IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF WATER
Year: 1885

page_text: I VALENTIN SCHNEIDER, Manager of the Gas and Water-works of 16 Mauritius-
strasse, Breslau, Prussia German Empire do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
WASTE OF WATER to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for domestic water supply systems or
arrangements whereby loss of water or waste of water by negligence or malice is
prevented.
The apparatus acts so that each time the supply is turned on it will allow only
a definite quantity of water to be drawn, will then close the supply and only
after the lapse of a certain time will again set the safety tap so that a similar
quantity of water may again be drawn off.
'
The apparatus consists substantially in an accumulator and a cock or tap upon
which the accumulator acts. The cock is an ordinary straight bore cock but is
provided with a bye-pass. The opening and closing of the tap may be effected by
à lever. The accumulator consists in a pressure cylinder which may conveniently
be cast in one piece with the corresponding portion of the supply pipe. In the
cylinder a piston packed with a cup leather or in any other convenient manner
moves up and down. The interior of the pressure cylinder communicates by the
channels with the supply passage of the supply pipe. By the screw closing the
top of the channel and reaching below the channel the passage in the channels
is so restricted that the water can pass down along the thread of a screw in the
aperture, in a very fine stream only. Instead of the fine thread on screw any
other convenient means may be employed for slowly admitting the water under
pressure.
The piston rod is guided in a strap or bridge piece screwed upon the cylinder;
above it carries a cup or tray for weights. The upper end of the piston has at one
side or at two, studs. With one of these studs a rod engages whose other end is
connected to the lever so that the cock is closed when the piston descends and
opened when it rises.
The lever arm carries an adjustable weight. To obviate one-sided loading a
counterweight is suspended on the second stud.

page_text: The apparatus is inserted at the beginning of the supply pipe or near the water
meter where such is used and it acts as follows:-
The
As long as the contents of the supply within the house remain quiescent and
communicate with the street main by the open cock, the pressure is the same in
the supply pipe within the house as in the main. If however water is taken from
the supply pipe then a proportionate decrease of pressure takes place throughout the
supply system (generally consisting of pipes of about 20-30 millimetres).
extent of the decrease in pressure is proportionate to the quantity taken away in
a given time. Now if the accumulator has by weights placed in the tray and by
adjustment of the weight been so regulated that such weight is supported only
when full pressure obtains in the supply pipes the piston in the accumulator begins
to descend as soon as this pressure decreases the pressure in the cylinder decreasing
at the same time by reason of its communicating with the supply as stated.
When the piston descends the water in the cylinder is driven back into the pipe
and as this by reason of the smallness of the passage is effected but slowly the
descent of the piston is correspondingly slow.
If water be drawn off for a
comparatively long period the piston would descend until it reaches its lowest
position and cuts off the supply by reversing the cock.
In actual practice the drawing off of water for domestic purposes lasts for a
limited period only; thus to fill an ordinary pail it is sufficient to allow the water
to run about 20 seconds. A vigorous closet flush takes about 15 seconds. For
domestic purposes the use of the water supply for a minute or for several minutes
occurs but seldom and in exceptional cases.
Of course the apparatus is so regulated that the descent of the piston is so slow
as to allow sufficient water for the ordinary household requirements to be drawn
without hindrance; if however the tap is left open by negligence water will for a
little time longer flow off-it follows that the decrease of pressure in the supply
system continues, the piston therefore descends further and ultimately closes the
cock and cuts off the supply which remains closed until the full pressure is again
exerted within the cylinder. This however can take place only when the tap that
has been left open is closed again. As long as said tap remains open only as
much water is wasted as can escape by the bye-pass of the cock. The accumulator
will of course become operative in the same manner if there should be a leak in
the pipes and in this case also closes the supply by means of the cock and indicates
by the position of the lever and of the piston that something is out of order.
If the tap which has accidentally been left open is closed again the water
entering will gradually reestablish the pressure in the house pipes until it equals
that in the street mains and gradually moves the piston upwards.
As the piston rises the cock is opened again so that the supply may once more
⚫ be used in the normal manner. The relative position of the two passages in the
cock must be such that at the instant when one passage is closed, when the cock is
turned the other will allow the water to pass.
The consumer can so adjust the weight on the accumulator that a certain
quantity may be drawn in a given time without causing the supply to be closed.
The weight on the lever is such or is so adjusted that it will by itself overcome
the friction of the cock. The further weighting of the piston in the tray or cup
may be effected by means of shot, iron plates, or the like and the load is such that
the cock may not close when only a normal quantity of water is drawn off.
In another form of apparatus the said fine channel is carried upwards in a
suitably thickened part of the cylinder and is, as well as the channel closed by
a screw,
The proportionately great length of the channel together with the smallness of
its diameter greatly increases the friction of the water when it is driven back into
the supply pipe at the downstroke of the piston so that the descent of this latter
will be retarded as required.
The apparatus consequently prevents all waste of water that might be caused
either by negligence or by malice and protects the house against all damage which

