IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING TAPS OR VALVES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Breeden, of the Firm of J. and W. Breeden
and Booth, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING TAPS
OR VALVES."
Sealed the 31st March 1871, and dated the 3rd November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Breeden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd November 1870.
I, JOSEPH BREEDEN, of the Firm of J. and W. Breeden and Booth, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-
CLOSING TAPS OR VALVES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to taps or valves which slowly close themselves.
after the pressure of the hand or other force has been removed by which
the tap or valve was opened.
I construct and arrange the parts of the said taps or valves in the
following manner :-The body of the tap consists of a circular chamber
closed by a cap, screwed or otherwise fixed thereon. In the centre of

page_text: the said chamber the exit pipe opens, and the entrance pipe opens
into the annular space surrounding the said central exit pipe, which
annular space may be covered with fine wire gauze. The top of the central
exit pipe constitutes a bed or seat, on which a disc or diaphragm of
leather or other flexible substance rests when the tap is closed, the said
diaphragm dividing the chamber horizontally. The said disk or diaphragm
is perforated at its centre, and a rod with a head at its top passes
through the hole in the disk down the axis of the exit pipe, its lower
end protruding through a hole on the under side of the body of the tap.
The hole in the disk or diaphragm is somewhat larger than the rod
which passes through it. A coiled spring between the covering cap of
the body and the head of the rod presses the said rod downwards, in the
disk or diaphragm between its centre and periphery a small hole is
made. I prefer to make the said hole in a small plate of brass inserted
in the disk or diaphragm.
The action of the tap is as follows:-The liquid from the entrance
pipe presses against the under side of the disk or diaphragm, tending to
raise it from its seat on the exit pipe, but in consequence of the small
hole in the disk or diaphragm the liquid presses also on the upper side
of the diaphragm. The pressure of the liquid on the upper side is on
the whole area of the diaphragm, while the pressure on the under side
is only on that portion of the diaphragm external to the central exit
pipe on which the diaphragm is pressed, the pressure of the liquid
consequently presses down the said diaphragm and closes the tap; on
pressing up the protruding end of the stem described the head of the
stem is raised from the diaphragm, and the liquid on the upper side of
the diaphragm escapes through the central hole in the diaphragm into
the exit pipe. The pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm being
thus removed the diaphragm is raised by the pressure of the liquid on
its under side, and the said liquid escapes freely down the exit pipe.
When the stem is no longer pressed upwards by the hand or other power
it descends by the action of the coiled spring and closes the central
opening in the diaphragm. The liquid passing slowly through the small
opening in the diaphragm to its upper side, and being no longer able to
escape, the pressure on the said upper side of the diaphragm gradually
increases until it exceeds that on the under side, when the tap or valve
closes the increased pressure on the upper side forcing the diaphragm
closely against the top of the central exit pipe. Instead of the rod by

page_text: which the tap is opened protruding from the under side of the body of
the tap, it may protrude from the upper side of the body of the tap, and
be pressed downwards to open the tap. In large taps or valves the
central rod may be made to act upon a small valve in the middle of the
large valve or diaphragm which closes the exit pipe, and the hole by
which the liquid gains access to the upper side of the diaphragm may be
made in the edge of the body, the said hole being furnished with a piece
of wire gauze to prevent the clogging of the passage.
Taps or valves constructed according to my Invention are useful for
waterclosets, where their use renders the ordinary service box unnecessary,
and may also be used for ball taps, or valves for lavatories and offices,
and for various other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Breeden in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd May 1871.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH,
BREEDEN, of the Firm of J. and W. Breeden and Booth, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Breeden, Her special licence, that I,
the said Joseph Breeden, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or -
such others as I, the said Joseph Breeden, 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 SELF-CLOSING TAPS
OR VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Breeden, 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 bec

