Improvement in Self-closing Faucet.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Self-closing Faucet.
I, JOHN SHORE TATE, of 60, Brecknock Road, London, Engineer, 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:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken through the centre of my improved self-
closing faucet.
Figure 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the ineans
of forcing the valve-stem downward and opening the faucet.
Figure 3 is a section taken on the line e Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section taken on the line y y Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a section taken on the line y Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a section taken through the valve-stem near the valve, and showing
the manner in which the stem is cut away to allow the water to enter freely when
the valve is depressed.
In the drawings A is the shell of the faucet, provided with threads at the
top and bottom by means of which the cap B is screwed on at the top and
the pipe C attached at the bottom.
The cap B is stationary and is provided with double-inclined oppositely-disposed
cáms as shown.
D is a rod or shank extending up through an aperture in the cap B and formed
to receive at its top a handle or other means of rotating it.
At its lower end it
carries a shoulder, taking in the upper or recessed part of the cap, the upper side
of which shoulder is formed into cams the counterparts of and coacting with those
in the cap.
E is the valve-stem, rising within the shell to such distance that the collar N
may be immediately beneath the underside of the shoulder on
the rod or
shank D.
The valve F is fastened to its stem by means of a screw which passes through the
valve into the bottom of the stem, which is fashioned to receive it. The valve, when
closed, rests against a suitable seat formed on the inside of the shell. The stem
just above the valve is cut away, as shown, to allow the water to enter freely when
the valve is depressed.
His a guide for the valve-stem and is formed on the inside of the shell, as shown
in Fig. 4. The guide H is provided with openings, as shown in Figure 4, which
allow the water to pass through freely and come in contact with the rim I, which is
made stationary on the stem, as shown. This rim fits nicely within the shell, but is
provided with one or more small notches on its outer surface, which allow the water
to pass slowly, into the chamber J above. The upper surface of the rim is not flat,
but hollowed out around the stem. The top of this chamber is closed by the
washer K surrounding the valve-stem and resting upon a suitable shoulder formed
on the inside of the shell, as shown.
L is a rubber diaphragm fitting tightly around the small threaded extremity of
the valve-stem, with its central portion resting upon a suitable shoulder M, formed
upon the valve-stem considerably above the washer, as shown. This diaphragm
fits tightly within the shell, its outer edge resting upon the washer, thereby pre-
venting any water from passing above the washer. The position and shape of this
diaphragm when in place, as described, are distinctly shown in Figure 1. Above
the diaphragm, resting upon its outer edge and holding it in place, is a collar N,
which fits nicely within the shell. Above the diaphragm, holding its central
portion in place and screwed down tightly upon the small threaded extremity of
D

page_text: the valve-stem, is a small button O. The small extremity of the valve-stem
projects above the button O and enters a suitable opening in the bottom of the
spindle D, so that the bottom of this spindle rests upon the button O when the
valve L is closed and the spindle occupies its highest position. Cap B, when
screwed into position upon the shell, as shown in Figure 1, holds collar N
tightly in place.
:- -When
The operation of my improved self-closing faucet is as follows
spindle D is turned, it is forced downward by the combined action of its cams
and the double-inclined cams on the inside of the cap B. This movement of
spindle D forces the valve-stem downward and opens the valve by virtue of the
mechanism heretofore described. The valve being open, the water passes freely
into shell A and out of the spout R. It also rises above guide H, comes in
contact with rim I, and passes thence slowly into chamber through the small
notches in the rim, heretofore described, until this chamber is full. As soon as
spindle D is released the pressure of the water upon the valve has a tendency to
return it suddenly to its seat, which would be the case were it not for the water in
chamber J, which acts as a cushion on rim I compelling the valve to return
gradually to its seat since the water can pass out of chamber J only through the
small notches in rim through which it entered. By locating the valve stem
entirely within the casing and allowing only enough thereof to pass up through the
diaphragm as suffices to give a good seating to the collar N all danger of water
passing up to the top of the cap is obviated, and the annoyance so common with
many faucets of leakage around the valve-stem is entirely done away with.
In the self-closing faucets heretofore used as soon as the lever is released the
valve returns suddenly to its seat, cutting off the discharge so quickly that ofttimes
the pipe is burst to which the faucet is attached. The object of my improvement is
to overcome this difficulty.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is --
In a self-closing faucet, the combination of the casing A, extended upwardly to
form the chamber and having an interior shoulder M, a valve-stem located
entirely therein and having the rim I, with one or more notches I', a valve at the
lower end thereof, the washer K, diaphragm L, collar N, the cap B, having the
double inclined oppositely-disposed cams in its interior, and the rod D, having a
shoulder at its inner end with cams corresponding to and coacting with those in the
cap, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of February 1891
J. E. EVANS JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.