page_text: the bursting of pipes causes by reason of the escape of water-it is therefore of
important advantage to the consumer who has to pay for his water by meter as.
well as for the householder in general. Where on the other hand water is not paid
for by quantity it is to the interest of the Water Companies to prevent the often
unlimited waste of water and this waste is prevented by the present apparatus in
the simplest and most effective manner.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Water Waste Preventers.
I VALENTIN SCHNEIDER, Manager of the Gas and Water Works, of 16 Mauritius
Strasse, Breslau, Prussia, German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for domestic water supply systems or
arrangements whereby loss of water or waste of water by negligence or malice is
prevented.
The apparatus acts so that each time the supply is turned on it will allow only a
definite quantity of water to be drawn, will then close the supply and only after
the lapse of a certain time will again set the safety tap so that a similar quantity
of water may again be drawn off.
The accompanying drawings show two forms of this apparatus.
As will be seen in Figure 1 the apparatus consists substantially in an accumulator
and a cock or tap 'upon which the accumulator acts.
The cock a is an ordinary straight bore cock but is provided with a bye-pass a¹.
If the water pipes are of a larger diameter a valve with a bye-pass may be used.
The opening and closing of the tap may be effected by a lever b. The accumulator
consists in a pressure cylinder c which may conveniently be cast in one piece with
the corresponding portion of the supply pipe. In the cylinder a piston or plunger d
packed with a cup leather or in any other convenient manner moves up and down.
The interior of the pressure cylinder communicates by the channels o o¹ with the
supply passage of the supply pipe. These channels may be formed either as shown
in Figure 1 or as shown in Figure 2. By the screw e closing the top of the
channel o (in the form shown in Figure 1) and reaching below the channel o¹ the
passage in the channels is so restricted that the water can return along the thread
of screw e in the aperture in a very fine stream only. Instead of the fine thread on
screw e any other convenient means a valve for instance may be employed for
slowly moving the water under pressure.

