Improvements in Valves and Taps, and in Fittings in connection. therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves and Taps, and in Fittings in connection.
therewith.
I, JAMES GEORGE STIDDER, of 66 Waddon Old Road, Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to manufacture improved valves, taps and fittings
for various purposes.
I form an eccentric screw down tap for water, in which I provide a metal plug
and disc, which is capable of being pressed down upon a metal seat, thereby
forming a secure tap. The plug is guided in a cylinder, to the upper end of which
a handle is fitted. Part of this cylinder is screw-threaded the thread fitting a.
corresponding screw thread formed in the upper part of the body of the tap. The
plug is slotted to receive a transverse pin, which affords sufficient play to allow for
A spiral spring surrounds a portion of the plug, pressing it downwards as
far as the pin will allow. A by-pass is provided to allow any water to escape
which may accumulate in the neighbourhood of the screw. The tap is opened and
closed in a similar manner to ordinary screw down taps. The tap is so arranged
that it is slightly eccentric relatively to the seat. The contact surfaces of the
valve and seat are thereby mutually ground so as to form a perfectly fluid-tight
connection, and remove any deposit which may have accumulated upon the seat.
wear.
I form a horizontal valve for drawing water, in which a piston plug and valve
are fitted. The plug is pressed outwards against an outside hand lever, by an
enclosed spiral spring. The piston is packed with woodite or other suitable packing,
and the valve may be similarly faced; or it may be formed so as to present a metal
face to a metal seating. A passage is formed for passing away any water which
may leak pass the piston.
also form a modification of the foregoing, suitable for the passage of hot or
cold water, in which the valve is kept to its seat by a bent lever pivoted to a branch
of the tap; no spring being required. By fitting a ball to the lever this tap may
be used as an ordinary ball cock.
I also modify my invention to form a safety valve for kitchen boilers, a conical
valve being fitted, resting upon a suitable seating and pressed by a spiral spring, to
which a screw cap is fitted for regulating the pressure. A screw plug is fitted for
testing and indicating purposes.
In another form of screw-down valve, I form the upper part of the spindle, next
to the handle, conical, resting in a conical seat, and held thereto by a spiral spring,
as a substitute for a stuffing box and gland. The lower part of the spindle is made
square and fits in a square hole in a screw plug, the lower end of which forms the
valve disc, which is raised and lowered from and to the seat by turning the handle
in the usual manner. I sometimes taper the upper part of the spindle and
neck of the boss, and fit a screw diagonally, the end of which enters a groove
formed in the spindle, whereby the latter is rendered fluid tight.
Cleansing covers are fitted to the taps for removal of sediment &c.
Wherever necessary I fit what I term a dirt collector to supply and other pipes,
for intercepting and collecting dirt, gravel, &c. This consists of a chamber of
enlarged diameter, fitted with a perforated diaphragm, formed of any suitable

page_text: material, whereby all objectionable particles of matter are
beyond the diaphragm.
Dated th A 1004
prevented from passing
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.
Improvements in Valves and Taps, and in Fittings in connection
therewith.
I, JAMES GEORGE STIDDER, of 66 Waddon Old Road, Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to manufacture improved valves, taps, and fittings
for various purposes.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar figures of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
I form an eccentric screw down tap for water, as shown in section in Fig. 1,
in which I provide a square metal plug or plunger 6 with a disc 7 at its lower
end. The plunger 6 is guided in the cylinder 8, to the upper end of which a
handle 9 is fitted so that the cylinder can be turned thereby on its vertical
axis. The lower part of this cylinder is screw-threaded, as shown, the thread
fitting a corresponding screw-thread formed in the upper part of the body of
the tap. The plunger is slotted at 10 to receive a transverse pin 11, the pin
passing through the cylinder on each side of the plunger. The slot affords
sufficient play to allow for wear. A spiral spring 12 surrounds a portion of the
plunger, pressing it downwards as far as the pin will allow. A rubber or other
washer 13 is sometimes interposed between the spring and the. disc. 14 is a
by-pass pipe which drains away any water which may accumulate in the neigh-
bourhood of the screw. 15 is the seat of the valve. The tap is opened and
closed in a similar manner to ordinary screw-down taps. The tap is so con-
structed that the disc is slightly eccentric relatively to its seat.
