AN IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-CLOSING STOP- DIOF COCKS.
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Newell Brown Coffin, junoir, of the State of
Massachusetts, of the United States of America, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-CLOSING
STOP-
DIOF COCKS.
Sealed the 3rd August 1855, and dated, the 5th June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said 'David Newell Brown
Coffin.at the Office of the Commissioners of .Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th June, 1855.
I, DAVID NEWELL BROWN COFFIN, junior, of the State of Massachusetts, of
'the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion of "A NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-CLOSING STOP-COCKS" to be
described in the following Specification and the accompanying Drawings, of
which, Figure 1 denotes a vertical and longitudinal section of one of the
improved cocks; Figure 2 exhibits a vertical and transverse section of it, "the
same being taken through the valve at the line a, a, of Figure 1; Figure 3
represents a horizontal section of the cock, and is taken through the line y, y,
of Figure 1. It has long been a desideratum to obtain for the pipes that
supply and distribute water in cities a stop-cock, simple in construction, durable,
and cheap, whose valve could be readily opened by hand, and would close of
itself when the power by which it might be 'opened was withdrawn, and thus
prevent the waste which will result from carelessly leaving a hydrant open.
It is the main object of my Invention to supply this desideratum.

page_text: The cock represented in the Drawings does not differ materially in its
external form and proportions from ordinary cocks. It has a chamber to
contain the valve and its seat. Such chamber communicates by one tube, called
the shank of the cock, with the pipe, cistern, or other source of the liquid to be
drawn off, while by another tube, called the nozzle, it opens into the surrounding
air, or the receptacle into which the liquid is to be discharged.
The valve seat h and valve a are for the purpose of opening and closing the
communication between these, tubes through the chamber i, so as to establish
a current of the liquid through the cock from the source of supply and to cut
off the same at will.
The valve chamber, which may be cylindrical, has its upper end closed by a
screw gland or cap d, which serves the purposes of guiding the valve stem,
permitting the same to protrude through the side of the cock, and of com-
pressing an elastic packing of india-rubber or other suitable material not only
tightly around such stem, but against the sides of the chamber, so as to prevent
leakage, and also to support the packing against the valve, in order that it may
be pressed constantly towards its seat.
The valve a is in this example cylindrical, and is fitted into the chamber so
as to slide freely towards and from its seat h: The stem é of the valve extends
through the gland or cap d, and is surrounded by an annular piece of vulcanized
india-rubber e. This packing also presses upon the valve with sufficient force
to cause it to close promptly; and to hold it closed whenever the valve is
opened, the spring will be forcibly compressed, and consequently, will tend with
increased power to. return the valve to its seat. The upper extremity of the
valve stem is jointed to the central part of a disc, cap, or foot, whose edges
project considerably beyond the sides of the stem, and rest upon the top of the
gland d. From the upper side of this foot fa hand lever h projects upwards,
and stands erect when the valve is closed. By inclining this lever any away
in which the joint will allow it to turn, the valve will be raised, but as the
point at which the stem
is jointed to the foot is always coniderably on one
side of the point on which the edge of the foot rests, there is nothing to prevent
the valve from being closed by the pressure of the spring. whenever the
hand of the operator is removed from the lever h, therefore the cock will be
in no danger of standing open except when intentionally held so.
I have described a vulcanized india-rubber packing, as I have tried that
substance and found it to answer a good, purpose, but I have no doubt that many
other elastic substances or springs, simple or compound, might be employed for
the purpose, and would answer. very well.
ני
Having thus described my improved stop-cock, what I claim therein as my

page_text: Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is, the application of elastic
packing, substantially as herein described, that is, so that it shall perform the
two duties of packing the valve stem and constantly pressing the valve towards
its seat.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Newell Brown Coffin, j', in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th October 1855
"TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
で
NEWELL BROWN COFFIN, j', of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States
of Amèrica, send greeting.......
the.
.
ហ
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, A.D. 1855, in the eighteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and, successors, give and grant
unto me, the said David Newell Brown Coffin, j, Her special license, that I,
said David Newell Brown Coffin, j, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as. I, the said David Newell Brown Coffin, j, 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 of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-CLOSING STOP-COCKS," upon
the condition [amongst others] that I, the said David. Newell Brown Coffin, j',
an instrument in writing, under my hand and seal, 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.
by
1
A
12417
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Newell Brown Coffin, j', 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, Specification and the accompanying Drawings, letters, figures, and
references thereof:
1
Of said Drawings, Figure.1 denotes a vertical and longitudinal section of
one of the improved cocks; Figure. 2 exhibits a vertical and transverse section
of it, the same being taken through the valve at the line.x, x, of Figure 1;
Figure 3 represents a horizontal section of the cock, and is taken through the

page_text: open.
line y, y, of Figure 1. It has long been a desideratum to obtain for the pipes
that supply and distribute water in cities a stop-cock, simple in' construction,
durable, and cheap, whose valve could be readily opened by hand, and would
close of itself when the power by which it might be opened was withdrawn,
and thus prevent the waste which will result from carelessly leaving the liydrant
It is the main object of my Invention to supply this desideratum.
The cock represented in the Drawings does not differ materially in its external
form and proportions from ordinary cocks. It has a chamber to contain the
valye, and its seat. Such chamber communicates by one tube, called the shank
of the cock, with the pipe, cistern, or other source of supply of the liquid to be
drawn off, while by another tube, called the nozzle, it opens into the surrounding
air or the receptacle into which the liquid is to be discharged..
1
The valve seat (n) and the valve a are for the purpose of opening and
closing the communication between these tubes through the chamber (i), so as
to establish a current of the liquid through the cock from the source of supply,
and to cut off the same at will.
The valve chamber, which may be cylindrical, has its upper end closed by a
screw gland (d), which serves the purposes of guiding the valve stem, per-
mitting the same to protrude through the side of the cock, and of compressing
an elastic packing of india-rubber or other suitable material not only tightly
around such stem, but against the sides of the chamber, so as to prevent
leakage, and also to support the packing against the valve, in order that it may
be pressed constantly towards its seat.
The valve (a) in this example is cylindrical, and is fitted into the chamber
so as to slide freely towards and away from its seat (n). The steme of the
valve extends through the gland or cap d, and is surrounded or packed by
an annular piece of vulcanized india-rubber (c). This packing also presses
upon the valve with sufficient force to cause it to close promptly and to hold it
closed. Whenever the valve is opened the spring will be forcibly compressed,
and consequently will tend with increased power to return the valve to its seat.
The upper extremity of the valve stem is jointed to the central part of a disc,
cap, or foot, whose edges (r) project considerably beyond the sides of the stem,
and rest upon the top of the gland (d). From the upper side of the foot fa
hand lever (h) projects upwards, and stands erect when the valve is closed.
By inclining this lever any way in which the joint will allow it to turn, the
valve will be raised, but as the point at which the stem is jointed to the foot is
always considerably on one side of the point on which the edge of the foot rests,
there is nothing to prevent the valve from being closed by the pressure of the
spring whenever the hand of the operator is removed from the lever (h);'

page_text: therefore the cock will be in no danger of standing open except when
intentionally held so.
I have described a vulcanized india-rubber packing, as. I have tried that
substance and found it to answer a good purpose, but I have no doubt that many
other elastic substances or springs, simple or compound, might be employed
for the purpose, and answer very well.
Having thus described my improved stop-cock, what I claim therein as my
Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is, the application of elastic
packing, substantially as herein described, that is, so that it shall perform the
two duties of packing the valve stem and constantly pressing the valve towards
its seat.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord Öne thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five.
DAVID NEWELL BROWN COFFIN, J. (L.S.)