IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS, TAPS, OR JOINTS FOR TURNING ON AND CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Wheeler, of Speenhamland, in the
County of Berks, Smith and Ironmonger, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS, TAPS, OR JOINTS FOR TURNING ON AND
CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS."
Sealed the 19th March 1869, and dated the 21st September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Wheeler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st September 1868.
I, CHARLES WHEELER, of Speenhamland, in the County of Berks,
Smith and Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS, TAPS, OR JOINTS FOR TURNING
ON AND CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the construction and employment of
apparatus for turning on or for cutting off the supply of liquids and
fluids in the following manner :-

page_text: According to one arrangement I attach by a flange or otherwise to
the vessel containing the liquid a bent tube or pipe, by preference elbow
shaped, a second tube passes into a socket formed in the elbow tube, and
the junction is effected by a rod or bolt passing through the two
tightened up by nuts. To the second tube I attach at right angles to it
or nearly so a long tube which must be the length of the depth of the
vessel containing the liquid. The elbow tube is a fixture to the vessel,
but the second tube with the long arm is free to turn therein, by there-
fore depressing the latter liquid is free to flow through the long tube, and
by raising it its escape is cut off.
The junction may, according to another arrangement, be made by
flanges, that on the elbow tube being a fixture, and that on the second
tube being loose; a flange is fitted to the second tube, between which
and the flange on the first an india-rubber or other washer is placed to
preserve a tight joint, the flanges are tightened up by screws and nuts.
Joints or pipes constructed according to my Invention are particularly
applicable for agricultural purposes to be fitted to the end of casks or
water tanks for supplying water to cattle in the field or elsewhere, but
of course they can be applied to any other purpose where it is required
to cut off or to turn on a supply of liquid. By applying a perforated
pipe to the end of the long tube the Invention is applicable to barrows
or vessels for watering lawns, roads, gravel walks, and other places
required to be watered. They may also be used in breweries with
advantage, for example, by attaching a hose to the end liquor may be
turned on to any point by simply lowering the long tube. By a modi-
fication of the joint before described I am enabled to adapt it with
admirable facility to taps in general for liquids and fluids. I unite the
elbow or T piece to that inserted in the cask or vessel from which the
liquid is to be drawn (supposing it is to be used for liquids) by a screw;
the mouth of the tube leading from the vessel receives a plug which
rests loosely thereon, the spindle of the plug is provided with a socket
into which a pin on a screw threaded rod passing through the end of the
tap takes. By turning the threaded rod by a key or handle in one
direction from the outside the plug is released from the bed of the tube
and liquid can freely flow, but on turning it in the contrary direction it
is screwed down tightly on the bed, and all passage of liquid is
prevented. India-rubber, gutta percha, or leather washers are fitted
on the face of the valves to make the joints perfectly tight. By
unscrewing the elbow piece the parts are easily removed and a new

page_text: india-rubber, gutta percha, or leather valve or washer can be quickly
inserted when the old has worn out. Taps of this description are
applicable for cutting off and for turning on the supply of gas.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Wheeler in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 20th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WHEELER, of Speenhamland, in the County of Berks, Smith and Iron-
monger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Wheeler, Her
special licence that I, the said Charles Wheeler, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Wheeler, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN-APPARATUS, TAPS, OR JOINTS FOR TURNING ON AND CUTTING OFF
THE SUPPLY OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Wheeler, 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 be 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 Charles Wheeler, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the construction and employment of
apparatus for turning on or for cutting off the supply of liquids and
fluids in the following manner.:-
According to one arrangement I attach by a flange or otherwise to
the vessel containing the liquid a bent tube or pipe, by preference clbow
shaped, a second tube passes into a socket formed in the elbow tube, and
the junction is effected by a rod or bolt passing through the two tight-
ened up by nuts. To the second tube I attach at right angles to it or
nearly so a long tube which must be the length of the depth of the
vessel containing the liquid. The elbow tube is a fixture to the vessel,
but the second tube with the long arm is free to turn therein, by there-
fore depressing the latter liquid is free to flow through the long tube and
by raising it its escape is cut off.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a view of this joint, a
portion being in vertical section in order to clearly illustrate how the
parts are secured together; a is the elbow shaped tube, provided with a
flange 6 to secure it to the vessel to which it is to be applied; c is
another tube fitting into a socket formed in the other tube a; d is a bolt
passing through the two tubes and held by nuts as shown for keeping
them together, thus held the tube c is free to move in the socket of the
other tube a; when the tube a is in the position shown at Figure 1 liquid
is free to flow through it. Figure 2 is a view of the same tubes and
joints, but showing the tube c raised so that liquid cannot flow.
The junction may, according to another arrangement, be made by
flange that on the clbow tube being a fixture and that on the second
tube being loose, a flange is fitted to the second tube, between which and
the flange on the first an india-rubber or other washer is placed to
preserve a tight joint. The flanges are tightened up by screws and nuts.
Figure 3 is a view in vertical section of this method of uniting the
two pipes; e is a flange fixed to the elbow tube a, and fis a flange
loose on the tube c; h, h, are bolts for holding the flanges together;
by this means the tube c can turn in the tube a in a similar manner
to that before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4
is a view in section, and Figure 5 in plan, of another arrangement for
keeping the two tubes together, and in this case I am able to dispense
with the use of any bolt or other fastening passing through the tubes;

