IMPROVE- MENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ross, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Brassfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES."
Sealed the 26th October 1858, and dated the 5th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ross at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1858.
I, WILLIAM Ross, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of tap or valve to be
applied to pipes for the transmission of fluids. According to one modification
suitable for "water cranes" or "swan-neck" taps, the crane or swan-neck is
formed at its inner end with a cylindrical valve piece which works in a box
or enlargement formed on the supply pipe. When the tap is open the fluid
enters the crane or swan-neck through perforations round the cylindrical valve
piece, the inner end of this piece being closed. In closing the tap the cylin-
drical piece is moved longitudinally, and the perforations are covered by a
ring of caoutchouc, or other suitable flexible material, shaped spherically or
conically, so as to tightly embrace the cylindrical piece, and at the same time
serving as a stuffing for the aperture in which the crane or swan-neck works.
The motion for opening or closing the tap is obtained by means of a

page_text: groove and pin so arranged that on turning up the crane or swan-neck an
inclined part of the groove causes the cylindrical valve piece to move longi-
tudinally. It is however preferred to make a portion of the groove at right
angles to the valve piece, so as to prevent any discharge of the fluid until the
crane is turned nearly up to its full height. The same arrangement of valve
is applicable under various modifications and in various situations, and the
longitudinal motion of the valve piece may be obtained in various ways.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Ross in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
Ross, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Brassfounder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Ross, Her special licence that I, the said William Ross,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Ross, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Ross, 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 William Ross, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-

page_text: My said Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement or construction
of taps or valves to be applied to pipes for the transmission of fluids. According
to one modification embodying these improvements, and suitable for "water
cranes" or "swan-neck" taps, the crane or swan-neck is formed at its inner
end with a hollow cylindrical valve piece, which works in a box or enlarge-
ment formed on the supply.pipe. When the tap is open the fluid enters the
crane or swan-neck through perforations round the cylindrical valve piece,
the inner end of this valve piece being closed. In closing the tap the cylin-
drical valve piece is moved longitudinally, and the perforations are covered
by a ring of caoutchouc, or other suitable flexible material, shaped spherically
or conically, so as to tightly embrace the cylindrical valve piece, and at the
same time serving as a stuffing for the aperture in which the crane or swan-
neck works. The motion for opening or closing the tap is obtained by
means of a groove and pin so arranged that on turning up the crane or swan-
neck an inclined part of the side of the groove causes the cylindrical valve
piece to move longitudinally. It is, however, preferred to make a portion of
the groove at right angles to the valve piece, so as to prevent any discharge
of the fluid until the crane is turned nearly up to its full height. The improve-
ments are susceptible of various modifications, and are applicable to various
kinds of taps or valves.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood and
carried into effect, I have delineated upon a Sheet of explanatory Drawings,
and shall now particularly describe several modifications of taps or valves
embodying improvements comprehended in my said Invention. The same
reference letters mark the like parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation partly in section of a
water crane or swan-neck tap with its passage closed, and the swan-neck A
hanging down; Figure 2 represents the same tap with the passage open, the
swan-neck being supposed to be broken off. This example comprehends two
improvements, one in the mode of closing the passage, and the other in the
mode of obtaining the movement for opening or closing the passage. The
swan-neck A has attached at right angles to it a cylindrical valve piece B,
working in a bush or cover piece C, fixed in the shell D of the tap, into which
in this instance the water enters by a lateral branch E. The bush or cover C
may be fixed in its place either by screwing, as shewn in Figures 1 to 4, or
by means of screws passed through the shell D, as shewn in Figures 5 to 8.
The inner end of the tubular valve piece B is closed, but lateral perforations
are made near the end to admit the water into the valve piece and swan-neck.
The valve piece B is embraced inside the shell D by a ring F, of a suitable

