Improvements in and connected with Ball Taps or Valves for Cisterns and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Ball Taps or Valves for Cisterns
and the like.
I, ALBERT BARRACLOUGHI, of High Street, Heckmondwike, in the County of
York, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects of this invention are, firstly, to facilitate the regulation of the water
level in tanks, cisterns and the like, and, secondly, to provide new and novel
means for admitting air to the cistern supply pipes when it is desired to draw
off the water in case of frost or during repairs.
In carrying out the first part of my invention, I make the lever of the ball
valve or tap in two parts or in the form of two levers, one of which is connected
at one end to the tap or valve, and at the opposite end is turned
up to form or carry a pivot or joint, on which the other part or
lever, which carries the ball or float, is centred, the end of said
second part extending a short distance over the first part and being enlarged
and provided with a screw threaded opening, or forked and provided with a nut
through which, or through the screw threaded opening a regulating screw is
passed. By turning the said screw in one direction or the other the ball or
Hoat is raised or lowered as the case may be, and set at any level required, this
method of regulating the water level avoiding the bending of the float lever and
the frequent breakages which occur in setting the parts to give the proper level.
The regulating screw may work through a screwed opening in the lever connected
with the tap or valve and, by engaging with teeth or notches on the end of the
float lever raise or lower said lever to the position desired.
In carrying out the second part of my invention the tap or valve above referred
to is made with a projection on its upper side which is bored out to receive a
conical cup, or equivalently shaped valve composed of indiarubber or other
similar flexible material or substance, and which is kept in position by a cap
screwed on to the projection. The conical end of said indiarubber or flexible valve
projects inwardly and is cut or split centrally, the cut portion being closed and
kept tight by the pressure of the water in the pipes. When emptying the supply
pipes the overflow of the water allows the pressure of the atmosphere to act on
the conical valve, the cut lips of which are forced apart and allow the air to pass
through into the pipes whereby the formation of a vacuum therein is prevented
and the pipes can be completely emptied.

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Ball Taps or Valves for Cisterns
and the like.
++
I, ALBERT BARRACLOUGH, of. High Street, Heckmondwike, in the County of
York, Plumber, 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 objects of this invention are, firstly, to facilitate the regulation of the water
level in cisterns, tanks and the like, and, secondly, to provide new and novel
means for admitting air to the cistern supply pipes when it is desired to draw
off the water in case of frost or during repairs.
In carrying out the first part of my invention I make the lever of the ball
valve or tap in two parts or in the form of two levers, one of which is
connected at one end to the tap or valve and at the opposite end is
turned up to form or carry a pivot or joint on which the other part
or lever, which carries the ball or float is centred, the end of said second
part extending a short distance over the first, part and being enlarged and
provided with a screw threaded opening, or forked and provided with a nut
through which, or through the screw threaded opening, a regulating screw is
passed. By turning the said screw in one direction or the other the ball or
Hoat is raised or lowered as the case may be, and set at any level required, this
method of regulating the water level avoiding the bending of the float lever and
the frequent breakages which occur in setting the parts to give the proper level.
The regulating screw may work through a screwed opening in the lever connected
with the tap or valve and, by engaging with teeth or notches on the end of the
float lever raise or lower said lever to the position desired.
In carrying out the second part of my invention the tap or valve above referred
to is made with a projection on its upper side which is bored out to receive a
conical cup, or equivalently shaped valve composed of india rubber or other
similar flexible material or substance, and which is kept in position by a cap
screwed on to the projection. The conical end of said indiarubber or flexible valve
projects inwardly and is cut or split centrally, the cut portion being closed and
kept tight by the pressure of the water in the pipes. When emptying the supply
pipes the overflow of the water allows the pressure of the atmosphere to act on
the conical valve, the cut lips of which are forced apart and allow the air to pass
through into the pipes whereby the formation of a vacuum therein is prevented
and the pipes can be completely emptied.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is elevation of a ball float lever and tap or valve constructed and
arranged according to my invention, the parts being shewn applied to a cistern;
Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are elevations shewing several alternative and equivalent
constructions or arrangements of ball float lever to that shewn in Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is transverse section of flexible valve for admitting air to the cistern
supply pipes when it is desired to draw off the water;
Fig. 7 is underneath plan of Fig. 7; and
Fig. 8 is elevation of a modified construction of flexible air valve.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
Referring to Fig. 1 the first part of my invention consists essentially in con-
structing the ball float lever in such manner that the extent of the arc of move-
ment of the float or hollow sphere can be regulated to any degree of nicety
irrespective of the normal movement of the end of the lever controlling the

