IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS FOR LIQUIDS, STEAM, AIR, AND OTHER FLUIDS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Henry Vernon, of St. John's, Hackney, in the
65
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS
FOR LIQUIDS, STEAM, AIR, AND OTHER FLUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Henry Vernon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1880.
ALFRED HENRY VERNON, of St. John's, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS FOR LIQUIDS, STEAM, AIR, AND OTHER
FLUIDS."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of improved inlet-taps, draw-off
taps, stop-cocks, ball or float cocks or valves, and all other taps or cocks used for
the passage of liquids, steam, air, or other fluids.
My improved tap is formed without the usual vertical turning plug, instead of
which arrangement the tap is opened and closed by the sliding motion of a hori-
zontal spindle flanged at both ends, the inner end of which spindle I prefer to make
in, say, three divisions or ribs, or otherwise, so as to fit or slide against the inside
This spindlo
of the tap, and yot leave a free space or inlet channel for the fluid.
works or slides through a circular hole or channel in the centre of the front end of
the tap so that it may work true and fit well. The tap may have the usual
curved outlet end or otherwise as required. The inner or valve end of the said
fluid way is formed conical and ground true, and the inner flange of the said spindle
is formed and ground true to fit therein. The outer end of the said spindle is fitted
with a thumb-plate for operating such spindle, and may have behind it an elastic
washer to make it water-tight. This washer also aids in closing the tap by its
elasticity, especially where there is a short supply of fluid.
My improved tap is thus operated:-When fixed in the usual way the fluid
within the vessel presses against the valve end or inner flange of the spindle, and
so closes the tap. When it is required to draw off any of the fluid it is only
necessary to press against the said thumb-plate, and thereby open the said valve
and fluid way at the other end, such fluid will then freely run out. When it is
desired to close the tap the pressure is simply withdrawn from the thumb-plate;
the force of the fluid then closes the tap as before described,
'

page_text: I provide tho said thumb-plate with two projections on its periphery, oposite
each other or thereabouts, and form on the tap beneath a suitable projection, so
that when it is desired to leave my improved tap running the said thumb-plate is,
when the tap is open, turned so that one of its projections catches the projection on
the tap on its inside face, and thus holds the tap open. By turning the said
thumb-plate, when the tap is closed, so that one of its said projections catches
against the outside face of the said projection on the tap, prevents the tap being
opened accidentally or otherwise until the thumb-plate is first released.
My said improved tap can by a little variation in its shape be made into a
stop-cock or into a joint cock between two pipes fixed in the same straight line or
thereabouts. It is also casily converted into a ball-cock or valve, or inlet tap,
which is thus effected:-On the upper part of the tap the lever of the ball or float
is jointed, so that such float can freely move upwards and downwards in the usual
way, and can also be turned quite over upon the tap. The said lever near its
jointed end is made with a shoulder or downward projection, which, by the falling
of the float, opens the tap by pressing against the said thumb-plate, and as such
float rises it frees the tap from its pressure, and thereby allows the tap to be closed.
by the force of the fluid, as before described. By this arrangement a very small
float is sufficient. The float is moveable on its said lever, and can therefore be
fixed to suit the size of the cistern or reservoir as required.
«
It will thus be seen that the action of my improved tap is that known as the
spindle valve action," and can be fitted to work vertically, or at any angle, as
well as horizontally. It is very simple in construction and efficient in practice.
It is free from all springs and leather fittings, and requires neither turning,
pulling, nor screwing in opening or closing it, the latter being effected by
the fluid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said Alfred Henry Vernon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
August 1880.
ALFRED HENRY VERNON, of St. Jolin's, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS FOR LIQUIDS, STEAM, AIR, AND OTHER
FLUIDS."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of improved inlet-taps, draw-off
taps, stop-cocks, ball or float cocks or valves, and all other taps or cocks used for
the passage of liquids, steam, air, or other fluids.