page_text: 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 Joseph Breeden, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to taps or valves which slowly close themselves
after the pressure of the hand or other force has been removed by which
the tap or valve was opened.
I construct and arrange the parts of the said taps or valves in the
following manner:-The body of the tap consists of a circular chamber
closed by a cap screwed or otherwise fixed thereon. In the centre of
the said chamber the exit pipe opens and the entrance pipe opens into
the annular space surrounding the said central exit pipe, which annular
space may be covered with fine wire gauze. The top of the central exit
pipe constitutes a bed or seat on which a disk or diaphragm of leather
or other flexible substance rests when the tap is closed, the said
diaphragm dividing the chamber horizontally. The said disk or
diaphragm is perforated at its centre and a rod with a head at its top
passes through the hole in the disk down the axis of the exit pipe, its
lower end protruding through a hole on the under side of the body of
the tap. The hole of the disk or diaphragm is somewhat larger than
the rod which passes through it. A coiled spring between the covering
cap of the body and the head of the rod presses the said rod downwards.
In the disk or diaphragm between its centre and periphery a small hole
is made. I prefer to make the said hole in a small plate of brass inserted
in the disk or diaphragm.
The action of the tap is as follows:-The liquid from the entrance
pipe presses against the under side of the disk or diaphragm tending to
raise it from its side on the exit pipe, but in consequence of the small
hole in the disc or diaphragm the liquid presses also on the upper side
of the diaphragm. The pressure of the liquid on the upper side is on
the whole area of the diaphragm while the pressure on the. under side
is only on that portion of the diaphragm external to the central exit
pipe on which the diaphragm is pressed, the pressure of the liquid a
consequently presses down the said diaphragm and closes the tap. On
pressing up the protruding end of the stem described the head of the
stem is raised from the diaphragm and the liquid on the upper side of

page_text: the diaphragm escapes through the central hole in the diaphragm into
the exit pipe. The pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm being
thus removed the diaphragm is raised by the pressure of the liquid on:
its under side, and the said liquid escapes freely down the exit pipe..
When the stem is no longer pressed upwards by the hand or other power,
it descends by the action of the coiled spring and closes the central
opening in the diaphragm. The liquid passing slowly through the small
opening in the diaphragm to its upper side, and being no longer able to
escape the pressure on the said upper side of the diaphragm gradually
increases until it exceeds that on the under side, when the tap or valve
closes, the increased pressure on the upper side forcing the diaphragm
closely against the top of the central exit pipe. Instead of the rod by
which the tap is opened protruding from the under side of the body of -
the tap, it may protrude from the upper side of the body of the tap, and
be pressed downwards to open the tap. In large taps or valves the
central rod may be made to act upon a small valve in the middle of the
large valve or diaphragm which closes the exit pipe and the hole by
which the liquid gains access to the upper side of the diaphragm may
be made in the edge of the body, the said hole being furnished with a
piece of wire gauze to prevent the clogging of the passage.
Taps or valves constructed according to my Invention are useful for
waterclosets where their use renders the ordinary service box un-
necessary, and may also be used for ball taps or valves for lavatorics and
offices, and for various other purposes.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation, and Figures 2 and 3 in longitudinal
section a self-closing tap or valve, the parts of which are constructed and
arranged according to my Invention; Figure 2 showing the tap closed
and Figure 3 shewing the tap opened.
Figure 4 represents in longitudinal section, and Figure 5 in plan, the
body and entrance and exit pipes of the tap, and Figure 6 represents
in elevation and plan the diaphragm and some of the other parts of the
tap detached. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
a is the body or chamber of the tap closed by the
the entrance pipe and d is the exit pipe of the tap;
screw cap f; c is
is the nose of the

page_text: exit pipe. The exit pipe d opens into the centre of the body or chamber a
while the entrance pipe c opens into the annular space c³ surrounding the
said central exit pipe d; e is the disk or diaphragm of leather or other
flexible material, by the rising and falling of which diaphragm the tap is
opened and closed. The bed or seat for the disk or diaphragm e is
formed by the top of the central exit pipe d. The edges of the disk
or diaphragm e arc secured between the top of the body or chamber a
and the internal flange of the screw cap f. The tap is divided horizon-
tally into two parts by the said diaphragm or disk e. In the centre of
the diaphragm is a hole or perforation at g through which hole g a rod h
works freely, the said hole being a little larger than the rod. The said
rod passes down the central exit pipe d, its lower end protruding from
the under side of the tap. The upper end of the rod is furnished with
a head which is pressed upon the upper side of the diaphragm e and the
hole I in the said diaphragm closed by the coiled spring k between the
head of the rod and the covering cap f. On the under side of the tap
is a lever pressed down by a spring for raising the central rod / when
it is wished to open the tap, as herein-after explained. In the disk or
diaphragm e is a small hole m made in a metal plate inserted in the said
disk or diaphragm. By means of this hole a communication between
the two parts of the chamber, situated respectively above and below
the diaphragm or disk e, is established. The liquid from the entrance
pipe c presses against the under side of the disk or diaphragm e and
tends to lift it from its seat at d³, but in consequence of the small
hole m in the diaphragm establishing a communication between the
two portions of the chamber above and below the diaphragm, the liquid
presses also on the upper side of the diaphragm.
By reference to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that tho areas of the
upper and lower sides of the diaphragm upon which the liquid presses
are uncqual, the liquid pressing on the whole area of the upper side of
the diaphragm and upon only that portion of the under side of the said
diaphragm external to the central exit pipe d. The pressure of the
liquid is consequently greatest on the upper side of the diaphragm, and
the latter is thereby pressed down upon its annular seat d³, and the tap
closed. In order to open the tap the lever is raised by hand. The
protruding end of the central rod is thereby pressed upwards, and
its head i lifted from the diaphragm e, and the coiled spring k compressed.
By the raising of the head i from the diaphragm the hole g in the centre

