IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE VALVULAR DETAILS OF DOMESTIC APPARATUS FOR THE SUPPLY AND ECONOMICAL USE OF WATER
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Shanks, of Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED
WITH THE VALVULAR DETAILS OF DOMESTIC APPARATUS FOR THE SUPPLY AND
ECONOMICAL USE OF WATER.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Shanks at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1882.
JOHN SHANKS, of Barrhead, in the. County of Renfrew, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE VALVULAR. DETAILS OF DOMESTIC
APPARATUS FOR THE SUPPLY AND ECONOMICAL USE OF WATER
"
:
This Invention relates to the valvular details of domestic apparatus for the
supply and use of water; and its object is to simplify and otherwise improve the
construction of such apparatus, to render it less liable to get out of order, and to
prevent waste.
The first part of the Invention relates to apparatus for supplying hot and cold
water to wash-hand basins or lavatories, to baths, to jaw boxes or sinks, or to any
vessels used for washing. One improvement consists in combining taps for hot
and cold water with a chamber or internal space and a single discharge nozzle,so
that hot and cold water can be mixed before entering the basin, bath, or other
vessel, the taps being by preference such as operate with a screwing action, or
otherwise, in a manner admitting of their being adjusted to supply different
quantities according to the temperature of the mixture required. In one modifi-
cation instead of the ordinary plate or mounting for carrying the hot and cold
water taps or their handles and the. waste-valve handle, there is formed a hollow
casing having an aperture through the middle for the rod of the waste handle,
whilst it is formed with a single discharge, nozzle for the water supply, the tap or
valve bodies for hot and cold water being formed in or fixed to the casing one at
each side. Or the tap or valve bodies may be separate from the hollow casing but
made, to communicate therewith by suitable pipes or passages.

page_text: When, as in the case of baths, provision for supplying water at different points
is to be made, as for shower, spray, or douche for example, a single pair of taps
only are by this Invention fitted to the primary supply pipes and these are con-
nected to a main chamber from which branch pipes are led to the several points of
discharge, and a movable valve piece of a disk-like cylindrical, or conical form, is
arranged to direct the flow as required, the valve piece being set by means of an
external handle which is movable over a dial having marked on it the designa-
tions of the several discharges The valve piece can be arranged so as to allow of
the water passing through two of the branch pipes at once
.
The taps employed in the improved apparatus are "of a well known kind in
which the valve piece is closed against the pressure by a screwing action, but the
valve piece is guided so as not to turn, and the spindle is made with a coarse-pitch
thread working in or on the valve piece and with a fine-pitch thread working in
the tap body, the two threads being arranged so that the spindle moves slightly
inwards when drawing the valve piece outwards and vice versa.
With this
arrangement there is the advantage of a quick action without the liability of the
screw parts to yield to the pressure. The tap may be modified by using a single
thread on the spindle, catches or frictional appliances being fitted in connection
with the spindle to prevent it from turning except by hand. The tap may also be
modified so as to close with the pressure if preferred. The handles or other suitable
parts of the supply taps and of the waste valve are connected in such a way that
the former cannot be open except when the latter is shut, an arrangement
which will render it impossible to waste water in a manner occurring to a very
great extent with ordinary arrangements.