In order that my said Invention may be more fully understood, and be more
rendily performed, I will explain the same with the aid of the accompanying
Drawing which forms part of this Specification, reference being made thereto by
the numerals and letters marked thereon. The same index letters refer to the same
parts in each Figure of the said Drawing.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved tap with ball or float apparatus added,
but without the ball or float; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the centre of
the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the spindle; Fig. 4 is a transverse section
of the same on the plane A, B, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a front view of the inner flange
of such spindle; Fig. 6 is a front view of the external flange or thumb-plate or
push-plate of the said spindle.
It will be seen on inspection of the Drawing that my said improved tap is formed
without the usual vertical turning plug, instead of which arrangement the tap is
opened by pressing in wards the thumb-plate a at the outer end of the spindle b,
and is closed by simply withdrawing such pressure.
About one-third of this
spindle b is a solid shaft made to fit and slide in the holes or channels c formed in
the front end of the tap, so that it may fit well and work true. The remaining
portion of such spindle I prefer to make in three divisions or ribs d, sec Figs. 3
and 4, so that they may slide freely within the water-way or channel of the tap,
and yet leave a sufficient space or inlet channel for the entering fluid. The said
spindle b is provided at its other or inner end with a bevilled or conical flange e
turned true to fit in the concave recess f, which is also turned true, and is formed
at the further end of the fluid-way within the tap. The thumb-plate a is made
with two projections g on its periphery, as shown, and has an elastic washer a¹
fitted behind it to make the opening water-tight; this washer also uids, by its
elasticity, in closing the tap, especially where there is a short supply of fluid-
pressure.
The inlet end of the tap is made to screw and unscrew at b* for the insertion
of the said spindle in the water-way of the tap, for its withdrawal therefrom, and
for cleansing purposes. The tap may have the usual curved outlet end from the
said water-way, or be otherwise formed as required.
My improved tap is thus operated-When fixed in the usual way, and the
spindle properly inserted, the fluid within the vessel or supply-pipe presses against
the flange e of the spindle b, and thereby closes the tap. When it is required to
draw off any of such fluid it is only necessary to press the thumb-plate a inwards
or towards the tap, which at the same instant opens the valve end of the water-
way by pushing back the flange e, when the fluid will then freely enter and run
through the tap. When it is desired to close the tap the pressure is simply with-
drawn from the thumb-plate a; the force of the fluid then closes the tap, as before
described.
When it is desired to leave my improved tap running the thumb-plate a is,
when the tap is open, so turned that one of its projections catches the pro-
jection g' of the tap on its inside face, and thus holds the tap open; by turning the
said thumb-plate, when the tap is closed, so that one of its said projections 9 catchies

page_text: against the outside face of the said projection g prevents the tap being opened,
accidentally or otherwise, until the thumb-plate is first released.
My said improved tap can, by a little variation in its shape, be made into a stop-
cock or into a joint-cock, between two pipes fixed in the same straight line or
thereabouts; it is also easily converted into a ball-cock or valve, as shown in Fig. 1.
In this case when the lever h is lowered by the falling of the ball or float to the
position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 the shoulder i of such lever presses
against the thumb-plate a and thereby opens the tap; and as such float risės it
gradually raises the lever hand thus frees the said thumb-plate from pressure, and
thereby allows the tap to be closed by the force of the fluid, as before described. 1
By this arrangement a small float is sufficient.
I make the said float removeable on the lever h, so that any one may be fixed
thereon to suit the size of the tap and the dimensions or capacity of the cistern or
reservoir.
This improved tap can be fitted to work vertically, or at any angle, as well as 1
horizontally. It is very simple in construction and efficient in practice. It is free
from springs and leather fittings, and requires neither turning, pulling, nor screwing
in operating it.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the method of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not s
restrict myself to the precise relative dimensions of the several parts, nor to the
exact details now illustrated, as they admit of considerable variation without
departing from the main characteristics of the Invention, but I claim as my Inven-
tion, and desire to secure by the herein before mentioned in part recited Letters
Patent,-
Firstly. The construction of taps or cocks operated by a sliding flanged
spindle.
Secondly. The construction of the sliding flanged spindle.
Thirdly. The arrangement for holding such taps or cocks open or closed;
Each and all substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Henry Vernon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALFRED HENRY VERNON
(1.9)