page_text: The piston rod f is guided in a strap or bridge piece 9 screwed upon the
cylinder c; above it carries a cup or tray h for weights. The upper end of the
plunger d has at one side or at two, studs i.. With one of these studs i a rod k
engages whose other end is connected to the lever b so that the cock a is closed
when the piston & descends and opened when it rises.
The lever arm 6 carries an adjustable weight if its own weight is not sufficient.
The movement of the piston d can besides be regulated by a spiral spring & between
the guide g and the tray h. The movement is also regulated by a counterweight q
fastened to the tap and following the turning of it. To obviate one-sided loading
a counterweight p is suspended on the second stud i (Figure 3).
The apparatus is inserted at the beginning of the supply pipe or near the water
meter where such is used and it acts as follows.
As long as the contents of the supply within the house remain quiescent and
communicate with the street main by the open cock a, the same pressure obtains in
the supply pipe within the house as in the main.
If however water is taken from the supply pipe then a proportionate decrease of
pressure takes place throughout the supply-system (generally consisting of pipes of
about 20-30 millimeters).
The extent of the decrease in pressure is proportionate to the quantity taken
away in a given time. Now if the accumulator has by weights placed in the tray h
and by adjustment of the weight Z been so regulated that such weight is supported
only when full pressure obtains in the supply pipes the piston in the accumulator
begins to descend as soon as this pressure decreases the pressure in the cylinder c
decreasing at the same time by reason of its communicating with the supply as
stated.
When the piston descends the water in the cylinder c is driven back into the
pipe and as this by reason of the smallness of the passage is effected but slowly
the descent of the piston is correspondingly slow. If water be drawn off for a
comparatively long period the piston d would descend until it reaches its lowest
position and cuts off the supply by reversing the cock a.
In actual practice the drawing off of water for domestic purposes lasts for a
limited period only: thus to fill an ordinary pail it is sufficient to allow the water
to run about 20 seconds. A vigorous closet-Hush takes about 15 seconds, the use
of the water supply for a minute or for several minutes in domestic arrangements
occurs but seldom and in exceptional cases.
Of course the apparatus is so regulated that the descent of the piston is so slow
as to allow sufficient water for the ordinary household requirements to be drawn
without hindrance; if however the tap is left open by negligence water will for a
little time longer flow off-it follows that the decrease of pressure in the supply
system continues; the piston d therefore descends further and ultimately closes the
cock a and cuts off the supply which remains closed until the full pressure is again
exerted within the cylinder c. This however can take place only when the tap
that has been left open is closed again. As long as said tap remains open only as
much water is wasted as can escape by the bye-pass al of the cock a. The
accumulator will of course become operative in the same manner if there should be
a leak in the pipes and in this case also closes the supply by means of the cock a
and indicates by the position of the lever band of the piston d that something is
out of order.
If the tap which has accidentally been left open is closed again the water
entering by a¹ will gradually re-establish the pressure in the house pipes until it
equals that in the street mains and gradually moves the piston d upwards.
As the piston rises the cock a is opened again so that the supply may once more
be used in the normal manner. The relative position of the two passages in the
cock a must be such that at the instant when one passage is closed, when the cock
is turned the other will allow the water to pass.
- The consumer can so adjust the weight on the accumulator by increasing the
weight in the tray that a certain quantity may be drawn in a given time without

page_text: causing the supply to be closed. The weight on the lever b is such or is so
adjusted that it will by itself overcome the friction of the cock a.
The further weighting of the piston d in the tray or cup h may be effected by
means of shot, iron plates (Figure 2) or the like in conjunction with the tension of
the spiral spring 8, and the load is such that the cock may not close when only a
normal quantity of water is drawn off.
In the form of apparatus shown in Figure 2 the fine channel o is carried upwards
in a suitably thickened part of the cylinder and is, as well as the channel of closed
by a screw.
The proportionately great length of the channel together with the smallness of
its diameter greatly increases the friction of the water when it is driven back into
the supply pipe at the down stroke of the piston so that the descent of this latter
will be retarded as required.
The apparatus consequently prevents all waste of water that might be caused
either by negligence or by malice and protects the house against all damage which
the bursting of pipes causes by reason of the escape of water-it is therefore of
important advantage to the consumer who has to pay for his water by meter as
well as for the householder in general. Where on the other hand water is not paid
for by quantity it is to the interest of the water Companies to prevent the often
unlimited waste of water and this waste is prevented by the present apparatus in
the simplest and most effective manner.
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 automatic closing of domestic water supply arrangements when a leakage
occurs in the pipes or when a tap is by negligence left open, by means of a cock a
or a valve which is turned by the descent of a weighted piston or plunger d the
cylinder c of which communicates with the supply by means of a narrow channel
substantially as specified.
2. In an apparatus such as described the combination of a cock a or a valve
having two passages with an accumulator in such a manner that after interruption,
full pressure is re-established in the cylinder c when all parts of the supply
arrangements are in proper order whereby the piston is again raised and the cock a
or the valve opened.