page_text: elastic material, such as vulcanised caoutchouc, and formed with a flange, which
fits in a step in the shell D, where it is held by the cover C. This ring F is of a
conical or somewhat spherical shape, its inner opening being originally less
then the outer diameter of the valve piece B, so that it is stretched by the
insertion of the latter, and its elasticity holds it in water-tight contact there-
with, whilst it also serves as a stuffing to prevent leakage either outside or
inside of the cover C. When the valve piece B is drawn out, so that its lateral
perforations are under or inside the caoutchouc ring F, as shown in Figure 1,
the water cannot enter the swan-neck, but when the valve piece is pushed in,
as in Figure 2, so that the lateral perforations are not covered by the
caoutchouc ring, the water enters the perforations, and passes through the
valve piece B, and out through the swan-neck A. When the tap is closed,
the water pressure aids the elasticity of the caoutchouc in keeping it tight,
and when it is open a similar action prevents leakage round the valve piece B.
Before describing the arrangements for moving the valve piece B, I will
describe a modification of this valve piece, and the caoutchouc ring or closing
piece F, represented closed in Figure 3, and open in Figure 4, these Figures
being side elevations partly in section similar to Figure 2. In this modifica-
tion the valve piece B is on closing the passage drawn wholly inside the
caoutchouc closing piece F, which assumes a cup form, as in Figure 3, and is
protruded through it as in Figure 4, on opening the passage. Instead of the
inner end of the valve piece being shaped as shown in Figures 3 and 4, it may
be formed like the open end of a pipe, but with the outer edge rounded off.
The point of the cup or closing piece F may have a small round perforation,
or one or more short slits may be cut across it.
The taps represented in Figures 1 to 4 are opened or closed by the longi-
tudinal movement of the valve piece B, and a portion of this Invention is
directed to the obtainment of this movement in a peculiarly simple way,
involving great constructive economy, being also obviously applicable to any
other kind of tap or valve requiring such a movement. In water cranes or
swan-neck taps, the swan-neck usually hangs down when closed, and is turned
up through a semicircle when discharging water. According to the present
Invention this turning is taken advantage of to move the valve piece B
longitudinally, and so open the tap by means of a pin G, and groove H, the
former fixed in the valve piece B, and the latter formed in the bush or cover C,
that is, in the socket in which the valve piece works. A portion of the
groove H is inclined or helical, so as to cause the valve piece to move longi-
tudinally, but before the pin reaches this inclined part, it has to traverse a
portion running directly round or at right angles to the valve piece, and the

page_text: longitudinal movement and consequent opening of the tap does not commence
until the swan-neck A is turned up nearly to its full height. The straight
part of the groove is also of advantage in preventing the tap from opening by
mere longitudinal pressure. It is the side of the groove H (in Figures 1 to 4)
which by its action on the pin G causes the required movement, and to
simplify the construction the part corresponding to one side of the groove may
be formed on one edge of the cover C, and the other on the other edge as in
Figure 5; two pins G being fixed in the valve piece B, one against each edge
of the cover C. In Figure 5 the inclines at I and J, for obtaining the longi-
tudinal movement, are shaped so that the swan-neck may be turned in
either direction: This modification of the contrivance for obtaining the
longitudinal motion is applicable when the tap is constructed in other respects as
shown in Figures 1 or 3. It is, however, shown in Figure 5 as in combination
with a common disc valve K, which closes the passage by coming in contact
with an annular seating L formed in the valve chamber or shell D. When
the valve is open, as shown in Figure 5, the water finds its way to the
swan-neck by lateral perforations in the tubular piece B. When this piece B
is turned, the incline at I causes the valve to close, but if the valve is
closed, the turning will bring the outer pin G in contact with the incline at J,
which will cause the valve to open. If the water has sufficient pressure, the
outer pin G and the incline at J may be dispensed with, as shown in Figure 6,
since the pressure will open the valve when the inner pin G comes round to
the hollow formed by the inclines at I.
Figures 7 and 8 are longitudinal vertical sections of taps, shaped externally
like ordinary nose cocks, having their valvular details similar to what are
shown in Figures 5 and 6 respectively. These Figures (7 and 8) show the
mode of applying my "pin and incline" contrivance to nose cocks. Although
I have herein-before described the pin or projection G as being upon the
moveable piece B, and the groove H, or guiding surfaces I, J, (or one of these
last), upon the fixed piece C, the same effect may be obtained by fixing or
forming the pin or projection upon the fixed piece C, the groove or guiding
surfaces being formed upon the moveable piece B.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I have to state that
I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein-before described and
delineated, and that I do not claim to have invented every separate detail
herein-before described or delineated; but that what I consider to be novel
and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,―

page_text: First, the several general arrangements or combinations of the parts of taps
or valves, herein-before described and delineated.
Second, the system or mode of constructing a tap or valve, so that the
closing and opening of the passage is effected by moving a tubular piece,
through which the fluid has to pass, so as to bring perforations for admitting
the fluid into such tubular piece to the inside or outside of an elastic ring or
cup, as herein-before described, together with the arranging of the elastic ring
or cup so as to prevent leakage at the working joint of the tap, also as herein-
before described.
Third, the application and use in taps or valves of a pin or projection, and
groove or surface, arranged to impart a longitudinal motion to the valve piece,
such groove or surface being inclined through only a part of the space traversed
by the pin or projection, as herein-before described, and for the purposes herein-
before explained, together with the so arranging these parts that the moveable
piece may be turned in either direction, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ross, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT, Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square.
WILLIAM ROSS. (L.S.)