The contact
surfaces of the, disc and seat are thereby ground by their mutual action, whereby
a perfectly fluid-tight closure is effected, and the removal of any deposit which
may have accumulated upon the seat is secured.
The
The screw-down tap shown in Fig. 1 may be modified, as shown in Fig. 2.
plunger 6 carries a rubber or other disc 16. The plunger is free to turn on its
centre, and is raised off its seat by the grub screw 17 taking into the recess 18
formed in or round the plunger.
I forin a horizontal valve for drawing water, as shown in section in Fig. 3, in
which a piston plug 19 is fitted to the end of the spindle 20. The spindle and
piston are pressed outwards by the enclosed spiral spring 12, against the outside
hand lever 21. The piston 19 is packed with woodite or other suitable material,
and the valve may be similarly faced; or it may be formed so as to present a metal
face to a metal seating. 22 is a fixed cylinder in which the piston 19 works. This
cylinder and piston retard the closing of the valve, preventing concussion, and
rendering the closing silent. 14 is a by-pass pipe, for passing away any water
which may leak past the spindle.
I also form a modification of the foregoing, as shown in section in Fig. 4, suitable
for the passage of hot or cold water. In this arrangement the valve is kept to its
seat by a bent lever 23 pivoted at 24. The lower end of this lever works in a slot
in the spindle 25, the lever 23 keeps the valve to its seat without a spring. The

page_text: <
closing of the valve is rendered silent by the action of the plunger 26 in the
ylinder formed at the end of the spindle. 14 is the by-pass pipe. The lever 23
may be used alone for operating by hand. When the tap is used as a ball cock in
combination with a syphon flushing apparatus fitted with a dribble cock, where a
Jirge quantity of inflowing water is required during the latter stage of filling the
tank, the lever 23 is connected with a second lever 27, pivoted to a bracket at 28;
the lever 27 being made of a suitable length and fitted with a floating ball, thus
opening the valve, correspondingly, as the water rises in the tank. When used as an
ordinary ball cock, the lever 23 is reversed and placed under the tap, the floating
ball being fitted to the end in the usual manner.
I also modify my invention to form a safety valve for kitchen boilers and the
like, as shown in sectional elevation in Fig. 5 and in sectional plan view in Fig. 6,
29 is a pipe leading to the boiler. 30 is the body of the valve, coupled to 29 by a
screw collar 31.
32 is a conical valve at the lower end of a spindle, the valve
being pressed downwards upon the seat 15 by the spring 12. 33 is a regulating
screw cap, pressing down the spring and acting as a guide to the spindle. 34 is the
relief spout, and 35 is a test cock.
The
Wherever necessary I fit what I term a dirt collector to supply and other pipes,
as shown, partly in section and partly in elevation, in Fig. 7, for intercepting and
collecting dirt, gravel, &c. which may otherwise pass to the taps or cocks.
collector consists of a chamber of enlarged diameter, interposed between, and united
to lead, iron, or other pipes, by ordinary well-known means, as shown in the
drawing. The two portions of the chamber 36 and 37 are bolted together, and a
perforated diaphragm 38, of any suitable material is clamped between their flanges,
whereby all objectionable particles of matter are prevented from passing beyond
the diaphragm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improvements in valves and taps, and in fittings in connection therewith,
substantially as berein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In valves, taps and fittings as aforesaid, the combination of a spring-pressed
screw-down valve or tap, the contact surfaces of the valve and seat being
eccentrically arranged, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
Fig. 1 of the drawings.
3. In valves, taps and fittings as aforesaid, the combination of a spring-pressed
screw-down valve or tap, fitted with a rubber or other disc 16, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawings.
4. The improved horizontal valve for drawing water, substantially as herein
before described and illustrated by Fig. 3 of the drawings.
5. The improved valve or tap for the passage of hot or cold water, or for use as
a ball tap, the valve being kept to its seat by a bent band lever, fitted above the
valve, as shown in Fig. 4, and with or without an additional ball lever; or having
the bent lever fitted under the valve to operate as a ball lever, substantially as
herein before described.
6. The improved safety valve for kitchen boilers and the like, substantially as
herein before described, and illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
7. The improved dirt collector substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described and illustrated by Fig. 7 of the drawings.
Dated 28th January 1895.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.