1
In order to economise water and prevent waste, the lavatories, baths, or other
vessels are supplied from a cistern the valvular appliances of which are arranged in
an improved manner to limit the quantity supplied at each time of using, a downlet
valve in the cistern being, in this case, used instead of a tap. The downlet valve
is in one modification made with a conical rim or a rubber flange to close down on
the valve seat, and is formed or fitted with a tube having a closed bottom. The
rod or wire which lifts.the valve has a long piston or plunger entering down, into
the tube, and lifts the valve by suction; but the water gets to the under side of
the plunger or piston as it does not fit watertight and in a certain time the valve
1. falls and closes and thereby limits the quantity supplied even if the lifting rod
continues raised. A cylinder is attached to the lifting. rod and is made with an
annular bottom end working somewhat closely on the tube of the valve; and
when after the raising of the rod the valve descends the outer cylinder keeps up a
quantity of water to feed the tube and prevent access of air which would cause the
valve to descend too rapidly. When a somewhat slower closing action of the valve
is required, an annular piston may be formed or fixed on the tube to work in the
outer cylinder. In some cases (in which the outer cylinder is not used) the tube is
formed or fixed partly or entirely below. the bearing flange or rim of the valve;
and then the tube may serve to guide the valve, a fixed central guide eye being
provided for it to work in. Where large supplies are required and the valve has
to close slowly it may be formed or fitted with three or more tubes, and these or
some of them may be arranged in a circle just within the valve seat so as to act
as guides and dispense with other guiding details.. In this case the several plungers
or pistons are connected to one disk or head to which the 'lifting rod or wire is
attached. In. another modification the downlet pipe is extended up inside the
cistern and is encircled by a larger pipe having a closed top and formed with an
enlargement at its lower end and with one or more openings. Within the enlarge-
ment there is an annular plate connected by a pair of rods with the lever by which
the apparatus, is set in action; and when the annular plate is raised quickly it
causes the water to rise over the top of the upwardly extended downlet pipe and
then run off as by a siphon; but the quantity at each time of using is determined
by the position of an air hole in the outer tube the siphonal action stopping 'as

page_text: soon as the water level in the cistern descends to that hole. These improved waste-
preventing downlet valves are advantageously applicable to cisterns for supplying
urinals and waterclosets; and in such applications a similar construction of parts
may be added for limiting the quantity of water supplied for the after flush.
The present Invention also comprises an improvement connected with the waste
valve of a bath or similar washing: vessel; according to which improvement the
bath or vessel is cast or formed with a recess at the bottom, of- the end for the
waste valve allowing of easy access to that valve and its seat from the inside of
the bath or vessel. A permanent tube extends from the top of the recess up' to the
handle plate for the passage up of the rod for lifting the valve; or the valve rod or,
overflow tube when attached to the valve may be arranged to work either in a
groove formed up the end-of the bath or in a pipe fixed inside of the bath.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed-
by the said John Shanks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th January
1883.
JOHN SHANKS, of Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE VALVULAR DETAILS OF DOMESTIC.
APPARATUS.FOR THE SUPPLY AND ECONOMICAL USE OF WATER"
My said Invention relates to the valvular details of domestic apparatus for the
supply and use of water; and its object is to simplify and otherwise improve
the construction of such apparatus, to render it less liable to get out of order, and
to prevent waste.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I bereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing modifications of my improved
apparatus. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The first part of my Invention relates to apparatus for supplying hot and cold
water to wash-hand basins or lavatories, to baths, to jaw-boxes or sinks, or to any
vessels used for washing. One improvement consists in combining taps for hot and
cold water in an improved manner with a chamber or internal space, and a single
discharge nozzle or delivery pipe, the said space being somewhat more than a mere
passage, so that hot and cold water can be mixed before entering the basin, bath,
or other vessel, the taps being such as operate with a screwing action, or otherwise,
in a manner admitting of their being adjusted to supply different quantities
according to the temperature of the mixture required
One modification of my combined hot and cold water taps is shown in figures 1, 2,
and 3 on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings; and in this modification, instead
of the ordinary plate or mounting for carrying the hot and cold water tap
handles, 21, 22, and the waste valve handle, 23, to which the taps are usually
separately attached, there is formed a hollow casing, 24, which is shown in
horizontal section in figure, 3, and in vertical section in figure, 2, whilst figure, 1,
is a plan of the complete combination. This casing 24, is formed with a central
opening for the waste valve handle, 23, and with a single discharge nozzle, 25.