page_text: The
valve, and my improvements comprise a float lever built up or composed of two
separate and distinct parts or members a and b which are pivotted together at c
by a stud, pin, or cotter. The part or member a is hinged at d to the valve
casing e, the cam shaped or enlarged extremity engaging with the ends of a
slot in the plug or valve f to operate said valve in the ordinary manner.
part or member 6 has secured on its free end the ball float or hollow sphere g.
Projecting up from the part or member a is a lug a wherein, in a parallel
line with part a, is a screw threaded opening through which is adapted to work
a screw h provided with a milled or other suitable head h¹. Projecting up from
the part or member b is a plate or finger b¹ which abuts against the end of the
screw when the float attains its highest position and, therefore, by turning the
screw to right or left as the case may be to screw it further through the
lug a¹ or unscrew it therefrom, the altitude attainable by the float can be varied
to any extent within the limits of adjustment of the parts, and the level of the
water in the cistern i thus regulated as required to the greatest nicety and without
any trouble or loss of time. This method of regulating the water level avoids the
necessity of bending the float lever, and prevents the breakages which heretofore
frequently occur in setting the parts to give the desired water level. The part or
member engages when in its lowest position (shewn in dotted line) with a stop
or toe piece on the end of part a and is held thereby until the water in the
cistern rises up to the float.
Instead of the construction shewn at Fig. 1 the regulating screw h may work
through a screwed opening in the overlapping end of the part or member b
(or a as the case may be) and abut against the upper edge of the part or
member a (or b), the extremity of the latter being turned up and centred to the
former at c as shewn at Fig. 2; or, in lieu of the screw abutting against the
part a it may be loosely connected at its lower end to a swivelling block which
is self adjustable laterally in a slot in the part or member a, as shewn at Fig. 3.
In Fig. 4 the regulating screw works through a nut / located in the forked end
of, say, the part or member b, and abuts against the upper edge of part a, or
against a lug on the side thereof. The ends of the regulating screws h in the
example shewn at Figs. 1, 2, and 4 are preferably rounded so as to accommodate
themselves to the various angles assumed by the parts as adjusted from time to
time.
The nut (Fig. 4) is also rounded or made convex on both faces to enable it
to adjust itself to the angle or inclination of the screw h.
In Fig. 5 the regulating screw h, which is of coarser pitch or comprises a
worm is supported in bearings in the end of the part or member a and is free to
rotate therein, said worm or screw engaging with a quadrant or segment m on
the end of the part or member b which by rotating the screw or worm h in one
direction or the other, is thus adjusted radially about the centre c, to raise or lower
the water level. The endwise motion of a screw working through a screw threaded
opening in part a and engaging the segment m, would give a like result.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise construc-
tion and arrangement of the parts for adjusting the position of the float to
regulate the water level, as shewn in the several figures, as these may be varied
or modified to obtain the same result, without departing from the main feature of
this part of my invention.
In order that the plug or valve f may be removed from the valve casing to
apply a fresh washer, or for other purposes, without disturbing or removing the
float lever, I make the upper half e¹ (Fig. 1) of the barrel in which the plug f
works separate from the valve casing and secure it thereto by screws screwed
through lugs on the parts e, e¹, as shewn. By removing the cap e¹ the plug can
be taken out and replaced again without disturbing the float lever.
Referring now to the means for admitting air to the cistern supply pipes when
drawing off the water and constituting the second part of my invention, I form on
the valve e a nipple or extension e³ (Fig. 1) adapted to receive a conical, cup, or

page_text: equivalently shaped valve n, composed of indiarubber or other similar flexible or
elastic material, which is secured in position by a cap o screwed on to the
nipple . The conical end of said indiarubber or flexible, valve projects inwardly
and is cut or split centrally at n³, this said cut or opening being closed normally
and kept perfectly tight by the pressure of the water in the pipes. When
emptying the supply pipes the outflow of the water allows the pressure of the
atmosphere to act on the conical valve, the cut lips of which are thereby forced
apart and allow air to pass through into the pipes, whereby the formation of a.
vacuum therein is prevented and the pipes can be completely emptied of water.
The valve n may be moulded or formed as shewn at Figs. 1, 6, and 7, or as
shewn at Fig. 8.
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 method of regulating the water level in cisterns and the like, by
separating the float or part carrying the float from rigid or fixed attachment
to the float lever or that part of the lever which actuates the plug or valve, and
so connecting the same together that, by means of a suitable screw, the position
or height to which the float can rise can be readily and expeditiously adjusted or
regulated to a nicety substantially as herein set forth and for purposes specified.
(2). The construction and arrangement of float levers in two separate parts
or halves pivotted or hinged together, one part actuating the valve and the other
part carrying the ball float or hollow sphere, in combination with regulating
screws or the like working through nuts or their equivalents in one part or
half of the lever and adapted to engage with the other part or half of the lever
for restricting or increasing the arc of movement of the ball float in order to
regulate the level of the water in the cistern as required, substantially as herein
shewn and described.
(3). In ball taps or valves for water cisterns and the like, an air valve, pre-
ferably of conical formation and composed of indiarubber or similar flexible or
elastic material, which is secured to the valve casing with the conical end
projecting inwardly into same, said conical end being cut, split or divided
centrally and adapted to be closed and sealed tight by the pressure of water
within the valve, and to open under atmospheric pressure when the water is being
drawn off and admit air to the valve and supply pipes, substantially as herein
shewn and described and for purposes set forth.
Dated this 9th day of June 1899.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Huddersfield, Agents for Applicant.