page_text: a and c are the two tubes as before. the tube a is intended to be
secured to any vessel by the flange b, and the tube c is free to turn in
the tube a; i is a frame or strap surrounding the two tubes a and c; k is
a pivot fixed to the strap on which one end of the tube a is placed, the
other end of the tube c is supported by a second pivot which is screw-
threaded and passes through a lug m formed on the strap; n is a nut
for tightening up the screw to cause the point of the latter to press into
a socket formed in the tube a, and thus to hold the two tubes a and c
firmly together, but at the same time allowing the tube c sufficient
freedom to turn in the tube a; by the arrangement I have just described
no leakage can take place at the joints and there is little or no friction
while the tube c is turned. The operation of this joint is similar to
the others, the tube c is raised or lowered according to whether it is
required to turn on or to cut off the supply of liquid from the vessel to
which the apparatus is fitted.
:
Joints or pipes constructed according to my Invention are particularly
applicable for agricultural purposes, to be fitted to the end of casks or
water tanks for supplying water to cattle in the field or elsewhere, but of
course they can be applied to any other purpose where it is required to
cut off or to turn on a supply of liquid. By applying a perforated pipe
to the end of the long tube the Invention is applicable to barrows or
vessels for watering lawns, roads, gravel walks, and other places
required to be watered. They may also be used in breweries with
advantage, for example, by attaching a hose to the end liquor may be
turned on to any point by simply lowering the long tube.
By a modification of the joint before described I am enabled to adapt
it with admirable facility to taps in general. Figure 6 is a sectional
view of this tap for liquids and fluids. I unite the elbow or T piece a to
that inserted in the cask or vessel from which the liquid is to be drawn
(supposing it is to be used for liquids) by a screw m; the mouth of the
tube c leading from the vessel receives a plug n, which rests loosely
thereon, the spindle of the plug is provided with a socket o, into which
a pin pon a screw-threaded rod r passing through the end of the tap
takes. By turning the threaded rod by a key or handle, Figure 7, in
one direction from the outside the plug is released from the bed of the
tube, and liquid can freely flow, but on turning it in the contrary
direction it is screwed down tightly on the bed, and all passage of
liquid is prevented. India-rubber, gutta percha, or leather washers

page_text: are fitted on the face of the valves to make the joints perfectly tight.
By unscrewing the elbow piece the parts are easily removed, and a
new india-rubber, gutta percha, or leather valve or washer can be
quickly inserted when the old has worn out. Taps of this description
are applicable for cutting off and for turning on the supply of gas. The
dotted lines show the plug screwed tightly up against the bed, and the
full lines, the plug released and liquid free to pass from the vessel and
to flow through the tap.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit
myself to the employment of either of the arrangements before described
for securing the two tubes or pipes together, but I have shown them as
convenient methods of carrying my Invention into effect, and what in
practise I have found to answer well, as other arrangements might be
adopted for effecting the same purpose, but I claim,―
First. The construction of apparatus or joints consisting of two bent
tubes, one end of each of which is inserted in the other, so that one is
free to turn in the other and to be raised or lowered to allow liquid to
flow, or to stop the passage thereof, all substantially in manner herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The particular arrangements or any mere modifications
thereof for securing and holding tubes or joints together as herein-
before described and illustrated at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. The construction and arrangement of taps for liquids and fluids
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated at Figure 6 of
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wheeler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
accompanying Drawings.
Third. The construction' and arrangement of taps for liquids and fluids
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated at Figure 6 of
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wheeler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.