page_text: of the said diaphragm is uncovered, and the liquid on the upper side of
the said diaphragm now passes through the said central hole g into the
exit pipe d. The pressure being thus removed from the upper side of
the diaphragm, the said diaphragm is raised from its seat & by the
pressure of the liquid on its under side and the tap is opened, the liquid
escaping freely down the central exit pipe, as shown in Figure 3. On
loosing the lever the central rod is pressed down by the coiled
spring, and the central opening g in the diaphragm closed. The
liquid passing slowly through the small opening m in the diaphragm to
its upper side, and being unable to escape by the said central opening g,
the pressure on the said upper side of the diaphragm gradually increases
until it exceeds that on the under side, when the tap or valve clōscs, the
said diaphragm being forced by the pressure closely against the top or
scat d³ of the central exit pipe d, as illustrated in Figure 2.
Figure 7 represents in elevation a ball tap constructed according to
my Invention.
This tap is arranged in the manner herein-before
described, but instead of the central rod for opening and closing the
tap being lifted by hand the said central rod / is pressed up when the
tap is required to be opened by the short arm of the ball or float lever 1,
jointed at p to the under side of the tap.
Figure 8 represents in vertical longitudinal section a large tap or
valve constructed according to my Invention; Figure 9 is a plan of the
tap without the diaphragm and cover; Figuro 10 represents the
diaphragm and central valve detached, and Figure 11 the central rod
detached.
In this arrangement of my Invention the liquid from the entrance
pipe c gains access to the upper side of the diaphragm e by means of
the hole in the edge of the body a, a hole" in the diaphragm e, and a
small holes in the edge of the covering cap f. In the middle of the
upper side of the diaphragm e is a small valve t, 2, through which
the liquid escapes when the rod is lifted from the upper side of
the diaphragm to the central exit pipe d. The said small valve in the
diaphragm consists of a metal disc t provided with an india-rubber seat t.
The head i of the rod is hollow or cupped, and its lower. edge bears
upon the said india-rubber seat (2, and closes the central opening in the
valve, and no liquid can pass from the upper side of the diaphragm.
That part of the rod marked 2 immediately below the head i is angular,
and when the said rod is raised so as to lift the head i from the seat (2

page_text: of the small valve the liquid readily escapes from the upper side of the
diaphragm to the exit pipe by passing between the angular sides of the
rod and the central opening in the small valve of the diaphragm.
The parts of the tap, Figures 8 and 9 which I have not described are
marked with the same letters of reference as corresponding parts in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Figure 12 represents in front elevation (the covering plate being
removed,) and Figure 13 in vertical section a tap or valve constructed
according to my Invention applied to a stand pipe or hydrant. 1 is the
tap or valve constructed as herein-before described; 2 is the entrance
pipe, and 3 is the exit pipe; 4 is the rod by the pressing in or advancing
of which the tap is opened. On the inner side of the covering plate 5
of the hydrant is a lever 6 turning on the centre 7. The upper end or
thumb plate 6 of the lever 6 passes through the covering plate 5 to the
outside thereof. The lever 6 is pressed against the inner side of the
plate 5 by the spring 8. When it is wished to open the tap the thumb
plate 6 of the lever 6 is pressed inwards, the lever 6 thereby presses
inwards the protruding end of the rod 4 of the tap, and opens the said
tap. On removing the pressure from the thumb plate 6º, the rod 4
returns to its normal position, and the tap is gradually closed as herein-
before described.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and
illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention, but I claim as my Invention of improvements in self-
closing taps or valves of the kind herein described, the combinations or
arrangements of parts substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, removing the
pressure from the upper side of the flexible disk or diaphragm, which by
its rising and falling opens and closes the tap by the action of a central
rod working in the axis of the valve seat or exit pipe, which rod by its
advance motion uncovers an opening or small valve in the centre of the
flexible disk or diaphragm whereby the liquid is allowed to escape from
its upper side, and which rod by its retiring motion closes the said
opening or small valve, thereby restoring the pressure to the upper side
of the flexible disk or diaphragm, and causing the tap to be gradually
closed, the said central rod and opening or small valve in the flexible

page_text: disc or diaphragm being combined with the other parts of the tap
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Breeden, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
HENRY SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOSEPH BREEDEN. (L.S.)