A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING WATER PIPES FROM INJURY BY FROST
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Benjamin Theophilus Moore
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th January 1868.
I, BENJAMIN THEOPHILUS MOORE, of Elm Lodge, Spring Grove,
Isleworth, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING WATER PIPES FROM INJURY BY FROST," to be as
follows:-
My Invention has reference to the application to service pipes for
supplying water to houses or other buildings, either by means of cisterns,
or tanks, or otherwise, of an apparatus consisting mainly of a cock, valve,
or plug, so arranged that when frost occurs such cock, valve, or plug
shall automatically close the communication between the main and the
service pipe, and shall at the same time effect a communication between
the latter and an open branch pipe, so as to allow the water contained at
the time in the service pipe to escape therefrom. For this purpose in
the arrangement which I prefer to employ I fix a two-way cock at the
lowest accessible point in the service pipe, and in a horizontal position
or nearly so, the casing of which cock has an aperture or open branch at

page_text: the lower side. The cock is so formed that under ordinary circumstances
it closes such branch, and allows free communication between the service
pipe and the main. Upon the occurrence of frost, however, the cock is
caused by means to be presently described to turn so as to close the
communication with the main and to open the side aperture or branch
through which the water contained in the service pipe consequently
escapes. For effecting this automatic motion of the cock the plug
thereof carries a weighted lever which, when the cock is in position for
allowing the communication between the service pipe and the main, is
suspended in a horizontal position or nearly so from a fixed hook or stud
by means of a glass tube or vessel filled or partially filled with water,
one part of which tube or vessel is connected with the lever while the
opposite part is connected with the hook. On the occurrence of frost
the freezing of the water in the glass tube or vessel causes it to break,
and the weighted lever losing its support consequently falls to a vertical
position, and thereby turns the cock so as to close the communication
with the main and to open the side branch as described. By raising the
lever into its horizontal position again, and securing it by another glass
tube or vessel, after the cessation of the frost the communication with
the main may be again established. During the continuance of frost
water may be admitted through the service pipe when turned on at the
main by temporarily securing the lever in the horizontal position during
that time, and then allowing it to fall again so as to close the com-
munication and empty the service pipe so soon as the required supply
of water has been obtained. In summer time the glass tube may be
removed for safety and replaced by a hook or piece of wire, and the open
branch may then be closed by a screw cap or plug, to prevent any
possible leakage through the cock. I prefer to construct this cock with
a casing or- barrel entirely closed at one end, and accurately turned
inside, where it is made slightly conical; this barrel has two opposite
side openings communicating with the service pipe and supply pipe from
the main, and a third side opening communicating with the branch pipe.
Into the open end of the barrel is fitted a hollow plug, also turned
slightly conical, so as to fit accurately into the barrel, and having three
side openings so arranged that in turning the plug the service pipe is
alternately put in communication either with the supply pipe from the
main, the branch pipe being closed, or with the branch pipe, the supply
pipe being then closed. The open end of the barrel is closed with a

page_text: cover having a stuffing box, through which the spindle of the plug passes
to receive the weighted arm or lever before mentioned, and the plug is
always kept pressed home in its seat in the barrel by a spiral spring
placed between the cover and the plug.