Each lateral part of the casing forms a tap body for the hot or cold water, the
inlet being in each case an externally screwed pipe, 26, projecting down from the
underside for the attachment of the supply pipes, 27, 28, and each valve seat being
the edge of an orifice in the bottom of the casing. The valves, of which one, 29, is
shown in figure, 2, is of the well known kind which is closed by screwing down
against the pressure, and the two valves can be adjusted so as to allow different
quantities of hot and cold water to pass which getting mixed within the casing
issues at the nozzle of the average temperature without requiring intermixing
afterwards. Instead of having the discharge nozzle, 25, as shown in figures 1,
and 2, the casing, 24, may be elongated (somewhat as shown in figure 7) and a
delivery pipe for leading the water to the bath or other vessel may be connected to
the bottom of the casing between one of the taps and the waste valve handle as
indicated by a dotted circle in figure 7.
•
When, as in the case of baths, provision for supplying water at different points
is to be made, as for shower, spray or douche for example, a single pair of taps
only are by my Invention fitted to the primary supply pipes, 27, 28, and these taps
are connected to a main chamber from which branch pipes are led to the several

page_text: points of discharge and a movable valve piece of a disk-like, cylindrical, or conical
form is arranged to direct the flow as required. Figures, 4, 5, and 6, on sheet, 1, .
of the accompanying drawings show a modification in which four distinct
distribution pipes are arranged to be supplied from a single pair of taps, figure, 4,.
being a plan, figure, 5, a vertical section and figure, 6, a horizontal section.. The
parts are contained in and fitted to a hollow casing, 24, similar to that shown in
figures 1, 2, 3, but without the same arrangement in the middle for the waste
valve handle, the middle part being made to act as part of the chamber or internal
space for mixing the hot and cold water, and containing the piece, which is a
disk, 30, for determining in what way the water shall be delivered or distributed.
The bottom of the middle part of the casing, 24, is formed with ports for admitting
the water into four delivery pipes, 31, and the disk, 30, covers and closes two or
three of these ports as indicated in figure, 6, being formed with an opening, 32, for
uncovering one or two of them according to the position in which the disk is
placed. The disk, 30, is attached to a spindle, 33, which passes through a stuffing
box and has a handle, 34, fixed to its outer end and also a pointer, 35. The
cover, 36, or it might be a separate disk, has marked on it the words "plunge,
shower, spray, douche," or other suitable words; and when the handle, 34, is
turned to direct the pointer, 35, to one of these words the water will be delivered
to the part or in the manner indicated, or if the pointer is directed between two of
the words then the water will be directed simultaneously to two points. The
primary supply taps, 21, 22, are like those shown in figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure, 7,
is a horizontal section of a modification arranged for delivering the water through
two distribution pipes instead of four.
+
Figure; 8, on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of an
improved form of tap or valve of the kind closing against the pressure by a
screwing action, and which may be used instead of the form shown in the arrange-
ments delineated in figures, 1, to 6, and hereinbefore described. In this improved
tap which is suitable for various purposes and more particularly where a quick
opening or closing action is required, the valve piece or closing detail, 37, is
prevented from turning by guide pins, 38, formed or fixed on it and working in
sockets in the cover, 39. The spindle, 40, by means of which the valve piece, 37,
is moved is formed with two screw threads, 41, 42, which are both right-handed as
shown or both left-handed, one screw thread, 41, being of fine pitch and working
-in an internal thread in the cover, and the other, 42, being of coarse pitch and
working in an internal thread formed in the valve piece, 37. The spindle, 40,
moves slightly inwards when drawing the valve piece, 37, outwards and vice versa.
With this arrangement there is the advantage of a quick action without the
liability of the screw parts to yield to the pressure. The tap may be modified by,
. using a single thread on the spindle, catches or frictional appliances being fitted in
connection with the spindle to prevent it from turning except by hand. The tap
may also be modified so as to close with the pressure if preferred.
The handles or other suitable parts of the supply taps and of the waste valve are
by preference connected as described in the Specification of my earlier patent
N° 2021 of 1873, in such a way that the former cannot be open except when the
latter is shut, an arrangement rendering it impossible to waste water in a manner
liable to occur to a very great extent with ordinary arrangements.
