pipe N which besides being provided with the draw off cock n and
being connected to the lower end of the cistern H also connects with the boiler or
water back in the kitchen range or heater O from which the other pipe P passes to
the cistern H to complete the circulating arrangements. F' is a pipe leading to the
exterior of the house through which water may be drawn for gardening or other
purposes.
It being understood that the before described tank ✗ serves as an accumulator
and storage reservoir for the aeration of the water also to prevent its contamination by
noxious gases, dust and vermin and that the supply of water from the street main
is continuous I will now describe the operation of my improved system shown in
figure 6 as though the cock D' had previously been turned off and the before described
system had been exhausted of water. When first the cock D¹ is turned on, the
water will pass through the meter E and filter D' and will ascend through the
pipe A and valve C to the tank X the cock A of which is of course open by reason
of the float A resting upon the lower nut A8. In falling on the plate A¹ the water
will be diffused and fall in a shower or spray in which form it will more readily
take up the air which had been admitted by the valve B³. As the level of the water
in the tank X rises the air not absorbed by the water will be expelled through the
pipe B and the float B' will be buoyed up and through the rod B the valve B³
will be pressed against its seat B2 and thus prevent further escape of the air contained
in the tank, the water still continuing to enter the tank until the air in it is
subjected to a pressure equalling that of the incoming water or until the cock A
is turned off by the action of the float mechanism connected therewith which latter
operation is effected by the float A being lifted off the lower and by pressing
against the under side of the upper of the nuts A raising the long arm of the
lever A. The water levels at which the air inlet B2 and the water inlet A" are closed
are practically shown in figures 2 and 6 where the said levels are respectively marked
Y and Z. Without any further description it will be well understood how cold or hot
water may be drawn off from any of the various cocks or valves g, i, i, j, j, k, k³,
and n but I desire here to explain that when such water is drawn off water to replace
that so drawn from the system does not enter the tank at the same rate as it was
drawn off for if it did so no air would be admitted for its aeration. The cock A
(either that shown in figure 1 or figures 2, 3, 4, and 6) therefore allows the level of
the water in the tank X to sink sufficiently to open the air valve B³ to re-supply the
air absorbed as it will be by the pressure of the water before it again allows the water
to pass freely through it after which juncture the level of the water will again be
raised, until it first closes the air inlet valve B and then the water inlet.
When water is drawn through any of the water closets or other places connected to
the unfiltered side of the filter not only will water direct from the main be supplied
thereto but since the pressure is necessarily diminished in the pipe A" and by the
elasticity of the air then under pressure in the tank X some or perhaps all of the
water from that part of the tank which is above the branch pipe (will also be
supplied thereto thus causing the said portion of the "tank" water to be passed
through the filtering medium d in the reverse direction to that in which it had
previously been passed and thus effect the cleansing of the said medium. Were it not
for the check valve C the air would escape down pipe A¹¹ instead of forcing the water
through pipe C as it should do.
Many of the parts of the apparatus herein described being of known construction
it is to be understood that I make no claim to any such parts individually.
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 :-
1. The combination with a closed-in high pressure tank of air inlet valve and a
water inlet valve or cock arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with a closed-in high pressure tank of an air inlet valve such

page_text: as B and a water inlet valve or cock such as A so operated that the water is admitted
but slowly or not at all until the admission of the air has been effected substantially
as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a system such as herein described and illustrated in figure 6 of the accom-
panying drawings the combination with the apparatus therein specified and shown and
of which the tank X is an essential element of both a water and an air controlling
valve substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
4. In an apparatus such as described the combination with the water controlling
cock or valve such as A of a check valve such as C for the purpose of preventing the
escape of air through pipe A" and consequent lowering of pressure in the tank X
before the water is driven through pipe C₁ substantially as described and illustrated
in figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.