IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES, AND IN APPARATUS TO PREVENT THE
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Melling, of the Rainhill Iron Works, near
Prescot, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES, AND IN APPARATUS TO PREVENT THE
Sealed the 25th September 1857, and dated the 6th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Melling at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1857.
I, THOMAS MELLING, of the Rainhill Iron Works, near Prescot, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES, AND IN APPARATUS TO PRE-
VENT THE OVERFLOWING OF AND LETTING OFF THE WATER FROM BATHS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists in an arrangement for opening inverted taps or
valves by means of a screw or circular incliued disc. Also in the application.
of a similar circular disc plate to the working of a conical valve for letting the
water off baths, and of an arrangement to prevent their overflowing, without.
forming a hole in them expressly for that purpose. This I effect by means of
a double pipe, open at the top, with a partition in to the height the water is
required to stand in the bath.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Melling in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MELLING, of the Rainhill Iron Works, near Prescot, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Melling, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Melling, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Melling, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES,
AND IN APPARATUS TO PREVENT THE OVERFLOWING OF AND LETTING OFF THE WATER
FROM BATHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Melling, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Melling, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
46
The nature of "my Invention consists in opening and closing inverted taps a
"or valves by means of a quick-threaded screw and circular incline disc."
"Also in the application of a similar circular disc plate to the working of a
"conical valve for letting the water off baths, and to prevent their overflowing
by means of a double pipe, open at the top, and furnished with a partition
corresponding in height to the level of the water in the bath when full."
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the accompanying two Sheets of
Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon;
similar references apply to the same parts in the different Figures.
66
3

page_text: Fig. 1, Sheet 1, represents an application of my improved mode of opening
and closing taps or valves to a double box for admitting hot and cold water
into a bath; this Figure is partly in elevation, and partly in section. Fig. 2
is an end view; Fig. 3, a plan of the top of the box, partly in section; and
Fig. 4 is a plan, looking upon the top of the handles and index plate, with the
box seen underneath.
A is the box, of cast iron or other material, in which the valves B, B, are
placed; these valves in this instance are of the "conical "description; C, C, are
the valve seatings, of the ordinary construction; D, D, are quick-threaded screw
spindles, by which the valves are worked, and which it will be seen are placed
upon the opposite side of the valves to that in which the water is admitted.
By this arrangement, all pressure and consequent liability to leakage is
removed from the glands and box when the valves are closed. I have shewn
a quick-threaded screw, as I prefer it for its rapidity of action; in the present
case the valve is opened by half a turn of the screw, but the pitch and number
of threads can of course, in every case, be adapted to the work to be performed.
E, E, are the nuts in which the screws D, D, work, and which also serve for
the stuffing boxes; F, F, are set screws, for fixing the nuts or stuffing
boxes E, E; G is an index plate; H, H, handles for opening the valves; I, a
connection box for receiving the supply pipes V and W; this box is affixed to
the valve box A by two set screws J, J; L is a screw ferrule, for attaching
the box to the bath.
is
Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of an arrangement of the double
pipe for the overflow, and the circular disc plate applied to raising the waste
water valve; Fig. 6 is a side view; Fig. 7, a sectional plan of the waste valve
box; and Fig. 8, a plan, taken on the top of disc plate. The references are as
follow:-a, the box containing the conical waste water valve b; c, the seating
for valve b; is the valve spindle; e, the handle, having two nibs underneath it
to coincide with the disc; f is the circular disc plate fixed to the capping of
the bath, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 12, upon which the handle e works,
and which also serves the purpose of an index, shewing when the valve is
"open," and when "shut." g is the double overflow pipe, the ascending pipe
of which, being above the waste valve, and consequently in unbroken com-
munication with the bath, fills simultaneously with it until the water ascends to
the top of the partition g', when it passes down the descending pipe, as
indicated by the dotted arrow, and escapes by the waste pipe 9, thereby
preventing the further rising and overflowing of the water in the bath. h, h, are
two screw bolts and nuts, for attaching the overflow pipe g to the waste valve
box a. By using this improved compound overflow and waste water pipe, it is
evident that only one hole is required to be made in the bath.

page_text: On Sheet 2 I have shown my improved inlet and outlet valves and overflow
pipes applied to a bath; Fig. 9 is a side elevation; Fig. 10, an end view,
looking at the foot of the bath; Fig. 11, a plan; and Fig. 12, an end view,
looking from the head of the bath. Z is the bath, and V, W, are the service
pipes for supplying hot and cold water; the inlet valves for the hot and cold
water are contained in the box A; these valves with their necessary appendages
have been described in reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. The outlet valve,
with the pipe communicating with the bottom of the bath and the overflow
and waste pipe have been described in reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8. Y is
the wood capping round the top of the bath; and X, the floor upon which the
bath rests...
I wish to remark here, that the above-described improvements in taps or
valves may be applied to taps or valves for other purposes, as well as for baths,
as herein-before particularly referred to.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the details herein set forth; but what I claim is,-
First, opening and closing valves of conical or other form by means of a
screw and circular incline disc, acting upon the side of the valve opposite to
that exposed to pressure when it is closed.
Secondly, the employment of quick-threaded screws, or screws having more
than a single thread for opening and closing valves and taps.
Thirdly, the application of a circular incline disc and handle, as described,
for opening and closing valves for baths and other purposes.
And, fourthly, forming an overflow to baths by means of an ascending and
a descending pipe attached to the waste water pipe and valve box, and com-
municating with each other, as described.
In witness whereof, I; the said Thomas Melling, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
THOMAS MELLING. (L.S.)