In order to economise water and prevent waste, the lavatories, baths, or other
vessels are supplied from a cistern the valvular appliances of which are arranged in
. an improved manner to limit the quantity supplied at each time of using, a downlet
valve in the cistern being, in this case, used instead of a tap. The downlet valve
is, in one modification, made with a conical rim or a rubber flange to close down on
the valve seat, and is formed or fitted with a tube having a closed bottom. The
rod or wire which lifts the valve has a long piston or plunger entering down into
..the tube, and lifts. the valve by suction; but the water gets to the underside of
"the plunger or piston as it does not fit watertight, and in a certain time the valve
.
·

page_text: falls and closes, and thereby limits the quantity supplied, even if the lifting rod
continues raised. In figure, 9, on' sheet, 2, of the accompanying drawings there is
shown in vertical section a combined valve and lifter of the kind just described but
as modified with certain additions which render it more suitable for some uses, and
which are hereinafter explained. The downlet port or opening 43, is formed with
a narrow upwardly projecting rim, 44; as a valve seat, and the closing part of the
valve piece is a rubber disk or flange, 45, fixed between two metal plates on a
vertical tube, 46, the lower part of which works in a central guide, 47. Inside of
the tube,. 46, there is a long piston or plunger 48, connected to a rod, 49, which is
raised or drawn up in order to open the valve, its upper end being guided in the
top of a fixed arch shaped bracket, 50. When the rod, 49, is raised it draws up
the plunger, 48, and this by suction raises the tube, 46, and the valve; but as
water gradually finds its way down between the tube, 46, and the plunger the
valve drops in a certain time even if the rod, 49, is kept up, and closes the port, 43.
The lifting rod, 49, is fixed to a piece, 51, which has attached to it a cylinder; 52,
having an annular bottom end working somewhat closely on the tube, 46; and
when after being raised by the rod, 49, the valve with the tube, 46, descends, the
outer cylinder, 52, keeps up a quantity of water to feed the tube, 46, and prevent
access of air which would cause the valve to descend too rapidly. When a some-
what slower closing action of the valve is required an annular piston may be formed
or fixed on the tube, 46, to work in the outer cylinder, 52.
The valvular apparatus shown in figure, 9, is very suitable for cisterns for
supplying water closets, and is easily arranged to give a second or after supply for
filling or sealing the basin after the closet handle has been let go. The arrangement
for this purpose is shown in figure, 9, and in it a weighted rocking lever frame, 53,
is employed, being arranged to rest on knife edges, 54, 55, on opposite sides of the
bracket or frame, 50. The lifting wire or cord is attached to the weighted end of
the rocking frame, 53, and the sides of the frame are jointed to the piece, 51, which
is attached to the outer cylinder, 52, and to the rod 49. When 'the rocking
frame, 53, is raised by the wire, 56, the further knife edge, 55, acts as its fulcrum
and it lifts the piece, 51, and parts attached thereto; and when the wire, 56, is let
go the weight of the rocking frame, 53, causes it to tilt or rock on the other knife
edge, 54, as a fulcrum and again open the valve. For the proper action of this
arrangement it is desirable for the plunger, 48, inside the tube, 46, and the
cylinder, 52, outside of it to be able to descend quickly, and to allow of this the
rod, 49, is fitted to have a limited movement in the plunger, 48, and is made a
loose fit or with a groove or flat part down the side of it so that water can pass
with sufficient ease from the lower end to the upper end. A small rubber
washer, 57, is fixed to the lower end of the rod, 49, so as to close this freer passage
when the rod is drawn up. For the same purpose screw nuts which secure the
piece, 51, to the rod 49, are made with radial grooves to allow water to pass freely
into the top of the outer cylinder, 52.
In some cases (in which the outer cylinder, 52, is not used) the tube, 46, is
formed or fixed partly or entirely below the bearing flange, 45, or rim of the
valve; and then the tube, 46, may serve to guide the valve, a fixed central guide
eye, 47, being provided for it to work in. Where large supplies are required and
the valve has to close slowly it may be formed or fitted with three or more
tubes, 46, as shown in figure, 10, and these or some of them may be arranged in a
circle just within the valve seat, 44, so as to act as guides and dispense with other
grinding details. In this case the several plungers or pistons, 48, are connected to
one disk or head, 58, to which the lifting rod or wire, 56, is attached.
In the arrangements of downlet valves hereinbefore described with reference to
figures 9 and 10, it is obvious that the tubes, 46, and the plungers, 48, which work
in them may be transposed, the plungers, 48, being inverted and attached to the
valve pieces, 45, and the tubes, 46, being fixed to the upper parts, 58. -
In another modification which is shown in vertical section in figure, 11, the

page_text: downlet pipe or passage, 43, is, extended up inside the cistern in a pipe, 59, which is
encircled by a larger pipe, 60, having a closed top, and formed with an enlargement
or casing, 61, at its lower end, having openings round the bottom.; Within the
enlargement, there is an annular plate, 62, connected, by a pair of rods, 63, with the
lever by means of which the apparatus is set in action. When, the annular plate, 62,
is raised quickly it causes the water to rise, over the top of the upwardly extended
downlet pipe, 59, and then run off as by a siphon; but, the quantity at each time
of using is determined by the position of the holes at the bottom of the casing, 61,
or by an air hole at a higher point therein or in the tube, 60; the siphonal action
stopping as soon as the water level in the cistern descends to that hole.
My improved waste-preventing downlet valves are advantageously applicable.to
cisterns for supplying urinels and water closets; and in such applications a similar
construction of parts may be added for limiting the quantity of water.supplied for
the after flush.
My present Invention also comprises an improvement connected with the waste
valve of a bath or similar washing vessel. According to this improvement, one
modification of which is shown in horizontal section in figure, 12, and in vertical
section in figure, 13, on sheet, 2, of, the, accompanying drawings, the bath or vessel
is cast or formed with a recess, 64, at the bottom of the end for the waste valve, 65,
allowing of easy access to that valve and its seat from the inside of the bath.or
vessel. A permanent tube, 66, extends from the top of the recess, 64, up to the
handle plate for the passage up of the rod or tube attached to or forming part of
the valve. Or the valve rod or overflow tube when attached to the valve, 65, may
be arranged to work either in a groove formed up the end of the bath or in a pipe
fixed inside of the bath. Figures, 12, 14, and 15, are horizontal sections and
figure, 16, is a vertical section showing different modifications. In the modification
shown in figure, 12, a pipe or passage, 66, is cast against the end of the bath of a
size to admit of the combined valve, 65, and overflow tube, 67, extending up it.
As shown in figure, 14, a separate pipe is fixed so as to extend up from the
recess, 64, and as shown in figure, 16, a small pipe, 68, suitable for the rod of a
valve is similarly fixed the overflow outlet being provided separately. In the
modification shown in figure, 15, the bottom recess, 64, is continued in a groove or
narrow recess formed up the inside of the end of the bath, the overflow tube, 67,
which is combined with the valve being placed in the groove and being formed
with lateral flanges to more completely cover the sides of the groove.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the saine I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The improved construction of combined hot and cold water taps or valves
shown in figures, 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying drawings and hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination of a single pair of hot and cold water taps or valves with
a mixing chamber and with a separate compound valve for directing the mixed
water into one or two of three or more delivery pipes substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to figures, 4, 5, and 6, of the accompanying drawings
3. The improved construction of combined hot and cold water supplying valvular
details hereinbefore described with reference to figure. 7, of the accompanying
drawings
4. The improved construction of tap or valve shown in figure, 8, of the
accompanying drawings and herein before described.
5. The improved waste-preventing downlet cistern valves hereinbefore described
with reference to figure, 9, of the accompanying drawings.
6. The improved waste-preventing downlet cistern valve herein before described
with reference to figure, 10, of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 7. The improved siphonal downlet cistern apparatus hereinbefore described with
reference to figure, 11, of the accompanying drawings.
8. The improved arrangements or constructions of parts connected with the
discharge or waste valves of baths or similar washing vessels as herein before
described with reference to figures, 12 to 16, of the accompanying drawings.
In Witness whereof, I, the said John Shanks, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this fifteenth day of January, in the year. of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.
Witness.
EDMUND HUNT
Patent Agent
Glasgow.
JOHN SHANKS (L.S.)